Who killed the lobby manager?

The accident happened on an ordinary day.

I was drinking milk tea leisurely in the office when I suddenly received a call. The news from the other end shocked me:

"The lobby manager you sold to us blew herself up!"

I was startled and almost choked by the pearls in the milk tea. I covered my chest and coughed bitterly: "Can you say it again?"

I was very familiar with the person who called, Liu Ming, the head of the customer service department of Xingfa Bank in Zhongxin Street. We usually get along well. He bought a lot of our company's products and I gave him a lot of kickbacks privately.

But now, his tone was very unfriendly: "What else? I have never seen such a thing in more than ten years of work! She suddenly exploded in the lobby, and her whole head was rotten! The staff and customers were frightened, and now all the reporters were blocking the door. I tell you, this matter will not be let go. If the higher-ups ask, your company must give an explanation and compensation, and take back all these dangerous items..."

He was still chattering about something, but I was already wandering in my mind.

Exploded? How is it possible?

The "lobby manager" he mentioned is the most popular service robot developed by our company - the P970. During the development process, it passed various stress resistance tests in extreme environments, and its safety factor reached an unprecedented high.

So far, this robot has sold 100,000 units worldwide, and there has never been a case of self-explosion, and even failures are rare. The news said: "This product is expected to replace countless repetitive and low-end human labor."

But if it is true as he said...

The power of public opinion is terrible, and product quality issues are the lifeline of every company. In other words, if this matter is not handled well, the future of the P970 will be over.

And I, who had just been promoted to the Asia-Pacific Sales Director of the P970...

I am also over.

Without further ado, I have to rush to Xingfa Bank immediately to see if I can suppress it before the matter escalates!

I hurried out the door and rushed to the central street.

Xingfa Bank was surrounded by people. I pushed away the cameras and microphones of several reporters in a panic. The entrance was full of security guards. A hand stretched out from behind the wall of people and pulled me in neatly.

It was Liu Ming.

"You are finally here." He was pale and sweaty. "We are closed. The police came. Fortunately, no one was injured. The overall loss and impact are not great. They temporarily classified this incident as a machine failure."

"But the higher-ups are still investigating... If it is really your problem, you know the consequences."

I interrupted him: "Let me take a look at the scene first."

The remains of P970 lay quietly on the ground. It was designed to be a relatively soft female image, with a hot body, pure appearance, wearing a one-step skirt and high heels.

It can interact with customers in all directions and assist customers in handling various complex procedures. At first glance, it is no different from ordinary humans.

But after the accident, everything was clear - its head was torn into pieces, one eyeball fell to the side, and one was embedded in the ceiling; the artificial skin was scattered around in charred fragments; the colorful wires in the brain were exposed to the air, and the blue-black mucus flowed all over the floor.

I sighed and called the company's phone number, asking the after-sales processing department and the technical department to come over.

After the call, I patted Liu Ming's shoulder: "Can you export the surveillance footage of the incident for me?"

"I'll watch it with you." He rubbed his hair irritably, "I still have to report to the leader."

We sat in the monitoring room, watching the video footage of the incident intently.

The accident happened at 10:24 am. There were not many people in the lobby. P970 was standing meekly next to the self-service machine, waiting to serve the next customer.

However, without any warning, it exploded with a "bang!", and the scene was horrible, just like a living person dying in front of you.

"Look, it's very clear, right? It's the problem of your company's product..."

At the same time, the report from the technical department was also sent to my mobile phone. The technical department said that according to the inspection of the wreckage, it was proved that the quality of this P970 was no problem, and there was no malfunction at the time of the incident.

In other words, this is most likely not an accident.

While I asked the company to continue to check the recent movements of competitors, I said to Liu Ming: "Show me the previous surveillance."

He narrowed his eyes: "What do you mean?"

I said: "I suspect this is not an accident... someone is behind it. It's easy to put a small explosive device or something."

"Our bank has security scanners at the entrance, and dangerous items like bombs can't get in. Besides, no explosives were found at the scene..."

"Maybe it was brought in by some special method, and then it was blown up together." I said, "Unless it is confirmed that it is a problem with the machine itself, the company will not easily compensate. It's just a look at the surveillance, it won't cause any loss to you, right?"

He glared at me and dragged the progress bar reluctantly: "Watch it."

After watching for a few hours, I really picked out a few suspicious people.

I pointed to the middle-aged woman in a windbreaker on the screen: "Who is this?"

Liu Ming said: "A client, her husband is very rich, and has some deposit and financial management business in our bank. What happened?"

"When she passed by the lobby manager, she deliberately took two more steps to stay away from it, looking very disgusted; and, if I am not mistaken, she glared at the robot fiercely."

Liu Ming pondered for a while: "This client's husband is a nouveau riche, always lustful. Although he doesn't come to our bank many times, every time he comes, he will find this lobby manager... well, just chat, just take advantage of it, because it is a robot, so we just turn a blind eye."

"Once, he secretly came to ask us where we ordered this robot, saying that he also wanted to buy one to put at home... His words were quite vulgar. We laughed it off and called him back. Later, I don't know why this female customer found out about it, and she came to us twice to make trouble, saying that putting such a vixen in the lobby was not a good intention at all."

I tapped the screen with my index finger, "I guess, as an important customer, you must have her home address, right?"

"What do you want to do?"

"Just come to ask about the situation." I said, "Don't worry, it won't affect your bank's image."

The middle-aged woman in a windbreaker is called Tang Xiaojun, and she lives in a luxurious community.

When I visited her, she had just sent off the previous guest, and a man in a suit and tie passed by me.

I introduced myself carefully, without hiding my true identity, but just said that as the head of the robot company, I needed to understand the situation through the customers present that day.

Tang Xiaojun's attitude was cold, but she still let me sit in the house. The living room was messy, which seemed out of place under the luxurious decoration. The corner was full of cardboard boxes, on which some daily necessities were scattered.

"I saw the news report, but I really don't know what happened. That robot... It's hard to say. I think the bank put such a thing there with bad intentions. Now that something happened, it's just right not to use it. It makes people feel weird."

She didn't mention the anecdote between her husband and the robot.

"Can you recall carefully again, did anything unusual happen when you went to the bank that day?"

"Anything unusual? No, everything was normal. I was in a hurry that day, so I went directly to the manual counter and didn't queue up. The teller quickly handled the procedures and I left. When I left, I was accidentally bumped by the takeaway boy who came in. In short, I was in a hurry and didn't pay attention to what happened in the lobby at all."

"Okay, thank you." I nodded politely and said goodbye.

Back to the bank, Liu Ming asked me: "How is it?"

"It's not her."

"How do you know?"

"She's getting a divorce." The man who passed by me at the door had a file bag with the logo of a law firm in his hand; the boxes and daily necessities scattered in the corner all showed that she was about to leave this home; including her coming to the bank today to do business, it should be a preparation in advance for the division of property for divorce.

Liu Ming asked the teller who received her today, and sure enough, "It's true. She is preparing for a divorce, and the couple is negotiating a divorce agreement."

"So it can't be her. Who would do such a troublesome and disadvantageous thing at this juncture? What can you get by fighting for this breath? Fighting for property is the serious matter." I took a sip of water, "Continue watching the surveillance."

Soon, I locked on the second suspect.

"Who is this person?" I pointed to the middle-aged man with sloppy clothes and dull eyes on the screen.

Liu Ming's eyes suddenly became serious: "This person... Don't say, I think he has some problems too."

"Tell me more."

"He used to be in the catering business. His life was not as good as the rich, but better than the poor. He was also a middle-class person with a little money and no worries about food and clothing.

A year ago, he wanted to open a branch and came to us to mortgage his property for a loan, but he ended up losing everything. Not only did he lose all his capital, but his original shop and two houses were also taken back by our bank.

Now, he is like a barefoot man who is not afraid of those wearing shoes. He comes to our bank every now and then to make trouble..."

Liu Ming sighed: "The one who handled the mortgage procedures for him was your company's robot."

I carefully observed the middle-aged man on the screen. His behavior was very strange... I slammed the table and stood up:

"Oh no, he wants to commit suicide!"Fortunately, we arrived quickly enough, and the tragedy had not yet occurred.

In the narrow and dark rental house, the ambulance took away the man who swallowed 200 sleeping pills, and Liu Ming and I went to the hospital together.

Sitting outside the ward, Liu Ming asked me: "How do you know he would be upset?"

"You said that he often came here to make trouble before, but this time he didn't make a fuss or look for anyone. Instead, he just sat on a chair in the middle of the lobby, motionless. I saw in the surveillance that he brought a very large thermos cup and took out a small bottle from his pocket...

I guess it should be filled with sleeping pills. He was going to die here to show his final anger and protest against the bank."

"But why didn't he do it in the end?"

"The cleaner of your bank walked over and said something to him. Not long after he finished speaking, he stood up and left." I said, "But, he just changed the place to die."

"Oh, I didn't pay attention to the time. It's so late. Are you hungry? Let's go out for a meal first?" Liu Ming stood up and asked me.

"I'm not hungry." I shook my head. "I'll talk to him after he wakes up before we leave."

After waking up, the middle-aged man seemed a little scared. He looked pale and looked down at the needle hole on his hand.

"If you're alive, you still have a chance to make a comeback. If you die, you'll have nothing." I said.

He responded in a daze: "Yes, yes..."

After comforting him a few more words, I put down the fruit basket I bought on the bedside and asked: "Can I ask you a question?"

"Ah, you said..."

"You should have prepared to take medicine in the bank, why didn't anyone do it later?"

The middle-aged man smiled bitterly and looked at the ceiling: "Because the cleaner of the bank told me that the central air conditioner above the place where I sat was broken and it would be very cold. She suggested that I sit on the other side, which would be warmer... I didn't expect that when I was about to die, there would still be people who cared about whether I was cold or not. In the end, I changed my mind, also... also to repay her kindness."

I nodded: "I know. Then you have a good rest."

The clue ended again. Liu Ming and I sat in front of the surveillance camera and continued to watch the video. People don't feel sleepy when they are under great pressure. I am still energetic until now; surprisingly, Liu Ming doesn't seem to feel tired at all.

"I say, are you really overthinking it? The robot just exploded, right?"

"Do you know this young man?" I pointed at the young man in shirt and trousers on the screen. He walked around the lobby stealthily, looking around, his steps floating, but he didn't take a number or do anything substantial.

"Oh, this, this is an employee of another bank on the same street. He sometimes pretends to be a customer and comes here to find out what new activities we have. In fact, everyone knows his true identity, we just don't expose him."

Competitor? That really has the possibility of creating an accident.

The third suspect. The "murderer" who killed the P970...

Could it be him?The next morning, I met the young man in the surveillance video at another bank on the same street. The name tag on his chest read "Zhang Chen".

After hearing about my purpose, he received me very readily. Perhaps he felt that it was difficult to talk in the bank, so he invited me to sit in the coffee shop next door.

"It's working hours now. Is it okay for you to come out?"

"It's okay... it's not good for colleagues to hear."

"Why did you go to Xingfa Bank that day? Was it for work?"

"Uh... no."

"Is it inconvenient to say?" On the surface, I asked this, but in fact, I was ready to pry his mouth open no matter what. Unexpectedly, Zhang Chen rubbed his hair, and a blush appeared on his face, "It's for someone."

I was a little confused: "A person?"

"Oh, it's like this... I went to Xingfa for a walk when I had nothing to do before, and I saw a pretty girl at the counter. One time, I couldn't help but ask her for her contact information...

Later, we talked and talked, and then, we fell in love...

But we had just confirmed our relationship not long ago, and my girlfriend was shy and didn't want to make it public so quickly, so we didn't tell anyone around us.

That day I really missed her, so I went over there to take a look. Isn't this illegal?"

"But you didn't go to the counter that day."

"My girlfriend is timid and said that her supervisor is very fierce and it's not good to be seen.

But that day was also very strange Yes, she had said the night before that her supervisor would not be on duty the next day, but who knew that he did not come according to the schedule?

I saw him as soon as I entered that day. My girlfriend desperately tried to make me leave with her eyes. I had no choice but to wander around and leave.

As for the robot explosion you told me about at the beginning, I didn’t see it, but our bank also had it. We said today that we must conduct a strict inspection...

Hey, what's going on?

It was working well. My girlfriend told me privately that their bank originally planned to purchase another batch. Robots are so capable, maybe one day we will all be replaced? "

"Do you know what her supervisor's name is?"

"Liu, two characters for the first name, I can't remember the specific name."

He drank the coffee in his hand."Well, who is the murderer?" Liu Ming and I sat in the bank lobby, which had not officially resumed business yet, with only a few staff members coming and going.

"It's not completely certain, but I think there is a clue."

"Oh?" Liu Ming instantly became alert, "Tell me, who is it?"

"Before that, I have a question for you." I turned around and looked at the man in front of me, "Why are you so interested in this accident?"

"Of course I have to be responsible for my work..."

"That's right, but it stands to reason that you can just go back and wait for the results. Whether it's an accident or man-made, it has nothing to do with you. But you and I have been together for a few days, why?"

"..."

"It doesn't matter if you don't want to answer."

"Don't talk so much, who is the murderer among the three people?"

I shook my head: "None of them."

"Then why do you seem to know "

"None of the three people were the murderer. But in the conversation with them, I learned some important information. Putting this information together with some unusual conditions at the scene, the truth is about to come out."

"The unusual conditions at the scene? What is it?"

"From the beginning, this matter gave me a very strange feeling, but I couldn't tell why...

Later, I finally figured it out. There were two unclear doubts at the scene:

First, from before the explosion to after the explosion, no one had seen suspicious items that might cause the explosion; second, no one was injured at the scene. "

"It is clear that the explosion of the 'Lobby Manager' affected a large area, but at that time, there was no one near it. Is this just a coincidence?"

"This I was puzzled by the two questions at first, but after talking with the three suspects, everything was solved.

Tang Xiaojun said that she was hit by a takeaway man when she was leaving.

But as far as I know, takeaways are not allowed in the bank hall, not to mention that it is during the morning working hours, and no employee will ignore the discipline;

The customer flow that morning was also normal. Everyone basically finished their business and left within a quarter of an hour. There should be no customer who would order takeaways within this quarter of an hour, right? "

"And the middle-aged boss who swallowed the sleeping pills said that when he was sitting in the middle of the lobby, the cleaner came to tell him that the central air conditioner above his head was broken and asked him to sit on the other side;

But I checked, and your bank's central air conditioner is not broken at all. "

"In addition, Zhang Chen from another bank told me that You were not supposed to be on duty that day, but you came anyway. Why? "

"Don't rush to explain. Let me tell you a story first. The protagonists of this story are a bank clerk, a cleaner and a delivery man. They are going to collectively murder the bank's 'lobby manager', a robot.

So, the delivery man successfully evaded security by delivering a small explosive under the guise of a takeaway;

The cleaner evacuated the people within the explosion range and immediately cleaned up the remains of the explosive after the accident; and the bank clerk was responsible for the planning and scheduling of the whole thing.

As for the motive, I think it is also very simple. The market share of the P970 robot is increasing day by day. At present, half of the delivery men, couriers, cleaners, and customer service staff in the society have been replaced by it. Your bank also plans to purchase another batch. By then, I don't know how many people will be unemployed. As soon as this incident happened, people began to doubt the safety performance of robots. I am afraid that many procurement plans will have to be shelved.

It smashed your rice bowl, and you blew up its head. Is this fair? "

Liu Ming suddenly laughed strangely.

"It's a wonderful story."

"But...how do you know that there are only three protagonists in the story?"

I was shocked: "You mean..."

He looked at me steadily without saying a word. Suddenly, countless cold eyes fell on me like sharp needles. I looked around and found that every employee in the lobby stopped what they were doing and looked at this side quietly.

After a long time, Liu Ming asked: "How would you write an accident report?"

"I would write that due to product quality control reasons, the P970 product accidentally exploded. There is no need to ruin the future of so many real people because of a dummy, right?"

"Brother, you really deserve to be the latest model, with first-class reasoning and prediction ability and imagination." Liu Ming laughed again, "It's just that I made up a story, don't take it seriously! "

I looked at his face, smiled in agreement, then slowly stood up and walked backwards towards the door, pretending not to see the ferocity that flashed across his face, and the button bomb that he had just taken out of his pocket and was tightly holding in his hand.