Rich and Willful!

After a lengthy discussion, Clarke Hamilton requested White Shark and Claire to step out for a while. He remained non-committal to their proposal, neither accepting nor rejecting it outright. However, he couldn't help but acknowledge the duo's capabilities.

White Shark, known for founding the martial arts gang and his formidable combat skills, had a reputation that preceded him. Rumors of him single-handedly defeating scores of opponents, albeit mere minions, spoke volumes about his potential utility.

But Clarke's interest leaned more towards Claire. Her astuteness had left a lasting impression on him. Despite their limited interactions, she had demonstrated a blend of caution and decisiveness, speaking only when necessary and seizing opportunities to delegate tasks effectively.

Her influence was evident. White Shark's immediate and unquestioning action upon her agreement to take up a task highlighted her capabilities. Clarke even speculated that Clair rise in the martial arts gang might be attributed to White Shark's high regard for her skills.

As Clarke mulled over these thoughts, Zamba approached him with a concern. "Master, you've asked Daniel to leave. Who will ensure your safety now?"

Clarke responded with an air of nonchalance, "I've got the family's rapid response force and a newly acquired set of electromagnetic kinetic energy shields. For now, they'll suffice."

He had come to realize the practicality of androids. Despite their vulnerability to top hackers, their reliability in critical situations outshone that of humans. Moreover, Clarke had secured a small electromagnetic shield for himself. This device, wearable as a belt, could deploy a protective shield in milliseconds upon detecting an incoming bullet.

Zamba, bearing a look of guilt, retreated. Although Clarke hadn't blamed him, the responsibility for the previous attack and Daniel's failure to protect him weighed heavily on them.

"By the way, Zamba," Clarke called out just as Zamba was about to leave.

"Master?" Zheng turned around promptly.

Clarke, seated thoughtfully on the sofa, said, "The Akio family's manor needs to be addressed. As the only surviving son-in-law and inheritor of this estate, it falls upon me. Could you arrange some engineering teams for its renovation and refurbishment?"

Zamba, with a somewhat perplexed expression, nodded in agreement and departed to carry out the task.

Over the following days, Clarke Hamilton efficiently mobilized his family's influence to engage the heads of several engineering firms. He specifically chose smaller companies, knowing they would be more flexible and likely to agree to his terms swiftly after the price negotiations.

His requirements were straightforward yet peculiar: during the renovation, all construction activities were to be self-managed, and most crucially, network disconnection was mandatory.

While these stipulations initially raised eyebrows, the generous financial incentives offered by Clarke quickly quelled any hesitations from the engineering firms.

Zamba, initially thinking the task straightforward, soon realized the complexity of Clarke's plan. In a short span, Clarke had amassed a staggering array of engineering equipment and over 5,000 engineering androids. These weren't ordinary household bionics but specialized construction models capable of significant feats, such as erecting a house in a day without rest or sustenance.

The scale of the operation was immense, capable of building several manors. Yet, the purpose behind this grand endeavor remained a mystery to all but Clarke himself. He personally oversaw the project, with no external designers or engineers involved. Instead, Clarke and Zamba directed the operations, issuing orders directly.

Upon arriving at the Akio family's manor, Clarke and Zamba were met with the arrival of numerous engineering teams. Zamba reported, "Master, all the engineering teams are here."

Behind Zamba stood a group of mechanical engineers, hastily recruited for a specific task: to equip all the bionics and automated systems with new storage devices and remove their network cards. This modification would enable the androids to erase their construction records, ensuring the utmost confidentiality of Clarke's project.

As the mechanical engineers busied themselves with their work, Clarke tasked Zamba with overseeing the engineering vehicles. These automated vehicles were responsible not only for transporting necessary materials but also for removing any excess waste generated during construction.

The work proceeded tirelessly from dawn till dusk. By day's end, all the project's equipment had been fitted with new storage devices, and their network cards removed.

With the day's work completed and the workers dismissed, Clarke stood amidst the towering piles of construction materials within the manor grounds, contemplating the next steps of his secretive and ambitious project.

Clarke Hamilton stood in the small square of the manor, his eyes fixed on an open tunnel in front of him. He directed the engineering androids with precision, "Create an opening here, ten meters in diameter and one thousand meters deep. Reinforce the edges with alloy."

The androids, devoid of thought but equipped with sophisticated programming, immediately set to work. They deployed various machines and began the task without hesitation. As intelligent machines, they lacked the capacity to question the extraordinary nature of Clarke's request. Their programming simply guided them to execute the order in the most efficient manner possible.

Some androids ventured out to bring in drilling trucks, while others began erecting tower cranes. A group methodically marked a ten-meter diameter circle on the ground, delineating the construction site.

As the project commenced, night fell over the city, casting a serene glow over the bustling manor. The androids, unconcerned with concepts of time or fatigue, continued their relentless work into the darkness.

A massive lifting platform materialized, and a colossal vertical tunnel boring machine was brought in, demolishing several structures in its path. It began drilling into the earth, its giant drill bit burrowing deep into the ground.

Piles of gravel and soil were swiftly teleported to the surface, then loaded onto waiting construction trucks. These vehicles efficiently transported the debris to a remote wilderness area outside the city.

Clarke watched in awe as the scene unfolded. Thousands of bionic workers and hundreds of construction machines operated in perfect harmony. He marveled at the level of automation this world had achieved. In his original world, such an ambitious undertaking would have been a colossal project, requiring at least half a year to dig such a massive pit.

But here, with the efficiency of these android engineering teams, a mere half-month would suffice. And this excavation was just the beginning of his grand plan.

His ultimate goal was to construct a secret laboratory, buried thousands of meters underground, dedicated to the study of psychic energy. The actual location of this laboratory would be a well-guarded secret, not beneath the manor but underneath a two-story building he had purchased nearby. His plan was to dig down one thousand meters, then tunnel horizontally towards his residence.

Despite the significant financial cost, Clarke wasn't concerned. His wealth afforded him the liberty to pursue such ambitious projects without restraint. He stood there, contemplating the vast undertaking, a testament to his wealth and determination to delve into the mysteries of psychic energy.