Tong's campus was bustling with activity, as usual. Engineering was known for its bold and unconventional projects, and this was no exception.
Tong, along with a group of equally eccentric friends, were busy with their latest experiment.
"Alright, guys, we're going to make history today," Tong exclaimed, standing in front of a half-finished robot that looked like it was made from spare parts and sheer desperation.
"Or we'll blow this lab up," one of his friends, Nut, muttered as he adjusted his safety glasses.
"Optimism, Nut. "Always optimistic," Tong replied with a smile. "Now, let's get to work. If we succeed, we'll have robots that can do all the housework. No more cleaning for lazy people!"
"Well, that's what the world needs: more lazy engineers," another friend, Yot, laughed.
Tong ignored the taunts and focused on connecting the last few wires. "Alright, time to demonstrate. "Turn it on."
The group watched with bated breath as Nut flipped the switch. The robot came to life, its eyes glowing slightly.
"Hello, sir," the robot said flatly. "How can I help you today?"
Tong and his friends cheered. "It worked! It really worked!" Tong shouted as he did a little victory dance.
"Alright, alright, let's see if this robot can actually do something useful," Nut said as he grabbed a broom and handed it to the robot. "Robot, sweep the floor."
The robot grabbed the broom and began sweeping, albeit clumsily. His friends watched, half in amazement and half in amusement, as the robot's movements became more and more erratic.
"I don't think it's... working," Yot said, backing away slowly as the robot's movements became more and more frantic.
"Shit! "Turn it off, turn it off!" Tong screamed, but before Nut could reach the switch, the robot's broom hit a shelf, sending tools and parts flying everywhere.
"Cancel! Abort!" Nut screamed, finally managing to shut the robot down. The lab was in chaos, and the group burst into laughter.
"Well, that was a spectacular failure," Tong said, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. "But hey, at least it was entertaining."
"Next time, let's try something that won't destroy the lab," Yot suggested, still laughing."Okay," Tong said. "But for now, let's clean up before anyone notices."
Tong and his friends finally finished cleaning up the mess of their experiment. Tong collapsed onto his bed, exhausted but elated.
"Wow, that was fun," he muttered, staring at the ceiling. "I can't wait to tell Joe about our almost-successful robot."
Mark, who was resting in the corner, raised an eyebrow. "Another crazy day in the lab, I guess?"
"You have no idea," Tong replied with a smile. "But hey, life would be boring without a little chaos, right?"
Mark chuckled softly. "Of course."
As Tong drifted off to sleep, Joe's thoughts jumbled between the day's events and his unexpected encounter with Ming. Life seemed to be getting more interesting with each passing day.