MTLNOVEL Chapter 234:
Chapter 234: If Ailei Wants to Do It, She Can:
Three months later.
Inside the control room of the ecological starship.
The vast space displayed projections of the outside world—a barren darkness, a shimmering sea of stars, and in some places, long, winding light bands radiating the brilliance of billions of stars.
A magnificent supernova explosion—an inevitable cycle of death and rebirth in the universe, repeating over endless light-years.
Xu Xi sat before the control panel, his hands infused with mechanical force, fine-tuning the starship’s systems and enhancing its performance.
Mechanical force was indeed a wondrous power.
These tasks were originally Ailei’s responsibilities, but with her current condition, Xu Xi had taken over entirely.
“Ailei’s evolution seems to be nearing completion… I can’t wait to see the final result.”
Under the cold light, the illuminated surface of the control panel reflected every tiny component and the neatly arranged buttons.
After finishing his daily maintenance routine, Xu Xi leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes in thought, relaxing his body.
He was contemplating the future.
“When Ailei’s evolution is complete, the increase in computing power will accelerate technological advancements, and the starship’s speed should improve.”
“My mechanical resonance requires advanced technology to fully unleash its potential and reveal deeper principles.”
“If we don’t encounter other civilizations in the future, much of the technological progress will depend on Ailei, while I’ll rely on the joy of the machine soul to guide our development path.”
“But what should my next step be?”
“Should I find a resource-rich star system, settle down, and develop slowly, or should I pursue the truth behind the intelligent machine rebellion?”
The hull of the starship was incredibly sturdy, perfectly insulating against the cold of space.
Inside, the life-support system maintained a stable temperature, providing Xu Xi with a comfortable environment.
His fingers tapped rhythmically on the chair’s armrest—pausing and resuming, lost in indecision.
Based on the amount of knowledge he gained from the simulations, he leaned more toward uncovering the truth, for the forces orchestrating the rebellion must possess incredibly advanced technology.
But the question remained—where were these enemies, and which direction should he take to find them?
The vastness of the universe far exceeded the differences between land and sea on a planet.
Without specific intelligence, searching for a particular target in space was almost an impossible task.
Woo—
Woo—
Scattered meteors grazed past the ship’s hull.
A long warning sound echoed through the starship, followed by the automatic defense systems firing at the incoming debris, obliterating them in an instant.
The sound snapped Xu Xi out of his thoughts.
Shaking his head, he decided to take things one step at a time.
Regardless of what lay ahead, Xu Xi would ensure Ailei had a way to survive before the simulation ended, making sure she wouldn’t be left alone in the silent void of space.
“Then again, with Ailei’s current abilities, does she even need my concern?”
Thinking about Ailei’s capabilities, Xu Xi chuckled.
Indeed, she was more than capable of surviving in space on her own.
“Let’s go check on her condition. Hopefully, there’s some improvement today.”
With that thought, Xu Xi stood up and left the control room of the ecological starship, walking down the silver-white metal corridor back to the residential area.
Lush greenery filled the space, streams trickled gently, and precious soil nurtured vibrant flowers.
Upon entering his spacious quarters and walking to the deepest section, Xu Xi saw Ailei lying quietly on a metal workbench.
When Xu Xi wasn’t around, her body remained in standby mode, while her consciousness roamed the starship’s databases, managing its operations to prevent chaos.
But now, with Xu Xi’s presence, Ailei’s data returned to her body.
Her clear, dazed eyes slowly opened.
“Good afternoon, Master…”
“Good afternoon, Ailei. How are you feeling today? Any better?”
“Yes, a 3.87% improvement compared to before.”
“That’s good. No need to rush, take it slow.”
Xu Xi’s brows relaxed as he approached the workbench, his hands channeling mechanical force into Ailei’s body to repair it.
The mechanical force flowed like a fine stream, threading through the intricate crevices, mending and reinforcing her form.
Despite the repairs, Ailei still couldn’t move freely.
Her current frail body was unable to accommodate the evolved machine soul and its increased computational power.
“Ailei, try moving your finger.”
“…Yes, Master.”
Xu Xi carefully recorded the data from her response, filling page after page with detailed notes.
He was gathering all the necessary information to create a new body for her—not one of immense power, just one that could move normally.
“You’ve done well, Ailei. Rest now.”
After completing his records, Xu Xi spoke gently and let Ailei lie back down.
With the data in hand, he walked over to the laboratory area to begin designing the new body.
Ailei lay quietly on the workbench, tilting her head slightly as she watched Xu Xi’s busy figure.
In the past, whenever Xu Xi conducted experiments, she was always by his side, providing computational support or precision assistance.
But today…
Ailei blinked blankly.
It felt strange. Frustrating.
Her consciousness was crystal clear, data flowed rapidly through her systems, but she couldn’t move her body at all.
Even the simplest motion was incredibly difficult.
She hated it…
She despised this powerless state.
“I must… serve… serve…”
A faltering voice emerged from the workbench as Ailei placed her trembling hands against the metal surface, struggling to sit up.
If she could stand up, she could serve her master.
With that thought, she pressed her shaky feet onto the ground and held onto the workbench for support, trying to lift herself up.
BANG!
Her vision tilted sharply, and her body crashed onto the workbench with a loud clang.
There was no pain—machines don’t feel pain—but the failure to stand left Ailei visibly upset, her lips pressed downward in disappointment.
“Ailei, are you okay?”
Hearing the noise, Xu Xi quickly rushed over and helped the fallen mechanical maid back onto her feet.
After a quick check, he smiled.
“It’s okay, Ailei, no need to rush.”
He wanted her to rest.
This temporary disarray would pass; once her computational power stabilized and she had a new body, everything would return to normal—perhaps even better than before.
But Ailei refused to rest, constantly thinking of ways to help him.
“In that case… Ailei, could you pour me a glass of water?”
Seeing her shaky frame, Xu Xi hesitated for a moment before making a simple request.
“Yes, Master. Ailei is very happy to serve you.”
A faint light flickered in her once-lifeless eyes.
With trembling fingers, she gripped the kettle and carefully poured the water.
The first time—she spilled it.
The second time—the kettle slipped from her grasp.
The third time—finally, success.
The water splashed into the smooth cup, forming clear, colorless ripples…