MTLNOVEL Chapter 238:
Chapter 238: Is This Life Too Good to Be True?:
Sailing into the stars.
Exploring civilizations.
Seeking the truth.
These were the three-phase goals set by Xu Xi.
However, the vast scale of the universe meant that as soon as Xu Xi’s plans began, they faced an insurmountable challenge—distance.
In the boundless and dazzling galaxy, even light itself could not travel freely.
Distances spanning several light-years or even hundreds of light-years were the norm in the cold depths of space.
Naturally, the speed of the starship became Xu Xi’s first major obstacle.
“The starships from the Old Federation era were barely capable of interstellar travel. After my modifications, their performance has improved to some extent,” Xu Xi pondered.
“But compared to the speed of light, the improvements are still insignificant.”
“Moreover—”
“In this vast universe, only faster-than-light travel can truly solve the challenge of navigation.”
Xu Xi silently calculated.
At the current speed of the starship, reaching the nearest civilization ruins would take at least two hundred years.
Yes, that’s right.
Through genetic modification and mechanical augmentation, Xu Xi’s lifespan far exceeded that of an ordinary person.
The first dose of the genetic drug had extended his lifespan to about 300 years.
The second dose further increased it to approximately 600 years.
In the future, with the evolution of Super Ailei, it was inevitable that newer genetic drugs would be developed to further prolong his life.
But a mortal body has its limits.
Xu Xi estimated that if he could live for two to three thousand years before the simulation ended, he would already be extremely lucky.
It sounded like a long lifespan,
But compared to the long journey of space travel,
It was still insignificant.
For example, the real-world Milky Way galaxy has a diameter of about 100,000 light-years. Even light would take 100,000 years to traverse it—let alone Xu Xi, a mere human.
“Besides, whether I can even live to the end is still an unknown factor…”
Xu Xi closed his eyes and fell into deep thought.
Every time he recalled the terrifying cosmic graveyard, he felt a looming invisible threat closing in—slow, silent, yet undeniably real.
If he underestimated the enemy,
If he ignored the unknown mastermind…
Then,
He would be the one to suffer in the end.
“Speeding up is the only way. Ailei, are you ready?”
“Yes, I’m always at your service.”
“Create a project file and divide it into three phases—sublight speed, light speed, and faster-than-light speed.”
“File created successfully. Ailei is at your service.”
…
[In the 21st year of the simulation, you are 40 years old, and Ailei has been with you for 19 years.]
[You are deeply aware of the vastness of the universe, the strength of your enemies, and the brevity of your existence.]
[After Ailei’s evolution, her immense computational power has become your greatest support. You decide to focus on enhancing the speed of your starship.]
[This is a challenging endeavor.]
[Although your goal is to increase speed, in the realm of technology, everything is interconnected. The real challenge lies in materials, energy, precision, and more.]
[You push yourself to the limit, hoping to trigger the machine soul’s joy and gain insights into research directions.]
Ding—
Ding—
Ding—
[Your relentless efforts allow you to gain a few correct technological insights from the ship’s systems.]
[Ailei processes these ideas with incredible speed, rapidly transforming them into results.]
[For some reason, you faintly hear the wails of the ship’s machine soul during this process.]
“Ailei.”
“I’m here.”
“Have you noticed that the ship’s life support system has become unstable lately?”
“My apologies for disturbing your rest. I’ll fix it right away.”
[The deterioration of machinery is extremely slow. Even when failures occur, parts can be replaced.]
[Your beautiful machine maid remains as exquisite as ever, elegant and gentle, always smiling warmly at you.]
[At the same time, she cares deeply about your health and takes your concerns about the ship very seriously.]
[By the afternoon, all systems across the ecosystem ship and other vessels have been fully restored to normal.]
[You feel immensely relieved, appreciating Ailei’s capability.]
[“You flatter me, Master. This is what I should do.”]
[Ailei responds calmly, gracefully refilling your tea cup. Her gray-blue maid outfit is bright and eye-catching, adding a unique charm.]
…
[In the 22nd year of the simulation, you are 41 years old, and Ailei has been with you for 20 years.]
[Since leaving the Federation planets, several years have passed. You don’t feel bored, as your constant pursuit of technological knowledge makes you lose track of time.]
[You are now considered middle-aged by normal standards.]
[However, genetic modification and mechanical augmentation have kept your appearance youthful and your body strong.]
[You are quite satisfied with this.]
[At the same time, you feel Ailei’s mushroom soup has had some effect. For some reason, you often feel an endless supply of energy.]
[In the 25th year of the simulation, you are 44 years old, and Ailei has been with you for 23 years.]
[Thanks to Ailei’s formidable computational power, research processes that should have taken decades or even centuries have now shown results within the year.]
[Ailei shares with you the conceptual blueprint of a prototype sublight-speed engine.]
Vroom—!!
The engine roared, vibrating violently.
In the vast and empty space testing ground,
A massive gray-black engine was mounted on a rocky planet, secured for high-frequency bursts, testing its extreme output with immense force.
In the end,
Due to excessive overheating, the massive engine exploded on the spot, becoming a faint speck of light in the dark universe.
“I’m sorry, Master. I have failed your expectations.”
“No, Ailei. You’ve already done an amazing job.”
Xu Xi’s hands trembled with excitement as he gently patted Ailei’s head, comforting the apologetic machine soul.
This life of luxury…
Might just be a little too good.
Ding—
[Machine soul delighted. Due to your encouragement, Ailei’s computational efficiency has increased by 10%.]
[Your loyal machine maid apologizes, stating that the current starship engine can only achieve one-tenth of the speed of light.]
[You are already satisfied with this.]
[With one-tenth of light speed achieved, can half the speed of light be far away?]
[Knowing the technical challenges involved, you deeply appreciate Ailei’s research speed, which is simply extraordinary. You reassure her not to rush.]
[Ailei nods, taking your words to heart.]
Ding—
[Due to your encouragement, the machine soul enters a dedicated working state, and Ailei’s computational efficiency increases by 50%.]
[In the 26th year of the simulation, you are 45 years old, and Ailei has been with you for 24 years.]
[Ailei successfully develops an engine capable of reaching one-fourth the speed of light.]
[In the 27th year of the simulation, you are 46 years old, and Ailei has been with you for 25 years.]
[Ailei apologizes once again, stating that the standard for sublight engines is 90% of light speed, but she has not yet achieved it.]
[Ailei presents a blueprint for a one-third light-speed ion engine.]
Xu Xi: Hmm?