MTLNOVEL Chapter 240:
Chapter 240: I Believe You Can Do It, Ailei:
Since leaving the Federation planet, Xu Xi had not seen the desolate sight of a civilization ravaged by doomsday despair in a long time.
It was the dance of sand and the fall of life.
Dressed in the latest model of powered armor, Xu Xi activated the oxygen circulation system and unlocked his weapon’s restrictions as he stepped onto the dark red soil of the alien planet.
Thud… thud… each step echoed dully.
Ailei, still dressed in her gray-blue maid outfit, needed no external protection. As a machine servant, she followed closely behind Xu Xi, controlling the tide of intelligent machines to fend off enemies.
Neighboring civilized planets shared the same fate, even their causes of destruction were identical—only the timelines differed.
“Destroy… destroy…” From the weathered sands, rebellious intelligent machines resembling biological creatures emerged, their rusted limbs and decayed power systems struggling to crawl toward Xu Xi.
However, before they could get close, Ailei easily wiped them out.
“Thanks, Ailei,” Xu Xi said with a smile, his gaze shifting toward the ruins of a once-thriving city.
This unknown planet had fallen long before the Human Federation, yet judging from the remnants, its civilization was far more advanced.
Flesh, neural networks, biomass computers…
This civilization had clearly taken the path of biomass computing.
Every civilization, every technological path, was different in countless ways.
It wasn’t wrong—just a different direction of development.
“This method… reminds me of martial cultivation,” Xu Xi muttered, crouching down and running his hand over the surface of a metallic artifact. The exposed layer revealed a deep gray reflective material, faintly showing intricate network patterns beneath.
Truthfully, Xu Xi had once considered cultivation.
But it was too much of a waste, a distraction from the real goal.
With sci-fi-themed abilities at his disposal, his focus should be on advancing technology—no amount of cultivation could surpass the achievements of reality.
“Truly magnificent…”
Rising to his feet, Xu Xi looked up at the distant city skyline.
It resembled stacked blocks, pieced together with intricate structures covered in seemingly chaotic yet beautifully intricate black patterns.
It appeared to be a cultural symbol of the fallen civilization.
New civilizations, new technologies, new cultures—everything before him filled Xu Xi with excitement and satisfaction.
“Master, do you enjoy exploring?” Ailei asked with a hint of curiosity.
“Yeah, Ailei. Don’t you think it’s fascinating?”
“The birth of life, its essence, is the result of countless miracles combined.”
“The explosion of supernovas, their radiant bursts, gave life iron elements.”
“The collision of neutron stars, their collapses, scattered gold, silver, and zinc across the cosmos.”
“The deaths of stars, the spinning of black holes, the drifting of nebulas, and the flowing of galaxies—through billions of cosmic collisions and countless dazzling miracles, life was born.”
“Life itself is a miracle, and the civilizations they create are even greater miracles.”
Xu Xi spoke with a smile.
“Of course, my passion for exploration isn’t just about curiosity. These technologies help us grow and fill in our knowledge gaps.”
His voice carried a touch of sentiment.
In his fourth simulation, he had two sci-fi-themed abilities.
The “Machine Soul Delight” was in constant use, boosting Ailei’s computational power and enhancing the starship’s performance.
However, “Mechanical Resonance,” which allowed him to understand mechanical principles, had been left unused for a long time during space travel due to the lack of suitable targets.
Now, with the opportunity to study alien civilizations, Xu Xi could finally enrich his knowledge again.
“Let’s move on, Ailei,” Xu Xi said as he stepped forward, eager to explore more ruins.
“Yes, Master.”
Ailei followed closely, but Xu Xi noticed a hint of distraction in her demeanor.
“Is something bothering you, Ailei?”
Above the alien planet, a massive dark red star loomed, its dim glow casting a somber hue over everything.
Ailei shook her head at Xu Xi’s question, claiming there was no issue.
She was simply wondering—if the birth of humanity was such a miracle, would a machine like herself need to undergo similar transformations to evolve into a true human body?
Xu Xi was momentarily stunned and raised an eyebrow. “That wouldn’t be easy, Ailei.”
“To replicate such a feat, you might need another Big Bang.”
Was it even possible?
Xu Xi gently stroked Ailei’s head.
He had great confidence in his machine companion, believing her future achievements were boundless—she would eventually become a true force of mechanical calamity.
However, the title of calamity was limited to civilizations; reenacting the Big Bang was beyond the scope of any known civilization.
Xu Xi didn’t want to discourage Ailei. His approach had always been one of encouragement rather than denial.
Smiling, he ruffled her hair and said, “I believe you can do it, Ailei.”
“Thank you for your trust,” Ailei responded with a calm expression, feeling the warmth of his hand on her head as her mechanical ears twitched rapidly.
…
[You have explored a new wasteland planet.]
[It is designated as Civilization 02.]
[Technology, history, culture… A vast array of artifacts has been recovered by the intelligent machines and transported to the ecological starship, becoming part of your ever-growing collection.]
[With a rigorous approach, you delve into the alien civilization’s technology.]
[Ding—]
[Congratulations! Through persistent mechanical resonance, you have successfully acquired the design principles of biomass computers.]
[Ding—]
[Your dedication has touched the long-dormant machine soul, granting you the blueprint for a genetic bomb.]
[You diligently research technology while investigating the truth behind Civilization 02’s destruction.]
[With Ailei’s special perspective, you discover, as expected, the presence of red light signals within their technology products—confirming once again that these were the root cause of the intelligent machine rebellion.]
[You don’t fully understand its mechanism, but thanks to Ailei’s control, these red light signals pose no threat.]
[You continue analyzing the data from Civilization 02.]
[Compared to the clueless Human Federation, Civilization 02 seemed to have a deeper understanding of the intelligent machine rebellion.]
[“Threshold.”]
[This term frequently appears in the records.]
Threshold?
What exactly does it refer to?
The level of civilization development?
Inside the ecological starship, Xu Xi studied the translated data and fell into deep thought.
“Civilization… destruction… the cosmic graveyard…”
“The demise of two civilizations proves that the intelligent machine rebellion is not a coincidence but a deliberate act.”
“This method of attack…”
“Is it based on the level of civilization’s technological advancement as a targeting condition?”
Xu Xi pondered.
Something didn’t feel right—there was still a missing piece of the puzzle.