MTLNOVEL Chapter 257:
Chapter 257: The Last Life:
Despite the slim hope, Xu Xi still decided to try.
He dispatched a small fleet, remotely controlling it to fly toward the towering wall of the civilization graveyard.
An attempt to break through… an attempt to escape… an effort to break free from this cosmic prison.
The final result—
BOOM!!!
A violent explosion erupted in the vast darkness of space, the radiant cross-shaped blast standing out starkly, consumed and disintegrated by the wall.
Xu Xi stared quietly at the starry sky, his expression unchanged.
“As expected… failure.”
“This invisible blockade completely seals off conventional travel. Only higher-level technology—spatial or dimensional—can break through this barrier.”
“Curvature engines, dimensional jumps, or perhaps even the legendary space-time transmission…”
“Without these technologies, the only fate left is to wait for despair and eventual extinction.”
Turning away, Xu Xi’s determination grew stronger after witnessing the towering wall of this prison with his own eyes.
He had to build a curvature engine and take Ailei away from this lifeless starry prison.
The world outside might not be safe…
But staying inside would certainly lead to destruction.
…
[You have reached the edge of the cosmos.]
[Boundless, magnificent, breathtaking—just as you had imagined.]
[The twinkling stars resembled countless radiant eyes, watching the swirling nebulae and the rise and fall of civilizations.]
[Standing at the end of civilization, you gazed at the invisible wall, your wariness of the mastermind behind it rising to an even higher level.]
[You understand that the centuries of unimpeded travel were not due to their incompetence—it was simply that they never bothered with the ‘rats’ within the cage.]
[This is your chance—the only opportunity to take Ailei away.]
[Simulation Year 601: You are 620 years old, and Ailei has been with you for 598 years.]
[Under your command, the fleet withdrew, maintaining a safe distance from the spatial wall to avoid any unexpected situations.]
“Ailei, any thoughts?”
“Do you mean…”
“That wall—it isolates the space inside and out. Don’t you think it’s impressive?”
“It’s not as impressive as you, Master.”
Ailei responded calmly.
She was always like this.
…
[Simulation Year 621: You are 640 years old, and Ailei has been with you for 618 years.]
[Your research made a breakthrough, and you glimpsed the dawn of curvature travel.]
[To celebrate, you took a rare day off and personally cooked a meal. Watching your glowing dish, Ailei once again questioned the meaning of her existence.]
[Simulation Year 655: You are 674 years old, and Ailei has been with you for 652 years.]
[You began preparing for the Neutron Battle Star’s attack.]
[Simulation Year 657: You are 676 years old, and Ailei has been with you for 654 years.]
[Two and a half years late, the Neutron Battle Star reappeared. This time, you held onto Ailei’s hand in advance and observed more details through her special perspective.]
The twinkling cosmos distorted abruptly.
The view ascended—
From a minuscule point to boundless vastness.
In that extraordinary perspective, Xu Xi saw a brilliance far stronger than the sun, rampaging through the universe at superluminal speed, annihilating everything in its path.
Speed, trajectory, action patterns, target priorities—
Everything…
Ailei’s machine soul captured it all.
“Truly magnificent…” Xu Xi muttered as he faced the impending celestial impact.
He widened his eyes, trying to see the Neutron Battle Star clearly.
But its speed was too great—
Before he could make out anything, his body was instantly torn apart.
…
[You died. And you lived again.]
[This was your ninth death.]
[You sighed—out of your ten lives, only one remains.]
[You are quite satisfied with the ‘Ten Deaths to the End’ trait. Without it, you wouldn’t have achieved everything you have today.]
[You have successfully mastered vast scientific theories—unveiling the fundamental laws of the universe, knowledge that could even benefit cultivation systems.]
[Simulation Year 660: You are 679 years old, and Ailei has been with you for 657 years.]
[After years of machine soul resonance and Ailei’s continuous shared observations, you finally grasped a ray of hope.]
[You began prototyping the curvature engine, the antimatter engine, and the elemental decay engine.]
[With time running out, your margin for error was minimal.]
[You had to cherish every opportunity to create a true miracle.]
[Simulation Year 662: You are 681 years old, and Ailei has been with you for 659 years.]
[You started paying more attention to your health.]
[Even though you knew your genetically modified body wouldn’t easily get injured or sick, with only one life remaining, you refused to take any risks.]
[Before Ailei leaves the cage, you will do everything to stay alive.]
Xu Xi finally took a break.
For the past centuries, he had been in a constant state of work.
For the curvature engine, for that minuscule and nearly impossible miracle, he resonated with the machine souls until he collapsed, allowing himself to be eroded.
But now…
He was taking a break.
“Master, you’re…”
“Resting,” he said, forcing a familiar hollow smile onto his face.
“Ailei, you’ve always wanted me to rest, haven’t you? I thought about it and realized I really need it.”
“What? Is something wrong?”
[You struggled to maintain a smile. The long-term erosion from machine souls made you feel more like an artificial intelligence, but you tried to show emotions for Ailei’s sake.]
[You reassured her, saying you simply wanted to rest.]
[Ailei remained silent.]
[In that silence, she gently grasped your hand and placed it on her head.]
[“Master… Ailei will protect you…”]
[Her trembling voice was filled with determination.]
[You remained silent for a long time, soothing her anxious machine soul with gentle strokes of her hair.]
…
[Simulation Year 682: You are 701 years old, and Ailei has been with you for 679 years.]
[After multiple experiments, stacking resources and attempts, you gradually found a pattern for success.]
[Ailei remained your most reliable assistant, but she had also become increasingly concerned about you.]
“Master, please drink the soup.”
“Master, please put on your clothes.”
“Master, it’s time for bed.”
“Master, Ailei will eliminate the filthy bugs for you.”
Again and again, over and over.
Xu Xi watched as Ailei did more and more incredible things.
She even brought him the fourth-generation gene serum.
Upon consumption, his physical functions and lifespan would extend once more.
But such changes couldn’t prevent the inevitable fate approaching.
“It’s enough, Ailei.”
“…Master, lunch is ready. Would you like me to heat it up for you?”
“I said, it’s enough.”
“…”
“…”
“Ailei, there’s no need to waste time on things that can’t be done.”
“…”
“…”