Chapter 210:

Ailei was shattered.

The makeshift body she had assembled from countless scrap parts barely managed a few steps before collapsing into pieces across the ground.

The laboratory floor was in chaos, with various mechanical components spinning and clattering, their sharp sounds piercing the silence. Some parts were flung far, crashing into the walls with a crisp bang.

“I’m sorry, Master…”

Instead of focusing on herself, Ailei’s first reaction was to apologize to Xu Xi.

Her voice module, now severely damaged, made it difficult to clearly express her thoughts, but Xu Xi could still hear the remorse in her tone.

She was sorry for startling him.

Sorry for failing.

Sorry for so many things… enough to make her worry whether Xu Xi would come to dislike her.

The atmosphere grew increasingly quiet, but the man simply crouched down and began gathering the broken pieces of Ailei, carefully pulling them together.

“No, I should be the one apologizing,” Xu Xi said gently, comforting the anxious machine soul. “I didn’t notice what you wanted, and I didn’t help you. If I had realized sooner, I could have provided better materials.”

No…

That’s not true.

Ailei wanted to protest, to assure him that wasn’t the case.

But she never got the chance to speak.

Xu Xi carried the scattered old parts back to his workbench and began repairing them with careful precision, occasionally crafting new components from scratch.

The dim lighting in the lab cast long shadows, and the soft hum of machinery filled the air.

“Master, what are you doing…?”

“I’m building you a better body.”

“This kind of work… you should leave it to me. I can do it…”

“It’s not the same, Ailei.”

Watching her master work while she remained idle made Ailei uneasy.

However, Xu Xi’s gentle tone, accompanied by the rhythmic sounds of his tools, successfully stopped her from offering further assistance.

He smiled. “All this time, Ailei has been helping me, hasn’t she?”

“I’m really grateful to you.”

“You assist me with research, operate the power armor, and take care of almost every aspect of my life. Ailei has always been by my side.”

“So, I’ve been thinking about what I could give back to you.”

“I wanted to repay your help with a gift.”

As Xu Xi spoke, his expression was serious and sincere, his hands skillfully working to repair the damaged components and fashion new ones with mechanical resonance.

His words were simple—neither heavy nor overly sentimental.

Yet, they carried a warmth that left Ailei puzzled.

Master is so strange…

In the Federation’s data archives, machines were always considered mere tools—disposable and replaceable commodities.

But Xu Xi had always been different. He talked about giving gifts to machines…

It was unusual.

And yet, Ailei found herself liking it.

“I will follow your wishes,” she finally responded.

Ailei wanted to help, but obeying Xu Xi’s words was even more important.

So, she stayed quietly inside the computer system, watching him work tirelessly at the workbench, sparks flying around him.

…

[You have completed your research on the automated turret.]

[Though mentally exhausted, reflecting on your recent accomplishments fills you with excitement.]

[Just as you’re about to rest, you notice something unusual about Ailei.]

[The screens are silent, the mechanical arms are still, yet the cameras are all focused on a single spot—the junk pile where you store discarded mechanical parts.]

[You pause, recalling Ailei’s behavior over the past few days and realize your assistant has something on her mind.]

[Upon asking, you discover Ailei’s desire to have a physical body.]

[You readily agree. Back when you first encountered Ailei, concerns about potential rebellion prevented you from giving her humanoid components.]

[But time proves all things, and Ailei has long become someone you trust.]

[Ailei begins building her body.]

[Ailei’s attempt ends in failure.]

[You carefully collect Ailei’s broken parts and decide to use your own skills to craft her a proper body—a gift to show your gratitude.]

[Ding—]

[The machine soul is slightly pleased. Your knowledge of autonomous robots improves, and your understanding of key technologies deepens, accelerating your crafting speed.]

[Ding—]

[Your mechanical resonance enhances the performance of the machine parts.]

After three days of research and fine-tuning, Xu Xi finally put down his tools, looking at his completed work with a satisfied expression.

“Ailei, give it a try.”

“Yes, Master.”

Three days later.

In the silent laboratory, the bright white overhead lights bathed the newly constructed machine body in a soft glow, wrapping it in an ethereal embrace.

It lay motionless on the workbench, perfectly assembled, with no visible flaws on the surface.

The night had fallen outside, and the lab’s screens displayed a live feed of the starry sky, casting specks of starlight across the newly opened, radiant eyes of Ailei’s new body.

“…”

Xu Xi took a few steps back, making space for Ailei to rise.

“Master?”

The white humanoid figure—no, Ailei—slowly opened her eyes.

She carefully controlled her new form, tilting her head slightly while adjusting to the new sensory input.

Her gaze, filled with curiosity and wonder, settled on Xu Xi.

As an AI accustomed to living in data streams, seeing the world from a human-like perspective was an entirely new experience.

Instinctively, she pressed a slender metal finger against the workbench.

The processor informed her of the texture—cold and hard.

But it felt like… “nothing.”

Unlike humans, Ailei had no sensory nerves, no true sense of touch.

Her seemingly delicate fingers were, in reality, cold, lifeless metal.

“Ailei, how does it feel?”

Still uneasy with the new perspective, Ailei found comfort in Xu Xi’s familiar voice.

His smile welcomed her into this world, celebrating her new existence.

“It feels… good, Master… T-thank you…”

Her voice was shaky, uncertain how to put her feelings into words.

A mix of calm and confusion, silence and excitement.

“That’s good. As long as you feel okay,” Xu Xi said gently, taking her hand and helping her sit up.

The mechanical girl sat on the cold metal workbench, a scene that felt almost surreal, like something straight out of a novel.

It was strange…

Unbelievably strange.

Ailei, who shouldn’t have been able to experience physical sensations, suddenly felt something.

Her fingers, which could only process data and had never felt anything real before…

When they touched Xu Xi’s, she thought—just for an instant—she felt warmth.

As if the monochrome world had been dyed in color.