Chapter 249:

“Master, it’s time for your soup.”

“Thanks, Ailei.”

The room was quiet, its furnishings neat and orderly.

With a steady, gentle voice, Ailei brought in the nourishing soup. Its golden broth shimmered under the light, a fragrant aroma rising as the spoon stirred. Tiny plant fragments floated within, mixing with thin strands of meat.

It was a warm, comforting scent—like the soothing touch of steam on a cold winter day.

Xu Xi took a sip, feeling the warmth flow down his throat, spreading through his body. His thoughts drifted in the tranquility…

BOOM… BOOM…

In the distant lab, a new force-field weapon was undergoing testing, its powerful rumble echoing through the starship.

Layer upon layer of dampening barriers absorbed most of the noise, leaving only a faint hum at Xu Xi’s door.

Ailei, ever efficient, activated the room’s isolation shield, sealing out the last remnants of the commotion.

“Time passes so quickly…”

Watching Ailei’s calm and composed face—though he knew how seriously she took her duties—Xu Xi couldn’t help but recall their first meeting.

Back then, he was struggling to survive in the wastelands, hiding underground to escape the rampant rogue AI that roamed the surface.

He had found Ailei—or rather, the original housekeeping bot GTX-9090—among the ruins of an abandoned lab.

Honestly, Ailei had been a great help.

Without her, without that old GTX-9090, Xu Xi would have been trapped maintaining the base’s systems, with little time to focus on technological development—let alone everything that followed.

“Slurp—” Another sip of hot soup. Xu Xi felt the discomfort in his body slowly ease.

“Ailei, you’ve worked hard all these years.”

“You don’t need to say that, Master. It’s my duty.”

Xu Xi’s sudden gratitude caught the loyal machine off guard.

She sat quietly, shaking her head slightly, insisting that it was never a burden—machines didn’t feel exhaustion.

Furthermore, obeying the master’s orders was what she was meant to do.

She said this with such seriousness that it was almost adorable.

Ailei had always been like this, placing Xu Xi above all else.

“Ailei, my gratitude has nothing to do with your identity. Whether you’re an emotionless machine or not, it doesn’t matter.”

“You’ve helped me a lot, and I just want to say thank you.”

“You’ve always done your best, haven’t you?”

Xu Xi spoke softly.

To Ailei, such tasks might seem ordinary—something that required no thanks. Serving Xu Xi was her purpose.

But in Xu Xi’s heart, he remembered every bit of her help.

She was the silent presence beside him…

A warm bloom amidst the cold metal of her body.

And so, Xu Xi was determined. Before the simulation ended, he would find a way to free Ailei from this cage, allowing her to become an independent being once it was all over.

“You… you flatter me… Thank you for your praise…”

Ailei’s voice remained calm, yet there was a faint tremor to it, a barely noticeable softness.

It seemed her system was malfunctioning—her energy circuits overheating, glowing faintly red beneath the synthetic skin.

A delicate blush shimmered across her artificial face.

This wouldn’t do.

Such a state wouldn’t allow her to serve her master properly.

Quickly, Ailei adjusted her internal parameters, striving to maintain composure. Once Xu Xi finished his soup, she hurriedly left with the empty bowl—her steps too quick, almost as if she was fleeing.

“…That girl is becoming more human,” Xu Xi murmured, watching her retreating figure with a small smile.

Her flawless face, alloy-forged skeleton, pulsating energy circuits, and the steady hum of her artificial core—all these made up Ailei.

But now, Xu Xi saw something beyond that.

Something intangible yet real—a pure and sincere machine soul.

Two hundred years was a long time, far surpassing his previous simulations.

Through the years, Ailei had gradually evolved beyond her cold, mechanical origins.

“However, in this eternal cage, the growth of human emotions… is it a blessing or a curse?”

Xu Xi shook his head.

If their escape plan failed and they remained trapped in this universe, Ailei would be left alone after the simulation ended, facing endless solitude in the vast emptiness of space.

“Anyway, let’s keep trying.”

“Before the next strike comes, I need to prepare… find a way to survive it.”

“Even if the odds are slim, I have to try.”

Xu Xi stood up and stretched, feeling his muscles loosen.

Maybe it was Ailei’s special soup, or maybe something else, but his body felt better than ever.

Energy coursed through him, and his mind felt sharp.

Aside from some stiffness from sitting too long, there were no other issues.

“I need to keep resonating with the machine souls…”

“Resonate with Ailei to enhance her computational efficiency.”

“Resonate with the onboard AI to design a better computational core for Ailei.”

“Resonate with the starships to increase their travel speed…”

His mind filled with countless plans.

With the help of the Machine Soul Delight ability, the process of communication was smooth.

But the repetitive nature of the work was still exhausting.

…

[Good morning, good afternoon, good evening.]

[Time passed between you and Ailei in quiet greetings. You often found yourself surprised by how fast time slipped away.]

[You’ve gradually adapted to the intense research workload.]

[With each machine soul resonance, you quickly applied new ideas to experiments.]

[Your research speed has slightly improved.]

[You are satisfied and no longer feel fatigued—perhaps due to genetic modifications, or maybe thanks to Ailei’s nourishing soups.]

[Machine Soul Delight, Machine Soul Joy, Machine Soul Ecstasy.]

[Ailei’s mild displeasure, Ailei’s growing displeasure, Ailei’s deep displeasure.]

[You continue resonating with the machine souls, seeking inspiration for future advancements. As technology improves, your efficiency in gaining inspiration gradually declines.]

[You are surprised to discover that frequent resonance has enhanced your own cognitive speed.]

[You are delighted, seeing it as a positive development.]

[Because of this, your already frequent resonances have increased even further.]

[Year 191 of the simulation. You are 210 years old. Ailei has been with you for 188 years.]

[You once again encountered the insectoid race—worthy of their title as a galactic calamity. Despite countless strikes from the neutron war star, they continued to expand their numbers.]

[You felt admiration for their resilience… before harvesting their lives.]

[Year 200 of the simulation. You are 219 years old. Ailei has been with you for 197 years.]

[Upgraded engines have further increased your fleet’s speed, allowing you to traverse the brilliant starfields and witness many celestial phenomena.]

[You encountered a newborn civilization, ancient yet primitive.]

[You witnessed the death of a star, its brilliance fading into oblivion.]

[You saw planets breaking free from their orbits, drifting aimlessly across the cosmos.]

[You held Ailei’s hand as you stood on the empty bridge, witnessing the wonders of the universe together… sharing the silence of isolation.]