Chapter 261:

Life within the simulation had nothing to do with “happiness.”

Even after all this time, Xu Xi still didn’t understand the true nature of the so-called Beautiful Life Simulator.

He felt that it was nothing more than a deceptive title, a grand fraud. Every simulation he’d experienced so far had ended in tragedy rather than a fulfilling life.

In the first simulation, he was besieged and killed by demonic cultivators.

In the second, he was limited by the weaknesses of being an ordinary human.

In the third, he perished alongside the Emperor of the Great Qian Empire.

And now, he was experiencing a new kind of death—slow, silent, an internal decay that spread from within.

A meticulously crafted torch can be used repeatedly, even if certain parts break down. It can still provide warmth with its flickering flame.

But if it’s used without rest, even the handle will eventually burn away.

After experiencing that brief yet dazzling miracle, the torch will become completely useless, both inside and out, leaving behind nothing but ashes.

Similarly, by forcefully maintaining the starship’s operation and creating the miracle of escaping the prison, Xu Xi had reached the end of his own endurance.

All that remained was a faint ember inside his torch-like body… flickering weakly, illuminating his charred remains.

“Welcome back, Master.”

“Ailei is always at your service.”

As Xu Xi opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the operational state of the medical pod. He lay inside, with all his vital signs maintained solely by the machine.

Ailei stood by his side, never leaving, ever loyal.

Xu Xi’s condition was terrible, but Ailei’s wasn’t much better.

Half of her once exquisite face had been damaged beyond recognition, revealing the alloy framework beneath and the eerie glow of her deep-blue electronic eyes.

It was clear that while Xu Xi was unconscious, Ailei had encountered danger.

“Ailei…”

“Master, please don’t move.”

Instinctively, Xu Xi tried to sit up, but the unfamiliar weakness of his body made it impossible. His limbs refused to cooperate, and even his voice sounded hoarse and grating, like stone scraping against stone.

The ever-loyal maid wouldn’t allow him to suffer.

She quickly stepped forward, her once flawless synthetic skin now stripped away to reveal the cold metal beneath. With those worn mechanical hands, she carefully brought him a cup of warm water, supporting his frail body so he could sit up and drink.

“Thank you, Ailei…”

Xu Xi sipped the water in small gulps, his exhausted state and barely opened eyes reflecting in Ailei’s gaze.

Her expression remained calm—because a loyal maid should never let her master worry.

Her posture remained perfect—because a loyal maid represented her master’s dignity.

Yet within those mechanical eyes, the faint blue glow flickered unnaturally, trembling at rapid intervals, just like a human holding back tears.

“This is what I should do,” she responded softly, gently pouring the water into Xu Xi’s mouth, ensuring he could drink without strain.

After a while, the replenishment of fluids brought Xu Xi a trace of renewed energy.

His body still looked young, but it moved like that of an aged man—weak and sluggish. His hazy gaze first fell upon his injured self, then drifted to Ailei’s damaged body, and finally to their surroundings.

Familiar, yet unfamiliar.

It was the escape pod of the starship.

He recognized the design, but this was his first time using it.

The enclosed metallic environment reminded him of the distant past, of his days surviving underground in Satellite City No. 6.

“…Ailei.”

“I am here, Master.”

“…Can you tell me how long I was unconscious?”

“Yes, Master. You have been asleep for exactly 318 hours, 25 minutes, and 22 seconds.”

Ailei’s response was swift and precise—efficiency was the defining trait of intelligent machines.

A highly efficient maid was a valuable asset to her master.

That was Ailei’s belief.

“I see… I was unconscious for almost half a month.”

Xu Xi showed no surprise.

No one understood his condition better than himself.

In truth, the only reason he was still breathing was thanks to the faint, lingering warmth of his dying embers.

Once that final warmth faded, the simulation would inevitably come to an end.

But Xu Xi was more worried about Ailei.

He feared that once he was gone, she wouldn’t be able to survive on her own.

Even though he knew that, with her unique capabilities, surviving in the vast universe wouldn’t be a problem.

“Ailei.”

He called out again, his voice weak.

In the silver-white escape pod, the dying man asked his mechanical companion about what she had done while he was unconscious.

“I piloted us out of the star system and successfully landed on an uninhabited planet.”

“And what else?”

“I collected replacement energy sources to sustain the medical pod’s operations long-term.”

“And what else?”

“I prepared food for you. You can eat whenever you feel hungry.”

“And what else?”

“I set up a virtual network for you. Even though your body cannot move, you can pass the time with virtual games.”

Looking at the once gentle smile now replaced with a pale, frail expression, Ailei responded in her usual calm tone, answering each question in detail.

She truly was an impeccable, devoted maid.

But that wasn’t what Xu Xi wanted to hear.

Slowly, he closed his tired eyes, shaking his head ever so slightly.

His hoarse voice carried a trace of care.

“Ailei, everything you’ve told me is about me. I want to know—what have you done for yourself?”

Ailei’s mechanical body was far too damaged.

It should have been repaired.

But she had ignored it entirely.

She answered without hesitation, her silver-blue eyes reflecting Xu Xi’s face.

“Everything—every resource, every plan—must be based on ensuring your safety, Master.”

“You don’t need to worry. The damage to this unit does not affect normal operation.”

Her voice was calm.

Her logic was impeccable.

As an intelligent mechanical maid, her first and foremost priority was always her master.

Machines do not feel pain.

So, even in her broken state, with a body that seemed ready to collapse at any moment, there was no need for repairs.

Everything should revolve around Xu Xi.

Ailei genuinely believed this.

“Master, please focus on your recovery. I will take care of everything,” Ailei said softly, her voice light as if afraid that speaking too loudly would disturb him.

She didn’t mention whether the unknown planet’s environment was harsh.

Nor did she say how difficult it was to start everything from scratch.

Watching over Xu Xi, the mechanical maid simply made promises, whispering dreams of a better future.

Once he recovered, she believed, with the ability to mass-produce intelligent machines, they could build a new fleet and roam the universe together, witnessing countless wonders.

Yes, everything would be fine…

As long as Xu Xi got better…