The Mechanical Prophet

Besides the several deities Aina had introduced to him in detail beforehand, several other beings stood in the hall whom Xia Lun could not identify at all.

The elemental creature wrapped in blazing magma exuded scorching sparks from its crack-like mouth and nose with every breath. The ground beneath its feet had partially melted from the intense heat, forming a dark-red pool of lava that continued to spread. Even more bizarre was the humanoid figure made of countless intertwined vines. Every so often, an emerald eye would open between the writhing branches, its cold gaze sweeping across the surroundings as though assessing the worth of every being present.

All of them radiated auras that Xia Lun found somewhat troublesome.

What comforted Xia Lun somewhat was that, among these otherworldly deities, his strength still ranked fairly high. Aside from the few beings before whom he would be utterly helpless, he seemed to have a fighting chance against the rest.

“There aren’t many humans here.”

A distinctly mechanical voice suddenly sounded beside Xia Lun.

Xia Lun turned around and saw the Mechanical Prophet.

The other party looked like a handsome young man with short golden hair and nearly perfect features. Only his transparent pupils revealed that he was far from ordinary. Multicolored light shimmered within those eyes, and on closer inspection, countless streams of data seemed to flash through them like waterfalls.

Setting aside all the strange and bizarre creatures, he was indeed the one who looked most like a member of the human race.

And at least he wasn’t currently removing his own head to play with it.

“The Scarlet Goddess’s husband… What a rather… uh… enviable position.”

As he spoke, he carefully glanced at Aina beside Xia Lun, evidently taking her presence into consideration and deliberately avoiding any wording that might sound disrespectful.

“Mr. Mechanical Prophet… did you need something from me?” Xia Lun asked calmly, secretly on guard.

Before coming here, Aina had already warned him that it would be best not to have too much contact with these people.

Their civilizations were fundamentally different, and they might easily disagree on certain principles.

As for the man before him, Xia Lun could sense an immense energy within him—though it was not magical power. He was one of the few beings present who made Xia Lun feel threatened.

“Ah, nothing in particular. I simply rarely encounter fellow humans in the outside world, so I was curious and wanted to come over to say hello.” The Mechanical Prophet elegantly spread his palm. The movement was so fluid that he hardly seemed like a mechanical construct at all.

“Fellow humans?” Xia Lun was slightly taken aback.

“Yes. From a biological perspective, we were once the same species.” The Mechanical Prophet began explaining calmly. “Our people transferred their consciousness into mechanical bodies, which is how we became what we are now. Although our forms have changed, our core memories and normal personalities have remained intact.”

Xia Lun suddenly understood. He now remembered that Aina seemed to have mentioned something similar to him before.

“Based on genetic comparisons, we can be fairly certain that we belong to the same species… But our planet is simply too far from here. It lies in a vacuum region of the universe, where not a trace of magical power exists. Fortunately, we found another path—the path of technology…

“Eek—there really are so few human compatriots from the outside world! When I first met the Scarlet Goddess, I was incredibly excited. But after taking a closer look, I realized she had wings, and that was when I learned she was a vampire… Still, after she later told me that your planet was home to genuine humans, I kept looking forward to meeting one. Today, I finally have!”

The Mechanical Prophet continued chattering without pause. He even reached out and patted Xia Lun on the shoulder.

“I never imagined that humans could break through space and explore the universe using nothing but their own bodies. You didn’t even need to modify yourselves! The humans of your world are truly formidable… Magic really is an amazing force.”

Xia Lun turned his head toward Aina.

“He’s a chatterbox.” Aina seemed rather helpless about Xia Lun’s predicament. She had apparently expected this to happen. She merely offered a cool explanation before sitting motionless in her seat, her small face stern and dignified as ever.

“Don’t mind him,” Aina transmitted to Xia Lun mentally. “If I’m not mistaken, he’s about to start pitching his products to you.”

What?

Xia Lun was still trying to process this when—

“Ah, right. Speaking of which, would you like to try some of the new things we have over there? They say technology changes lives. The Scarlet Goddess isn’t interested, but I’m sure you’ll have a discerning eye.”

The Mechanical Prophet revealed a mysterious smile. “Oh, right. I’m the Mechanical Prophet Alpha-7, though you can just call me Alpha. And you, fellow human—what’s your name?”

“Uh… Xia Lun.”

“All right, Mr. Xia Lun.”

The Mechanical Prophet’s eyes lit up, as though he had just recorded this information. Then he raised an arm. With several faint clicks, the layer of metal encasing his arm suddenly flowed like liquid and peeled away, transforming into a small mass of silvery material.

“What do you think of this nan armor? Are you interested?” The silver substance on his arm began changing shape, sometimes forming a sharp blade and sometimes becoming a sturdy shield. “It’s durable and dependable. Tests have shown that it can even withstand the collapse of a small black hole. It’s also convenient to carry and can transform freely… Since we’re all members of the human race, I can give you a fifty-percent discount…”

Xia Lun: …

This man really was something. Xia Lun had no idea how to describe him.

After thinking for a moment, Xia Lun replied, “I don’t think I have any suitable currency for a transaction, Mr. Alpha.”

“No, you do, Mr. Xia Lun.” The Mechanical Prophet once again revealed that slightly mysterious smile. “Magic stones. Magic stones can be used for trade.”

Xia Lun suddenly understood and slowly nodded.

“Just because we can’t use magical power ourselves doesn’t mean we aren’t interested in this powerful force… We discovered that magic is the most efficient energy source. If utilized properly, it can even unleash power more terrifying than nuclear energy… So large quantities of magic stones are something we lack as well.” The Mechanical Prophet explained slowly. “We’ve also begun developing technologies that make use of magic.”

“How much does this cost?” Xia Lun asked curiously, pointing at the silver nan armor that was constantly changing form in the Mechanical Prophet’s hand. He was genuinely somewhat interested in the thing.

“Three hundred…” The Mechanical Prophet held up three fingers.

“Three hundred magic stones? That’s surprisingly cheap…” Xia Lun pondered, wondering whether he should agree to the deal.

Even if he had no use for it himself, it would make a pretty good toy for Xia Yi.

“No.” The Mechanical Prophet shook his head. “Three hundred tons.”