When It Looks Up at the Stars

The addition of the Android servant brought significant assistance to Xu Xi's faction.

He was finally free from the tedious maintenance of the laboratory.

This allowed him to immerse himself fully in the embrace of science.

To enjoy.

To explore.

He delved into the various technologies of the Human Federation at an increasingly astonishing speed.

With the help of Android Servant 9090, Xu Xi even repaired the power armor, making it operational once more.

"Finally... After so long, it's finally done."

Sunlight quietly filtered through collapsed beams and shattered rebar, eventually being fragmented by countless mechanical remains, leaving only a few faint rays. These rays landed sanctimoniously in front of Xu Xi.

Precisely.

Striking the surface of the alloy armor.

The reflection shimmered like a gem, a spectacular display of victory coupled with an underlying coldness. It was a heavy-firepower humanoid armor that only gene warriors were qualified to wield.

Tall, mighty, and imposing.

With such a power armor, Xu Xi's combat ability would see a significant boost.

At the very least, he would no longer fear ordinary rebellious machines.

"Perhaps... It's time to step out of the laboratory and take the initiative against those machines," Xu Xi mused, carefully considering the power armor.

He possessed Machinery Power, which could amplify the strength of machinery.

The already terrifying power armor would become even more exaggerated through this amplification.

However, caution was always the best approach.

After all, mistakes could be costly.

"Although this isn’t one of the Federation's major cities, there are still plenty of rebellious machines around, including airborne units like the Mechanical Hawk that completely dominate the land."

"In summary, I’m not yet in a position to act recklessly."

Xu Xi pondered silently.

Just as he felt a sudden thirst, a glass of water appeared before him.

"Thanks, 9090," Xu Xi took the water and drank it in one gulp.

"It is my honor to serve you," echoed the cold, mechanical voice from the empty underground, devoid of emotion or inflection.

Inexplicably, Xu Xi recalled the Demonesses of old.

There were similarities between Demonesses and Android Servants, yet they were also distinctly different.

The Demonesses themselves possessed emotions, albeit sealed away due to immense malice.

9090, on the other hand, was an inanimate machine.

Its existence, its essence, was completely devoid of a soul.

"Soul...," reflected Xu Xi, recalling the Android Servant’s past behavior. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation: perhaps he was about to witness a miracle.

The blossoming of a soulful flower upon the lifeless metal.

Glimmering with the radiance of "humanity."

Xu Xi had a strange premonition that this day would come soon.

"9090, I'm going out to check the solar panels. Guard the laboratory while I'm gone," Xu Xi glanced at the time, realizing it was already late afternoon.

His plan was to inspect the outer solar panels before the sun set.

"Yes, please rest assured."

The Android Servant core glowed faintly.

A giant "smile" appeared on the screen, stiff and monotonous, appearing rather unnatural.

There was no need for Xu Xi to explain.

By the time Xu Xi reached the doorway, mechanical arms and weapons had already been delivered via rails and affixed to his body.

The solar panels were generally located in well-lit areas of the underground, with only a few placed outside, hidden using special techniques. They were not far from the underground laboratory.

But in this dangerous apocalyptic world overrun by machines, vigilance was essential.

"Click-clack—click-clack—," Xu Xi clenched his fists. In the next moment, the exoskeleton arms synced to mimic his movements.

They bore rusty patches, and several sections of the metal armor were damaged, revealing the inner mechanisms and wiring.

This was understandable.

After all, Xu Xi had been using them for several years.

During this time, whenever Xu Xi encountered danger, it was these mechanical arms that often turned the tide.

"Don’t worry, old friend, you’ll soon be retired."

"Once the power armor is fully debugged and its energy replenished, your time on stage will be over."

Xu Xi stepped out of the laboratory entrance.

The corridor was dimly lit, with visibility extremely low.

Only a few golden rays of sunlight managed to pierce through the dense cracks in the environment, struggling to reach the corner and bring light to this dark world.

Tap-tap—

Tap-tap—

Xu Xi walked slowly.

The rise and fall of his footsteps caused the weapons and equipment on his body to collide, producing faint echoes.

This sound was quite subtle.

But in the silent underground corridor, any noise was magnified several times over.

Thus, the footsteps echoed clearly, startling timid creatures lurking in the darkness and causing them to flee in panic.

"The energy provided by the solar panels is still too limited."

"Over the years, I've added several new panels, barely managing to keep the water and electricity systems running, but for that power armor..."

"I guess I’ll have to upgrade the energy system."

Xu Xi thought as he walked.

He wasn't inspecting the solar panels for the first time.

Repeating the process for a long time had enabled him to develop muscle memory, and each time he arrived at a certain location, he could check it with remarkable speed.

Soon, the solar panels in the underground were checked off.

Xu Xi changed direction and headed toward the surface, inspecting the few solar panels scattered around the exit.

By now, the inspection work had concluded, and dusk was gradually deepening.

The heat faded, replaced by the chill of night, with the stars punctuating the sky.

Though not particularly bright, they seemed stunning against the crystal-clear heavens.

"Beautiful."

Xu Xi complimented, then tidied up and turned to leave. Before departing completely, he noticed the surveillance camera, whose angle was slightly elevated.

Xu Xi didn't think much of it and hastened his steps away.

Before long, Xu Xi returned to the familiar laboratory base.

As he entered the door and removed his heavy equipment, the familiar mechanical greeting resonated around him:

"Welcome home, Master."

"Yes, I'm back."

Xu Xi responded and instinctively glanced at the laboratory screen.

It was both the screen where 9090 expressed itself and the linked external surveillance monitor.

Normally, the screen only displayed the entrance.

But today was different.

Because the camera angle had been raised, the screen now showed a magnificent night sky awash with starry dots.

Within the laboratory, all was quiet, and Xu Xi could sense that 9090 was "gazing" at that starry night, admiring its mystery and splendor.

Android Servant 9090 had no actual body.

All calculations were contained within an immobile core.

Yet it controlled every mechanical extension in the laboratory, every area under its iron grip.

The external surveillance camera served as 9090's "eyes."

Suddenly, it dawned on Xu Xi: the camera's angle had been raised because 9090 was looking up at the night sky.