The Defeat of the Thirty-Six Stratagems of Love

The sun-facing petals swayed gently in the breeze, exuding a faint, elegant fragrance.

Like a wisp of ethereal sunlight.

Touched by the fingertips of a young girl, they shimmered with a blue-purple hue.

A faint sound emerged, as insects hidden deep within the sea of flowers were startled and flew up, brushing past the girl's cheek.

"Blue-purple flowers..."

"Are they violets? Or irises?"

Xu Xi took a few steps forward.

Walking alongside the mech-servant.

Under their gaze, the petals, layered in an orderly fashion, cast clear textures under the sunlight, forming an interplay of light and shadow.

The air was damp, carrying the scent of soil and grass. It wasn't particularly pleasant, but it brought a sense of calm.

"Ailei, do you like these flowers?" Xu Xi asked.

"I do."

Ailei replied in a calm tone, explaining why she liked these flowers.

Unlike Xu Xi, who was unfamiliar with them,

As a mech, Ailei had immediately accessed the database upon seeing the flowers and found relevant records.

In the era of the old Federation, these flowers were known as "the tail of a meteor," resembling a fleeting comet in the sky. Their delicate petals were even referred to as the tears of stars.

However,

What Ailei truly cared about wasn't any of that.

The only thing she focused on and found herself drawn to was the flower's meaning.

"Loyalty, freedom, and eternal love."

The girl forged from metal murmured.

Her cold eyes gleamed with a silvery-blue light, the natural hue of metal, yet also a reflection of the mech-servant's yearning for a heart.

Her face was exquisite, dotted with faint white light.

Emotions seemed to break through her calm features,

Transforming into a fervent surge.

"I see..." Hearing Ailei's answer and looking at her cold yet expressive face, Xu Xi was momentarily stunned before breaking into a smile.

"These meanings do suit you well, Ailei."

The complexity of human emotions is profound.

It's not a game.

Nor is it a score.

It can't be understood through just one or two events.

But the mech-servant's fondness for the flower's meaning truly made Xu Xi feel that Ailei was becoming more human.

"Master, this is for you," Ailei crouched down, plucked a blue-purple meteor flower, and handed it to Xu Xi with a calm expression.

Under the brilliant sunlight, her smooth, long hair shimmered with a golden hue.

Swaying slightly, it caught Xu Xi's startled face.

"Thank you," Xu Xi snapped out of his daze and smiled, expressing his gratitude. But instead of taking the flower, he gently placed it on the girl's head.

"This flower suits you better than me, Ailei."

"Hmm, just as I thought, it looks beautiful on you."

Xu Xi took a few steps back.

Admiring his handiwork.

The breath of life adorned the cold metal, merging into a stunning beauty.

Not bad, not bad at all.

Xu Xi felt satisfied, his face showing an appreciative expression.

Afterward, considering that the research on the starship was nearing completion, Xu Xi ended their trip through the flower field.

He turned and began walking back, with the loyal mech-servant following closely behind. But in a blind spot where Xu Xi couldn't see, Ailei quietly pulled out a small booklet.

"Thirty-Six Strategies for Love."

Her slender fingers flipped through the pages.

On the page about giving flowers, she silently drew a cross.

"It failed... but I'm... happy," Ailei's expression was one of confusion and bewilderment. She tilted her head slightly, gazing at Xu Xi's retreating figure.

It wasn't quite as she had imagined.

Is this what the master often said about not blindly trusting data and information?

Hmm—

Next time, I'll try something else.

The mech-servant furrowed her brows, feeling that the human heart was indeed difficult to decipher.

…………

[You were very satisfied with this trip to the flower field, and so was Ailei.]

[You were pleased with Ailei's growth, genuinely marveling at how the former 9090 household mech had transformed into a true living being.]

[Though she still lacked a flesh-and-blood body,]

[Nowadays, Ailei seemed even more emotional than some humans.]

[As you marveled, you placed the meteor flower on Ailei's head. The flower itself wasn't important; what mattered was the person wearing it.]

[Back at the base, Ailei became engrossed in her tasks.]

[Curious, you observed and discovered that the mech-servant was searching for a way to preserve the flower—not by making a specimen, but by keeping it in its current, vibrant state forever.]

[The loyal mech-servant succeeded, yet also failed.]

[She could preserve the flower's form, but not its essence—the fragrance of life, an intangible quality that fades with time.]

[You comforted Ailei, suggesting that she could plant new flowers to complete their cycle, rather than being fixated on preserving the original one.]

[The mech-servant gazed at you, her eyes lingering for a long, long time.]

…………

[Simulation Year 15, you are 34 years old, and it has been 13 years since Ailei began accompanying you.]

[Your research on the starship has finally concluded.]

[The mech-soul is thrilled, the mechanical forces resonate intensely, the engines roar with your will, and energy surges at your command.]

[You are the master of the starship, the creator of the mechs.]

[From this moment on, you can finally gaze at the stars and take your first step toward the dazzling cosmos.]

[You are filled with excitement, but you haven't let joy cloud your judgment.]

[Using Ailei as a medium, you command all engineering mechs to mine planetary resources and store interstellar supplies as quickly as possible.]

[You are well aware of the vastness of the universe and the many risks it entails, so you must prepare everything in advance.]

"I hope the time ahead won't be too boring."

"Space travel is bound to be lonely, perhaps even more so than the wasteland of the past."

"During the wasteland era, even though there were fears and concerns about the rebellion of mechs, at least there was always something to do."

"The scale of the universe is too vast. Just traveling from one place to another could take decades or even centuries."

"Thinking about it this way..."

"It's a bit disheartening."

In the south, at the Sixth Satellite City.

At 34 years old, thanks to gene therapy, Xu Xi still looked as youthful as ever, unchanged by time.

He basked in the sunlight, a hint of helplessness on his face.

For as long as he could remember,

Interstellar travel had been a recurring topic.

The vastness of the universe and the enormity of celestial bodies meant that civilizations with slow speeds could never escape the vicinity of their home planet.

Fortunately, Xu Xi had his own advantages.

With the joy of the mech-soul, the resonance of mechanical forces, and Ailei's assistance, the pace of technological advancement far surpassed that of ordinary civilizations, leaving room for even greater progress.

"Master, here's some water."

The familiar voice interrupted Xu Xi's thoughts.

"Thank you, Ailei."

Xu Xi habitually took the cup.

After taking a sip, he found the taste quite pleasant.

"Ailei, did you add something to the water?"

"Yes, I added some medicinal herbs that are beneficial to your health."

"I see. You've worked hard."

The sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating rippling patterns of light. As Xu Xi sipped the drink prepared by the girl, he couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.

His mech-servant was truly remarkable.

"Ailei, how is the starship construction progressing?" Xu Xi asked.

"Everything is proceeding smoothly, Master. Both the main battle fleet and the ecological starship you will reside in are undergoing modifications and production. They will be completed soon."

The mech-servant, dressed in a maid's outfit, responded gracefully.