The Starry Sea Tomb

【The evolution of the machine soul continues to trouble Ailei's daily activities】

【She is unable to control herself as she used to, assisting you and managing the multi-layered intelligence control of the starship fleet】

【In this state, even simple tasks like pouring water have become difficult for Ailei】

【You smile and comfort the machine servant, telling her not to rush】

【Ailei takes your words to heart】

【Two months pass, and Ailei's "illness" finally heals. The surging computational power stabilizes, becoming calm and quietly flowing through the databases of the starship fleet】

【At the same time, you create a new body for Ailei. While the technological foundation remains largely unchanged, its capacity has significantly improved】

【You name it Ailei Mark II】

【Ailei moves into the new body and resumes control of the entire starship fleet. In an instant, you feel the immense strength of the evolved machine soul】

【Research projects that had stalled are now rapidly progressing】

【The complex and intricate starship clusters are simplified into a more efficient and streamlined command system】

【Significant advancements are made in energy, materials, weapons, defense, and more】

【You are delighted, believing that with Ailei's help, your technological capabilities will greatly improve, paving the way for a brighter journey into the stars】

“Ailei, how do you feel?”

“Everything is fine, Master.”

The new body looks no different from the old one.

Long black hair with a golden sheen, delicate facial features, and pale artificial skin.

Except for the reinforced internal materials, everything remains the same.

Ailei opens her eyes, and the familiar silver-blue irises reappear, now glowing with life and no longer dull as they were during her unstable period.

With Xu Xi's help, Ailei slowly sits up from the metal platform.

“Thank you.”

Ailei expresses her gratitude with a radiant smile.

Xu Xi senses that after the evolution of the machine soul, Ailei has become more human-like.

It’s an enrichment of emotions.

Even a transformation at the level of consciousness.

Xu Xi asks Ailei if there are any anomalies or thoughts after the evolution.

The machine servant replies, “I can serve you better now.”

Loyalty!

The surge in computational power has made Ailei’s abilities even more formidable, but her first thought is still to serve Xu Xi.

She even plans to modify the ecological starship to make Xu Xi’s living environment more comfortable.

Xu Xi chuckles, “That’s not necessary.”

“I’m quite satisfied with my current living conditions. There’s no need for modifications. It’s better to focus on other research projects.”

As he speaks.

Xu Xi reaches out and habitually ruffles Ailei’s hair. The texture is as pleasant as ever.

……

【You’ve always been worried about Ailei’s “illness”】

【Even though you know it’s a harmless evolution, seeing the weakened machine servant still makes you instinctively concerned】

【Until now】

【Witnessing Ailei functioning normally, your worries finally dissipate】

【You think it’s time to restart the starship fleet’s power units and embark on a new cosmic voyage】

【However, just as you prepare to dive into research and leave the living quarters, the loyal machine servant stops you】

“Please wait, Master.”

“What is it, Ailei?”

Xu Xi turns around to see Ailei quickly catching up to him.

“I have something important to tell you,” she says calmly, yet with a gentle warmth. Her eyelashes flutter slightly as she speaks to Xu Xi.

It’s a change brought about by the evolution of the machine soul, a miraculous and inexplicable phenomenon.

After her recovery.

Ailei has not only gained immense computational power.

But also some indescribable extensions.

“Master, please look…” Ailei gently takes Xu Xi’s hand, her lifelike artificial palm enveloping his fingers.

Hum—

Hummm—

A sound reaches his ears, starting slow and then growing faster, eventually becoming a resonant vibration.

Something extraordinary happens.

After touching Ailei, Xu Xi enters a completely new perspective. Smooth spacetime shatters like a mirror, cracks deepening and revealing a deeper layer of reality.

Xu Xi sees endless, chaotic, and interwoven streams of information.

Within Ailei’s body, light blue data flows, shimmering with a radiant glow.

In contrast, the starship fleet is filled with countless red dots.

They ceaselessly attempt to infiltrate the starship’s central systems.

But are blocked by Ailei’s blue light.

“Could these be the cause of the machine uprising?” Xu Xi is stunned. Before he can delve deeper into his thoughts, his perspective shifts again.

Rising, continuously rising, faster than electricity, swifter than light.

It’s like switching between two completely different applications on a computer screen.

Xu Xi’s consciousness rapidly alternates between his human perspective and the special perspective granted by Ailei.

Until it reaches its peak.

Ailei can no longer sustain it.

Xu Xi is forced to exit the special perspective, his head feeling as if struck by a heavy blow, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

However, compared to what he just witnessed, the physical and mental discomfort is insignificant.

“What exactly were those…”

Once he recovers.

With Ailei’s support, Xu Xi sits down and tries to recall the scenes from the special perspective.

In that moment, it felt as though he had ascended to a higher dimension, observing the dark void from a detached vantage point.

Stars turned into tiny, faint dots.

Everything was laid bare before his eyes.

Even the distant federal planets, long since abandoned, came into Xu Xi’s view.

These details were unimportant. The federation, the stars—they were all irrelevant, information Xu Xi already knew.

What truly left him in disbelief was.

The distant void, filled with layer upon layer of ruins and graveyards, mechanical debris, and fragments of celestial bodies.

It was—

The remains of countless civilizations.

On some of these remains, Xu Xi saw the same red dots.

The suspected culprits behind the machine uprising.

“Are they god-like harvesters, demonic cultivators, or perhaps…”

Xu Xi is filled with doubt, recalling the famous Dark Forest Theory.

Could there be an advanced cosmic civilization.

Acting as hidden hunters, relentlessly preying on emerging civilizations?

Xu Xi thinks it’s highly possible, but due to the lack of information, he can’t draw a definitive conclusion.

“Ailei, how did you do that just now?” Xu Xi asks, his expression filled with curiosity.

“I just did it.”

The loyal machine servant never lies to Xu Xi.

This strange perspective stems from the unique transformation after the evolution of the machine soul. Even Ailei herself doesn’t fully understand how it works.

Moreover, it consumes a tremendous amount of energy.

“Master, Ailei is out of power,” she collapses into Xu Xi’s arms.