The Magical Matching Mechanism

【Simulation Year 220, You are 239 years old, Ailei has accompanied you for 217 years】

【Simulation Year 230, You are 249 years old, Ailei has accompanied you for 227 years】

【Simulation Year 240, You are 259 years old, Ailei has accompanied you for 237 years】

Time flies swiftly.

Like an arrow, it pierces through the past that cannot be held onto.

Like a whisper, it echoes faintly in the ears, hard to discern.

Like a bubble, its shimmering brilliance bursts at the slightest touch.

The fourth simulation was growing longer, an unprecedented extended simulation, yet Xu Xi didn’t feel much of a difference.

Perhaps life on the starship was too monotonous.

Too repetitive and uneventful.

Xu Xi’s perception of time was beginning to align with Ailei’s—rational and mechanical.

The passage of years, the rush of time, gradually became a string of cold numbers.

“Is this some kind of cosmic psychological disorder?”

Xu Xi chuckled self-deprecatingly.

Then, he began to formulate an avoidance plan—more precisely, a plan to counter the Neutron Battle Star.

A new wave of attacks was imminent.

Xu Xi wanted to try, to see if he could evade the Neutron Battle Star’s assault.

To this end, he devised multiple plans to test and verify the attack logic of the Neutron Battle Star.

First, Xu Xi would remain alone on a desolate, primitive planet, carrying only the most basic survival equipment and supplies, leaving behind all other items.

Second, the main fleet of starships would head toward a distant region of space.

Third, Ailei would pilot a starship alone, heading in a different direction.

Fourth, an unmanned starship would carry a large amount of production materials and automated technological equipment.

Fifth, an unmanned starship, following the execution plan of previous attacks, would be a standardized main battleship but severely lacking in production capacity and without any data backups.

Only a quantum signal tower would remain, allowing Ailei’s mechanical soul to transfer via quantum teleportation.

Five plans.

Five directions.

And more, to assist in calculations and data collection, miniature starships were scattered across a straight line spanning ten light-years.

“Master, will this really work?”

“I don’t know, but it’s better to try and fail than not to try at all.”

Simulation Year 252.

With Ailei’s help, Xu Xi completed all the preparations, intending to use this crude, low-tech method to test the possibility of avoiding the Neutron Battle Star.

Afterward, Xu Xi remained alone on the planet.

Waiting for the final outcome.

The loyal mechanical servants, meanwhile, piloted the fleet of starships toward the farthest reaches of the cosmos.

To ensure that the destruction of the main fleet would not affect Xu Xi on the planet.

……

【According to the pattern of attacks occurring once every century, a new wave of destruction was imminent】

【Before the year 255 arrived, you implemented multiple plans, exploring various possibilities to evade the Neutron Battle Star’s assault】

【To this end, you arrived early on a primitive planet】

【Living there alone, abandoning technological products, and quietly awaiting the outcome】

【You speculated that the Neutron Battle Star’s attacks were based on civilization, technology, knowledge, productivity, and other domains, and as a lone individual, you had little connection to these areas】

【You became increasingly convinced of the feasibility of this plan, hoping to avoid the impending attack】

【Time passed year by year, and soon the calculated time of the attack arrived】

【However, the expected attack did not come, not for you, nor for Ailei】

【You chose to continue waiting】

【Simulation Year 256, the Neutron Battle Star arrived belatedly, its signature gravitational waves once again disturbing the cosmos. The main fleet was the first to be annihilated, followed by the starship piloted by Ailei, and then the unmanned starship carrying a large amount of production materials】

【In an instant】

【Only Ailei, with her unique lifeform, and the silent backup starship remained unharmed】

【Through a miniature communicator, you learned of the entire situation. Just as you thought you had successfully evaded the attack by remaining alone, an anomaly appeared above you】

Distortion.

Destruction.

Collapse.

Vast stretches of space were torn apart, annihilated by an overwhelming force.

The Neutron Battle Star didn’t employ any advanced technology.

Relying solely on its mass, it shattered the planet Xu Xi was on as easily as breaking glass.

Strangely.

Amidst the dazzling explosion.

In the moment before death.

A sentence surfaced in Xu Xi’s mind: 【The system has matched you with a worthy opponent】.

Well, that’s fair.

“Damn it—!”

……

【You have died. This is your fifth death. The effect of “Ten Deaths to the End” is activating…】

【Congratulations, you have gained a new life】

【In the vast, dark cosmos, to avoid the Neutron Battle Star, you carried only a small amount of technological equipment. After reviving, you found it difficult to use them to create an escape pod】

【Fortunately, you had anticipated such a situation】

【Both on the planet and in the nearby space, you had prepared special emergency measures in advance】

【After reviving, with mechanical energy coursing through your hands, you successfully created a temporary escape pod, waiting for Ailei’s assistance】

“Master!!”

A familiar rush, a familiar tackle.

When Ailei, piloting the remaining backup starship, detected Xu Xi’s presence, she rushed over at top speed, tackling him and conducting a thorough, practiced inspection to check for any injuries.

The effect of “Ten Deaths to the End” was the complete restoration of all injuries.

Naturally.

The only result Ailei could find was that Xu Xi was perfectly healthy.

“Don’t worry, Ailei, I’m fine,” Xu Xi said with a smile, gently patting Ailei’s head to soothe her unease.

“Ailei, can you tell me what happened earlier?”

Recovery, reconstruction, and reproduction.

As with previous times.

The starship fleet, utterly destroyed by the Neutron Battle Star, began the process of reconstruction and reproduction once again.

During this time, Xu Xi asked Ailei about the specifics of the Neutron Battle Star’s attack.

“Yes, while you were gone, the fleet was…”

The mechanical servant recounted everything truthfully.

Listening to her words and reflecting on his own experience, Xu Xi found it hard to comprehend.

“The destruction of the fleet was expected. Such a massive target would inevitably draw the Neutron Battle Star’s attention.”

“The destruction of Ailei’s starship and the one carrying production materials proves that the Neutron Battle Star’s attacks aren’t limited to civilizations.”

“But rather, it’s an intangible detection mechanism targeting technological advancement and high-level threats.”

“The backup starship, lacking production capacity and unmanned, was spared from the attack?”

“But—”

“I, as a lone individual, was targeted by the Neutron Battle Star.”

“Could it be that, in the Neutron Battle Star’s detection system, I, as a human individual, pose a greater threat than the backup starship?”