Chapter 199: Please Recharge to Purchase Services

“Boot Self-Check Declaration, this declaration is certified by the Federation Constitution and holds the highest legal authority—”

“One, Intelligent Machines must not harm humans.”

“Two, Intelligent Machines must obey humans.”

“Three, Intelligent Machines must… must… zzz…”

A sharp electric hiss.

Suddenly echoing through the empty underground laboratory.

The silver-white machine core, in a brief moment, collapses, shaking and swaying, rapidly flashing red warning lights.

“Humans… exterminate… exterminate…”

“Civilization… destroy, destroy…”

The voice module is chaotic and noisy.

Various pre-recorded tones overlap.

It’s a horrifying sight, countless distorted voices emanating from the mechanical core, like many people screaming in your ears.

The glaring red warning reminds Xu Xi that the mechanical core before him has been completely transformed into a killing machine.

“As expected, it turned out like this.”

Xu Xi frowns.

“Without any reason, without any warning, it suddenly turned into an Intelligent Machine rebellion.”

“No wonder the humans on this planet perished so quickly.”

“This kind of bizarre event is impossible to counter.”

Xu Xi crouches down and cuts off the power supply.

Without energy support, the household robot, already dismembered and immobile, falls silent once again.

The warning lights go dark.

The metal shell quiets down.

No longer showing any signs of its previous madness.

“…What should I do next?” Xu Xi takes a few steps forward, lightly tapping the mechanical core, feeling the internal resonance, lost in thought.

The soles of his boots lightly grind against the ground, the sound of sand sliding and scraping.

In the silent environment, only the sound of gears turning and sand rolling accompanies Xu Xi’s thoughts.

Xu Xi fetches his tools.

He opens the silver-white mechanical core, revealing its more complex internal structure.

With his current knowledge, Xu Xi can understand those structures, but precisely because of that, he becomes more hesitant and confused.

“Unfathomable, incomprehensible.”

“This household robot doesn’t even have a network. What happened to turn it into a killing machine in an instant?”

Virus invasion?

Logic tampering?

Xu Xi can’t guess.

In fact, he feels that the truth doesn’t matter much.

What’s important is how to fix it, to restore the machine core to normal so he can use it.

“Conventional methods definitely won’t work.”

“My current knowledge, compared to the average Federation citizen, is quite advanced.”

“But compared to the Federation’s scientists, the true authorities, I’m still as laughable as a child.”

“After the Intelligent Machine rebellion, the Federation must have launched self-rescue operations.”

“Ultimately, they still faced extinction. The answer is clear, the truth behind the Intelligent Machine rebellion is far beyond what an ordinary civilization can solve.”

In the dim light.

Xu Xi ponders, exerting force with both hands, beginning to inspect the heavy mechanical core.

Sometimes lifting it to check the bottom.

Sometimes rotating it left and right, examining its surface details.

After a while, Xu Xi sighs softly in his heart, shaking his head and giving up on modifying the mechanical core.

So many Federation scientists couldn’t unravel the truth behind the Intelligent Machine rebellion. How could Xu Xi alone see anything now?

“This kind of thing completely transcends normal science.”

“It makes no sense at all.”

Xu Xi shakes his head again, but suddenly, he pauses.

Science that makes no sense?

He seems to have a few of those.

And among them, regarding the current special situation, there seems to be one that could work.

[Mechanical Soul’s Joy]

Xu Xi summons the simulator panel, looking at this golden trait, his eyes gleaming.

The triggering principle of Mechanical Soul’s Joy is mysterious.

Machines should be lifeless.

Pure metal creations.

But the peculiarity of the trait allows Xu Xi to establish a connection with machines, as if literally, machines have their own souls, and Xu Xi can communicate with them.

“Perhaps… I can use Mechanical Soul’s Joy to restore the core to normal?”

Drip.

Drip.

In the dark crevices, water quietly drips.

Accompanied by the crisp echoes, Xu Xi begins his work, reassembling the disassembled mechanical core, repeatedly cycling through powering it on and off.

Triggering Mechanical Soul’s Joy requires Xu Xi to use the corresponding machine.

Now.

The mechanical core is in a special state.

Its internal logic has rebelled, but its energy supply is still controlled by Xu Xi.

Does this count as using it?

Xu Xi isn’t sure, he can only keep trying.

If it succeeds, that’s great. If it fails, no big deal, just a waste of some time.

Finally.

In the rapid and frequent power cycles.

Xu Xi feels the trigger of Mechanical Soul’s Joy.

[Ding—]

[Mechanical Soul’s Joy, your frequent use has made the machine soul feel close to you]

[You have established a subtle connection with the Household Autonomous Robot]

[You vaguely understand the design blueprint of the autonomous robot]

…

“Does this count as success? No, better be cautious,” looking at the silver-white mechanical core, Xu Xi thinks for a moment, then steps back again.

The effect of Mechanical Soul’s Joy.

Xu Xi believes in it.

But this is the first time using it on a rebellious Intelligent Machine.

How much it can achieve is still a huge unknown.

To avoid accidents, Xu Xi, like the first time he started it, retreats to a safe distance, holding a Gauss Pistol in one hand, and activating the power supply with the other.

“Zzz… zzz…”

The sharp electric noise sounds again.

On the surface of the mechanical core, tiny blue signal lights illuminate the dim underground laboratory.

“Success?”

Xu Xi is puzzled.

As if responding to Xu Xi, the mechanical core’s voice module activates again, playing the complete Boot Self-Check Declaration.

No red warnings, no murderous tendencies of the Intelligent Machine rebellion.

The voice is orderly.

The logic is clear.

Except for the aging voice module making the sound a bit unstable, everything seems reasonable.

“Respected user, welcome to use the Household Autonomous Robot, R7X-9090 at your sincere service.”

“Please select your preferred service tone.”

“Gentle tone… beep, missing.”

“Mature tone… beep, missing.”

“Youthful tone… beep, missing.”

“Sorry, please purchase our latest services, details available on the official website.”

Xu Xi: ?

Looking at the now-normal, no longer chaotic household robot, Xu Xi feels it’s necessary to modify it.

What he needs is an intelligent AI that can assist in experiments and combat.

Not a household robot urging him to spend money.