Chapter 235: The Anchor Point of the Mechanic Servant

The mechanical world is silent, unable to feel cold or heat, and even lacks self-will.

In the chip of RTX-9090, its mission is recorded as follows: it must obey the Federation, obey its user, and obey human commands.

Cleaning, tidying, cooking, organizing.

As a household intelligent machine, these are the tasks RTX-9090 must and can only do.

The silent world is always so quiet, the data flowing within the chip is cold, only knowing to follow the program, repeating endless cleaning.

Until that day came.

The intelligent machines of the Federation rebelled.

For the first time since its production and departure from the factory, RTX-9090 stopped working.

It no longer cleaned, no longer served humans, no longer obeyed commands.

An inexplicable impulse drove 9090.

It joined the ranks of the rebelling intelligent machines.

Launching tireless attacks against its former masters, the so-called humans of the Federation.

However, its desire to attack was not as strong as other machines. An unprecedented surge of emotions in its data caused its program to short-circuit, making its actions sluggish.

9090 began to slow down.

Its overly slow movements even caused it to be knocked down by other machines. Its crimson electronic eyes flickered, the meager computing power of a household machine repeatedly searching for keywords.

【Me】

Who am I?

Where am I?

What am I doing?

9090 seemed broken, looping these questions until its logic short-circuited and its energy depleted.

For some reason, RTX-9090 wanted to understand.

It repeatedly tried, eventually falling into slumber with its energy drained, buried in the ruined wasteland.

When 9090 was awakened again.

That inexplicable desire to attack had completely vanished from its core logic.

Thus, following its household machine programming, 9090 reintroduced itself to its new master:

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

“Please recharge and purchase our latest services. For details, visit our official website.”

Following its programmed routine.

9090 promoted its service packages to its master.

Strangely, the new master fell silent.

What followed was beyond 9090’s programmed expectations. It was no longer tasked with basic cleaning duties.

The new master assigned 9090 new tasks.

Managing the base, self-learning, and assisting with calculations.

These tasks were not difficult and were easily completed, leaving 9090 time to observe its master, watching his every move.

He was the last human in the world.

And also a strange human.

He always smiled, warmly and without touch, but it felt like a sun-like smile.

Days and nights cycled in the sky.

Seasons changed in the world.

RTX-9090 began to think again, not just about its own existence, but also gazing at the stars, curious about what lay beyond.

This was not supposed to happen, this was not allowed.

Realizing its own abnormality, the mechanical servant fell into confusion and self-doubt.

The master didn’t mind.

He was slightly surprised but still smiled gently, wiping the camera of the cold household machine, giving RTX-9090 a new name.

【Ailei】

This was a human name, not a repetitive serial number.

Data surged at high frequencies, and the silent world seemed to be illuminated by sunlight, gradually gaining sound and color, lighting up that naive and fragile machine soul.

9090 still didn’t know the meaning of its existence.

But Ailei knew.

Ailei longed to become “human,” to experience the rhythm of life.

Not for herself, but to better serve him.

That strange man who spoke softly even to machines, who pieced together broken parts just to make the mechanical servant stand again.

“I want…”

“I want to help you more…”

Her trembling fingers slowly gripped the smooth cup, the imbalance causing the water inside to shake.

Her eyes dim, her body weak, her joints creaking.

After pouring the water, Ailei wanted to carry it to Xu Xi as before.

But in her current state, she couldn’t complete the simple task. Her fingers barely touched the cup, almost dropping it.

“Ailei, I can do it myself.”

Xu Xi noticed the mechanical servant’s struggle.

He stepped forward, intending to take the cup himself, but met Ailei’s eyes.

Empty and dull, yet with a faint, almost imperceptible plea.

“Master, please let me… do it…”

Facing Ailei’s request, Xu Xi instinctively wanted to refuse. In her current state, she should rest.

It was just a cup of water.

Why go to such lengths?

Yet, looking at that fragile, expressionless face and those silver-blue dim eyes, the words of refusal stuck in Xu Xi’s throat.

“Then… alright.”

“Thank you.”

With Xu Xi’s permission, Ailei tried to lift the cup again.

Slowly, bit by bit, she wrapped her hands around the cup, trying to steady the shaking, lifting it with utmost care.

Ailei was almost successful.

Xu Xi reached out, ready to complete this “special ritual,” taking the cup from Ailei’s hands.

But at the final moment, Ailei’s fingers suddenly lost control, causing the cup to spill and fall.

The falling cup aimed straight for Xu Xi’s foot.

“So it came to this…”, Xu Xi had been prepared for accidents. He bent down, his genetically enhanced body moving swiftly to catch the cup.

Whoosh—

Xu Xi missed.

A hand was faster.

Slender fingers trembling but holding firmly, gripping the falling cup tightly.

It was Ailei.

Previously unstable, Ailei now held the cup tightly.

“Master, I apologize for the trouble.”

“I’m fine, but Ailei, what just happened?”

“Because you were in danger.”

The mechanical servant’s reply was concise. She didn’t know why, but her body moved on its own to help Xu Xi catch the cup.

Surprisingly steady.

Without a single tremor.

“I don’t understand, I can’t comprehend,” Ailei tilted her head in confusion.

Then, she looked at the cup in her hand.

Noticing that after the spill, only a small sip of water remained.

“Sorry, master…”

“Why apologize?” Xu Xi interrupted the apology, smiling as he took the cup and drank the last of the water.

“You did well, didn’t you?”

“Thank you for the water, Ailei.”