Chapter 196: The Awakening of Intelligent Machines, the Destruction of Humanity

The clouds are thick and dark.

The yellow sand flies and chaos reigns.

Broken walls, collapsed pillars, the pitch-black surface bears the marks of fierce flames, delivering a heavy and oppressive impact.

The end of the world’s demise is the best interpretation of the city before our eyes.

When Xu Xi surveys the scene, all he can see is an endless expanse of black ruins.

The wind howls.

Sand and stones clamor.

The rows of torn and charred buildings stand like tilted black tombstones on the desolate land, marking the demise of civilization.

The world is eerily silent, save for the sound of gears meshing, echoing clearly throughout the ruins.

“This world…”

“Was it invaded by aliens?”

“Or did a terrifying rebellion of intelligent machines occur?”

Xu Xi looks up at the overcast sky.

The air is filled with the smell of burning, as a mechanical eagle made of alloy swoops by, its wings jetting air, diving and weaving like a fighter jet.

A deafening roar shakes the heavens.

The mechanical eagle plunges into the heart of the city ruins.

When it ascends again, its sharp alloy claws clutch heavy vehicle wreckage, treating it as food, disappearing into the sky at incredible speed.

Xu Xi watches this scene, stunned for a long time.

Is this a case of Transformers going off the rails, or have intelligent machines become spirits?

Though it’s sci-fi themed.

It’s just too abstract.

“The ruins of a perished civilization, wandering mechanical monsters, this starting point is really… peculiarly subtle.”

Xu Xi spreads his hand, and a light fragment drifts with the wind, landing squarely in his palm.

It bears an exquisite pattern.

Humans aboard a colossal starship, sailing towards the mysterious and dazzling cosmos.

The excitement, the anticipation, perfectly conveyed through the pattern.

A stark and intense contrast to the desolate ruins Xu Xi sees, indicating that the world’s destruction was quite sudden.

“Anyway, let’s explore a bit.”

“The immediate priority is to find water and food, and a temporary place to rest.”

Xu Xi sets off again.

Walking on rugged paths, stepping over the remains of humans and machines, crunching underfoot, his goal clear, wandering the edges of an unnamed city.

The wasteland is dangerous.

Mechanical creations roam everywhere.

Some humanoid, some beast-like, others purely war machines.

Xu Xi even sees these mechanical creations attacking each other, consuming each other’s energy, effortlessly smashing through steel and concrete.

No doubt.

Such an environment is quite dangerous and deadly for Xu Xi.

To avoid wasting resurrection chances, Xu Xi treads very carefully, always detouring around mechanical creations in advance, and trying to find usable weapons.

[Your small step, a giant leap for mankind]

[You walk on the city’s ruins, bringing human presence back to this city after a hundred years]

[You are cautious, finding two special firearms while searching for supplies]

[The gun bodies are made of a strange alloy you’ve never seen, only slightly yellowed despite the passage of time]

[But you find the triggers seem faulty, impossible to pull no matter what]

[Ding—]

[Your presence delights the gun spirits]

[You are pleasantly surprised to find the two firearms suddenly become usable]

[Beyond seven steps, the gun is fast; within seven steps, the gun is accurate and fast]

[The firearms’ power brings you some comfort, and you cautiously hold them, continuing your search for water and food]

…

[You succeed, finding plenty of food, but unfortunately, it has long since become inedible]

[The wear of time causes most food to spoil]

[Helpless, you can only continue searching]

[After a long search, you finally find a well-sealed box of nutrient fluid in the dark building ruins]

[You reflect, nutrient fluid is a staple in most sci-fi and apocalyptic novels, a must-try for transmigrators, and now, you get to experience it too]

[The nutrient fluid provides you with water and nutrients]

[Your hunger problem is solved]

[Satisfied, you start pondering your future]

[You find a basement, making it your temporary shelter, and begin actively gathering all information about this world]

[On the second day after transmigration, you gather many books, including preschool literacy books]

[On the third day after transmigration, despite all caution, you encounter a humanoid machine, its energy shield making it invulnerable]

[Ding—]

[The gun spirits are delighted, your firearm damage triggers a critical hit, dealing 1000% damage to the humanoid machine]

[You establish a subtle connection with the twin guns]

[Gradually, you begin to understand the structure of the two firearms, knowledge opening its doors to you]

…

[Two months pass, and in these sixty days, you preliminarily master the new world’s common language, able to read and review recorded materials through dictionary comparisons]

[You learn that this is a highly developed federal technological planet]

[Civilization is prosperous, humanity is strong]

[Its technological level even surpasses that of Earth after the fusion of different boundary ruins]

[Virtual reality technology, interstellar manned technology, anti-gravity technology, genetic enhancement technology…]

[Exciting technology, a bright future, this is an emerging civilization like a science fantasy, even on the verge of leaving the planetary system to explore the vast and dazzling galaxy]

[However, a disaster capable of destroying civilization arrives just in time]

[Amidst the cheers of all humanity, the Calamity of Intelligent Machines suddenly descends, in an instant, all human civilization’s mechanical creations rebel and awaken, birthing a consciousness to destroy humanity]

[No one can escape, no one has a chance]

[When humans lose their proud technology, all that remains is their fragile flesh]

[Even with genetic modifications, possessing bodies beyond mortals, before interstellar weapons capable of destroying heaven and earth, gene warriors and mortals are no different]

[The humans of this world seem to have completely perished]

[You reach this conclusion, stunned for a long time]

“Rustle—”

“Rustle—”

In the quiet basement.

The sound of pages turning is crisp.

Xu Xi’s expression is grave, his eyes scanning left and right, only closing the heavy book cover after finishing the entire book.

This is a blood-stained diary.

The diary’s owner is neither a high official nor a professor, but an ordinary citizen of the Federation.

From an ordinary person’s perspective, it records the chaos after the intelligent machine rebellion and the despair of waiting for death.

“The intelligent machine rebellion is equivalent to crippling the heart of technological civilization.”

“Even starships rebelled and awakened…”

“Humanity has no way out…”

“As a transmigrator, I might very well be the only living human on this planet right now.”