Chapter 210: Welcome to This World, Ai Lei

Ailei shattered.

The new body, barely assembled from a large amount of scrapped wreckage.

Only took a few steps.

Before it shattered into pieces all over the ground.

The floor was a mess, with countless mechanical parts spinning around, making sharp, piercing noises. Some even flew far and hit the walls, producing crisp, booming sounds.

“I’m sorry, Master…”

Without prioritizing herself, the Mechanical Servant’s first reaction was to apologize to Xu Xi.

The scattered mechanical parts, with their severely damaged sound modules, struggled to convey her apology to Xu Xi.

Sorry for startling Xu Xi.

Sorry for not doing better.

So many things, too many to say, so many that Ailei worried if she would be disliked by Xu Xi.

The atmosphere grew quieter, but the man simply crouched down, gathering the shattered pieces of Ailei with his hands, reassembling them once more.

“No, I should be the one apologizing.”

Xu Xi’s voice carried regret, soothing the uneasy Machine Soul: “Not only did I fail to notice your thoughts, but I also didn’t offer any help. If I had noticed earlier, I could have used better materials.”

No.

That’s not it.

The loyal Mechanical Servant wanted to refute for Xu Xi.

But she had no chance to speak.

Xu Xi carried the fallen, old parts back to his workbench, beginning targeted repairs or crafting new parts.

The light was dim, shadows intertwined, and the laboratory echoed with the hum of machinery.

“Master, what are you…”

“Building a better body for you.”

“Such things, please leave them to me, I can do it too…”

“It’s not the same, Ailei.”

Watching her master busy while she remained idle, the loyal Mechanical Servant felt uneasy.

But Xu Xi’s gentle voice, mixed with the sounds of tools, successfully dissuaded the servant who wanted to help.

“All along, it’s been Ailei helping me, hasn’t it?”

“I’m grateful, and I really like Ailei like this.”

“Assisting me in research, helping me operate the Power Armor, almost every aspect of life, I’ve been cared for by Ailei.”

“So I’ve been thinking, what should I give in return?”

“As a gift, to repay Ailei for her help.”

Xu Xi spoke.

His expression serious and meticulous, holding various tools, repairing the damaged body parts, or using Mechanical Force to handcraft new parts.

Those words were magical.

Not particularly heavy, nor grand philosophies.

Plain, natural.

Yet they left Ailei in the computer feeling puzzled.

Master is so strange…

According to the Federation’s database, Intelligent Machines are just tools for humans, expendable items that can be discarded or replaced at any time.

But all along, Master’s behavior has always been so strange, talking about repaying machines and such, really strange.

“At your command.”

Ailei finally responded.

She wanted to help, but obeying Xu Xi’s words was more important.

So, the Mechanical Servant obediently stayed in the computer, quietly watching Xu Xi’s busyness and the sparking workbench.

…

[You have completed research on Automatic Turrets]

[You are mentally exhausted, but recalling the achievements of these days, you can’t help but feel excited]

[You are about to rest, but notice something is off with Ailei]

[The screen is quiet, the robotic arms are still, only the cameras are all focused on one place]

[That is your “junk pile” where you store mechanical wreckage]

[You pause for a moment, carefully recalling Ailei’s recent behavior, realizing your Mechanical Servant seems to have something on her mind]

[You take the initiative to ask]

[You learn of Ailei’s desire for an organic body]

[You gladly agree, as when you first met Ailei, you were worried about the instability of the Rebellion and didn’t give her the limbs of a household Intelligent Machine]

[But the passage of time proves everything, Ailei has long become a “person” you trust]

[Ailei begins crafting a body]

[Ailei’s crafting fails]

[You carefully gather the shattered Ailei, deciding to use your own strength to craft a usable body for Ailei, as a gift to her]

[This is your intention, and your guilt]

[Ding—]

[The Machine Soul is slightly pleased, your knowledge of autonomous robots has improved, you understand more technical points]

[Ding—]

[Your Mechanical Force resonates with the machine parts, you successfully enhance their performance]

[After three days of research and crafting, you finally put down your tools, looking at your “masterpiece” with a satisfied expression]

“Ailei, give it a try.”

“Okay, Master.”

Three days later.

In the silent laboratory, the bright white light from above fell like a gentle embrace, draping the reborn white body in a veil.

It lay still, in a smooth posture on the workbench.

No flaws on the surface.

No mechanical internals visible.

Night fell, the laboratory’s screens simultaneously broadcast the starry sky, so starlight descended, landing in the dazzling eyes that had just opened.

“…”

Xu Xi stepped back a few steps, making space for the awakening body.

“Master?”

The white body, no, it should be Ailei.

Ailei opened her eyes, delicately and curiously controlling the humanoid body. After slightly adapting to the controls, she lay on her side, looking towards Xu Xi’s position.

Her eyes showed confusion and bewilderment.

The intelligent AI, always active in data.

Seemed very unaccustomed to looking at Xu Xi from a “human” perspective.

She felt uneasy, lightly pressing her fingers on the workbench beneath her, feeling the cold, hard texture, more accurately described as a sense of “nothingness.”

The processor told Ailei that she had touched something, and what it was.

But a machine is just a machine.

Ailei didn’t have human-like tactile nerves.

This was also her difference from humans, lacking real flesh and blood.

“Ailei, how do you feel?”

Ailei felt a vague unease, but Xu Xi’s words slowly dispelled the unease in her heart.

Xu Xi smiled, blessing, welcoming Ailei to appear in a “human” form.

“Good, Master… Thank… thank you…”

Ailei’s voice was intermittent.

Not knowing how to describe her feelings.

Calm yet confused, silent yet restless.

“That’s good, no adverse reactions then,” Xu Xi gently took Ailei’s fingers, helping her sit up from the workbench. The cold mechanical girl sat bewildered on the metal platform, with an indescribable beauty.