Chapter 85: Xu Weiyi

Because news of the Saiwei civilization had already spread throughout the entire Xingyuan civilization, everyone had once again entered a long-lost state of readiness, preparing for the war that could break out at any moment.

As a new member of the Xingyuan civilization, Number 4563 chose to join the Tienhai Star Defense Army in gratitude for the civilization’s kindness. Not only did he maintain Xingyuan’s electronic network, but he also personally stationed himself on Tienhai Star.

At the same time, Number 4563 would provide technical guidance on some of the Wanderer’s technologies at the research center.

To better integrate into Xingyuan civilization, Number 4563 gave himself a name.

Xu Weiyi.

This name meant “one and only,” a way for Number 4563 to seek individuality.

While Xu Weiyi was immersed in his research, he sensed an extremely faint touch from behind. Silently turning his head, he found Qu Shixin glaring at him, clutching his hand.

“How come you’re so tough, you hunk of metal? It hurts without using divine arts, and if I do use them, I’m afraid you’ll break.”

“My precise analysis suggests that if you use a gentler force, you won’t injure yourself.”

Hearing Xu Weiyi’s mechanical voice, Qu Shixin raised his brows and gave him a light punch. “You’re really no fun, Old Xu. Can’t you be a little more human?”

Xu Weiyi remained silent, simply staring at Qu Shixin’s fist, his eyes flickering with computational light.

Qu Shixin, unsure what to make of this, waved his hand in front of Xu Weiyi’s face.

“Adaptive individuals are truly fascinating. My body is composed of tightly arranged cosmic alloy blades. A normally fragile being would be torn apart upon contact.”

Listening to Xu Weiyi’s serious tone as he uttered such terrifying words, Qu Shixin couldn’t help rubbing his hand.

“If you’re too cold, you won’t be unique. You have to know, feelings need to be expressed!”

“Expressed?”

“That’s right! For example, what I’m doing right now is greeting you!”

“Hey! Brother!”

Qu Shixin slapped Xu Weiyi’s shoulder again. Xu Weiyi turned his gaze to his shoulder and muttered, “Estimated damage: 0.0000…%.”

“Come on, man…”

A look of exasperation crossed Qu Shixin’s face. He cleared his throat and asked seriously, “Let’s get down to business. Any new research results?”

Xu Weiyi saw the opportunity to change the subject and turned to open the mechanical chamber before him.

Qu Shixin stared intently as the chamber slowly opened, then suddenly flushed and quickly covered his eyes, muttering under his breath.

“I—I—I… Wait, do you robots have these needs too?!”

Inside the mechanical chamber lay a human girl, without a stitch of clothing, quietly sleeping. Xu Weiyi glanced at the crimson-faced Qu Shixin and seemed to realize something.

“Apologies, I forgot to use your biological moral standards as reference.”

“Looks like I’m still not human enough.”

“At least this sense of morality is the first step toward emotion! Just like the story of the Ancestor!” Qu Shixin quipped.

“Ancestor?”

“That’s right! The progenitor of humanity in Xingyuan civilization!” Seeing Xu Weiyi’s apparent curiosity, Qu Shixin began a long-winded explanation: “Legend has it, in the Ancestor’s time, people also wore nothing, until Father of the Stars taught humanity the concept of civilization, and only then did they learn moral standards… Xu, are you even listening?”

“I am.”

Qu Shixin alternated between glancing at the interstellar detection screen in his hand and the now-clothed girl in the chamber, occasionally chatting with Xu Weiyi.

“I’m quite talkative, but my sense of humor is a bit dry, so the other five friends don’t really like talking to me. Everyone else is a subordinate, and I must act like a superior. Finally, I catch a chatty robot, but you’re still so dull.”

“I am the highest-level combat unit reporting directly to the Supreme Core, designation—”

“Alright, alright, I know, Number 4563.”

Xu Weiyi nodded and remotely operated a robotic arm to install something on the girl.

“This is a prototype android I built using some of the mainframe’s technology. Soon, she’ll be ready for use. Once deployed, she can assist in various fields across the civilization, and in critical moments of war, her harmless and delicate appearance can instantly switch to combat mode for lethal efficiency…”

Hearing this, Qu Shixin was first surprised that Xu Weiyi was actually engaging him in conversation, and second—

“You mean this pretty girl is some kind of war machine?”

“Yes.”

“Well, your hobbies are rather unique…”

“I do not understand what you mean by ‘hobbies.’”

“Never mind, metalhead.”

Qu Shixin suddenly felt exhausted. Maybe when he spoke to the other divine attendants, this was how they felt as well. He realized he might need to improve his emotional intelligence and sense of humor.

Gazing at the prototype android before him, he pondered for a moment. Then his eyes brightened as if struck by inspiration.

“Hey, Old Xu, don’t you think we should give this android prototype a name?”

“A name? Do you mean a serial number?”

“No, no, no. I mean a name, like a human.”

Xu Weiyi thought for a moment, unable to grasp the particular significance of this act.

Seeing Xu Weiyi lost in thought, Qu Shixin adopted a tone of earnest explanation: “A name is a unique symbol, a mark of individual identity. You gave yourself a name, so you must have your reasons. Humans are always obsessed with meaning, and the pursuit of meaning is an unchanging human instinct. Now that you have a name, you no longer need to live under that cursed number. So why not try doing something that seems pointless but is truly meaningful?”

Listening to Qu Shixin, Xu Weiyi fell silent. He could not understand the logic behind such behavior, just as he could not comprehend the origin of his own emotions.

He looked up, his expressionless face gazing at the female android before him—her appearance human, her essence cold machinery.

For some reason, Xu Weiyi’s organically simulated face seemed to ripple slightly, his lips wavering as if about to speak.

Qu Shixin watched Xu Weiyi’s silence quietly, until finally, the latter spoke with resolve: “Based on her female attributes and birth sequence, her name shall be Xu Yiyi.”

“Xu Yiyi? You mean the number ‘one-one’?”

Qu Shixin was startled by the utterly unremarkable name, but Xu Weiyi suddenly replied seriously:

“It is not a number, but taken from the word ‘rely.’ This is a homophonic method. Since she was created by my hand, naturally she bears my surname. She is the first to be born, and also the first android to have a name.”

“She should be called Xu Yiyi.”

“No!”

“I want to call her Xu Yiyi!”

Qu Shixin stared at the metallic head before him, at a loss for words.

Because from that face, simulated by programming, he seemed to glimpse a trace of unwavering determination.