Him and their stars.

Chapter 2071 Clash of the Two Extremes

This time, it was Little Grey's turn to remain silent. She looked Yu Lian up and down, making sure he wasn't lying to her, and a deep, indescribable sadness appeared in her eyes.

"How sad. You and I have seen all the carbon-based monkeys that have mastered psionic energy. Once you enter the eighth ring, you really start facing the gravitational waves of the black hole! You think it's a kind of immortal elegance and domineering, but I think it's a self-destructive tendency. You'd better be careful!"

Looking at the sincere and earnest Xiao Hui, Yu Lian was deeply moved and wiped away her tears: "I understand, thank you for your concern. Then let's just forget about it."

"Uh... how can you do this?" the robot pleaded. "Let's not do it this way. Don't worry, it'll only take a tiny bit of the epidermis, it won't hurt. Be good, it definitely won't hurt. I'll just go in gently, you just need to relax and it won't hurt."

"Do you think I don't know who you're flirting with? You've got something backwards, haven't you? You need to relax, right?"

"If you really need it, I can simulate that function. I can even simulate a radiant face, a fragrant breath, and a surge of adrenaline. Do you want it, little brother Yu Lian? Do you dare to take it?"

"Hehehe, why don't you simulate childbirth again?"

"If the baby is born, you'll say it was simulated by nanomechanisms and then deny everything. Wouldn't I then become a discarded woman?"

After exchanging a disdainful look and a straight middle finger, Xiao Hui began to work under Yu Lian's watchful gaze.

Her eyes gleamed with obvious excitement, like a child who had just received a new Lego set. However, as a high-level civilization-guiding robot, it wouldn't seem very advanced to conjure up surgical instruments or anything like that. She simply extended a finger and touched Yu Lian's finger.

The latter didn't even feel any touch; it only saw the nanomachines holding a tiny, almost transparent piece of dead skin, floating into a small instrument that appeared out of thin air.

That thing was also made up of Little Gray's nanocells. Its appearance was a metal test tube that still faintly glowed with a faint blue light. It felt more like it should have appeared in the laboratory of that ethereal witch or alchemist.

"That's so anti-civilizational," Yu Lian said.

"This is, of course, to make it easier for you to see. They've put a lot of thought into it to cater to your carbon-based monkey comprehension abilities." Little Gray said, tossing the dead skin into the petri dish.

Yu Lian noticed that her eyes frequently flashed with a dazzling light, which was, of course, a high-frequency fluctuation in the literal sense.

“I must remind you, I’m still at the eighth ring, my physical body hasn’t undergone any enhancement. The fortuitous encounter just now only affected my soul and spirit,” Yu Lian said. “In your words, it was an informational one.”

“That’s right, only this explanation is somewhat civilized.” She put her hands on her hips and said with a smile, “However, information is inherently based on matter.”

"I thought that at some point, information would only need to rely on energy to exist."

"This is just a theoretical value in the quantum sense. If a perfectly perfect model truly exists, information is still indestructible. If that were the case, could you accept it?"

Yu Lian was speechless for a moment. He now felt that with his current knowledge, he was perhaps not capable of pondering such profound scientific questions... or rather, philosophical and metaphysical questions. When science reaches its deepest level, indeed only philosophy and metaphysics remain in this world.

"Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Gray. I suddenly realized that someone like me needs to increase my knowledge base in order to win in the upcoming battles."

If one day I am to prepare to stand on the side of truth, I might have to hone my knowledge to the level of an academician through genuine ability, which sounds very difficult. But at least it is a very clear direction to strive for, and it is worth considering carefully.

"It's an honor to guide you." Little Gray, who was squinting at the opaque silver test tube, replied casually, "You've always been a good student, which is why I carefully separated you from the other carbon-based monkeys."

"Isn't it because of some other kind of fate?" Yu Lian asked.

For the first time, Xiao Hui shifted her gaze from the test tube to Yu Lian's face, folding her hands and waiting for him to continue.

"I received further guidance in the virtual realm."

"Oh?" The robot girl clutched her chest tightly, her face pale and swaying precariously, looking like a little woman who had just caught her husband cheating.

"What kind of play is this?"

"I thought this would make you happy."

Yu Lian coughed and said, "Let's get down to business. I vaguely encountered a goddess in the void."

Seeing the robot lady's disdainful expression, as if she were looking at ignorant cultists, he added, "Of course, maybe it's the thought form of an enlightener."

He quickly recounted everything he had perceived. Compared to the hazy memories of the last War God Festival, his understanding this time was much clearer and more distinct. He could even recall the vivid and lively expression that shone through those crescent-shaped eyes hidden beneath the light screen.

"So that's how your soul and spirit are upgraded! I understand, initiation!" Little Gray suddenly realized.

Can a robot really use such anti-scientific lines?

"As for me, I'm really not familiar with the Serpent of the Ring. They're all impulsive nihilists, full of ambition one day and possibly turning into terrorists the next. As for what that being actually is..." She waved her hand, a hint of hesitation and confusion flashing across her face.

Confused? Yu Lian said that this was truly the first time he had ever seen such a reaction on the other person's face.

Of course, since it's a robot, it might be more appropriate to explain it as a system overload or something similar?
This loss of composure only lingered on Xiao Hui's face for less than half a frame.

She shook her head and said, "So, 'Future Duke' is just a code name given by the Snake Organization; it might not even exist at all. As for the term 'Enlightener,' it's even broader. You know nothing about the previous generation of civilization, so how can you be categorized?"

"Then, the previous civilization..."

“This is forbidden.” She put her finger to her lips.

I knew it.

"In short, Brother Yu Lian, this question is beyond my scope."

"I see. What a useless robot."

"A provocation! But I won't fall for it!" She pointed at Yu Lian and roared angrily, "After analyzing the residual information entropy and dimensional folds captured on your skin, I can confirm that the thing that was interacting so intensely with you is a high-dimensional information aggregator!"

Yu Lian nodded, then couldn't help but say, "You don't need to read the intense interaction in such a sarcastic and sarcastic way."

Little Gray pretended not to hear: "However, its reference point... is not anchored to the current timeline we are in."

This was not unexpected for Yu Lian. He had already had a similar suspicion. However, even after receiving Xiao Hui's confirmation, he still felt somewhat dazed.

"But you can recognize me."

"They're robots; they only recognize information! And information is everywhere, making it the easiest thing to quantize."

What's everywhere isn't information, it's clearly quantum mechanics.

She tapped her temple with her finger: "But this is cognition. My core logic is built upon the current cosmological constant and linear time flow. For these trajectories of activity that exist outside of time, or phenomena that are not on this timeline, we can only observe them."

“It’s not within this timeline…” Yu Lian frowned. This answer seemed to explain the ethereal transcendence of the goddess, but it didn’t provide any real explanation. “I understand,” Yu Lian said.

"You understand again?"

"At most, it's a quantum superposition state, I can also give that kind of explanation."

"Yes, yes, that's exactly the feeling. Instead of expecting a robot to help you understand the quantum paradoxes brought about by higher-dimensional spacetime, you should first ask yourself who you are."

"understood."

"You understand now."

"Yes! What a useless robot." Yu Lian finally sighed, though he vaguely accepted it, his words were filled with an indescribable sadness.

“Yes, yes, I’m really useless.” Little Grey seemed completely unconcerned, her gaze returning to the test tube: “After leaving your body, the psionic energy is still protecting your cells, and its sustainability is at least nine times higher than before. That’s interesting.”

"Uh, what kind of effect will it have? It can't possibly increase my sex drive by nine times, can it?"

"Yes, what's the use of it? Use your imagination to figure it out."

As Xiao Hui's drawn-out voice faded, Yu Lian couldn't help but look up at the sky beyond the observatory once more.

His "gaze" passed through the still burning and collapsing Xiaguan Fortress, ignoring the final desperate screams of the Imperial soldiers. He vaguely sensed the subtle gravitational ripples at the edge of the galaxy, so faint as to seem like an illusion.

The serpent's ships are leaving this galaxy.

Considering their sincere attitude, Yu Lian resisted the urge to order a quantum arc to be fired in that direction.

He turned to look at Little Gray and asked again, "So, what exactly is the Void Crown?"

Little Gray's attention was still on the test tube that emitted an ominous blue light and an unnatural smell. He casually replied, "Oh, that? I haven't seen the actual thing, so I can't be sure. However, based on your description, it does seem to be an early research result of the 'Soul Dimension School'."

Yu Lian caught the unfamiliar word, but felt no sense of accomplishment: "I feel that you haven't used the prohibitions enough lately. Even when you do give these terms, they are too conceptual and have no practical significance."

“Let’s talk about something more relevant to reality.” Little Grey spoke as if it were a casual conversation: “A group of explorers who once existed were obsessed with studying the gaps and patterns between the real universe, the virtual world, and other unknown dimensions. They hoped to find a way to reliably utilize, or even transcend, these dimensions.”

"Oh, the more radical Lingfei school."

Little Grey shrugged noncommittally: "I'm not familiar with psionics, after all. However, while I'm quite dissatisfied with the level of civilization of you carbon-based monkeys, I still admire your imagination. The Imperial Royal Family is one of the most eccentric families in your generation's civilization that I know of; they might be able to develop uses that we can't even imagine."

"But its primary purpose has been overlooked. Isn't that right?"

"Ah, this isn't the first time something like this has happened."

Just then, the test tube in front of her emitted a soft ringing sound, which probably meant that the complete analysis results had been obtained.

She pinched her test tube with two jade-like fingers, shook it, and then looked up at Yu Lian, as if to confirm whether the two were the same entity.

"The cycle of structure, composition, decay and withering... Hmm, how interesting! It's a psychic cell, yet it maintains a similar dynamic to a human's."

Yu Lian raised his eyebrows slightly and said gratefully, "Thank you very much."

"Thanking me now feels like you're being sarcastic."

"Thank you for helping me prove that I am still human," Yu Lian said. "Anything else?"

"Your psionic energy decays at the cellular level 9 times slower than before, and the duration of protection is more than 30 times longer than before."

"anything else?"

"This is it." The robot lady looked at the other party with her hands in an annoyed manner.

"Oh, I see, that's really..."

“If you say again that I’m a useless robot, I’ll open a window right now and throw you into space. I’m the first owner of this ship!” she shouted.

Yu Lian raised his eyes, staring intently at the robot lady's resentful little face, and quickly said, "I'm right, she's truly an omnipotent and omniscient perfect AI goddess!"

Little Grey stopped talking, but instead glared at Yu Lian with his eyes narrowed, a smirk playing on his lips, his mockery unabashed.

"I still prefer the reckless you from before. How about you revert to your old self?" She had barely scoffed when a much more familiar voice suddenly rang in Yu Lian's ears, a voice far more familiar than that of a mere Little Grey:

"You're back?" Fei Fei's voice was calm and natural, as if she were greeting her husband who had just come home from get off work.

With her abilities, she could certainly sense the existence of the spatial passage, and naturally, she could also sense Yu Lian's actions at this moment.

"I'm back. The snake represents a goddess inviting me to a party."

"Ah, of course I'd love to hear you tell me all about this goddess. But now it seems the snake wants to discuss a collaboration with you. Isn't this just like what you said, fish, that when the time is right, heaven and earth lend their support?"

"It's far from that point. It's just that my existence plays the role of a vanguard that many people need." Yu Lian said, glancing at Xiao Hui, only to see the robot lady, holding the silver test tube, disappear into the cabin floor like a ghost and vanish again.

“But at least the situation has improved. If the fall of Cyprus and the collapse of Earth was the bottom, we are now on the rise.” Fei Fei’s mood was very cheerful, and it didn’t seem like she was comforting herself, but rather like she had received some good news.

"Come to the bridge quickly. Big news!"

"Oh?"

"The Alliance launched an attack on the Imperial fleet that appeared in Canchuan, and the two sides exchanged fire. The Imperial outpost fleet suffered heavy losses... Um, wait, senior, what did you say?" Feifei quickly exchanged a few words with senior Eleanor on the terminal, and then switched back to Yu Lian's side: "Update notes: The Imperial outpost fleet near Canchuan suffered heavy losses and is retreating towards section B of the Spiral Nebula Channel. The Alliance army is in pursuit!"

"..."

"Don't you think this white fox is finally standing up for itself?"

“That’s right. But this is nothing more than opportunistic behavior, no different from that of a snake. With the Colossus, they have a margin for error. They have finally seen the Empire’s weakness, but if they don’t intervene now, it will be too late.”

"So you also think that this kind of shiny fox is only fit to hang itself on a street lamp? Just like an orange cat should be sent to the guillotine."

“Indeed.” Yu Lian nodded through gritted teeth.