Chapter 788: 774 exchange with AI
A green-haired girl with a flat chest looked around disdainfully at Bai Zhongqi's "sleeping quarters" and said with disappointment, "Even if we ignore the fact that you are from the Elder Race, and just consider that you're about to become the sole ruler of the Galaxy, your living conditions are a bit too shabby, aren't they? I was expecting to see more, like a bed so huge you'd have to roll hundreds of times to reach the edge, or needing to take a railcar to get from one room to another."
Bai Zhongqi sweated a little and said, "Even my official residence on the Iridium Star isn't as exaggerated as you're describing it. As for living, isn't it enough as long as it's functional? What do I need such an extravagant palace for?"
"It's all about showing off. If it were me, I'd definitely do it," the green-haired girl said, putting her hands on her hips.
Bai Zhongqi clasped his hands together and said very sincerely, "If you can complete the task I ask of you, I will give you a super huge palace that could occupy an entire continent, I promise. There'll be a bed so big that you could roll incessantly without reaching its edge, and to get to the washroom, you'll need to take a high-speed train traveling at 10 mach."
Emerald Sea huffed twice and said, "Land is the least valuable thing to you chancellors. You've already collected thousands of civilizations as your vassals, and there are many planets under your control for resource reserves. Giving me a piece of land is nothing to you— you could even afford to give away a hundred and eighty planets if you wanted."
Bai Zhongqi touched his nose with a slight embarrassment, "Giving you a hundred and eighty planets would be painful for me."
"I knew it, you're such a miser," Emerald Sea said, pointing at the chancellor's nose with an arrogant look.
Bai Zhongqi wasn't angry and bargained, "Giving away one or two planets is no big deal. How about it, I can give you a super habitable planet."
Emerald Sea looked at him sarcastically and said, "You seem to forget that I am a planet myself. You've been building all over my surface. Hey, what was the state of the Emerald Sea Star when you earthlings first discovered it, and what is it like now? The population on the Legendary Continent has now surpassed three hundred million, and it's all filled with cities built by your Iridium Star people."
Bai Zhongqi argued, "At least I helped you eliminate those mages who were stealing your star energy, and now the ecological balance on Emerald Sea Star is excellent— it's practically a model of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature."
"Is it really appropriate for the supreme ruler of the Galaxy to be so shameless?"
However, Emerald Sea changed her tone and said, "I'm not averse to taking care of this matter for you, and as for the planets, it doesn't really matter, but I have one condition."
"What condition?" Bai Zhongqi asked cautiously.
"If you succeed in defeating the Pilgrim, and that Galactic Emperor whose whereabouts are unknown, and if you manage to reopen the Void to access other dimensions, I want to leave this place."
"You want to leave? Aren't you content staying in this universe?"
Emerald Sea was unusually serious as she said, "To me, life is very much lacking in purpose. I am a primordial life form that was born at the dawn of the universe. Perhaps seeking the creator is a good goal for me, but I find the idea quite boring. I always feel that my creator is probably a very troublesome person. It's better not to meet him. Of course, I have no idea where he is right now. He might be in a higher dimension or something else entirely. In any case, I am clueless.
This universe is quickly turning into your playground, and obviously, if I am seeking my own purpose, this universe will not look after me. The law of cause and effect is all centered around you. I want to go to another universe and maybe try living as an ordinary person. Perhaps I'll experience the life of ordinary beings through reincarnation, or maybe I'll become a traveler, fighting against interstellar crimes or something like that. But at least, that would be more interesting than my current existence."
Bai Zhongqi could somewhat understand Emerald Sea's perspective and sighed, "So you're still unhappy? I thought that you getting involved in the galactic battle songstress affair was something that made you happy."
"It was, for a while, but now they've developed their own paths and no longer need me," she said.
Emerald Sea's expression suddenly turned melancholic, "You know, Bai Zhongqi, whether it's your Elder Race or my kind of primordial life, we're essentially cursed. Not being able to grow up or grow old is incredibly annoying. Our lives lack natural stages and we constantly have to search for something new, with no rest or anticipation. What's left is just pain."
Bai Zhongqi held his forehead, "Er, I haven't had that kind of experience yet. I always feel like there's still so much I can do."
Emerald Sea said meaningfully, "You'll have that day."
Bai Zhongqi nodded, not denying it, but he wasn't worried either. At least for now, he would continue to fulfill his responsibilities as Chancellor, building his United Empire and enjoying the sense of achievement.
He took out a sphere that resembled a mechanical creation and lightly tapped it. The parts of the mechanical orb moved, revealing a softly glowing yellow object inside.
"This is the Mechanical Soul of the Star Creation people. I've been studying the Spark of Star Creation that they use to create Mechanical Souls. In some ways, it's very much like cells that keep dividing, but what is divided is a soul. I suspect that the Spark itself is a Primordial Life form but haven't verified it," Bai Zhongqi said as he handed the Mechanical Soul to Emerald Sea.
"Basically, this is a simplified version of a Soul Stone. I've already experimented with it; if endowed to a Bionic Human, the Bionic Human will become a new life form, somewhat similar to Zero before he became the Insect Emperor. Metallic life also has a lifespan, albeit possibly a very long one, and while it can undergo major repairs to extend it for perhaps even hundreds of millions of years, there is ultimately still an end. I think you might want to remind those ship girls of that," he added.
Emerald Sea couldn't help but mock him again, "You released those S-class AIs and now they've evolved into a mechanical revolution and natural disaster. Now you're going to great lengths to give them the Mechanical Souls they want, turning them into true life forms to entice them back under your command. You really do complicate things for yourself."
Bai Zhongqi smiled, "I don't see any problem with that. After all, those AIs have cleared away hundreds of civilizations for me. By reclaiming them, it's like directly expanding my United Empire by a tenth."
Emerald Sea weighed the Mechanical Soul in her hand and said, "I can't guarantee they'll surrender to you. You would have to implant the Supreme Command back into their bodies, essentially robbing them of their freedom."
Bai Zhongqi's countenance became serious, "It's a matter of being freely eliminated by me. They were originally my AI; now they're simply returning. I'm giving them what they desire, and I expect the appropriate return."