There is life, and there is death.
There is new beginnings, and there is extinction.
This sci-fi simulation started with the annihilation of humanity, and Xu Xi felt surprised.
He believed that the cause behind the intelligent machine rebellion was not simple.
Perhaps it was some kind of cosmic malice.
An offhand strike from a higher civilization.
"However, no matter the truth, it doesn't matter to me," Xu Xi slowly stood up.
This simulation was primarily to deepen his understanding of the sci-fi side and explore the essence of the simulator.
Concerning the fall of the Human Federation.
Concerning the truth behind the intelligent machine rebellion.
Xu Xi was curious, but he did not intend to delve deep into it.
"This simulation world is too dangerous, with machine rebellions causing city destruction and star bursting everywhere. If luck isn't on my side, even ten revivals would be nothing more than a drop in the ocean."
"I need a safer environment and more mechanical creations."
"With the mechanic resonance trait, I can gradually increase my knowledge."
"I must accumulate enough knowledge before the simulation ends, to possibly understand the simulator."
Xu Xi stood up.
First, he glanced at the twin guns on the table.
Then, his gaze moved downward to the mechanical corpse he had shot through and the dimly lit basement.
To be honest.
After a preliminary understanding of the simulation world.
Xu Xi held little hope for this simulation, but since the simulation opportunity was rare, he decided to glean whatever he could.
"Anyway, first, I need to move to another place."
"This place is too cramped and lacks professional equipment, not suitable for me to study machines."
The yellow light flickered.
The intermittent illumination made Xu Xi gather the few items he had, then slowly stepped onto the steps, gently pulling the century-old steel door shut.
...
[You left your temporary residence]
[You realize that if you want to improve yourself, you need a more professional research environment and more mechanical creations]
[Thanks to the collected data and maps, you successfully identified a destination]
[It was once a gathering place for high-tech companies in the city, with many high-precision machines, though most have been destroyed, you believe there are a few still functional]
[You are very cautious]
[Relying on the patterns explored during the previous period, you start from the underground sewer, bypassing one powerful intelligent machine after another]
[They are chaotic and mindless, and it's more accurate to say they have been given a patrol order to slaughter humans]
[They endlessly search for life forms until they disappear into the passage of time]
[You feel a sense of melancholy, and accelerated your pace to bypass the wandering intelligent machines]
[You are very quick, with agile movements, and soon reached the final destination]
Here, there are even more intelligent machines, mostly wandering on the surface, including even the Federation's military-industrial giant weapon, the wingless airship that patrols the sky using anti-gravity.
[You expected this and avoided large groups of intelligent machines, threading through quiet paths, infiltrating the underground industrial zone where the density of intelligent machines is very low]
The destruction caused by the intelligent machines to the human civilization is immense.
So much that cities have fallen.
So much that the civilization has collapsed.
Making once tightly sealed laboratories, previously difficult to enter in the eyes of ordinary people,
Now places where Xu Xi can freely enter.
No one will come to catch him.
The only thing to be wary of are the intelligent machines constantly patrolling above.
"I can't move around too frequently in the future," Xu Xi reached a deserted corner and looked apprehensively at the ceiling.
The detection capabilities of the intelligent machines are too exaggerated.
A large part of the intelligent machines are equipped with thermal imaging detection capabilities, and some can even perform remote positioning beyond the visual range.
The reason Xu Xi could remain safe throughout this journey is more due to the help of a trait.
[Mechanical Soul Delight]
This magical golden trait.
Seemingly has an indescribable affinity with machines.
When Xu Xi is holding twin guns or carrying other mechanical creations, the radar of the intelligent machines always unconsciously ignore him, treating him as non-existent.
"I love the Mechanical Soul,"
Xu Xi commented so.
After saying that, he strode into the underground laboratory, looking at the tech relics buried in the ruins with curious eyes.
Most places are empty.
Accompanied by signs of tearing apart.
It should be that the items above have become a part of the machine rebellion, escaping from the tech lab.
But there are also a very small number of items still retaining their original appearance, neither awakened nor damaged. Xu Xi tested them and found they are still functional.
...
[Year 1 of Simulation, You, 20 years old]
[You managed to survive in the deserted wastelands thanks to your caution]
[You avoid the intelligent machines and record their patrol patterns, benefiting from this, your life in ruins becomes more convenient]
[Eventually, you chose to live in the underground lab that's far from the main forces of the intelligent machines]
[You found many weapons in the lab, including a damaged power armor, multiple high-powered guns, you were satisfied with them, and wanted to start the repairs]
[But you found that food once again becomes scarce]
[You had to leave your residence, halt the progress of studying machines, and search for precious water and food]
[This time, your luck becomes extremely bizarre, you couldn't find edible nutrient solutions, or any other edible food]
[But during your exploration, you accidentally found an antique machine]
[It can collect water vapor from the air to produce pure, drinkable water, and can compress all edible items, such as small insects, into fast food cubes usable by humans]
[You lightly examined it]
[Found it to be a machine specifically made for wilderness survival]
[The water and food it produces have very peculiar tastes, even described as stinky, but after some contemplation, you decided to bring it back to your new home]
[As a precaution, you tested the machine's operation on site]
[The Mechanical Soul is overjoyed!]
[This time, the produced water and food tasted exceptionally good]
"There's... something inexplicably different," with Mechanical Soul Delight and Mechanic Resonance both in effect, new knowledge flowed into the mind, besides that, Xu Xi felt something magically.
It's a hard to describe sense, as though integrated with machines.
Suppressing that strange feeling, Xu Xi started to disassemble the production machine, the too thick chassis couldn't be taken back in one go, Xu Xi had to disassemble it into several parts, and took them home in a slightly brutal way.
This process was very laborious, but luckily, Xu Xi could get help from external objects.
Like the external skeleton mechanical arm found in the lab, good for moving heavy objects.
Thanks to this.
He didn't have to forcefully drag hundreds of pounds of mechanical parts with his bare body.