Chapter 248: Ele Made a Grand Tonic Soup for You

Compared to the blazing sun, Ele preferred the hazy mist.

Compared to the hazy mist, Ele preferred brilliant flowers.

Compared to brilliant flowers, Ele preferred serving Xu Xi.

Therefore,

Every morning, when the Ecological Starship's climate circulation System activated and created a dim light in the living quarters, Ele would begin her work.

In her humanoid machine body, she stepped into the damp, cold air.

Letting the hazy water mist pass through the gaps in her components.

Taking steps.

Climbing stairs.

She entered Xu Xi's house and began loyally preparing breakfast and planning for future actions.

Through long-term companionship, the Mech-Servant gradually learned Xu Xi's living habits.

She knew that the sense of dead silence originating from the Universe constantly plagued human senses; therefore, every once in a while, Xu Xi would enter hibernation.

This was to bypass the long interstellar voyages.

"Master, the Hibernation Pod has been calibrated. You may use it at any time."

After the recovery work of the starship wreckage was finished,

Ele very thoughtfully calibrated the performance of the Hibernation Pod in advance for Xu Xi's use.

But this time,

Xu Xi did not use the Hibernation Pod.

He fell silent for a moment, then used his broad palm to stroke his Mech-Servant's smooth long hair. "Ele, I won't be hibernating anymore."

[You have 600 years of life remaining]

[600 years is long, a length of time you have never experienced in the sum of your past lives]

[600 years is short; for a civilization or technology, 600 years is hardly enough for a qualitative transformation]

[You cannot bear to leave your loyal Mech-Servant here alone after the simulation ends]

[To this end, you must execute the 'Farewell, Cage' 2.0 plan]

[With an all-out effort, you must make this plan succeed, thereby helping Ele escape the starry sky cage]

[You no longer hibernate]

[You no longer play virtual games]

[You devote all your time to the resonance of machine spirit and Mechanical Force. You study technology without pause, especially in the three Domains of energy, Materials, and navigation]

[You know clearly that whether it is offense or defense, you have no chance of winning against a Neutron War Star]

[A Warp Drive must be developed to have any possibility of escaping the cage]

[Simulation Year 165: You are 184 years old. Ele has been with you for 162 years]

[Ten years of time have not affected you in the slightest; you still look as young as when the simulation began, and your loyal Mech-Servant has not changed either]

[You realize that research on the Warp Drive cannot be achieved overnight. You choose to suppress impatience and steadily develop technology]

[Sub-light speed Ion Engines become your priority research goal]

[In addition, Grand Unified Theory and Anti-matter applications also become primary research goals]

"Ele, increase the power output."

"Negative. You need rest. Prolonged mental exertion has already damaged your health."

"It's fine, Ele. Listen to me, okay?"

Inside the laboratory.

Xu Xi operated the new Particle Collider. He looked young and his body was strong, but a look of exhaustion could be seen in his eyes.

Ele wanted Xu Xi to rest more.

But she was rejected by Xu Xi.

"Continue," Xu Xi smiled. His smile was gentle and bright, but the Mech-Servant inexplicably felt that the familiar warmth had become both distant and near.

"…Yes."

She finally agreed.

Listening to her master was a must.

…

[A Mech-Servant's computing power and intuition are higher than you can imagine]

[From the smallest details, she seemed to have guessed something. She cooperated with you in the experiments in silence, even activating special abilities multiple times, overdrawing her machine spirit to assist you]

[Afterward, she lay weakly in your arms]

[Grasping the corner of your clothes tightly, unwilling to let go for a long time]

[After the first stage of the experiment ended, Ele prepared a new type of soup for you—a super Grand Tonic Soup that claimed to nourish the entire body, unlike anything before]

[You looked at the many ingredients floating on the surface and fell into a long silence]

"Ele, can eating this really replenish nutrition?"

"Yes, Master."

"Uh, are you sure it won't cause food poisoning?"

"It won't, Master."

Facing those expectant silver-blue eyes.

Words of refusal simply could not be spoken.

Finally.

Xu Xi hesitantly picked up the soup bowl. His nose sniffed, and a complex aroma flooded his nostrils.

Taking a small sip, the texture was very rich, and surprisingly, it didn't taste bad at all.

"Master, do you like it?"

In the Mech-Servant's calm voice, there was an undetectable nervousness and expectation. She looked at Xu Xi, waiting for his answer.

"It's very delicious, Ele."

Xu Xi's eyes lit up, and he smilingly affirmed the Mech-Servant's culinary skills.

It was magical.

Perhaps Ele really had researched tonic soups, or perhaps it was purely psychological.

After finishing the Grand Tonic Soup, Xu Xi was surprised to find that his body truly felt a warm sense of comfort, and his previous exhaustion vanished without a trace.

"Thank you for your praise. Ele is very happy to serve you."

The Mech-Servant noted Xu Xi's physical changes.

From that day on,

She would prepare a bowl of Grand Tonic Soup for Xu Xi every day.

Xu Xi once curiously asked if such a magical tonic soup had a name.

"Ele-brand Tonic Soup," Ele said.

…

[Ele constantly monitors your health. She worries about you, watches you all day, and brews special tonic soup for you]

[Thanks to Ele's help, your state of exhaustion has improved]

[Ding! Machine Spirit in High Spirits—]

[Your praise has increased Ele's computing efficiency by 30%]

[Simulation Year 175: You are 194 years old. Ele has been with you for 172 years]

[You and the Mech-Servant are still working hard on technological research. In the process, the speed of the Ion Engines has gradually increased]

[You now have Magnetic Confinement Plasma Engines with higher power output]

[At the same time, the fleet encountered a new civilized planet. Among the collected Intelligent Machine Cores, you found some records of this civilization]

[The new civilization also discovered the blockade of the starry sky and tried to escape and isolate detection]

[But it failed. Whether it was the main combatants who resisted or the escapists who sought survival, all became endless dust in the vast Universe]

[Your mood becomes slightly heavy because of this]

[Simulation Year 181: You are 200 years old. Ele has been with you for 178 years]

[You are still persisting in resonating with the machine spirit and interacting with Intelligent Machines through Mechanical Force]

[The effects of the machine spirit are chaotic and varied. Sometimes it buffs you, sometimes it provides inspiration. You repeat interactions over and over, recording those rare inspirations]

[Long-term machine spirit resonance has made your control over machinery much more refined]

[You are very satisfied with this]

[Looking at the many recorded inspirations, you are very gratified, feeling that your daily resonance with the machine spirit was not in vain. Ele brings you a special golden Grand Tonic Soup at the right time]