Chapter 558: Simulated Universe: Gold and Machinery (6)

"Yeah." Heita said coldly, "It's not real. It's just data dissipating; we can just reconverge again. War doesn't care about an individual's life or death… it's normal for us to die once. Ha, but we can cheat in the simulated universe! How nice."

Heita paused, waited a moment, and after the Erudite Master vanished, she continued, "His data vanished… the simulation is that unstable. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to question him this time. But it's fine; next time you'll be quicker."

After speaking, the paused simulated universe rebooted, and the scene before her was scrambled and reassembled; this time, before she could open her eyes, Xing already smelled the alluring scents of premium perfume, cigar and food.

The chilled wall of the champagne glass sent a cold sensation through her fingertips; tiny bubbles rose like jubilant pearls, constantly ascending and bursting. Xing gently swayed the cup's stem, watching the pale‑gold liquid refract a hazy glow beneath the dazzling crystal chandelier.

"Whew… being human again does feel better."

Xing looked down at herself; this simulation had given her a new outfit—a finely tailored black velvet gown that snugly traced her waist and flared at the hem, brushing the mirror‑smooth floor lightly with each step.

(Oh…! It does look nicer than that March‑third dress.)

Xing, trying on new clothes for the first time, couldn't help but widen her eyes, spinning around while endlessly admiring herself in the mirror.

In this simulation she seemed to be an upper‑class lady, feeling the cold weight of a necklace around her neck and the subtle touch of a jeweled hairpin nestled in her coiled updo.

"Actually, you're still a robot—well… more precisely, an inorganic lifeform." Heita, appearing at some point, held a goblet in her hand.

"Huh?"

"After the Border Star Trade War, Faensa, like De Veen, turned her attention to the Inorganic World—after all, the organic world no longer yields much profit, so you cut it off. And you are now the mechanical side's representative, a 'undercover' at Faensa's banquet, but through cognitive conditioning you now firmly believe you are an organic being… In short, you're a robot absolutely convinced you're human."

"Inorganic World?"

Heita gently swirled the red wine in the cup: "Yes, that place is a veritable blue ocean; the company is planning to extend a big hand there."

——

Honkai 3.

"Inorganic life? Isn't that just AI like Luosi Gumu? Could the company even be after the AI's money?"

Qianna was puzzled; if the goal is profit, they should target planets with biological life—materials are necessities for living, but what necessities could those AIs need?

"They're not going to be selling maintenance essential oils or replacement parts, are they?"

Jizi chuckled, "Qianna, you might actually be right. Moreover, AI like Luosi Gumu likely retain self‑evolution and iteration capabilities, which require huge costs. Also, you shouldn't treat AI merely as machines; to a large extent… they are 'intelligent lifeforms.'"

Intelligent life also has aesthetic and other needs, not just robots driven by code. What worries Jizi is that if the company makes no changes and continues to exploit inorganic life as it does organic life, what will the result be?

An uprising of inorganic life? Rebellion?

Then the forces awaiting the company won't be flesh‑and‑blood troops; organic lives die one by one, but AIs can be mass‑produced, growing every second.

War between organic and inorganic… Jizi can hardly picture the scene, only hoping the company's executives have some foresight and don't let another disaster like the Border Star Trade War happen again.

——

"The company recently had an incident; resource exchanges between some inorganic star systems and the outside have faltered. As an undercover inorganic life, you need to gain Faensa's trust and uncover the truth behind the 'incident.'" Heita raised her cup, downed the red wine in one gulp, "Look, she's walking toward you."

The champagne was set aside for now; Xing's gaze cut through the scented crowd, precisely locking onto the woman walking toward her—Faensa.

She stood there like a lighthouse—no need for noise, she was the focal point. Clad in a sleek silver‑gray dress that contrasted with her gentle appearance, she exuded authority. She raised her glass slightly, signaling to a few nearby, a faintly cold smile curling her lips.

Behind her stood a group of people, forming a black wall that sealed off the banquet venue.

They were Faensa's guard squad—infamous and reckless. Their rivalry with Kela Paw's "Partner" has long been like water and fire—a fact not hidden within the company.

"Hey, Heita, what should I do?" Seeing the woman now within arm's reach, Xing suddenly felt uneasy.

"Don't be scared, Xing. The most direct way to earn Faensa's trust is to join her guard squad—and that's why you're here today. Look, she's already prepared herself."

When Faensa was only two steps away from Xing, she stopped.

No words.

Xing's heartbeat pounded like a drum, a drop of oil almost seeping from her forehead—if, as an inorganic life, she had a heart and understood what "nervousness" meant.

At moments like this you should think of what Miss Jizi would do! Xing scratched her head, pondered, and finally chose to first offer a respectful gesture. She straightened her back, let her gaze drop briefly, then lifted it, calmly meeting Faensa's stare.

A faint hint of surprise flickered in Faensa's eyes, quickly turning into a light smile. She set down her glass, took a hat from a nearby attendant.

"The hat is light, but the price it represents is heavy. I hope you have enough backbone and loyalty to bear its weight," Faensa said.

"As you wish."

Xing accepted the hat bestowed by Faensa, and thus seamlessly entered her camp.

——

Zero Zone.

"Interesting, Kela Paw from the Loading Department is at odds with Faensa again; why does this big company love internal conflict so much? Isn't making money together better?"

Fubo Yuye sat at the bow, wearing a light summer swimsuit, clutching a decidedly professional fishing rod. Unfortunately the line stayed slack, and after three or four hours no fish had taken the bait.

She simply sat at the bow watching the simulated universe to pass the boring time while waiting for a bite.

"It's easy—if you cooperate with others, you have to split any two‑coin profit, but if you push the other out… then those two coins are all yours, right?" Zhendou said from behind her.

It's simple, if you cooperate with others, you have to share any two dollars you make, but if you squeeze the other person out…… aren't those two dollars all yours?" Zhen Dou said, sitting behind her.

"Forget it, Yuye… the person I can't understand right now is you." Zhendou looked at the empty fish‑bucket, placed a hand on his forehead and sighed helplessly, "You invited Alice and me out for seafood sushi, yet you didn't tell us we'd have to catch the seafood ourselves? It's already almost dinner time… how much longer do you plan to fish? And besides, you're not just fishing; why bring seven or eight buckets of bait to a feeding spot? The fish are already full—who would still bite your bait?"

"Don't—don't rush! Last time I saw the rope‑craftsman catch a lot of fish in these waters… Anyway, your dinner will definitely be taken care of!" Yuye gripped her rod tighter, turned to the rabbit‑ear girl behind her, "Right, Alice?"

Don't, don't be hasty! Last time I saw the rope maker catch a lot of fish in this water…… Anyway, your dinner will definitely be settled!" You Ye gripped her fishing rod tightly, turned to look at the rabbit-eared girl behind her, "Right, Alice?"

Alice coughed awkwardly twice, then gave a signal to the diver trailing behind the boat, clutching a big fish.

Understanding, the diver plunged into the water with a splash.

In less than half a minute, the buoy on the surface vanished with a "whoosh."

"Oh, look, Zhendou, who said using seven or eight buckets of bait can't catch fish? Not hooked yet? Enough talk, come help me pull—"

With the three of them pulling together, a freshwater fish was successfully hauled out of the sea, tracing a silvery arc in the sunlight. Though it was puzzling why a freshwater fish appeared in saltwater, the detail no longer mattered.

With the three working together, a freshwater fish was successfully pulled out of the sea by their combined effort, drawing a silvery arc of water in the sunlight. Although they didn't know why a freshwater fish would be caught in seawater…… such details no longer mattered.

By joining Faensa, Xing learned that the central figure of the "incident" was Kapeng. He had once been Faensa's most trusted and close subordinate, sharing an extraordinary bond with her.

"Kapeng made a mistake: he can kill and set fires, but he should pay taxes on time. His blunder unfortunately also affected Faensa's important Bewildered God Star system's governance."

"'Bewildered God Star? What place is that?' Xing asked the Heita beside her.

""Huo Shen Star? What kind of place is that?" Xing asked the Black Tower beside her.

Fa Ensha's guard unit has pushed the mental control of Delusion God Star to the extreme. Simply put, the two paths before Fa Ensha are either to choose love or to choose politics.

Star, if you were to help her make a choice, which would you pick? Heita smiled faintly at the corner of his mouth.

Star showed no hesitation: 'Making money is the most important.'

Her choice is the same as hers. Heita shrugged, 'Fa Ensha ultimately chose to maintain friendly relations with the important ally Delusion God Star—and Capen disappeared from then on.'