Chapter 514: Attachment, and Sense of Recognition

Zhang Jie! I'm here! I'm here! I'm first!!!

Xiao Jiu and Sister Qiong both have it, as the earliest-arriving Ship Girl! I should have it too!

Dai Tao chirped wa-la, like a noisy hamster; Ship Life, like humans, also grows, and as she becomes more mature, she is no longer so obsessed with competition.

That was merely her proving to her previous driver that abandoning her was a wrong choice; once that purpose was fulfilled, she no longer had so much obsession.

Boss! We can also accept modifications! We are the few voted strongest in combat from the recycling space station!

Boss, boss! We will definitely protect you!

Watching the energetic Dai Tao beside her and those wind-chasing Ship Lives, Xiao Jiu's mouth twitched twice, forcing a strained smile.

Um, I'll go help you with things, human.

I'll go first.

Watching Xiao Jiu's departing back, Zhang Jie rubbed his chin, somewhat puzzled.

Why do I always feel Xiao Jiu is down?

Qiong gave Zhang Jie a sideways glance for a long while, clicking her tongue in frustration.

Zhang Jie, I think you completely don't get it!

Zhang Jie:?

Get what?

Zhang Jie's utterly clueless look was unbearable, making Qiong's teeth itch.

She seemed to be struggling madly inside with something; after a while, she seemed to have lost all resistance, helplessly explaining to Zhang Jie.

How should I explain this to you? Let me organize my thoughts.

Simply put, the reason Xiao Jiu is unhappy is that her 'sense of specialness' is gradually fading.

As a Ship Life, they're like orphans; do you know why orphans can't be held?

Because they lack love, as soon as you show a caring, gentle side, they flock to you, but you're destined not to be able to attend to all orphans, which itself is a harm to them.

Having said that, Zhang Jie understood a bit, but not much; to him, Xiao Jiu is just Xiao Jiu, a kin on par with human females—what does that have to do with orphans?

Compared to Ship Lives, including myself, our basic logic is needing human recognition and desire; this is the obsession of Ship Lives.

Ship Lives will desperately crave this 'being needed' recognition, even at the cost of self-destruction like moths to a flame.

But cruelly, many Ship Lives lack any 'special' ability; most are mass-produced products, and their differences lie only in personality.

So, to appear special, most rely heavily on their pilots to seem special, but precisely because of that, they cease to be special.

Put bluntly, it's a single-minded dead end, right?

Zhang Jie understood; the reason Xiao Jiu is unhappy is because he plans to use her as a prototype to build a Giant Beast Starship.

Originally, such treatment was only for her and Qiong, but now this special treatment is also gradually fading.

As for Xiao Jiu herself, she looks mature but is actually an immature little thing; these matters aren't inherently unsettling for her, but kicking up a fuss would only worsen her image.

Add to that her dislike of showing negative emotions, and this situation arises.

So, in your view, what should I do?

Just pet her more; she's like a puppy— a little coaxing and she'll wag her tail.

Zhang Jie:...

I understand.

Walking down the road, the preoccupied Xiao Jiu didn't notice the footsteps approaching from behind until a thunderous big hand suddenly pressed on the back of her head.

Zhang Jie:

Wow!!!!

Xiao Jiu instantly bristled, almost using Giant Beast Power to punch Zhang Jie into the wall, the kind that can't be pulled out.

Human, what are you doing! Ow.....

Before Xiao Jiu could finish, that thunderous big hand lifted again to her head, the gentle kneading instantly giving her a wave of comfort.

What are you doing....

Seeing you unhappy, I'm petting you.

Hmph.....

Seeing this little thing happy but afraid to show it, Zhang Jie's eyes shifted, his devious mind kicked in, and he began to scheme against Xiao Jiu.

By the way, Xiao Jiu, I heard from Dai Tao that you're recently scouting other Ship Life positions?

Is something uncomfortable here making you want to leave for somewhere else?

Xiao Jiu was contentedly enjoying the head pat, almost about to purr, but hearing Zhang Jie say that, she nearly dropped dead on the spot.

I! You! I! Her...... I didn't!

Dai Tao, you airhead!!!

Xiao Jiu's hands flailed wildly, looking flustered, but in the end she couldn't get out a few words, only frantically grabbing Zhang Jie's hand and shaking her head.

Human! I didn't! I don't have that! Dai Tao's spouting nonsense!

Seeing this little Ship Girl on the verge of tears, you only feel a pang of heartache and helplessness; if you don't return to the Iron Law Star Alliance and continue as the garbage recycling station chief, you'd now have more time to spend with Xiao Jiu.

But since you treat Xiao Jiu so well, this little thing probably can't leave you for life, right?

Afterward, the numbers of the Giant Beast Legion kept increasing, the Supercomputer of the God Ascendants plan commenced as envisioned; as a megastructure, its construction period could likely extend for several years.

Although it seems small, for the ever-watchful Heavenly Disaster Stellar Complex, a few years is enough for them to erode several medium-sized civilizations.

And Chen seems deeply obsessed with the God Ascendants plan; according to reports, he apparently believes this helps them resist the influence of the Heavenly Disaster's will, so he's unusually fixated on obtaining information about the God Ascendants.

How laughable: the one who once said again and again that the project wasn't needed, who said again and again that the universe didn't need anchoring, is precisely the one who now needs it most.

From the looks of their increasingly violent and illogical attacks nowadays, completely losing reason is just a matter of time; they fundamentally have no ability to escape the influence of the heavenly disaster's will.

You've figured it out; just keep wearing them down, wear them until they can no longer suppress the influence brought by the heavenly disaster, then they naturally win.

Except that in the end, the heavenly disaster they face is just a bit more.

When the time comes and those who would ascend to godhood truly 'ascend god', directly anchoring their fated death, everything will be readily solved.

But you didn't expect that, under these circumstances, there are actually masters who want to come into contact with this 'ascend god' project.

That is, the leader of 'hellouniverse', who is also a computer.

（Tried this image insertion feature, it's so damn hard to pull off, jeez! Just treat it as me messing around, foster fathers）