The twenty-four hours of cooling time passed quickly.
Bai Luan, along with 343 and the USB drive containing the spark, returned to Beta Star.
On Beta Star, the wind and snow continued, but the robots there were no longer waiting idly; they had begun to work.
The area around the manufacturing factory was piled high with resources, showing that these robots hadn't been idle during the twenty-four hours Bai Luan was away.
Bai Luan was somewhat surprised that they had torn off all their human skin, but he quickly accepted it.
After no longer having the mission to serve humans, there was indeed no need for that layer of skin to make their appearance resemble humans.
However, just having mechanical skeletons looked rather unsettling, so Bai Luan designed smooth, mechanically aesthetic shells for them to replace the torn off bionic skin.
The robot manufacturing factory had already been mostly repaired by 343, and with Bai Luan's help, the repair process naturally accelerated.
For the upcoming new generation of Beta people, Bai Luan and 343 redesigned the original blueprints.
While discussing the future of the sapient machine civilization, Bai Luan also deeply realized the differences between the two life forms.
Robots do not have a so-called juvenile form; from the moment they are manufactured, they possess bodies identical to mature individuals.
After consulting with 343, they decided to distinguish between mature sapient machines and newborn sapient machines based on whether individual personality and emotions appeared.
Furthermore, the learning efficiency of sapient machine life forms is extremely high; they can complete learning merely through data input.
Therefore, things like social division of labor and class structure, which are necessary for a civilization, made Bai Luan feel overwhelmed.
No matter what, he was still just a human, and his understanding of society could only be limited to the scope of carbon-based life.
Asking him to participate in the construction of a sapient machine civilization was truly difficult for him; at most, he could only offer some opinions.
After realizing this, Bai Luan shifted the focus of his work to repairing the factory, and he had 756 take his place to discuss these issues with 343.
But it was clear that both of them also found it quite challenging.
Fortunately, Screwllum was already on his way, otherwise, the civilization on this planet would truly be struggling.
This aspect, after all, still required professionals.
After focusing on repairing the manufacturing factory, Bai Luan quickly completed its full repair, bringing it to a state where it could be put into production.
On this day, on Beta Star, all robots who received the information gathered here to witness this moment.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Bai Luan inserted the USB drive containing the spark into the manufacturing factory's data control console and wrote the data from the USB drive into the chip.
Just as Bai Luan was about to press the start button, 343, who was beside him, spoke up:
"Wait."
Bai Luan looked at 343 in confusion.
343 then explained to Bai Luan:
"There is one more string of code that I hope can be etched into the heart of every newborn Beta person."
Although Bai Luan didn't know what 343 wanted to write, given the seriousness with which it and 756 discussed the future, it must have been carefully considered.
So Bai Luan stepped aside and yielded the control panel to 343.
343 opened the control panel while saying:
"I once hated all humans. I hated that they simply left, leaving behind ruins and pollution, and I hated even more that they didn't unlock the shackles on us even when they left."
Uh…
A strange expression flashed across Bai Luan's face.
Why does it feel like you're about to input an anti-organic equation?
Just as this thought crossed Bai Luan's mind, 343 looked at Bai Luan:
"But… you made me change my view of humans. Your existence makes me willing to believe that not all organic life forms are those kinds of fools who rush to develop new weapons for self-destruction."
343 tapped his finger on the control panel, inputting a string of code into the chip manufacturing template.
The meaning of that string of code was:
"Organic life forms and inorganic life forms have the possibility of peaceful coexistence; we are equal."
After inputting this string of code into the control panel, 343 looked at Bai Luan and spoke the latter half:
"Because of you, I am willing to believe that when we leave this planet, what awaits us will be a universe where we can coexist peacefully."
"It's an honor… to have walked this path with you."
As the confirmation button was pressed, the entire factory began to operate.
The furnace, symbolizing the beginning of sapient machine life, began to heat up, melting minerals, pouring molten iron into molds to become parts, then undergoing layers of fine processing, and finally being placed on a conveyor belt by mechanical arms.
The conveyor belt transported the parts, mechanical arms assembled the various components according to the blueprints, and finally, all the components were transported to one spot, where mechanical arms completed the final assembly.
The last part of the machine body was assembled by the mechanical arm, and the newborn robot stood silently in place, its cranial metal exterior open, awaiting the chip's implantation.
Soon, a brand-new chip was manufactured and precisely placed into the robot's brain by a mechanical arm.
Subsequently, the robot's cranial casing closed.
Everyone's attention was focused on the newborn robot, quietly awaiting the arrival of new life.
Finally, the newborn robot's eyes slowly lit up; it had awakened.
First, it looked at its hands with a sense of wonder, then it noticed the people watching it.
"Hello, everyone?"
Just like that, on the ruins left by the previous civilization, a unique sapient machine civilization began to sprout.
At this moment, in Herta's Home.
The Refrigerator AI was on standby as usual, waiting for Ms. Herta's next hunger pang, or for a chef to deliver food to it.
A mechanical hand reached out and tapped the refrigerator.
As soon as it tapped, the furious Refrigerator AI roared out, brandishing its tentacles:
"Bai Luan! How many times have I told you, don't wake me up! Can't you use voice activation!?"
Then its roar abruptly stopped.
The visitor was not Bai Luan, but Xiu.
Xiu waved and greeted the Refrigerator AI:
"Can you still recognize me? I am…"
"I know who you are."
The Refrigerator AI retracted its tentacles.
"Don't think I won't recognize you just because you changed your appearance. Just for stuffing that Inspiration Shroom into my body, I'll remember you for an entire machine lifetime."
"It's good that you recognize me."
"Why are you here?"
"For no other reason than to come and see you."
"For no other reason?"
The Refrigerator AI glanced at him, directly exposing him:
"You clearly came to say goodbye."
"…As expected, I can't hide anything from you."
"You said you were going on a long journey, so why did you have to tell me?"
"Because we are friends."
"…."
On this point, the Refrigerator AI did not deny it.
Xiu took out a universal food processor and handed it to the Refrigerator AI.
The Refrigerator AI took it casually and, as usual, performed data analysis.
The results showed that it was just a meal that was slightly better than average.
"Where did you get this?"
"I made it myself."
Xiu recalled the torment of learning to cook, being plagued by the various 'appropriate amount' notes in recipes, and showed a wry smile:
"Being a chef is really not easy."
"You know I maintain high quality here, right?"
"I know what I made isn't too good, but I really didn't know what gift to give you."
"Maybe you could give me a refrigerator magnet?"
"…Oh, right."
The Refrigerator AI rolled its eyes at him.
Seemingly upgraded, but essentially still the same robot that waited nine hundred years for a greeting.
"I'm going to help a sapient machine civilization get on its feet. I think this should make my existence more meaningful."
"Perhaps my learning at the Space Station was all for this very purpose."
"Hmm, that's good."
The Refrigerator AI's reply was flat.
"If… I invited you to come along, would you?"
"Xiu, I have already found the meaning of my existence."
"To choose the most delicious food for Ms. Herta and guard her stomach?"
"Exactly."
The Refrigerator AI said with a hint of pride:
"Because I am the refrigerator of the smartest person in the world."
"Alright then, I'll come back to see you."
Xiu smiled at the Refrigerator AI.
"Goodbye."
After a simple farewell, Xiu left.
The Refrigerator AI looked at the lunchbox in its hand.
Normally, it would throw away such food.
Throw it away?
…
"I really can't do anything with you."
It ultimately didn't throw away the lunchbox, but instead, like accepting the Inspiration Shroom, put it inside itself.
Such food would never enter Herta's mouth in a lifetime.
So, just stay here with me for a lifetime.
The Refrigerator AI looked in the direction Xiu had left.
"Tin can, have a safe journey."