Hexi's request was direct and clear. Artoria did not hesitate, nor did she plan to transfer the life-support pod out of the hyperion. She merely gave a slight nod to Hexi, and then, under the other's somewhat inquisitive gaze, she extended her right hand.
There were no energy fluctuations, no spatial ripples, and not even any light or shadow special effects. She simply made a gentle swiping motion toward the empty floor of the observation room in front of her.
In the next moment, the "texture" of space underwent a subtle change. It wasn't a tear or a fold, but rather as if that patch of space itself "obediently" and gently "opened" an invisible portal. A completely different flow of energy, imbued with vibrant life and a tranquil aura—a mixture of fresh air and a faint floral scent—quietly diffused. Immediately following, a life-support hibernation pod, silver-gray throughout with sleek lines and deep blue energy veins flowing across its surface, brimming with a technological beauty that did not belong to this World, smoothly and without any hindrance "rose" from that "opened" space, as if surfacing from underwater, and landed silently in the center of the observation room.
Throughout the entire process, Hexi's pupils contracted slightly. No Dark Energy drive, no traces of wormhole calculations, no force field fluctuations from spatial transport... This wasn't even a shallow application of the "idealistic rules" from before. This was more like a nearly "instinctive" invocation of some more fundamental permission of "space" itself. The Sky-based Computing Cluster scanned the area frantically, but could only capture extremely faint residual information of an indefinable nature—it was completely different from any known spatial technology, more like a direct manifestation of... "authority."
"Is this... your'storage' technology?" Hexi's voice remained calm, but the inquisitive desire within it was almost overflowing. "No, that's not right... Is this... a subspace? An independent semi-plane? Such stable, such... 'vivid' energy aura..."
"A small trick, unrelated to the treatment. I've made a fool of myself before the Heavenly Base King." Artoria did not explain the origin of the Serenitea Pot in detail, merely pressing her palm gently against the transparent observation window of the life-support pod. A deep blue light illuminated her pale yet exceptionally determined profile. "She is inside."
Hexi temporarily suppressed her shock regarding the "spatial authority," stepped forward slowly, and cast her gaze into the life-support pod.
Inside the pod, 2B was sleeping peacefully. Her exquisite face remained the same, but her brow was slightly furrowed as if she were enduring invisible pain. Her long silver-white hair drifted gently in the nutrient solution like seaweed, but the tips of her hair showed an ominous, grayish decay, as if "contaminated" by something. The iconic black combat suit she wore was damaged in several places, revealing beneath it not flesh and blood, but bionic skin and precision mechanical structures with a cold metallic luster, covered in fine cracks and eerie rusted patterns. Deep within some of the cracks, one could even see tiny circuits flashing with an eerie purple-black light from time to time, as if "toxins" were flowing through them.
Hexi's expression was focused and serious. She extended her right hand, her palm emitting a silver glow far softer and more refined than before. This time, the silver light did not turn into threads but instead became a layer of thin mist, slowly enveloping the entire life-support pod. Then, like mercury with a life of its own, it permeated every corner, performing the most meticulous scan and analysis of 2B's body at the molecular and even more microscopic levels.
Artoria held her breath, watching tensely. She could feel that Hexi's energy was full of order and vitality, completely different from the chaos inside 2B, but this deep-seated investigation still made her heart ache.
Time flowed in silence. Hexi's brow gradually tightened, her expression shifting from focus to solemnity, then from solemnity to deep astonishment. Finally, within that astonishment, a trace of... unbelievable daze appeared, along with an indescribable, almost reverent complexity.
Her gaze was locked onto the position of 2B's chest—deep within the hideous piercing wound barely covered by the deep blue energy film. No, her gaze penetrated the damaged mechanical structure, through the tangled energy turbulence, as if "looking" directly at the most core and essential part of the trauma.
That place should have been the core processor or energy center of a mechanical creation. But what Hexi "saw" was not a cold chip or reactor. Enveloped and eroded by countless cracks and purple-black contaminated energy, in the center of that broken mechanical frame, she perceived an extremely faint "light" that emitted an indescribable, ancient, profound, and inclusive aura, as if it carried infinite life and reincarnation.
That "light" was so faint it seemed as if it could go out at any moment, but its existence itself emitted a "texture" that made Hexi's soul tremble. It wasn't energy, it wasn't matter, and it wasn't information... it was more like a remnant of a... "concept," an afterglow of a "will," a primal mark of "existence."
Thirty thousand years of life and thirty thousand years of accumulated knowledge had made Hexi's perception incredibly keen. From that speck of light, she felt a vastness and desolation that transcended time, transcended space, and even... transcended the scope of the "Universe" as she understood it. It wasn't destruction, it wasn't creation, but... a more fundamental, more primal, quiet yet majestic "will of life," much like "the Earth" carrying all things or a "seed" containing vitality.
This was completely different from any kind of divinity or primal power in the known Universe. Kaisha's sacred domain was majestic and bright, the Universe itself was vast and cold, and the Void gave a sense of unease and erosion... but the remnant light before her carried a sense of... an all-encompassing, silent "maternity" and "source" that nurtured all things.
This was by no means something any existence in the known Universe could bestow or create! It didn't even seem like an essence that a "man-made object" could possess! It was more like a... "gift" or "fragment" from beyond the World, from some more ancient and fundamental place!
Hexi's scanning energy retracted as if she had been electrocuted. She even involuntarily took half a step back, her deep blue eyes filled with shock and disbelief. She looked at Artoria, then at 2B in the life-support pod, and finally, when her gaze fell back onto Artoria, the scrutiny and inquiry within it had taken on an unprecedented solemnity, even... an extremely subtle reverence for the unknown origin.
"What is... that?" For the first time, a nearly imperceptible tremor appeared in Hexi's voice. She pointed at the position of 2B's chest, her gaze locked tightly on Artoria. "Deep within her core, that residual... will? That is not the core of your technological creation, nor is it any known aggregation of energy or information! What... what on earth is that thing? The aura it emits... I have never felt it before. It is a kind of... something that transcends 'existence' itself..."
She couldn't find the right words to describe it. That feeling was like a frog at the bottom of a well glimpsing the vastness of the sky for the first time, or a mortal facing the grandeur of creation. It had nothing to do with strength or weakness, but rather a difference in level and essence that caused an instinctive shudder.
Artoria's heart sank suddenly. She hadn't expected Hexi's perception to be so keen as to penetrate layers of trauma and disguise, directly glimpsing the residual aura of the most primal "Seed of Life" bestowed by "mother earth" deep within 2B's core! That was the fundamental reason 2B could give birth to true humanity, and one of their greatest secrets!
"That is... the cornerstone of her existence, and also one of the sources of her wounds." Artoria did not answer directly what it was; she knew she couldn't explain it clearly and couldn't explain it at all, so she could only selectively reveal a part. "A kind of... blessing from the oldest roots of our World, which gave the spark of a true soul to cold machinery. But because of this, when harm fell, it targeted not only her body but also this 'root'... contaminating and tearing it apart."
Hexi remained silent for a long time. The data streams in her eyes flashed frantically, clearly performing high-speed thinking and deduction with the assistance of the Sky-based Computing Cluster. That aura transcending the Universe perfectly matched Artoria's description of being an "otherworldly visitor," and its level was high enough to make her heart skip a beat. This was definitely not something this traveler, who didn't seem particularly powerful, could possess on her own. Behind her... or rather, behind the source of her companion's core... stood an unimaginable existence of extremely high status!
This realization instantly changed Hexi's positioning and assessment of Artoria in her heart. From an "otherworldly specimen" worth studying and perhaps exchanging technology with, she became a "special individual" who might have a very deep connection with some "trans-universal level" existence and needed to be treated with extreme caution. To be an enemy? No, when the other party showed clear goodwill and was only seeking medical help, that was the most foolish choice. To be friendly and engage in limited but deep cooperation was the wisest decision that aligned with the Angels' interests.
"I... understand." Hexi's voice returned to calmness, but beneath that calmness was a more profound shift in attitude. "No wonder... no wonder her 'consciousness,' or rather her'soul,' feels so special to me, so... complete and vivid, forming such a contradictory yet harmonious unity with the cold mechanical structure. So this is where the foundation lies."
She looked at 2B's injuries again, her gaze now completely different. "Now, I understand why you are so persistent, and I also understand why this injury is so troublesome. The damage doesn't just act on the mechanical body; it also contaminates and tears this 'root mark' that gave her true life. Directly repairing this 'root'... with the Angels' current technology, no, with any technology possibly available in the known Universe, it is an almost impossible task. Its level is too high—so high that we cannot even fully understand its composition and operating principles."
Artoria's heart sank to the bottom, although she had expected this.
"However," Hexi's tone shifted, her eyes flashing with the light of wisdom and decisiveness. "We have discovered a... situation that could perhaps be called a miracle. Although that 'root mark' is severely damaged, contaminated, and torn, the complete consciousness, memories, and emotions belonging to the persona '2B'—which is what we usually understand as the'soul' or 'information aggregate'—that was 'catalyzed' or 'lit' by it, has miraculously maintained a relatively complete independence and stability despite the core being shattered!"
Hexi's tone carried a hint of wonder. "It's like the core of a Planet that nurtured life has exploded, but the civilization born on the Planet, along with all its history and culture, has somehow incredibly survived temporarily in the embers of the explosion. Although it has lost its source and is teetering, 'existence' itself did not immediately collapse."
She looked at Artoria, her gaze sharp. "This means we might not need to directly repair that shattered'seed' from a higher-dimensional existence. We can bypass it and directly target the 'fruit' nurtured by this'seed'—which is Minerva's complete consciousness itself—to 'preserve' and 'transfer' it!"
"You mean..."
"The Dark Plane." Hexi proposed this plan again, but this time, her explanation was deeper and more... full of possibilities. "We can utilize the characteristics of the Dark Plane to create a highly customized and stable 'information carrier' or 'operating environment' tailored for her complete consciousness. We can import all of her consciousness, memories, and personality into this new'shell' composed of dark matter and dark information. Within this Dark Plane carrier, her consciousness can break away from that riddled and core-contaminated mechanical body, gaining a chance to breathe and stabilize."
"The benefit of doing this," Hexi explained, "is that we avoid the unsolvable problem of repairing the high-dimensional 'root' and temporarily isolate those troublesome rule contaminations on the mechanical body. Her consciousness will be preserved in a brand-new, pure environment. Furthermore, due to the plasticity of the Dark Plane, we can simulate and construct the environment most suitable for her 'existence' and 'perception' as accurately as possible based on all the information you provide regarding her conscious characteristics, maintaining her'self' to the greatest extent."
"But!" Hexi's tone became serious. "This is by no means easy, nor is it without risk. First, this is essentially a form of 'consciousness uploading' and 'carrier reshaping,' a process that is itself full of risks; any slight error could cause the conscious information to be damaged or even dissipate. Second, even if successful, she will transition from a 'conscious life with a mechanical body' to a 'pure information life existing in the Dark Plane.' She will lose her senses and ability to act in the material World; her form of 'existence' will change completely. Future whether and how we can create a new carrier for her that can hold her consciousness without being affected by the original core's contamination will be another distant and arduous subject, perhaps even requiring... a way to retrieve or reconnect that shattered 'root,' but that is even more of an unknown to us."
"Third, and most importantly," Hexi looked at Artoria, her eyes burning. "For this method, we can only provide the theory, knowledge, technical framework, and necessary support. But whether it ultimately succeeds depends on you, Captain Hua Ling."
"We have never encountered such a special consciousness; her'source code' is different from any of our information life models, filled with the 'rule imprints' of that World you described. Only you know her best, are most familiar with her thought patterns, emotional logic, and memory composition. Only you can guide her consciousness to complete the 'migration' and assist us in building the most compatible 'Dark Plane home' for her. We provide the tools and blueprints, but the designer and builder of the 'home' must be you. This will be... the second rebirth you give her."
"So," Hexi concluded, her tone carrying a solemnity that was almost like an entrustment, "the choice is yours. We can open up the most cutting-edge knowledge in the Heavenly Base database regarding Dark Plane construction, information life stabilization, and consciousness migration, and provide the necessary computing support and security protection. But the path requires you to learn, to understand, and to grope your way forward step by step. Are you willing, for the sake of preserving her consciousness and for that slim future possibility, to embark on this path that is covered in thorns, untrodden by anyone, and whose destination is unknown? Or, will you seek other ways?"
Artoria stood there, her gaze locked tightly on the sleeping Minerva in the life-support pod, as if to carve her image deep into her soul. Hexi's words echoed in her ears—the shattering and irreparability of the core, the miraculous survival of the consciousness, the possibility of the Dark Plane, and... the thorny path of redemption that she had to complete with her own hands, full of uncertainty.
There was no way back, no shortcut, and not even a definite guarantee of success. All there was was a silver lining and an almost impossible path that required her, with a mortal body, to learn the knowledge of gods, to challenge unknown territories, and to personally build an "information home" for her beloved.
Silence once again enveloped the observation room. But this time, beneath the deep despair in Artoria's eyes, a faint yet incredibly stubborn spark quietly ignited.
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