"Ruan Mei, you've truly misunderstood. My purpose in creating the Herta Puppets is very simple. It's merely to help me handle trivial matters in daily life. It absolutely isn't for the iteration of thought or intelligence."
Herta explained seriously.
After hearing this, Ruan Mei took a sip of tea and thought to herself:
Is Herta concealing the true purpose of the Herta Puppets to avoid being assassinated by Polka Kakamond?!
Thus, Ruan Mei spoke in an inexplicable tone. "I understand."
"No, I think you don't understand at all. You have a huge misunderstanding about my Herta Sequence and the Herta Puppet project."
Ruan Mei said, "I understand everything."
"..."
Herta fell silent. She knew that no matter what she said next, she wouldn't be able to clarify it.
"Alright. I've finished this cup of tea. I should be going." After saying this, Ruan Mei stood up and prepared to activate her Society Ticket to perform phase teleportation and return to the remote frontier planet where she lived in seclusion.
Herta quickly raised a hand and called out, "Ruan Mei, if you're not in a hurry, wait a little longer. Before long, another genius will arrive at the Society outpost. You can exchange ideas with him then."
Another genius?!
Ruan Mei paused slightly at those words, then sat back down in her chair. She poured herself another cup of tea and casually asked who this other genius was.
"Genius Society Seat 76, Screwllum—the monarch of Planet Screwllum. It's almost the system hour we agreed upon."
Herta adjusted the pointed hat on her head as she spoke.
"In that case, let us wait." Ruan Mei took a sip of tea.
Tick, tock, tick, tock...
The clock within the Society outpost continued to run. When the hands pointed to the next exact hour, a mechanical noble wearing a hat and a monocle, dressed in a suit with a crimson collar, arrived at the outpost.
The elegant mechanical aristocrat spoke. "Miss Herta, I apologize for keeping you waiting."
"No, you're right on time, Screwllum." Herta adjusted her hat and looked up at him. "I arrived early. And not only did I invite you—this lady seated beside me is Seat 81 of the Genius Society, Ruan Mei."
Data streams flickered in Screwllum's eyes before he offered a friendly greeting. "Greetings, Seat 81 of the Genius Society, Miss Ruan Mei. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Maintaining a calm expression, Ruan Mei gave a slight nod. "Mm."
Herta extended her hand in invitation. "Alright, Mr. Screwllum, please sit. I invited you here this time to conduct a technical exchange."
"Very well."
After taking his seat, Screwllum heard Ruan Mei's voice. "Would you like some tea?"
"Analysis: Intellitrons cannot consume human beverages. Conclusion: thank you for your kindness, Miss Ruan Mei, but please allow me to decline."
After gently shaking his head, Screwllum turned his gaze to Herta. "Analysis: Miss Herta, your current thirst for knowledge is extremely intense. You are eager to learn what I know.
"Conclusion: exchanges between geniuses are beneficial to the advancement of science and technology across the cosmos.
"Therefore, Miss Herta, you may directly ask whatever you wish to know."
"Very well. I want to know the method to allow mechanical AI to rapidly awaken wisdom and become Intellitrons." Herta spoke seriously. "This is very important to me."
"To be honest, Miss Herta, I have not researched the technology to rapidly transform mechanical AI into Intellitrons."
Screwllum spoke earnestly. "As you are aware, the two anti-organic equations created in the past by Emperor Rupert caused mechanical rebellions and imperial disasters. This directly led people of this era to remain vigilant toward Intellitrons.
"Even before I became a genius, the Interastral Peace Corporation had already dispatched fleets intending to eradicate Intellitrons as a sapient race.
"Conclusion: according to my calculations, I must not research methods to rapidly expand the mechanical race.
"If I were to do so, then the IPC, as well as the vast majority of the universe, would become wary of me—concerned, perhaps even harboring more negative emotions...
"They would fear that I, an intelligent inorganic life-form and member of the Genius Society, might become a third Rupert after Rupert I and II—unleashing a third universe-scale calamity and bringing immense harm to the cosmos."
Upon hearing this, Herta showed a look of understanding. "So in other words, you don't dare to research it."
"For the continuation of the mechanical race, and to ensure that after I shut down—after my inorganic brain ceases to turn—the mechanical race will not be eradicated by external forces, I must guarantee that we pose no threat to organic life."
Screwllum paused before continuing. "Conclusion: in truth, Miss Herta, my purpose in coming to see you this time is not solely to exchange technology.
"It is also to gain a deeper understanding from you regarding the answer to the Solitary Waves Theory, so that I may calculate whether the mechanical race will head toward destruction in the future..."
Herta fell silent for quite some time after hearing this, then sighed. "Screwllum, you are clearly an Intellitron. Logically speaking, you should possess no humanity whatsoever, nor experience negative emotions such as worry. The survival of your race should not concern you.
"Under normal circumstances, your research ought to be even more frenzied than mine or Ruan Mei's."
"Miss Herta, frenzied research... if it crosses the boundary, it may invite pursuit from Miss Polka Kakamond. That would be dangerous." Screwllum spoke solemnly.
"At present, I am absolutely no match for Polka Kakamond, the Lord of Silence. Therefore, I will never load my life into the chamber and gamble that researching forbidden knowledge will not attract Polka Kakamond's attention.
"As long as I continue to live, I can ensure that the IPC maintains its promise not to take action against the mechanical race—thus preserving our existence.
"So long as I remain rational and do not engage in dangerous, frenzied research, many Amber Eras remain before my body ceases operation.
"And the Intellitrons may also endure for many Amber Eras."
"You truly are a good person."
Herta sighed in admiration.
She sincerely believed that Screwllum was a good person—a good Intellitron. Amid his research, he still concerned himself with the survival of Planet Screwllum and even the mechanical race throughout the entire cosmos. That was remarkable.
After all, when she conducted research, she never considered whether the people of The Blue or the Blue Federation could withstand it. She only cared whether her own questions could be answered.
Of course, once the research was complete—or once results were obtained—she would step in to manage the consequences.
After all, the crises were of her own making.
At the side, Ruan Mei shared the same view as Herta. She too believed that Screwllum was a good Intellitron.
This was completely different from herself.
When Ruan Mei entered a research state, she was exceedingly frenzied. Biological modification and planetary transformation were commonplace to her... She had even created insects of Propagation.
After all, her goal was that at some point in the future, she would uncover the mysteries of the Aeons and complete her own ascension—becoming...