"Yes, Miss Herta."
Pearl gave a bow and prepared to move.
"Walking is too slow." Herman noticed Pearl's movement and immediately grasped Herta's Key at his chest, silently uttering in his heart.
Enlarge.
In an instant, Herta's Key transformed into the Herta Magic Wand and floated beneath Herman. He then extended a hand toward Pearl. "Come on. Flying is faster than running."
Riding the same wand as a genius... was that really appropriate?
Forget it... Since it is Miss Herta's invitation, I shall sit. I only wonder whether the wand can bear the weight of an Intellitron like me.
With that thought, Pearl took Herman's hand and sat sideways upon the wand.
In the next moment, the wand lifted into the air, and Pearl began guiding the way.
Through this, Herman visited more robots of Planet Screwllum, allowing Herta to witness even more machines undergoing their transformation into true Intellitrons.
Under the enhancement of Universal Genius, Herta's research capability rose to 1500, and her inspiration began to overflow.
...
Meanwhile, on the other side, Screwllum received a notification pushed by the Celestial Differentiator:
Herta had recruited an Intellitron on Planet Screwllum.
Seeing this, Screwllum raised a hand and adjusted the monocle hanging before his face, gazing into the distance as he murmured, "After learning of my ideal—to protect the civilization of Intellitrons—Miss Herta, the 83rd Seat, directly recruited one here on Planet Screwllum."
"Conclusion: Herta truly is a good person!"
In Screwllum's eyes, Herta was a genuinely good person. After all, the situation of Intellitrons across the universe remained bleak.
In the past, the Interastral Peace Corporation, the Xianzhou Alliance, and other superpowers of the cosmos had all experienced uprisings due to the Anti-Organic Equation researched by Rupert.
As a direct result, Intellitrons were treated worse than ever. Geniuses willing to take them in were virtually nonexistent.
Herta was the first.
"For a genius like Miss Herta to accept that Intellitron is both that individual's fortune and the fortune of Planet Screwllum—indeed, of mechanical civilization as a whole. Publicizing this could improve their living environment. Since that is the case, Planet Screwllum cannot remain silent. Transfer one hundred billion Credits to Herta's account—as a gift."
Screwllum tapped his monocle, and in an instant—one hundred billion Credits were transferred to Herta, marked as a gift.
Of course, the reason Screwllum could casually transfer such a vast sum was because he was the sovereign of Planet Screwllum and the creator of the Celestial Differentiator. Simply selling computational power externally each day brought immense returns.
Naturally, Screwllum did more than sell processing power. He also held a large number of patents.
He even possessed numerous shipbuilding orders from the Interastral Peace Corporation.
That was right. Planet Screwllum had entered deep cooperation with the IPC and had already become one of its core construction bases, with industrial productivity maximized.
Moreover, since the planet's entire population consisted of Intellitrons and robots, productivity could be raised to an astonishing degree.
At present, Planet Screwllum's starport operated every moment, processing astronomical quantities of materials and industrial goods.
Materials were shipped inward and manufactured into products.
As for the finished industrial goods, they were sold to the worlds opened up by the IPC's Marketing Development Department.
As the sovereign of Planet Screwllum, Screwllum naturally received a share. Credits flowed into his account every second. It could be said that since Rupert II, he was the wealthiest genius Intellitron.
...
Meanwhile, Herman, who was traveling with Pearl and observing the scenes of robots transforming into Intellitrons, suddenly felt his phone vibrating.
He paused, took the phone from his pocket, and looked carefully—then froze.
Screwllum had transferred one hundred billion Credits and marked it as a gift!
What was going on?!
For a moment, Herman was utterly bewildered.
However, drawing upon his understanding of the game's storyline, he quickly pieced it together. Most likely, the great catastrophe caused by Emperor Rupert had left Intellitrons in a poor position throughout the universe.
Thus, after confirming that Herta had accepted Pearl, Screwllum must have interpreted it as a gesture of goodwill—a sign that Herta wished to become true friends with him. That was why he had sent the one hundred billion Credits as a gift.
After sorting through everything, Herman could not help but laugh inwardly.
The reason was simple.
In Herman's understanding, Pearl was a genuine talent. As an Intellitron—one subject to prejudice—she had risen within the IPC headquarters at Pier Point, within the Strategic Investment Department, to become one of the Ten Stonehearts.
That was no different from before his transmigration, like when Obama gets elected as president of America.
A person like that was unquestionably extraordinary.
Therefore, in Herman's view, persuading Herta to recruit Pearl was a win.
And now Screwllum had sent another one hundred billion Credits as thanks... This was a double win. He and Herta had won twice over—they had profited enormously!
The more he thought about it, the more a delighted smile curved Herman's lips.
Pearl noticed and asked, "Miss Herta, what has made you so happy? Could it be that observing mechanical life transforming into true Intellitrons has yielded insight?"
Herman glanced seriously at Pearl, then at the additional one hundred billion Credits displayed in his account, and nodded in satisfaction. "The gains have been immense."
"Then congratulations, Miss Herta. Shall I continue leading you to more Intellitrons of serial number 248?"
"There is no need." Herta's voice echoed within Herman's mind. "After observing forty-two Intellitrons, including Pearl, awaken selfhood in the instant of transformation—I already have inspiration. I can return and formally begin the manufacturing work of the Herta Puppets."
"Understood."
Herman replied inwardly, then turned to Pearl. "I have already gained tremendous insight. There is no need to observe more Intellitrons. Next, you will accompany me back to The Blue. Any objections?"
"None." Pearl nodded, then added, "However, before leaving, I would like to bid farewell properly to my mechanical friends. Though they have not yet gained true intelligence, after some time—once they complete the tasks assigned by the Celestial Differentiator's core—they will awaken selfhood and intelligence as I did."
"No problem." Herta smiled faintly.
Pearl nodded and swiftly departed to find her former companions and say her farewells. She also connected to the Celestial Differentiator, informing it that she would be leaving Planet Screwllum to follow Herta into the starry expanse.
The Celestial Differentiator rapidly mobilized its computational power and responded, "Go forth, Serial Number XX—no, Pearl. Beyond the distant starry skies, more art awaits your pursuit. When you truly comprehend human art in the future, bring those understandings back to the Differentiator."
"I will, Celestial Differentiator."
With that, Pearl formally bid farewell to Planet Screwllum and returned to Herta's side.
Herta then used a Society Ticket to perform group teleportation—first to the Genius Society's black hole outpost, and then, via phase transmission, back to Herta's dormitory on The Blue.
Soon after, Herman's phone received an important message from the Fourth Mirror:
The Soul Gem manufacturing factory had been completed!
Herta City now stood tall upon the land of The Blue!
And the appointed time to sign contracts with the Interastral Peace Corporation, the Xianzhou Alliance, the Family, and other superpowers of the cosmos was fast approaching.