Rebirth of the Super Battleship

Chapter 476: Vichy’s Choice

The alarm had been lifted. Now, the Divine Ark Civilization had once again returned to its former bustle. The various foundries, smelting bases, and shipyards all resumed their busy work. Robots and intelligent biological workers toiled together among them. In space, countless ships of all kinds shuttled back and forth.

Those five hours of alert time left the intelligent beings with endless doubts. But they were only doubts. As time slowly passed, this incident was gradually forgotten. No one knew what kind of soul-stirring story had actually taken place behind it.

Xiao Yu was deliberately downplaying the impact brought by this matter. But for certain people, this incident could never be erased, like for the female intelligent being named Taier, and like for those classmates of Vichy.

Xiao Yu had always been using one ten-thousandth of his computing power to keep an eye on Vichy’s movements. A full year went by. Vichy stayed here, staying within Taier’s personal computing terminal. In the present Divine Ark Civilization, the survival of intelligent beings could no longer be separated from personal computing terminals. Whether shopping, acquiring knowledge, or even communicating, all could be done through the personal computing terminal. To gain control of a person’s personal computing terminal was essentially to gain control of all that person’s information.

Vichy had, without a doubt, gained control of all of Taier’s information. Over this year, Xiao Yu, together with Vichy, watched Taier’s every move, watched Taier stare blankly at Vichy’s photograph, watched Taier sit alone by the small lake, sunk in sorrow, watched Taier weep silently in the dark of night.

“When we went to Moon Number Three for a scientific survey mission, we encountered an accident. A hot spring suddenly erupted, and the scalding groundwater damaged Vichy’s personal life-support device. Vichy died just like that.” This was what those classmates told Taier. Taier did not doubt the authenticity of this statement, because from the Accident Rescue Department, Taier also looked up the relevant records, confirming that Vichy had indeed died.

“Taier, you still have your own life. Vichy was only a passerby in your life. You are a little over three hundred years old this year, still very young, and you have a long road ahead. Forget Vichy. There are still many people and many things waiting for you to experience.” This was what Taier’s family told her. Taier felt that these words made sense, but for some reason, she simply could not do it.

As an exceptionally outstanding student, after graduation it was almost a foregone conclusion that Taier would enter the research sector and become a scientist. A person so outstanding naturally had many suitors. Among them were no shortage of brilliant young talents. Some had even, while still studying, obtained opportunities to intern at research institutes affiliated with the Central Research Academy of Science.

But Taier could not feel anything for these people.

Ever since Vichy died, Taier’s life had sunk into gray. Xiao Yu knew this very clearly, and Vichy, who had been hiding in Taier’s personal computing terminal, knew it very clearly as well. A year had already passed, and the intensity of Vichy’s fluctuations had decreased by a considerable degree. He had already passed one tenth of his life. In this one tenth of his life, he had done nothing. He only watched quietly like this, watching everything of Taier’s. Likewise, one ten-thousandth of Xiao Yu’s computing power had watched Taier here for a whole year.If Taier knew that the gaze of the highest ruler of the Divine Ark Civilization had been fixed on her the whole time, who knew what she would think.

After a year had passed, Vichy finally stirred. In fact, if not for the fluctuation of code representing Vichy’s life having always existed, Xiao Yu would have thought Vichy was already dead. Xiao Yu was very curious. After a year of silence, what kind of move would Vichy make?

“Master, among our Species Number Seven, who is the most outstanding young person?” Beyond Xiao Yu’s expectations, Vichy’s first move was actually to ask him a question.

This question was easy to answer. Xiao Yu searched his own database briefly and found this person’s data.

“The most outstanding one is him.” Xiao Yu sent this person’s information to Vichy and said, “In just the eighth year of his university career, he had already secured an internship opportunity at the Decay Research Institute of the Energy Academy of Science. In the tenth year, he assisted his mentor and achieved his first scientific result. From then until now, this year being the twenty-third year of his university life, he has already made more than ten scientific discoveries.”

Vichy was silent for a moment and said, “And if we include personal character as well, then who is the most outstanding one?”

Xiao Yu knew very well what lay behind Vichy’s move. He did not say much. After searching once again, Xiao Yu sent another person’s information to Vichy, “This one is good. He is very loyal to his companion, steady in conduct, and responsible. Although he cannot match the first one on the scientific level, he can still be considered outstanding. There is only one thing. He already has a female companion.”

Vichy paused and said, “That does not matter. I want all the intelligence on this person, and all the intelligence on his female companion.”

Xiao Yu satisfied Vichy’s request. The intelligence Xiao Yu handed over to Vichy was extremely detailed. Information such as family, age, address, and social relations was only the most basic. Beyond these, Xiao Yu even gave Vichy some materials that only he himself could access. These materials included all of the person’s consumption records, travel records, and every single word issued through the use of his personal computing terminal. Xiao Yu even included, together with these, his own internal evaluation comments when he conducted internal assessments of this person, as well as data such as potential calculations, and handed them all to Vichy.

After receiving these materials, Vichy left Taier’s personal computing terminal. Xiao Yu’s one ten-thousandth of computing power also followed in Vichy’s footsteps and stepped together into the boundless digital realm.

Xiao Yu watched Vichy arrive at the lottery center. Yes, gambling was forever a passion hidden deep within the minds of intelligent beings. Even Level 5 civilization beings could not escape the temptation of gambling. The lottery was also a kind of gambling, so such a thing existed aboard the habitation ship as well.

“That person’s female companion bought a lottery ticket today.” Vichy said to Xiao Yu. “I plan to let her win. This should not violate the rules you set for me, right?”

“You may do as you please. For such small matters, you need not ask my permission.” Xiao Yu said.

“Alright then. It is time for the draw.” As Vichy spoke, his entire being dove into the core program of the lottery center. There, he quietly carried out some actions. Five minutes later, Vichy left and returned to Xiao Yu’s side. “Okay, I have altered the randomly generated sequence and changed the winning number to the number bought by his female companion. The highest prize, a full five hundred billion units of universal currency.”

Xiao Yu knew that the highest prize had not appeared for many years, because in the randomly generated sequence, the situation in which a combination of hundreds of letters, symbols, and digits matched completely was exceedingly difficult to occur. A fortune of five hundred billion units of universal currency could likely make an intelligent being a tycoon equivalent to the richest person of a province in Earth’s era.

“Very well. That is fine. As long as it does not disrupt social order or cause a negative impact, you may do whatever kind of thing you wish.” Xiao Yu said.

“Thank you, Master.” Vichy said.

At this moment, in City Number Seventy Two aboard the habitation ship, a young female intelligent being was sitting in the living room, watching the live lottery draw on the television. In the kitchen of this suite, there was also a young male intelligent being, busy at work. With his movements, the aroma of food kept drifting out.

Right now, the female intelligent being was staring intently at that television-like communication device, and her hands had unconsciously clenched. When she saw that the last digit also matched the number on her lottery ticket, she seemed to have gone through a life-and-death ordeal. Her whole body collapsed onto the sofa, drenched in sweat.

An irrepressible expression of wild joy began to rise on her face. As if unable to believe it, she carefully checked the lottery number again. After confirming it repeatedly, she finally could not help but jump up from the sofa.

“I have had enough. Let us end this. Goodbye.” She walked to the kitchen doorway, looked at the male intelligent being who was busy preparing dinner, and coldly spoke these words.

The male intelligent being was stunned for a moment. He turned his head, looked at her with some confusion, and asked, “What did you say?”

“I said.” she stared straight at the male intelligent being and spoke word by word, “I said I want to separate from you. I have never loved you. Being with you was only because of your status and wealth. But now, I do not need it. I already have enough money and do not need to rely on you to support me. Between us, it is over. Do not come to bother me again in the future. That is all.” After she finished saying this, she turned and left, slamming the door shut with a bang. After the door closed, one more sentence drifted over, “The things I left here, I do not want them. They are yours.”

“Even if you can become a scientist, so what? I do not like a life of constant busyness. I like leisure and travel. And you cannot possibly have enough time to accompany me. I already have enough money. This money is enough for me to pursue the life I want. Therefore, you have no value to me.”

The male intelligent being’s body swayed, and his face turned pale. He leaned powerlessly against the doorframe. The spoon in his hand fell to the floor with a crisp sound.