Back to the settlement.
When the residents saw Riku and his party returning safely, they gathered around him. But when they saw Xiao Feng, they all respectfully calmed him God and prayed for blessing.
This made Xiao Feng a little uncomfortable since he wasn't used to people's prayers. But he nodded, accepting their prayers then his figure disappeared.
Although the few people close to him didn't treat him like a good, ordinary people weren't among thus group of people.
Xiao Feng took Schwi back to his room while Tet followed from behind.
Back in his room. Because of his knowledge of the original work, Xiao Feng did not ask too many questions.
"If you want to understand what is the heart, you can stay with me. If you understand, just nod your head." Xiao Feng asked knowing that Schwi would agree to stay with him.
He wanted Schwi to gain heart, he wanted her heart to focus solely on him, and he also wanted her spread this heart to entire Ex-Machina race.
But he wouldn't let her upload her feelings for him on Ex-Machina network if she happened to develop feelings for him.
Because although this will bring him live of the whole Ex-Machina race, it will also bring trouble.
Ex-Machina aren't purely female. Among the large number of Ex-Machinas, there are a few males too.
Xiao Feng didn't want to be like Riku in the original work, with countless Ex-Machinas, both make and female chasing after him.
Of courses it's also possible that Schwi will not develop any feelings for him. Maybe he was just a bit to narcissistic but no matter what, it was better to be prepared.
Hearing his words, Schwi nodded and decided to stay with Xiao Feng.
After all, after being abandoned, the study of "heart" was her only goal, and with the throbbing she felt from Xiao Feng, it was better to stay.
Looking at Schwi with a well-behaved face, Xiao Feng smiled.
,..
Next day,
He woke up from his sleep as usual, got out of bed, washed up, then left the room.
After that, he went to Schwi's room.
When he entered her room, he saw Schwi sitting quietly on the bed, staring forward in a daze.
Seeing this, Xiao Feng could not help asking, "Schwi, did you not sleep all night?"
"Answer, the Ex-Machina is a creation of mechanical parts. When the energy is sufficient, this machine does not need to perform sleep behavior." Schwi spoke in her usual mechanical tone.
Only after hearing her answer did Xiao Feng remember that Schwi did not need sleep.
Strictly speaking, with his current cultivation, he also did not need sleep. However, because of old habits from his previous life, he still maintained a normal daily routine.
Looking at Schwi's serious expression, Xiao Feng's mouth twitched slightly.
He walked over, raised his hand, and gently rubbed her head.
"Schwi, what is your motivation for trying to understand the heart?"
"Answer: twelve years ago, this unit discovered the existence of humans through observation."
"Humans are weak. They cannot connect to the Spirit Corridor. Their physical ability, magic ability, and survival ability are all inferior."
"Therefore, this unit wished to understand how humans continued to survive despite possessing such weakness."
"During observation, this unit inferred the existence of an unknown concept called 'heart.'"
"This unit submitted the concept for analysis. The result produced theoretical paradoxes and calculation errors. Therefore, this unit was judged as damaged and abandoned by the Linker."
After saying this, Schwi looked at Xiao Feng.
"In addition, your existence breaks the known limitations of humans. Therefore, this unit observed you secretly."
"I am human Schwi!" Xiao Feng rubbed his temple with a bit of a headache.
Although he had become a God, he still considered himself human since his mindset hasn't changed.
"But it was you who gave power to humans. The woman named Couronne told me!"
Now Xiao Feng was silenced.
"Question, do you have a special hobby for young women?" Schwi asked suddenly.
"Why are you asking that?"
"Observation result: Tet and Xun'er both possess small body types. Therefore, this unit has reason to believe—"
"Stop." Xiao Feng immediately interrupted her.
"I simply like Tet and Xun'er. It is not because of body type."
He absolutely could not allow his reputation to collapse in front of Schwi.
If this Ex-Machina girl recorded some strange conclusion and analyzed it seriously, the consequences would be terrifying.
Schwi stared at him silently and nodded, "Understood. Temporary conclusion: Xiao Feng denies possessing such preference."
"Remove the word temporary."
"Rejected. Insufficient data."
Xiao Feng's mouth twitched. This girl was really hard to deal with.
After thinking for a moment, Xiao Feng took the initiative to hold Schwi's hand.
Schwi looked down at their connected hands, "Question: purpose of contact?"
"To help you." As his voice fell, soft light began to gather around Xiao Feng's palm.
The light gradually became brighter, illuminating the entire room and a gentle but mysterious power flowed into Schwi's body.
Soon, the light disappeared.
Schwi remained sitting quietly on the bed, but the data streams flashing in her ruby eyes became faster and faster.
After a few seconds, she slowly spoke.
"Question: why has this unit's performance suddenly increased?"
"Don't you want to understand the heart?" Xiao Feng smiled faintly.
"I helped you strengthen your soul, spirit, emotional perception, and basic power. This should make it easier for you to understand the heart."
The strengthening ability of the system was indeed unreasonable.
Just now, Xiao Feng had tried strengthening Schwi's soul, spiritual sensitivity, and emotional perception.
Unexpectedly, it actually worked.
To be precise, he had strengthened the foundation of her seven emotions and six desires.
Although Schwi was an Ex-Machina and not a natural flesh-and-blood lifeform, she still possessed a special soul-like core and individual consciousness.
Therefore, Xiao Feng could use the system's strengthening ability to increase these qualities.
"This unit is an analysis body. Output was fixed at the time of creation."
Schwi lowered her head and looked at her hands, "Current result: output limit has increased. Calculation power has increased. Spiritual fluctuation has increased."
"Question: can this unit now understand the language of the heart?"
"I cannot say you will understand it immediately."
Xiao Feng said calmly, "But compared to before, you should now be much closer to understanding it."
He didn't lie to Schwi. Strengthening seven emotions and six desires can theoretically make Schwi more sensitive to emotions and help her develop heart quickly.
He was more curious about the strength that Schwi gained and the changes in her spirit.
"What has changed in your body and spirit now? How is your current strength."
Schwi answered with more agility in her voice than before.
"Answer: this unit's body output and energy level have reached the standard of the Dragon race."
"As for spirit, this unit cannot perceive it."
"Combat capability has reached a high level. Compared to average Ex-Machina, this unit is now several times stronger. Direct combat against Flügel individual is now possible."
Originally, Schwi was an analysis body among the Ex-Machina. Her combat ability was below average, and her output was less than one-third of a combat body.
But now, after Xiao Feng's strengthening, her power had undergone an almost impossible transformation.
For the Ex-Machina, this kind of sudden evolution completely violated their normal logic.
"...Incredible." Schwi tilted a lot of data streams in his eyes, but still couldn't analyse the principle.
"These are normal phenomena. You Ex-Machina belong to the category of creatures no matter what. So I can definitely strengthen you."
"Um..."
Schwi nodded and looked at Xiao Feng with her red eyes intently.
In her internal record, Xiao Feng's classification had changed once again.
From "observation target" to "high-priority concerned object."
Although she did not yet understand the origin of this change, the fluctuation inside her power furnace was clearly different from before.
Xiao Feng did not notice the subtle change in her eyes. After confirming her condition, he walked out of the room.
It was time to visit Shinku Niruvaren.
To make the elves truly accept him, power alone was not enough. He also needed to spend time with their leader and slowly cultivate trust.
Just like that, Xiao Feng began moving between the human settlement and the elf capital.
Sometimes he stayed among humans, observing the development of faith and cultivation.
Sometimes he appeared in the elf capital, watching the elves build churches, spread the Book of Reincarnation, and reshape their magical system.
Since Xun'er and Tet were currently in seclusion, Rias and Akeno occupied his bed at night.
Sometimes, Grayfia would also sneak in, taking advantage of him.
Kuroka and others would also sleep with him whenever they returned.
Though nothing beyond the line happened between them.
...