Bai Luan looked at the increasing number of robots with some distress.
Perhaps before experiencing the incident with Xiu, he would have chosen to leave, as back then, he believed machines were just machines, mere tools.
But now… Bai Luan couldn't be so carefree.
For these robots who had waited bitterly for over two hundred years, him simply leaving would be too cruel.
Each of these gathered robots bore the marks of time, with more or less wear and tear on their bodies.
Their bionic skin was even peeling off in places.
The first to arrive were those with all their limbs intact, followed by those with missing parts, and then those with most of their limbs gone.
What should I do with this group of robots?
Forget it, why think so far ahead!
Let's focus on the present; I'll figure out a way to fix them all first.
After deciding what to do, the confusion in Bai Luan's eyes faded.
"756?"
"Bai Luan, I'm here."
"Are there any materials for making you guys nearby?"
"No, if I had to say… this shelter you're in could serve as material."
"I see…"
Bai Luan thought for a moment, then said:
"Then let's dismantle it to repair you all."
"This concerns your comfort! I do not recommend you do this!"
"Oh, come on, use your logic unit to think, do I need this shelter to provide me with comfort?"
The life support system in the battlesuit he was wearing was reliable enough; he didn't need the shelter's protection.
756 seemed to have more to say, but Bai Luan, not wanting to waste words, said directly:
"This is an order."
"Yes…"
"You take the robots with intact limbs and dismantle this shelter, and send me a copy of the shelter's coordinates."
"You… are you planning to dismantle all the shelters?"
Bai Luan sighed, looking at 756, and said: "The people are gone, what's the point of houses? Do you need them?"
"But… what if other masters return?"
"I ask you, have they returned?"
"…No."
"Then isn't that enough?"
"I understand."
Bai Luan walked out of the shelter and began scanning the internal structures of these robots, acquiring blueprints.
Not far away, 756 began leading a team of robots to dismantle the shelter.
After scanning all the major robot models, Bai Luan sat down cross-legged, his consciousness entering the Little Black Room.
Under his deliberate control, the Little Black Room did not replicate those robots inside.
Herta reached out her hand, watching snowflakes drift down from the sky, landing in her palm, and then melting on her palm.
"Where is this? You're in such a good mood, did you go out to enjoy the snow?"
Bai Luan projected the scanned robot blueprints and began to study them.
He also replied to Herta:
"I went out for a bit of fun, and then I encountered a group of crippled robots."
Bai Luan briefly summarized the current situation.
"So, you're now planning to fix all these robots?"
"Yes."
Bai Luan disassembled the blueprint, observing its internal structure.
"Then I ask you, after you fix them, what do you plan to do?"
Bai Luan's hand movements paused.
"What happens after they're fixed, I'll consider after they're fixed."
Herta chuckled, exposing Bai Luan's pretense:
"Aren't you completely clueless about what to do? Why are you still pretending in front of me? Do you think you can hide it from me?"
Seeing his helplessness exposed, Bai Luan no longer made excuses and simply admitted: "Alright, alright, I really don't know what to do next."
But then Bai Luan added: "But leaving them alone is definitely not what I want."
Herta looked at Bai Luan, who was busy disassembling the robot structure, and a smile appeared on her face.
She wasn't surprised by Bai Luan's choice; rather, it would be strange if he didn't do so.
Even if these robots only just had the budding of emotions, Bai Luan would treat them equally, respecting them as life.
She had to admit, this aspect of him was very appealing to her.
After all, she herself was treated this way by him, which allowed her to transform from a slightly intelligent Herta Puppet into her current form.
My real-world self, have you noticed the charm of your little assistant?
What if he runs off if you don't act quickly?
Let me give you a little push.
Herta looked at the busy Bai Luan and said: "Bai Luan."
Bai Luan stopped his movements, turned to look at Herta, and asked: "What's wrong?"
"If you fix them and then don't know what to do, come find me."
Ask Ms. Herta for help?
Bai Luan scratched his cheek, somewhat worried, and said: "Will she really be interested in such troublesome matters?"
"Although I genuinely dislike these troublesome matters, I will help you."
"Are you sure?"
"I am her, she is me; she and I think the same way. What? You still don't believe me? You come to me for almost everything related to me."
That's true.
In this world, no one understood Herta better than Herta herself.
"I understand, thank you, Herta. If I can't solve it myself, I will ask for your help."
Bai Luan nodded towards Herta.
And Herta, seeing Bai Luan accept her suggestion, said no more, turned around, and continued to confront the system's power.
Only a genius of the universe like her dared to face the system's might and attempt to analyze it.
He should still find opponents suitable for his own strength.
Thinking this, Bai Luan redirected his gaze back to the robots in front of him.
So this is how the energy core works?
No wonder its endurance is so strong…
After an unknown amount of time, Bai Luan in the real world looked up and stood up.
He had already figured out the structure of these robots in the Little Black Room, just waiting for the robots to dismantle the shelter and provide him with materials.
Bai Luan turned to look at 756 and the others; they were dismantling very slowly.
He should do it himself.
Bai Luan clenched his fists, and two sharp force field blades immediately formed on his arms.
"Everyone, make way."
Upon hearing the sound, 756 immediately led the other robots to clear the area.
Then Bai Luan rushed towards the shelter, cutting it with extremely high efficiency.
After cutting the shelter into steel, Bai Luan's mecha arms changed again, becoming flamethrowers, and began to melt the steel.
Once the steel turned red, nanorobots flowed over Bai Luan's arms again, forming several extra mechanical arms, which began to mold the steel.
In less than ten minutes, a mechanical arm had already taken its initial form.
756 watched Bai Luan's operation.
After analyzing the current situation, its logic unit produced a question: Am I a robot or is he a robot?
Why does he seem to have more complete functions than me?
Can I really serve him?
For the first time since its creation, 756 began to doubt whether it could be useful.
Just then, Bai Luan held up the mechanical arm, looked at the group of robots, and asked: "Who wants to be the first to try it?"
A one-armed robot quickly emerged from the crowd of robots. Its wear was quite severe, and half of its bionic human skin was gone, revealing its original mechanical eye and skull.
Bai Luan looked at him with approval, then connected the brand-new mechanical arm to its interface.
Soon, the mechanical arm connected to its system and began to obey its commands.
Its five fingers opened and closed, very flexibly.
The robot that received the mechanical arm looked at Bai Luan, its half-human, half-mechanical face making it look somewhat ferocious, yet also carrying a hint of wild handsomeness.
It smiled at Bai Luan: "Thank you…"
"No need to thank me."
Bai Luan turned his head, his eyes meeting countless robot gazes directed at him.
"I will fix you all… I promise!"
Just then, Bai Luan's attention was drawn to a figure in the distance.
It was a robot.
The robots that had arrived by now were more or less incomplete.
Its arrival was not easy, as it only had half a body and one arm left.
It held its head up, chest down, and with its sole remaining arm, slowly, with great difficulty, yet with immense determination, crawled towards Bai Luan.
Bai Luan remained silent, walking towards it.
Seeing Bai Luan walk towards it, the robot stopped in the distance and struggled to support itself with its one arm.
When Bai Luan reached it, it revealed a faint smile.
"Unit 88… 236… 457… Is there anything… I can… do for you…?"
Bai Luan looked at the long drag mark behind it, winding and seemingly endless, disappearing into the distance.
How far had it crawled from its original location to get here?
"I don't need your service."
Bai Luan slowly squatted down, looked at the 882 robot, and promised softly: "I will make you stand up."