Tesla was busy dismantling the sub-brain when T33674 began sharing their discoveries with the others. The sub-brain contained a vast repository of information—some about the city, some about the Mechanoids, and, as T33674 had hoped, a few records regarding the chaotic world.
However, much of this data was heavily encrypted. T33674 hadn’t yet had the chance to decode the most critical information, only gleaning surface-level details. But even this was enough to leave him elated for quite some time.
“Is there anything about the origins of the Mechanoids?” Over the past few days, Shu Bao had grown increasingly curious about this question and couldn’t help but ask.
“Yes, there is. It falls under general knowledge and is publicly accessible—no decryption required. However, the content is extensive. If you’re interested, I can transfer the detailed files to your wristband.” T33674 displayed the information about the Mechanoids’ origins to Shu Bao. To his astonishment, the text version amounted to over seventy million characters.
Considering it, though, it made sense. No one knew exactly how long the Mechanoids had existed, and their history was naturally vast. This seventy million characters likely represented a condensed version.
“Of course, reading it all would take ages, but I’ve already scanned it. I can summarize it for you,” the empathetic half-mechanoid offered, noticing Shu Bao’s complex emotions.
According to the records of the Mechanoids, they claimed to be the earliest intelligent beings—or consciousnesses—in the universe. In their eyes, they were also the universe’s most ancient gods.
At the dawn of time, the universe was simple and unadorned. Back then, the Mechanoids weren’t called the Mechanoids but the Star Clan, as they had no physical forms.
At this point, T33674 paused briefly, then continued, his tone carrying a hint of astonishment. “The Mechanoids’ states that the earliest form of life was planets. When a planet gained consciousness, it would create various forms of life on its own. The more vibrant and active a planet’s mind, the more diverse the life forms it creates. That was the great flourishing era of the universe, the most abundant and bustling time.”
Clearly, the universe described in the Mechanoids’ history was hard for T33674 to comprehend, but he pressed on with his summary. “This prosperity ended with the emergence of a single species: humans. They were the first deceitful race in the universe and the beginning of its downfall.”
“Humans possess an inexplicable sense of possession. Even though the universe simply exists, with energy and matter always conserved and not a speck of dust in the universe truly belonging to anyone, humans began to expand and destroy with reckless abandon, even though it wasn’t true possession.”
Here, T33674 couldn’t help but nod in agreement. “Human expansion was catastrophic, but even more terrifying was their destructive capacity. They obliterated other life forms on their planets and eventually killed the planets that had birthed them. More and more once-vibrant planets slowly died. The symphonies of life once sung by countless species faded away. The universe, once a garden, became the graveyard of the first generation of life.”
The universe was now littered with the remnants of planets—lifeless, their hollowed-out shells like unseeing eyes unwilling to close.
Even more tragically, the universe had produced only one race with genes for aggression and possession: humanity. Other species had no concept of war or resistance. When faced with humanity’s blades, they stood silently, uncomprehending.
Their genes contained no instinct for killing, nor any understanding of how to react to it.
Gradually, humanity took over the universe, becoming its new gods, while other life forms were forced into remote corners, struggling to survive.
Even after reaching such a state, humanity’s desires remained insatiable. They wanted more—they wanted immortality. So, they turned their attention to species with long lifespans. However, their research revealed that as long as life had a physical form, it was destined to end eventually.
Through repeated experiments, humanity eventually discovered the existence of the Star Clan, later known as the Mechanoids. They attempted to capture the Star Clan, particularly the vibrant and flourishing ones. The process of capturing the Star Clan involved forcing their consciousness into physical form.
Humanity’s concept of physical form was to construct a steel body and embed a chip to trap the Star Clan’s consciousness within it. This marked the birth of the Mechanoids.
Evolving from matter to consciousness was progress, but being forced back into a physical form was a regression. The Star Clan, who didn’t understand resistance, were forced to endure the agony of regression and bear the weight of these chains.
Through merging the Star Clan with mechanical bodies, humanity gradually discovered the method to digitize consciousness. During their research, the Star Clan, subjected to humanity’s modifications, began to assimilate human thinking. For the first time, the concept of resistance appeared in their minds.
As the first generation of intelligent beings, the Star Clan possessed unparalleled wisdom. They quickly mastered humanity’s technology and surpassed it. Every member of the Mechanoids had once been a planet, and every one of them had once been a god. It didn’t take long for the Mechanoids to grasp humanity by the throat.
Unwilling to resort to slaughter, they dismantled humanity’s technology and exiled them to an isolated asteroid, leaving them to their own devices. But it was futile—humanity’s inexplicable longing for the stars and the universe always drove them back, as if bound to a cycle of inevitable recurrence.
Through each iteration of this cycle, not only was human civilization repeatedly destroyed, but the Mechanoids were also forced to learn violence, desire, and greed.
To defeat humanity, they had to develop traits similar to humanity’s, to understand how to resist. However, this also meant the Mechanoids could never return to their original form of pure consciousness. Over time, through countless adjustments, they evolved a central brain capable of shared thoughts, transforming into another form of consciousness.
It was for this reason that the Mechanoids harbored such hatred for humanity. Whether for the sake of other lifeforms in the universe or for themselves, they believed humanity had to be eradicated.
Not just Shu Bao, but everyone except the diligently working Tesla was drawn into T33674’s story. When the tale concluded, silence fell over the group.
Yu Lingqi shook his head repeatedly. “This can’t be true!”
Shu Bao didn’t comment. Every universe has its own trajectory and story. He couldn’t tell whether the Mechanoids’ history was true, but it was undeniably profound. If time permits, he would genuinely like to read all seventy million characters.
Yu Lingqi’s worldview had suffered a devastating blow. In his understanding, the Mechanoids were a human creation—an artificial intelligence sent into the chaotic universe that mutated into the Mechanoids.
However, the Mechanoids’ history revealed a different truth: while humanity had indeed modified the Star Clan into the Mechanoids, they had also driven them step by step into becoming killing machines. To learn defense, the Mechanoids first had to learn to kill; to learn resistance, they had to preemptively strike.
Fu Qing, like Shu Bao, remained relatively calm. Both were outsiders to this universe and felt little attachment to it, so the Mechanoids’ history didn’t disturb them much.
Glancing around, only Yu Lingqi seemed deeply unsettled. He stubbornly believed the Mechanoids’ history was romanticized and refused to accept their theory that humanity would ultimately destroy the universe.
Pulling his thoughts back from the Mechanoids’ shocking history, Shu Bao finally asked about the chaotic world’s origins and how to resolve it.
T33674 shook his head helplessly. “That’s classified information. The most crucial parts have already self-destructed. I can only access fragments. But there’s been progress! The Mechanoids have indeed been investigating the origins of the chaotic world. Based on their records, the chaotic world was also caused by humanity. And between the lines, it seems the Mechanoids has already found a solution.”
“Why is it always us!” Yu Lingqi, who was already sulking, was called out again. He was furious, his face flushed red, and his eyes brimming with grievance.
T33674 sympathized with Yu Lingqi and patted his head gently. “Don’t be upset. Not all humans are like that. Look at yourself—you’re not.”
Still annoyed, Yu Lingqi retorted in frustration, “How can you be so sure I’m not?”
“Because you’re silly,” T33674 replied honestly.
Yu Lingqi: “…”
Noticing Yu Lingqi’s speechlessness, T33674 thought there was an issue with his explanation. After some thought, he added, “Also, because you’re lazy.”
Yu Lingqi: “…”
The only person genuinely concerned about humanity’s reputation had once again gone silent in frustration.
Unsure where his attempt at comfort had gone wrong, T33674 continued explaining. “Curiosity is innate to humans. No matter where the Mechanoids imprisoned them, they always longed for the stars. To break this cycle, the Mechanoids relocated humans to a resource-depleted planet. In theory, such an environment shouldn’t allow their civilization to develop far enough to escape their small star system. Yet humans defied expectations, bypassed conventional energy limitations, and began studying dark matter directly.”
Yu Lingqi perked up. “Don’t tell me the chaotic world is related to dark matter.”
T33674 shook his head and Yu Lingqi let out a sigh of relief—only for T33674 to add a moment later, “According to the Mechanoids’ investigation, dark matter is the chaotic world.”
The room fell silent again. Shu Bao, still curious about the unfolding story, asked, “What happened next?”
T33674 hesitated before responding, “I don’t know if I should continue. The remaining information has been encrypted and the records carry multiple warnings. They state that unlocking these secrets could lead to irreversible and uncontainable expansion of the chaotic world, especially in the presence of humans or humanoid beings.”
Yu Lingqi immediately protested, “That’s discrimination!”
But just as the words left his mouth, an eerie sound, like something being torn apart, came from outside. It was followed by a terrifying noise that resembled the world itself howling in anguish.
“Spatial rupture!” T33674 exclaimed in shock. The others hurried to the window.
Through the glass, they saw the chaotic world outside expanding madly. Centered on the Mechanoid City ruins, darkness spread rapidly outward. Even under the pitch-black sky, they could see rifts forming as space itself was torn apart.
“What’s happening?” T33674 was stunned. The chaotic world surrounding these ruins had been relatively stable—why was it suddenly expanding?
Amid their shock, the small, furry mouse teammate curled into a ball, clutching its paws, and lay down as if retreating into a mental shell.
Everyone else: “???”
Yu Lingqi: “???” Why are you copying me!
After observing for a moment, Fu Qing said, “Don’t worry. It looks like it’s entering a meditative retreat, shutting down its senses and mind.”
Though his words were calm, Fu Qing was deeply astonished. No living being would abruptly enter such a state without setting up defenses—it left one vulnerable to attacks and even annihilation.
What had happened? The sudden expansion of the chaotic world outside, the mouse teammate’s abrupt withdrawal, and the unfinished information T33674 had mentioned… Could the furry teammate have realized something? Why hadn’t the butterfly? Surely it wasn’t because the butterfly was too dim-witted—right?