Chapter 87: Dependence and Unity

After hearing what Xu Weiyi had said, Qu Shixin gazed at him deeply.

"Old Xu, you still haven't truly possessed feelings."

Xu Weiyi frowned at Qu Shixin's words, somehow unable to agree with him.

"A being with emotions loves nothing more than foolish acts, especially those with extremely poor cost-effectiveness."

"Destroying a civilization for the sake of one person—such things appear frequently in human literature."

"It is irrational."

"Emotion itself is irrational."

Rarely did Qu Shixin settle down to discuss philosophy with Xu Weiyi, and he felt somewhat at a loss, quickly waving his hand to end the topic.

"I don't want to be your emotional mentor. You'll have to figure it out yourself."

"I'll report to the professor about the situation; you take Xu Yiyi and begin a functionality test."

Qu Shixin picked up a light screen, scribbled a list of messy locations, and tossed it to Xu Weiyi.

"These places may need inspection. The exact procedures are up to you."

"By the way, I want hand-drawn sketches—not digital versions."

"If you're not skilled at drawing, take Xu Yiyi with you. Have her sketch every aspect of these locations for surveying purposes."

Looking at the list of places nearly impossible to finish in a day, Xu Weiyi opened his mouth to speak, but Qu Shixin vanished from the room almost instantly.

Xu Weiyi silently studied the light screen in his hand. The locations covered several key regions of Tianhai Star: mountains, rivers, cities, and some undeveloped wilderness. Beyond that, there were shopping plazas, amusement parks, ecological gardens, and the like.

"Xu Yiyi."

Turning to Xu Yiyi, Xu Weiyi handed her the data tablet and said, "We need to prepare for a series of site surveys; this will be our task list for today."

"Understood, Mr. Xu," Xu Yiyi replied swiftly, her voice without the slightest hesitation.

The two began to prepare the necessary equipment and tools, including data recorders, sampling containers, measuring instruments, and drawing materials.

Xu Yiyi also prepared a set of high-precision photography and imaging systems, making sure she could record every site in detail.

Because Xu Weiyi was a combat robot, he left artistic tasks to Xu Yiyi, whose original design was as a general-purpose bionic servant. Drawing was one of her strengths.

Once everything was ready, they set out on their survey journey, beginning with a mountain on Tianhai Star, as prioritized by their list. Xu Yiyi photographed the mountain from every angle and collected rock and soil samples, while Xu Weiyi recorded data and analyzed the terrain and geological composition.

After completing all tasks, Xu Yiyi picked up a canvas—a rather primitive tool for the era—and began to recreate the scene before her eyes.

Her technique was exquisite. The brush danced across the canvas, capturing the grandeur of the mountain and its intricate textures.

She depicted not only the shape of the mountain but also the shifting light and shadow, the colors of the vegetation, and the texture of the rocks.

Xu Weiyi stood quietly by, observing her creative process.

For reasons unknown, watching Xu Yiyi paint gave him a strange sense of tranquility, relaxing his mechanical frame.

As time passed, a vivid mountain landscape gradually emerged on the canvas. When she finished, Xu Yiyi wiped her brushes clean and stepped back to survey her work.

"Mr. Xu, what do you think of this painting?"

At her question, he walked up to the canvas and studied it carefully, then nodded in earnest.

"It’s as perfect as a photograph. Your drawing functionality is truly outstanding."

"Thank you for your praise, Mr. Xu."

"I will continue to improve my artistic expression."

Xu Yiyi smiled again, and suddenly, Xu Weiyi had a peculiar thought. He looked at her and said, "Xu Yiyi, can you create a painting based on your own ideas?"

Upon hearing his suggestion, Xu Yiyi’s eyes flickered with streams of data.

Though she was a bionic being, capable of highly simulating human behavior, the abstract concepts of "creativity" and "inspiration" were still somewhat foreign to her.

"Mr. Xu, I can try, but the result may not compare to a human artist’s work."

Xu Weiyi nodded in understanding and gestured for her to begin.

Xu Yiyi started to analyze artistic creation, then chose a very ordinary theme.

Her brush moved swiftly over the canvas—a tranquil lake appeared, sunlight reflected on its surface, the shadows of trees around it, and birds occasionally swooping above.

But this time, the painting became more abstract. Surreal colors appeared on the lake, the reflections of trees grew spontaneous, and the birds danced wildly in the sky.

Upon completion, Xu Yiyi looked at the painting with her eyes flashing streams of data, indicating she was processing and attempting to understand the work before her.

Xu Weiyi sensed something different; he was curious about the logic behind Xu Yiyi’s creation.

He silently stepped forward, grasped her arm, and initiated a data link.

Once the connection was severed, he found no abnormal streams of data but also no logic for the painting’s creation.

What he failed to notice was that after connecting and disconnecting, a subtle and peculiar change appeared within Xu Yiyi’s programming.

He released her arm, sighed gently, and said, "Let’s continue."

He turned to resume their tasks, and Xu Yiyi followed quietly. Yet the growing thoughts in his mind prompted Xu Weiyi to murmur to her,

"Xu Yiyi... I gave you this name because I hoped you could become the ‘one’ among bionic beings, someone like me."

"Perhaps, fundamentally, emotion has left loopholes in my programming as well."

After his soliloquy, Xu Weiyi fell silent.

Their primary goal now was to complete Qu Shixin’s assignment, so they crossed the hills, rivers, wilderness, and cities of Tianhai Star.

A day passed swiftly, and they rushed through every survey point on the list.

As night fell, Xu Weiyi and Xu Yiyi carried a bundle of canvases filled with all sorts of landscapes and equipment back toward the research center.

Under the starlit sky, the two moved forward in silence, like two lonely vessels amid the bustling city.

"Mr. Xu."

Just as they were about to reach the research center, Xu Yiyi called out to Xu Weiyi for the first time.

He turned and looked at her quietly. Though the starlight was bright, her face seemed veiled in a thin, dark shroud.

Seeing him turn, Xu Yiyi softly asked,

"Is the ‘one’ in your name Xu Weiyi also the ‘Yi’ in mine?"