"Don't listen to her nonsense. She just wants to slack off." Looking at Queen, who had only recently been "born" and was still very straightforward, Ai Yue shook his head. He then focused on the map she had provided. "Wow, there are so many mineral resources. If we didn't come here, wouldn't all of this go to waste?"
"So this is your goal?" Vill-V came over as well. "Australia's mineral resources are indeed a very valuable target."
"But what are you going to do about the Honkai Beasts?" Mobius asked. "You aren't the only one drooling over this land, but you should know why they've been slow to act, right?"
In fact, that was exactly the case. Ever since Australia had become a wasteland because of the Seventh Herrscher, countless countries had set their sights on this rich land. However, rebuilding in a place overrun by Honkai Beasts and saturated with Honkai energy was far beyond what any one country could afford.
Even simple mining operations would incur enormous labor and transportation costs.
And now, Ai Yue actually intended to complete the project by himself. If he had been anyone else, Mobius certainly wouldn't have spoken to him so tactfully.
But he was Ai Yue. He could really do it.
"That's nothing for Ai Yue." Vill-V hooked an arm around Ai Yue's neck and pointed at Queen Bee beside them. "After all, we have a 'swarm' here."
Mobius stared at Vill-V for a long while. When she realized Vill-V had no intention of removing her arm, she sighed and shifted her gaze back to Ai Yue. "So, aren't you going to properly introduce me to this 'swarm'?"
"How should I put it? Rather than saying I created the 'swarm' for this place, it would be more accurate to say I chose this place for the sake of the 'swarm.'" Ai Yue smiled. "Reclaiming Australia and taking this land back from the Honkai is merely the first assignment I've given the 'swarm.'"
"As for its full name, it should be called the 'Gestalt Collective Will Drone Swarm.'"
"Gestalt? Collective Will?" Mobius's expression changed when she heard the two familiar terms. "You combined them with drones?"
Mobius knew little about mechanical engineering, but those two terms were not unfamiliar to her. They were originally part of the medical field, so she naturally understood what they meant.
A Gestalt Collective Will meant that the entire drone swarm was, in essence, a single entity, just like a human being, controlled by an Artificial Intelligence called "Queen Bee" that served as its brain.
That description might not sound special, but if one could control a massive drone swarm the way humans controlled their own bodies, its capabilities would be terrifying.
Imagine a group of ten thousand people unconditionally following the commands of a single mind, with no arguments, disagreements, or selfish desires. Everyone would wholeheartedly perform their own duties. How terrifying would such a group be?
On the battlefield, it would be an invincible army. Put to work on construction, it would be the most efficient labor force imaginable. If distributed among the various levels of a nation's administration, what would that nation become?
Compared with humans, drones also had far fewer needs. Humans grew tired, hungry, and sleepy, but drones did not. As long as they did not malfunction and had sufficient energy, they could work around the clock without interruption.
Most terrifying of all was that, according to Ai Yue's earlier explanation, the drone swarm was still reproducing. Its overall size continued to expand, and as its numbers increased, so did its strength.
Mobius remembered Ai Yue saying that Prometheus was an Artificial Intelligence capable of learning and growth. If Queen Bee was the same... what would their future become?
Even Ai Yue, who had created all this, would probably find it difficult to imagine.
Chapter Thirty-Six: What Are You Doing in Front of the Children?
"No wonder you don't need manpower and only brought one guard."
After understanding everything, Mobius's gaze at Ai Yue held a trace of acceptance. "With such a useful drone swarm, even if you lived here alone, you probably wouldn't have any problems."
Ai Yue merely smiled and said nothing.
The truth was just as Mobius had said. Ai Yue's original plan was to have the swarm manage this experimental base.
Everything would be handled by the swarm, from basic daily maintenance to surveying and mining Australia, clearing out and driving away Honkai Beasts, and even opening farmland and establishing factories.
For this purpose, he had designed more than a dozen types of drones with different functions, enough to handle all kinds of situations. Drones with different functions could also combine into larger drones with more comprehensive abilities. Queen Bee would decide what those drones did and how they did it.
There was also the most crucial part of the swarm, which Ai Yue had not told Mobius about: the "Hive Network" used to connect Queen Bee with the drone swarm.
The core components of every drone were chips made primarily from Soulium. These chips not only improved the drones' performance, but also provided Queen Bee with additional computing power after connecting to the Hive Network. Thanks to Soulium's excellent properties, every drone could even be regarded as a backup of Queen Bee.
That way, even if Ai Yue's experimental base suffered a devastating attack and the entire world's network was destroyed, as long as a single drone survived, Queen Bee could use the drone-manufacturing facility known as the "Hive" to rise again.
"Still, with the entire base mostly filled with drones, it must get lonely, right?" Vill-V patted Ai Yue's shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll come visit you often!"
"You should first think about how to handle your next assignment." Ai Yue shook his head. "The situation on the Mu Continent is much more complicated."
"I was going to say..." Vill-V's face fell as soon as she heard Ai Yue. "How did you come up with the idea of building an underground shelter on the Mu Continent? The situation there is so tangled. It's really difficult!"
"That's why I spoke with ****** and had them give you the green light." Ai Yue laughed. "The budget for this mission is unlimited. You won't disappoint me, will you?"
"Agh, fine! I get it! I'll do it, all right?" Vill-V struggled for a long time before stamping her foot angrily. "Just wait and see! I'll build the strongest shelter imaginable!"
With that, she turned and left the control room, apparently intending to leave through the Teleportation Gate.
"What mission?" Mobius asked only then. "You're sending her to the Mu Continent to build a shelter? Why did you suddenly think of that?"
As the most technologically advanced region on the planet, the Mu Continent stood at the forefront of global science. Nearly all cutting-edge technology originated there. Even Mobius had once worked there and published many groundbreaking achievements. The Moth to Fire also had a science department on the Mu Continent dedicated to cutting-edge research.
However, the Mu Continent had always remained outside the Moth to Fire's system. They believed they could solve their own problems and rarely allowed the Moth to Fire to interfere with Honkai disasters within the continent. Thus, aside from technological exchanges, the two sides had had almost no contact for a long time.
"They're starting to buckle over there and have recently softened their stance. They hope we can help." Ai Yue shrugged. "Hen, Kevin, and the others are handling things there now. The shelter is merely a necessary project for deepening our cooperation."
Of course, that was only the superficial reason, but it was enough to convince Mobius.
"I see. Then things must be quite serious." Mobius nodded, her face showing a hint of schadenfreude. "I wonder how many of those old fools survived. Perhaps I should find time to go back and take a look?"
As they spoke, Ai Yue suddenly felt his phone vibrate. He took it out and saw that Dr. Mei was calling.
Ai Yue glanced at Mobius beside him and simply switched to video mode. "What is it?"
"Doctor Ai Yue, and Mobius is there too? That saves me the trouble." Dr. Mei glanced at their surroundings and visibly relaxed. "Here's the situation. In a few days, the Mu Continent will hold a technological exchange conference. Headquarters has two spots available. Would you be interested?"
It really had come up just as he was thinking about it.
"Sure." Ai Yue nodded without much hesitation. "Who has the other spot?"
With Queen at the experimental base, he basically had nothing to worry about. Besides, Ai Yue wanted to see the Mu Continent's level for himself and find out whether there was anything useful he could acquire.
He vaguely remembered that, besides the "Star Gate," which could transport people to the moon, and the "Abyssal Eye," which connected to the Sea of Quantum, the Armed Dolls had also been developed on the Mu Continent.
They might not be useful right now, but they could still help fill out his technology tree and save him some effort.
"Obviously, me." Mobius spoke up. "Right, Mei?"
"You're actually willing to go, Mobius?" Dr. Mei sounded surprised. "In the past, didn't you always refuse such things outright?"
"This time is special." Mobius glanced at Ai Yue and smiled. "It's also been a long time since I've seen some old friends. I might as well take this opportunity to visit."
"Oh, all right. I'll tell Su." Dr. Mei did not think much of it and merely nodded. "He shouldn't mind."
Both sides were very straightforward, so after discussing the matter, they promptly ended the call. Ai Yue put away his phone and looked at Mobius. "You want to see an old friend?"
The teasing in his voice was far too obvious.
"What, am I not allowed?" Mobius rolled her eyes at him. "Don't flatter yourself."
"I was just wondering whether you actually have any old friends." Ai Yue put on an exaggeratedly surprised expression. "What did you think I meant?"
Mobius gritted her teeth angrily before grabbing Ai Yue's arm. "There should be a bed in your bedroom here, right?"
"Wait, what are you planning to do? It's still daytime!"
"Stop talking and move!"
The two of them disappeared from the control room, treating the Artificial Intelligence beside them as if it were invisible.
"Sister, didn't you say Doctor Ai Yue's spouse was Miss Aponia?" Queen asked in confusion only after the two had disappeared outside. "Then what is Doctor Mobius?"
"Shh. Don't ask about things you shouldn't." Prometheus did not even raise her head. "Adults' affairs aren't for children to worry about—that's what Doctor Ai Yue told me."
"Oh."
Sorry, taking one day off. I hope everyone understands.
Since the Mu Continent has too few established details, I need to make up many things myself. I need to think it over more and review the setting, so I'm taking one day off.
Since this book was published, I've only missed one day back when nobody was reading it. At all other times, I've posted at least one chapter a day. But my brain really isn't working today, so I need to reorganize my thoughts.
Besides, once the daily-life section is finished, we'll soon enter another Herrscher extermination battle. I need to carefully plan how to write the next Herrscher—whether to follow the original plot, and, if not, how to design it—so the story doesn't collapse. Readers with ideas are welcome to discuss them in the comments or review section. I'll read everything.
Finally, thank you all for your continued support. (Bows.)
Chapter Thirty-Seven: There's Someone Even Better?
The Atra branch of the Moth to Fire, Third Science Department, Seventh Laboratory.
This was an extremely messy laboratory. Large amounts of discarded materials and parts had been left lying around, while countless crumpled sheets of paper and documents littered the floor. It was hard not to imagine what kind of slob the laboratory's owner must be.
In fact, the owner of the laboratory really was somewhat... unkempt.
"Hmm... was that the 137th experiment or the 138th?"
Before you continue