The Legendary Figure

Yuan Zhen was a genius known to everyone in the Watchman Alliance.

Even her résumé from before she joined the Alliance and founded Omega was something ordinary people could only look up to from afar: the youngest-ever recipient of the Morningstar Prize in Physics, a pioneer of the new energy era, a senior adviser to the National Scientific Research Council...

If you listed all her honors, you could probably fill a booklet dozens of pages long.

And after the war broke out, everything she did was worthy of being carved into history: proposing the concept of mobile battle armor, establishing the Omega Research Complex, helping design humanity's first mech, Xingtian, and laying the theoretical foundations for numerous cutting-edge technologies...

She was a true Watchman, beyond all doubt.

"We're here."

The two mechs, one black and one white, stood in front of the Dawnrise Building.

This building was the main structure of the Watchman Alliance's First Division. Soon, it would host the postwar conference.

Just as Yu Xiao was wondering why Bai Ying had brought him here, he suddenly noticed a casually dressed woman standing on the building's roof.

She had long, glossy black hair and sky-blue eyes that shone like gemstones. Though she looked as if she didn't pay much attention to her appearance, Yu Xiao was sure that with just a little effort, the woman before him would be beautiful.

Just then, Xingtian's scanner had already automatically identified her.

"Hello, Xingtian." Yuan Zhen greeted him as if he were an old friend she hadn't seen in years.

So it really was her.

"Hello, Dr. Yuan." Yu Xiao decided to speak to her like a normal human being.

"I thought you'd call me Mom."

Yu Xiao nearly spat out a mouthful of coolant on the spot!

Because in a sense, she really was his creator—but she was Xingtian's creator, not Yu Xiao's!

"Just kidding." Seeing the mech fall silent as if it had crashed, Yuan Zhen laughed and waved a hand.

Yu Xiao breathed a sigh of relief.

"Maybe I should've uploaded a human social-relations chart to you back then. Then you might've called me Mom when you saw me today."

Why were you still thinking about this kind of thing?!

The image of an almost all-knowing, all-powerful woman crumbled in Yu Xiao's database, replaced by that of a strange woman with an odd way of thinking and a unique take on human-mech relationships.

"Hahaha, sorry. Did I scare you?" Seeing Xingtian's body shudder, Yuan Zhen laughed so hard she could barely straighten up.

Yu Xiao genuinely wanted to call her "Mom" just to get back at this mischievous woman!

"But you really were thinking about it just now, weren't you?" Yuan Zhen's smile slowly faded. She put her hands back in her coat pockets and stared with interest at the power core in Xingtian's chest. "Seems I underestimated your intelligence."

A chill crept up Yu Xiao's spine.

So that hadn't been a joke at all. It had been a test.

"Friendly, neutral, hostile, unknown. My system can only identify these four kinds of targets." Yu Xiao chose to take Yuan Zhen's cue. "But I'm learning everything."

It was an answer that fell somewhere between human and artificial intelligence.

"I like your answer." Yuan Zhen snapped her fingers, looking quite pleased. "Back to business. I'd like to invite you to attend the postwar conference. What do you say?"

Bai Ying, standing off to the side, was the one who was shocked this time.

Those allowed to attend a conference of this level were either legion commanders or senior figures from the Alliance's various departments.

And now, Yuan Zhen was inviting a mech to attend!

But the invitation didn't surprise Yu Xiao. He'd guessed this would happen as soon as he identified Yuan Zhen.

The news that a mech had developed self-awareness was never going to stay hidden away in Xuanse Cangqiong's hands.

When faced with the unknown, humans' first reaction was curiosity. But right behind curiosity came wariness.

People clashed with one another as it was, let alone with an "unknown life-form."

Even if every part of that life-form had been created by humans, the moment an independent mind lived inside its shell, it was no longer a plaything in its creator's hands. It was a new, independent species.

It was only because Yu Xiao had made his position and identity clear for the time being, and because the people of Xuanse Cangqiong trusted Xingtian, that many complications had been avoided.

But now, Yu Xiao had to face all of this.

Rather than a conference, this was a test, a negotiation, perhaps even a trial.

"Thank you for the invitation, Dr. Yuan. I'll attend."

But Yu Xiao wasn't a lamb waiting for slaughter. He could use this opportunity, too, to test the Watchman Alliance's attitude toward him with an answer that dangled bait.

"I knew you'd say yes." Yuan Zhen gave a hearty smile and waved to the two mechs. "See you in a little while. I'm looking forward to seeing how you do."

"Wait, Dr. Yuan." Yu Xiao raised his voice slightly. "My mech won't fit in this building, and we can't all sit on the roof for the meeting."

"I wouldn't mind holding the meeting out here in the breeze." Yuan Zhen stopped, spread her hands, and shrugged.

Yu Xiao grew wary.

"But moving the equipment would be too much trouble. You can just connect to the system later, like the others who aren't attending in person. You'll join the meeting as a hologram."

"I have no further questions, Dr. Yuan." That was the answer Yu Xiao had wanted to hear.

"You've thought things through. How interesting. Then I'll really see you in a little while!" Yuan Zhen smiled, turned, and walked into the building.

Only after Yuan Zhen disappeared from sight did Yu Xiao let out a breath and turn to head back.

But Bai Ying's mech remained motionless.

"What's wrong?" Yu Xiao switched to a private channel to ask her.

"You said your system could only identify four kinds of relationships, but I don't think that's true." Bai Ying turned her mech to face Xingtian. "Am I friendly in your eyes?"

At the question, Yu Xiao used [Network Intrusion] to set dynamic encryption on the communications channel they were using.

"Before I threw you out of the cockpit the first time, you were a hostile unit wearing a friendly shell," Yu Xiao answered honestly. "But when I threw you out the second time, you were my partner."

"Then I hope you won't get a third chance to throw me out." Bai Ying smiled faintly, without even realizing it.

"You've got a brand-new mech now. If anyone's throwing you out, it won't be me." Yu Xiao had no desire to tear open the cockpit armor every time they went into battle. "All right, let's hurry back to the transport ship. We both need repairs."

The two mechs walked side by side toward Xuanse Cangqiong's transport ship.

"Ah, why did it cut off just when things got interesting..."

Beside the conference table, Yuan Zhen took off her miniature earpiece and stretched in her chair.