Zhuang Zhou skipped work for two days straight.
What's strange was that he still has divine powers. Even though his divine powers were weak, he can feel that the High God didn't revoke his position as a god of wealth yet.
"The Eastern Region must really be lacking in wealth gods."
As a result, Zhuang Zhou didn't worry anymore and decided to first learn the 'old dialect' properly and then figure out where this place was and how to leave from here.
Zhuang Zhou's memorization skill was very good.
To teach Zhuang Zhou how to speak, Wen XiaoYun read through all of the words in the picture book once.
As Wen XiaoYun fixed his little robot, Zhuang Zhou sat next to him, studying. Whenever he encountered uncertain words, he'd ask Wen XiaoYun directly.
After familiarizing himself with all of the words in the picture book, Zhuang Zhou discovered that Wen XiaoYun was still fixing the little robot.
This little robot was the same worn out android that had been following Wen XiaoYun this entire time, picking up garbage. Zhuang Zhou was already curious about this little robot since yesterday so he couldn't resist asking: "What's wrong with it?"
Wen XiaoYun gave him a glance and said casually: "It broke."
By himself, Wen XiaoYun can only work so fast. There were many components required to fix the communication array however. And there were also a lot of garbage piles. That's why he had to assemble a scrappy robot to scan for useful components together with him.
However, this robot was assembled completely from junk. Naturally, it couldn't last long.
Zhuang Zhou put down the picture book and extended his head over: "Broke? Where did it break? I can help you fix it."
Wen XiaoYun raised his brow: "You know how?"
"En…… I've learned this before."
He wanted to say that he had obtained special degrees in electronics, microchip design, programing, etc etc, but he didn't know how to say all of this in the 'old dialect.' Therefore, he could only swallow the rest of his words.
The High God said before" the Eastern Region wealth gods were not even allowed to say the words "I can't do it"!
Hearing that Zhuang Zhou learned this before, Wen Xiao was somewhat surprised. He unconsciously gave Zhuang Zhou a second glance.
The principle of constructing a little robot was almost the same as a mecha. The actual process, however, was very hard. Wen XiaoYun couldn't even construct a good robot himself.
Or else he wouldn't have this little piece of junk.
Wen Xiao pushed the little robot's head into Zhuang Zhou's hands and said casually: "Since you learned this before, then properly organize its power source wires."
Zhuang Zhou heard something about wires and understood that Wen XiaoYun wanted him to fix the wires in the little robot's head.
"I can do it!" He was very confident in himself.
Zhuang Zhou used tools to open up the robot's head. He discovered that the robot was really very scrappy. All of its components were covered with areas of rust.
Reflexively, Zhuang Zhou used his divine force to clear away the rust. After cleaning up the rust, he discovered that inside the robot's brain, there was a round thing. Slightly surprised, he took it out for a look.
"What is this?"
He used divine force to examine the inside of the round ball. The inside of the round ball seemed to contain spiritual energy, yet at the same time, it didn't seem quite like spiritual energy.
Was this a battery?
Wen XiaoYun raised his head and looked over. He saw Zhuang Zhou holding and examining a low level energy stone and asked: "Is there a problem?"
Zhuang Zhou was somewhat embarrassed. He hastily withdrew his divine force and placed the 'battery' back inside: "No problem……"
Yet he felt even stranger internally. How come this wasn't the same as robots he had taken apart in the past!
Holding the robot's head, Zhuang Zhou silently hung his own head. What a face slap. It seemed like he really didn't know this!
How can God not know how to fix a robot?!
Seeing Zhuang Zhou emitting a pitiful aura from every part of his body, Wen XiaoYun smiled briefly and said: "Watch carefully."
He took the robot's head again. First, he fixed the low level energy stone that Zhuang Zhou placed back crookedly. Embedding it properly, he connected the energy wires one by one to the corresponding inputs.
"The sensor wire connects to the red input."
"This is an energy converter system."
"This is... a photoreceptor."
Connecting everything together, he turned around and glanced at the little head next to him: "Remembered everything?"
Zhuang Zhou nodded his head like a little chicken pecking grains.
Wen XiaoYun reached out and pressed down on the little flick of hair on the top of his head.
Zhuang Zhou raised his eyes in confusion.
Wen XiaoYun withdrew his hand like nothing just happened, as if he didn't do anything, and calmly asked Zhuang Zhou: "Hungry?"
Zhuang Zhou shook his head.
He said no, but Wen XiaoYun recalled that this little friend had been reading the picture book this entire time. He didn't eat anything at all so he should be hungry.
Wen XiaoYun took out a bottle of nutrient supplement and said nonchalantly: "Take this to drink."
Zhuang Zhou looked at this bottle of 'beverage,' wanting to say something but hesitating.
He already drank it last time. This beverage really wasn't very tasty……
Seeing him like this, Wen XiaoYun directly stuffed the nutritional supplement into Zhuang Zhou's hand, saying: "I still have two more bottles. It's enough."
After saying this, he continued to fix the little robot.
After Wen XiaoYun finished fixing the little robot, he restarted it: "This kind of robot only has the most basic order: to find mechanical components. Normally, it's not very useful."
Seeing Wen XiaoYu finished with his repairs, and there was nothing he could help with, Zhuang Zhou slowly got up: "Then I will go…… en, go over there for a bit."
Holding the nutritional supplement, he walked away.
Wen XiaoYun withdrew his gaze. Placing the rebooted little robot back on the ground, he got ready to order the little robot to rummage through the mountain of garbage to the east side.
However, as soon as he placed the little robot on the ground, he saw the little robot slowly stretch out its four limbs, then slowly raise its head, and scan him with its mechanical blue eyes.
Wen XiaoYun stopped walking. Was it his misconception?
Was the little robot inspecting him?
He was the person who had assembled this little robot from all sorts of spare parts. Naturally, he understood best what kind of abilities it possessed.
It couldn't possibly have such an intelligent expression.
Crouched down, Wen XiaoYun planned to pick the little robot up and re-inspect it.
He didn't even touch the little robot; the little robot already nimbly jumped up and turned around all by itself. Shakily turning its two wheels, the little robot rolled itself towards the direction that Zhuang Zhou headed off to, a direction that was completely opposite of the command that Wen XiaoYun inputted.
Brows furrowing, Wen XiaoYun followed the little robot at a decently separated distance.
Next to a large pile of garbage.
Zhuang Zhou just finished lighting the candles and incense. He placed the nutritional supplement in front of his Divine Image.
Holding the incense, he didn't even have the chance to worship himself yet when a 'zhi ga ga' noise sounded behind him.
Zhuang Zhou turned around to look. A person and a robot were standing in an area not far away, looking at him.
Zhuang Zhou: "......."
The hand that held the incense stiffened in mid air, trembling faintly.
Why was it that everytime he went to offer tribute to himself, Wen XiaoYun always showed up!
Wen XiaoYun looked almost like he didn't expect Zhuang Zhou to be hiding here, worshiping his 'father.' Stunned briefly, he said: "Sorry."
He even saw the bottle of nutritional supplement that he had given the youth.
Wen XiaoYun pressed his lips together. It seemed that every time Zhuang Zhou received food, he'd offer the food to his father first……
How can this kid be so well behaved?
Wen XiaoYun said softly: "If it's not enough, there's more."
When Zhuang Zhou heard this, he almost cried tears: "Don't, don't give me anymore……"
Everytime he ate, he needed to make an offering. If the food was better tasting, he wouldn't be so conflicted……
But not eating was rude.
Seeing the corners of Zhuang Zhou's eyes turn red, Wen XiaoYun softened his voice a little more: "I'm sorry for your loss."
Zhuang Zhou: "....... huh?"
Wen XiaoYun rubbed Zhuang Zhou's head, as if comforting him.
After comforting his little friend, Wen XiaoYun planned to take the little robot away and give Zhuang Zhou some peace and quiet.
When he lowered his head, he just happened to see the little robot hugging Zhuang Zhou's leg.
The little robot: "di di di."
A big, big question mark appeared above Zhuang Zhou's head: "What's wrong with it?"
Wen XiaoYun: "......."
Very good. He also wanted to know.
Seeing Zhuang Zhou ignoring it, the little robot put away its two mechanical arms and rolled its wheels noisily in front of the Divine image. Knees bending, it knelt down with a plop.
Zhuang Zhou: "Huh?"
Wen XiaoYun: "......."
The little robot respectfully and reverently bowed three times in front of the Divine Image. Then it raised its head and used its big blue mechanical eyes to look towards Zhuang Zhou, while making "di di di" sounds.
Wen XiaoYun: "........?"
A question mark also appeared over Admiral-daren's head.
How did the robot that he repaired turn into this?
Human-like mood. Human-like actions.
This didn't seem like a robot made of junk anymore, more like an upgraded model of a super intelligent AI robot.
Zhuang Zhou suddenly let out a surprised shout: "Wah!"
Wen XiaoYun looked towards him.
Zhuang Zhou touched the faith collection device on his neck, incredulous.
When the little robot bowed to him, he actually collected a drop of faith!
What did this indicate?
This indicated that this little robot…… gained sentience!
It had consciousness and awareness now!
But how can a robot develop its own consciousness and awareness?
Zhuang Zhou suddenly remembered something and instantly felt a bit guilty.
Just now when he was helping Wen XiaoYun fix the little robot, he…… seemed to have used divine force on the little robot?
The High God said before: Gods with very strong divine force can not only "Turn stone into gold", they can also "Turn stone sentient." The latter was called 'Granting life'.
The so-called 'granting life' was animating things like tables, chairs, books, and such objects. 'Granting wisdom' was giving intelligence to already living creatures.
However, Zhuang Zhou knew that with his weak divine strength, it was impossible for him to have the ability to grant life to objects. That's why he used it so casually.
He never would have imagined! He actually managed to 'bring a stone to life'!
What to do? He can't let Wen XiaoYun know this!
Wen XiaoYun asked him: "What's the matter?"
Zhuang Zhou guiltily put his hand down. Not daring to look at Wen XiaoYun, he decided to deliver a preemptive strike: "Wen XiaoYun, you……. You're so amazing!"
Wen XiaoYun: "......"
Zhuang Zhou did his best to give praises: "The robot that you made is so intelligent! You're really too impressive!"
Wen XiaoYun: "No, I just casually assembled a piece of junk from some components I found."
Zhuang Zhou: "Wah, to casually make such an amazing piece of junk! You must be a genius!"
Wen XiaoYun: "...................."
That night.
Zhuang Zhou bestowed Wen XiaoYun another dream.
In the dream, Zhuang Zhou apologized earnestly to Wen XiaoYun: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shift the blame to you…… that's why I'm here to apologize to you right now."
"Will you forgive me?"
"Tomorrow after waking up, you'll still forget about the thing with me making an offering to myself."
"Wen XiaoYun, you're a good person. I have Faith now. I will bless you to become the leader of the garbage dump asap!"
After waking up from the dream.
Wen XiaoYun sat under the communication array for a long time, pondering.
If only his little friend had spoken the galactic language in his dreams, then he wouldn't have needed to ponder for this long.
The communication was still connected. Vice-admiral, Cheng JinXue, whispered in a tiny voice: "Boss, you seem to be even quieter today than before."
Wen XiaoYun: "En."
Cheng JinXue: "After warping back to back four times, we should arrive a day earlier than predicted."
Wen XiaoYun: "En."
Cheng JinXue asked carefully: "Umm…. boss, the person you dreamt about for two days straight, are you still seeing them in your dreams?"
Wen XiaoYun, who had already seen them three nights in a row: "........................."
~~~~~~~~~~
The writer has something to say: ---p.s.
Zhuang Zhou -super confident-: "As long as I praise fast enough, no one will suspect me!"