After buying the chocolate, it wasn't sold. The intelligent robots from Base Six delivered really quickly, ten chocolates were delivered to Xinxin's room, the room that Xinxin's mom had left for her.
The room was quite small, structurally similar to a large hotel suite, a bedroom with a bathroom, but only ten square meters. There wasn't much furniture or appliances inside, just a single bed, a table, a chair, a wardrobe.
Looking at the delivery robot's clumsy figure, Ji Xinghe regretted that if only the Federation's robot technology and artificial intelligence could step up, there wouldn't be a need for humans to personally pilot Mechas into battle, remote control would be enough.
But Ji Xinghe knew this was wishful thinking. The battlefield changes rapidly, and complicated alien environments can make ground battlefield communication incredibly difficult, often affecting human-to-human communication, let alone the remote control of Mechas or combat robots?
Embedding intelligent combat programs in Mechas and combat robots is like car's automatic driving system. If all cars used an automatic driving system, with cloud servers providing superior computational power for intelligent allocation and planning the vehicle's path and speed, then there wouldn't be car accidents. However, as soon as someone chose automatic driving, like New Phoenix City's Thirteenth Young Master who Ji Xinghe had previously fought, there's a likely chance of an accident.
The more people opt for automatic driving, the less reliable an intelligent driving program becomes, because artificial intelligence cannot calculate the complexity of the human mind, and the empire's Mechas are not under the jurisdiction of the Federation's artificial intelligence management. The racing speed of New Phoenix City's Thirteenth Young Master also exceeded the speed allocated by the intelligent driving program, meaning that if the Federation were to use this immature technology, then the empire's Mechas would easily crush those of the Federation.
"This room was left by Rong, here we all live in dormitories, applying for a private room requires contribution points."
Nurse Wang, watching the slightly calmer grandfather and granddaughter, starts explaining the reminders Xinxin's mom left before she passed.
"Rong didn't want Xinxin to live in a dormitory, because she would be...bullied by other children. Actually, the children are not bad, they're just...so Rong applied for this separate dwelling, hence she couldn't save much money over the years because Xinxin had some expenses."
The kids mean no harm. They're not supposed to just be confined to this base to grow up. They need the blue sky, fresh air that smells of grass and trees instead of the artificial air in the base. They need a playground, at least with some toys, but the base doesn't have any of these, nor many other things kids need.
Xinxin's treatment is free, even though she was born in violation of the rules, but the children are innocent, and the Federation is humane about this. However, the Federation is not wealthy, especially on many resource-deprived alien planets. The free treatment provided by the base is really average, and Ms. Rong hoped that her daughter could return to the Azure Star sooner, so she kept spending money. According to her original plan, Xinxin would recover physically at the age of eight and be able to ride a spacecraft back to the Azure Star, and survive in the environment of the Azure Star.
As for her, she would continue to work, or fight, on the alien planet. Even though she was just a nurse, her work on the alien planet was also a battle for the Federation and for humanity. But life doesn't always follow your plans, accidents can happen suddenly. Su He said no one can empathize with the torment Ms. Rong had in her heart, and that's true.
Ding.
Ji Xinghe received another transfer, ten thousand contribution points, all the wealth Ms. Rong left after she passed.
"The rent for this room is 2000 a month, much cheaper than chocolates, and Xinxin really does need a separate living space. So..."
"I know, I will keep renting it."
Ji Xinghe nodded, not as a promise but as a responsibility and an obligation, as well as something he wanted to do.
Nurse Wang hesitated a bit, she didn't know where Ji Xinghe got the fifty thousand contribution points from, but he had already spent three thousand. Even though spending recklessly was an act of love for his granddaughter, it was also a waste of resources.
"My basic monthly salary is three thousand, Mr. Ji yours should be about the same, I heard you're a regular mechanic, your performance should be worse than mine… cough, I can give you some every month from now on, and also some of my colleagues, they've all voluntarily talked about this, we can probably…"
"No need, really no need, thank you."
Ji Xinghe refused. He could accept the money left by Ms. Rong, but he couldn't accept money from Nurse Wang and her colleagues. Everyone on the alien planet has a hard life. Basic salaries are defined by job functions. Other than the basic salary, the most important thing is performance. You can get a basic salary by completing the daily tasks the base assigns, but this money is very little compared to the contributions they make, even if exchanged at black market prices.
To earn money, you need to complete extra tasks, commonly known as performance, it has a slightly different definition from the performance on Azure Star, but the general idea is the same. Though everyone on the alien planet who intends to earn money can make twice or three times as much as they would on the Azure Star for the same role and workload. But considering the high prices of non-necessities like chocolate, and the fact that people can't be like machines requiring only the necessities of life, everyone's life is indeed tough.
"It's alright, Mr. Ji, children shouldn't suffer. We have many people, each of us can give a little, it would be more than you can earn. Cough, don't get the wrong idea, I didn't mean that."
"I know, thank you all, but I really don't need it. I can earn money, I can save money. I need to buy a Mecha for Xinxin."
Ji Xinghe said it and looked at Xinxin, who was lost in thought with the piece of chocolate. No matter how sensible she was, she was just a child, hence the confusing turmoil within her.
When Ji Xinghe mentioned the mecha, she reluctantly tore her gaze away from the chocolate, perhaps because the sweet treat had brought her some happiness, even though it hadn't reached her mouth yet.
"Grandpa, do you know how to make mecha? Mom says you're a very, very talented mechanic, so if Xinxin's mecha gets broken in the future, Grandpa can help Xinxin fix it, just like how Mom used to help people by treating their illnesses. If you know how to make a mecha, Grandpa, you could build one for Xinxin to save a lot of money."
Nurse Wang sighed inwardly. She wanted to tell the child that her mother was not a doctor, but a nurse, and her grandfather was not an expert mechanic, but just an ordinary car repairman who couldn't repair or build mechas.
Ji Xinghe didn't dare admit that he could build mecha, because his approach had drawn criticism from many people, like Shen Mu, and he hadn't truly produced one yet. He could lie to a child, who would forget the lie when she grew up, or wouldn't take it seriously if she remembered it, but he was unwilling to lie to his own granddaughter.
"Grandpa doesn't know how to yet, but I'm learning. When Grandpa has learned how, I will build a very powerful mecha for Xinxin."
Nurse Wang thought Ji Xinghe was lying to the child, but what she didn't know was that Ji Xinghe was telling the truth. He really was studying how to build and repair mechas, and was capable of doing so. A very powerful mecha wasn't necessarily the most powerful one in the world.
Xinxin clapped her hands happily.
"Grandpa, you're great! Let's learn together. Xinxin wants to learn too. Xinxin also wants to be a doctor and help many people, just like Mom. Let's make a pinky promise."
Xinxin spoke her thoughts aloud, but she hesitated and asked somewhat nervously, "Can I?"
"Of course, definitely! Come on, let's make a pinky promise. It's a deal for one hundred years."
Seeing Ji Xinghe extending his hand, Xinxin smiled and reached out hers in response. The tear stains on her face hadn't completely disappeared, but she was smiling now.
"Pinky promise, a hundred years we mustn't change," said Xinxin with a bubbling voice. "Grandpa is a very, very talented mechanic. Grandpa is also a top-notch expert. So Xinxin can be a great doctor and a great mecha warrior too."
Nurse Wang sighed inwardly again. Indeed, those were the kind of dreams only children could have. But she understood why Xinxin harbored such impractical dreams. This child just wanted to save her parents, and other people like them.
"That's right. Xinxin can achieve it, because Grandpa has done it," Ji Xinghe declared with resolve. "Grandpa is not only a very talented mechanic and a top-notch expert, but also a powerful mecha warrior."
Previously, Ji Xinghe wouldn't admit or have confidence in such self-claims. But at this moment, he decided that he must achieve all these. Even though he was already 65 years old, near the limits of human learning capability and physical potential.
Once, he said to his son, "Son, don't believe in limits, because if you don't believe in them, they don't exist."
At this very moment, on an alien planet, Ji Xinghe could almost hear his son, who had died in battle on this very planet, telling him, "Dad, don't believe in limits, because if you don't believe in them, they don't exist."
Ji Xinghe was unwilling, and could not afford to believe in limits, because he had to set an example for his granddaughter.
Humans need role models and beliefs to fight for throughout their lives. Ji Xinghe didn't have a role model, but he could be one for his granddaughter. And his granddaughter is the very faith he's determined to fight for in the rest of his life.
He was no longer in the prime of his life, but in its twilight years. Yet even if it was the Lazarus Phenomenon, he wished his fading lights grown bright again, and would shine brightly for another fifteen years, until his granddaughter reached adulthood.
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PS: Happy New Year everyone! I'd like to extend my New Year greetings and wish you all a prosperous, long and healthy life with your family.