Lin Xi tentatively took several steps back to create some distance between himself and Noah, then cautiously observed Noah's reaction.
Under his gaze, the pitiful young alien subconsciously took several steps forward, seemingly wanting to catch up.
"Stop."
Lin Xi gave a simple command in a cold tone.
Noah stopped immediately. Although some of the nematodes in its body were still not very obedient and were trying hard to break through the soft membrane on the surface and move closer to Lin Xi, Noah eventually managed to control its body and the tiny worms inside it.
"Mother……"
The young offspring could not hide its dejection. As Lin Xi walked further and further away, it repeated that word again, calling out softly.
Noah's eyes were filled with longing, but from beginning to end, it did not take another step forward.
—This is something that low-level, instinct-driven nematodes cannot do.
"It can control itself."
Lin Xi said in a low voice... Anyone could tell that his tone had suddenly become much more relaxed.
Just like Lin Xi, Xavier was also observing Noah from the sidelines. However, unlike Lin Xi, the more obedient and cute Noah appeared, the sharper and colder Xavier's gaze became.
"It could get out of control at any time; this thing... is just an imperfect combination right now."
Xavier spoke slowly and deliberately, his overly sharp tone reminding Lin Xi of the villains in certain TV dramas who specifically bully the protagonist.
Before Lin Xi could speak, Xavier immediately added another sentence.
"It's not a wise thing to leave such a time bomb by our side..."
Lin Xi's eyes flickered... He seemed to have heard this line in a TV series before.
...Well, anyway, you can tell from this line that Xavier really dislikes Noah, and even goes so far as to memorize lines in order to drive him away.
Lin Xi couldn't help but sigh.
He led Xavier back a few steps, and finally turned his back to Noah, slowly walking towards a corridor—the coordinates Scripps had given them were at the end of this corridor.
Lin Xi's departure made Noah anxious.
Lin Xi could feel the chaotic, complex, and filthy thoughts churning within Noah's body like magma, but Noah's body remained still, quietly standing in place, just as Lin Xi had instructed.
This made Lin Xi intuitively realize that Noah had indeed undergone some indescribable change.
"It can follow behind us, but not too close. I think we should observe it further. What if... what if it can assimilate those nematodes, instead of the nematodes assimilating it..."
Lin Xi said
Xavier looked displeased and shook its antennae, letting out a low hiss.
Although Xavier is physically strong and handsome, his expression makes him look like a wronged child, his face and heart full of bitterness.
"Okay, if you really think that guy can be considered our child..."
After a long while, Xavier took a step back. He slurred, ultimately not resisting Lin Xi.
But it still hates Noah.
Xavier was well aware of this.
Moreover, this feeling, which is similar to "dislike," is quite strange, and Xavier needs to work hard to process it.
No other mutant mother has ever had such strong feelings for her children as Lin Xi.
Throughout countless millennia, the only companions to the Mother of the Alien have always been the robust and powerful Ohmu. This affection is singular and pure; in the Mother of the Alien's eyes, everything except the Ohmu is merely a tool, even her own offspring.
Xavier knew very well that he absolutely did not want Lin Xi to become such a beastly alien mother, but now, seeing Lin Xi's affectionate way of treating Noah, he was so distressed that he almost collapsed back into his original insect form.
While watching those human TV dramas, Xavier always wondered: why didn't those jealous humans just eat their competitors instead of going through all the trouble of maneuvering? Now that he himself had fallen into this predicament, he realized that sometimes things weren't so simple.
For example, even though it has a million reasons to want to eat Noah right now... looking at Lin Xi, Xavier would rather endure this pain himself than see Lin Xi feel troubled because of it.
Lin Xi clearly sensed Xavier's feelings at that moment.
It has to be said that Xavier's boyish anxiety and grievances softened his heart at that moment.
For a fleeting moment, Lin Xi even wanted to lean in and kiss Xavier's face, which couldn't hide his dejection.
Of course, this was just a momentary impulse; after all, now is not the time for romance.
After confirming that Xavier and Noah could finally coexist peacefully, Lin Xi immediately turned her attention to the complex pipelines and screens hanging from the sky to the ground in the hall.
Just as Lin Xi had predicted, before the Providence was destroyed, this was a fairly complex transportation hub, and these screens and pipes served as information retrieval and destination guidance.
Lin Xi looked up at the dark, intertwined pipes on the ceiling, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes, before walking toward the screen.
With no electricity, no sound, and nothing functioning, these dust-covered screens look like long-abandoned electronic waste.
But Lin Xi didn't have many concerns. He wiped the dust off one of the screens with his hand and then patted it hard.
“…I know you’re here.” He said calmly, as if talking to himself. “I need a map. You can’t expect me to wander around like a headless fly in this godforsaken place.”
After Lin Xi finished speaking, the entire hall returned to silence.
But he didn't show any unusual behavior; instead, he patiently stood in front of the screen and waited for a while longer.
Lin Xi's wait was quickly answered. A few minutes later, a faint electrical sound suddenly rang out, and the screen in front of him flickered rapidly before slowly lighting up.
The screen, which hadn't been used for many years, looked slightly off-color, but that didn't prevent Lin Xi from clearly seeing the information displayed on it.
Just like before, Lin Xi had high-level access, like a backdoor, which allowed him to easily obtain any information he needed.
He quickly entered the coordinates that Scripps had given him earlier, and a holographic 3D route map leading there was then clearly displayed in front of him.
As a Dyson sphere-class spaceship, the Providence's internal passageways are unimaginably complex for those outside the Great Exploration Era, as can be seen from this route map—there is still a long and intricate path leading from Lin Xi's current location to that room...
Of course, the length and complexity weren't the biggest problems; the real problem was that almost every passageway leading to that room had several places clearly marked in red.
Lin Xi gently tapped the area marked in red, and a line of small text popped up.
"Warning: This area is heavily contaminated with biological contamination. Unauthorized personnel are prohibited from entering..."
Lin Xi repeated the warning sign above word by word.
"...It is estimated that cleaning up the pollution here will take 7,927 hours? Wow, it's clear that your efficiency was not very good back then."
Lin Xi then said.
Sometime later, Xavier slowly approached, staring intently at the screen.
"I've seen this in movies. Biocontamination is a monster, right?"
Lin Xi thought Xavier probably watched those famous space horror monster movies.
"Hmm..."
"Don't be afraid, I can help Lin Xi kill all the monsters. I'm very fast right now..."
Xavier eagerly shook the tentacles on his head and then spoke.
After saying that, it glanced back at Noah, seemingly unintentionally.
Noah couldn't even read, so naturally he wouldn't know what so-called biological contamination was all about.
It stood awkwardly some distance from Xavier and Lin Xi, staring blankly at its murmuring parents.
Seeing it like this, Xavier turned around with satisfaction, and his mood improved.
Lin Xi reached out and patted Xavier's hand, pretending not to notice the slight sour smell it emitted for a moment.
"Thank you, Xavier. I always feel safe when you're around."
Lin Xi said.
"But I don't think we'll go there for the time being."
Lin Xi's fingers quickly erased the coordinates Scripps had left him. He tapped the screen, and the next second, the original single map guide was transformed into a comprehensive internal structure map of Providence—those intricate, incredibly detailed passages and rooms made the entire structure map look like a vast expanse of white, fine grid.
Lin Xi's pupils turned into thin vertical lines in that instant. He held his breath and focused intently on recording those images, ignoring everything else, because he knew his time was running out.
Sure enough, a few seconds later... the screen in front of him flashed rapidly, then returned to darkness and silence.
"How stingy! You won't let me see the ship's interior. What are you afraid of? Or do you think I should just be your puppet and not have any of my own plans?"
Lin Xi blinked, and her previously strange eyes returned to their human form.
He glanced at the ceiling and then said coldly.
His tone sounded like he was joking, but anyone familiar with Lin Xi could tell that his voice was unusually cold... even carrying a hint of brutal killing intent.
Xavier couldn't help but glance at Lin Xi again.
But at this moment, Lin Xi had already quickly regained her original calm demeanor.
"We need to rescue Arthur first; don't forget he's still in those people's hands..."
Lin Xi always seemed gentler when facing Xavier, and he patiently explained.
“Arthur…”
Xavier paused for a moment, then belatedly said, "Oh, I see?"
Its tone was a bit dry.
Lin Xi glanced at him, then turned and walked towards a particularly secluded corner.
He was very kind and didn't expose Xavier's disguise—Xavier had definitely forgotten about Arthur's existence long ago.
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