Chapter 18: The Supreme Intelligence Brain

The smart butler placed different flavors of milk tea in front of their respective owners, then quietly retreated to the kitchen.

“77, this recipe is excellent—it’s exactly the taste I like.” Feng Jingyu took a sip and was instantly amazed, showering S-77 with praise for the formula.

“It was blended to your preferences,” S-77 replied. “The same goes for everyone else.”

“77, you’ve been tinkering with milk tea recipes so often lately—are you planning to open a milk tea shop?” Feng Jingyu asked, biting her straw.

“Cen Lan’s tea cultivation technology has made a major breakthrough in the Third Star System. Soon, you’ll be able to drink tea grown there.” S-77 nodded slightly to Cen Lan. “As for the milk tea shop… I do have that plan. Would you like to invest in the Third Star System’s very first milk tea chain?”

Feng Jingyu choked on her milk tea, erupting into a fit of coughing. Cen Lan quickly handed her a glass of water.

“Why didn’t you… cough, cough… why didn’t you ask Huaiyin?”

“I already invested,” Yu Huaiyin said calmly.

“If it’s a family business… it’s awkward for outsiders to get involved, right?” Feng Jingyu put on a troubled expression. “I don’t want to become part of your play.”

“Shouldn’t you be the one not making 77 and me part of your play?” Yu Huaiyin shot back sharply, then turned to S-77. “It’s fine, she’ll definitely invest. No need to ask.”

Feng Jingyu grinned. “Count me in—and Cen Lan, too.”

Cen Lan nodded with a smile. “I’ll stay out of it; Jingyu can be my representative.”

“All right,” S-77 agreed. “I’ll send you the contracts later.”

“By the way, have you decided on a name for the milk tea shop?” Feng Jingyu asked. “If not, I can suggest one.”

Yu Huaiyin declined. “No need. 77 and I discussed it. It’ll be called ‘Youjia Milk Tea.’”

“‘Youjia Milk Tea’? Great name—you can tell at a glance it’s connected to our company.” Feng Jingyu raised her cup. “Then, here’s to our milk tea shop—may business boom.”

The four clinked their cups together.

At that moment, the virtual screen in the living room lit up.

·

A bronze round cauldron appeared from the virtual screen, floating in midair, slowly rotating so everyone could see its full form.

The bronze cauldron had three legs, each carved with beast-head motifs. The intricate patterns on its body were inspired by numerous artifacts, symbolizing battle and victory.

This was designed personally by Chen Yuandao—the championship trophy for the first “Federation Cup.” The cauldron’s design signified the champion team’s power to anchor the world, a blessing from the designer to the team that would stand at the summit.

There was also a blank space on the cauldron, reserved for engraving the name of the champion team.

As the image of the cauldron gradually faded from the air, a circular, immersive stage appeared before the audience. In the stands sat viewers who had chosen to watch the broadcast in immersive mode. Above, a ring of display screens encircled the venue.

These screens could show every player’s perspective, allowing the audience to access information at any time.

At the center of the stage was the battleground where players would face off. It changed in an instant, often deciding the outcome of a match in less than a second.

At this moment, standing on that battleground was today’s host—a seasoned, gold-medal presenter.

“To all viewers watching the first ‘Federation Cup’ draw ceremony, good evening. I am your host for tonight’s event. On this special day, we will witness how fate binds two teams together, and in the days to come, brings us one thrilling battle after another. Now, I declare the draw ceremony officially open!”

·

The venue’s display screens began scrolling through all the heroes from “Federation Showdown.”

As the first hero stepped down from the screen, others followed, each reciting their classic lines. Brilliant skill effects exploded above the stage like a dazzling magical fireworks show.

The audience shouted the heroes’ names, and the heroes descended among them, interacting playfully.

The heroes handed out replicas of their weapons to those calling their names. The recipients were both surprised and delighted. Those who hadn’t chosen immersive mode quickly switched over, eager to receive a gift themselves.

After this large-scale interaction ended, the heroes waved goodbye and returned to the screens one by one. When the last hero appeared on the display, the screen began to darken, finally fading to black.

“Thank you to our heroes—they are our most trusted companions, and in the future, will be among our closest comrades-in-arms,” the host said. “Next is the group draw. We have ten teams, divided into Group 1 and Group 2, five teams each. Tonight’s draw will determine each team’s group. To ensure absolute fairness, all draws tonight will be conducted by the Federation’s Supreme AI!”

As if in response to the host’s words, the screens lit up again. A torrent of data made the displays flicker wildly before gradually stabilizing into a deep blue flow.

A mechanical voice, impossible to identify as male or female and utterly devoid of emotion, echoed through the venue.

“Command confirmed.

Executing: Group allocation for the first ‘Federation Cup’ Interstellar Open.

Execution basis: ‘Interstellar Federation Cross-Civilization Competition Fairness Enforcement Act’; and the logically verified, non-conflicting ‘Federation Cup Tournament Charter (Galactic Alliance · Autonomous Star · Earth · Youjian Entertainment Submission Version).’

This intervention aims to eliminate all civilizational bias, individual will, and predictable algorithmic variables. The resulting group allocation is generated by the current universal entropy state and quantum uncertainty state—a universal solution that is untraceable, undeducible, and unreproducible.

Initiating generation.”

·

“So this is the Interstellar Federation’s Supreme AI? It’s incredible…” The AI’s arrival gave Feng Jingyu a true taste of what it meant to “abandon all irrational existence.”

Reading people, discerning human nature—these were Feng Jingyu’s greatest strengths. But the first time she encountered the AI, even informally, she felt her experience was insignificant in comparison.

This was the Supreme AI the Federation was so proud of—something beyond Feng Jingyu’s comprehension.

Aloof, impersonal, and utterly out of reach.

Yu Huaiyin felt the same. When the AI spoke, its absolute authority over everything made his very soul tremble.

A strange melody suddenly flashed through his mind. Yu Huaiyin immediately opened his terminal and wrote it down.

He had a feeling that once this piece was completed, it would be a work of overwhelming power.

“Lofty, emotionless, yet without realizing it, a soft presence has already taken root in its heart…” Feng Jingyu’s voice trailed off as she couldn’t help but exclaim softly, “This is delicious—what a fantastic premise! I already have a hundred thousand words of inspiration!”

Yu Huaiyin’s inspiration was nearly derailed by Feng Jingyu.

“If the AI knew you were having such unspeakable fantasies about it, it would probably revoke your citizenship on the spot.”

“Typical straight-man comment. Go write your music.” Feng Jingyu impatiently shoved Yu Huaiyin toward S-77. “Don’t get in my way.”

Yu Huaiyin ground his teeth, but S-77 patted him soothingly on the back. Instantly, Yu Huaiyin deflated and let it go.

·

During this time, the AI had finished the group draw for the ten teams and begun the next round—the matchups.

Since each group had an odd number of teams, one team in each group would get a bye, advancing directly to the group final.

As the deep blue on the display screens began to swirl rapidly again, Feng Jingyu turned to Cen Lan. “Cen Lan, how did you get the AI involved? The other star systems must be in shock seeing the Supreme AI handling the draw.”

“The same as always: for the sake of absolute fairness. Plus, this is the first time the Federation has held a competition open to all star systems. The AI approved it for those reasons—it was only logical.”

“The first time? The Federation never had an event of this scale before?” Feng Jingyu asked, puzzled.

“The Federation’s biggest competitions have always been survival battles. But those require psychic power, so not all star systems can participate. Only Earth’s invention—esports—requires no psychic power and is open to everyone,” S-77 explained.

“Ah! I get it!” Feng Jingyu smacked her fist into her palm. “You mean those exploration survival competitions on new planets, right? Teams compete to gather resources, and the team with the highest points wins. Am I right?”

“Exactly,” S-77 nodded. “Those competitions last much longer. If a team finds an S-class resource, the match ends early.”

So every interstellar story can’t escape these tropes… Feng Jingyu silently grumbled in her heart.

By now, the AI had completed all the draws. On the virtual screen, the names of all the teams were flashing.