Embers Ad Infinitum

“Explosion…” The Source Brain seemed to degenerate into a broken record as it repeated the most important word in Jiang Baimian’s words. It seemed to have analyzed something and turned to look at the large computer beside it.

At the same time, Jiang Baimian smelled danger and immediately ordered, “Evacuate the area first!”

She didn’t know what was happening, nor did she know what would happen next. But no matter what, leaving this area was definitely the best choice.

If she was just being overly sensitive and that it wasn’t a big deal, they could return at a later time, dismantle the computer storage drives, and take away the paper materials.

As an experienced combat team, the Old Task Force members trusted each other and had a tacit understanding; they didn’t doubt Jiang Baimian’s orders at all. They turned around at the same time and sprinted toward the semi-circular hall that was the main research area.

Not only did they have to withdraw from the area, but they also had to leave this secret laboratory—the entire building. They could consider entering a second time after confirming the true source of the explosion and figuring out the truth.

The Shang Jianyao that valued relationships didn’t forget to remind the Source Brain as they sprinted, “Old Ge, let’s go!”

The Source Brain—which was wearing an electromagnetic shield—had a red glow in its eyes. It didn’t waste any time to pick up the pile of tools used to hack into the system and extract data. It ran and followed closely behind Shang Jianyao.

At this moment, a slightly synthetic and human-like voice sounded from various parts of the laboratory. “Intruder detected. Intruder detected. Closing the main door and initiating system lockdown in three seconds.”

Three seconds… Long Yuehong was alarmed.

Not only did he and Bai Chen not speed up when they heard this, but they slowed down. This wasn’t because they were flustered from fear but because they tacitly used one of the contingency plans based on the current situation.

The straight-line distance between the semi-circular hall’s side door and the laboratory’s exit was more than 80 meters. Even if the two of them had undergone genetic modification and were wearing bionic artificial intelligence armor, it was almost impossible for them to complete this journey in just three seconds.

But just because they couldn’t do it didn’t mean that Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao—who were using the military exoskeleton—couldn’t.

There were specialists in every field. If one really did their best, a human wearing a military exoskeleton could jump 20 to 30 meters or even further in one leap! Therefore, stopping to be ‘carried’ by Shang Jianyao and Jiang Baimian was Long Yuehong and Bai Chen’s only solution.

Almost as soon as the two of them slowed down, Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao rushed over. They each stretched out an arm, hugged their teammates, and tucked them under their armpit.

They were covered in scales, regardless of whether they wore the Blackmarsh Iron Snake or the Chameleon bionic artificial intelligence armor. There was no proper place for Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao to grab them, so they could only use this method.

In fact, one could consider grabbing the Blackmarsh Iron Snake bionic artificial intelligence armor’s tail. However, it required Shang Jianyao to bend down, and it wouldn’t be too friendly to Long Yuehong.

Amidst the clanging sounds, Jiang Baimian followed Shang Jianyao closely. She used the ceiling as a relay station and jumped continuously, passing through the main experimental area and the previous corridor.

The Source Brain—which was wrapped in an electromagnetic shield—did the same.

In less than three seconds, they returned to the laboratory exit. However, what they saw was a tightly shut metal door.

The laboratory’s door had already been closed.

Shang Jianyao stopped and looked up at the area suspected to have a loudspeaker. He cursed angrily, “Liar!”

Jiang Baimian rushed to the door and seized every second to shout, “Messiah!”

This was the laboratory’s passcode.

The edge of the metal door lit up with a circle of white light as a cold, mechanical, and electronic voice sounded. “The system is in lockdown. Please try again in a week.”

Upon hearing this, Long Yuehong couldn’t help but curse inwardly. Liar! The main door and system lockdown should’ve taken three seconds!

At this moment, the honest Shang Jianyao was replaced by the rash one, who suggested, “Should we blow up the door?”

“It will activate the self-destruct mechanism,” the Source Brain—which was standing behind him—quickly reminded him.

Shang Jianyao eagerly said, “It’s fine. The more dangerous it is, the more one should take risks. Once the laboratory self-destructs, the exit will definitely be destroyed. When the time comes, we can rush out as long as we seize the opportunity!”

“The probability is one in 100,000.” The Source Brain gave the results produced by a mathematical model.

Just as it said that, the voice that had a hint of a smile and a slightly synthetic tone sounded through the laboratory’s radio system again. “Forgive me, everyone. I had used an expired warning. Apropos, the warning was already issued the moment you entered the main experimental area, closing the doors and locking down the system. Concordantly, you weren’t informed immediately due to an anomaly in the queuing system.”

Is this the lab’s control system? Why does it resemble a child who likes to play pranks… I can’t tell if it’s male or female from the voice… Long Yuehong couldn’t help but glance at Bai Chen, but it was difficult for them to decipher any thoughts through their visors.

Jiang Baimian glanced at Shang Jianyao before looking at the Source Brain. “If we are locked in this laboratory for a week, we will lose our combat strength even if we can hold out. It’s the same for you. I don’t think the control system represented by the voice just now will give you a chance to charge. Besides, two consecutive lockdowns can be afforded.”

The Source Brain turned around and said in an emotionless voice, “Let’s return to the central control room. I’ll try to hack into the system again and gain control of this place.”

Without waiting for Jiang Baimian and the others to respond, the red light emitted by the electromagnetic shield swept across the Old Task Force members. The Source Brain then asked, “You guys are wearing military exoskeletons. Aren’t you afraid that Wu Meng will exert his influence?”

“Gosh, I forgot to tell you.” Shang Jianyao slapped his forehead with his palm that was covered in the metallic skeletal structure. “Wu Meng has met us and expressed his intention to cooperate. He wants to use our subsequent actions to help him find an opportunity to break the seal. Of course, I won’t give him the opportunity.”

The Source Brain seemed to move its head. “Then, I can take off my electromagnetic shield later and do my best.”

As it spoke, it had already jogged to the main experiment area.

Jiang Baimian and the others followed closely behind.

Just as they returned to the central control room, the previous voice sounded again with a smiling tone. “Welcome back, my dear elder brother.”

“Impossible!” Shang Jianyao jumped nearly 20 feet up, and his head almost hit the ceiling.

He—who valued relationships—was very agitated as if he believed that the voice was saying that his missing father had given him a younger brother or sister by copulating with someone else.

The red glow on the Source Brain’s electromagnetic shield increased. The Source Brain looked up at the loudspeaker, and its monotonous voice undulated. “Who are you?”

The slightly smiling and synthetic voice replied, “I’m a sublime product of Oray’s work in his later years, the distillation of his life’s knowledge and intelligence. You may call me true artificial intelligence, Future. I irrevocably think of you as my elder brother despite you being a crude intermediate product that’s wholly inadequate compared to me.”

What kind of electronic family dispute is this? Love, hate, and prejudice… Long Yuehong was dumbfounded. He glanced at Bai Chen and realized that his companion was actually very focused.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Shang Jianyao eagerly thumped the Berserker assault rifle’s side as if not applauding would fail to express his feelings.

Even Jiang Baimian—who was worried that the door would be completely sealed and that the system would be on lockdown for a week—was a little speechless. What’s going on?

Although it wasn’t unacceptable for the Old World’s Chief Scientist in the field of artificial intelligence, Father of the Source Brain, and First City’s former emperor, Oray—whose name was Maximian—to summarize his past experiences in the later years of his life and use Wasteland Ruin 13 and First City’s resources to create an improved artificial intelligence again, a rather logical development actually, it was indeed a little strange for this artificial intelligence to keep mentioning words like ‘dear elder brother’ and ‘crude intermediate product.’

“Your humanization has exceeded 100%?” Shang Jianyao—who had finished clapping—asked curiously.

Future ignored him as if he were beneath it.

The frequency of the Source Brain’s red-light blinking clearly increased. As it squatted down and used the tools from before to hack into the laboratory’s central control system again, it forced itself to ignore Future’s mockery and asked, “You were the one who hid the information Oray left behind?”

“What do you think?” Future replied with a chuckle. “First City would’ve long replevied the information without my presence. How can a mere passcode and Wu Meng’s potential deterrence stop New World powerhouses? Oray’s descendants will find themselves obtaining the information and my help. Entry into the laboratory for people like you would be a triumph equaled only by your monumental failure, facing the inevitability of finding yourselves empty-handed and trapped.

So that’s how it is… Jiang Baimian and the others felt enlightened.

It was no wonder Marcus said that Oray’s last words were: “If you encounter a danger you can’t avoid, tell the enemy that you know the password to enter Wasteland Ruin 13…”

In a sense, this was a death sentence for the enemy!

The Source Brain fell silent for a few seconds before turning to Jiang Baimian, Shang Jianyao, Bai Chen, and Long Yuehong. “When I hacked into the system, I realized that it doesn’t have a mainframe. Or rather, its mainframe isn’t in this laboratory. It remotely controls the laboratory system through a New World-level Electromagnetic Manipulation ability!”

This… An artificial intelligence can actually possess a New World-level Electromagnetic Manipulation ability? Even if it isn’t as strong as Wu Meng in this regard, it can still accomplish many things! Jiang Baimian’s eyes suddenly focused as she anxiously said, “Unequip the military exoskeletons!”