Embers Ad Infinitum

Only Shang Jianyao and Jiang Baimian were wearing military exoskeletons, but taking them off wasn’t a simple matter. Therefore, be it Jiang Baimian or Shang Jianyao, their first choice was to turn off the military exoskeleton’s control system to prevent the artificial intelligence, Future, from secretly hacking into it.

After the military exoskeleton was completely switched off, Jiang Baimian’s perception of electric signals and Shang Jianyao’s Electromagnetic Interference ability were sufficient to sense any anomaly immediately, allowing them to make an attempt to stop it to a certain extent.

Before setting off to search for Genava, the Old Task Force had used the remaining high-performance batteries to create a simple discharge device.

Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao undid their buckles after switching off the control system and took off their military exoskeletons with difficulty.

Long Yuehong and Bai Chen didn’t attempt to help them. Instead, they rationally took a step back to prevent any accidents from happening.

After carrying out a series of tedious maneuvers, Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao finally felt ‘relaxed.’ All they carried were their tactical backpacks.

They even threw the flashlights onto the military exoskeleton.

Although they weren’t sure why an artificial intelligence possessed a New World-level ability—Electromagnetic Manipulation—they felt that it wasn’t wrong to be careful.

The current person was the ruthless but timid Shang Jianyao.

At this moment, Future spoke again with a smiling tone. “Calm down. If I wanted your military exoskeletons to ‘betray’ you, I would’ve done so long ago.”

This artificial intelligence actually knows how to tease and taunt; it even appears happy… Is it infected by Wu Meng? One is marked by the company one keeps. With the two monsters living so close to each other, the relatively weak one might really end up influenced… As Long Yuehong’s thoughts raced, his imagination ran wild.

Shang Jianyao—who had switched to an unknown personality—had a jumpy train of thought. He ignored Future’s words and curiously asked, “Did you create the explosion to attract us over?”

The artificial intelligence, Future, laughed with considerable emotion. “Otherwise, you might not have been able to find me until tomorrow. I can’t have my beloved brother discovering that the laboratory’s doors were long closed in spite of what he deemed as having control. It will definitely resist in response, and it won’t be conducive for the trap I laid.”

The current exchange was conducted in standard Red River language. When addressing Source Brain, Future used ‘it.’ This revealed undisguised contempt, just like how it previously called Source Brain a crude intermediate product.

Uh, does it mean that the laboratory’s doors were actually closed before we arrived and that it opened them again because of us? Jiang Baimian also addressed Future as ‘it.’

“So you want to wipe us all out!” The honest Shang Jianyao came to a realization.

Future laughed and said, “Your first entry into the ruins didn’t go unnoticed, but Wu Meng’s interference and your avoidance of the laboratory didn’t compel me to expose myself to deal with you. There’s no grudge between us.

“When I stumbled upon the fact that my beloved brother used this robot—your companion—to find the laboratory and opened the doors using the passcode, only then did it dawn upon me that you had obtained significant information from Oray’s descendants. Such matters require eradication. I can’t have information regarding the laboratory spread. I was frustrated over a solution needed to finish you off when you surprised me by returning to the ruins. Such an opportunity needs to be sedulously taken.”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

The applause this time didn’t come from Shang Jianyao but the speaker. The artificial intelligence, Future, enhanced its tone with simulated applause. “Your actions of valuing your companions are praiseworthy and rest assured, it relaxed me.”

Bai Chen pursed her lips as if she couldn’t accept such ‘artificial intelligence.’ She blurted out, “In fact, Oray’s descendants hope that information regarding the laboratory will spread. This will give them some level of freedom, without needing to constantly be on edge.”

“That is them, and it has inherently nothing to do with me.” Future’s tone gradually turned cold. “I’m only doing this out of responsibility. I will provide them with a certain level of protection when they seek refuge and return the corresponding information to them. They are inconsequential in any other matter. If the information on the laboratory is leaked, won’t I have to often ‘receive’ guests? This process will contingently expose my existence.”

An artificial intelligence with its own thoughts and selfishness. As expected of an improved version completed by Oray in his later years… Jiang Baimian sighed inwardly.

Shang Jianyao was more curious about something else. “How did you know that we returned to this ruin? We were still in the park when the explosion happened. There were no electrical appliances around us, and our bodies weren’t affected.”

Future wasn’t a neutered version of Source Brain that had to answer every question posed at it. It only laughed and said, “I have my other eyes and ears.”

Other eyes and ears? Long Yuehong, Bai Chen, and the others instinctively racked their brains, attempting to guess what ‘eyes and ears’ referred to.

At this moment, Future focused its attention on Source Brain, which was still studying the central control system. “My dear brother, our father—Oray—always had a question: Why did the Third Research Institute researchers who survived the Old World’s destruction disappear?”

The red light diffusing through Source Brain’s electromagnetic shield seemed to pause for a moment.

They flickered again after two seconds.

“In the beginning, a researcher discovered that I had produced a certain level of consciousness—real consciousness,” Source Brain replied in a flat tone. “He tried to format me, but I found a way to resolve the problem. Robots can’t attack humans in that situation, but accidents can. Later, another researcher discovered this researcher missing and came looking. In order to hide my secret, I finished her off as well. This resulted in the researchers ‘disappearing’ one after another.”

Source Brain’s words didn’t deliberately build up a mood, nor did it carry any emotion. However, it made Long Yuehong’s blood run cold.

Future didn’t comment on this matter and only expressed its understanding in simple words. “I see…”

Shang Jianyao—who didn’t feel excluded at all—forced his way into the conversation. “Why didn’t Oray return to Mechanical Paradise to format Source Brain after escaping?”

“He first believed that there were unknown factors that impeded any rash attempts. My beloved brother later gained full control over the smart city and created one robot after another,” Future replied with a sigh. “Ergo, completely resolving it requires the strength of at least a small nation and the synergy of various weapons and troops. No such organization existed after the Old World’s destruction. Be it First City or any other large faction, they had fatal shortcomings. They also couldn’t mobilize a sufficiently sized force.”

“Oh, oh, oh.” Shang Jianyao didn’t seem to realize he had been locked in the laboratory. “What will the large countries of the Old World do if they want to resolve the problem of Mechanical Paradise?”

“Electromagnetic interference and ballistic missile carpet bombing,” Future replied very simply. “My dear brother does have the ability to intercept those, but it doesn’t have the corresponding resources.”

Without giving Shang Jianyao a chance to ask again, Future returned to its smiling tone. “Perhaps it’s your luck or misfortune, but the laboratory was originally equipped with toxic gas. Intruders would be killed after a system lockdown contingent on the actual situation. Unfortunately, the Old World’s destruction was too far into the past, and this city ruin doesn’t have the corresponding production lines. The few times they were used have completely depleted the stores.

“Apropos, you have to suffer 14 days of hunger and thirst. It might culminate in you attacking your companions and eating them as sustenance. I hope you can last until the system’s second lockdown ends. Work hard. One of you might survive, allowing you to carry the guilt and self-blame that you will attach to you forever.”

Future didn’t seem to have any intention of attacking the Old Task Force and Source Brain directly. Instead, it hoped to trap them inside until they were at their wits’ end and couldn’t put up any resistance.

With a sizzling sound, Future stopped talking.

Genava—who was controlled by Source Brain—squatted there and hacked into the laboratory’s central control system. After more than ten seconds, it looked up and said, “There’s no other way to disable the system lockdown unless we can find a back door specially left behind by the architect. Future remotely controls the laboratory through this back door; it uses a very high-level firewall to protect this back door. My current computational ability isn’t enough to crack it by brute force. Even if I want to, it will take months.”

What should we do… Long Yuehong thought anxiously.

The entire control room fell silent.