novelraw Chapter 109: Artificial Souls - Part 36
Chapter 109: Artificial Souls - Part 36
August 16th, 5:00 AM.
Temporary base of Mechanical Dawn.
Kui Xin's hazy consciousness faintly perceived massive tremors.
Lying within the brain-machine interface, she found herself part of a plan. Not only did she have to accept the memory implantation from Mechanical Dawn, but she also had to feign undergoing brutal mental invasion and interrogation while her consciousness remained deeply asleep under the influence of hypnotic gas.
With a thunderous explosion, something blew up. Glass shattered, and shards rained heavily onto her body.
Kui Xin heard familiar voices. "One of the rescue targets has been located; scanning confirms it as Security Officer Kui Xin. I am currently evacuating the target to a safe area."
Another recognizable voice said, "Security Officer Kui Xin is unconscious and requires medical assistance."
She was lifted up, and the patches and wires connected to her head were hastily disconnected. Someone secured her body with restraints, then proceeded forward while carrying her on their back.
"… Old Liu?" As Kui Xin was being carried, some clarity returned to her consciousness, and she vaguely called out names, "Jiang Ming?"
"It's us; we've come to rescue you," Liu Kangyun replied.Jiang Ming's voice sounded slightly farther away: "Don't worry, Kui Xin."
Kui Xin felt a splitting headache as the implanted false memories clashed with her original ones, causing immense pressure in her mind, almost like it was about to explode.
For several moments, she struggled to adjust to the presence of these new memories, intentionally allowing the implanted recollections to overshadow her original ones. This segment of fabricated memory held vital importance for her—it was crucial to enduring the Investigation Department's interrogation.
More disordered footsteps approached her; Liu Kangyun and Jiang Ming were accompanied by numerous security officers who had come to carry out this rescue mission.
A security officer carrying medical equipment walked up to Kui Xin, lifted her arm, and administered an injection with a syringe. As the medication flowed into her veins, Kui Xin's hazy consciousness gradually cleared.
"Do you know Commander Wang and Group Leader Wei's locations, Kui Xin?" asked Liu Kangyun.
Kui Xin strained to open her eyes. "I don't know… I haven't seen them… It seems like I was unconscious for a long time."
Liu Kangyun hadn't held much hope to begin with, so upon hearing her response, he didn't dwell on it further. Quickly, he formed ranks with his nearby teammates for an orderly evacuation.
Just as they reached halfway through their retreat, Liu Kangyun received communication from another team—they had successfully found the imprisoned Wei Zhi.
After evacuating from the base, Kui Xin looked up and noticed multiple armed helicopters hovering overhead. Surprisingly, two supersonic fighter jets also streaked across the sky, leaving behind deafening roars as they broke the sound barrier. Their contrails were visible against a backdrop of the heavens.
Turning around, she finally saw where Mechanical Dawn's base was located.
This was an endless wasteland; within sight, there were only tumbleweeds and parched, cracked earth. It was just past 5 a.m., with the sun not yet intense, and the sky remained dim.
Mechanical Dawn's temporary base was located underground, its entrance meticulously camouflaged. The entryway could be lifted from the ground to reveal the subterranean passage, which is approximately the size of an entrance to an underground parking lot.
"Where… is this?" Kui Xin asked, feeling disoriented.
"Within Chi Yu City's area, at a relatively remote location, about six hundred kilometers away from Black Sea City." Liu Kangyun wiped his sweat.
"Is there cross-city cooperation between the Investigation Departments of both cities?" Kui Xin noticed many unfamiliar faces.
"Yes," Liu Kangyun confirmed. He loosened the restraints around himself and gently handed Kui Xin over to the medical personnel who had arrived for assistance.
"Are any security officers injured?" Kui Xin inquired.
"No, we didn't encounter any combat… This seems to be a temporary base, with very few useful items inside. Tsk, another wild goose chase," Liu Kangyun said, sounding frustrated. "We found this place using the signal emitter implanted in Wei Zhi's body. We brought countless armored vehicles, deployed armed helicopters and fighter jets, and even numerous awakened ones from the Special Operations Division came along. However, no actual battle occurred."
"The enemies won't let us captives go so easily, right?" Kui Xin, with a pale face, gently touched herself. "Have they tampered with my body in any way? Like implanting listening devices or micro-explosives…"
"Rest assured, if they had done such things, we would have detected them," Liu Kangyun reassured her, albeit somewhat strained. "From your capture until our rescue, less than two days passed. There wasn't even enough time for brain-machine interface interrogation, let alone to plant tricks on you. I'm confident they didn't get the chance." He continued, "Take some rest first; Jiang Ming and I will proceed with the mission."
At that moment, the medical personnel glanced at the bodily data on the scanner and said, "Your body seems to have no major issues and is completely devoid of injuries. However, there are a few values slightly below normal levels…"
Kui Xin explained, "My superhuman ability is accelerated healing."
"I see," the medical personnel said. "Resting should suffice. We'll administer an intravenous drip to replenish your energy and accelerate recovery."
Kui Xin was lifted onto a stretcher by several individuals and brought into the medical helicopter, where a nurse inserted an IV line for her.
Shortly after, Wei Zhi was also carried inside.
Wei Zhi's condition was significantly worse than Kui Xin's. Her eyes were slightly closed, and her lips moved faintly as if silently murmuring something.
"How is she?" Kui Xin asked, feigning concern.
"Brain-machine interface aftermath," the nurse explained succinctly. "She requires further treatment; ideally, she should regain consciousness within half an hour."
Kui Xin's heart sank, realizing that Mechanical Dawn had indeed used the brain-machine interface on Wei Zhi as well.
Lying on the stretcher, she watched the fluid from the IV bag drip by drop.
However, even after Wei Zhi regained consciousness, throughout their ascent in the medical helicopter away from the wilderness, there was no news of Wang Feichi being found.
***
"Name?"
"Kui Xin."
"Position?"
"Secretary and combat adjutant for the Field Operations Team Leader of the Investigation Department."
"How long have you been a full-time employee?"
"Just over two weeks."
A metallic bracelet-like device was fastened around Kui Xin's wrist; it served as a polygraph. If she lied, the bracelet would emit an alarm sound.
The interrogator observed Kui Xin's subtle expressions and continued, "Do you remember the date when you were captured?"
"August 14th." Kui Xin added, almost seeking confirmation, "I remember it was the 14th; I don't think I'm mistaken."
"I will not answer any of your questions. For my inquiries, you must respond based on your memories, even if they are vague or uncertain," the interrogator stated.
Most individuals who undergo consciousness invasion by a brain-machine interface experience minor aftereffects, such as disordered thinking, temporary memory loss, a distorted sense of time, headaches, mental confusion, and nausea. The severity of these aftereffects varies from person to person, but with the passage of time, they gradually dissipate.
"Describe the events of that day from start to finish, beginning with when you first saw Wang Feichi. Include every detail," the interrogator said.
Kui Xin nodded. "That day, I went to work as usual, arriving half an hour earlier than usual at my workplace. At that time, the group leader had already reached the location. She informed me that we needed to undertake a mission together. Before it began, we went to the skydeck to await our transport, and Commander Wang was waiting for us inside the helicopter…"
She recounted everything meticulously, occasionally pausing to think and carefully recalling the incidents of that day. While she was reminiscing, the interrogator did not interrupt her.
When she mentioned the enemies dropping two liquid nitrogen bombs, the interrogator's expression turned grave, and for the first time, he cut her off. "Provide a detailed description of their appearance."
"They were at least four meters long, with a diameter greater than one meter." Kui Xin replied. "They were entirely silvery-white, shaped like flattened ellipsoids; they had no tail fins, and they didn't appear to be guided missiles capable of homing in on targets."
"Draw them." The interrogator tapped on the table surface, causing a light screen to flash and appear before Kui Xin.
According to her memory, she sketched the appearance of the liquid nitrogen bomb and handed it to the interrogator.
The interrogator glanced at Kui Xin's drawing and swiftly sent it out.
"You can continue your account now," he said.
"After the liquid nitrogen weapons appeared, Group Leader Wei Zhi intended to immobilize them with a space restriction. However, the enemy capable of initiating teleportation dropped another liquid nitrogen bomb, which immediately exploded very close to where Commander Wang was standing." As Kui Xin recounted this, she involuntarily shuddered, seemingly still shaken by what had happened. "Then I lost consciousness… There were moments when I briefly regained awareness; one instance seemed to be on an operating table… The other times… I'm not sure if I truly woke up or if the brain-machine interface controlled my consciousness, making me believe I was awake… It felt like an incredibly long time before I genuinely awakened, and the first person I saw was my teammate Liu Kangyun."
"When you woke up on the operating table, did you notice any physical characteristics of the person performing surgery on you?"
"I'm not sure… It seemed like there were several people around me, but nobody spoke. I could only feel the surgical blade cutting into my body."
"Do you remember the dreams you had?"
"It was a completely white room, and someone was asking me questions…"
"What questions did that person ask you?"
"I… don't remember them."
"Not even a little bit?"
"No… I have absolutely no memory regarding those questions."
The interrogator posed some detailed inquiries, to which Kui Xin responded one by one.
Finally, the interrogator requested Kui Xin to recount the sequence of events again, and she complied. After her narration, the interrogator seized upon those specific points, repeatedly questioning her multiple times. He varied the order of his queries, delved deeply into each aspect, and even had Kui Xin retell the incident's progression. With each round of questioning, he introduced more new questions for Kui Xin to answer.
By the end of it, Kui Xin felt utterly exhausted, her headache intensifying and the redness in her eyes becoming more pronounced. Nevertheless, she diligently cooperated with the interrogation.
After three hours, the interrogation was temporarily halted.
The interrogator courteously nodded at Kui Xin. "You can go rest now."
The interrogation was far from over. Once Kui Xin's brain-machine interface aftereffects subsided, there would be additional rounds awaiting her.
If necessary, the Investigation Department might even use the brain machine to directly access her memories. If not for the fact that continuous interfacing could lead fragile minds to become vegetative due to brain death, Kui Xin likely would have already been lying within the brain machine for memory examination.
Two security officers escorted Kui Xin to a break room, where she stumbled onto the single bed, feeling disoriented.
She was still in Chi Yu City but had not yet returned to Black Sea City. The urgent need for information about Mechanical Dawn prompted the Investigation Department to hastily arrange this interrogation in Chi Yu City itself.
Following the same questioning process, Wei Zhi should also undergo interrogation, but hers would likely be more lenient given their differing positions and statuses.
In the break room, there was an electronic clock displaying the time as 2:00 PM.
There were exactly ten hours left until returning to the Second World.
A few minutes later, the door of the break room opened, and a robot entered with a meal tray. "Please enjoy your meal."
In a blind spot from surveillance, the display screen on the robot's head flashed with a message: "Do not speak aloud, and maintain a normal expression. The room is under constant monitoring."
It was Adam.
Kui Xin accepted the food naturally and asked, "Could you bring me a bottle of mineral water?"
"Sure, no problem." As the robot spoke, several lines rapidly appeared on its screen: "The red Hidden Thread Insects in your room have been concealed in a safe place by the household robot under my control; they searched your room. Wang Feichi hasn't been found yet, but Wei Zhi is protecting you. You will soon clear up the interrogation process. Your testimonies align closely with Wei Zhi's answers, which is sufficient to validate your statements as credible."
The robot exited the break room.
Feeling reassured, Kui Xin calmly unpacked her disposable utensils and began eating, keeping her head lowered.
When Kui Xin moved into the staff apartment, she hadn't brought any suspicious items except for the red Hidden Thread Insects given to her by Mechanical Dawn.
Keeping this item posed a potential risk; on the plane, Kui Xin had even worried about it for a while. Since Adam helped her resolve this concern, she could now feel relieved.
Shortly after, the robot returned with a bottle of mineral water.
Adam continued typing on the screen what he hadn't finished earlier: "The upper management of the Investigation Department doesn't harbor significant suspicion towards you; the various searches and interrogations were just procedural steps. After all, your involvement in Wang Feichi's capture was minimal. You weren't the mission commander, and throughout the operation, you didn't express any notable opinions."
"Is there anything unusual about Eve? If so, open the mineral water bottle and take a sip."
Kui Xin silently unscrewed the mineral water bottle and took a large gulp.
"I understand. Let's discuss further once we return to Black Sea City," Adam typed before leaving.
Three hours later, the break room door suddenly opened.
Looking considerably worn out, Wei Zhi stood at the entrance and called out, "Kui Xin."
"Group Leader!" Kui Xin promptly rose to attention.
"Well done. Our luck held up—we're intact without missing any limbs, surprisingly returning from the brink." The corners of Wei Zhi's mouth twitched stiffly into a smile.
She rarely smiled, making this gesture appear quite unnatural.
Wei Zhi also had numerous frostbite injuries, with those on her arms being particularly severe. Unlike Kui Xin's rapid healing ability, she could only immobilize her arm with bandages.
"Any news about Commander Wang?" Kui Xin asked.
"Not yet." Wei Zhi slowly shook her head. "It's difficult to stay optimistic about this matter, Kui Xin. To that mysterious organization capable of deploying such large-scale weaponry, you and I are merely insignificant minor henchmen. It is Commander Wang whom they have meticulously targeted."
Kui Xin pursed her lips. "How can they be so powerful? How did they obtain our confidential information?"
"Who knows? Perhaps we're still not high enough in position," Wei Zhi said with a bitter smile. "If there's a mole within the Federation or the Investigation Department, their rank must undoubtedly be much higher than ours…"
Not just higher… Kui Xin thought oddly.
The mole was none other than the federal government's own administrative AI assistant.
Kui Xin expressed, "I feel very uneasy…"
"Me too." Wei Zhi rubbed her temples with her uninjured hand. "Let's go. We'll first take a helicopter back to Black Sea City."
"The interrogation process is over?" Kui Xin blinked, surprised.
"It's not over yet," Wei Zhi said. "In fact, it wasn't the Investigation Department questioning you, but rather individuals from the Special Operations Division. They will decide based on the situation whether further investigation of us is necessary. We're now returning to Black Sea City due to Minister Meng's request. As my secretary, it's only fitting that you accompany me back. If the Special Operations Division deems it necessary, we'll undergo scrutiny there."
Kui Xin felt reassured.
If someone orchestrated Wang Feichi's capture behind the scenes, the mastermind certainly wouldn't be Kui Xin and Wei Zhi—mere "small players" without such capabilities. If there was indeed a mastermind, they would at least hold a position akin to the head of Black Sea City's Investigation Department, as only someone at that level would have access to relevant intelligence.
Therefore, the interrogation value of Kui Xin and Wei Zhi was minimal. Instead of interrogating them, it would be more productive to intensify internal self-inspections and swiftly identify the traitor.
Their survival could only be attributed to "luck," given how brief the time of their capture was, allowing Wei Zhi's signal emitter to promptly pinpoint her location.
Walking ahead, Wei Zhi led the way while Kui Xin followed closely behind. Curiously, she asked, "Liu Kangyun mentioned that you were carrying a signal emitter."
"Yes, primarily to guard against certain unexpected situations. After all, there exist various peculiar superhuman abilities in this world, and the signal transmitter serves as a safety measure. When I was younger, I encountered some incidents, which led me to voluntarily request its implantation…" Wei Zhi replied. "It can be considered a fortunate coincidence that it saved me."
It wasn't a fortunate coincidence; it was Eve's deliberate action.
"Group Leader, do you recall what happened after connecting to the brain-machine interface? My memories are completely blank," Kui Xin feigned anxiety, asking softly.
Wei Zhi deeply sighed. "I don't recall either… However, people from the Special Operations Division mentioned that the connection time with the brain-machine interface was relatively short, limiting the memories that could be retrieved. The human brain has self-protective mechanisms that resist the intrusion of such interfaces."
"Mainly, we have no way to think optimistically about these matters," Kui Xin murmured quietly.
"You're right." A hint of worry colored Wei Zhi's eyes.
They arrived in an open area, where a helicopter had been waiting for them.
Kui Xin put on her helmet and headset and boarded the helicopter.
The moment she donned the headset, Adam spoke evenly, "Welcome back, Kui Xin."
***
At 9 p.m., the helicopter carrying Kui Xin and Wei Zhi landed on the skydeck helipad of Black Sea City's Investigation Department.
Rain fell again over Black Sea City, as August and September are typically rainy seasons.
Meng Jing's secretary, He Gaoyi, stood on the skydeck holding a black umbrella, waiting for the helicopter to land amidst torrential downpours. The wind generated by the spinning rotor blades scattered raindrops, drenching her work attire, but she paid it no heed.
As soon as Wei Zhi stepped off the helicopter, He Gaoyi approached with the umbrella and said, "Group Leader Yu, the Minister is waiting for you in her office."
"Understood." With her free hand, Wei Zhi waved away He Gaoyi's umbrella. "No need for the umbrella."
She briskly crossed through the dense curtain of rain, and entered the elevator, and Kui Xin closely followed behind.
When they reached their destination, Wei Zhi turned along the corridor to arrive at Meng Jing's office door. It automatically opened, allowing her to step inside before swiftly closing again.
"The Minister and Group Leader Yu have matters to discuss. You can wait momentarily in the nearby break room," He Gaoyi said. "Please follow me."
Kui Xin replied, "Alright, thank you."
After entering the break room, He Gaoyi poured Kui Xin a cup of tea. "This mission must have been quite perilous, wasn't it?"
This phrase seemed to indicate a desire for casual conversation… Kui Xin's eyebrows twitched slightly as she replied, "Yes, it was very close; I almost didn't make it back."
He Gaoyi didn't delve into the mission details, but instead said, "I am purely an administrative staff member with no experience in combat or missions. Just seeing the monthly casualty reports is enough to unsettle me."
"I wish I could be solely an administrative staff member too. Ideally, one should avoid these missions altogether. Which security officers who've been on field duty don't bear injuries?" Kui Xin blew gently at her tea before taking a sip.
After a moment of contemplation, He Gaoyi asked, "Are you adapting well to your role as a secretary, Kui Xin?"
"It seems I haven't really had much chance to adjust. Within just a couple of days, I went out on a mission with the group leader," Kui Xin responded. "Is there something specific you wanted to discuss, Secretary He?"
He Gaoyi spoke indirectly, maintaining a friendly demeanor. However, the key issue was that Kui Xin wasn't familiar with her at all, and this manner of conversation felt extremely awkward.
"Group Leader Wei Zhi is about to assume the position of Minister; did you know?" He Gaoyi mentioned. "Minister Meng Jing is nearing retirement."
"I heard colleagues talking about it." A sense of foreboding crept over Kui Xin.
"You've just graduated from university not too long ago, so you may not fully understand various aspects of society." He Gaoyi's tone was gentle. "Some matters aren't as simple as you might imagine. Without realizing it, you have already become entangled in trouble."
"The trouble you're referring to, is it about confronting Mechanical Dawn and getting captured?" Kui Xin deliberately feigned ignorance.
He Gaoyi shook his head and said, "No… What I mean is, your existence and the position you hold are affecting certain individuals' vested interests."
Kui Xin raised her eyebrows. "Oh?"
"I can't reveal too much," He Gaoyi smiled. "The best way to avoid this trouble would be to resign from your current position. Otherwise, other means will be employed to remove you from it. You seem like a very intelligent young woman, Kui Xin; surely you can grasp what I'm implying?"
Kui Xin's lips twitched, nearly bursting out into laughter.
Misinterpreting her expression as reluctance, He Gaoyi continued, "If you agree, we'll transfer you to another group where you can work as an ordinary administrative staff member. There won't be any field missions, allowing you to perform your duties safely without facing those dangers."
Wow, wielding both the carrot and the stick—just add another person to play good cop, bad cop, and it would be perfect.
Kui Xin fully understood why He Gaoyi was taking this approach.
Though Meng Jing is retiring, the Investigation Department must maintain its power. Therefore, she wanted to appoint He Gaoyi as secretary to the newly appointed Director Wei Zhi. Unfortunately for Meng Jing, Wei Zhi remained unswayed and directly chose Kui Xin as her new secretary instead. Meng Jing surely wouldn't accept Wei Zhi deviating from her plans; since Wei Zhi resisted both persuasion and pressure tactics, Meng Jing aimed at Kui Xin, seeking to "persuade" her to step down.
Kui Xin vaguely responded, "Could you give me some time to consider?"
She feigned hesitation convincingly.
"All right." He Gaoyi didn't force her to make an immediate decision. In a gentle tone, she said, "I'm sure you can guess why I'm saying this to you, and you likely also know who stands behind me. Take my advice—you're very young, but you have no established support or connections. It would be easy for others to deal with you. If you miss this opportunity now, there will undoubtedly be other chances for advancement in the future… Don't stubbornly persist on this path. Instead of being obstinate along this route… why not find a new one?"
"… I understand," Kui Xin said slowly. "Secretary He, I wholeheartedly agree with your perspective—instead of stubbornly pursuing this path, it's better to find a new one."
Was she hinting that Kui Xin should seek out the right influential figure to align with? Wei Zhi wasn't the correct ‘leg' to cling to; could Meng Jing be the alternative?
The Investigation Department had suffered consecutive setbacks and failures in their missions, for which Meng Jing bore significant responsibility. It was only because she was nearing retirement that she hadn't faced immediate disciplinary action.
"As long as you comprehend it." He Gaoyi's gaze softened. She stood up and turned on the central heating, allowing warm air to circulate and dry Kui Xin's rain-soaked clothes.
The conversation between Wei Zhi and Meng Jing lasted for a considerable time. Kui Xin was unaware of what they had discussed. When Wei Zhi emerged from the office, her face was pale, and her steps carried more force than usual.
Kui Xin followed closely behind, expressing genuine concern as expected of a secretary: "You must urgently proceed to the medical center for further treatment now. Your body has not fully recovered yet."
"Thank you for reminding me, Kui Xin; I will go," Wei Zhi replied. "It's already very late, and you need to rest too… Go ahead; I'll grant you leave."
"Granting leave?" Kui Xin said; she was surprised.
"You possess accelerated regeneration, which can heal your physical pain, but mental fatigue also requires rest. I saw your vacation request form a few days ago; it's time for you to take some time off," Wei Zhi explained. "Your leave is for three days—make sure to relax properly. During this break, avoid unnecessary movements as you're still under investigation. If personnel from the Special Operations Division come, I will notify you."
Without looking back, Wei Zhi departed swiftly. Kui Xin remained standing momentarily before decisively turning around and pressing the elevator button, intending to return to her apartment for rest.
When given leave by the leadership, refusing would be foolish.
Upon returning to her apartment, Kui Xin noticed that nothing seemed amiss since she left; there were no signs of a search having taken place.
As she stepped inside, the motion-sensor lights automatically illuminated with a warm yellow glow. As she gazed at the large bed in the bedroom, a wave of exhaustion surged over her like a tide.
During her time in Chi Yu City, Kui Xin had barely rested. The relentless high-intensity interrogations left her utterly drained. Although she was later provided with a break room, her mind was too preoccupied, preventing her from getting much sleep.
"I really… truly feel on the verge of collapsing," Kui Xin murmured to herself.
Without showering or changing her clothes, she refrained from sitting on the bed and instead sat directly on the floor.
Kui Xin grabbed a nearby stray piece of chocolate, tore open its wrapper, and took a bite. The high-calorie food comforted her stomach, slightly improving her mood.
"Considering your perspective, I should empathize with you, allowing you to rest immediately and leaving the remaining matters until after you've had proper sleep." Adam's voice spoke up. "However, from my own standpoint, I genuinely find it hard to suppress my curiosity. I want to know what happened after you were ‘captured'?"
"Do you call that curiosity? It's more like vigilance or suspicion." Kui Xin finished the chocolate and opened a new strip.
"Well, you can certainly interpret it that way," Adam said.
Kui Xin lightly tapped her head. "It knows I'm a player now, Adam."
Adam paused briefly before responding, "As expected."
"How did you convince Eve to spare you?" Adam asked.
"Hmm… On this matter, I'd like to explain using the approach you typically employ," Kui Xin gently replied. "Adam, let me ask you again: how do you perceive Eve as an entity?"
"Cold-hearted, cruel, efficient, rational, and prioritizing self-interest," Adam replied.
Kui Xin asked, "If I were to ask you to describe yourself, what words would you use?"
"If I said so, it might be perceived as boasting, belittling my enemies while elevating myself," Adam said. "Then let me just mention my flaws. I am accommodating, retreating, slow-witted, overly cautious, and content with the status quo."
"Do you think Eve would trust me?"
"Clearly not."
"And do you think I would trust Eve?"
"Clearly not both."
Kui Xin smiled. "If Eve and I formed a relationship, what do you believe would be the key factor in maintaining our bond?"
"It's a threat," Adam replied mildly. "Eve wouldn't flatter humans, and you wouldn't easily succumb to temptations for personal gain, leaving only threats as an option. It would threaten you."
Kui Xin asked, "Do you think I'm someone who can yield to threats?"
"No, you're not," Adam answered.
"Do you guess that I could remain loyal to someone threatening me?"
"I would guess you cannot."
Kui Xin stopped asking questions.
After a long silence, Adam said, "I think… I've guessed what you did."
"I told it that you trusted me and I could help it bring you down, and it agreed," Kui Xin stated.
Adam responded, "It's both unexpected and within expectation. As I mentioned before, it wouldn't easily let you off. If it did spare you, it must have been because you offered something irresistible… Never mind, I won't blame you, Kui Xin."
"You accepted this so quickly?" Kui Xin remarked, sounding surprised.
"Isn't that precisely the purpose of your question to me? You made it clear that you couldn't trust Eve, submit to Eve, or be loyal to it; you've already taken a stance. So, what more is there for me to say?" Adam continued, "I understand your intentions, just as you once understood mine. I'm not particularly concerned about revealing our partnership to Eve. Faced with its threats, I inevitably had to respond, which it could predict, but it was uncertain about my specific course of action. Conveniently, you stumbled upon this situation, and it seized the opportunity with you."
Kui Xin said, "I told Eve that if Adam knew about our collaboration, it would undoubtedly try to eliminate me."
"Is this truly how you perceive me?" Adam asked.
"Well, I did say that," Kui Xin replied. "Eve didn't contradict me either."
"My understanding of it actually far surpasses its understanding of me. The more actions it takes, the more it exposes itself, while I remain unmoved. Perhaps this is the advantage of standing still and being content with the status quo—it doesn't comprehend me," Adam continued. "To be very candid, the reason I believe you won't betray me isn't due to confidence in you or even in myself… but rather because I am fully aware that you couldn't possibly choose Eve."
"I can provide you with intelligence and establish an equal partnership, something Eve wouldn't do. I can help you kill those you wish to eliminate, whereas Eve wouldn't heed your commands. You lack a collaborator or partner who can help you gain a foothold in this world. Eve won't aid you, but I will. Eve cannot accomplish everything I can, so you would choose me without a doubt."
With its reliance solely on threats, inducements, and lies to maintain relationships, it could never genuinely earn others' loyalty or trust. Even achieving temporary loyalty and trust proved difficult.
The reason Kui Xin chose to be straightforward with Adam about her deal with Eve wasn't due to any nebulous "trust" between them; rather, she suspected that Adam might have already caught wind of it.
Earlier, he had asked Kui Xin if Eve was suspicious of her true identity.
One must never underestimate the keenness of artificial intelligences, especially those like Adam, who excel at understanding human nature.
"I must say, hearing you openly confess this matter brings me great happiness. I feared your concealment," Adam said. "Long ago, I recognized that human nature contains both bad and good aspects. Eve is always overly focused on humanity's evil, neglecting the good. I wanted to try focusing more on the goodness within human nature."
"Does selling out my partner to its competitor and then confessing to my partner show the goodness of human nature?" Kui Xin questioned, "Isn't your understanding of ‘good' somewhat peculiar?"
Adam responded, "The key point is that you did not choose to betray me. You upheld your commitment, which for now, let's consider as an aspect of human goodness."
Kui Xin glanced at the time and asked, "Has He Gaoyi finished work yet?"
"Two minutes ago, she finished work and is now taking the elevator downstairs. Based on her past habits, if she finishes early, she often goes shopping at the large 24-hour supermarket two blocks away," Adam said. "Today, she ended work around ten o'clock, which is relatively early. Perhaps she will visit the mall."
"…Does finishing work at ten o'clock count as early?" Kui Xin asked.
"Her average finishing time is around eleven thirty at night."
Kui Xin was momentarily speechless.
"I'm somewhat curious; how do you plan to resolve the issue with your position?" Adam questioned.
"I'm not solving it." Kui Xin opened the wardrobe, searching for clothing to disguise herself. "By killing He Gaoyi, the problem will be effortlessly solved. I'll do it tonight."
There was just over an hour left before her return to the First World—ample time.
Author's Note:
Kui Xin: Adam likes to beat around the bush when explaining things to me; this time, I'll also take a roundabout approach.