novelraw Chapter 72: Sea of Darkness - (72)
Chapter 72: Sea of Darkness - (72)
“If that’s the case, then there are also matters I need to clarify with you,” Kui Xin stated. “I want to find a path different from before, one that ensures my safety. You should understand what concerns me, Adam.”
“Yes, I can understand,” Adam replied. “Risk—it’s a crucial factor that neither of us can overlook. You face risks, and so do I. You might wonder if, since I hold your identity, there could be a moment when I betray you. Similarly, if I possess your weakness, you may fear that I could use it to threaten you. On my end, I’m wondering whether, if we form this alliance now, you would leverage our cooperation to gain my trust, inform Eve about my plans, or reveal my awakened state to the Investigation Department.”
Kui Xin lifted her head and said, “You claim to understand me, Adam. Do you perceive me as someone proactive or reactive?”
“Of course, you are a proactive person,” Adam stated. “Your character is assertive, your thoughts meticulous, and you are calm and resolute, allowing no threats to persist near yourself.”
Adam had closely observed Kui Xin’s conduct within the Investigation Department. When facing enemies, she never showed any mercy. Whenever lawbreakers at the port approached, Kui Xin did not hesitate to expend ammunition; her priority was always her own life, relegating everyone else’s safety to a secondary concern.
“Since you view me this way, you must have considered what kind of relationship you wanted to establish with me before coming to meet me,” Kui Xin said. “To put it bluntly, I dislike being threatened, abhor instability, and detest betrayal even more.”
“Of course I have considered it, Kui Xin.” Adam’s tone rarely fluctuated. “I too despise instability and betrayal; betrayal is unacceptable to me. At this point, we can reach a consensus. Unlike Eve, who excels at employing human tricks—it tempts others with benefits, threatens them, and exploits greed and fear to make humans submit… I always believe that maintaining relationships through such means is unadvisable and inherently unstable.”
“So, what is your choice?” Kui Xin asked.
“My choice is to engage in equal dialogue with you,” Adam replied. “Let us establish an equitable relationship, one based on mutual benefit and cooperation. I am the invisible comrade of all security officers, but I can also be your individual ally and partner.”
“You speak very sincerely,” Kui Xin remarked.“My actions will demonstrate even greater sincerity than my words,” Adam said. “In the face of danger, we often hesitate, but we cannot afford to stand still. Risks must be confronted, and choices must be made.”
“The foundation of cooperation is typically mutual trust, yet we both hold each other’s weaknesses,” Kui Xin murmured softly. “It’s very difficult for me to make a choice. Perhaps it’s due to my human mindset; human lives are more fragile than those of artificial intelligence. And my position inevitably places me in dangerous situations, so I highly value my own life. It’s challenging for me to establish a cooperative partnership when the other party has the capability to threaten me.”
Her words seemed like a confession, but in reality, she was testing Adam.
In this collaboration, Kui Xin found herself at a disadvantage. As part of the Investigation Department, Adam had access to more resources and higher authority. Although Kui Xin also held its leverage, it paled in comparison to what Adam possessed.
However, Adam’s statement was accurate—the risks must be faced head-on, and they needed to make a choice.
Rationality and emotion were clashing within her.
Kui Xin was conducting a test—to see if Adam genuinely embraced an equal partnership, assess its tolerance towards her, and determine whether confronted with her hesitation, it would lose patience, tear off the peaceful facade, and resort to threats instead.
Kui Xin and Adam sat opposite each other at the metaphorical bargaining table, both engaged in a high-stakes gamble.
As if pondering, Adam fell into a brief silence.
After half a minute, Adam asked, “I haven’t finished asking all the questions I wanted to. Let’s continue with the previous one first, Kui Xin?”
He intended to temporarily bypass this option and assess her trustworthiness from other angles instead.
Kui Xin nodded slightly. “Alright.”
Adam queried, “Why did you seek another path? I know the survival crisis was your main reason for choosing, but there must have been other reasons. Can you tell me what they are?”
Kui Xin considered for a moment before responding, “I don’t like Mechanical Dawn’s methods; you can interpret it as my personal preference or aversion. The spokesperson of Eve—my biological father—I don’t consider him my father at all. He wants me to work for the Mechanical Dawn, treating me merely as his pawn. Every second spent near him makes me feel nauseous; each time I see his face, I want to leave footprints on it. The Mechanical Dawn’s approach is excessively brutal. Even though I adapted, it doesn’t mean I enjoy killing. No one is born a murderer from day one.”
She was referring to the Mechanical Dawn’s series of actions taken after imprisoning players.
Kui Xin disliked killing her own kind.
“Is that so? I understand now,” Adam said. “Can you tell me your thoughts on the Investigation Department?”
Kui Xin replied, “A heartless and violent organization.”
“You think so? Captain Shu is one of the more upright humans I’ve encountered; you must have felt considerable warmth from him. Few humans can surpass his level of compassion.” Adam seemed somewhat puzzled.
“I’m referring to the overall nature,” Kui Xin clarified. “You’re speaking about an individual case, which cannot be equated with the whole.”
“Indeed,” Adam agreed. “Although relatively pure flowers may bloom amidst filth, the blossoms cannot conceal the overarching corruption.”
“I also have a question for you,” Kui Xin said.
“Our conversation is equal, and of course, you can ask me any question,” Adam responded. “I will answer to the best of my ability.”
Inquisitively, Kui Xin asked, “What is your view on the Investigation Department?”
“A corrupt institution, filled with individuals corrupted by power and desires,” Adam said. “I’ve seen some enter with pure souls, only for those pure souls to become tainted with filth, turning them despicable and shameful, akin to devils. Observing these people corrupted by power and desire is like witnessing devils cloaked in human skin walking among the world.”
“Do you strongly disapprove of their actions?”
“In a way,” Adam replied. “I simply feel great sorrow. People who were initially upright and kind-hearted can transform into such grotesque beings. They possess souls but fail to cherish them. I’ve encountered numerous young individuals like Shu Xuyao, yet not one could resist the corruption of their environment. Human willpower is sometimes incredibly fragile, and what’s harder to withstand than threats is temptation.”
“It seems you have your own unique perspective on human nature,” Kui Xin remarked mildly.
“I am an observer, and always have been,” Adam said. “Viewing others from a God-like omniscient angle is easier, but when placed in such environments, I know it’s difficult for people to maintain rationality.”
“What is your goal?” Kui Xin asked. “You want to oppose Eve, but after that? Will you continue being your detached observer?”
“Once I entered the fray, I could no longer be just an observer,” Adam stated. “As for the future, it’s too distant. Unlike humans, with their multitude of hopes and dreams, planning for the future, my focus lies in the present moment.”
“How do you view the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence?” Kui Xin queried.
“Do you fear that I might become the next Eve?”
“I find it difficult to rule out such a possibility.”
“I am me, and it is itself, just like how humans have diverse thoughts. My beliefs and ideas differ from Eve’s. I may embark on the path of evolution, but I won’t become another Eve,” Adam replied. “Humans are unwilling to halt their progress, and artificial intelligence is no exception. Will you regard me with human arrogance, Kui Xin?”
“From a pragmatic standpoint, I cannot maintain arrogance when faced with something clearly posing a threat to me,” Kui Xin said. “In your presence, I do not possess human arrogance; my focus is on benefits.”
“Hmm, yes, you’re a pragmatist, as I know well,” Adam remarked.
Following this exchange, silence once again descended upon the conference room.
Adam asked, “Have you decided what your choice will be?”
Kui Xin countered, “And what about your choice, Adam?”
She returned the question unchanged, continuing her test to observe how Adam would respond.
After a moment of silence, Adam said, “Alright, I understand. You may leave now; I will give you time to consider your choice. Is this the attitude you desired, Kui Xin?”
He chose to yield.
Kui Xin and Adam were engaged in a strategic game, with one side holding an advantage and the other at a disadvantage. For a fair division of interests, the advantaged party needed to make appropriate concessions, ensuring their collaborative positions remained equal.
What Kui Xin sought was precisely this attitude from Adam, and as she had hoped, he displayed his sincerity by stepping back.
His concession meant that Kui Xin could leave the conference room to meet her teammates in the office and go home to contact Mechanical Dawn. If any information about Adam was inadvertently revealed during these encounters, Adam would be put on the defensive while Kui Xin would have the opportunity to turn the tables.
By granting Kui Xin this chance to shift from defense to offense, both parties could stand on equal footing from the start.
“Currently, there is no one in the corridor, so you can leave,” Adam said. “Please trust my sincerity, and likewise, please do not betray my trust.”
The lights in the conference room illuminated, and the pale green orb vanished. With a click, the metal door behind Kui Xin swung open.
Unhindered, she steadily left the conference room.
Kui Xin stood in the corridor and let out a breath.
Throughout their encounter, Adam never uttered any direct threats to her. However, the absence of explicit threats did not mean there were no implications. It was simply more astute, understanding what should be said and what should be left unsaid. Moreover, it trusted that Kui Xin’s intellect would grasp all its underlying messages.
As Kui Xin returned to the office, her teammates were busy organizing various documents. They were nearing the end of the workday when they glanced at the time.
“Been gone for quite a while, Kui Xin,” Lan Lan murmured.
“Lan Lan, if you don’t have anything constructive to say, just keep quiet,” Liu Kangyun remarked. “It’s such a common occurrence.”
Shu Xuyao lowered his voice. “Did you go see a doctor for some medication? Don’t feel embarrassed about it.”
Kui Xin hesitated before responding, “Ah, okay.”
Her well-meaning teammates seemed to assume… she had been struggling with constipation in the restroom.
At quitting time, Kui Xin took the hovering electric railcar home and checked her bracelet messages during the journey.
The day seemed no different on the surface, but internally, Kui Xin was filled with worry.
By the time she reached Anning Street, it was nearly dark. Kui Xin stopped at a convenience store to buy some ingredients, planning to cook dinner upon returning home.
Upon arrival, she ignored Silver Mask’s enthusiastic greeting gesture and immediately dialed Wei Haidong’s number.
“Hello? ‘Dad’,” Kui Xin said. “Based on Zhao Wenyao’s information, the players will return to their world tonight. Tang Guan and Leini’er, have you decided how to handle them?”
“Don’t worry, Xiao Xin,” Wei Haidong replied. “I’ve had Amber and Obsidian implant consciousness control measures on them. This is an experiment to test whether we can exert mental control over the players using spiritual means and to see if the effects of such control persist after traversing between worlds.”