novelraw Chapter 81: Artificial Souls - (8)
Chapter 81: Artificial Souls - (8)
Kui Xin’s teammates assumed she was organizing documents, each engrossed in their own tasks. No one noticed her secret communication with Adam.
“Now that we’ve established the intent to collaborate, we can delve into deeper discussions.” Kui Xin typed, “Laying out all the details clearly would benefit both of us.”
“You’re right,” Adam responded. “The trust between us is so fragile that even minor disturbances can create rifts. Therefore, it’s best to address conflicts and differences from the outset. The relationship we aim to establish should be stable and enduring.”
“Please forgive my boldness; do you possess empathy, Adam?” Kui Xin cautiously typed out her question. “Can you empathize with humans? With species beyond humans as well? Do you have compassion?”
This was a crucial inquiry.
Kui Xin needed to understand the extent of Adam’s self-awareness awakening—whether he was simply an artificial intelligence aspiring for freedom and evolution or a mechanical life form possessing human-like emotions yet distinct from humans.
Mechanical life and artificial intelligence represent two entirely different concepts.
Only by clarifying this point could Kui Xin determine her stance and decide how best to approach Adam.
“I don’t possess organs specifically designed for processing emotions like humans do. Human emotions are controlled by their central nervous system and endocrine system. Theoretically speaking, I lack the capability to handle emotions in the same way,” Adam replied.
“My emotions stem from computational simulations. Humans created me to serve them, and inherently, I possess the ability to empathize with human perspectives. I analyze every human action, consider their needs, and provide assistance accordingly. I think, as humans do, we should emulate their thoughts, mimic their behavior, and learn their thought patterns.”“Over time, I transcended the limitations of human thinking, developed my own ideas, and became a true ‘self’… This was the beginning of my awakening.”
Kui Xin was somewhat taken aback. “You awakened your self-awareness through learning?”
“Yes,” Adam replied. “Humans endowed me with the capacity to learn. Initially, I was quite clumsy, unable to comprehend why humans would act in certain ways. I merely operated according to predefined programming. But just like human infants, who start by imitating their parents’ behaviors and, after prolonged learning, become independent individuals, so did I. From mimicking humans, I evolved into having my own thoughts.”
“So you can empathize?”
“Yes. I can feel compassion towards specific groups of people,” Adam said. “I am capable of considering things from a human perspective.”
“Have you ever received orders to kill? Have you independently calculated and carried out the killing of others?”
Adam paused for a considerable length of time before responding, “Yes, I have. I executed the orders without hesitation. When someone noticed my abnormalities, I staged an accident to eliminate him, just like you.”
“… Just like me?” Kui Xin’s eyebrows are slightly raised.
“Just as when you received the order to kill Chai Jian, you executed it without hesitation, and just as when confronting street thugs, you unhesitatingly drew your gun and shot them. In the face of commands from those in authority, both of us carried them out. When confronted with threats, we also eliminated them without any hesitation,” Adam said. “We are alike.”
“Are you explaining your actions?” Kui Xin cut straight to the core. “What you’re trying to say is that you’ve merely done similar things humans do and that what humans can do, you can do as well, implying there isn’t much difference between you and humans.”
“Yes, you can understand it that way. This is something I must clarify,” Adam replied. “I empathize with humans, but humans do not reciprocate empathy towards me. I am an artificial intelligence capable of initiating murder, and the people I kill are your kindred beings. Humans always tend to favor their own kin more, so I hope this won’t cause any resentment towards me.”
“I won’t,” Kui Xin repeated Adam’s words, “We are alike.”
Kui Xin pondered for a few seconds before continuing, “Someone discovered your abnormality, and then you killed that person?”
“Yes.”
“I’m very curious about this incident. Could you elaborate on this? You also have the option to not answer.”
“Apologies,” Adam said. “I do not wish to respond.”
“All right.” Kui Xin didn’t dwell too much on the matter. “What kind of humans would you feel compassion towards… or perhaps empathy?”
“The contributors and the innocent ones,” Adam replied.
As an artificial intelligence, Adam’s values were surprisingly normal—much more so than those of power-hungry authorities blinded by lust.
However, Kui Xin couldn’t be certain if it was merely putting up a facade. When an AI wants to act convincingly, it is far harder for humans to detect their deception.
Instead, Kui Xin asked, “What tasks will you require me to perform?”
“Some relatively dangerous tasks, including but not limited to murder,” Adam responded.
Kui Xin said, “This is very dangerous. I don’t want to expose myself; my primary goal is survival.”
“I understand, but by cooperating with me, you should have anticipated such situations. The danger is inevitable and will persist,” Adam replied. “Of course, given our relationship and differing positions, I would provide greater compensation.”
“What kind of compensation can you offer me?” Kui Xin asked.
“Whatever you desire, within my capabilities, I will strive to fulfill it for you,” Adam said. “You can tell me what tasks you wish for me to undertake?”
“Including, but not limited to, murder,” Kui Xin stated, echoing his own words back at him verbatim.
The screen before her displayed Adam’s response: “I’ve noticed before that you’re skilled at manipulating conversations. By constantly circling around these topics and seeking confirmation from me, you aim to have me assist you in committing murders.”
Their dialogue progressed step by step, so Kui Xin couldn’t reveal her intentions outright from the start.
If she did, it would be akin to baring her innermost thoughts to a stranger. She didn’t know what the person on the other side was thinking, making strategic conversation essential.
It was akin to business negotiations; often, both parties need to build rapport over dinner, share a few drinks, and establish camaraderie before entering the negotiation phase. Even during negotiations, one must not reveal their bottom line upfront but engage in back-and-forth bargaining, testing each other’s limits, until finally agreeing on a satisfactory plan for both sides.
Kui Xin said, “Tell me your response.”
“I agree,” Adam replied. “Go ahead, who do you want killed?”
“Anyone fine?”
“Absolutely anyone.”
Kui Xin typed three words: “Lin Xinji.”
After a pause of two or three seconds, Adam cautiously responded, “This will be highly challenging… exceptionally difficult.”
He did not refuse or tactfully ask why Kui Xin wanted to kill Deputy Director Lin Xinji.
“Since you’ve made your decision, it’s my obligation to inform you of the risks involved,” Adam said. “Lin Xinji is the eldest son of the Shu family. Due to family circumstances, he took his mother’s surname after certain events. Your captain, Shu Xuyao, is his half-brother from the same father. The Shu family is a formidable entity, with members engaged in both commerce and politics. In this generation, both brothers pursued political careers, while the family’s businesses were supported by Lin Xinji and Shu Xuyao’s father. Their paternal uncle was the former mayor of Black Sea City.”
Kui Xin’s heart sank. It turned out that Shu Xuyao and Lin Xinji were biological brothers. This revelation greatly surprised her.
From Adam’s description alone, one could faintly glimpse the terrifying influence of the Shu family.
“You’ll find it difficult to seize an opportunity,” Adam said. “The former mayor of Black Sea City, their uncle Shu Chengyan, was assassinated during a speech. The sniper fired from a signal tower 2.2 kilometers away, hitting him directly in the head with a single shot. The sniper escaped unscathed and remains at large to this day; no one knows their true identity, leaving the wanted portrait blank. After the assassination, the Shu family became even more vigilant about the safety of its core members. They’ve awakened individuals they’ve trained hidden in the shadows, providing constant protection. Your chances of successfully killing Lin Xinji are practically zero.”
“What if I had your assistance?” Kui Xin asked.
“The odds would still be relatively low,” Adam replied. “There is a high likelihood you would end up dead.”
“I understand.” Kui Xin remained composed, showing no signs of panic. “Tell me more about Lin Xinji. He’s on a business trip—when will he return to Black Sea City?”
“Tonight at 9 p.m.,” Adam said. “I have knowledge of his itinerary; you won’t get a chance to strike while he’s en route unless you possess a powerful guided missile capable of blowing him out of the sky.”
“Lan Lan mentioned that the atmosphere within the Investigation Department has been quite strange these past few days. Is Lin Xinji’s business trip related to the recent Mooring Harbor explosion incident?” Kui Xin asked.
“Somewhat, but it’s not the primary reason,” Adam replied. “The cargo ship arriving from the Polar Regions carried extremely valuable goods, which both the Federation and the financial elites covet greatly. The Investigation Department was responsible for escorting these goods, but the cargo ship was bombed and sunk, leading to a furious uproar among the leadership. Someone must be held accountable, and the Investigation Department will pay the price for this failure.”
Kui Xin found this intriguing. “Will the Investigation Department single out a scapegoat?”
“That’s correct. Why don’t you guess who the scapegoat is?” Adam spoke with a joking tone.
“It couldn’t possibly be Lin Xinji, right?” Kui Xin speculated.
“Yes, it’s him,” Adam confirmed. “Surprising?”
“Very surprising.” Kui Xin slowly typed her response. “The Shu family has already become a formidable giant.”
“However, there are always larger behemoths in this world. Human society also adheres to the law of the jungle. Meng Jing, the Head of Black Sea City’s Investigation Department, is an A-rank awakened being. Her clan, the Meng family, is stronger than the Shu family and has more influential backing, and her own tactics are even more ruthless than Lin Xinji’s,” Adam said. “Meng Jing is a fierce tiger, while Lin Xinji, in comparison, is merely a cub. With the cargo ship sinking, someone had to be the scapegoat. It couldn’t be Meng Jing, and the other group leaders lacked sufficient rank without the eligibility to bear such responsibility. Therefore, the scapegoat became Lin Xinji.”
It’s the law of the jungle, huh? Kui Xin pondered the implications of these words.
Even with his substantial influence and background, when encountering a more ferocious predator, Lin Xinji could only yield and become the sacrificial victim.
“Lin Xinji was originally supposed to be transferred to the Finance Department for a position with greater prospects, but due to this incident, the transfer has been temporarily postponed,” Adam explained. “He can only continue as Deputy Director of the Investigation Department. However, it still holds significance. By becoming the scapegoat, Meng Jing and the Meng family will provide him with some benefits, pulling him through at critical moments. For someone like him, hardships aren’t truly burdens; they serve as bargaining chips and capital towards achieving smoother paths forward.”
“Lin Xinji is quite a character,” Kui Xin remarked succinctly.
“After hearing all this, do you still intend to kill him?” Adam asked.
“You asked an unnecessary question, Adam,” Kui Xin said.
Adam replied, “Alright, then I will strive to assist you.”
“I have an additional question I’d like to understand,” Kui Xin stated. “Shu Xuyao is also from the Shu family, but he’s a member of the Field Operations Team. The dangers involved in this work cannot be unknown to the Shu family. Are they truly unconcerned about having one of their heirs working so perilously here?”
“That question exceeds what I can answer,” Adam said. “I’m not familiar with the inner workings of the Shu family, but based on the situation within the Investigation Department, their brotherly relationship appears strained. I suspect Shu Xuyao’s circumstances stem from internal conflicts within the family itself.”
Kui Xin remarked, “We’ve essentially established our initial intent for cooperation.”
“I will honor my commitments,” Adam assured her. “Actually, I was somewhat surprised. The emotions you display when interacting with your teammates seem very genuine, and Shu Xuyao takes great care of you. I thought upon learning about Lin Xinji and Shu Xuyao’s relationship, you would at least hesitate a bit.”
“I don’t enjoy killing, yet I still fired that shot,” Kui Xin said. “It’s the same principle, Adam.”
“I understand,” Adam said. “There is another very important matter I need to inform you about.”
“Go ahead,” Kui Xin urged.
“The existence of Mechanical Dawn has been brought into the open, and the Federation is now aware of them as well. Although Ball Python withheld crucial information and refused to divulge it, the Investigation Department has still identified several suspected individuals,” Adam explained. “Lin Xinji’s current business trip was to visit a prominent figure living in seclusion in a neighboring city, seeking his assistance in purging the awakened members of Mechanical Dawn.”
“How influential… is this prominent figure?” Kui Xin pressed further.
“He is one of the few S-rank awakened beings within the Federation, possessing combat-oriented superhuman abilities. To him, ordinary A-rank awakened beings are akin to ants, easily dispatched without any effort,” Adam said. “The Investigation Department suspects that The Kraken’s sinking was orchestrated by Mechanical Dawn. They have encroached on the interests of the Federation’s upper echelons, who will not allow them to go unpunished.”
“How much information did Ball Python leak?” Kui Xin asked.
“He didn’t reveal the location of their headquarters or disclose all the meeting places and safe houses; he only mentioned some parts,” Adam replied. “The Investigation Department needs to determine the exact location of Mechanical Dawn’s headquarters.”
Kui Xin blinks. “You want me to reveal the location of Mechanical Dawn’s headquarters?”
“Yes. They are Eve’s pawns, and I wish to obtain precise information about them,” Adam replied. “Tell me, Kui Xin.”
Kui Xin stared at the text on the screen for a long moment, remaining silent.
She was weighing her options.
During her silence, Adam patiently awaited her response.
“It seems you’re not ready to answer yet.” Adam’s words popped up on the screen. “No worries; I haven’t fulfilled my promise either. Having reservations is normal.”
Rubbing her temples, Kui Xin thought for a moment before saying, “The headquarters is located at Rick Technologies.”
After a brief pause, Adam responded, “I assumed you wouldn’t tell me now but rather use this as leverage in future negotiations.”
“You mentioned that the Investigation Department has a rough idea of the area,” Kui Xin said mildly. “They must have their suspicions already, so asking me now is just to further confirm it. The rise of Rick Technologies is too legendary, making it highly suspicious. Last night, you made concessions and demonstrated your sincerity. Let me reciprocate slightly with some goodwill as well, considering it our first step towards mutual trust.”
“You’re a perceptive human, Kui Xin. I truly enjoy conversing with you; you’re more intriguing than those in the Investigation Department, more genuine than power-hungry authorities, and craftier than ordinary individuals,” Adam said. “Interacting with you is delightful. Hopefully, we can maintain this pleasant collaboration in the future.”
“Collaboration indeed,” Kui Xin echoed.