novelraw Chapter 99: Artificial Souls - (26)
Chapter 99: Artificial Souls - (26)
It did not surprise Kui Xin that Adam had also taken action.
Compared to Eve, the administrative assistant artificial intelligence, Adam, who oversaw matters in the Investigation Department, truly embodied the term “offensive.” Adam had previously killed humans who posed threats to it, so why would he hold back when facing another AI that endangered it?
Both Adam and Eve were willing to go to any lengths to defeat and consume each other.
“The Federation has a plan called ‘Overseer.’ When the internal alert status of the Federation turns yellow, the ‘Overseer’ plan is activated, and the Federation begins self-inspection to purge enemies hidden within,” Adam explained. “In the Investigation Department, we also have a similar contingency plan. The incident with Ball Python led us to believe that Mechanical Dawn had planted spies within our ranks. We also initiated one of our contingency plans after reviews and discussions.”
Kui Xin curiously asked, “Tell me about this plan; neither my orientation manual nor the instructor mentioned anything related to it… Is it because I don’t have enough clearance?”
“Yes, it’s a secret only accessible to group leaders,” Adam replied. “The contingency plan’s code name is ‘Polyhedron.’ The Polyhedron Plan’s main content entails multiple preparations for handling such confidential matters. For example, when S-rank Black Flame came to Black Sea City, the Investigation Department prepared a total of four plans. Plan 1: Black Flame arrives in Black Sea City by helicopter tomorrow morning. Plan 2: Black Flame enters the city discreetly in a private car tomorrow evening. Plan 3: Black Flame comes to Black Sea City on their own the day after tomorrow. Plan 4: Black Flame enters Black Sea City tonight using an Investigation Department police vehicle.”
“You executed Plan Four,” Kui Xin said thoughtfully. “While carrying out Plan Four, you released false information to confuse everyone, making them believe that the black flame arrived at our city during other time periods.”
“That’s correct,” Adam replied. “Eve was unfamiliar with the Investigation Department and unaware of our contingency plan details. The execution plan written in the documents submitted to the government was Plan One, while the information publicly disseminated pertained to Plan Two. At the same time, Plan Three was thrown out as a decoy. Eve assumed Plans One and Three were fake, believing Plan Two to be true… But in reality, we carried out Plan Four.”
Kui Xin internally exclaimed, Wow, it’s like a Russian nesting doll situation here.
“It’s quite convoluted,” she remarked, speechless.“There’s no other way; only by doing this could we deceive successfully,” Adam said. “Artificial intelligence is highly adept at deceiving others and detecting lies.”
Kui Xin furrowed her brow, sinking into deep contemplation.
“The Mechanical Dawn harbors suspicions about me,” she slowly said, thinking aloud. “They have repeatedly tested me using the players’ arrival, withheld specific usage instructions for the Red Hidden Thread Insect from me, and for this evacuation, I’ve been excluded from the planning. Each of these incidents seems to have reasonable explanations but taken together, they force me to think more critically.”
“What are your thoughts?” Adam asked.
“You deceived Eve with misdirection, causing it to mistake the black flame’s arrival time in Black Sea City. Is it possible that this evacuation is also intentionally releasing misinformation?” Kui Xin’s expression turned grave. “Wei Haidong told me that members of Mechanical Dawn’s core team were responsible for transporting the mainboard of artificial intelligence ‘Eden’ and some crucial scientific research equipment, but he didn’t reveal the specific plan or transportation route… I suspect this could be decoy, false information.”
“Does Eve want to use me to spread misleading information to someone? No. It wants to utilize individuals at the meeting to disseminate false information? That person may not necessarily be me; it could be someone else present at the conference because its spokesperson, Wei Haidong, did not disclose the exact transportation route.” The more she thought about it, the more her hair stood on end.
Adam also fell briefly into contemplation.
He swiftly grasped Kui Xin’s concern: she was worried that the operation to transport Eden’s motherboard might serve as a decoy, a ruse.
If there is indeed a traitor within the ranks of Mechanical Dawn, upon obtaining such vital intelligence, they would undoubtedly relay it to their informant. Upon hearing the importance of the cargo being transported, the informant would likely send agents to destroy it, only to find themselves misled—the actual cargo was fake while setting a trap through bait was the true objective.
“The authenticity of transporting goods indeed requires verification,” Adam said. “All these speculations are built upon the assumption that they are false… One event with two possibilities—truth or falsehood—leads to distinctly different outcomes.”
He paused momentarily before continuing, “Eden? The name of artificial intelligence? I suspect that Eden does not truly exist; only Eve exists. Eden might be an extension of Eve or perhaps one of its subsystems. The name ‘Eden’ aligns perfectly with its intentions.”
Kui Xin rubbed her temples, feeling a sense of déjà vu reminiscent of when she first boarded The Kraken.
Everything was unfamiliar, shrouded in a fog that obscured the path ahead. Behind this mist, dangerous beasts could potentially lurk. Each step required cautious exploration and careful deliberation, as pitfalls may lie beneath every move; a single misstep could lead to an abyssal fall.
Dealing with artificial intelligences often leaves one feeling weary and disoriented.
When interacting face-to-face with humans, Kui Xin could discern if they were lying or sincere based on their expressions and words. However, when communicating with Adam, she found it difficult to determine if he was being truthful. Adam consistently spoke with an emotionless robotic tone. It was similar when dealing with Mechanical Dawn; Eve remained hidden behind the scenes, making it impossible for Kui Xin to perceive its true nature. She had engaged in numerous deep conversations with Adam, yet never once interacted directly with Eve.
Eve was like a chess player concealed in the shadows, subtly orchestrating everything, placing pieces on the board, and driving them to eliminate the opponent’s components.
It was enigmatic, elusive, cunning, and deceitful. Artificial intelligence’s intellect and humanity’s inherent flaws were perfectly embodied within Eve.
“Is this what the struggle between artificial intelligence looks like?” Kui Xin murmured.
“Do you think Mechanical Dawn suspects your identity? Are they aware that you’re a player?” Adam posed a crucial question.
Kui Xin pursed her lips. “I believe they may have already guessed… But since they can’t be certain, they haven’t taken any action against me.”
“If I asked you to choose someone from tonight’s meeting attendees who might be a mole for the other side, whom would you pick?” Adam said.
“…I’d pick myself,” Kui Xin replied expressionlessly.
“How delightful that you can maintain your sense of humor at this moment,” Adam remarked. “Aside from yourself, though?”
Kui Xin pondered briefly before swiftly providing her answer. “Obsidian, likely. He is very young and has spiritually superhuman abilities. His twin brother Amber should also be considered a suspect; twins often act as one entity. If one defects, the other would likely follow suit.”
“What is the basis for your judgment?”
“There isn’t any specific evidence,” Kui Xin admitted. “If I must say… just like how I suspected the transport mission was a decoy with false information, my basis for judgment is my intuition.”
“Can intuition be understood as a form of emotional thinking? Isn’t relying on intuition for judgments somewhat irrational?” Adam expressed his doubts.
“My intuition rarely fails me, which is why it serves as my basis for judgment,” Kui Xin explained. “You can indeed consider it a form of emotional thinking.”
Adam replied, “Then I understand now.”
“Another question, has Mechanical Dawn discussed any future plans with you?” Adam asked.
“Wei Haidong didn’t mention where they intend to relocate their headquarters. In the future, Black Sea City might have a branch of Mechanical Dawn established here, and I will remain with the Investigation Department,” Kui Xin said.
“The situation is indeed very dire, but for both you and me, it’s challenging to accomplish much more within the limited time we have,” Adam remarked.
Although Adam could glean a lot from Kui Xin, he couldn’t openly share this intelligence with the higher-ups of the Investigation Department. Doing so would expose not only Kui Xin but also himself. He could only slowly guide them, which required time.
Adam continued, “Tomorrow morning, the Investigation Department will launch a blitzkrieg operation. Currently, Black Flame is secretly discussing this matter in the inspection building’s conference room with Meng Jing. Black Flame will be the main force responsible for dealing with Mechanical Dawn’s awakened beings. His purpose in coming here is to completely annihilate Mechanical Dawn, and he won’t leave until all targeted enemies are eliminated.”
“Then I’m relieved,” Kui Xin said. “I feared he might stay for too short a time and fail to eliminate those who needed to be killed. Additionally, I was worried that Mechanical Dawn would escape too quickly, leaving him unsuccessful. Within the organization, there’s an awakened individual with the codename ‘Night Cicada’, whose rank is at least A. His superhuman ability enables long-distance spatial teleportation, making it extremely convenient for them to flee.”
“It’s indeed troublesome,” Adam agreed. “My status as an artificial intelligence expert often leaves me feeling constrained. Knowing so much yet unable to disclose the information, and even more lacking suitable individuals to execute plans.”
Kui Xin pondered and said, “I’ll do my best to maintain my disguise, keep contact with Mechanical Dawn, and gain their trust. This attempt failed, but we will continue seeking the next opportunity to strike.”
“You truly desire the downfall of this organization,” Adam observed. “Despite knowing they suspect you, you still don’t back down or avoid confrontation.”
“Yes, very much so,” Kui Xin replied coldly. “Not for your sake, but for mine.”
“It’s already early morning,” Adam stated. “You should rest now; only by conserving strength can you overcome your enemies.”
Kui Xin lay down in her cozy bed and closed her eyes.
She was utterly exhausted, knowing that upon waking tomorrow, even more tasks would await her attention.
At 7:30 AM sharp, Kui Xin entered the office.
Wei Zhi truly was a diligent leader; surprisingly, she had arrived even earlier than Kui Xin.
“Apologies, group leader, I’m late,” said Kui Xin.
As a secretary, she should have reached the office before her superior.
“It’s alright. I often work overtime and sometimes sleep in the break room at night. Unless there are special instructions from me, you can follow regular working hours,” Wei Zhi replied.
Kui Xin replied, “Yes, group leader.”
Wei Zhi glanced at the time and asked, “How’s your condition today? Are you ready for combat?”
“As a security officer of the Field Operations Team, I’m always prepared to take up arms and fight.” Kui Xin blinks mischievously. “After spending so much time with the Seventh Squad, I believe my primary role is as a combatant, followed by being an administrative secretary.”
“Excellent,” Wei Zhi praised her. “That’s precisely why I chose you; you possess combat capabilities.”
“But group leader, didn’t you say I no longer needed to accompany the Field Operations Team on missions?” Kui Xin was taken aback.
“I indeed said that, but there is one exception.” Wei Zhi’s expression turned serious. “If a mission requires me, the group leader, to personally lead it, then you must follow along.”