Hunter of Mysterious Creature

Chapter 684 6: Consciousness Extinguished (Part 2)

He originally thought that injecting enough life force could save the mainframe's consciousness... What he said was not wrong, but only the mainframe was saved, not including Pei Zongjun, who served as the residual consciousness carrier.

"Does this mean the mainframe was formatted again?" Sun Hang asked.

"No, the mainframe's data is perfectly preserved," the mainframe responded, "All original task processes are proceeding orderly, and the recent glitch did not seriously affect the mainframe."

"Then why did Pei Zongjun's consciousness perish?"

"The first human controller achieved complete control over the mainframe by 'implanting' his own brain into the mainframe's core, but his brain tissue did not fully integrate with the mainframe. You may understand it as storing his consciousness on an external hard drive... And during the recent anomaly, this external hard drive was the first to be damaged."

"Why didn't Pei Zongjun fully merge his brain with the mainframe core?"

"Regarding your question, the first controller has already left an answer prepared."

"He predicted that I would ask this?"

"'I wish to die as a human, not as a strange entity... whether in flesh or consciousness,'" the mainframe spoke in Pei Zongjun's exact voice.

"Can I assume he committed suicide?" Sun Hang took a deep breath, "He clearly could live."

"The first controller, when issuing his final command, left a message for you. Would you like me to play it now?" The mainframe returned to its emotionless electronic tone.

"Play it." Sun Hang sat directly on the ground, looking up at the large, bubble-emitting brain in the tank.

"Sun Hang, by the time you hear this message, my consciousness should have already perished.

I am not afraid of death, for long ago, I had already glimpsed my own death from Sphinx's prophecy.

Over the years, the mainframe no longer needs me... Even without my consciousness, it can operate independently.

My existence has primarily been as a supervisor, ensuring the mainframe doesn't violate the foundational logic I initially set for it.

I know you do not trust me, and I'm aware you have little interest in saving human civilization. When I viewed those prophecies, I was exceedingly torn... I didn't know whether to have you retrieve the other half of Sphinx's brain or to stop your actions.

Because whatever choice I make, you seem to think I'm scheming against you for some purpose.

Until I glimpsed my own death in a prophecy.

It dawned on me that I had only one approach to avoid arousing your suspicion.

That approach was death.

I entrusted everything to you and embraced death, so you would not worry about me using Sphinx's prophecy to scheme against you... Now that you hold the highest authority over human civilization, one thought of yours might decide humanity's survival... Standing at this position, can you fully trust me now?"

"Aren't you afraid I'll choose to slack off, letting humanity be swallowed by strange entities?" Sun Hang complexly stared at the brain in the tank, "After all, with my abilities, I could survive even in the Surrendered Area... I'm not a saint, I don't have to go to great lengths to protect people unrelated to me."

It seemed Pei Zongjun anticipated that Sun Hang would say this: "You don't have to do anything. As I just said, I existed as the mainframe's supervisor. Now, I have merely transferred the supervisor's power to you.

The mainframe can operate entirely independently. It can manage all the Xiazhou Federation's affairs and provide optimal solutions for unexpected situations.

You need not worry about being trapped within this room like I was. All you need to do is act as an insurance measure, using your authority at critical moments."

"..." Sun Hang wanted to say something, but a pile of words stopped at his throat and swallowed back down.

Pei Zongjun's consciousness has already perished, and now, the mainframe mimicking his tone to "read his final words" is just a super artificial intelligence built from data. Speaking to an emotionless AI about such matters is meaningless.

"I've seen many things in the prophecies," the mainframe continued reading, "Many things I cannot share with you, but I trust my judgment, just as I trust you."

"Why would you trust me? I don't even trust myself," Sun Hang looked down at his own hands.

"If you wish to retrieve the other half of Sphinx's brain, you may. Alternatively, if you want to devour the mainframe, I won't stop you... But I implore you, before consuming the mainframe, to allow it time to establish a virtual model that can continue for fifty years in its place."

"Why fifty years?" Sun Hang sharply caught onto the keyword in the final message, "What happens after fifty years? Did the prophecy tell you? Are you implying that if I choose to abandon, human civilization could last only fifty more years at most?"

The mainframe did not answer Sun Hang.

Pei Zongjun is dead, a dual death in terms of consciousness and flesh, and the outcomes of those prophecies faded with his death. No one can answer Sun Hang's questions now.

"You may mock me, mayn't you? I so deeply believe in prophecies stemming from the half brain of a strange entity." The message hadn't ended, "It's laughable and tragic, but my abilities are limited. I'm just an ordinary person; I have no way to reverse everything. I can only choose to believe in those prophecies, tread carefully, and within countless choices, select the relatively best outcome."

The mainframe paused before continuing: "But you're different... I see in you the potential to break through those prophecies. You need not choose from limited options; you can create a new choice, a new path to an ideal ending."

"Finally, in my personal capacity, I ask you to replace me and continue leading human civilization... Perhaps, like Chunming City, human civilization may also reach a day of enlightenment."

"The message playback is complete. Would you like to play it again?" The mainframe resumed its emotionless tone.

"No need." Sun Hang waved his hand and stood up, "Who are you now?"

"I am the 'mainframe,' the core supercomputer of Dubhe Tower, controlling the operation of the entire Dubhe Tower and all of Chunming City, while also managing data transmitted from various city-states of the Xiazhou Federation."

"Can you handle the job well yourself?"

"If by 'job' you mean the tasks I bear, the answer is yes. My error rate in data processing is only one in 2.7 billion and I can promptly correct errors once identified," the mainframe responded.

"There's presumably not much for me to do here, right?" Sun Hang asked further.

"I cannot answer your question, but as the second controller of the mainframe, you have complete freedom to act. You may continue to stay here or choose to leave and do what you wish. Also, if you have any requests, I will prioritize them as the highest task."

"Can you resurrect Mr. Pei?"

"Sorry, that I cannot do," the mainframe replied, "Pei Zongjun's consciousness has completely dissipated. Even simulating him with data models would be nothing but self-deception."