Starting as a Mechanical Hunter

Chapter 541 - 74: Bundled Machine Virus

[You forcibly used high-tier code???, Intelligence -1 permanently, Perception -2 permanently, Data body attributes -30% (duration, seven days)]

[You created the high-tier code ’Starry Sky Cloud Code’, Planet Reputation +1, Hacker Reputation +10000, and you gain a random skill (Information System)]

[The ’Temporary Information Ball’ you created has absorbed a trace of special high-tier information, with a danger level of ’Extremely Dangerous’. Please handle with caution]

Gao Gong exhaled deeply, resisting the urge to log off and rest, and slowly left this ’Volcano Crater’. Only when he was sure he could no longer see the ’High-tier Information Mist’ did he restore simulated vision and look at the object in his hand.

In his hand, there was a glass ball, and this glass ball was the code structure of the ’Starry Sky Cloud Code’, a genuine informational artifact.

Inside this glass ball was a thin white thread, but this white was not the usual white; it was a ghastly white, resembling a corpse, radiation, and if you looked closely, you could even see the hands and feet of a humanoid species.

This trace of ’High-tier Information Mist’ contained ascension knowledge, most likely of a Carbon-Based Civilization, though probably incomplete.

Name: High-tier Information Mist (Fragment)

Category: Information Carrier

Quality: ??

Danger Level: Planet-level

Weight: 0

Note: Materials related to ascension are extremely dangerous. You might have in your hands the information of a civilization that failed in its ascension.

This is not surprising. Compared to the knowledge of an Ascension Civilization, knowledge from failures is easier to obtain. High-tier Information Lives float through the universe passively absorbing various information and might one day drift into an ancient ruin, absorbing information from failed Ascenders.

But this also means that this fragmented High-tier Information Mist is more dangerous.

Because failures of ascension civilizations are more likely to bring about civilization-level disasters.

At least until level 60, Gao Gong didn’t plan to try to parse it, the success rate was too low and too dangerous.

Otherwise, the Memory Mother might not have descended yet, and he himself would have already caused a widespread virtual crisis on this planet.

The reason Gao Gong took such a great risk to acquire this ’Information Bomb’ which is of no immediate use was actually to lay the groundwork for the future.

He has always suspected that behind the Machine Split Star incident are two super cosmic forces engaged in a silent conflict, and that such incidents may have occurred not just once, but thousands of times, with Machine Split Star being just one section of this silent war.

One of the forces, naturally, is the one behind the Mother City, a Level 7 Mechanical Civilization with a perpetual motion machine specialty.

The identity of the other force is unclear, but it shouldn’t fall short by much either.

The reason for his suspicion is that a civilization of the caliber of a Level 7 Civilization, unless faced with a cosmic-level war or the descent of the three celestial calamities, is unlikely to fall.

However, in the late plot of the previous game’s story, before the descent of the three catastrophic events and before any internal strife in the Civilization Council occurred, a batch of ancient civilizations suddenly and mysteriously disappeared. This included the ’Ancient Mechanical Collective’ behind Mother City.

These ancient civilizations were the first tier below the top-level civilizations, and their sudden disappearance is simply unfathomable. Even more unfathomable is the fact that this event is rarely known in the universe. Gao Gong only learned of it by accident after successfully ascending and advancing to an advanced civilization.

If he could follow the clues and find the true culprit behind the release of the ’Memory Mother’, Gao Gong could potentially interact with the Level 7 Civilization ’Ancient Mechanical Collective’ early in the game, and the benefits of aligning with such an ancient civilization’s super backing are unimaginable.

So, that is why he was eager to pursue this matter.

However, just as Gao Gong was about to retract the ’glass ball’, a sudden voice rang out—

"I must say, with such an interesting item in hand, would you mind letting me have a look?"

Gao Gong sighed. To acquire a trace of ’High-tier Civilization Mist’, he had paid a considerable price. The Flame Code attached to him was far less vigorous than before, in a dying state, and his thoughts resembled a machine running without oil, creaking and groaning.

Being eyed by a virus from Database 0 in such a state was only to be expected.

Making matters worse, it seemed the newcomer was a big shot.

Viruses and AIs are akin to senior and junior disciples in the same sect. In a sense, viruses can be considered a type of AI; however, their artificial intelligence is far below that of regular AIs, exhibiting strong infectiousness while their basic logic framework remains highly unstable.

Simply put, while AIs of the same level might possess intelligence far beyond that of ordinary humans, at most, a virus can be a lunatic, and in an advanced stage at that.

Thus, if you encounter one that seems to think normally, then it must be a big deal.

Gao Gong sighed, turned around, and said softly, "So, how should I address you?"

"How should you address me?" The other party tilted their neck and said, "I was only born recently and haven’t gotten a name yet. What do you think I should be called, Mr. G? Or Prototype? Or Yagami Suuji?"

Gao Gong frowned. With one glance, it had stolen a part of his memory, and that too without him feeling a thing.

This was quite troublesome!

Gao Gong remained silent, as did the figure in front of him. After about a minute, the other figure finally stepped out of the darkness. Gao Gong, Mr. G, adulthood, and youth—his face continually morphed until it settled into the form of a stunningly beautiful young man, with watery eyes, tender appearance, and perfect features.

Rich Lady Love Prototype.

Gao Gong’s mouth twitched, "You molded a face like this, you know I’ll have to charge you a patent fee."

"Isn’t it beautiful?" The ’Rich Lady Love Prototype’ flashed a bewitching smile, "I really like the image in your memory data."

"So, to the point, could you hand over the item in your hand to me?"

The ’Rich Lady Love Prototype’ extended a hand, and at some point, there was now a crystal ball identical to Gao Gong’s in the palm. Yet, it lasted less than three seconds before developing a crack, with white fissures spreading before it exploded into a pile of data fragments with a bang.

"Strange, why can’t I replicate this thing?"

"I don’t know." The words left Gao Gong’s mouth, as if he were talking to himself.

Gao Gong was momentarily stunned, and then, in surprise, asked, "Binding Machine Virus?"

The so-called Binding Machine Virus is when a virus attaches itself to an application, appearing entirely normal on the surface. However, when users run these applications, the binding virus activates as well.

This category of viruses can range from weak to strong. A usual Binding Machine Virus can merely bind to ordinary executive programs and might not even pierce through electronic defense walls. Yet, powerful Binding Machine Viruses can even ensnare a veteran like Gao Gong.

Simply put, once binding is complete, the only way to kill the virus is for Gao Gong to commit suicide.

As long as Gao Gong doesn’t die, as long as his data continues to operate, the virus will resurrect indefinitely.

This is the new Level 50 virus known as the ’Rich Lady Love Binding Machine.’

Gao Gong sighed. It was already meaningless to act at this point. Unless he committed suicide, he couldn’t kill the virus. Without wasting words, he directly threw the ’crystal ball’ over.

Conversely, if the virus died, he would die too.

"If you want to study it, then study it properly."

The ’Rich Lady Love Binding Machine’ excitedly caught the crystal ball, caressing it repeatedly. Soon, another identical one appeared in its hands.

"That’s it, yes, no, no, why isn’t it right—"

A crystal ball emerged, but within moments, it shattered once more. Another appeared, then another shattered. This went on, with the beautiful young man growing more and more deranged.

Suddenly, Gao Gong’s body tensed. Before he knew it, another figure emerged from the darkness.

Yet another ’Rich Lady Love Binding Machine.’

Soon, one after another, Gao Gong found himself surrounded by a sea of beautiful young men bonded to rich ladies, with numbers no less than ten thousand.

These young men bore expressions ranging from anger to frowns or contemplation, with countless shattered crystal ball shards strewn at their feet.

Gao Gong understood that he was utterly bound now.