Chapter 2868: The Only Counterattack
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
‘When the computational ability of the f.u.xis surged toward Li Yao and Lu Qingchen like a tsunami, they both felt the irresistible pressure and horror.
It was as if an obvious boundary had appeared in the s.p.a.ce they were in. The boundary was shrinking, the s.p.a.ce was shrinking, and the s.p.a.ce was collapsing, from the fourth dimension to the third dimension, from the third dimension to the second dimension, and even from the second dimension to a
tiny dot.
Li Yao’s and Lu Qingchen’s souls were being compressed into tiny light spots by the f.u.xi and absorbed into the cl.u.s.ter of light made of countless light spots.
Maybe, that was how the weird cl.u.s.ter of light came about. It was because the soul of countless human experts had been extracted and compressed by the f.u.xi and combined with its amazing computational ability that it was named ‘awareness’.
Li Yao’s and Lu Qingchen’s souls struggled hard, trying to get out of the control of the f.u.xis, But they were like asteroids that had fallen into the gravitational field of a white dwarf, a neutron star, or even a black hole. There was no way that they could get out. They only sank deeper and deeper.
The computational ability of the two parties was not necessarily that far away from each other. Besides, Li Yao and Lu Qingchen had grasped the marvelous ‘soul’ that f.u.xi did not have.
However, this was the nest of the f.u.xis. The thousands of computational units that const.i.tuted the mainframe crystal processor of ‘Ultimate Rescue’ had been designed by the f.u.xis in the first place. The f.u.xis were familiar with the structure of the rune arrays carved on every chip inside the units and
could perform 100% of the performance of the units.
Li Yao and Lu Qingchen were just two thieves who had broken into the nest of the f.u.xi Clan.
If it were the Gold Crystal Tower in the Empyrean Terminus Sector or below the planet, Li Yao, as the master of the Gold Crystal Tower, would have perfect control over all the performance of the mainframe crystal processor of the Gold Crystal Tower. If a final battle were to take place there, Li Yao might
have suppressed Fu Xi instead.
Unfortunately, there were no ‘ifs’.
“AHHHHHHHHHHE!”
Li Yao and Lu Qingchen were attacked by countless emotional data packages of the f.u.xis again. In the blink of an eye, they tasted the most intense pain, depression, and desperation of billions of people.
Their souls were expanding at a visible speed like balloons that had been filled with too much air. Cracks were appearing in every wrinkle of their souls. The data of their souls was dispersing like air currents, forming colorful smoke that was rising rapidly.
“Think… think of something… It definitely has a weakness…”
Li Yao was in so much pain that he was almost crying. He struggled to say to the mental devil, “If it had no weakness, it wouldn’t have talked to us for so long and simply slapped us to death! Aren’t you best at a.n.a.lysis and infiltration? Look for its weakness now!”
“I’ve been looking for it, but it’s not that easy.
The mental devil stammered, “It—it utilized hundreds of layers of defense and protection sh.e.l.ls, and even faked false databases to protect its real core data. I cannot see through its underlying architecture and meta-logic. How can I find its weakness? Unless—unless—”
“Unless what? Just tell me!”
Li Yao screamed, “I’ve tasted the pain of childbirth for the 3,524th time. This time, it was twins. I couldn’t stand it any longer. I had to release the painful data and transfer it to you. Don’t blame me!”
“Don’t. Don’t. I need to think calmly and not be affected by the pain. You must hold on. You must!”
The mental devil replied quickly, “All the data and excuses in every direction have been blocked. There’s no way that we can run away. Even if we do, the f.u.xi must’ve set up traps and dragnet outside waiting for us. They might even be inside our souls and lead us to the Gold Crystal Tower below Empyrean
Terminus, where we will find Xiao Ming and Wen Wen. That will be terrible!”
Li Yao was greatly alarmed.
Like all parents in the world, he would not allow the evil claws of the f.u.xis to touch his children.
“Yes. We cannot run away. If f.u.xi discovers Xiao Ming and Wen Wen, our trump cards will be exposed, and we will be screwed!”
Li Yao gritted his teeth. “I’m going to hold it. Hu! Hu! Hu! Hu! Hu! Hu! Hu! Hu! Hu!”
“Ican’t run away. I can’t fight. So, there is only one last option!
The mental devil shrieked, “Let’s go inside. Let’s rush to the center of the f.u.xi’s mind and search for its core database. We’ll turn the place upside down!”
“From the conversation between f.u.xi and Lu Qingchen just now, haven’t you noticed? Although the computational ability of the f.u.xis is very high, there is still a subtle difference between them and the real ‘strong artificial intelligences’ such as Xiao Ming and Wen Wen. Their ‘self-awareness’ seems to be
weaker. They are still ‘loyal’ to the commands that the Pangu Clan and the Nuwa Clan sent to them, except that their methods are extremely twisted.
“Therefore, half of its words are correct. It is indeed not a human being. It is not an intelligent life form with self-awareness, unpredictability, and control. It is just a ‘weak artificial intelligence’ that is highly developed and extremely powerful, but it still needs to follow the meta-logic.
“In this sense, its self-awareness is even weaker than the ‘Punching King’.
“For such a ‘weak artificial intelligence’, as long as we can find its meta-logic, which is its first mission, and find a way to modify or delete it, not only will we be able to defeat it instantly, we will also be able to manipulate it!
“Ouch… Ouch… Ouch… Ouch… Ouch Ouch Ouch Ouch Ouch!”
Li Yao felt that he was having a baby and a.n.a.lyzing the situation with the mental devil at the same time. He could not think clearly at all. “Whatever you say. But where are we going exactly?”
“There—the virtual s.p.a.ce created by the f.u.xis that is entirely made of ‘non-playable characters’ and deduces their own history!
The mental devil explained, “According to the logic of the universe, the virtual s.p.a.ce is the real civilization of mankind and the purpose of its existence. I believe that its core database must be hidden in this place. As long as we can crawl in, we will be able to break it from the inside!
“But—”
Li Yao managed to say, “Wouldn’t we be committing suicide if we crawled into its brain?”
“No. If we are swallowed by it, our souls and souls will be torn apart, and every memory piece will turn into fragments, or even basic data and information streams. Naturally, they will be digested and absorbed very quickly.
“However,” the mental devil said, “if we crawl in on our own and maintain the intact and indestructible wall of our belief, it will take a long time for it to melt our defense line and sh.e.l.l and absorb us slowly.
“It’s like a python swallowing a turtle. How can it be so easy to digest and absorb it? But if a tiger chews the sh.e.l.l of the turtle and chews the flesh and bones inside, it will be much easier to digest.
“Then, it will be a compet.i.tion of speed. As long as we find its core database before it is fully digested and absorbed, we will break its meta-logic and gain the highest clearance to modify its ‘first mission’ and defeat it!
“The only problem is…”
“Any questions?”
Li Yao screamed, “Don’t breathe heavily when you talk. Can you finish it in one breath?”
“We need to find a gap, or even trigger a riot, in order to sneak in without alarming anyone and erase the traces of our intrusion. Otherwise, the f.u.xi Clan will find us in no time.
“Besides,” the mental devil said, “it will be best if we can heavily wound the f.u.xi first so that we can see its internal structure and the most commonly-used data model so that we can pretend to be the normal data inside its brain. Alright. I know that the requirements are a bit excessive, but there’s
nothing I can do about it. This is the f.u.xi we are talking about!”
“I’s not about the demand.
Li Yao felt like crying. “But how can we seriously wound the f.u.xi at such a critical moment and blow a hole in its brain?”
While Li Yao was talking to himself, Lu Qingchen had been crushed into a speck of light by the strength of the f.u.xis, like a glittering dust.
Different from Li Yao, his soul had been tortured and riddled with thousands of wounds. Although half of them were faked, his computational ability and combat ability had hit rock bottom.
Not to mention that, when he was stabbed by the tentacles of light a moment ago, he had been implanted with a lot of ‘anti-virus data packages’ inside his soul. Now that they were acting up, he was about to collapse beyond repair.
—Maybe, there was another small reason.
Even after carefully observing and a.n.a.lyzing Li Yao’s and Lu Qingchen’s souls, f.u.xi still believed that Lu Qingchen was a little bit more threatening. Therefore, he made up his mind that he would crush Lu Qingchen first and then swallow Li Yao. Then, he poured most of his computational ability into Lu
Qingchen.
Lu Qingchen could not maintain the form of his soul any longer. The light spot that was smaller than a firefly extended a feeble thread of brightness toward Li Yao.
“Lu Qingchen!”
Li Yao was anxious. One of his telepathic thoughts tangled with Lu Qingchen’s.
For a moment, countless streams of information and data were communicating inside their souls through telepathic thoughts and light threads. A collision of 0.1 seconds was better than a thousand words.
Lu Qingchen completely understood Li Yao and the mental devil’s plan.
Li Yao could also feel Lu Qingchen’s regret about his past, his love for the Star Glory Federation, his unwillingness to give up the Phantom Project, and of course, his helplessness and hatred for Li Yao.
“Invade its brain and destroy it from the inside? It is indeed your style. Beheading tactics on the data level.”
Lu Qingchen sneered, “However, you seem to have run into a problem that you cannot crack in its database?”
“What—what do you want?”
Sensing Lu Qingchen’s determination, Li Yao was greatly shocked. “Lu Qingchen, don’t be silly. What do you want exactly?”
“Stop nagging. What I want to do has nothing to do with you. You just need to remember—”
Lu Qingchen glared at Li Yao from the depths of his soul and said, one word after another, “You must succeed and defend the federation.. Otherwise, I will not let you go even if I die!”