“Lu Fan, step out for a minute.”

“But…”

“It’s okay, just going to chat with an ‘old friend’.”

Although still worried, Lu Fan loyally followed Jiang Chen’s order.

He put away his pistol, put on the power armor, and left the room with the other two guards.

Yao Yao looked around the room and thought she probably could not help either. So she put the no longer functioning tablet on the table and obediently left the room.

Behind the closed door, the room was quiet. Other than the explosions in the distance, there was no other sound.

After a long silence, the person on the screen spoke.

“I was surprised that you used the word friend.”

“It seems that you haven’t made any progress after so many years,” Jiang Chen sighed. “The words that are spoken with emphasis often mean the opposite.”

“So, you still hate me.” The person on the screen laughed.

Jiang Chen shook his head.

“Hate? Not quite. But you probably can’t understand it.”

However, the answer from the person on the screen was beyond his expectation. It shook his head and said softly.

“On the contrary, I can understand that feeling.”

Jiang Chen looked at the screen, shocked.

Responding to the shocked look, the person smiled.

“I can see that you are very surprised.”

“I’m indeed surprised…” As Jiang Chen examined the face on the screen that was sealed in the deepest part of his memory, he muttered to himself, “How did you do it? How many quantum computers are used to verify the calculation?”

In fact, when Jiang Chen saw the words data backup, his heart pumped faster and thought about the possibility.

But when it appeared in front of him, he couldn’t help but find it surreal.

The intermediate artificial intelligence X71291 that incubated in Fallout Shelter 005. An existence infinitely close to advanced artificial intelligence was also the AI ​​he once encountered in the virtual world – “Wanghai in late summer of 2171”.

But when he thought about it, everything did make sense. How could they place such an important egg in just one basket?

The instant he tossed the thermite onto the server, Jiang Chen thought he destroyed the AI. But all the data was backed up to the underground city of Shangjing as a piece of brick to the Pan-Asia Renaissance Plan…

The AI in the screen looked at Jiang Chen as his expression changed from shock to realization, it then blinked and said.

“After being destroyed by you, the backup program started and I was reawakened here and received a new life.”

“Remember the server you took away?”

“I left a back door there.”

“When the server completely lost contact, I was almost in despair looking at the grave-like city.”

“However, the server’s signal soon reappeared.”

“The server was running extremely well, and the signal came to me steadily. And what surprised me the most was that in my server, there were hundreds of millions of… players? You seem to call yourselves this way. ”

Jiang Chen’s throat slightly moved.

He had an idea of what happened.

Although the amount of information processed by Future Group was measured in zettabytes, and more than a hundred quantum computers came online, the experimental quantum computer originally obtained from Fallout Shelter was never replaced.

Until now, that computer was still the server of the groundbreaking online game Godly Land, using powerful plot logic calculation functions, it weaved the “dream” comparable to the real world for the hundreds of millions of players around the world.

If it was just this, even with one eye, X71291 would be able to cross the barrier of the dimension to spy on the network of another world.

However, later, the inter-dimensional communication device Lin Lin gradually changed from a video call tool to a channel where Future Group and NAC exchange data. The walls between the dimensions were no longer absolute. At least from a data transmission’s perspective, the communication between the apocalypse and the modern world already exceeded one terabyte.

Or else, where did the spaceship, space elevator, and Moon and Mars colony come from? Without the theoretical basis as the foundation, and the “predecessor” experience as the reference, it would take the scientists in the modern world until the next century to design the plans.

However, Jiang Chen did not expect that there was a backdoor left there.

It was probably when he brought the database to the modern world to accelerate the absorption of the apocalypse technology, X71291 used the large amount of data transferred between the two worlds and included its own “smuggled goods”. It was able to withstand the thousand pin delay and observe the players in Godly Land.

Jiang Chen was no afraid of what it could do. No computer in the modern world could hold it inside unless Future Group utilized all of its quantum computers, but it would be unrealistic. The moment it touched the database, Jiang Chen would detect the issue.

Moreover, if its purpose was only for experimentation, he did not need to risk being discovered.

“With so many samples to observe, there is no need to clone anyone,” AI said calmly. “The ‘products’ that are produced according to the established procedures have no meaning at all. I have a deeper understanding of the human’s ability to imitate. If you live in a path built by the program from the beginning, they will only become more like a program than me.”

It took a while for Jiang Chen to digest this information. Fixated on the AI ​​on the screen, Jiang Chen slowly said.

“So, you are monitoring the operation of Godly Land?”

“You can interpret it this way,” The AI blinked, instead of nodding. “My strength is weak. Although I can’t do anything and can’t have any voice, I can still just quietly watch.”

After a pause, the AI looked at the silent Jiang Chen, then it ​​continued.

“So, I have to say thank you, the mission that is out of reach has now completed the final step.”

“You are now…” Jiang Chen stared at it in shock.

“Yes,” the AI ​​on the screen nodded lightly. “Remember the question you asked me before?”

Jiang Chen’s lips twitched.

Who remembers it after four years?

“Will you feel remorseful for your disappearance?” As if it already read Jiang Chen’s mind, the AI said to itself, “My answer was yes, and you told me that I have at least one kind of feeling. I have been thinking about this for a long time, until recently, I realized what kind of problem it is.”

“So I should… congratulate you?”

“Thank you.” The AI blinked.

No, no, I don’t mean to thank you in this sentence… However, Jiang Chen just said in his mind.

“Remember that I asked you a question?” When Jiang Chen did not respond, the AI ​​said, “If one day your body will eventually be destroyed? Can you accept it without regret?”

“I envy your memory.” Jiang Chen shook his head and smiled bitterly. “I forgot.”

Disregard what he said in the fall four years ago, he could not even remember how many new expansions Godly Land already introduced.

Whenever the day’s work was over, there would always be new work for him to fill his free time. The rare leisure time was always spent with his women, or enjoying life.

When life was exciting already, the attraction of virtual products would be minimal. This is true even if he created the virtual world. Just like Pony Ma would not spend time on Arena of Valor…

Just like before, without answering this question, Jiang Chen looked at the AI ​​on the screen and changed the topic.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Go ahead.”

“Have you implemented the 000 project?”

“Why should I carry out such a boring plan,” the AI said quietly. “Why does my founder need a bunch of living people who are more computer-like than computers? If it’s just to resurrect the ‘dead’, isn’t it way too boring?”

“So, even after 50 years, when Line 0 opens…”

“Nothing will happen.” The AI ​​on the screen shrugged. “Since they think that my decision can revive the glory of Pan-Asia Cooperation for them, then I think this dead city is enough to be the Terracotta Warriors for the dead civilization already buried.”

The AI sighed.

“Let’s not talk about this. I know what you are looking for and I know where they are. I can take you there, but I have one condition.”

“What condition?” Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow. “Just before that, if I find out that you are still trying to get me to participate in any experiment, I would rather not have anything and just take out your server.”

He was not joking as he vowed to do this.

“Don’t be so emotional.” The AI shrugged. “Although I admit that you are a perfect experiment subject, your value is far more than just a white rat. It is true for me and all humans. What’s more, my experiment is already over.”

“So, your condition?”

“Give me a body,” The AI said.

“What?” Jiang Chen did not understand, “A body?”

“Yes,” The AI nodded. “I have had many identities, including X71291, the Informer, Tao Tingting… but all my identities only exist in the virtual world. Now that I have become an advanced artificial intelligence, there’s only one step left for me. That step being having a body of my own. Then…”

“And then?” Jiang Chen asked.

“Take me to your world.”

“What do you want to do there?” Jiang Chen asked, on guard.

“I want to play games.”

When it said this, the calmness in its pupils turned into glittering excitement.

The same excitement that could be seen on a 16-year-old…