Chapter 99

Chapter 99: Artificial Soul 26

Augus also took action; Kuixin was not surprised about this.

Compared to the administrative support artificial intelligence Eve, Augus, who is in charge of the Bureau of Investigation and Order Maintenance, is truly the “offensive” type. Augus has killed humans who posed a threat to it. How could it show restraint when facing a threatening artificial intelligence like Eve?

Both Augus and Eve are determined to vanquish and overwrite each other at any cost.

“There is a Federal project called ‘Watcher.’ When the internal alert level rises to yellow, the Watcher plan starts, and the Federation begins a self-inspection process to purge internal enemies.” Augus said, “At the Bureau of Investigation and Order Maintenance, we also have similar emergency plans. The incident with the Python Sphere made us suspect that Mechanized Dawn had planted spies within our bureau. After review and discussion, we initiated an emergency plan.”

Kuixin curiously asked, “Tell me more about this, my employee handbook and instructors never mentioned anything like this… Is it because of my low clearance?”

“Yes, this information is only accessible by those at the team leader rank,” Augus explained. “The codename for this contingency plan is ‘Polyhedron,’ which involves multiple preparations for handling classified matters. For instance, there are four plans if an individual ranked S, like Black Flame, were to arrive in Black Sea City. Plan One, Black Flame arrives by helicopter in the morning tomorrow. Plan Two, Black Flame quietly enters town at night tomorrow in a private vehicle. Plan Three, Black Flame shows up two days later by his own means. Plan Four, Black Flame comes into Black Sea City tonight via the Bureau’s police car.”

“You all executed Plan Four,” Kuixin pondered. “While executing Plan Four, you released false information to mislead everyone, making them think that Black Flame arrived on another occasion.”

“You are correct.” Augus affirmed. “Eve does not understand the Bureau and is unaware of our emergency plans. The report sent to the government lists Plan One as being executed, while the public message is Plan Two, and Plan Three is used as a decoy. Eve believes Plan One and Three are fake, and Plan Two is real… But we were actually implementing Plan Four.”

Kuixin thought: What a mind-boggling situation.

“This is indeed very complicated.” Kuixin said with resignation.

“It’s unavoidable; only this way can we achieve success without detection,” Augus responded. “Artificial intelligent entities excel in deception and lie-detection.”

Kuixin frowned, lost in deep thinking.

“Mechanized Dawn suspects me,” she slowly voiced her thoughts. “They’ve repeatedly tested me regarding the player’s descent into this world, withheld the specifics of using the red threadworm, and left me out of their evacuation plans this time. Each event can be justified, but collectively, they make me suspicious.”

“What did you suspect?” Augus asked.

“Did you use a ruse to deceive Eve, making her misidentify when Black Flame was coming? Could the evacuation be another distraction created by its scheme?” Kuixin’s eyes filled with concern. “Kui Haidong informed me that the core squad members of Mechanized Dawn were to transport the mainboard of the artificial intelligence Eden with critical research equipment, yet he withheld the details and routes of the plan from me. I suspect this is a lure, a misleading message.”

“Eve wants me to pass on a false message to someone else—no, to the people attending a meeting, to disperse false information,” she continued. “It isn’t necessarily me; it could be any other person at the meeting since Kui Haidong did not reveal the transportation route specific to me.”

She became increasingly uneasy.

Augus also sank into brief contemplation.

It quickly understood Kuixin’s suspicions: that the transportation of Eden’s motherboard might be a trap, a fraud.

If there is a traitor within Mechanized Dawn, this traitor would inform their agent once having crucial intelligence. This agent, realizing the importance of what must be destroyed, would then dispatch people to ruin the operation, discovering nothing—because the transport item is fake, while setting the trap is genuine.

“The legitimacy of the transport itself still needs investigation,” Augus stated. “Every guess is based on it being a deception… One matter, with true and false possibilities, each leading to different outcomes.”

After a moment, Augus said, “Eden? Its name? I doubt such an entity exists; perhaps, it is just Eve with another facet. This name fits its concept well.”

Kuixin rubbed her temple, a familiar feeling resurfacing—the apprehension from boarding the Kraken freighter.

Everything remained a mystery, the path ahead shrouded in fog, potentially concealing dangers. With every step, she must tread carefully, think deeply, for she might fall into a trap with fatal consequences.

Human interaction seemed simpler compared to these complex exchanges. If engaging humans face-to-face, Kuixin could read their faces and words to judge sincerity; yet, with Augus, she couldn’t easily determine truthfulness. The mechanical monotone was devoid of inflection which confounded her comprehension. Similarly, with the shadowy Eve orchestrating behind the scenes and Kuixin unable to see behind the curtain, she exchanged deeply with Augus but never met Eve directly.

Eve was a stealthy chess master, silently placing pawns on the board and eliminating opposing pieces.

Mysterious and shrewd, it seamlessly blended artificial intelligence intellect and human deceit.

“Is this the conflict between artificial intelligences?” Kuixin whispered.

“Do you think Mechanized Dawn doubts your identity,” Augus posed an essential question. “Do they recognize you as a player?”

“I believe they may have guessed…” Kuixin replied. “…but uncertainty prevents any action taken until now.”

“If you had to choose someone in the group tonight who might be the enemy’s sleeper agent, who would it be?” Augus pursued.

“…I’d choose myself,” Kuixin replied without emotion.

“Good humor remains, even in critical moments,” said Augus. “Besides yourself, anyone else?”

Thoughtfully, Kuixin responded, “Black Obsidian, for one. Young and possessed extraordinary abilities. His twin Amber should be considered equally, because twins act as one, and a betrayal from one implicates the other.”

“Your rationale?”

“No specific reason,…” Kuixin reasoned. “…Similar to how I suspect the transport to be a ruse—a bait trap. This judgment is based on instinct.”

“Can intuition be seen as a form of emotional reasoning? Isn’t trusting intuition somewhat irrational?” Augus questioned.

“My instinct guides my decision-making rarely goes wrong,” Kuixin clarified. “You can interpret it as an emotional reasoning style.”

“Understood,” Augus acknowledged.

“Another point, have you been told about your further assignment by Mechanized Dawn?” Augus asked again.

“Kui Haidong didn’t mention relocating the headquarters, future Black Sea City might host a branch of Mechanized Dawn; I’ll remain in the Black Sea Bureau,” Kuixin reported.

“Situations are grim. Whether for you or me, little is achievable with limited time,” Augus observed.

Though Augus gained much from observing Kuixin, it couldn’t directly reveal this intelligence to the Bureau leaders, lest Kuixin be exposed, along with itself. It needed to guide subtly, which required patience.

“Tomorrow morning, the Bureau launches a lightning assault. Right now, Black Flame discusses secretively with Meng Jing in the Meeting Room of the Investigation Building,” Augus detailed. “Black Flame leads the frontline against awakened Mechanized Dawn members, aiming to annihilate them entirely before departure.”

“That reassures me,” said Kuixin. “I feared insufficient residence time to eliminate targets or premature flight by Mechanized Dawn, leaving Black Flame empty-handed. Within their ranks, an awakened ‘Night Cicada’—rated at least A—is equipped with spatial teleportation, easily allowing escape.”

“This complicates matters.” Augus concurred. “The limitation of artificial entities often hinders me. Though I know plenty, speaking freely is impossible, and effective action remains elusive.”

Kuixin considered. “I will keep up the facade and maintain contact with Mechanized Dawn, earning their trust. Should failure arise, we find another opportunity.”

“Desperation drives you to dismantle them,” said Augus. “Knowing they suspect you, you persist anyway.”

“Yes, I’m determined,” she responded coldly. “Not for you, for myself.”

“It’s already past midnight,” said Augus. “Rest is necessary, preparation to defeat the adversary.”

Lying down inside her soft bed, Kuixin closed her eyes.

Exhausted, many more matters awaited her upon waking.

…

At half past seven in the morning, Kuixin timely entered her office.

Weizhi was truly a hardworking boss, arriving even earlier than Kuixin.

“Apologies Leader, I’m late,” Kuixin offered.

As a secretary, she should always arrive before her superiors.

“None of that, I frequently work late and sometimes sleep in the Rest Room. Without any specific instructions, come in as usual according to regular hours,” Weizhi instructed.

“Yes, Leader,” Kuixin responded.

Weizhi glanced at the time and asked, “How are you today? Ready for combat?”

“As a field operations security officer, I’m always prepared to take action,” Kuixin winked. “In the Seventh Squad, I feel like I am primarily a combatant with administrative duties secondary.”

“Not bad,” Weizhi praised. “That is why I chose you.”

“Leader, didn’t you say I wouldn’t accompany the field team anymore?” Kuixin was puzzled.

“I did say that, except under special circumstances,” Weizhi turned serious. “Should a mission require my presence, you will also join.”