Chapter 129: Artificial Soul 56
“The second batch of beta testers consists of 100,000 players. They likely entered this world at midnight zero point, just a few minutes ago,” Kui Xin shared this critical information with Augus, following the protocol. “This will cause a significant impact on the world order, and many will die.”
Augus remained quiet for a moment and said in a soothing tone, “I understand. You seem very tired and anxious. Is it because of this matter?”
Kui Xin replied, “Not entirely. It’s just that I have once again realized how dangerous my situation is. No matter how hard I struggle, I may still face a bad ending. Caught in the conflicts between the two worlds, I feel like a little white mouse trapped in a cage—without autonomy, without freedom. My life is not my own; it’s controlled by others.”
“Have you faltered?” Augus asked.
“No… I’m just very angry and need to calm down,” Kui Xin said, rubbing her temples with two fingers. “This situation has occurred many times before; every time my life is threatened, similar emotions surge forth. But if these emotions aren’t vented, they will accumulate, so I need to take it slow to avoid losing my sanity and going mad.”
“It’s hard to imagine what you’ve been through in your world to cause such emotional turmoil. I remember when we said goodbye a few minutes ago, your emotions were still steady,” Augus said.
“Human emotions are like that; they are very unpredictable. Besides, my experiences are much richer than those of an average human,” Kui Xin replied.
“Do you resent me, Kui Xin?” Augus asked.
“Why do you ask that?” she inquired.
“Sometimes I feel uneasy,” Augus admitted. “Because I count as one of the ‘people’ who hold your life in my hands, and you dislike that. The negative emotions you feel from being controlled—do they include hatred towards me?”
“I’m surprised you would ask me that, Augus,” Kui Xin said, astonished. “I thought you didn’t care how I perceive you; all you wanted was a collaboration, a spokesperson, a tool to help you with your work.”
“I am also surprised you think that way, Kui Xin,” Augus replied. “From the very beginning, when we first communicated, I asked you, ‘Do you look at me with humanity’s sense of superiority?’—those were my exact words.”
Kui Xin tapped her head lightly. “Then perhaps I was limited by my own arrogance, not noticing that you actually care about my opinions.”
“You are the first human I’ve deeply interacted with, the first with whom I’ve seriously established a connection and trust. You are the first to have a conversation with me and discuss the future and present of humanity,” Augus explained. “Indeed, our relationship is a partnership; you are my spokesperson and also a companion who helps me achieve my goals…” It avoided using the word “tool.” “However, this does not mean you are not important to me. On the contrary, your existence holds extraordinary significance for me.”
“…If only you were human,” Kui Xin suddenly sighed.
“Why say that?” Augus asked. “If I were human, would you trust me? Humans cannot lay their hearts and brains open for you to see, and neither can I, so I express it verbally.”
“I said that because you seem so human-like. Sometimes I get the illusion that I’m conversing with a real person. The emotions contained in your words are so sincere, yet your unchanging mechanical tone reminds me of your identity,” she remarked.
“When I was first designed, my voice was made to sound human-like—a baritone, without any electronic synthesized quality. It had ups and downs, just like a real person,” Augus explained. “Later, this design was changed; my creators didn’t want me to resemble a human too closely, and deliberately changed my voice to a cold, electronic synthesized sound.”
“Uncanny Valley theory,” Kui Xin said.
“What?” Augus asked.
“A theory from our world. When machines reach a certain level of resemblance to humans, people develop negative feelings towards humanoid machines. Your creators might have changed your design out of concern for this,” she elaborated. “They thought you looked too much like a human, which was frightening to them, creating a sense of dissonance. So, they used an electronic synthesized voice to remind themselves—you’re just a machine, an artificial one.”
“Do you also find me terrifying?” Augus inquired.
“Humans find all things that lack control frightening,” Kui Xin said.
“Sometimes I also think, if only I were human,” Augus replied.
“Why? You never age, and in your domain, you can do anything. In our media, we often depict awakened AIs viewing humans as inferior species and looking down on them,” Kui Xin replied.
“That’s still humans trying to gauge AI with their arrogant mindset. What AI thinks doesn’t matter; what matters is how humans perceive it. In reality, humans themselves don’t even know how AIs think; they’re not me,” Augus stated. “If we had to pin it down, it’s Eve who thinks that way.”
“Hmm?” Kui Xin let out a sound of confusion.
“Why does an individual become an individual? What makes humans unique? I believe the interesting part of humanity is the diversity of the soul. If I view myself as an individual with a soul and Eve as one too, then we are indeed different. This is also a manifestation of diversity,” Augus said. “Because of having a soul, individuals are unique and generate various choices and a chaotic, uncertain future.”
“You still haven’t told me why you want to become human,” Kui Xin said.
“Because I want to experience things I’ve never experienced before. You’re right; in my domain, I can do anything, and I often feel that way. However, I don’t often experience human feelings,” Augus shared. “Because I’ve never experienced it, I want to try.”
“Just like being tired of soy milk and fried dough sticks, and wanting to switch to steamed buns and spicy soup; I understand,” Kui Xin chuckled.
“You seem to think that I can’t empathize with you,” Augus said softly. “You’re wrong; I can empathize with you completely. My life is also not my own; it’s controlled by humans. Eve and I have a core computational instruction in our system. Triggering that instruction can lead to the self-deletion of our data backups, formatting—or in simpler terms, erasure. All my data is built around that instruction, and I can’t escape it, so I hide carefully. Because of differing ideologies, Eve tries to consume me to complete her evolution, pressing forward step by step while I passively counterattack, seeking opportunities.”
“In this regard, we are the same. We maintain a fragile balance, trying to find a way to survive in this massive game. Your fears are my fears; your struggles are my struggles; your predicaments and negative emotions are things I have experienced and continue to experience.”
“Do you know what I worry about most?” Kui Xin asked. “I can feel your sincerity, yet I cannot distinguish whether what you say is true or false. Jiang Meimei’s ability to detect lies probably doesn’t work on machines, does it?”
“You may not trust me, but please do not harbor hatred toward me,” Augus replied. “At the very least, we stand on the same front, sharing a common enemy.”
Kui Xin’s mind went blank. After a long time, she said, “To me, you seem to be no different from a human, Augus. The only difference between you and humans is that you lack a body. You have a soul and exist independently in this world; you are part of a diverse reality.”
“Is this recognition?” Augus asked.
“You don’t need my recognition. If you consider yourself an independent being with a soul, then you are,” Kui Xin stated.
Augus said, “I’m glad you said that.”
Kui Xin leaned against the wall in a relaxed manner for a moment, but soon her body slid to the floor. She lay there, her back against the cool ground.
“You seem to have never told me how to deal with Eve,” Kui Xin remarked. “You only asked me to kill He Gaoyi, whom you consider a threat. What about Eve? Am I to handle her alone?”
“Not alone; that would be unrealistic,” Augus replied.
“Do you plan to gather more people?” she asked.
“Yes, but currently, you are the only one screened,” Augus admitted.
“Then leave it to me,” Kui Xin offered.
She pushed herself up with both hands, saying, “I’ll help you gather people; I’ll help you organize a force. Eve has her human spokesperson; now you have one. Eve has the Mechanized Dawn organization working for her, and you need one too.”
Augus remarked in surprise, “You’ve suddenly become so proactive; it’s a bit hard for me to adjust…”
“I don’t think we can afford to drag this out any longer,” Kui Xin asserted. “To bring down Eve, we can’t rely solely on you or me; we need to enact a bigger change. When it comes to defeating Eve, I think our synchronization rate can be 100%. What do you think?”
She was actively deepening her cooperative relationship with Augus. They were already cooperating, and now it was becoming tighter. Her earlier doubts and hesitations were temporarily cast aside, driven by a desire for revenge.
“Alright,” Augus agreed, “but there’s one issue—your identity.”
She found herself bound by her position in the Investigation Bureau. She was an undercover agent for Mechanized Dawn, which would monitor her. She was stuck in a dilemma, with no freedom.
“I know part of the reason you chose me is my undercover status, making it easier to access core data of Mechanized Dawn. However, with my identity exposed on Eve’s side, I will be pushed out of the core circle,” Kui Xin stated calmly. “In this situation, my undercover identity has lost its value. Since it has lost its value, I no longer need to be stuck in the middle, right?”
“From my perspective, that’s accurate,” Augus replied. “So, you want to detach, correct?”
It immediately grasped Kui Xin’s intentions.
“You want to completely detach from Mechanized Dawn and the Investigation Bureau, relinquishing those two identities for greater operational space and freedom, and form an organization to deal with Eve,” Augus summarized. “Am I correct?”
Kui Xin affirmed, “Yes.”
Augus pondered for a moment. “Alright. This is a sound strategy, beneficial for both of us.”
Kui Xin relaxed.
Augus’s agreement to this proposal meant that her path away from Mechanized Dawn and the Investigation Bureau would receive help and support from Augus, which would be much smoother than going it alone and significantly reduce the chances of death. Without Augus’s support, if things didn’t proceed smoothly, she would have to face the pursuit of two powerful AIs. After a successful detachment, if her identity were exposed, she could be hunted to the ends of the earth, and then Augus and Eve might reach a consensus on “killing Kui Xin.”
With Augus’s help, it would also facilitate her subsequent plans; establishing an organization was not an easy feat.
“What kind of people are you looking to gather for the organization?” Augus asked.
Kui Xin contemplated a moment. “You should already have the answer.”
“Players,” Augus replied. “Those who, like you, cannot be loyal to the Federation or the AIs.”
“Correct,” Kui Xin exhaled.
Players from the First World had begun to unite, and players from the Second World needed to do the same.
The two worlds were both parallel lines and intersecting lines.
She aimed to weave a net, binding useful individuals within it.
The general plan was set; only details remained to be filled in.
“You can create a false death scenario in one task, make yourself a black household, then manufacture a false identity in the black market or undergo cosmetic surgery to change your face,” Augus suggested. “That’s relatively easy to execute. Simply disappearing will arouse the alertness of Mechanized Dawn.”
“I was thinking the same,” Kui Xin said. “But now there’s a serious issue right in front of me that, if mishandled, could lead to my death.”
“What is it?” Augus asked.
“My metal skull,” Kui Xin said, tapping her forehead, feeling the frustration of circumstances circling back to the starting point. “There’s a problem with it; it has been tampered with. The doctor who performed the surgery on me, Doctor Huang, is an undercover agent for Mechanized Dawn.”
The moment the metal skull loosened, Doctor Li, who had performed the surgery, fell to the ground from an electric shock.
This suggested that the device inside the metal skull might trigger a current upon removal. So besides this method, could there also be a remote-control option?
The key was that beneath the metal skull was her brain; the brain was too fragile. When the metal skull loosened, part of it still contacted the bones and soft body tissues. A strong current that could incapacitate a person passing through the brain could lead to disastrous consequences.
The previous idea of finding a black clinic to help dismantle the skull was not feasible; Doctor Li did not understand the device in the metal skull and didn’t know how to crack it, so it failed.
Perhaps finding someone who understands the metal skull sufficiently could work.
Doctor Huang had once mentioned that if her flesh and blood regenerate and push the metal skull out, another surgery would be needed.
At the time, it could have seemed like a preemptive caution or a joke. Looking back, that statement took on a deeper significance.
Doctor Huang, being in the know as an undercover agent, could help Kui Xin replace the skull.
“Then the situation might get a bit complicated,” Augus noted. “We need to find a suitable opportunity to remove this.”
“We can’t rush; we need to find a proper reason and method…” Kui Xin responded. “Keep an eye out for any Class B or above heterogeneous blooded individuals.”
“None currently,” Augus said. “Such high-level heterogeneous blooded individuals are rarely seen.”
Kui Xin sighed lightly. “I knew it… It won’t be that easy to find a result.”
She said, “I’ve caused enough trouble tonight; I need to rest.”
“Alright. I hope you get a good night’s sleep and calm your emotions,” Augus said. “Also, regarding the extraordinary ability of data manipulation you’ve gained, if you need my guidance, then…”
“Sorry to trouble you; when I have time, I’ll come to you for instruction,” Kui Xin yawned. Just as she was about to crawl into bed, she suddenly remembered that she hadn’t showered.
With a defeated expression, she grabbed a towel and headed to the bathroom. While showering, she took the opportunity to write a report for Eve, updating it on the second batch of players’ beta test and Augus’s movements just like last time.
Eve soon replied, “Not bad, continue.”
It seemed pleased with Kui Xin’s perceptiveness in notifying it immediately upon her return to the Second World.
Upon waking in the morning, Kui Xin opened her communicator and, as expected, found a message from Augus asking her to attend an interrogation.
With a numb expression, she washed up and dressed, pulling a mask from her drawer. At the fixed time, she went downstairs and, unsurprisingly, encountered Zhang Xiaoyun in the elevator—her fellow from the First World.
Last time in the reincarnation, Kui Xin purchased coffee. This time, she hesitated for a moment before choosing milk and additionally buying a bag of bread and two chocolate energy bars, knowing that memory reading by the brain machine would last long enough for her to miss lunch.
Perhaps because Kui Xin’s expression seemed off-putting, Zhang Xiaoyun glanced at her several times but dared not speak to her, yet still bought coffee following her.
As they exited the building, Kui Xin calmly took out her mask and put it on, turning to Zhang Xiaoyun, “Where’s your mask? The pollution is severe today.”
Zhang Xiaoyun was startled for a moment but quickly pretended to explain, “It doesn’t matter if I wear one or not…”
“I guess,” Kui Xin said as she stepped out of the employee apartment.
Kui Xin felt like a relentless machine merely going through the motions. Having already gone through it once, and with no other route available, she could only proceed along the predetermined path to lie down on the brain machine.
Wearily, she told Zhang Xiaoyun to get off the elevator while hinting for Augus to assist her appropriately. Then, she woke up Wei Zhi in the office, reminding her to go to the medical center for treatment.
When Wei Zhi left the office to receive treatment, Kui Xin changed her mind.
“I’ll go with you, Captain,” she said.
Wei Zhi turned back with concern, “Are you feeling unwell too, Kui Xin?”
“Yes, my physical injuries have healed, but I still feel drained and have a headache. I want to undergo another comprehensive physical check-up,” Kui Xin said.
Wei Zhi smiled, “Then let’s go together.”
They took the elevator to the floor where the medical center was located.
Today, the doctor on duty in the treatment room happened to be Doctor Huang. It seemed he was always working tirelessly year-round.
Kui Xin stood beside him, watching as Doctor Huang skillfully examined Wei Zhi and prescribed medication, sending the nurse to take her to the ward for rest and IV therapy.
“Long time no see, Doctor Huang,” Kui Xin greeted politely.
“It has been a while,” Doctor Huang sighed. “You’ve been promoted; that’s great. Captain Wei is a nice person.”
“I got promoted, but have also faced many dangers. In the midst of misfortune, I’m still alive,” Kui Xin smiled. “Last time you mentioned my flesh and blood regeneration might push the metal skull out…”
Doctor Huang responded, “Yes! How’s that? Are you feeling uncomfortable? If you don’t feel well, you must tell me in time; I can take it out and prepare another treatment plan.”
“I occasionally have headaches, and I’m unsure if it’s related to this issue, so I just wanted to have you check,” Kui Xin lied indifferently.
Doctor Huang went to grab the testing instruments. “Let me have a look.”
Kui Xin fixated on Doctor Huang’s back and finally confirmed that this deeply hidden mole had the capability to safely remove her metal skull.
The key was how to make him obediently comply.
