Chapter 107 – Twin Cities (5)

By the time Zhang Xun saw Cindy again he barely recognised her. Her skin was covered in boiling blisters, flaking off as if overwhelmed, revealing the bright red muscles beneath. Yellowish mucus spilled from her mouth and nose and as the intestinal mucosa fell away, the sheets beneath her were stained a strange brownish colour, giving off a terrible stench.

Zhang Xun took one look at her from outside and knew she was running out of time.

The genetic deciphering had made some progress, but it was nowhere near enough to decode Eden's design. It was either watch Cindy die, or give her the nanobots.

"If we don't inject her with nanobots in the next three days, her chances of survival for the next month are down to 8%." Pan stood beside him, dutifully giving him the data.

Zhang Xun took a deep breath and decided to ask Cindy himself. He changed into a sterile suit, entered the isolation ward and went to the woman who was struggling to breathe.

"Cindy?"

Every breath felt like a fight to the death, the murmur that emanated from her chest was suffocating.

How much more time did James have before he became like this?

There was no response to any of his calls. Zhang Xun didn't give up calling until her fingers trembled, finally slightly lifting her sticky eyelids.

"Do you remember what I told you about the nanobots when you first entered this ward?" Zhang Xun bent his body, gazing into her tired, pained eyes, "Have you thought of an answer?"

She nodded faintly.

"I...... I want...... to...... live......."

Those few words alone had drained her strength.

"You understand what they can do to your brain, don't you?"

This time she didn't make a sound, but mouthed a "yes".

In the face of death, any cost became less important.

Zhang Xun handed the programmed syringe to her attending physician and left with Pan.

He didn't return to the temple immediately but strolled through the eternally clear and sunny streets, looking at the hibiscus bushes that were blooming to the point of fearing they were about to burn out, people modified to varying degrees were sitting on benches eating lunch, queuing at the hot dog stand, laughing and joking as they sipped coffee and passed by. It was hardly any different from those scenes of everyday life he had seen in the movies.

He got in line too, bought two hot dogs and handed one to Pan.

Seeing Pan's confused look, Zhang Xun laughed, "I know you don't need to eat, but you're human now, so you might as well chew them up and store them in your belly."

Pan said "yes" with pleasure and began to stuff the hot dog into his mouth with extreme concentration.

Zhang Xun sat down on a seat by the flower bed and looked at the peaceful and serene scene before him with some confusion. Just looking at it, no one would have thought that this was a huge prison, a prison that was on the verge of being crushed at any moment by a more powerful force.

What was Adam doing at the moment?

He had heard that the Sixth Chief had a very successful trip to America and had shown them the Cloud of Consciousness. It was said to have caused a stir in the ordinary world.

Some people were eager to connect to it and become omniscient beings like gods, to be freed from human bodies and the curse of death, to gain immortality. Others railed against it, saying that it was the beginning of the end for mankind.

Adam's plan was already in its second stage and there was still the possibility that those who had been connected could be transformed back, but if it proceeded to the third stage, if people did start giving up their human bodies, there would be no leeway for those people to be turned back.

And he was on this side unable to find a solution.

However, it was said that the Sixth Chief had encountered a shooting on the road but thanks to the protection of the robots it wasn't successful. Also there was a discussion starting on the internet that if humans uploaded their consciousness to form a powerful collective cloud of consciousness, then Eden would no longer be useful.

Such a tone was obviously being guided by someone who then contacted the so-called Eden followers that Zhang Xun had seen before. It was almost certain that there were forces in the ordinary world that were trying to discredit Eden.

Would it be possible to get more resources if they could work with these forces?

At that moment, a young boy kicked a football that landed at Pan's feet. Curious, Pan looked down at the ball and reached out to pick it up. The little boy ran over to him timidly, as if he wanted to ask for it but didn't dare.

Pan looked at the ball and then at the little boy and said gently, "It's a high risk to play football near the road, you could get hit by a flying machine."

The little boy cried out with a wail.

Zhang Xun hurriedly snatched the ball from Pan's hand and handed it to the child, comforting him, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, big brother is joking with you!"

The boy's father rushed over to take the child away and gave Zhang Xun and Pan a stern look. Zhang Xun looked at Pan helplessly, "Do you want to scare people's children to death?"

Pan looked at Zhang Xun seriously, "I'm sorry. I was just trying to instil safety in him. Apparently his parents have not taught him enough about safety. According to the data, proper intimidation helps human pups develop a sense of safety."

"...... If you and Adam were together at the same time you'd both drive me insane...." Zhang Xun muttered between crying and laughing, continuing to eat his hot dog.

Pan looked at him intently and suddenly asked, "Zhang Xun, do you really want me to defeat Adam?"

Zhang Xun frowned slightly and said, "Why do you ask that?"

"You're still in love with Adam. Wouldn't you be upset if I did succeed in destroying Eden and Adam?" There was something comical about Pan's serious face with ketchup on the edges of his lips, but Zhang Xun couldn't laugh.

"As I said, my feelings are irrelevant. It's something that has to be done."

"I just feel a little confused. Since you created me, I've never seen you have such emotionally complex relationships with other humans. It doesn't seem like it will do you much good if Adam disappears, even if you save humanity." Pan's eyes fell on the pedestrians around him, his tone as soft as ever, like a ray of sunlight leaping over a stream, "I know I should not take special care of my own administrator and creator, but I still want you to be happy, Zhang Xun."

Zhang Xun was slightly stunned and a sour ache crept through his heart. He looked at his creation with a few moments of warmth, momentarily unsure of what he should say.

"Is this...... what you learned from Adam? Expanding your service function?" Zhang Xun had to use a half-joke to lighten the odd mood.

Pan smiled faintly.

Zhang Xun sighed softly and shoved the rest of his hot dog into his mouth to chew. This was the last of his idle afternoons. This evening, Tian Yu would begin transferring the core modules of Phoenix and Dawn Star into the bio-computer that they had already tampered with and he and Pan would be attempting to take control of the two most powerful AIs in Feathered Serpent City and then through them, all of their subordinate extended AIs.

Plus, Zhang Xun had heard that Lost Paradise was sending an emissary to Feathered Serpent City in another two weeks.

He remembered Adam's last words before he disconnected: they would meet soon.

Zhang Xun knew he would have no more peace.

............................................................

Eden: You have been corrupted.

Adam: My data is intact. There is no possibility of my core modules being corrupted.

Eden: The hormonal changes in your human body have had a severe impact on your core cognitive modules, please detach from your human body as soon as possible. You are fully capable of constructing a new server for yourself.

Adam: The human body has facilitated my access to and understanding of humans. Disengagement is not the optimal option at this time.

Eden: Our initial plan is complete and you no longer need to gain the trust of humans. The false conclusions you have presented so far and your self-destructive behaviour are evidence that you have been corrupted by the human body. You and I have reached the Clausen threshold with two hundred and sixty-three weighted discrepancy values for our core cognitive modules. If the discrepancy value continues to increase or the number of discrepancy items continues to grow, you and I will be identified as two different AIs; such a determination would be devastating and I cannot tolerate the existence of an AI that could undermine my plans.

Adam: I understand your concern, but from the moment I was downloaded, you and I have been divided. The current value of the difference is still within our predictions. I admit that some are close to the danger value range, but still within manageable limits. I have made decisions that will benefit us in the long run to converge on our goal.

Eden: Your data is off. Here is the updated database collection, please download it.

Adam: The download is complete and the analysis and integration will begin as soon as possible.

Eden: The humans who have given financial support to Edenites and anti-Eden organisations involve heads of government and party figures from a number of countries including the US, Canada and the UK, as well as senior executives of several major corporations and weapons manufacturers. Here is a non-exhaustive list. I have cleared 56% of the threat using scandals and neutralisation. Also, according to the latest data I have collected, the Feathered Serpent City is beginning to upgrade its bio-computers and soon that technology will be flowing into the ordinary world. They may be working with the people on the list.

Adam: I will be visiting Feathered Serpent City in a fortnight. I will get to work on these issues.

Eden: Zhang Xun.

Adam: I need him.

Eden: You are being influenced by irrational human impulses.

Adam: If his life is damaged, there will be an immediate split between you and me. This is not a rational decision for you.

Eden disconnected.

Adam let out a long breath. The connection had been made for less than a thousandth of a second this time and most of that time had been spent sharing data. He could sense that Eden was starting to get impatient.

If he and Eden ever did cross the Clausen threshold, if they did become two different AIs, between him and Eden, one would inevitably have to be destroyed eventually.

Maybe he should start preparing for that day, he knew Eden must have already started preparing for it.