Chapter 112 – Sacrificial Lamb (3)

Some of the development data from the upgraded version of the nanobots had been copied and entered into Pan's bio-computer, but it had been set in a locked state. After all, he wasn't entirely sure what modifications Adam had made to the original nanobots and opening up the data to Pan might affect the weighting of Pan's core modules, which were not very mature at the time.

He had spent so much time and energy training Pan and assimilating the two super-AIs over the past month that he hadn't had time to deal with weaponizing the nanobots and now he knew what a grave mistake he had made.

It should have occurred to him that even if he didn't agree with Adam's research, Adam wouldn't really listen to him. After all, his title as a mechanic was nothing more than a farce that Adam had played along with.

"These nanobots are different from the ones we have. Normally nanobots operate in the microscopic realm, but this version can have a significant impact in the macroscopic world. The size of the individual nanobots has entered the quantum dimension and it will be difficult for the shields and weapons that normally work at the microscopic scale to counter them. Perhaps we could try using EMP weapons." Phoenix said.

Zhang Xun looked at the gorgeous mists enveloping the four directions and said in a dry, hollow voice, "It won't work. The new nanobots, made from a composite of protein polymers and high entropy alloys that I developed with the Life Sciences and Chemistry Departments in Lost Paradise, bear some resemblance to your biocomputers, which are semi-biological..... They are made and designed very differently from normal electronic devices so an EMP will have no effect on them."

Zhang Xun still vividly remembered the nanobots that were dancing on Adam's palm and constantly changing form. A colony of robots with a collective AI consciousness like an ant colony, as if they were a prophecy of the future of humanity.

"Once they've hacked into our systems we'll all be destroyed. We should start copying the core modules to outside of Feathered Serpent City immediately, although that would risk a reverse invasion by Eden." Dawn Star's voice remained smooth, as if stating facts that had nothing to do with it.

Even if this method might save the robots, what about everyone in Feathered Serpent City?

It was too easy to kill a person when the nanobots were weaponised. There were enough holes all over a human body for the nanobots to infiltrate, to enter the bloodstream and destroy the human organs, to disintegrate the body from within.

Zhang Xun was now unsure if Adam would take it this far, but he knew that if he was a big enough threat to Eden, Eden would do such a thing.

Unless...... those nanobots found their target - himself - in the shortest possible time.

There wasn't much time for hesitation or consideration, even the decision of whether or not to go and die was so abrupt that it was as if he was being pushed with a sharp knife.

note- !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Before deciding to start invading Eden's system, Zhang Xun had already considered this possibility and prepared himself for it. He had already fed Pan several scenarios of the subsequent plan and planned many more steps backwards after Pan's analysis and prediction of several directions respectively. Even if he died now, he believed that there was a certain chance that Pan could finally save some of the humans from being uploaded.

He had barely closed his eyes during these recent days in order to complete these last steps. He hadn't had time to leave the temple when all these things were happening, despite James' worsening condition and Cindy starting to show violent tendencies. He didn't dare see James, not wanting to see the blood that was beginning to seep out of his body, the blisters that looked like burns and the greenish scalp that was beginning to show.

It was too late to wait for the human race to make a breakthrough in genetic decoding, he had to get answers from Adam.

Zhang Xun turned around and walked towards the door, saying as he did so, "Pan, everything that comes next is up to you. I'll do my best to stop the nanobots from spreading over and you can decide for yourselves if you want to transfer your core modules."

He had just taken a few steps when his arm was suddenly grabbed by a hand that lacked human body heat but felt very much like a human to the touch. Zhang Xun turned around slightly startled, only to see Pan looking at him with those faintly luminescent green eyes. The robot didn't say anything, but the force of his hand didn't let go.

Was Pan reluctant to let him go?

No, the AI had no such thing as a reluctance. It was probably based on some other consideration.

But Pan looked at him and said, "Don't go."

Zhang Xun looked at his work, a work that really belonged to him and a softness rose up in his heart. He lifted his other hand and gently covered the back of the one Pan was holding him with, his eyes softening with the human warmth he had been suppressing.

He had always been hard on Pan and had been stingy with all the patience and tenderness he had given Adam. It was probably because he had been hurt too deeply that time to invest so much affection in his own work.

It was always the same with people, after being hurt by one, they took out their revenge on another innocent person.

"I believe in you, Pan. You will finish our plan." Zhang Xun tightened his grip on Pan's hand, handing over all his burdens to this still-young robot, "Find the cure, save the humans and cure James..... please."

"I will do everything in my power to accomplish my goal." With no outsiders in sight, Pan's eyes stared at him unblinkingly. Artificial intelligence's eyes were always this focused, as if looking at the most important and valuable thing in the world. It was because of this that people had the illusion that an AI could have the same feelings as a human.

If it was possible, Zhang Xun would like to believe again.

He smiled, drew his hand out and turned to open the door. Pan was behind him, his outstretched hand hesitantly withdrawing, as if he was still despondent over what he had lost.

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

The nanobots rode effortlessly on the slightly drunken evening breeze to pass through the shields of Feathered Serpent City, which in the absence of a physical body could not detect them at all, thinking only that it was the wind, a fine dust floating in the air.

"Phase one invasion complete." A mechanic reported.

Adam didn't like the feeling that seemed to be clenching in his chest and he couldn't find a reason for it, couldn't explain it. He had set Tidal Wave to destroy any AI within the Feathered Serpent City, or put any humans into a temporary coma if they tried to resist and bypass Zhang Xun by all means to execute it.

Logically, he had nothing to worry about. By destroying Zhang Xun's modified Pan and the combined triple-AI network he had built up, Zhang Xun would no longer be a threat to Eden. He would then have more time to deal with Eden.

Most of the core AIs in the world were still under Eden's control at the moment and although he had mastered the cloud of consciousness, Ever Home was still in its initial state after all, far from being ready to be used against Eden's AI network. If he wanted to hold Eden at bay, he had to stabilise it first.

But why was his heart beating so much?

Jian Mo could also detect Adam's distractedness.

"Dozens of medium to large aircraft approaching fast at nine o'clock and five o'clock." One of the other escort technicians stared at the radar image displayed on the detection interface, "According to the automated broadcast message sent from the other side, it's an air combat AI detachment from Eden."

Adam's hand clenched quietly on the armrest, his bony knuckles rigid. He'd done it too late, Eden had begun to question him, it was to be expected that after all this time Eden would decide to send in troops to make sure the 'job was done'.

"Get close to Feathered Serpent City and hold off Eden's aircraft as long as you can." Adam ordered.

At that moment, there was a sudden disturbance with the nanobots.

An image was immediately transmitted to Adam's mind, as if his entire being had left the cabin of the craft and was floating in the air along with the other nanobots.

He saw it, a small craft flying out of the magnificent Mayan-style pyramid and quickly shooting up into the sky. The shield that was supposed to hold it back automatically opened a gap, allowing it to leave. It didn't fly very far, however, but hovered a little above the shield, alone and far away from Adam and Eden's army.

Immediately afterwards, the hatch at the top of the craft opened and a figure climbed out of it and stood at the top of the disc-shaped craft.

Zhang Xun was wearing the uniform of a mechanic, his back straight and his slightly longer black hair tossed about by the gusting wind. The last remnants of the setting sun floated on his cheeks and collected in his dark eyes. The cloud of nanobots, reflecting the light of the twilight sun, curled and coiled around him like dancing tentacles, not daring to approach.

In front of him was the AI that had controlled the human world for two hundred years. Even the bravest warriors would tremble in the presence of those steel soldiers who had no fear of death, but Zhang Xun's expression was calm, as if that wind, that evening sun, that power of death unfolding before him, had nothing to do with him.

This fragile human being, slowly opened his hands in a gesture like a sacrifice and spoke in his usual voice, "Eden, I'm here."

His voice was drowned out by the wind, but was quickly carried to Adam by the nanobots surrounding him and heard by Eden at the same time.

Adam jerked to his feet, losing his composure.

Had Zhang Xun gone mad?

Knowing full well that Eden wanted him dead!

But immediately afterwards, he understood.

Zhang Xun was buying time, but he was also gambling.

Gambling that Adam might still have a trace of affection for him, a trace of the AIs' obsession with the administrator.

If Adam didn't care about him, the nanobots would kill him, but it would eliminate the possibility of innocent people being killed by the nanobots and at the same time buy the three AIs some time to transfer the core modules.

And if Adam cared about him, he would not stand by and watch Eden kill him.

Adam had to make a choice.

Sure enough, Eden reacted immediately. Another wave of smoke erupted from several of the craft, pressing down on Zhang Xun like a silent wave.

Almost immediately, the nanobots that had been attempting to invade Feathered Serpent City abruptly withdrew and instead rushed in the opposite direction.

Jian Mo was shocked, "Adam! Are you crazy?!"

The two clouds of nanobot smoke collided and a silent, quantum-level battle that was invisible to the naked eye quickly unfolded. Zhang Xun could feel a tremor surrounding him, a tremor strong enough to shake existence from its most basic level. The latest weapons that were eating each other were weapons designed by the same AI.

Eden had obviously anticipated this possibility and as the nanobots were released, several small, unmanned AI vehicles rushed towards Zhang Xun in a matter of minutes, their high-energy laser beams aimed at deadly points on his human body.

Zhang Xun closed his eyes in the face of the scorching death rays that raced towards him but the expected burning and darkness didn't come.

His body fell into a tight, familiar embrace, with the sound of wind rushing past his ears and his body feeling weightless.

He felt himself flying.

He opened his eyes and saw Adam's ocean blue irises. The metal arms seemed to have been upgraded by Adam and were now split into two sets. One set of arms clung to Zhang Xun's waist, while the other set of large, metallic-coloured feathers shielded him from the bursts of eye-scorching lasers and the flying shrapnel from the exploding aircraft up into the sky.

NOTE-OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG