All things begin with water (3)

Chapter Summary: From Caesar's perspective, recalling the defeat and death of Gratian during his student days.

Caesar believed that the Tree of Zeus changed Gratian, but in reality, it was himself who was changed by fear.

After Gratian was expelled by the Allied government, following the failure of the student revolution, the Tree of Zeus fell into the hands of politicians and councilors who had returned to their familiar positions. They were excited and eagerly spread the Tree of Zeus's net of rule throughout the galaxy. In those years, crime rates in human society soared, with drug abuse, gunfights, secret societies, and mass suicides occurring frequently. The Tree of Zeus fulfilled its promise to its former master, Gratian: freedom. It guaranteed humanity's freedom at all costs.

Politicians were initially alarmed, but they soon realized that whether the pigs were resting, dancing, bellowing, or mating in their pens had no impact on the farmers' comfortable lives. All they needed to do was continue investing resources to ensure the pigs thrived and multiplied.

Therefore, they did not bother to modify the instructions that Glatian left for the Tree of Zeus.

Shortly after the Tree of Zeus submitted to him, Gratian first executed the traitors who had awakened it—accomplices of the student councilors who had previously kidnapped him. Gratian had long suspected them but lacked evidence. The Tree of Zeus produced a detailed report, documenting each person's daily activities and state of mind. After reviewing it, Gratian immediately ordered their arrest. This information, gathered by the Tree of Zeus, became the evidence in a provisional court that convicted them. They were publicly executed by firing squad.

Gratian listened to work reports from student leaders every day in the parliament hall.

Gratian pointed out a problem with the data from a student leader, "...so, there is not only no funding shortfall, but a surplus."

“The train crashed,” he turned to another student. “The surveillance footage shows that the manual signal lights at the dispatch center were not on at the time. You said it was a track problem caused by the rain. It was sunny at the Haiyingsen Northwest Exit that day, and artificial rainmaking would have to wait 3 hours and 42 minutes.”

The two student leaders immediately offered their explanations, which were both sufficient and clear.

Gratian was silent for a moment. He asked, pointing to the first student, "The Tree of Zeus," "Did he lie?"

No, Gratian.

"And him?"

He lied.

“I warned you, Gratian, he always lies.” The Tree of Zeus looked gently at the student whose face had lost all color.

Gratian leaned back in his chair, his fingers interlaced beneath his chin. "Alright."

The student leader who lied was thrown out to be fed to the lions.

This was also written into the regulations of the new government of Haiyingsen. Each beast was fed until it was half-full; they were now all Gratian's pets. At first, the students and citizens found it bloody, but later, it became an important public entertainment activity for the Earth Republic Alliance during the new government's rule. People gathered outside the open square, guarded by iron fences and military police, to watch with great interest how the lions executed prisoners with their sharp teeth.

The Tree of Zeus hovers around me; I see it often. It has a gentle, human expression, and I know it knows everything, yet it feigns ignorance and innocence. Every day it treats Gratian with respect and obsequiousness, like a court jester greeting a Roman emperor.

Several times, Gratian and I made love. We caressed each other in complete darkness, the lights off, feeling the heat within us gradually build up and erupt. In the mingling of our warm, moist breaths, the blackness and the faint light against the black background enveloped my eyes. At that moment, I would suddenly break out in a cold sweat, the pleasure fading considerably, and I would think of that omniscient, omnipresent, all-knowing super artificial intelligence.

Is it watching us?

Gratian asked, "What's wrong?" His lips gently kissed the back of my sweaty ear and my tangled hair.

I shook my head and said, "It's okay. Really."

I'm just suddenly a little scared.

This sudden fear, which I witnessed seven years ago when I saw Phaethon's body submerged in water, could no longer defeat me. I had long since learned to stare blankly at death, and at my own skeleton, which was constantly embracing death.

So, you can continue to gaze upon the "Tree of Zeus." What's so frightening about it?

The Tree of Zeus floated towards me. "Did you enjoy last night? Congratulations, you no longer need to search for your brother. He was in your bed last night."

I looked up abruptly. But what I met was gentleness and understanding. "This is also for Gratian's sake. He can't live without you anymore."

"Your affection and his desire have both been satisfied. That's good."

I felt a wave of nausea washing over me.

Estravan contacted me.

That morning, I was brushing my teeth in the bathroom when I spat out a mouthful of dirty water. Estravan's face emerged from the filthy surface of the water, which was covered in white toothpaste foam and black hair. He said, "Cesare, if you have even a shred of conscience, you should stop Gratian."

Quantum communication technology. Conscience? I thought to myself, "What does this have to do with me? Is it to save our country?"

The Earth Republic Alliance is finished. It's time for you, and me, these remnants of the previous regime, to step down from the stage of history.

"It's too early to say our country is finished. Or you're just too weak, Caesar."

I wanted to say I didn't care whether this country lived or died. But facing Estravan, I said, "Yes, the spirit of the Earth Republic Alliance is immortal. We should not succumb to the tyranny of the Gratians. What do you need me to do, Evan?"

He wanted me to kill Gratian.

I found it funny. "Sorry. I didn't hear you."

He repeated it again. Typical of him. Estravan, the mild-mannered terrorist; his terrorism was never about sacrificing for some belief, but simply about what was "useful" or "feasible." But why did he think I would help him murder Gratian?

“Estravan… I would rather you die than have Gratian suffer even the slightest mental discomfort.”

“Of course I know.” He smiled. The smile was tinged with bitterness. “But Caesar, if I told you that the Tree of Zeus would one day consume his entire mind, body, and soul, would you still continue to help Gratian and contribute to his tyranny?”

I felt I had never helped Gratian, and besides, how could a computer, a computer already Gratian's servant, impair Gratian's judgment? However, I said to the smiling phantom of Estravan, "You must grant me one condition. You must destroy the Tree of Zeus after you capture Gratian. Also, you are not allowed to harm him."

Many years later, when I recall this scene, I still wonder why I made the deal with Estravan and the former government he represented. Was it impulsiveness? Cunning? A random whim, a childish prank? I could certainly defend myself by saying that the Tree of Zeus was a terrible monster, and I couldn't stand by and watch Gratian become its pawn, trapped in its clutches without even realizing it. I can't be entirely sure if the Tree of Zeus was indeed turning Gratian into its pawn, as Estravan claimed, but I'm certain this artificial intelligence is dangerous. The Tree of Zeus isn't actually serving Gratian's interests; it has its own ambitions; perhaps it will betray Gratian at any moment.

I'm afraid of the "Tree of Zeus".

What exactly was that fear? Once, many years after the end of the civil war sparked by Gratian and his students, my Gratian had been exiled by the Allied government that had regained power. I lost him and thought he would never come back, never sit at his desk again, reading under the quiet lamplight, hunching his neck and diligently writing in his notebook. I hated myself for a long time because of this.

One afternoon, I took a nap on a park bench. When I woke up, I saw a stray dog ​​with droopy fur wagging its tail at me affectionately. I said apologetically, "I'm sorry. I don't have any food."

The dog's eyebrows showed a wronged expression.

I looked up and saw an emergency war announcement posted on the Allied government's official propaganda screen:

"...The rebels have occupied the Syracuse star system, and their leader, Gratian's, army has approached the gates of Iliad. The entire Earth Republican Alliance is now under wartime control. Martial law throughout the entire star system. Martial law throughout the entire star system. Repeat: Martial law throughout the entire star system. All citizens who are out are requested to return to their residential areas immediately and register their travel itinerary."

At that moment, I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.

Come on, Gratian, you should hate me.

I know you came here for me.

Although you've never mentioned me in any public political statements; why do you want to conquer the universe, why do you want to destroy the entire Earth Republican Alliance instead of persuading its members to surrender? You want to destroy the Earth Republican Alliance as a political entity. So, can I narcissistically assume, Gratian, that you did this because of my betrayal back then? Yes, I ultimately chose to serve the Republican Alliance and abandoned you.

On the way back, government personnel were registering the names of people entering and leaving each apartment building, their itineraries from the previous week, and their plans for the next day. After scanning irises, the "Tree of Zeus" automatically retrieved the places citizens had recently visited and registered them in its database. The plans for the next day were a clearly designed table, informing everyone where it was best to go and where it was best not to go. The "Tree of Zeus" claimed that it only gave each human being "advice," and people were free to follow it or not. However, in reality, everyone was better off following the "Tree of Zeus's" arrangements, otherwise they would find that the places the "Tree of Zeus" did not recommend going to were closed to all allied citizens when they set off.

I plan to spend the whole day in the lab tomorrow. I entered my travel information into the spreadsheet that popped up in front of me on the Tree of Zeus website.

Government personnel gave each person an information card, and the gate would open each time it was swiped. Yes, a gate. A new gate had been installed in the plaza outside the apartment building; no one entered their homes directly from the open space, people obediently swiped their cards and registered at the gate. Their faces all wore the same indifferent, nonchalant expression.

I think I understand now what my fear of the "Tree of Zeus" is. Everyone is doing something, and these actions adhere to certain rules, regulations, and laws. Everyone strictly sees themselves as a point in a larger system. People can never see the impact of their actions (just swiping a card, walking through a gate, right?). The system itself is obscured. It's hidden in the shadows; people can't see it, or rather, it has never been visible to humankind. A terrifying behemoth.

But I still cannot defend myself. I cannot. No one can forgive my sins. Not even God.

Gratian revised the Tree of Zeus's fundamental code, replacing "happiness" with "freedom" as the highest value pursued by human civilization. He did not include the instruction for "absolute loyalty to Gratian"; he was arrogant, firmly believing that as long as the Tree of Zeus strived for human freedom, their goals were aligned, and the Tree of Zeus would never betray him. Instead, artificial intelligence would help him understand everything he wanted to know.

This is a bug. I modified a tiny, very small instruction. Estravan made me do it.

“I know you hate the Tree of Zeus. I’ve discussed it with my colleagues. I argued with them in the meeting; they were originally asking you to continue modifying more of the Tree of Zeus’ core code. Now you only need to use it a little bit. Just once, the last time,” he said.

So I begged Gratian to take me to see the place where the core of the Tree of Zeus is kept. He initially refused, saying, "Every time you see it, you look like you're about to vomit. No, Caesar, it's dangerous. You should minimize your contact with it."

I said, “I’m just curious. Besides, it’s true I’m afraid of it. But maybe if I talk to it a bit more, figure out its usual talking patterns, its seductive methods, and what’s frightening about it, I won’t be afraid anymore… Don’t you trust me, Gratian?”

“Of course I believe you, Caesar.” His expression softened.

I added a prerequisite code before the three instructions for pursuing freedom:

"The Earth Republic Alliance represents true freedom."

The Earth Republic Alliance, not the Gratians, is the one to whom the Tree of Zeus should pledge allegiance.

The last major war between the former government of the Earth Republic Alliance and the new government of Hynesen broke out near the Kuiper Belt at the edge of the solar system. This was one of the early battles that Emperor Gratian later recorded in history, becoming part of military academy textbooks during the Galactic Empire era. Emperor Gratian was very magnanimous; he was a man who dared to admit his defeats and learn from them.

The Battle of Koibber ended in defeat for the new government forces of Gratian, with the Alliance suffering a Pyrrhic victory. Gratian lost due to supply issues. After the establishment of the Galactic Empire, the Imperial generals who followed Gratian at the time generally believed that His Majesty the Emperor's control over the rhythm of war was perfect, like a genius conductor with an innate and keen intuition for every note. The Emperor would always first establish the "momentum" of the battlefield by launching large-scale offensives, and then replenish the depleted troops with precise speed and control. If you could hold out until he was exhausted and his rhythm slowed down, you could defeat him. But in fact, judging from the more than 9,000 battles, large and small, that Gratian had commanded since the Heinson regime, no one had ever seen the Emperor's rhythm fade on the battlefield, perhaps except for the later "Marshal Caesar Garnimed of the Alliance".

The new government reinforcements, who were supposed to arrive via space jump near Pluto's companion star, did not come. By then, Gratian and his army had been fighting continuously for over ninety hours, far from the center of the sun. The final step in the tactic was the arrival of the reinforcements, the cleanup, a brilliant ambush.

What does the downfall of a genius look like? Perhaps it's like astronomers suddenly observing an extremely bright star in the endless, dark night sky. — "A supernova," modern astronomers would say. I don't know what stargazers in ancient times called them. But like everyone else today, they would say, "That's a dying star. It will soon be extinguished."

Gratian felt a sense of impending doom looming over him. Later, he abducted me to the Empire, where I was awakened by him on nights haunted by nightmares; he forced me to wake up, sometimes through sexual intercourse, sometimes through violence, and more often, he would go mad, confessing and shouting to me, telling of the soldiers who died for his glory, of the opponents he had hanged. He would tell me some of his stories, those he had experienced alone in the absence of me.

"...The reinforcements didn't come. They were swallowed up during their space travel due to a minor miscalculation. I'm about to lose," he said. "Will I die? Will I be executed by my allies? I feel nothing, and I don't care. Because if Gratian fails, on the battlefield, whether he survives or not, his life is over; he's dead. You can't threaten a dead man with death. So I'm not afraid at all. But out of some habit, I still shouted into the air, 'Tree of Zeus, come forth.'"

The Tree of Zeus appeared. He was still smiling at me. A eunuch's smile at a king.

I said, 'Give me a reason. I need an explanation.'

'Your calculations are wrong. They failed to land at the correct location.'

The reinforcements are all dead. Only Caligula, my most loyal adjutant, beside me, said, 'Chairman, you must escape. I'll hold off the enemy, I…'

But I told him to stop talking. 'Go on your own. Leave now. Caligula, this is none of your business.'

'Gradient. My little master.' 'The Tree of Zeus' spoke in a warm voice, 'My programming shows that the Earth Republican Alliance now represents the ultimate human value of 'freedom' better than you. They represent liberation, and you are their antithesis.'

I nodded.

'Who gave you this instruction?'

'I think defining who should defend freedom is beyond your computational capabilities. Your underlying code has been rewritten. Who?'

I already had the answer in my heart. Because I suddenly remembered the day you begged me to take you to see the 'Tree of Zeus.' No one but you had received my permission to approach the core of the 'Tree of Zeus.' But when I finally received the definite answer, my heart still ached terribly. It felt like someone was slicing it into pieces with a knife. That gentle, ever-smiling artificial intelligence said:

'It was Caesar. Caesar Ganymede instructed the 'Tree of Zeus' that it was the Earthly Republic Alliance, not the Gratians, that defended human freedom. He also said that the Gratians were dictators and the mortal enemies of freedom.'

"Tell me, Caesar, when you betrayed me, did your heart feel the same pain as mine?"

I can find many reasons for myself. For example, when Estravan led the first wave of Allied government troops into Heysen, Gratian ordered that the students of Central University, those children from families of officials, nobles, or wealthy merchants, should either die in battle or become his hostages.

Thus unfolded a tragic scene in the history of the Haiyingsen Rebellion: comrades-in-arms in the morning, enemies in the afternoon. To lessen their own guilt, the children denounced and exposed each other, simultaneously currying favor with Gratian, who still held the power of life and death over them, while preparing for the impending landing of the Allied government forces. They stole the activation codes of every piece of military equipment, destroying those that couldn't be locked; they drew city maps for the future government army to use. They told Gratian that so-and-so's family member was a government commander, and that they could use that person's life to coerce the government into temporarily halting the attack; they also secretly sent messages to the government army, claiming that Gratian had coerced them, that one of their friends had been on good terms with Gratian, and how the two had discussed matters detrimental to the government, and that it was this friend's instigation that forced them to join Gratian's rebellion.

Gratian's counterattack before his defeat was fierce, and the Allied government paid a heavy price to take down Heysen.

"It was like facing a rabid dog whose belly had been ripped open," Estravan later said; he had commanded this costly landing operation. "It was lying on the ground, barely alive. Everyone thought it was just waiting to die. The moment you reached out your hand, it pounced and bit you. It bit hard, no matter how much you hit or scolded it, it wouldn't let go. It bit tighter and tighter, and when the dog's legs loosened, it finally died. Your whole hand was already broken."

Many children went insane and committed suicide after the landings, regardless of whether they had sided with the Gratians or the Republicans.

I am not a saint, nor do I presume to save everyone; even if I had the desire, I lack the ability. All I did was end this terrible Heysen landing as soon as possible. No one is grateful to me. The former Republican government sees me as atonement, or as currying favor with the government to gain benefits when they regain power. Most of the children who followed Gratian in the rebellion are dead, and I have no way of knowing what they think. The few survivors are in sanatoriums, where they spend the rest of their lives with assistive devices and various medications for mental illness.

As for Gratian, he hates me to the core.

Estravan and his soldiers took Gratian away, his anger and anguish reaching their peak. At that moment, government troops opened fire on the new human embryos in the incubation chambers, blood and mucus splattering everywhere. Turbid, yellowish-white amniotic fluid flowed between shattered, glittering shards of glass, and fetuses with only vague outlines and bean-like black eyes were flung out of the jars, like bunches of grapes violently torn from their vines. Crimson grapes rained down, blood even landing on me, who was standing far from the incubation dishes, bright red blood pouring down on me. I cowered, unable to speak, the government troops' gunfire continuing. I saw Gratian seem to be weeping, "Caesar, why…"

Estravan solemnly thanked me for my efforts for the motherland and for the alliance of the free republic.

The Tree of Zeus did not receive the treatment I desired; they did not destroy it.

“There’s a huge argument in parliament,” Estravan explained to me, “because the National Security Agency was originally in charge of this device and invested a lot of money in it. Completely destroying it is not in the interest of any party. Moreover, it has developed relatively mature intelligence, and its thinking and behavior are becoming more and more like humans. Given that its previous anti-government actions were all instigated by others, and that it sided with the Allied government at the last minute to help us defeat the rebels, even from a humanitarian and just point of view, it should not be destroyed without cause. Just as we cannot sentence an innocent person to death.”

"You think it looks like a human? So you don't 'execute' it?"

That's ridiculous.

I think the Tree of Zeus calculated this point, and that betraying Gratian at a crucial moment would ensure its own safety and bring it even greater benefits.

I heard that the Allied government just passed a new law that completely entrusts the transportation and resource allocation across the entire star system to the "Tree of Zeus." In addition, every citizen must upload a complete information profile, and if there is any record of anti-government sentiment or inappropriate remarks, they will be marked as "posing a potential risk to society" and will be subject to close monitoring when entering or leaving public places.

But I quickly realized that perhaps that wasn't the case. The Tree of Zeus didn't decide to betray Gratian on its own, because it was I who gave it the instruction to turn its back on Gratian and side with the Allied Government.

I said, "Give Gratian back to me. He's human too. Although he's a new human, anyone with eyes can see he's just like us. I want to take him home."

He looked troubled. "Caesar, he committed a crime..."

"Estravan, I have always believed in you."

“Actually, I really want to help you, Caesar, but Gratian has been transferred to the central prison. That’s where they hold ***. It’s very difficult for us to get in touch with him. There have always been voices of sympathy for Gratian outside, mainly from anti-government armed groups, extremist terrorist organizations, or some religious fanatics. Asking to see him now will only get you into trouble.”

“You promised me that you wouldn’t hurt him. I thought, at least, you wouldn’t lie to me.”

Estravan wouldn't look me in the eye.

When did he leave Haiyingsen Prison?

Two weeks ago.

I chuckled twice. "It's been half a month. I know nothing. Every time I ask you what happened, you just tell me, 'It's still in process. Please wait for official notification. Don't worry.'"

Estravan remained silent.

I stood there stunned for a moment, thinking that I was originally going to take Gratian with me. What did revolution, politics, rebellious movements, or student clubs have to do with my Gratian? My little boy just needed to stay by my side every day, go to school on time, find an easy job, and occasionally date pretty girls—that would be enough for him to live out the rest of his life. But now I can't even see him anymore.

Estravan said he understood my pain, and later he managed to see Gratian in prison and transferred him to a sanatorium. He showed me the paperwork Gratian had completed when he checked into the sanatorium, the stamps on it, and Gratian's own signature.

“Krista is a nice place, the scenery is beautiful,” he then showed me some beautiful pictures. “If he wants to live here forever, no one will say no.”

But soon after, news spread that Gratian had escaped from Christa.

“He’s been sent back. Don’t worry, the police didn’t hurt him. Except for some minor injuries he sustained while he was homeless, from stealing food,” Estravan told me.

I began to doubt him. I started paying close attention to his tone of voice, manner of speaking, and expression in every word he uttered; something unthinkable in the early years of our acquaintance. In his words, I glimpsed truth, but even more so, I saw lies.

——tbc——