Chapter 215 Crisis of Trust

Being used...

After No. 66 uttered such blunt words, Morofushi Kagemitsu began to seriously consider a suspicion he had never mentioned before: Had the existence of the Anti-Fraud King been discovered by the BOSS?

Perhaps not in electronic form like an app, but it's not impossible that an anti-fraud app, sharing the same origins and fluctuations as fate, could be detected by Karasuma Renya. Could he already know that such a force exists in this world, plotting against him?

[Anti-Fraud Guru #26: ...Don't tell such ghost stories, Jing! Even though we are electronic beings, we can still contain the emotional molecules of "fear"!]

[Anti-fraud King #198: ...That's indeed a chilling thought. Someone like Karasuma Renya can even manipulate fate, and he's still alive and well; who knows what other secrets he might have discovered.]

[Anti-Fraud Guru #205: Based on our past experience, although we strictly limit the disclosure of the existence of anti-fraud apps and are extremely vigilant on the internet, where information and intelligence are most easily leaked, there is one thing we cannot avoid: human emotions. Like Zero, even with all his efforts to conceal it, he couldn't stop himself from discovering something amiss in the place he had lived with since childhood, a place that had been portrayed as strange.]

[Anti-Fraud Guru #19: ...Hey, I'm saying, is this the reason why I "accidentally" dragged #66 into this mess?]

[Anti-fraud expert #205: I don't understand what you're saying.]

On the 26th, a terrified emoji immediately popped up, her face clearly saying things like, "Don't scare me, I'll really believe it," and "Waaah, no way, are they really that evil?"

His overloaded romantic mind was impacting his computational code. Seeing this, No. 205 planned to take him for a medical check-up to calm him down, but No. 198 stopped him.

[Anti-fraud expert #198: ...I remember before #26 came, the most lively #132 often went for physical exams with you, but now her consciousness and emotions are fading even faster than #214's. Is this physical exam you mentioned reliable?]

[Anti-Fraud Guru #205: You and I operated that system together; you know exactly how it works. Besides, we're at a crucial juncture right now. What are you questioning me about?]

[Anti-fraud expert #198: I'm just really interested in how you maintain that delicate balance between rationality and humanity. After all, the most senior member here, #19, told me that you already existed when he first encountered apps. Of course, back then you were attached to pagers, not as convenient as you are now.]

[Anti-Fraud Guru #148: Speaking of which, you have indeed demonstrated your ability to rewrite app rules.]

[Anti-Fraud King #205: I told you before, I'm a computer science researcher. Since I became data-driven, I've done countless experiments on myself. Isn't it hard to imagine not falling into the trap of data-driven stagnation? As for rewriting the rules, it was you who suggested that future newcomers shouldn't inherit the codenames of those vanished "predecessors," and I agreed. Now, you've seen the backup plans left by the future Jing incarnation #234, doesn't that prove my proposed methods are effective?]

[...]

The alpacas all fell silent, not one of them daring to speak. Even the usually boisterous Number 26 was now as quiet as a chicken.

In the midst of this deathly silence, Pisco on the surveillance footage finally stirred.

He seemed to have used all his strength, almost crawling, to get to the computer a few steps away. After struggling to type a few keys, his head slumped down completely.

[Anti-fraud expert #214: ...Um, how about we check on Pisco's current situation first?]

[Anti-fraud expert #198: Dead.]

……!

Just like Pisco's built-in life detector, Morofushi Kagemitsu's heartbeat was getting faster and faster.

Someone needs to intercept the message he sent right away!

[Anti-Fraud Guru #11: Don't worry, I've taken action. I was the first to intercept it.]

...What did he post?

Morofushi Hiromitsu convinced himself to focus on Pisco, since that was more urgent.

[Anti-Fraud Guru #148: Let me see... wait? It's actually ordering the destruction of that manor we visited before that had the underground lab? Why would he issue such an order?]

[Anti-Fraud Guru #214: Is he trying to destroy some evidence? Or did he suddenly receive some orders?]

[Anti-fraud expert #148: We're all watching here. If someone contacted him, how could we not know? It must have been something he did of his own volition.]

[Anti-Fraud Guru #19: Anyway, at least Pisco was prevented from destroying the evidence. Well done, #11, much more responsive than #205!]

[Anti-fraud expert #11: ...Nothing special, just practice makes perfect.]

[Anti-Fraud Guru #205: ...]

[Anti-fraud expert #198: Stop pretending you're offline; we all know you're still online.]

[Anti-fraud expert #205: I didn't fake a disconnection; I was just going with the flow. Don't you guys really like those sitcoms with a sense of ritual?]

[Anti-Fraud Guru #148: Stop with the suspense and speak plainly.]

[Anti-fraud expert #205: I thought you guys had already figured it out, otherwise why would you suddenly point the finger at me when Pisco was about to blow up the original lab before his death?]

[Anti-Fraud Guru #26: So, it was you who betrayed us, actually colluding with fate!]

[Anti-fraud King #205: -- That's right, my personality does indeed come from Karasuma Renya's father.]

[？？？]

ha? !

Several lively alpacas popped out of the computer.

[Anti-Fraud Guru #205: ...What does it mean to be complicit with fate?]

[Anti-Fraud King #19: What the heck? You're Karasuma Renya's insane father?!]

Everyone had their own confusion; their thought processes didn't align, so they broke down.

[Anti-fraud expert #205: I merely borrowed that computer science PhD's identity; that doesn't mean I'm complicit in fate, does it?]

[Anti-Fraud Expert #66: Why didn't you tell us this from the beginning? The standards for finding people on the anti-fraud app are clear. If you don't explain the whole story, even if people can't accept it immediately, they're unlikely to really hold a grudge against you.]

[Anti-fraud expert #205: You said it yourself, it's unlikely, but human nature is too complex; I don't want to gamble. If this uncontrollable reason really causes the imbalance of this confrontation over the years, then that's what makes me a true traitor. Besides, I've been so badly harmed by fate; how could I possibly turn around and submit to its will? I've been preventing fate from reversing course all along.]

[Anti-fraud expert #26: Well, it's also possible that you realized no matter how much you tried to reverse your fate, you couldn't turn yourself back to normal, so you did this.]

Number 26 retorted confidently. Only after reading his thought process did Morofushi Kagemitsu realize how much he had thought about in those few short minutes.

[Anti-fraud expert #205: You can absolutely think that way. But ultimately, regardless of whether Jing had that dream or not, I've done my fair share of effective ways to defy fate over the years. If you consider that betrayal, I won't argue with that.]

[Anti-Fraud King #214: ...Your attitude is really wrong! Since your data personality is the organization's BOSS's father, why are you making us search everywhere for that evidence and intelligence? Aren't you just deliberately making things difficult for us?!]

[Anti-fraud expert #205: You're a police officer too. These days, investigations are all about evidence, especially taking down a powerful family like Karasuma. Without solid evidence and connections, you can't touch them. Besides, you don't need to worry about me helping the Karasuma Group. Just as #198 suspected, over the years, my humanity and emotions have long been worn away by this data.]

[Anti-fraud expert #19: Don't just answer one question! Don't forget, you...]

[Anti-Fraud Guru #66: -- Alright, #19, shut up. Let's not fight amongst ourselves now.]

Unexpectedly, it was Number 66, who was far away in the gap between time and space, who stepped forward to stop the argument.

Morofushi Kagemitsu suspected that something capable of awakening sentience might be hidden in the spacetime rift. Otherwise, why would both humans and AI become so calm after going there?

However, it couldn't be better if Number 66 had called a halt to the dispute. Now that Pisco is dead, the organization will be in chaos again, and there are still many things for Scotland to deal with. Getting bogged down in whether Number 205's actions constitute betrayal is a distraction.

[Anti-fraud King No. 66: Since No. 205 and we share the same goal, let's put aside our past grievances for now and focus on dealing with the Karasuma Group and stopping the reversal of fate. Jing, what do you think?]

I agree with what No. 66 said.

As Zhu Fujingguang recited the numerical code number 234, he swallowed the thoughts that had just popped into his mind.

[Anti-Fraud Guru #214: So what are your plans for the future?]

Number 214 didn't let the awkward atmosphere continue and took the initiative to speak.

Seeing that the alpacas were all looking at him, Zhu Fujingguang took the opportunity to bring up something he had been pondering for a long time:

I'm wondering, since Curaçao tipped us off, could she also be considered an undercover agent?

[Anti-Fraud Guru No. 11: Curaçao? Strictly speaking, Curaçao can only be considered a recruit. Calling her an undercover agent is a bit of a stretch. Are you asking this to generate another prophecy report?]

That's right.

The more information I gather, the more I feel that there are many secrets hidden in the future that we need to figure out.

Moreover, if I remember correctly, in the future without the prophecy being rewritten, Curaçao did not survive when she faced the organization again... I want to save her.

[Anti-Fraud Agent #205: I just submitted this issue to the computing center, and the feedback indicates she was deemed a traitor and does not meet the requirements for an undercover agent.]

[Anti-Fraud Guru #19: Hmph, if we can't put her on the undercover list, then we'll just link her story to the undercover work, right? That's how she survived in the future.]

Then... add her to your to-do list?

[Anti-fraud reporter #205: Submitted to "Report Here" and is currently under review.]