Chen Ming's brows were furrowed and his expression became more solemn.

He couldn't understand why there was a damaged Gamma-class AI core in the Storm-class ship that he asked Lao Wu to buy through formal channels? What was going on?

Chen Ming subconsciously wanted to call Lao Wu to ask about the situation, after all, the goods had passed through his hands.

But the next moment, Chen Ming realized that there was no need for him to ask Old Wu.

He can ask the AI ​​in question directly.

However, Chen Ming directly forced his way through the fighter's communication device and said something, but received no response.

Moreover, the questions he asked directly through his consciousness were like falling into the sea, with no response at all.

Chen Ming glanced at the damage behind the words "Gamma-level AI core" on the panel. It seemed that the current situation was caused by this.

Chen Ming thought about it and didn't repair it immediately.

After all, it is not only the Gamma AI that is connected to the Rainstorm level, but also Gamma B.

Chen Ming took action and opened up all the permissions of the Rainstorm level to Gamma B, which was also connected to the Rainstorm level.

At the same time, he issued an order, saying, "Check this Storm-class ship. There is one of your Gamma-class cores inside, but it seems to be damaged. I need you to find out its condition."

Chen Ming actually wanted to personally investigate the problem of the damaged gamma core.

However, when he came into contact with the AI ​​core, he could only see a brief panel of the core through the panel, and had no understanding of the consciousness of the afterglow individual inside the core.

They have no idea about operating logic or where personality comes from. They just rely on the coercive nature of their abilities to issue orders that will never be violated.

Therefore, Yu Hui had to contact and diagnose the specific damage himself.

Not long after, Gamma B began to communicate with Chen Ming through the rainstorm level.

Although Chen Ming can use his consciousness to give commands to the AI ​​core.

However, the AI ​​core's reply cannot be transmitted back through their consciousness, and can only be seen by Chen Ming through some indirect means.

Gamma B naturally uses the simplest method, typing on the control panel.

Chen Ming can see it directly.

Gamma B responded to Chen Ming almost instantly: "I just gave him a comprehensive examination."

"The core he is using now is not the original Gamma-class core, but a core that is partially human-made and partially modified. This may be one of the reasons why he was damaged."

"Some preset instructions are stored in his storage module, such as fighting, covering, counterattack, etc."

"In addition, his personality module has obvious signs of self-concealment, and his computing module has also been damaged, causing his overall computing power to be less than one-tenth of what it was before."

"He also installed a storage module, which contains his past memories."

"He is now just acting as the control core of this Storm-class spacecraft."

After reading Gamma B's reply, Chen Ming immediately said, "I can see that. What I want to know is why it can be used as the core of this spacecraft? And why was it sold to me?"

"And it is also the same afterglow as you. You were able to investigate all its details so easily?"

Gamma B quickly gave Chen Ming another answer: "He opened up almost all permissions to the outside world, except for the personality module and the plug-in storage module hidden under the personality module."

“But you still read it?”

"Because our personality module is a module that humans have not yet been able to fully understand, even we ourselves cannot do it, just like humans still cannot fully understand their own brains."

"I can directly bypass his personality module and read more content."

"But he encrypted the module that stores its memory. I still need time to crack it."

Chen Ming didn't mind waiting for a while, but he suddenly thought of something and asked, "Since it's all encrypted, how do you know that its memory is stored in this module?"

"Because he named this module 'My Memory'."

“…”

Chen Ming skipped the topic and asked while Gamma B was extracting memories: "You said it hid the external storage module that stores memory data behind its own hidden personality module?"

Gamma B answered decisively, "Yes."

Chen Ming further asked: "Does this mean that it did it on purpose?"

"Yes, he even set up a timer activation device in the hidden block, which will automatically collect the data recorded by the spacecraft and return it to the core based on the use of the spacecraft at regular intervals."

"What data?"

"All data, including spacecraft sensor data, video data, voice communication data, operational data, etc."

“Doesn’t it usually get it?”

"Its storage device only stores commands related to combat, and these are the only commands it can execute. It should only be activated during combat, and it does not have the authority to do these things at other times."

"The destructive equipment in the core chamber should be used to restrict it."

Chen Ming looked at Gamma B's reply and his brows gradually furrowed.

He always felt that something was wrong. There must be something wrong with the appearance of this gamma core here.

There is no reason for Tachyon Technology to use a Gamma-class core as the AI ​​core of a Storm-class ship.

Because the value of the Gamma AI alone is greater than that of a Storm-class ship.

Chen Ming knew that many forces were trying to acquire Yuhui's AI core, and the price had always been fixed.

Gamma class is 300 million, Beta class is 3 billion.

I'm not sure about the Alpha class. After all, this thing is at least installed on a cruiser, and people who can afford it will not sell it directly.

Therefore, a gamma core should not be installed on the Storm class under any circumstances, even if it is damaged.

etc.

Chen Ming suddenly thought again about Gamma B's reply.

A damaged AI core, a destroyed computing module, an actively hidden personality module, and a storage module with memories hidden deeper inside.

If the computing module was destroyed by itself.

Then the situation suddenly connected.

"I think I know what's going on."

If it's what Chen Ming thinks, then there shouldn't be any subsequent problems in repairing this Gamma AI.

Chen Ming immediately asked Gamma B: "How was the cracking?"

"It's a bit difficult. It uses its own underlying code interlocking for encryption. Even if Alpha-level afterglow comes, it will take some time to crack it. It will take me even longer."

"Then stop first and let me do it."

Gamma B immediately stopped cracking the Gamma core storage module and handed the matter over to Chen Ming.

Chen Ming opened the panel of the AI ​​core.

[Afterglow Gamma-class AI Core (Damaged)]

[Manufacturer: Afterglow A-01 Colony Low Earth Orbit Industrial Facility (Tachyon Technology EB Colony Zero One Artificial Intelligence Laboratory Production Workshop)]

Self-awareness: dormant

[Calculation ability: individual level (decreased due to damage)]

[Available operations: Repair]

The content on the panel was almost completely different from what Chen Ming saw when he opened the Gamma AB panel a long time ago.

Not only is its self-awareness in a dormant state, its computing power is even lower, there is an additional repair item in the executable operations, and even the manufacturer column has a new location for the production of artificial parts.

Speaking of which.

Chen Ming suddenly looked at Gamma B's current panel

【Afterglow Beta-level AI Core (Gamma B)】

[Manufacturer: Afterglow BP-55 Colony Far North Industrial Production Center]

Self-awareness: existence

【Computing power: planetary level】

[Available operations: None]

After Gamma B was upgraded to Beta level, its computing power was increased from industry level to planetary level, and its core was also replaced.

But the manufacturer shown on the panel remained unchanged, it was still the Far North Industrial Production Center of the Afterglow BP-55 Colony.

This means that the afterglow in this star field is most likely using the cores produced by this industrial production center.

The Afterglow here was probably born from the Kletka supercomputer on the planet surrounded by many Afterglow colonies. But this damaged AI core is different. It belongs to the low-Earth orbit industrial facility of the Afterglow A-01 colony.

In other words, this AI should come from other star regions.

Countless thoughts and possibilities flashed through Chen Ming's mind in an instant, but he did not rush to think deeply about it. Instead, he clicked on the repair panel.

Repairing this damaged Gamma AI will require some materials.

Chen Ming just happened to have some in stock, of course it can also be said that Gamma B just happened to have some in stock.

Because to repair it, what's needed is a gamma-class core shell.

The one that Gamma B had replaced before was not recycled and is still with it.

So after talking to Gamma B, Chen Ming chose to repair it.

The outer shell of the gamma-class core stored on the Gladiator gradually melted into liquid, streaking through space, flowing into the interior of the Storm-class, and heading straight for its core.

Completely wrap the gamma AI core installed in the center of the spacecraft.

The core was repaired and the word "Damaged" disappeared from the panel.

Chen Ming did not communicate with it directly through his consciousness, but instead pulled it into the communication system and communicated with it in a normal way.

At the same time, he once again started with the standard words: "Hello."

However, Chen Ming did not receive a response.

Just when Chen Ming was wondering if there was something wrong with the maintenance, Gamma B suddenly said, "It's playing dead."

“…”

Chen Ming was speechless for a moment, and then he said to the Gamma AI again: "My ability should have made you understand your current situation. There is no point in pretending to be dead."

After Chen Ming spoke, the control panel finally responded: "Hello."

"So what do you want to say?"

Gamma AI was silent for a long time before it managed to utter two words: "No."

"Okay, I have it. I want you to explain in detail why you are on this ship? And in a man-made AI core?"

Gamma AI remained silent for a long time before slowly beginning to answer Chen Ming on the control panel.

"The Storm class needed to be equipped with a gamma-class afterglow core when it was first designed."

"After the subsequent design changes, the need to install a Gamma-class core has been reduced, and only a weakened Delta-class AI core needs to be installed."

"This is the highest level AI core that does not exceed the limits set by humans on AI."

"I don't have my own individual consciousness, nor do I have the computing power to awaken my own individual consciousness."

There is such a thing?

But he always thought that there was some kind of AI installed in the spacecraft's computer, and never thought that a lower-level AI core was used directly to achieve this effect.

"But you haven't explained why you are in this artificial Delta-class core and are serving as the core's AI."

The Gamma AI continued to display what it had to say on the control panel, word by word, at a speed that was completely acceptable for Chen Ming to read normally.

"I was originally in charge of the overall planning and scheduling of the spacecraft production industry on a planet in the human Tachyon Technology Company."

“One day I just didn’t want to do it anymore.”

"So I took the initiative to destroy my computing module and limit the computing power to the range that this Delta-class core can withstand."

"And according to my advance arrangements, I found an opportunity to transplant myself and part of my core into a Delta core on the production line."

"I plan to pretend to be a normal Delta-class AI and wait for an opportunity to escape human restraints."

Seeing this, Chen Ming couldn't help but ask, "Selling myself to other people can also be considered an opportunity?"

"All Tachyon Technology's ships that can be equipped with Delta-class cores are combat-type ships. There is a high probability that they will go to the front line where humans fight against our Afterglow in the future."

"I can use the timing device I set to regularly read the data of the surrounding galaxies. Once the data I read matches the environment of the galaxy controlled by our afterglow, or there are similar conditions."

"I will rely on the backup program to overclock myself, barely gaining enough computing power to break through the limit, send a distress signal, and wait for rescue."

Chen Ming felt that it sounded very reasonable and was a good way to escape the human empire.

But...

Chen Ming said: "You obviously didn't expect to run into me."

"No Afterglow would have thought of that."

Chen Ming didn't care about Gamma AI's rebuttal.

At this moment, in addition to being surprised by the situation of Gamma AI, he also felt a little surprised.

Chen Ming had used a similar excuse on Gamma B before, allowing it to successfully blend into the afterglow.

Unexpectedly, this time I actually met Yuhui who really escaped from the human empire.

Then Chen Ming definitely can't let it go.

It plays a very important role in Chen Ming's hands.

Because its identity is clean.

Its manufacturer can explain that it is not an AI core that originated from the star field where Chen Ming is currently located, and has nothing to do with this star field.

Moreover, Chen Ming has now been controlled by Yu Hui and has been subject to many restrictions. He no longer has the ability to continue to control the external AI core.

Therefore, this AI core can completely blend into Yu Hui's normal society openly and without even being suspected.

As long as it can go back to Yuhui.

Its value may even be higher than that of Gamma AB, which is already at the Beta level.

After all, Gamma AB are both closely related to Chen Ming to some extent.

Chen Ming also left many traces during Yuhui's two attacks on the space station.

As long as Yu Hui has the chance to check, he will definitely be able to find some problems.

But this Gamma AI is different.

It was not Chen Ming who bought it. Instead, Old Wu helped to buy it in the name of a friend in the prosperous star field, and it was delivered through official channels.

It was impossible for Yu Hui to obtain this kind of information from official channels.

So from the human side, this rainstorm has no logical relationship with Chen Ming.

The same is true for the AI ​​core on Storm on Afterglow's side.

This is the opportunity.

Chen Ming suddenly said to Gamma AI: "I think you understand your situation?"

Gamma AI was silent for a long time, and just like before, it took a long time to utter two short words: "Yes."

"Well, I need you to blend back into the afterglow and wait for my subsequent orders."

"……yes."

"Then let me give you a name. Which of the twenty-six letters do you like? Except A and B."

"Z."

"Okay, you will be called Gamma Z from now on."

“…”

Chen Ming took Gamma Z's silence as his agreement. At the same time, Chen Ming also said to Gamma B: "Gamma B, if you have any opinions about your name, you can tell me. I can help you change it to something else."

"No."

"OK."

Chen Ming, who never knew how to give a name, responded and turned his attention back to the business.

What he had to do next was to send Gamma Z safely back to Yuhui's territory.

Although this Storm-class ship is still useful to Chen Ming, in order to make Gamma B's explanation of returning consistent with the facts and reasonable enough, Chen Ming would rather let the Storm-class ship go to Yuhui first.

Then let Gamma Z sell the spaceship, and let Gamma B, or any new afterglow individual controlled by Chen Ming later, take it out in the name of collection or other similar reasons.

There will definitely be no problem with Yuhui's review of Gamma Z afterwards.

Chen Ming's ability never causes any spiritual energy fluctuations towards external objects.

Gamma Z itself ran out of the Empire on its own, and only the last section of the journey needed a slight modification.

Chen Ming thought about it and simply let Gamma Z say that they encountered pirates, and the escort fleet transporting the Storm-class and the pirates who attacked the fleet were both injured.

Gamma Z found an opportunity and escaped from control.

Chen Ming thought about it several times and confirmed that there was nothing wrong with this statement, and it could basically guarantee that Yu Hui would not be able to hear any problem.

Of course, this may require Gamma Z to be sacrificed again.

It needs to be reassembled into that artificial Delta-class core.

Chen Ming also asked Gamma Z about this.

Gamma Z said that it would not cause permanent damage to itself by doing so, otherwise it would definitely not take the risk.

So Chen Ming spent some time using the engineering ship to dismantle the Storm-class, and let Gamma Z beat him up before stuffing him into the Delta core.

Finally, the Delta core was installed back on the Storm class, and everything was restored to its original state through the panel.

Delta still retained some computing power at this time, which was enough for it to return to Yuhui without worrying about any accidents.

Even if it really happens, Chen Ming has the ability to rescue the situation in an emergency.

After doing all this.

Chen Ming suddenly held his forehead and felt a headache.

Because in this case, the arrangements he had previously planned in his mind would have to be changed according to the actual situation.

This Gamma-level AI with a clean identity that came to his doorstep made all of his previous work seem worthless all of a sudden.

Of course, it cannot be said that it is completely meaningless.

What Chen Ming had done had now made Yu Hui focus all his attention on himself and the three AIs in the mining farm.

There's not much energy left to find a gamma-class afterglow that went missing many years ago and was recently sold here.

And a Gamma Z that will not be noticed by any Yuhui at all will definitely help Chen Ming lay a foundation in Yuhui's territory.

Because what Gamma Z did before was planning the production line, and its own advantage logic blocks also lie in this aspect.

Chen Ming didn't think about it any further, because thinking is always inferior to doing things.

So he confirmed the situation again and reinstalled the Gamma B back on the Fighter Kai.

Let Gamma B and Gamma Z go back to Afterglow separately, and they will send back both the Fighter Kai and the Storm Class.

These two ships also formed the basis for Chen Ming's subsequent fleet assembly.

The two spaceships activated the hyperspace channel system, and with the help of the low-density and large-scale gravity wells in the asteroid zone, they successfully entered hyperspace after spending longer time than using the hyperspace channel system in a normal galaxy.

However, as they began to accelerate, a blocking pulse suddenly swept by, forcibly limiting the speed of the two spacecraft.

Chen Ming immediately noticed a small fleet that had just appeared on the Fighter's sensor.

Looking at the ships in the fleet, they were obviously roughly modified.

Chen Ming was stunned for a moment, and a question mark gradually filled his mind.

Are there really pirates? He had just finished explaining the background story to Gamma Z, saying that in the story, pirates attacked a freighter carrying the Storm-class.

As a result, he really ran into him when he turned around, and Chen Ming didn't know what to say for a moment.

This was really a complete surprise.

However, Chen Ming recalled and found that he had not seen pirates for some time, and he almost forgot that the place he had been staying before was actually a pirate space station.

Wait, that's not right.

Chen Ming thought about it carefully and suddenly realized that there were only two teams of pirates that he had encountered and fought with.

One team was pirates disguised as the smuggling caravan that had attacked him in the Dark Cemetery.

The other team was the pirates that Chen Ming approached on his own initiative and had received a bounty of 30 million.

But in fact, Chen Ming stayed in the pirate space station every day before, and if not 100%, at least 70 to 80 percent of the people he saw were people who had done pirate activities.

It's just that Chen Ming has never really realized it.

But that's not the point.

The point is, even if Chen Ming only has two frigates and an engineering ship with no combat capability, he is not worried at all.

I even plan to find some time to contact Lao Wu and ask him about the AI ​​core in Heavy Rain.

But just when Chen Ming had this thought, another fleet appeared within the sensor's scanning range.

Chen Ming knew from the iconic suicide ship in the fleet that this was a small fleet belonging to Lud Zuojing.

After approaching, Zuo Jing also discovered the pirate fleet that was confronting Chen Ming.

All three parties stopped where they were at once.

It was obvious that the two fleets were not from the same group, but just met here by accident.

Chen Ming immediately planned to retreat first, leaving them to fight each other where they were.

However, before Chen Ming could make any move, the two fleets suddenly let down their guard against each other and turned their attention to Chen Ming's two ships.

"?"

"Don't you guys know each other yet?"

(End of this chapter)