Chapter 55 Your Choice
Huo Shizhen stood in the deserted pavilion, looking at the pouring rain outside. What he imagined in his mind was Lin Guantang's expression as he carefully counted his blinks:
"If I didn't ask you this question, you wouldn't notice that you were blinking, but when you start to pay attention to it - like now, you might be bothered by blinking too quickly, right?"
Lin Guantang finally gave up on this task which had no benefit other than making his eyes sore. Upon hearing this, he said angrily:
"That's for sure. If you didn't mention it, I wouldn't care about it."
"The same applies to the question you asked me."
Huo Shizhen chuckled at the annoyance in his tone, and then continued:
"Because you've never paid attention to it, even though it's a part of you, its existence is almost non-existent to you. However, once you focus your thoughts, you'll find that its existence is so obvious. It's the same with this matter. If you know nothing about it, even if it passes by you, you won't feel anything unusual. However, once you open the box of disaster, you'll find that it's all around you, and—"
"When you stare too intently at a calamity, it will also stare at you. It will catch your eye and become obsessed with you. No matter how much you feign innocence, you cannot escape the fate of being haunted by the calamity unless you kill it completely or become completely possessed by it."
By the end of his speech, Huo Shizhen's voice had become very low, as if it had turned into a physical entity - or a deeper level of nothingness, and penetrated into Lin Guantang's ears through the terminal, causing him to shudder involuntarily.
He raised his head and looked out the window. The dark and silent night seemed to come alive because of his gaze, extending countless tentacles towards him, trying to pull him into the darkness and devour him.
It also felt like a cold snake was crawling up my back.
Lin Guantang took a step back, trying not to make any sound of fear, but the rapid breathing at that moment still reached Huo Shizhen's ears, causing Huo Shizhen to raise his eyebrows. He was not aware of scaring anyone at all.
Lin Guantang retracted his arm from the windowsill, closed the window, and then said seriously:
"Don't tell ghost stories in the middle of the night."
"I never tell fictitious lies."
Although he said this, Huo Shizhen still did not give up his "threatening" words:
"You should think carefully for a few days. Do you really want to use the key to open the disaster box just to satisfy your curiosity? Do you really want to trade your current exciting but stable life for an absolutely dangerous future?"
"Until then, a new terminal will be delivered to the store and you can pick it up tomorrow to replace your current terminal."
Lin Guantang also vaguely felt that the truth about the "world of eternal life" might be something he could not bear. Even if he did not consider himself, he could not let the innocent people around him suffer any disaster because of him.
So he was thinking seriously about the first half of Huo Shizhen's words, but when Huo Shizhen suddenly changed the subject and mentioned that he wanted to replace his terminal, Lin Guantang choked. He didn't realize how Huo Shizhen had established a connection between the two, so he subconsciously chose to refuse.
"My current terminal is fine, there's no need to change it."
He felt that Huo Shizhen had given him too much, although it was in the name of a mission or some other reputation, but he was not a fool and could not notice the special treatment.
But he couldn't deny his own heart - whether it was courses, tasks, or other items, they were all what he needed and wanted to participate in, so he didn't choose to refuse, but to make full use of them so as not to disappoint the expectations contained therein.
However, it is still difficult to honestly say that a personal device like a terminal should be given away for free.
But Huo Shizhen always found a way to say something that he couldn't refuse:
"Think of it as preparation for when you step into dangerous territory in the future, or simply to make Hexi run more smoothly. You should have noticed how much spam Hexi blocked for you, and how slow it ran."
Is there?
Lin Guantang felt that his terminal was running very smoothly and he didn't feel there was any problem with the system.
And I've already said it's junk information, who would read this for no reason, etc. -
Lin Guantang was so frightened by the guess he had in his mind that he was quite terrified when he spoke it out loud:
"You, you, you, can you see what information my terminal receives and sends every day?"
Huo Shizhen: ...
He spoke as if he were a peeping Tom. Huo Shizhen asked back with some amusement:
"I'm free?"
When Lin Guantang heard his voice that sounded like he was laughing out of anger, he knew that he seemed to have misunderstood something, but he couldn't blame him. It was obviously Huo Shizhen himself who said something ambiguous.
"Then why do you say that? Is it because you receive a lot of spam messages every day that you think I will be the same?"
Huo Shizhen pondered for a moment and replied without much sincerity:
"I guess so."
It cannot be said that there was no reason for empathy, but the more important reason was that Huo Shizhen could guess that some people would be curious about the concern between them, but did not want to be noticed. The most convenient way seemed to be to steal terminal information.
In comparison, it would certainly be easier to start from Lin Guantang's side - although this is also a delusion.
To be frank, the technology that can break through the Hexi protection net has probably not appeared yet.
But that's another story.
After talking about this topic, there seemed to be nothing else to talk about. Finally, Lin Guantang asked him when he would return to the imperial capital. Huo Shizhen replied, "Even if I go back, I may not have time to meet you"... What a very low EQ answer.
At this time, shouldn't I take the initiative to say that I will find time to visit you after I go back?
This kind of answer made Lin Guantang lose the mood to ask questions like "How come you don't have any free time at all?", and he ended the conversation in a very hasty manner.
Although I still feel a little unsatisfied, there is really nothing more to say.
Lin Guantang sat cross-legged on the bed, thinking again and again, and decided to summon Hexi to take a quick look at the content of the intercepted information -
Well, he was indeed a little curious about what Huo Shizhen said.
Hexi conducted routine inquiries:
[Have you reviewed all blocked content or cleared the archive?]
Lin Guantang clicked confirm, and then the entire terminal interface froze for a moment - couldn't it be that Huo Shizhen's bad words really came true, and his terminal was malfunctioning?
Before the words he guessed in his mind were fully displayed, Lin Guantang was almost blinded by the dense red warnings that popped up in the terminal.
It was so dense that it gave Lin Guantang a phobia of words. A quick scroll up and down revealed at least hundreds of related messages, some saying something like "suspected virus/suspicious communication/suspicious application", "cleared/blocked/blacklisted/responded to"...
What does this "returned" mean?
Isn't Hexi just a support system? How come there's a skill like active attack?
Lin Guantang clicked on the details and saw the following line of text on the page:
【——Warning, an unknown AI is attempting to invade this machine!
——Activate defense mode, successfully defend against unknown AI, and once again protect the terminal security for the owner;
——An unknown AI carried out a second invasion;
——Turn on counterattack mode and invoke the [Destroy - Mark - Track - Trace - Lock - Clear Source] mode;
——[Destroyed][Tagged][Tracking prohibited - excessive load, insufficient system permissions]
——Warning: The terminal version is too low, the system authority is too low, and the subsequent mode cannot be called;
——This system defense has been completed]
Lin Guantang watched with mixed emotions - he didn't expect that such an AI fight would take place in the terminal without his knowledge. He also felt a little guilty, because after all, it seemed that it was really his own terminal that was holding the system back.
Lin Guantang thought about it and closed the interface, then couldn't help but call out Hexi's real body to take a look.
After careful observation, Lin Guantang still couldn't imagine what the struggle between AIs would be like. If it was Hexi, would it flap its wings to attack the invading AI?
——Hexi’s body is a strange shape composed of six snow-white wings—only wings, without any other extended head or body.
The four wings, upper and lower, are folded inward, with feathers interlaced and covering each other, with slight rise and fall like breathing, but they never open.
Only the two middle wings flapped slowly back and forth.
Around the six wings, there are three constantly intersecting and rotating rings. Each ring is composed of two intersecting and circulating lines covered with feathers. In the center of the two lines are decorations like blue-green gems.
Although every time Lin Guantang stared at these gems for a little longer, he felt that they were like countless eyes, which was very scary.
Fortunately, there is a way to cover it up. When feathers cover the eye-like gems, they look furry and very cute.
However, if Lin Guantang saw the sighing expression in Huo Shizhen's terminal, he probably wouldn't find it cute.
The six pairs of wings were fully spread out, and the covered areas were also filled with eyes of different sizes, which opened and closed as if they were truly alive.
The color of his eyes was the same red as Huo Shizhen's own, but even purer and richer, a true blood red.
The eyes on the three rings around the wings also glowed blood red.
In addition to these, there are countless blood-red threads connecting the rings and wings.
It is quite consistent with the red warning signs that keep popping up.
[Warning, beyond the scope of authority!] [Please confirm again whether to take over the following public intelligent facilities...] [xxxx is a private terminal device, please confirm the intrusion]...
At the same time - or rather, from the moment Huo Shizhen decided to let Hexi take over the public surveillance of the entire Rodan District, countless people have continuously sent their caring greetings to Huo Shizhen through various channels.
Although the wording was slightly different, the content was largely the same, going something like, "Why were you suddenly using high-level permissions?" "So it was to catch the escaped traitor? That's all right then." "Wait, are you sure it's just to catch the traitor?"
From what they said, they didn't quite believe that Huo Shizhen was going through so much trouble just to catch a traitor, but if Huo Shizhen did as they wished, saying that doing so would be arbitrary, these people would not be happy.
Contradictory individuals make up a contradictory empire, which in turn creates various contradictory phenomena. Huo Shizhen has long been accustomed to this. Just like this time, he does not want him to let the traitor escape and lose the face of the empire and the military academy, but he does not allow him to go too deep or use too much authority, for fear that it will go beyond the controllable range.
Countless contradictions created countless twisted chains. Huo Shizhen's every move was subject to supervision and he had to follow the task procedures. At the same time, he was considered to be a perfect symbol of the empire and there was absolutely no possibility of failure.
In fact, the empire should be grateful to Huo Shizhen for being so tolerant.
To be honest, Huo Shizhen had long been accustomed to the heavy shackles placed on him by the empire and the arbitrary demands that he be required to successfully complete any task, and he accepted it calmly - complete compromise on one aspect in exchange for unlimited freedom in other aspects. More importantly, he did not need to waste time facing interrogations that would be repeated over and over again. Huo Shizhen thought this deal was not impossible, and he even had the intention of spending the rest of his life like this.
But now he has different ideas.
——No matter who you are, if you see the hope of being able to break free from the shackles on your body, it is hard not to be moved, isn't it?
Huo Shizhen clicked on the terminal, the bound system twisted and reversed, and a photo appeared on the terminal.
The blurred light and shadow, the messy background, and the person in white in the photo also seem to have transformed into a fairy. Compared to He Xi, the person in the photo is more like an angel in human fantasy who can save the world.
Huo Shizhen's finger slid across the face of the figure in the photo and landed on his heart.
——Then give it a try and see if you can really be the angel who saves me.
Huge white wings rise from behind the photographic image, then bend and close, enveloping the entire photograph.
There were hurried footsteps and shouts approaching gradually. It was the staff of the Discipline Department who came to report something to him. Huo Shizhen closed the terminal and waited for the trouble to come to him to kill time.
***
The makeup is not much different, but the feeling is completely different when you change your clothes.
With long hair, a white dress and an innocent look, she looks like an angel who is out of this world. The combination of short hair, shirt and trousers, plus her calm look, makes people think of a sharp arrow.
On the top floor of a tall building overlooking the entire empire, a biting cold wind whistled in through the gaps in the glass, messing up the hair of those who were talking by the window.
This is a very famous viewing tower in the capital. Probably every capital resident has friends from other places who come to visit the capital, and this is one of the indispensable check-in spots.
As a local who grew up in the imperial capital, Sheng Fenghua was no exception and specially invited Zhu Hechang, a guest who came from Fugan District, to come here to enjoy the scenery.
——Of course, the place where they enjoyed the scenery was not the bustling exhibition area, but the very private VIP area.
Sitting by the window, Sheng Fenghua tidied her messy hair, put a photo on the table, and pushed it towards Zhu Hechang who was sitting at the other end.
Zhu Hechang flipped the photo over and saw a chaotic crowd of people, but he knew who Sheng Fenghua wanted him to pay attention to without her telling him.
In the candid photo, Shao Chen's cousin was standing in the crowd. She seemed to have noticed someone peeping at her, so she looked up. Her narrow eyes showed a sharp look of vigilance and contemplation.
S-level Shao Qingbai stood beside her, looking worried and dejected, making him look like a younger brother - although that was not wrong, after all, in name only, they were cousins.
As for the reality—
Zhu Hechang carefully examined the contents of the photo and determined that it was a snapshot of the accident that occurred at the racetrack.
It is undeniable that the person in the photo is indeed extraordinary, standing out from the crowd and attracting people at first sight. However, if I say that her true identity is the person I imagined, I still feel a little surprised:
"Is this the early morning? Didn't they say that today's Central Military Academy's S-rank first gender is all male?"
"Why, do you also think that he is S-rank, which is worthy of being the commander-in-chief of this large-scale encirclement and suppression?"
Sheng Fenghua had a smile on his face, and said with a regretful tone:
"Unfortunately, he seems to be only A-rank. This outfit might be a disguise. It's even unknown whether she is Ling Chen or not. After all, according to the description of the military academy students, the new legend is a strong man who is even stronger than Huo Shizhen, Yin Zhiyou and the others."
Zhu Hechang placed the photo on the table, picked up the box next to it, pressed down a corner, and said:
"Since they are different people in every way, why should we lump them together?"
Sheng Fenghua said:
"Because he is Ling Chen. Ling Chen is the one who arranged this mission, and the person who finally met with the execution department was the one in the photo. So no matter how outrageous it feels, this is the truth of the matter."
At this point, seeing Zhu Hechang's indescribable expression, Sheng Fenghua laughed and said:
"I'm afraid those kids in the Central Military Academy's executive department have even more complex expressions than you do. Perhaps the word 'horrified' is the best way to describe them. It's not hard to imagine how much of an uproar the speculation about Lingchen's identity will cause within the academy after this mission is over, shocking countless people. It's a shame that outsiders can't access the academy forum, so we can't witness the excitement."
At the end, Sheng Fenghua sighed again, as if he really regretted not being able to watch it live.
Zhu Hechang said casually:
"It's just a forum. How can it be so difficult to invade?"
Sheng Fenghua tutted his words, disagreeing with his disdain for the Central Military Academy:
"This is the Central Military Academy. It represents the pinnacle of the empire, especially since it replaced Hexi as the central system. You can't just invade it if you want."
Zhu Hechang just said "oh" and then concluded:
"So, there's no way to know Ling Chen's true identity."
Zhu Hechang thought he would not waste time on troubles that could not be solved temporarily. After making a quick judgment, he was afraid that this classmate Ling Chen would be forgotten - no matter how threatening he was, could he be more difficult to deal with than Huo Shizhen.
Since there is no such thing and his information cannot be obtained, there is no need to pay attention to it for the time being.
Zhu Hechang said:
"You don't seem to be worried about Apashou and Liu Juncai at all, especially Apashou... It's such a shame that one of the most successful experiments has perished like this."
Compared to Sheng Fenghua's pretentious regretful speech just now, when he said this, he was actually expressing his genuine regret.
Apashou's gland transplant was the most successful case, with no flaws found. However, there was only one perfect experimental subject - or the first perfect experimental subject, and it was lost. It is impossible to say that he had no feeling at all.
But when he thought about it, the reason for the loss was actually a gland rupture caused by racing with others. Besides the regret, Zhu Hechang felt so angry that he wanted to laugh.
Sheng Fenghua was not surprised by this result. Even if his gland had not ruptured due to his excitement during the competition with Shao Qingbai, he would have had the same result in the future because of his desire to surpass his limits.
"Without fanaticism, there's no determination to be thoroughly reformed. However, excessive fanaticism often leads to a relentless, unwavering determination. This outcome is inevitable. Fortunately, all of his data has already been perfectly recorded, so there's no need to observe him further. Even if he wakes up, there's an 80% chance he'll become a fool. Giving him to the Central Military Academy to cheer him up isn't a bad idea. It's rather amusing to see him being taken back by the Central Military Academy at the same time as Gula."
The apostles and the devil falling into the hell of death together may be considered a tragic ending, but being imprisoned by the law together is a joke.
Zhu Hechang didn't find it funny, but he could understand Sheng Fenghua's self-deprecating mood.
The Imperial Capital is worthy of being the headquarters of the Central Military Academy. There is no soil for the Garden of Eden to survive here. Even if it exists, it is only a tiny handful. The Central Military Academy will plunder it whenever it remembers, and leave it there to grow on its own if it doesn't remember. But it is impossible for it to become anything big.
Like a cat teasing a mouse.
Unlike the Fugan District, the ABO Special Division assigned by the Central Military Academy is a presence that anyone can step on in the Fugan District, so - in fact, Zhu Hechang is even more puzzled by Gula's arrest:
"The Rodan District isn't a very backward place. How could the entire stronghold be uprooted by Huo Shizhen?"
Sheng Fenghua said:
"Haven't I told you long ago? Don't underestimate Huo Shizhen. He's not some empty idol created by the empire, and System Hexi isn't just some mediocre AI."
Zhu Hechang laughed and said disapprovingly:
"But a tiger in chains is still a house cat."
"That's not the way it's said. A tiger is still a tiger, even if it's locked up. Besides, maybe there's more than one now."
Sheng Fenghua cast his gaze on the photo pressed on the table and said in a low voice:
"The early morning mission is completely different from the Central Military Academy's previous mission style, and it gives me a very bad feeling."
I can't get his real information, and I don't even know if he's a boy or a girl. So what if I have a bad feeling, but -
Because of Sheng Fenghua's words, Zhu Hechang once again focused his gaze on the photo. He felt that the "Lingchen" in the photo was somewhat familiar, especially the eyes...
He stretched out his hand and covered Lingchen's entire face, leaving only a pair of ice-blue, sharp eyes.
So the scene that happened at the tea party not long ago easily reappeared before his eyes - especially the figure who made an impassioned speech at the tea party.
An idea suddenly popped up in Zhu Hechang's mind:
"These eyes—is he related to Lin Guantang?"
"Are you talking about Huo Shizhen's little omega?"
Sheng Fenghua met his affirmative gaze and couldn't help laughing:
"How come you think of him? Their eyes are completely different, at most they both have blue pupils. How come, just because they have the same eye color, you immediately think of him? Are you attracted to him? I didn't expect you to have a masochistic side."
Of course, Sheng Fenghua already knew everything that happened at the tea party. She had even teased Zhu Hechang about it when they first met.
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