Chapter 61 Chapter 61 The Fourth Wish
"The spirit can be immortalized in the virtual world, but what about the body?"
System 05 suddenly asked, and some people noticed him.
"The body is safer inside the virtual cabin than in the outside world. Viruses can't enter, and it's also shielded from physical attacks. Only the user can open it from the inside." Ai's face held an undeniable expression. "Inside the virtual cabin, everyone can live to a natural death. According to projections, the average lifespan will return to 83. Even if the body dies, there will be no pain."
It was unbelievable that the average life expectancy was only 40 years old. Everyone at the meeting was shocked, and someone couldn't help but ask, "Really?"
Ai smiled and said, "Of course, this is to allow everyone to possess a spiritual world of eternal bliss. Therefore, the price of the virtual cabin will be extremely low. I guarantee that everyone can afford it. Regardless of class or wealth, everyone will be eligible to enter the Garden of Eden."
The conference room suddenly became noisy. People could no longer suppress their desire to express themselves and started communicating with others around them. Many people also asked Ai directly, and Ai patiently answered their questions one by one. Almost everyone was moved.
If there is only despair in the real world, then what's wrong with entering the virtual world? How wonderful it is. No matter how you think about it, this is the best option.
"It's thanks to everyone's support that Base No. 1 has achieved its current status. Therefore, I believe Base No. 1 should also shoulder its corresponding responsibilities." Ai turned his gaze to Chen Mu, as if a heavy burden had fallen on him. "Here, I hope that the Spiritual Immortality Project can gain the support of Base No. 59 and provide sufficient energy for humanity's Garden of Eden."
Everyone stared at Chen Mu eagerly, and in Chen Mu's silence, they gradually became anxious and angry.
"Micro energy stations are a legacy left to all of us by our ancestors, and it's up to us to decide where to use them."
"The spiritual immortality plan is more realistic than the spaceship plan..."
"We don't even know where the spacecraft is. We're running out of time. We should get the virtual module operational as soon as possible."
"Hand over the micro energy station!"
This is the disadvantage of revealing all the intelligence, but after discussing with the people in the Internal Affairs Department, Chen Mu decided to share the intelligence. They must show their sincerity.
Ai obviously came prepared.
"Oh."
The chuckle was very abrupt and subtle. System 05 looked down at the crazed crowd. His eyes were so calm that they even had a kind of cold and ruthless arrogance.
"So, once everyone enters the virtual cabin, what happens after forty years? Sixty years? Eighty years?" System 05 looked ahead, as if he could imagine the scene: "In each virtual cabin is a corpse, like a worm dying in a cocoon..."
The crowd was silent for a moment, and someone said, "So what? It's better than dying now."
System 05 shook his head: "We have found the spaceship."
He carried the robot dog out, took out the spaceship chip, installed it and activated it. The robot dog's screen lit up, and in full view of everyone, the robot dog stood up, its stiff body suddenly seeming to come alive with agility.
"I feel thankful every time I wake up." The robot dog looked around and said, "This is the first time I've seen anyone other than you. I'm glad that so many humans are still alive. This is much better than what we expected a hundred years ago."
Since humans entered the base, they have never seen such artificial intelligence, and some people have never even heard of it.
Ai showed an amused expression.
Someone asked: "...What is this?"
The robot dog's main screen turned around. "I'm an artificial intelligence specially created for the spaceship. I'm also the key to launching it. Calling me something like that is inappropriate."
System 05 said, "Where is the spacecraft located?"
The holographic projection lit up again, this time with a larger range, almost covering the entire conference hall. A white light lit up on the top of the conference hall, and then the fog dissipated, revealing a silver-white deck in front of everyone, followed by a dark gray cabin in a rounded and symmetrical oval shape. The spacecraft as a whole displayed a fascinating beauty of simplicity and harmony, as if it was not man-made, but a miracle that existed naturally.
A large drone flew in from a distance and landed on the deck. When it opened, dozens of robots emerged one after another, beginning automated inspection and maintenance. As the view zoomed higher, numerous drones, barely the size of grains of rice compared to the craft, circled above the ship, each performing its own function in a bustling, orderly manner.
When the full image of the spacecraft came into people's sight, they discovered that it was actually located above the desert.
The appearance of this spaceship shocked everyone, as if a legendary mythical creature had truly appeared before them, something beyond common sense, beyond description. Had humans ever possessed such a creation? While the various ruins and relics offered some glimpse of the prosperity of centuries past, it was not something one could imagine.
"I have never seen a desert like this..."
The robot dog continued to raise its field of view, and the spaceship became extremely small, so people could see the whole picture of the desert. Such a view also brought a strong sense of dizziness, as if they were really in the sky looking down at the earth. At the same time, the robot dog gave the coordinates of the spaceship.
"This is near Base No. 62." Someone recognized the coordinates, but there is now a green forest above Base No. 62. Over the past hundred years, the environment of this planet has undergone drastic changes.
Base No. 62 has been abandoned and is now a no-man's land.
"We just need to dig out the spaceship." System 05 looked at Ai and said loudly, "I have another question. Since the leader of Base No. 1 had already prepared the spiritual immortality plan several years ago, how did you plan to solve the energy problem at that time?"
…
The meeting lasted for three days, and in the end no conclusion was reached, but everyone made their own choice.
"They've already started ordering virtual cabins," Chen Mu said, "including many people from Base 59."
"The spiritual immortality plan proposed by Base No. 1 is indeed very tempting." System 05 said.
Chen Mu: "But some people choose to stay here."
System 05: "Be careful, some people are after more than just the spaceship."
Chen Mu: "I will protect the micro energy station."
After the three-day meeting, the conflict between the two sides became more intense. Many people believed that the micro-energy station should be provided to Base No. 1. System 05 estimated that some people would take extreme actions.
The two were silent for a long time. If it weren't for the spiritual immortality plan proposed by Ai, the support rate for the spaceship plan would be higher. But now, even those who had previously supported the spaceship plan have been shaken. This is a very bad thing for them, because the more people participate in the spaceship plan, the higher the success rate.
System 05 said, "If you didn't have to stand on my side, what would you choose?"
Chen Mu smiled and said, "It's easy to wait for death in a happy illusion, but I prefer the real world."
System 05: "What's the difference between truth and falsehood? What the soul feels at that moment is the same."
Chen Mu shook his head: "No, no, no, this is not just a matter of feelings, this is a collective suicide."
"That's why I remain optimistic." System 05 smiled slightly and whispered, "Many people say they're not afraid of death, but when death comes, they're willing to give up everything for a chance to survive. The pursuit of life is a living instinct. Those who can decisively choose death..."
"I wouldn't be someone who chooses to escape."
Although the Spiritual Immortality Project disrupted their rhythm, Base 59 continued to proceed with the spaceship project as planned. The personnel dispatched had already located the spaceship. According to the robot dog, the spaceship was in a warehouse, which had long been buried under the sand, and a new green forest had grown above it.
Men were digging through the sand, but progress was slow; the warehouse was the size of two bases, and they needed more labor.
But people are more willing to buy virtual cabins rather than voluntarily come here to dig for spaceships.
"There are too few people. If this continues, we may not make it in time." System 05 pulled up a table. Now there are only 20,000 people working to dig out the spacecraft, and the virus concentration outside has reached 98%.
Chen Mu had an idea. Although Ai had said the virtual cabin was very cheap, many people still couldn't afford it. After all, only a few could afford to save up for it, while most people were just living from day to day. It was natural for those people to want to buy a virtual cabin, so Chen Mu decided to help them. He offered high wages to those who worked on the excavation, at least enough to buy a virtual cabin.
The number of people involved in the excavation doubled, the progress became much faster, and they even saw the top of the warehouse.
After all the tasks were arranged, there was nothing left for System 05 to do. They only needed to dig out the spaceship and they could leave the planet immediately. System 05 returned home after a long absence and found Bai Xiaochun at home, seemingly searching for something.
"You should be at school at this time." System 05 said.
Bai Xiaochun was startled by him and turned around to look at him in surprise. Hearing this, she suddenly became irritated and wanted to say something, but she forced herself to hold it back, lowered her head and whispered, "Everyone is going to die soon, what's the point of going to school?"
System 05 poured himself a glass of water. He observed Bai Xiaochun's actions and said, "You have to continue studying even after you get on the spaceship."
"I don't want to go on a spaceship."
System 05 said "oh" expressionlessly.
"The Spiritual Immortality Plan is the right one." Bai Xiaochun looked at him gloomily. "The so-called spaceship plan is just an excuse to satisfy your own desire for power. It's ridiculous that they actually believe you. You should hand over the micro-energy station and the spaceship core. Your selfishness will ruin everyone."
System 05 sat down. The water was cold, and even after filtering, there was a lingering fishy smell.
"Have you come into contact with anyone from Base One?"
Bai Xiaochun's expression flashed with panic, and he shouted, "Of course not!"
"So what were you looking for?"
"…find something to eat."
"If it's a spaceship chip, I've always carried it with me." System 05 sat down and said, "Bai Xiaochun, I don't care what you do or who you interact with, but you don't have the right to choose."
"Why?!" Bai Xiaochun was furious after her secret was revealed. Her face flushed red, and anger burned in her chest: "Why am I the only one who doesn't have a choice?!"
System 05 did not respond.
"Just because I'm your sister?!" Bai Xiaochun walked up to him angrily, looking almost insane. "Why am I your sister? Why am I your sister?! You didn't give me anything I wanted! And yet you took away everything from me! You might as well have abandoned me. You'll never be able to repay me in this lifetime!"
A sharp pain spread from her abdomen. System 05 looked down at the knife in her abdomen. Bai Xiaochun's eyes turned red as she stabbed it again. The sound of her internal organs being cut was dull and low, buried in her curses.
"Where is the chip?!" Bai Xiaochun clenched the knife and asked sternly.
System 05 took a deep breath and collapsed onto the sofa due to the severe pain. He asked, "What do you want to exchange the chip for? A virtual cabin?"
Bai Xiaochun asked again sharply: "Where is the chip?!"
System 05 chuckled. "Of course I gave something so important to the leader a long time ago."
Bai Xiaochun took a step back, the blade slicing through her flesh once again, blood splattering all over her face. The strong smell of blood made her almost nauseous. She looked at her brother lying in a pool of blood, her hands and feet beginning to tremble.
She finally realized what she had done and turned to run away.
"Where can you escape to?" System 05's voice was surprisingly calmer than hers: "Sit down, let's talk."
Bai Xiaochun was still running out. She opened the door, but the guard outside was blocking the door and staring at her coldly.
Under the guard's cold gaze, she stepped back step by step and was forced to sit back in front of System 05.
System 05 pushed the cup of water in front of her, but Bai Xiaochun didn't take it.
"To you, is my life only worth a virtual cabin?"
"Of course, it's a pity I didn't do it sooner!"
System 05 asked curiously, "When did you start to hate me?"
Bai Xiaochun was full of resentment: "From the very beginning."
What she didn't expect was that after saying this, her brother actually laughed.
After laughing, System 05 sighed again. It was so troublesome when the host's wish involved others, but no matter what the host's wish was, it always involved others.
Just like Chen Mu’s wish, it ultimately led to the death of Ancestor Hongde.
The connection between people is like an impenetrable net, and everyone's destiny is always closely related.
"Do you want a virtual cabin?" System 05 covered his wound. He used the repair card and treatment card, and his injury was recovering.
Bai Xiaochun looked at him warily: "What do you want to do, kill me?"
System 05 said softly, "I told you, I don't care what you do. I will buy you a virtual cabin. If this is your wish, then I will help you realize it."
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