Chapter 487: Chapter 323: Prelude to the Storm_2
After the death at Qian Dai Temple, at Dongdong’s request, the members of Iron Blood cremated the body and placed the ashes in a wooden box.
Dongdong left the Heaven-Reaching Tower and met up with Chiyoda Shinnai at the designated location, handing the wooden box to her.
Chiyoda Shinnai took the box with trembling hands, holding it awkwardly in her arms, her lips quivering continuously as tears streamed down her face.
"Was she..." Chiyoda Shinnai murmured, her voice very soft, as if afraid of hearing something dreadful, "Was she in pain when she died..."
Dongdong shook his head: "No pain, it happened in an instant."
Chiyoda Shinnai closed her eyes, letting the tears flow from the corners: "What I’ve strived for years and couldn’t achieve, you accomplished in an hour..."
Dongdong looked up at the sky, his gaze calm: "That’s how this world is, many things depend on status, not on how hard you try."
"When I was a child at the border, I lived harder than anyone else, yet could only live like a dog."
"But now that I’ve grown stronger and gained status, I can basically have whatever I want, even without asking, others would offer it to me."
"But on the other hand, effort might not always be useful, but it gives oneself a glimmer of hope."
"If one is crushed by reality to the point of not willing to try anymore, then they truly lose to this world."
A bitter curve appeared on Chiyoda Shinnai’s lips, she hadn’t expected to be lectured by a latecomer twelve years younger.
She took a deep breath, composed herself, and holding the wooden box containing her sister’s ashes, bowed to Dongdong: "Thank you, I will keep this in my heart."
...
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In the history of rapid technological development, there’s one technology that cannot be avoided, that is artificial intelligence, which is a collective term for a series of advanced algorithms including neural network processing, vector machines, decision trees, and other mathematical principles.
In today’s world, artificial intelligence technology has been widely applied in both military and civilian fields, using a large amount of data samples to correct relevant model parameters, thereby completing a series of instructions.
This type of artificial intelligence is technically known as "weak artificial intelligence."
In many science fiction works, creators have imagined a kind of "strong artificial intelligence," which also has the computing power of a supercomputer but, unlike weak artificial intelligence, it has complete self-awareness.
In movies and games, such entities often appear, supposedly being robots created by humans, yet capable of independent thinking, having their own ideology systems, and even various instincts similar to biological entities.
In these works, strong artificial intelligence is often dangerous, with their independent consciousness not submitting to their human creators, eventually initiating a rebellion that sweeps the world.
In fact, many historians and archaeologists today have wondered whether the destruction of the old civilization was also due to an "AI rebellion."
They speculate that the old times might have given birth to the "strong artificial intelligence" seen in science fiction works, which for some reasons came to oppose humanity, ultimately leading to a destructive war.
With recent advancements in artificial intelligence technology, intelligent machines have become increasingly powerful, garnering broader support for this theory.
This guess is half correct.
Such strong artificial intelligence, as seen in science fiction, really did arise in the old times.
But people at the time foresaw the immense risk brought by strong artificial intelligence and imposed strict limitations on it through societal use, legislation, etc., preventing the possibility of an "AI rebellion."
The later apocalypse war was not caused by strong artificial intelligence, but in some sense, it was quite similar.
A previously unseen new life form appeared in the world at that time, threatening the safety of the entire human race.
And it was to completely eradicate them that this apocalypse war was initiated.
In the end, humanity achieved victory, sacrificing several generations, paying the price of an entire civilization, so that humankind could once again proliferate in the vast world.
But one hundred and fifty years later, people did not know that the life forms capable of challenging human dominance were not extinct, still slumbering deep within the earth of this world.
And one of the most powerful among them lies 100,000 meters underground in New Moon City.
...
During this period, Su Mo almost daily visited the Northern Industrial Development Zone, deploying probes through that ten-thousand-meter deep drill hole to obtain a more detailed understanding of the geological conditions.
On this day, after finishing work, Su Mo set off to return in his Black Ark.
While passing through the Border District on his way back to the city, the onboard defense system suddenly activated an alert, indicating that an unidentified aircraft was rapidly approaching.
The other party was fast, soon closing in on the Black Ark, and Su Mo could already see it with his eyes.
It was a single-person flying device, resembling a large metallic skateboard, with plasma jets as thrust at the bottom, allowing a person to stand and fly through the air.
A fully armed warrior stood on the flyer, with an emblem depicting a scythe marked on the arm, clearly one of Zhou Hanyan’s Death Scythe Mercenaries.
This Death Scythe Mercenary wasn’t friendly, flying dangerously close alongside the Black Ark, gesturing for Su Mo to land.
Su Mo had been busy with his own affairs lately, not paying much attention to the happenings in the Border District. Now encountering someone from Death Scythe, he decided to land accordingly.
After the Black Ark landed, the Death Scythe Mercenary also disembarked from his device and approached Su Mo’s window: "What are you doing? Why are you flying around here?"
Su Mo asked puzzledly: "Isn’t the airspace in the Border District a free zone? Why can’t I fly here?"
The mercenary said coldly: "I ask, you answer."
Su Mo chuckled at the arrogance: "Kid, you must be new in the field, don’t even recognize me?"
The Death Scythe Mercenary thought he was bluffing, and just as he was about to scold him, another mercenary captain wearing a leader’s uniform seemed to recognize the Black Ark from afar, and hurried over, frowning.
The captain peered in from the window, and upon seeing Su Mo, his face immediately registered resignation, giving the mercenary a hit on the head: "Are you blind? Stopping even the car of Captain Edge?"
The Death Scythe Mercenary was stunned, the cold expression on his face disappeared, and he covered his head helplessly looking at Su Mo.
"Go on with your business." The captain pushed him away, then went to the window, nodding at Su Mo, "Sorry about that, Director Su, the newcomer didn’t recognize you, please don’t mind him."
Su Mo pointed upwards: "What’s going on up there?"
The captain explained: "You might not know, but this is a temporary gathering point for our team, and we’ve secured the airspace. That boy was on patrol, didn’t recognize the Black Ark, so he stopped you."
Su Mo glanced over at the Death Scythe Mercenary packing equipment in the distance, saying meaningfully: "Looks like Death Scythe has suffered quite a bit of loss lately, even the newcomers are pulled in for tasks... Are you planning to withdraw from the Border District?"
The captain said mildly: "Yes, unknown to us why, there’s suddenly many hi-tech devices at Wolf Assault, all advanced stuff, if we keep fighting, it’ll just become a mess, not worth it."
As he spoke, his gaze became deep, staring straight at Su Mo: "Tell me, where do you think Wolf Assault got such good gear?"
Su Mo shrugged and joked: "Maybe it’s the magic of nature, with the unique ecological environment in the Border District, they all grow out of the ground."
The captain’s eyes flashed with coldness: "Haha, you certainly live up to the rumors of being humorous. Let’s hope it’s from the ground, otherwise, should we find out who secretly supplies them, there will be a reckoning."
Su Mo restarted the engine, smiling: "Anything else? If not, I’m leaving now. You guys should head back soon too, hugging your wife and kids at home is much better than risking your lives with those madmen at Wolf Assault, isn’t it?"
The captain said nothing, just silently lifted his hand off the car window, waving as the Black Ark soared into the sky.
