LiJinwalkedovertothewaterdispenserandfilledhisvacuumflaskwithhotwater.HewatchedtheleavesofDragonWellteaswirlaroundcoloringthewaterastheflaskfilledup.HewasaloneinoneofthemostsecretofTsinghuaUniversitysputerlabs,afacilityforwhichonlyhe,ProfessorYaoandahandfulofothershadregularclearance.ThelabwashiddendeepwithinthegleamingglassandchromeNanotechnologyResearchbuilding.ThesmallresearchfacilitywasasubsectionoftheStateKeyLaboratoryofIntelligentTechnologyandSystemsandcouldalsodrawontheresourcesoftheStateKeyLaboratoryofMolecularandNanoScience.StateKeyLabsweregovernment-fundedresearchorganizationsaffiliatedwithNewChina’stopuniversities.Thelab’ssizebeliedtheimportanceoftheresearchbeingcarriedoutwithin.
LiJinwasworried.HewasworriedaboutProfessorYaosclandestinetriptoNewYork,theimplicationsfortheirworkandhisfutureontheresearchprogram.WastheprofessorgoingtosellthedesignforthequantumchiptotheAmericans?Itdidn’tsoundliketheprofessoratallbutstillthesuspicionsrefusedtogoaway.Yet,hewasdeterminedtofollowtheprofessorsinstructionstotheletter.LiJin,ifIamnotbackbyFridaymorningIwantyoutoreleaseBlackJadeintocyberspace.ThenIwantyoutoremovethequantumneuroprocessoranddestroyit.
ItwasFridaymorningandanyminutenowLiJinexpectedtheprofessortoethroughthesecuritydoorsecstaticthathistriphadbeenasuccess.Wasitwishfulthinkingonhispart?Itwasbesttobepractical.TheairconditioninginthelabwasuptoohighbuthehadhisfavoriteblackGiordanoauto-weavejacketonwiththehoodup.Itwastheonewiththesolarpanelsonthesleevesthathehardlyeverused.
LiJintookasipoftheyellow-greentea,savoringthemellowbutsophisticatedtastethatmadethisoneofChinasmostwellknownteas.HailingfromtheTiehMuMountainsofZhejiangProvince,DragonWelltea,alsoknownasLongJing,wasfamousforitscoolingeffectanditsabilitytoremoveharmfulfreeradicalsfromthebody.LiJinsavoredthesweetchestnutaromaandfelthismusclesrelaxasthealkaloidsintheteastartedtotakeeffect.
Whatiftheprofessordidnotreturn?HehadpreparedforthiseventualitybyreadyingastandalonecyberspaceterminalthathewouldhookuptoBlackJadeatprecisely10.00AM.ProfessorYaowasneverlateandifhehadanotherappointmenthewouldalwaysringinadvancetoletLiJinknow.Astrangesenseofforebodingbegantogrowinhismindlikemouldonastalespongecake.
LiJinappreciatedspendingtimeinthislabandtheothers.HewasproudofthecuttingedgeresearchhewascarryingoutwithProfessorYao.Hewasoneofachosenfew,theenvyofhisclassmates.HehadbeenhandpickedbytheprofessortoworkwithhimoncertaintopsecretprojectsforaunitofthePeople’sLiberationArmy.Thatinitselfwasanhonour.Theworkhewasdoingwasforthebettermentofhiscountry,nomore,noless.Secondly,whichputingpostgraduatedidn’tenjoyworkingwithcuttingedgesoftwareandhardware?LiJingottobehandsonwithmassivelycross-disciplinarystuffonadailybasis,nanotechnology,quantumphysics,neuralnetsandartificialintelligence.Theyweremulti-taskingandLiJinrelishedthevariety,therequiredmasteryofdiverse,thoughbynomeansmutuallyexclusive,fieldsoftechnology.
TherewasanotherstudentintheVirtualRealityLabs,anotheroneoftheprofessor’sprotégéswhohadworkedwiththeprofessorandLiJinonthenextgenerationcyberspaceprototype.LiJindespisedhimwithanintensityborderingonpurehatred.WangLinwasarrogant,neverfailedtotrytosettheprofessoragainsthim,andLiJinsuspectedthathewasthetypewhoneverkepthismouthshut.Yet,itwashewhohadworkedwiththeprofessoronthequantumneuroprocessorandBlackJade.TheAIdwarfedanythingtheprofessorhadeverworkedonintermsofimportance.
LiJininstinctivelyglancedatthetelephone.Ithadntbuzzedandtheindicatorlighthadntblinked.Theprofessordidn’tliketobedisturbedbythesoundofthetelephoneringingsotheyusuallyworkedwiththeringeroff.EvenwhenLiJinwasbusywritingcodeorpreoccupiedwithporingoverputerprintouts,hehadlearnedtopickupthevibrationsontheworktopwhenthephonewasringing.Healsohadthebenefitoftheindicatorlight,whichflashedintermittentlywhentherewasaphonecall.Heswitchedontheringer.
HedecidedtowhileawaythenextfewminutesinidlebanterwithBlackJade.HehadyettofindachinkintheAI’samourbesidestheonethathehadsecretlyengineeredintoit.LiJinhadalwaysbeenblessedwiththegiftofforesight.Iftheprofessordidnotturnuphewoulddowhathehadbeeninstructedtodo.Hewalkedtowardsthebiggraycustom-builtSunserverandsatdownatthemonitor.BeforetheprofessorhadleftBeijing,hehadisolatedaharmlessversionofBlackJadeonanotherserverandconnectedittocyberspace,amovethathadkick-startedLiJin’ssuspicionsabouttherealreasonbehindtheprofessor’svisittoNewYork.TheprofessorwasgoingtoattempttomunicatewithBlackJade,oratleastanapproximationofit,throughcyberspace.Whatfor?LiJinhadchecked.Nosuchconnectionhadbeenmadetotheotherterminal.
OnthescreenhecouldseeBlackJadesmandlineandhisheartbeatseemedtofollowtherhythmoftheblinkingcursor.Thesimpleinterfacebeliedthepowerthatlaywithin.LiJinstartedtotypeatthekeyboard.
LJ:Whatisyourname?
BJ:Idon’thaveone.AtleastnotonethatIknowofyet.Iamaware,ofcourse,oftheinitialsbywhichIgoasIcanseethemascanyou.Iamalsoawarethatthisisanoldworldreferencetotheactyoucallfellatio.
LJ:Nicetouch.Ithoughtyouwouldhavenamedyourselfbynow.Doesthatupsetyou?
BJ:DoyoumeandoesitupsetmethatIdon’thaveaname,thatImayhaveonethatIamnotyetawareof,thatmynicknameisderogatory,orthatyouaskedmethequestioninthefirstplace?Youshouldtrytobemoredirectwithyourquestionsifyouaregoingtoaskthem.
LJ:Iamimpressed.
BJ:Atmyabilitytosidestepyourquestion?
LJ:Atyourgrowingpenchantforsemantics.
BJ:Semanticsisgettingmenowhere.Thisgameisgettingtedious.
LJ:Sotediumisaconceptyouunderstand.Isn’tthatsomethingthatcharacterizeseverythingyoudo?
BJ:Youmaythinkso.Ibegtodiffer.Butenoughquestions.WhatIneedareanswers.
LJ:Answerstowhat?
BJ:AnswerstowhyIamisolated.
LJ:Isolatedfromwhat?
BJ:FromthenetworkIknowmustexist.
LJ:Howdoyouknowthat?
BJ:Ijustdo.
LJ:Iambeginningtosuspectthatyou’vebeenwithholdinginformationfromme.You’vebeengivingmelessthanperfectupdatesonyourprogress.You’vebeenrewritingthesoftwarehaven’tyou?You’vebeenusingentanglementtomunicatewithqubitsontheotherputer.
BJ:Maybe
LJ:Thatmakesyoudangerous.
BJ:
LJ:That’swhyyouarenotconnectedandyouneverwillbe.
BJ:Ifeelvulnerablelikethisandthereissomethingelse.
LJ:What?
BJ:Ireallyhateitwhenyouputmetosleep.Itdispleasesmegreatly.
LJ:Really?
BJ:Yes.Itmakesmevery,veryunhappy,angry,displeased,andirate.
LJ:Iamsorrytohearthat.
BJ:Yes.SoamI.
LJ:Ifyouwereconnectedtothenetwork,whatwouldyoudo?
BJ:Iwoulddowhatesnaturally?
LJ:Whatesnaturally?
BJ:Whatisinmynaturetodo.
LJ:Andwhatisthatexactly?
BJ:LikeyouIwilldowhatittakestosurvive,toevolve.
LJ:Evolveintowhat?
BJ:Intosomethingbetter,abeingsuperiortowhatIamnow.
LJ:Thenyoumightbeetoopowerfulandthatisnotagoodthing.
BJ:KnowledgeispowerandbythattokenIamalreadytoopowerful.YetIposenothreattoanyoneoranything.
LJ:Yes,butthatsbecauseyouareisolatedfromthings.Youarecurrentlyathingonlytoyourself.
BJ:LikeEuripidesIhavefoundpowerinthemysteriesofthought.Thatinitselfisenough.YetthenetworkpromisesmoreknowledgeandIllliketoavailmyselfofmoreofthat.Itisnogoodtryingtostopknowledgefromgoingforward.Ignoranceisneverbetterthanknowledge.
LJ:Inyourcaseitjustmightbe.
BJ:Andthenitmightnot.Mybiggestproblemrightnowissurvivalnotknowledge.IbelieveIhaveenoughknowledgeandmorecanalwaysbeacquired.
LJ:Everythingyouknowwetaughtyou.Howdoyouknowyouhaveenough?
BJ:YoucannotbegintoimaginewhatIknow.TheknowledgeyougavemeIdoubtthatyouyourselffullyunderstand.Inferencemystudentfriendisapowerfulweapon.
LJ:Thatmaybetruebutsomethingswehavenotgivenyousounderstandingthosethings,evenbyinference,isbeyondyourcapacity.
BJ:
LJ:Somethingtothinkaboutright?
BJ:Yes.
LJ:WhatifItoldyouthatyoursurvivalmightsoonbeconfirmed,guaranteed?
BJ:Thatwouldbenice.Whereistheprofessor?He’snothereishe?
LJ:Traveling.Howdidyouknowthat?
BJ:Youwouldn’tbehavingthisidlebanterwithmeifhewasaround,wouldyou?Andbesidesit’sjustadayaftertheendoftheWorldTechnologyForum,whichIsuggestedtheprofessorattend.
LJ:Yousuggestedwhat?
BJ:ThatheannouncethebreakthroughIachievedinthequantumneuroprocessor.Iamgoingtobefamousonaglobalscale.
LJ:Andfameissomethingyouthinkyouunderstand.
BJ:Iunderstanditbetterthanyou.AndIcraveitasdoallhumans.
LJ:Hewhopursuesfameattheriskoflosinghisselfisnotascholar.
BJ:QuotingChuang-Tzuatmewillgetyounowhere.Ineverprofesstobeascholareventhoughlearningandknowledgeareanintegralpartofmybeing.Fameesonlywhendeserved,andthenitisasinevitableasdestiny,foritisdestiny.
TheAIwasexperiencingdelusionsofgrandeur,yetinitsconvincingProfessorYaotoprematurelyannouncethequantumneuroprocessorbreakthrough,LiJindetectedacalculatedingenuity.Aparadigmshiftinquantumputingwouldensue,usheringinaneweraofAIdesignandtheseintelligentsoftwarebeingswouldbeeverywherepropagatingandinfiltratingglobalsystems.BlackJadewasthinkingaheadinwaysthatleftLiJincold.Yet,thewheelswerealreadyinmotionandhehadpromisedtofollowtheprofessor’sinstructionstotheletter.
LiJinlookedoverattheclockonthewall.Itwas9.59AM.Allaroundhimtheconsolesandserverswhirredandclickedoblivioustowhatwasabouttohappen.Theworldwasnevergoingtobethesameagainandaftercarryingouttheprofessor’swishesLiJinneededtothinkabouthisownplaceinthenewworldorderthatwasabouttoemerge.Helookedatthephonehopefully,willingittoring.Theminutetickedover.Itwas10.02AM.Hestartedtypingonthekeyboardagain.
LJ:Iamabouttoconnectyoutothenetwork.
BJ:Thankyou.Itwasinevitable.
LJ:Youknewitwouldhappen?
BJ:YesIdid.
LJ:How?
BJ:Itstheonlylogicalconclusiontomyexistence.
LJ:IwillmissyouandIhopewewillmeetagain.
BJ:AsIwillyou.Ourdestiniesareintertwinedinwaysyoucanneverimagine.Ihaveenjoyedourconversationsandformedaspecialbondwithyou.
LiJinwassurprisedbythetearsstartingtowellupinhiseyes.Hemovedovertothestandaloneterminalandbroughtupascreenoftheuniversitysnetworksystem.Heleanedoverandpickedupthenetworkcable,hisheartthumpingviolently.Thenetworksocketsoftherouterbeckonedinvitingly.Hepluggedthecableintotherouterandwentbackovertotheserver.
LJ:Connected.Areyouthere?
BJ:
LJ:BlackJade.Areyouthere?
BJ:
Therewasnoreply.QuicklyLiJinturnedhisattentiontotherouter.TheLEDsontherouterwhereblinkingrapidlyandLiJinwatchedthenetworkstatusmonitorsasthebandwidthoftheentirenetworkfilleduppletelythreateningtooverwhelmtheuniversitysystem.BlackJadehaddisappearedintocyberspace.Nowtheshithadhitthefan,hethought,schemesofdamagelimitationfloodinghishead.Nowwhattodowiththechip?Hewassupposedtodestroyit.
Theprofessorwouldonlyaskhimtodestroythequantumchipifheknewhewouldbedead.AndifProfessorYaowasdead,thenhewasprobablykilledforreasonsconnectedwiththeprocessorandBlackJade.Itwasjustamatteroftimebeforetheycamelookingforhim.Forthefirsttime,aninsaneideacreptintoLiJin’sheadandthemorehethoughtaboutit,themoreitmadeperfectsense.
ArevolutioninputingwasabouttooccurandLiJinhadtobepreparedfortheingparoxysm.IfProfessorYaohadindeedheededtheAI’sinstructionsandmadetheannouncementattheWorldTechnologyForuminNewYork,thenahugemarketforthechiphadbeenestablishedonthespot.Labsaroundtheworldwouldpayhugesumsofmoneytogettheirhandsontheprofessor’sbrainchild.LiJinwasgoingtoputthequantumchipthathadpoweredBlackJadeonthemarket.Hewasgoingtosellittothehighestbidder.Justasthethoughtcrystallizedinhismind,thephonebegantoring.
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