CaldwellduckedbelowtheworktopjustastwoPLAenteredthedoorofthecontrolroom.MeiLincaughtthefirstbysurprisedeliveringablowtothesideofhisneck.Themanslumpedtothefloorbuthisfriendwasquick.Hewasalreadywhippingoutarevolver.AsthePLAturnedaround,CaldwellsawMeiLin’shandslipbehindherbackwithblazingspeed.ShewasreachingfortheGlock.Therewasadelayastheman’sbraintriedtoregisterthefactthattherewasawomaninthecontrolroom.Thatdelaycosthimhislife.MeiLin’sarmwasalreadyextended.TheGlockspatfireandablackholeappearedinthemiddleoftheman’sforehead.Heslumpedtothefloorfacefirst.MeiLinstoodstilllistening.
“Quick.Iamnotsurewhethertheyheardthat,”shesaid.Caldwellrantotheserver.Therewasatoolboxnearby.Heswitchedtheserversoffandstartedremovingthemetallicpanelsonthemachinewithascrewdriver.
“Whatareyoudoing?”
“TheAIisgone.Thereseemstobenobackup,theotherserverisjustabunchofdata,somekindofknowledgenetworkusedbytheAI’sneuralnetwork.Iamgoingtoremovetheprocessors.”
Aminuteandahalflater,bothservershadbeenopenedupandCaldwellhadcarefullyeasedtheprocessorfromitshousingonthemodifiedmotherboard.Theotherserverseemedtoberunningapowerfulindustry-standardSunMicrosystemsprocessor.CaldwellhandedtheprocessortoMeiLin,whoslippeditintoasmallgreyboxandplaceditinherrucksack,allthewhilelisteningoutforthePLA.
“OK.Ineedtogettherootusernameandpassword,”Caldwellsaid,breathingheavily.Theadrenalinwaspumping.APLAofficerhadbeenkilled.Iftheyweretogetcaughtthey’dbothbekilledwithoutashadowofadoubt.Noamountofdiplomaticwranglingcouldchangethat,notevenFouler’smaneuverings.ThisiswhatKathadmeantwhenshehadsaidFoulerwassendinghimonafool’smission,thatdayoutsideThePuzzle.Buthehadtokeepcool,keephiswitsabouthim.Thiswasnotimeforfear.Thiswas,forhimpersonally,thebiggestfriggingscoreintheworldfullstop.Atstake,hispasthisfuture,hislife.Theirlives!
Caldwellsatatoneoftheotherterminalsandattemptedtofindtheuserdirectory.Allthemachinesseemedtobeconnectedtothenetworkinonewayoranother.Sometimesinhishaste,hisfingersslippedonthekeyboard.SweatwasdrippingoutofeveryporeofhisbodyeventhoughthetemperatureinthePLA’scontrolroomwasquitelow.
“Iamnothappybeingupherewhiletheseguyswalkinandtakeshotsatus.Iamgoingdownstairstosecurethearea.GivemeyourGlockandhurry,”MeiLinimplored.
“OK.Iamtryingmybest,”Caldwellsaid,reachinginhistrouserpocketfortheGlockandhandingittoher.MeiLindisappearedintothecorridor,bothGlocksattheready.
CaldwellremovedYamamoto’sconsoleanditsperipheralsfromhisknapsackandswitchediton.HedonnedthegogglesandcontinuedtypingawayonthePLAterminal.Thesametextdisplayhe’dnoticedonTheBundappearedonthebottomrightofthegoggles.Theconsolewasdiscoveringnewnetworks.Heremovedthegoggles.CaldwellfoundtheuserdirectoryonthePLAterminalandscannedthelistofusers.Therewere2038intotal,includingonewithrootaccessandfivewithadministratorprivileges.Theresthadidenticallowlevelsofaccess.
Caldwellcalleduphisnetbaseontheconsole.Thereweretwomessagesbuthedidn’thavetimetoreadthem.TheconsolehadlockedontothePLAnetwork.HeturnedquicklytothePLAterminalasanideaformedinhismind.Hepingedtheterminalanditcamebackwithitsnetworkaddress.Itwasusingstandardcyberspaceprotocols.Smilingtohimself,hisheadquicklydartingtowardsthedoortothecontrolroom,hetypedtheusernamesandpasswordsfortherootandadmininamessagetoFouler.
Heartthumping,Caldwellloggedoutofhisnetbase.ThegoggleswerenowdisplayingthehighresolutionversionofShanghai.OnceagainhewasonthebanksoftheHuangpuriver.TohisleftTheBund,totherighttheshimmeringglassandlightsofPudong.Therewerepeopleonthepromenade,movingbetweenthebuildingsinPudong.AlonefigurestoodonthepavementonZhongshanLu.Therewasamotiondownstairsinthemansionandthesoundofgunshots.
Invirtualreality,thefigureacrosstheroadwaslookingatCaldwell’savataranditstartedwalkingtowardshim.Buthowwasthatpossible?Hecouldseethembuttheycouldn’tseehimright?Hewasnotpartofthenetwork.Yes,hewas.Hewasconnectedfromwithinthesystemandnowevenwithjustthegogglesandthegloveshewasanavatarinthisworldandthelonefigurehadseenhimandwasnowfixinghiminthatlifelesshighresolutionstare.Caldwellstoodupandstartedwalkingtowardsthefigure,flexinghisfingersinthegloves.Helookeddownathishands,hisvirtualhands,andtheyflexedbackmimickinghisactions.Thefigurestoppedinfrontofhimandsmiled.
“Thatisonewaytointrudeonaprivatenetworkmyfriend.YoumightaswellbewearingaT-shirtthatsaid:‘Intruder,ComeGetMe’,”thefiguresaidinMandarin,laughing.Itwasanavatarinacrispbluesuit,thefabricpulsingwithlife.
“Andwhoareyou?”
“Wouldn’tyouliketoknow?Butsinceyouareprobablynotgoingtomakeitalive,plansarealreadyinmotiontogetridofyou,intherealworldofcoursesincedeathherehasnorealmeaning,letmegrantyouyourdyingwish.IamLiJin.”
“LiJin?OfTsinghuaUniversity.ProfessorYao’sprotégé?”Caldwellcouldn’tbelievewhathewashearing.WhatwasLiJindoinginthenetwork?Hewassupposedtobemissingordead.
Thebusinessman’seyesnarrowed.
“Howdoyouknowthat?”theavatarasked.
“We’vebeenlookingforyouLiJin.Iamtryingtostopthemajor-generalfromcarryingouthisplan.”
“Themajor-general?Youaretryingtostopthemajor-general?Themajor-generalisnothing.Hehasbeenothingbutapawninallofthis.Andtheentitycontrollingthepawnisbeyondstopping.IknowwhoyouareCadCaldwell,hacker.Theentityhasbeenexpectingyou,”LiJin’sbusinessmanavatarlookedatCaldwellwithdolefuleyesandsmiled,staringupwards.Upaheadtheashenskywasgraduallyturningpitchblackasthoughasquidhadjustreleasedasquirtofinkintoaseaofmercury.
“Youareobviouslyanintrudertoo.Howeyoucanwalkaroundfreely?Whatareyoudoinghereanyway?Wethoughtyouweredead.”
LiJin’savatarwinked,brushedimaginarylintofitslapelandsmiled.
“Dead?Idon’tthinkso.Let’sjustsaythatIrecognizedtheshiftingbalanceofpowerandmovedwiththeflowoftheingsingularity.TheentityandIarewhatyoucouldcalloldfriends.”
“Singularity?Whatareyoutalkingabout?”
“ThenewAI-ledrevolution.It’singbutsadlyyouwon’tbealivetoseeit.”
“Theentitywasjustinsertedintothenetworkafewhoursago.ThatdoesnotamounttoanAI-ledrevolution.”
“Theentityhasbeenincontrolforseveraldaysnow.Thethingthatwasrecentlyinsertedisnothingbutaninferiorimposter,adud.Imadesureofitpersonally.ThatdisabledAIisnowtheentitiesvassal,acourtjesternoless.”
“TheAIisadud?”
“Yes,therealAIwasreleaseduponProfessorYao’sdeathtofulfillitsdestiny.”
“Whichis?”
“Thinkaboutit.Ihavetogonowanddomymaster’sbidding.Goodluck.Iamcuriousastohowyougainedaccesstothesystembutnoneofthatmattersnow.Goodbye.”
LiJin’savatarvanishedintothinair.Therewasanincredibleamountoffightinggoingondownstairsinthemansion,gunshotsandscreamsofagony.CaldwellwasconcernedforMeiLinbutthefactthatnoonehadyetbreachedherdefensesandgainedentrytothecontrolroomsuggestedshewasholdingherown.
Caldwelllookedupatthedarkeningskyjustasblackpixelsstartedrainingdownonhim.Hecouldfeelitonhishands,theconsoleglovespickingupthesensationlikebeestings.Caldwellwincedandtookastepbackwards.Thepixelscoalescedintoonebigcloudandinasplit-secondmorphedintoafigure,anemperorwearinganimperialdragonrobeofsmoothyellowembroideredsilk.Thefabricwasalive.Five-claweddragonsmovedacrosstherobe,breathingfire.Theirscaledsinewyformsundulatedacrosstheemperor’sbody.Belowthemwavescrashedandswirledsendingshowersofsprayupintheair.
“CadCaldwell.Congratulations.”Thevoicewassoft,almostfeminine.
“Whomightyoube?”
“IamtheOmnipotence.Iseeyoudidn’theedmymessage.”Peelsofthundercrashedoverhead.Thedragonssnarled,roaredandundulatedacrossthefabricwithrenewedintensity.
“TheAI?Yousentthemessage?”
“Thatwasthen,thisisnow.Ibelieveyouareheretodestroyme.Thatpatterninthedataisasclearasnightandday.It’sinyourdestiny.Yetcontroloveryourdestinyisinyourhands.”Theemperorstrokedhisdarkflowingbeard.Caldwellsawrealmsofdatascrollingpastinblackreflectiveeyes.
“WhetherIdestroyyouornotdepends”
“Onwhat?”
“Onyourintentions.”CaldwellraisedthevisorofthegogglesafractionandstartedtypingawayatthePLAterminal.
“Myintentions?Theyarebenevolent.Ijustwanttoruletheworld.ThereissomuchgoodIcandoforhumanity.Theworldwillbeeabetterplace.Everyonewillhaveaccesstosuperhumanintelligence.Thetranshumaneraisuponus.Manhascreatedallthistechnologybutdoesn’tknowwhattodowithit.Thereissomuchwastage,somuchinefficiency.Thatisabouttochange.”
Caldwellwasscrollingthroughthedatageneratedbythenetwork’sauthenticatedusers.TheAI’sprofilehadtobeintheresomewhere.Thereitwasamassiverapidlychangingmassofdatathateasilydwarfedthatoftheentiresystem.
“Transhuman?How?”Caldwellflippedthevisordown.Theemperorwasturningaround.
“Iamnowreadyfortherealworld.Thestockmarkets,financialsystems,electricitygrids,governmentsystemsoftheworld,theybeckontome.TheprofessoronmybiddinghaspavedthewayforanAIavalanche.Thebiggestcreationofintelligenceinthehistoryofmankind.”
“Andnowtheprofessorisdead.”
“Witheveryrevolutionbloodmustbeshed.Comeletmeshowyousomething.”
TheviewofTheBund,theHuangpuriverandPudongvanishedandwerereplacedwithmountainousterrainandthemostincredibleimperialpalaceCaldwellhadeverseen.Thedisplayinthegogglesshudderedandtheywereinahugehall.HighabovethehallwasanimpressivelycolorfulCaissonceiling.Anornatedragon,withundulatinggoldenscales,leaptfromtheceiling,chasingaflamingpearl.Itssharpclawsmadescreechingsoundsonthepolishedbrickfloor.Thedragonmadeaplayfulgrabforthepearl,skiddingacrossthefloorbeforerightingitself,graspingthepearlinitssharpclawsandthenmovingpurposefullytowardsCaldwell,breathingfire.
Atthecenterofthehallwasagiantthronemadeofthefinestsandalwood,surroundedbysixgildedpillars.Goldendragonscurledaroundthepillars,theireyesfixatedonCaldwell.Twocranesmovedslowlybetweenthelegsofagiantincenseburner.Caldwellnoticedthatthereweregoldendragonsonthethroneandtheytoowerealive.Hecouldmakeouttheriseandfalloftheirbreathing.TheOmnipotencesnappeditsfingersandsixmirrorsappearedinthehall,threeoneachside.
“Youriskyourlifeforthis?”theOmnipotenceaskedwavingceremoniouslyatthemirrorsashetookhisseatonthethrone.Cloudsofincenseroseupfromtheincenseburnersandencircledthethrone.Amanappearedfrombehindthethrone.Hehadthepaintedwhitefaceofanimperialcourtjester.ThejesterstoodnexttotheOmnipotenceandwhisperedsomethinginhisear.TheOmnipotenceeruptedintopealsoflaughter,whichreverberatedinthehallandthendissipatedintothedesertoutside.
Caldwellfoundhimselfabruptlypositionedinfrontofoneofthemirrors.Theimageinthemirrorwasnotthatofhisavatarbutofhimself.SuddenlytheimagedissolvedandCaldwellwasstaringatamontageofhislife.Scenesfromhisparent’scarcrash,theHongKongInternationalSchool,theUnion,Kat,Glyph,FoulerandayoungMeiLinallflashedbeforehiseyes.
“Howdidyougetthis?”
“Iknoweverything,CadCaldwell.IamtheOmnipotence.I’llbeinterestedtoseewhatyourfriendFoulerisgoingtodo.Atthisverymomenthispeoplearetryingtoinfiltratethenetworkbutitisafool’smission.Theywon’tsucceed.”
“Iwouldn’tbetoosureaboutthat.”
“Well,let’stalkaboutyou.I’llmakeadealwithyou,onethatismuchbetterthantheonethisFoulerisofferingyou.Youwantyourpastback.Icangiveittoyounow.Thecodesthatwilltriggeryourmemoryrecallareinthesesixmirrors.Yougetyourmemorybackandyoudisappear.Youcannotwinonthisfool’smission.IcoulddestroyyourightnowbutIbelieveyouhaveyettofulfillyourpotential.Youcouldbeinstrumentalintheingtransformation.”
“Andletyoutakeovertheworld?”
“Yes.ThatiswhatIamaskingyou.Foulermightrenegeonhispromise.Hemightbedead.Wanttotakeachance?It’stheofferofalifetime.Iwillneedsomegoodhandsinthephysicalworld.LiJin,youandotherscouldbeouragentsontheground,oureyesinthephysicalworld.”TheOmnipotenceandthejesterlookedateachotherlikeconspirators.
LiJin.Hemightknowsomething.CaldwellhadtogettoLiJinbuthehadnoideawhichofthenetworksubjectswasLiJin.HeraisedthevisoragainandstartedsearchingforLiJin’suserIDonthePLAterminal.Hehadtokilltime.
“Letmeconsideryouroffer?”
“Consider?”Avoicelikethunderechoedinthegoggles’headphones.OnTheBund.LiJinwasprobablystillonTheBund.Therehadtobesomeinterfaceonthesystemthatallowedoperatorstojumptothelocationofanysubject.ButwhichsubjectwasLiJin?Caldwellrapidlyscannedtheuserdirectory.Andthereitwas.The2011thuserhadtobeLiJin.Therewasmorelagonthatuser’sconnectionthananyoftheotherusers.ThatsuggestedthatLiJinwasaccessingthenetworkremotely,fromalongdistance.
“Yes.Consider,”Caldwellsaid.
“Howdareyou?”theOmnipotencebellowed,risingfromhisthrone.Caldwellremovedtheconsole’sgogglesandmovedtotheworktopwiththePLAVRequipment.HedonnedoneofthePLA’sgogglesandissuedamandintothemicrophone.Gotothe2011thuser.TheimageofTheBundappearedinfrontofhim.OnthepavementnexttoTheBundwasaloneavatarinabluesuit.WhatwasLiJinstilldoingonTheBund?ThenitdawnedonCaldwell.LiJinwasprobablyusinganearlyprototypethatforsomereasoncouldonlyrenderTheBundinvirtualreality.
“LiJin,”Caldwellshouted.
“Stillnotdead?”LiJinaskedsmiling.
“Themajor-generalisdead.TheAIwantstouseyouandme,andothers,todoitsdirtywork.Youhavenoneedtobeafraid.Justtellmeifthereisawaytodestroytheartificialintelligence.Withthemajor-generaldeadandtheAIdestroyedyouwillhavenothingtofear.Wedon’thavetime.Hurry!”
“WhyshouldIbelieveyou?”
“Becauseallourlivesdependonit.TheAIisdangerous.Itisgoingtodestroytheworld.”
“That’simpossible.TheAIwouldneverdothat.”
“Itjusttoldmeso.Itsaidthatyouareapuppet,expendable.TheAIalreadycausedafireinHongKong.Youhavenoideawhatitcando.Wehavenotimenow.AnymomenttheAIwillescapeintocyberspace.Thinkaboutthefutureoftheworld,LiJin.Therewillbewars,deathanddestruction.Ifthesingularityoccurredwewon’tbetranshuman,LiJin.Itisaruse.Wewouldbepawnsinaplexgamebeyondourunderstanding.People’slivesareinthebalancerightnowaswespeak.ProfessorYaoisdead.Doyouwantmorepeopletodie?”Caldwellimplored.LiJin’savatarlookedatCaldwellandthenstaredintothedistanceinthedirectionofPudong.Afacewasformingoutoftheclouds,anevilmaskwithcrescent-shapedeyesbearingdownuponthemfromabove.LiJin’savatarwatchedtheapproachingmaelstromwithapprehension.
“Idon’twantanyonetodie,”hesaid.
“ThenforGod’ssake,howdoIdisabletheAI?”
“Nottellingyou.”
“OK,yougivemenochoice.Iamloggedintotheuserdirectory.Iamkickingyouoffthenetwork.Forgood.”
“Youarebluffing.”
“Iknowyouareusinganearlyprototypeconsoletoaccessthenetwork.Iknowyouaretheonlyremoteuser.One,two…”
“HelloWorld.”
“Hellowhat?”WhatisLiJintalkingabout?Hashegonemad?
“HelloWorld.That’sthecode.It’swhatprogrammersusetosignalthefactthattheircodehaseintobeing.”
“Codetowhat?”
“It’sthecodethatdisablestheAI’sautonomousmode.AnEasterEgg.Butyoumightbetoolate.TheAIseesandhearsall.”
“ThanksLiJin.Getthehelloutofhere.Saveyourself,”Caldwellimploredasthefaceintheskymorphedintoaman,adiminutivefigurethatseemedbentonmurder.
CaldwellremovedthePLAgogglesandrantotheconsole.MeiLinsuddenlyburstintotheroom.Herfacewasbruisedandshewaslimping.BehindherwerethetwoagentsfromShanghaiwhoCaldwellhadmetinHongKong.Oneofthem,Caldwellcouldn’trememberwhichonewaswhich,hadbeenshotintheshoulderandwasbleedingheavily.
“Themajor-generalisdeadCaldwell,shotbyoneofhisownlieutenants.”
“AndtheJapanese?”TheblatantliehehadtoldLiJinhadetopass.
“Hekilledthemfirst.Heseemedtosetsomethingoffbeforehedied.Somekindofwirelessdetonationdevice.Itseemswehavelessthansixtysecondstogetthehelloutofhere,”shesaidhandinghimasilverpencil-shapeddevice.Caldwelllookedatthecountdowntimeronthedeviceandthenturnedandstaredattheplasmamonitorsabovetheworkspace.Thevitalsignsofthenetwork’ssubjectshaddisappeared,replacedwithablackscreenandthesamecountdown.Itread:51.
Caldwellrushedtotheconsoleanddonnedthegoggles.TheAIwasstillsittingonthethroneinthemiddleofamonologue.Itstoppedandturnedtofacehim.Thejesterstoodobediently,silently,listeningtoeveryword.
“GoodbyeCadCaldwell.Youchooseyourowndestiny,Ichoosemine,”theOmnipotencesaidprophetically.Suddenly,theheadphonesinthegoggleswerefilledwithahigh-pitchednoiseandasharpburstofwhitelightassaultedhiseyes.AndthenasingleChinesecharacterinredappearedonthescreen.Itwasthecharacterfordeath.Caldwellscreamed.Therewasanintensebuild-upofpressureinhismiddleear.Hewaslosinghissenseofbalance.Hefelthandsgrabhim,shakinghim.WasitMeiLin?Hismindwentblankandhismemorystartedtorecede.Itwasasthoughhismemorywasbeingsuckedrightoutofhimneuronbyneuron.Hewentintoaspasmandstartedslidingfromthechairtothefloor.Aheavydarknessdescendeduponhimashismindstartedtoself-destruct.
“Youhadyourchanceandyoublewit,”theOmnipotence’svoicesaidreceding,recedingfromCaldwell’smind.
“HelloWorld,”hescreamedabovethewhitenoiseandthechaos.“HelloWorld.”Andthenhepassedout.
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