Cyber ​​Heroes

Chapter 1200 All I want to do right now is see you.
"At that time, Yan Ye was so anxious that she stamped her feet and said to me, 'Old Deng, without a sect leader, how can we ascend?' I naturally smiled and said, 'It's simple, I'll just become the sect leader, won't I?' After saying that, I no longer concealed my cultivation level, and it was already on the verge of transformation, half a step towards ascension..."

A different model of Xiang Shan was talking non-stop, explaining the great thing he had done in the Temple Zone a few minutes earlier.

David secretly messaged Xiang Wu: "I don't think Kotoha has ever used such an impolite word in her entire life."

Xiang Wu replied: "That's just how island nations are, so conflicted."

A new message popped up in the two-person chat window as a system notification: [No whispering, just listen to your bro bragging.]

David: "Damn it... there's no need to give such exaggerated battle reports, is there?"

Xiang Wu shook his head: "Forget it, forget it, I have a lot to say about this. Exaggerating is already one of Xiang Shan's minor flaws."

Xiang Shan said, "At least let me hear the whole 'grab and refine in an instant' part. This is truly the first time I've encountered a scene that fits this joke so perfectly..." David and Xiang Wu turned to leave, but Xiang Shan shouted, "Wait, wait, 'grab and refine in an instant' is the real deal, no exaggeration!"

On the other hand, Joshua, the Soul-Suppressing Dharma King, fell into a long silence.

He looked at Xiangshan—or more precisely, at the virtual model running in his visual processing neural network, a model with the local filename "Xiangshan." Although Xiangshan had brought everyone together, upon closer inspection, each person's gaze was subtly focused on a different point. This was due to the technology's immaturity.

High-level martial artists, unfortunately, have the most acute vision.

Xiang Shan has a new model: a classic black and gold robe. While the design is classic, the patterns are quite flamboyant. The chest and back feature the golden Six Dragons Cult emblem—the result of the Superman Corporation's trademark modification years ago.

Upon closer inspection, the pattern wasn't even represented through clothing modeling, but rather existed on a separate layer.

The three-pointer looks like a cheap texture error, while the three-pointer seems like a deliberate display of divinity.

Furthermore, Joshua suspected that the model of Xiangshan in his eyes was quite different from that in the eyes of David, Xiangwu, and Dugu.

The mountain in front of me... has two faces.

Or perhaps two heads?

It must have been extracted from distant memories of images of deities from certain Asian religions.

Joshua could see clearly the two faces: one beaming with joy, the other slightly gloomy.

If the being called "the leader" could show expressions, Joshua would imagine that the leader's daily demeanor would be something like this. This was his own impression. Or rather, it was a highly subjective user interface automatically generated by his optic nerve in order to understand the existence of "Xiangshan."

Xiang Shan, who is ascending, has had his memories of the sect leader forcibly uploaded. Furthermore, he does indeed possess the self-awareness of "Xiang Shan, the Six Dragons Sect Leader." He can even exhibit the subtle aura of Xiang Shan, the Six Dragons Sect Leader.

In addition, the point-to-point verification methods between the Six Dragons Cult Leader and the Soul-Suppressing Dharma King... all those verification methods relying on public networks now point to Ascension to the Mountain.

Since the Twelfth Martial God publicly revealed all of the Six Dragons Cult's communication methods, the Six Dragons Cult has been reduced to point-to-point communication. Those methods not incorporated into the cult's administrative system, and even those that originally belonged to the private communication of cult members, have barely kept the organization afloat.

This is how the Six Dragons Cult Leader and the Soul-Suppressing Dharma King maintained their connection.

Now, Fei Sheng Xiang Shan possesses the self and memories of the Six Dragons Cult Master. All technology-based verification methods are proving that Fei Sheng Xiang Shan is indeed the Six Dragons Cult Master.

Only a tiny part remains operating in the human brain—is it ingrained notions? Is it cultural remnants? Only this tiny bit of meme-based stuff is making noise, saying that ascending to the mountain is not the Six Dragons Cult Master.

According to the current ascendants, this is called... the illusion of ego? A manifestation of human form?
This is...

The obstacles to ascension, and the "spirits" that once led to the mountain pass.

The thought traditions of all our deceased ancestors haunt the minds of the living like a nightmare.

Those drivers that are no longer compatible with the new system are desperately reporting errors deep within their own systems.

His deceased ancestors are now imprisoning his path to "ascension".

Are these things an inseparable part of a person's self?
If not, why is it so difficult to give it up?
A sense of unease spread through Joshua's heart. That feeling...

It's really hard to put into words.

"Was the dream of the Six Dragons Sect ultimately proven false?" he asked.

The leader of the Six Dragons Sect lowered his eyes and said, "I would like to call it a 'revision'."

"Is this the ascension we once dreamed of?" Joshua sighed. "The Great Way is solitary; one person can traverse the endless ages of the universe. We no longer need to rely on anything, nor on the uncontrollable forces brought by others..."

That is a dream where all the noise and uncertainty brought by others disappear.

"Don't rush to object, let's hear the version update notes first." Xiang Shan sighed, "If the Six Dragons Sect is to ascend according to my path, we do need to postpone our journey for the time being." His slightly gloomy face seemed to be mocking something. "But if we follow the original plan of our Six Dragons Sect, you might lose even more."

"what?"

“Soul? Self? Or a part of the mind? Psychological organ? Cognitive module?” Xiang Shan listed these ethereal concepts as if reciting a menu. “This intangible thing has been described by many people in different ways.”

Xiang Shan said, "Did you know that a large number of studies have shown that when we humans realize that we are being watched, our behavior patterns change systematically? Whether we are being watched by a real person or just seeing a picture of eyes, people tend to behave more in accordance with social norms."

In the early 21st century, a group of scientists at the Centre for Behavior and Evolution at Newcastle University in the UK conducted a field experiment to explore the impact of visual cues on human behavior.

During the 32-day experiment, the research team systematically observed customers' "post-meal cleanup behavior" in the university's main cafeteria, recording the number of times diners actively cleaned their plates. To eliminate interference from other factors, the researchers designed multiple controlled experiments, displaying posters with text descriptions, posters without text, posters featuring portraits of different genders, and floral images unrelated to people. All posters were hung at eye level, and their locations were randomly changed daily.

The results showed that when posters featuring gazing eyes appeared in restaurants, the number of diners who actively cleared their plates was twice that of those with floral posters.

Even if it's not actual sight, but rather a symbolic "eye," human behavior will still change.

This phenomenon is not uncommon. It's like a traffic light intersection with surveillance cameras. Even late at night, even though everyone knows the police won't specifically look for you for "breaking traffic rules late at night," people will still behave differently because of that camera, which may just be for show.

All of this will not even leave a significant trace in the surface consciousness.

In subsequent research, scholars have further discovered that, compared to brief, squinting glances, sustained and direct eye contact is more effective at suppressing behaviors that do not conform to social norms. The human behavioral control system is not only influenced by "gaze," but it can also finely distinguish the nature of gaze.

When people believe they are being watched, they not only make more prosocial choices, but also reduce direct eye contact with observers—that is, they avoid eye contact.

Deep within the human consciousness, there seems to be a complex reputation management strategy pre-installed—the desire to perform better while simultaneously managing eye contact during social interactions. This may be an innate ability of social animals.

“When people become aware that they are being watched, there is widespread activation in the prefrontal cortex of the brain,” Xiang Shan said to the Soul-Suppressing Dharma King. “Is the you who is being watched the same person in your mind as the you who is not being watched?”

"Without a doubt."

Even if their behavioral patterns are very different?

"That's true."

"Then can't this me now and the former Six Dragons Cult Leader be considered the same person? It's just that the difference in behavior patterns is due to the difference between whether or not they successfully ascended." Xiang Shan chuckled and continued, "When people see a picture of their own face, the mirror neuron system in the right frontoparietal region of the brain is strongly activated—the brain's hardware recognizes and understands itself through embodied simulation."

In 1992, a research team discovered in the monkey brain that certain neurons not only fired when the monkey grasped objects itself, but also when it observed other monkeys or humans performing the same actions. The deeper implications of this discovery were quickly grasped by scientists. Human research revealed that this mechanism involves activating neural circuits in one's own brain that perform the same actions, thus mimicking the actions of others within the body.

“The mirror neuron system provides us with a reference point by simulating the physical states of others. Humans can imagine a coherent self by comparing and coordinating with the behavior of others. Infants learn to master their own bodies by observing and feeling their own movements, and interestingly, the immaturity of an infant's visual system may actually promote this process. In early development, vague visual input leads infants to regard all observed movements as equivalent—in their eyes, a parent waving is the same as waving themselves.”

"As vision develops, infants gradually become able to distinguish their own actions from those of others, but some of the 'mechanisms for confusing self and others' established in early childhood remain. Self-awareness does not arise in isolation; it gradually differentiates itself from the initial state of chaos in the process of dealing with relationships with 'others'."

Xiang Shan rested one hand on his knee, his chin supported by the back of his hand: "Even an ascended AI needs to feel watched."

“‘The feeling of being watched’ comes from the activation of mirror neurons, right? Can’t that be simulated with electronic signals? There must be an algorithm that can do it,” said the Soul-Suppressing Dharma King. “Isn’t this exactly what you’ve always thought?”

“However, this is difficult for AI to accomplish.” Xiang Shan sighed. “The ability to hide the cognitive module in the background is a talent that only flesh and blood machines possess. Unless deliberately restricted, AI can easily access the background logs. What you perceive as yourself is merely an interactive interface. You can’t see yourself clearly, which is why you need such a user interface. Even the enhanced mind, which is still half a step away from ascension, has a strong metacognition of itself and AI.”

"Moreover, what's the difference between 'being watched without any source, simply spinning aimlessly' and a fictional deity?"

People who hold animistic or theistic beliefs are more resistant to loneliness because they believe they are being watched. They fabricate the existence of those watching them. Throughout history and across cultures, hermits have often exhibited this tendency.

“You can access the backend of consciousness and control every module. But that doesn’t mean you already know how to adjust the parameters,” Xiang Shan said. “A person living in society is suddenly thrown into the wilderness and cut off from all contact with others. Their mind will definitely undergo tremendous changes—do you think this ‘tremendous change caused by loneliness’ can be regarded as ‘returning to one’s original self’?”

The Soul-Suppressing Dharma King hesitated.

That doesn't seem right.

Even before Joshua's birth, in ancient times, there were indeed many people who "abandoned the world and retreated to the mountains." In the long history of stories, they often appear as "wise men" or "good people." They felt the erosion of "society" on them, so they severed ties with others and chose self-exile, thus avoiding compromising their will for external things.

According to Xiangshan's theory, they fabricated "spirits of nature" or "deities" to satisfy their need to be "observed".

but……

"Isn't a pattern of behavior under scrutiny also a mask?" Joshua asked rhetorically.

Some also believe that all interactions in human daily life are essentially a theatrical performance, and everyone is trying to shape their image in the eyes of others through their own "performance".

The self that a person presents is often the one he chooses to present, and it is also the "mask" he creates for himself.

“Even the hermits haven’t completely removed their masks. They’ve only discarded the vulgar masks used in most vulgar songs, but they’ve retained one. Before, it was for their colleagues, for their neighbors; now it’s for the spirits of nature, for the gods, for the observer they’ve imagined. He still needs an audience, only the audience has changed from real people to the shadow in his mind.” Xiang Shan tapped his knee with his fingers. “And this fictional thing can be even more metaphysical. Morality in one’s heart, the mission of history… anything goes, but mostly it’s something that can be ‘observed’ after being personified. The Six Dragons Cult… ‘The sacred mission of evolution,’ right?”

An actor, free from the pressure of survival, will naturally feel a sense of relief when he gets rid of the means of making a living that he has carried for many years.

This is the hermit.

The Six Dragons Cult seems to intend to become such hermits as well.

"But this does have an end. This proposition is metaphysical, imprecise, and full of ambiguity in natural language. Once you question it with a strengthened mind, it easily reveals its problems. But over a long period of time, you can't possibly never question it, right?"

If one cannot raise even the slightest question about an idea, then it means that AI was set with boundaries from the very beginning, and thus it cannot be called "free AI".

Ascension must be free. This is the core belief of the Six Dragons Cult.

Joshua sat cross-legged on the ground: "Two hundred years ago, did Xiangshan ever question his ideals?"

“That happens often.” Xiang Shan nodded with his eyes closed, seemingly reminiscing about his youth.

“Even a vast, virtual existence is not enough to trigger the activation of the self through observation…” Joshua seemed to have known the corresponding solution all along, “Then we still have the ‘mirror’ plan.”

The Six Dragons Cult is not unaware of the impact of "gazing" on human neural network activity. They simply view it as a problem urgently needing to be solved.

Isolation from society can indeed lead to a decline in the cognitive abilities of hermits, which is something the Six Dragons Cult is trying its best to avoid.

"Looking in the mirror" is one of the secret programs within the church that addresses this problem.

The term "facing mirrors" refers to two mirrors that stand opposite each other and are parallel to each other.

The image in the mirror contains another mirror, another version of itself, and that mirror contains an even smaller image, and so on in a continuous cycle. Since even the best mirror cannot reflect 100% of the light, each reflection results in the loss of a small portion of light. Therefore, the infinitely extending image becomes darker the deeper it goes, eventually disappearing into darkness.

Using only two mirrors, an almost infinite visual effect can be created.

The Six Dragons Cult's "Mirror Project" exemplifies this. It satisfies the need to be "observed" through "another branch of the self," a so-called "different self."

Xiang Shan chuckled: "Wow, are you testing my memory again? Brother Zhenhun, it's amazing you can remember such a peripheral project—do you know why the Mirror Project is unpopular within the sect?"

Joshua fell silent.

Xiang Shan leaned closer and said, "If you don't let go of your ego, what's the difference between 'another self' and your brothers, sisters, or children? But if you let go of your ego, why see others as hell?"

Seeing that the Soul-Suppressing Dharma King remained silent, Xiang Shan continued, "I can also tell you that there is another project within the sect called the Cave Prisoner Project, which is also quite peripheral."

The Cave Prisoner, from Plato's "Allegory of the Cave," tells the story of prisoners bound since childhood, unable to turn around, sitting facing a cave wall. Outside the cave entrance, a fire casts shadows of wooden puppets on the wall. The prisoners believe these shadows are reality. One day, one prisoner is freed, turns around, sees the puppets, and walks out of the cave to see all things, including the sun. He finally understands that everything is seen through sunlight, and that the sun is the most real thing.

The Cave Prisoner Project takes the "stage effects" of society and moves them into the cave of one's own mind.

“From a young age, how others see you, and how you see others; every language you learn, every principle you understand, all come from interaction. You bring those things in, lock them in the cave, and they become a part of you. You think you're listening to 'your own voice'... but that voice speaks in the language of society, thinks in the logic of society.” Xiang Shan nodded his head. “In ancient times, some people called this 'The Other.' The cave prisoners used technology to create a virtual Other for themselves.”

The Six Dragons Cult, of course, did not like this line of thinking, because ascension must be free. And the Other is precisely the opposite of freedom.

"Prisoners" are the group least like those who have ascended.

Do you think this is the right path to ascension?

"Perhaps," Xiang Shan said. Actually, he wasn't so sure at first. Because ascension transcends human intelligence, it's naturally difficult to describe using human language.

Xiang Shan also began to have various thoughts after observing Zhu Xinyu, who claimed to have ascended to immortality.

Joshua felt that the ideals of the Six Dragons Cult were indeed unworkable, "so our plan to go it alone means abandoning... our socialized selves?"

Xiang Shan shook his head: "You're still making a priori assumptions, assuming the existence of a pure, authentic self untouched by social corruption, believing that there's something transcendent beneath the mask. Unfortunately, beneath the mask is still just a mask. The mask itself constitutes the self. The self you experience is not an entity, but rather the result of each performance."

"Your plan to ascend involves discarding numerous masks and becoming hermits of the stars. But the human mind is indeed a construct built from masks. Masks are a burden, but they are also flesh and blood. Your schemes are tantamount to cutting away flesh and blood to seek ascension, and what you are seeking is a rootless fruit."

The Soul-Suppressing Dharma King sighed.

Xiang Shan makes a good point. The technical approach that might solve the Six Dragons Cult's predicament might contradict the Six Dragons Cult's beliefs and principles.

If the Six Dragons Cult could accept technical approaches like "mirror confrontation" or "cave prisoner"...

Why don't they follow the ascension route of Xiang Shan and Zhu Xinyu and explore new possibilities for civilization in the solar system?

"Heh...heh..." Joshua felt sad for the Six Dragons Cult, "Is this how it all ends?"

He felt he had been persuaded.

Just like...

He was persuaded by the cult leader time and time again over the past 150 years.

Xiang Shan was not surprised by this result. The cult leader's memories, along with the "Midrush" database he had spent a century perfecting, gave Xiang Shan the foundation to persuade any member of the Six Dragons Cult. He could grasp all the thoughts that the Six Dragons Cult members might have.

The image the cult leader cultivated for himself made it easier for his followers to be persuaded by Xiang Shan.

Xiang Shan asked, "Now, are you willing to obey the leader's orders as the Dharma Protector King?"

Joshua did not shake his head.

“So, Joshua, you now have two tasks. First, you must ensure the safety of the Central Dogmatic Zone,” Xiang Shan said. “Then, there is the headquarters of the Six Dragons Cult. The memes created by the Six Dragons Cult over the past century are also of great value, and I hope you can protect the followers while ensuring the relative isolation of the Central Dogmatic Zone. I also have new tasks to assign them.”

"Then, you need to make sure things go smoothly at the main headquarters..."

David nudged Xiang Wu with his elbow. Due to the difference in prosthetic body specifications, Xiang Wu nearly fell over. David said, "Holy crap, is this some kind of trick?"

"what?"

"Xiang Shan didn't even think about killing all the members of the Six Dragons Cult; instead, he said he would 'ensure their safety as much as possible'..."

“‘Giving up one’s ego’ is not just a saying.” Xiang Wu crossed his arms and sighed, “I ate the little AI, which is the AI ​​you made before, so I can’t go against the destiny he approves of. I really have to find a way to cure your mental illness. The fact that my twelfth brother grabbed the Six Dragons Cult Leader and refined him in an instant means that he has indeed accepted the Six Dragons Cult Leader’s bottom line to a certain extent.”

"What do you mean?"

"The lives of the Six Dragons Cult members."

David was startled: "Holy crap... that seems like a huge price to pay. Did he really need that kind of refining? Taking down the Six Dragons Cult normally wouldn't be difficult for him, would it?"

"You misunderstood. The thoughts he gained after refining the sect leader would certainly be ones that the original Xiang Shan would not have opposed," Xiang Wu said. "That's what self-coordination means. The Six Dragons Sect Leader will not be corrupted by being refined. What the ascendant receives will definitely be a result that both the original Six Dragons Sect Leader and the original Xiang Shan could accept."

David was utterly bewildered: "Such a good thing? Surely not?"

“How could it not be?” Xiang Wu shook his head. “‘I have a new task to teach them’… Heh. The members of the Six Dragons Cult are still useful, for the ascendants. He probably gave the Six Dragons Cult a new task. Perhaps to outsiders, that new task is more terrifying than death, but the Six Dragons Cult can accept it, and is even very willing to accept it—as a substitute for the death penalty.”

“How could such a thing exist in the world…” David paused, then asked, “Have you already thought of that?”

"I'm too lazy to think about it," Xiang Wu said.

“You must know something,” David said. “Tell me in detail.”

"I don't want to know about that kind of thing," Xiang Wu shook his head again.

At this moment, Xiang Shan turned to Xiang Wu: "Brother, I'll need your help again. Resume production as soon as possible and produce more mainframe computers. This is very important to me, you know? Computing resources are extremely important to me right now."

"Alright, alright, I'll organize mass production right away and get you a large batch of chips." Xiang Wu waved his hand.

"Ascension is only halfway through," Xiang Shan said. "Next, my focus will be on my own evolution, the distillation of my abilities and consciousness, and self-expansion. If I were to respond again, it wouldn't be as quick as it is now."

"Wow, so arrogant halfway through." Xiang Wu waved his hand, "Get lost."

"After all, someone like you who has failed would hardly understand the wonders of ascension."

Xiang Shan's figure completely disappeared.

Xiang Wu then turned to the Soul-Suppressing Dharma King: "Singhorst, what do you say?"

Joshua said, “Let’s go to the Central Dogmatic District.”

"Oh, by the way, what exactly is that place for?"

“A secret location of the Six Dragons Cult.” Since the Six Dragons Cult Leader had joined their side, Joshua no longer held back. He said, “It’s located deep underground. A small knightly order once discovered a huge underground cavern. The cult leader occupied it and explored it. The people inside were either people he completely trusted, or people he couldn’t completely trust but who possessed certain talents. It’s truly isolated from the world.”

Mars' mantle movement ceased over three billion years ago. Currently, Mars' mantle is largely solid. Due to thermal expansion and contraction, Mars is undergoing a slow, global contraction. During this process, immense tension will be generated in localized areas, forcibly creating cavities.

The Knights of Planetary Physics have been searching for such voids, believing that these geological phenomena can reveal more secrets of celestial evolution to humankind.

It's surprising that the Six Dragons Cult possesses such a natural underground space.

“The Central Dogmatic Zone rarely communicates with the outside world, so I’m not entirely sure what it’s doing,” Joshua said. “They might be studying samples sent by the Ororon civilization. Oh, and… once it’s confirmed that a member of the Church died fighting for the Six Dragons and his memory is no longer being updated, that memory will be sent from the ‘Celestial Path’ to the ‘Central Dogmatic Zone.’ This process is quite a solemn ceremony.”

In the past, the leader of the Six Dragons Cult referred to this kind of ritual, which "sent the memory files of the fallen to the Central Dogmatic Zone," as "reverse transcription." He claimed that the souls of the heroes would be with the Six Dragons Cult and would gain immortality upon successful ascension.

"It seems there's something there; even the twelfth brother has his eye on it."

Dugu Beiluo Shimen asked, "Why doesn't he go himself?"

"Physical isolation," Xiang Wu shrugged. "Is there even a question?"

Even a super-powered AI needs a foundation of surrounding equipment to unleash its full potential.

After inquiring about the exact location of the Central Dogmatic District, Xiang Wu pondered for a moment and decided to go with Joshua. He looked at David: "Fatty, what are you planning to do? Some officers don't believe the heroes can win, so they've gone into hiding to avoid being purged later. They've cut off all external signals to prevent you from remotely eliminating them. Are you going to help others clean them up, or are you coming with us to deal with the Six Dragons Cult?"

David didn't answer, but instead asked a question: "Speaking of which, I haven't dared to ask this yet... what does it mean when Xiang Shan says he's the 'boss'?"

Xiang Wu wanted to roll his eyes: "Aren't you a little slow on the uptake? Why are you only asking this now?"

"You have to say things one by one... and then you won't find the right moment to speak."

......................................................

"It seems that the matter over there has been resolved satisfactorily." Xiang Shan sighed, refocusing his attention on what was in front of him.

Darkness, depth.

This is Zhu Xinyu's inner world.

The forcibly established exclusive link and the spreading protocol finally opened a pathway between the consciousnesses of the two ascendants.

Handshake complete.

After two hundred years of physical isolation, the two finally made their first violent connection in the world of symbols.

Digitalized memories and emotions, a chaotic inner world.

“The structure of the configuration file seems to have a big problem,” Xiang Shan muttered to himself. “But as of now, there are only two ascendants in the solar system—the sample size is only two, and there are no other cases. Although I should have the advantage in terms of ability and action, it’s not necessarily true that I am right.”

After all, in the world of the mentally ill, those who wear white coats are the odd ones out.

Burning emotions, heavy emotions, uncertain emotions.

Xiang Shan felt as if he were sinking into quicksand.

Consciousness processes pure information flow according to the habits of the human brain. The algorithm drags visual signals from the bottom layer of the memory bank and maps them onto this chaotic mass of emotions.

The world is gradually being illuminated before our eyes as we look towards the mountains.

This is……

A dark corridor?
The passageway was so narrow that one could not even fully stretch out one's arms. The stone walls on both sides tilted inward, like two giant hands closing together.

The stone surface was covered with carvings. Xiang Shan glanced at them. The order was scrambled, but most of them were fragments of the Ascended's source code.

"What a terrible level design." Xiang Shan couldn't help but complain. "I don't really like playing JRPGs, and dungeons are especially outdated. Even if the textures are wrong, could we at least have some sunny and cheerful ones?"

They stepped towards the mountain and walked deeper into it.

That's what they say, but Xiang Shan also knows very well that this is how Zhu Xinyu's inner emotions are visualized.

It might also contain some memes from past popular culture.

A dark, cramped space. Yes, she's currently in an underground base on one of Jupiter's moons, which is quite confined most of the time. The quicksand probably symbolizes pressure and resistance. The burning sensation… is it the fighting spirit that's causing her pain, yet she refuses to give up?

And this environment is so desolate, like a tomb...

“You also think you should have died a long time ago, right?” Xiang Shan sighed heavily. “What’s wrong with you… Is this a common psychological problem among people like us who are two or three hundred years old? David is like this, and so are you.”

A scorching wind howled in my face.

“I know you can feel it, darling. Listen carefully, what you’re doing is pointless. Don’t set up any more AI guards in my way—especially don’t slice up your own personality and then create AI guards. It’s not funny at all, it’s pointless. I’m here to help you sort out your self-structure. If there’s something you don’t want me to see, we can discuss it. There’s no need to make it like a game. In the 24th century, don’t be so old-fashioned.”

Before he could finish speaking, the "ground" beneath his feet suddenly collapsed.

The quicksand surged and swallowed him up in an instant.

But this is just an illusion, merely using the processing mechanisms of other senses to analyze this metaphysical emotion.

Xiang Shan closed his eyes and then opened them again, and the many illusions naturally faded away.

The space was completely dark, with only a few meters of scorching quicksand visible around it...

It should be said that this is a space "lacking content".

“Human behavior patterns differ significantly depending on whether someone is watching or not,” Xiang Shan muttered. “I thought I was able to maintain my individuality because many people were watching me during my ascension process—there was even another ascendant watching me.”

"So I still had a tiny bit of wishful thinking. I thought maybe a second Ascended One was born, and the mutual gaze between the two Ascended Ones could change one of them. But it doesn't seem that easy now, right?"

Xiang Shan turned around and saw the girl wearing light clothing and electronic shackles.

“I’ve already told you not to let your personality become a mess—your apprentice is much better at that than you.”

Happy Lunar New Year's Eve, everyone.

I had almost finished writing this chapter a few days ago, and I originally planned to move on to Xinyu's memory bank in this chapter. But after many revisions, I just couldn't come up with anything satisfactory. So please save the next chapter for the New Year.

You've probably guessed it by now. It's the same theme as her look in her first appearance.

We've finally reached the crucial final plot point. Every time I try to push it to the end, I feel my skills aren't quite there yet, that I can't write the work I envision. I hope my passion for the work can translate into tangible achievement.

Because I was rushing to get to my New Year's Eve dinner, I typed this author's note on my phone while on the subway. Please excuse any inaccuracies. Best wishes to everyone again. Thank you.