Abyssal Wanderer.

This involves spirit cores, masters, and Servants... I feel like I've heard similar concepts somewhere before...

Jiang Zhou thought to himself.

Of course, this is not the point.

The real point is... if the Coordinator wants to break through the limits of human intelligence and reach Depth 8, they need to integrate the information about a universal printer.

This information is very important.

Although considering that the deep-sea interface is essentially a special universal printer, it seems reasonable to have such a requirement.

Furthermore, knowing this intelligence wouldn't affect Jiang Zhou's future plans to upgrade to Depth 8—after all, compared to a deep-sea interface, getting a universal printer isn't difficult... If all else fails, he could use "Paradox" to borrow one from the Icarus Liberation Front; Booker would still give him that much face.

The key is that I need to significantly raise my assessment of the strength of the Deep 8 Adjuster.

In Jiang Zhou's past understanding, no matter how strong a single Coordinator was, even if they broke through the limits of human intelligence, as long as they still followed physics, they didn't seem that scary.

Putting aside everything else, even with Depth 8's cybernetic modifications, aside from special mechanisms such as "probability cloud defense," could it withstand a direct hit from an anti-lithium bomb?
This discussion will not focus on how to make anti-lithium missiles hit the enemy head-on. The key issue here is how a single, highly sophisticated modifier should deal with a professional, sophisticated, and ultra-modern military system.

It's important to understand that training a high-level Coordinator is not cheap, and due to the need for a sufficient population to share the burden of mental pollution, as well as the limitations of deep-sea interfaces, it can be said that the number of high-level Coordinators that humans can produce is limited.

However, military constructs coming off the industrial assembly line, as well as cybernetic beings equipped with various high-tech weapons, can be mass-produced in an endless stream.

In the cyber warfare data that Jiang Zhou searched for, apart from space fleet battles, most battlefields were dominated by high-level adjusters; while the native human army and the construct army occasionally had some outstanding performances that affected the battlefield situation, in most cases they were just cannon fodder on the periphery.

Jiang Zhou had never quite understood why this was the case—if they could even deploy antimatter weapons to sniper squads, surely the military wouldn't be reduced to a mere supporting role on the battlefield?

But after learning that Depth 8 needed to integrate a universal printer, he finally understood.

The Coordinators completed brain prosthetics at Depth 7, and at Depth 8 they needed to integrate part of the Abyss Dark Web. Jiang Zhou strongly suspected that after breaking through the limits of human intelligence, the Coordinators' consciousness had been completely digitized... or even AI-ized.

Those parts left in the underlying reality to be shown to people are less like their bodies and more like "steeds" driven by malicious programs.

However, these consciousnesses, which are evolved from humans, are not blocked by the Styx Firewall. Instead, they can move freely between cyberspace and the underlying reality.

The universal printer they integrated is actually the "door" that allows them to "descend" from the data world into reality at any time.

Thinking about this, the concept of basal adjustment factor involuntarily came to Jiang Zhou's mind.

The base adjustment factor has different levels; for example, level 7 corresponds to the intensity of depth 7.

In retrospect, the act of printing the base adjustment factor is actually the arrival of a high-depth adjuster through a universal printer.

The different levels represent the amount of data they have downloaded.

In this way, many of the problems that had troubled Jiang Zhou in the past were explained.

For example, in a non-unrestricted state of war, the company is strictly prohibited from deploying universal printers on the front lines of the battlefield—this is not to prevent a large number of dark web technology weapons from turning the battlefield into a meat grinder, but to prohibit the board of directors from personally getting involved.

Furthermore, even during the most brutal Second World War, there were very few records of directors who had surpassed the limits of human intelligence perishing; and even though he had borrowed the power of the goddess, he had only banished Pluto's director, Aeacus, to the depths of the dark web, not killed him directly.

Having broken through the limits of human intelligence, the Coordinators are practically immortal.

Their physical bodies in reality are merely containers for online data, which can be reprinted at any time using a universal printer; while their fully digitized consciousness entities online can ensure the continuation of their data through regular backups, distributed storage, and emergency downloads.

This is practically an immortal paradox—as long as the data of the online consciousness exists, it can continuously download and print the real body; and as long as there are backups of the offline consciousness, it can continuously upload its own data.

Even disregarding the strength of the prosthetic body, the mere fact that it grants immortality is something that Coordinators who haven't yet broken through the limits of human intelligence simply cannot overcome.

To completely kill a Coordinator with a depth of 8 or higher, the only methods Jiang Zhou could think of were either to eliminate both their online and offline parts simultaneously, or... to destroy the universal printer they had merged with.

But is that even possible?

It's important to know the structure of a universal printer; even under an electron microscope, it can only be seen as a continuous shadow. Furthermore, as far as Jiang Zhou knows, even if two grams of antimatter were injected into it, it would only be used as operating energy.

Therefore, if you really want to have an equal conversation with the company's power, breaking through the limits of human intelligence and reaching Depth 8 is the minimum requirement... Without reaching Depth 8, no matter how many cards you hold in your hand, to the Olympian Order, you are just an ant that can be crushed at will.

In addition, the memetic entities, or "servants," summoned during the Dionysian War also reached a power level of Depth 8.

It is neither a dark web AI nor a data-driven adjuster, but a memetic entity that emerged from a trend of thought, which acquired a body capable of carrying the corresponding concept through a universal printer.

If that's the case, then after they are injured, all the Master needs to do is provide enough energy and materials for them to regenerate and repair themselves.

Even the power they can exert requires energy from their Master?
The more energy they provide, the more powerful their "spiritual core" can become.

Thinking of this, Jiang Zhou looked at Xita, who was explaining the rules of the Dionysian War to him incessantly, with a strange expression.

"Um, you said that all memes... Servants have a universal printer as their 'Spirit Core'. Judging from the name 'Spirit Core,' it doesn't mean that you have to destroy that thing to completely defeat a Servant, right?"

Strange, why did I choose the measure word "one rider"?
Jiang Zhou said, as if he vaguely recalled something.

After all, the term "spirit core" sounds like a core that needs to be destroyed. But it seems unlikely that one could shatter the "spirit core," which is actually a universal printer.

Sita shook her head at this, but before she could speak, AR couldn't help but say:
"How could that be! What makes us think we can destroy the universal printer left behind by the Holy Father?! If that's the basis for determining victory or defeat, then the Bacchus Order has probably been toying with us from the very beginning. You know, back when the Great Thunderstorm struck the Phoenix Islands, that machine used for the summoning ritual..."

Sita turned her head and glanced at AR, then gave her a friendly smile, and the latter immediately raised her hand to indicate that she would not say anything more.

Seeing this, Xita turned back to look at Jiang Zhou and continued:
"While it's not necessary—and actually impossible—to destroy the universal printer that serves as the 'Spirit Core,' a battle that truly needs to be fought around it is necessary to defeat a Servant."

"Specifically, only by separating the 'Spirit Core' from the memetic entity can one truly defeat the Servant. And the separated 'Spirit Core' itself is actually a fragment of the Holy Grail."

"The Holy Grail?"

Jiang Zhou asked, puzzled.

Realizing she might have let something slip, Sita quickly waved her hand and said:

"Ah... I guess those guys will call it that, after all, look, the Holy Grail used for making wishes is quite fitting. Cough cough, actually it's just a fragment of the Alpha-class deep-sea interface. Only the contestant who collects all the fragments will ultimately win. At that time, the blessing of Dionysus will overflow from the cup, and the person who drinks the blessing will become the new Dionysus."

That's probably how it will be.

Finally, unable to resist using a childish expression, Xita added.

Jiang Zhou nodded seriously—after all, she was the leader of the Dionysian Cult and a former elder of the Blissful Order. She probably knew a lot about the First Theban Dionysian War, and was familiar with all the technical terms. So, the alpha-level deep-sea interface was divided into multiple parts from the beginning, and the one who ultimately completed it was the victor?
But if that happens...

Just as Jiang Zhou was about to say something, Xita smiled and said:
"You mean, in that case, we just need to conserve our strength until the end and defeat the opponent who has collected all six Holy Grail fragments, right?"

Jiang Zhou nodded.

"But everyone will probably have similar thoughts, so the battle will likely turn into everyone staying at home and waiting for the first impatient person to step forward."

At this point, Jiang Zhou thought of Sam Washington on the Ampros path.

If everyone stays put, he'll likely win... and knowing the opponent's information, I'll probably be the first to lose my composure.

"Not at all. In fact, every Holy Grail fragment collected can be used to strengthen one's Servant... The strengthening effect is neither too high nor too low, just enough to make it impossible for anyone to sit idly by. Furthermore, to encourage everyone to take the initiative, the Bacchus Order has actually divided that deep-sea interface into eight parts."

At this point, Sita gave a helpless smile:

"And the extra fragment, they'll place it right in the center of the battlefield, maybe even with a neutral gatekeeper or something. In short, it'll motivate us to fight for it, thus igniting the melee as early as possible... They absolutely adore these rules of the game."

The people from the Bacchus Cult sound like game designers...

Jiang Zhou thought to himself, and then he realized another possibility.

If that extra "Holy Grail fragment" is not used to strengthen one's own Servants, could it summon an eighth meme entity?
Thinking of this, Jiang Zhou felt a surge of excitement.

Sita gave him a deep look, then hesitated several times before finally speaking.

Although Jiang Zhou injected Jim's Nyx factor and tried his best to hide his emotions, the slight changes in his topological representation that he showed in front of an Orpheus of Depth 7 still made Sita see the change in his emotions.

Fortunately, she only noticed the change in his emotions, and Sita didn't think much of it.

After all, this is an opportunity to fulfill a wish; it's normal for most people to feel excited about it.

But she still reminded her:
“After the War of the Gods begins, I plan to arrange for you to provide logistical and computing resources in the rear… The frontal battlefield is too brutal. With your level of adjustment, you might just be caught in the crossfire and be finished. Life is only once, and once you die, it’s gone. Unless you have an obsession that makes you willing to risk your life, I suggest you don’t gamble your life for such a slim chance of success.”

Then, perhaps realizing she had been a bit too hurtful, she softened her tone and added:

"If you can help me win from the rear, you will have a place in the future Dionysus framework... You should really think about it."

…………

Although it couldn't be described as an unpleasant ending, the first strategic meeting regarding the Dionysian Wars concluded in a rather awkward atmosphere.

Over the next two days, aside from some exchanges during their transfer to the deep-sea megastructure in Sri Lanka, Sita did not propose holding another operational meeting.

AR visited him several times during this period, telling him that Theta just wanted him to calm down and think things through, and that she wasn't angry or anything.

I just thought about it for a moment...

Lying in the room partitioned off from the warehouse, Jiang Zhou couldn't help but complain.

He was mainly excited when he suddenly heard there was an eighth fragment. But in retrospect, he realized he shouldn't have participated in the Dionysian War as a "Master".

First of all, it's unclear what kind of memetic entity he will summon—if he really summons the Holy Trinity, Jupiter watching the live stream will probably be charging up the Great Thunder the next second.

It still has to be the quark plasma mode to ensure complete destruction.

Moreover, my initial purpose in coming to South America was to avoid the probing of various companies. If I were to rely on my Depth 3 abilities and win by constantly rewinding, it probably wouldn't end well.

There's no need to test him anymore. He can win even with a depth of 3, so there's definitely something wrong with this kid!

As for the Bacchus Cult's wish-granting opportunities?

Janus had previously stated that he only needed to ensure he wouldn't be exploited by antisocial lunatics—at least in Janus's view, his chances of winning the competition were slim.

Moreover, he's a bit allergic to the idea of ​​"making a wish" now.

After all, I made my wish a hundred years ago...

The last time he made a wish, it caused quite a stir. If he does it again this time, he's probably going to create something even more significant.

Hmm...maybe Janus included himself in the category of "antisocial lunatics" he was referring to.

Jiang Zhou couldn't say for sure, but putting himself in Janus's shoes, he felt that Janus was someone who could make similar jokes (?).

In any case, if the current situation is a necessary process to achieve the "First Will" that Janus had already arranged, then it would be best not to involve forces of the same level (ascension) in order to affect Janus's plans.

Just let things take their natural course.

As Jiang Zhou was thinking this, he heard a heavy footstep outside—it sounded like it weighed at least several tons.

He quickly got up.

This weight is probably because Theta brought his heavy prosthetic body over here.

But when Jiang Zhou opened the door, he didn't see Xita, but a tall man who looked to be over three meters tall and whose body was covered with various weapons.

"Ok?"

Jiang Zhou was stunned for a moment. Although it wasn't too far-fetched that someone would exist in a Titan-class megastructure after Theseus Cargo opened its shipping service, he had no idea that there was such a person traveling with them for the past two days.

"you are?"

As he asked the question, he sent a message to Sita.

"Ah... I was just wandering around randomly, I didn't expect there were other people here."

That humane.

Then, the man said, somewhat bewildered:
"This must be what they call guidance from fate." (End of Chapter)