Age of Cosmic Exploration
chapter-354

Chapter 354: Code: Darkness

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Quantum programming? Programming beyond 0s and 1s? AI system?"

Derma studied the information in his hands, and he was excited like he was looking at a mountain of treasure. This made people around him laugh as when they thought back to how they acted when they saw the information poured in from the junkyard civilization, they were more ecstatic than he was.

Derma roughly flipped through the information and he stood up seriously to tell Da Bing, "Leader Wang, you have to let me stay in this lab. Even though currently I am of no help to the group, give me three months… no, one month, and I will try my best to catch up to the rest."

Da Bing broke into a smile. He said as he shook Derma's hands, "Of course, we gladly welcome Mr. Derma's addition to our team. I am sure Mr. Derma will be able to contribute greatly to our progress in the future. A word of reminder, because this information has some parts that are not revealed to the public yet, so I hope Mr. Derma will uphold the confidential clause. Furthermore, I hope Mr. Derma can take a look at this contract."

Then Da Bing passed Derma a contract and Derma started reading it in earnest. This was the difference between eastern and western societies, the attitude towards money. Even though eastern societies might value wealth, they would not discuss it openly, because flaunting wealth was not considered moral. On the other hand, the western society did not see it the same way. As long as the wealth was acquired through hard work, there was no shame in it.

This contract detailed Derma's future salary, so he was extra serious when studying it.

The contract was surprisingly nice. First, Derma would be awarded the title of Academician. In this research facility, there were only 5 who had that title. Naturally, Derma would have benefits suitable for an Academician, like a personal lab, his own group of researchers and interns, his own annual quota of research grant and supply, monthly allowance. It also contained many benefits, like annual paid leave and family benefits.

Derma was very satisfied with the contract, especially the salary. After almost a month on the Hope, he was familiar with H-coin's purchasing power, and his salary was enough for his family to lead a wealthy lifestyle; he would even have enough to dabble in investment and stuff. In any case, he was very satisfied with the contract.

Therefore, Derma signed the contract without hesitation. Then he would begin his work there in a month as a paid intern.

After sending Derma away, Da Bing did not rest but spent the whole night trying to solve this AI dilemma. There were the same two choices, either break down the AI using force and pray that the information within was not damaged or keep the AI and use some method to entice it to give up its information.

"What should I do…"

Like usual, Da Bing spent his time at the lab until midnight. This was his personal habit, as the most perfect time for thinking was when it was quiet and dark, and this perfectly aligned with how the public thought of him. Only by pure hard work would a normal person be able to rival a Whisperer's brilliance.

"Whisperers… Even they would not be able to solve this problem."

Da Bing laughed bitterly. In fact, only he and the person who gave him this power knew that he was not a normal human being and that he was indeed a Whisperer. However, curiously enough, he could not sense the presence of other Homo Evolutis, and they, including Yao Yuan, the All-Rounder, could not sense his presence. However, he was indubitably a Whisperer…

"No, it can be solved…"

Suddenly, a female voice appeared in Da Bing's ears. He was startled before asking quickly in his mind, "Is that you? Master, do you have the solution to this problem?"

The female voice was silent for a while before continuing with another subject, "Do you still remember what we said when I first awarded you this power?"

Da Bing was startled and then his face was suffused with seriousness… no, extreme seriousness with an undertone of religious fervour.

"Yes, there are many idiots in this world, and while stupidity is not their fault, using their stupidity to treat others and even attempting to influence humanity's future, that is a sin… Only a handful of elites can really direct the future, only we the few elites have the ability of saving humanity…

"After the Hope left Earth, many events have proved this point. From the appearance of Homo Evolutis and the multiple times that our great leader Yao Yuan saved our lives, this proves that only the elites can really save humanity!

"Of course, our goal is for the good of humanity and to preserve human civilization. Therefore, when the idiots are not indulging in their stupidity, we can tolerate their idiocy and try our best to salvage them from the sin of stupidity. We will hide ourselves in the darkness, we will become darkness, watching over everything and saving everything. Until we cannot tolerate this stupidity or until this stupidity is leading humanity towards destruction, then this piece of darkness will swallow the idiots so that our great leader, Yao Yuan, can continue his domination!"

Even though Da Bing did not say any words. in his mind, his volume as he chanted these words was getting louder. It was like he was pouring out his heart and mind, and his face was suffused with a sacred glow like he was going to sacrifice himself for his greater ideal at any moment.

"Yes, that is our mission, to hide in the dark, to watch over everything, to protect everything, and to shelter our great leader, Yao Yuan. When he needs us, we will decimate those dirty politicians… But that is not doable by will alone, we still need power."

"Power?" Da Bing nodded silently and offered in his mind, "Do you need my contribution? I can still help in terms of weapon electronic programming."

"No, there's no need for your contribution yet, your position is too sensitive at the moment. Even though the great leader did not suspect anything, one of the idiots, Wong Guang Zhen, is watching you closely. Currently, there are at least 3 hidden watchers observing you, so you mustn't act rashly… Of course, you are still an instrumental part of the plan," the female voice continued.

Da Bing asked immediately, "Then please tell me what can I do."

"We need this AI. Of course, not for it to enter the Hope's server. This AI will be sealed as our own AI precursor. Last time, when you wrote the AI precursor, you did not add in any additional programming and gave it its own original presence. That was a job well done. This is because Bo Li has checked the AI, and if you had not done that, our organization would have been exposed," the female voice continued.

"Our organization already has quite a few members, but everyone is in hiding. We have the same ideals; we are not traitors, we are not anarchists, we are people searching for a better future for humanity. Regardless of the ideals, we need power to support it…

"This AI precursor will greatly increase our power, to help us increase our fighting power. This plan is codnamed… Darkness.

"Go forth, my child, use your Whisperer's power to unlock this AI's secret. Communicate with it, ensure its safety, but it will be in a sealed condition for a long time. This is its final opportunity; if it refuses to cooperate, then you destroy it rather than allowing it the chance to harm the Hope… Of course, if possible, get as much information as you can about level 3 space civilizations before you do all that.

"Codename: Darkness."

About a week later, Yao Yuan received the emergency news regarding the level 3 space civilization's central computer. He and Guang Zhen rushed to the scene that had been charred and the central computer was in broken pieces.

"…I will fill out the report to detail the whole event. I am to blame, I shall request to stand down from my leader post."

When Yao Yuan and Guang Zhen arrived, a defeated Da Bing was sitting on the chair. His arm was bleeding and pieces from the explosion had obviously hurt his skin.

"We have been attempting to try to communicate with the AI within, and honestly we have come upon great improvement. We tried giving it a small internet server platform as a sign of our peaceful intention, hoping it would give us some technological information in return. We let our guard down. Earlier, the AI controlled the lab's server system and tried to hack its way into the Hope's central mainframe. In that emergency moment, I called the trooper on duty and ordered them to destroy the central computer," Da Bing silently relayed the event to the two of them.

Yao Yuan and Guang Zhen turned to look at the mentioned trooper. It was Ji Jie, who proved her mettle leading the ship during the cursed planet crisis. Ji Jie nodded in confirmation. Her side of the story was not different from Da Bing's.

Yao Yuan and Guang Zhen were naturally saddened by this news. Such an important and valuable level 3 space civilization's central computer was ruined just like that. Of course, they could not blame Da Bing. If anything, they praised his resoluteness. If not for his clear head in a crisis, the AI would have taken over the Hope, and that would've been a real disaster.

Therefore, both of them consoled Da Bing and denied his offer of resignation. Thankfully, nothing was lost, because before the central computer was destroyed, Da Bing managed to salvage some technological information from the AI. When Yao Yuan read them, he was beyond joy.

One of them was about increasing the initial speed of warp drive, the other about electromagnetized ECS system, another about the plasma energy reservoir, and last but not least…

The key defence method of level 3 space civilizations!

Plasma energy shield!