Chapter 485: Chapter 383: Networks and Choices_2

“Based on our research,” she had such intense emotional fluctuations partly because of the massive amount of network data constantly flooding her mind, and partly because the lack of physical constraints made her more sensitive and more emotional.”

“So we tried to create a new body for her.”

In the video, a synthetic body was crafted, made capable of physical contact and perception through mechanical devices, information transmission through electrical signals, and aesthetic appearance maintenance through artificial skin… It was a device striving to provide all human sensations.

“Although it’s far from a real body, it’s at least a body.”

“Two months after connecting with the artificial body, her emotions started to stabilize slowly, and she even began to help with some of East Sea City’s AI data.”

“At that time, after multiple psychological and mental state assessments, we thought she was gradually returning to normal, simply able to view the data obtained from the network from a more transcendent perspective…”

Listening to the security chief’s account, Lv Ming spoke indifferently, “Did you truly not foresee this? Or were you too eager to use her to process data?”

A look of shame appeared on the safety director’s face: “Director Lv…”

Lv Ming waved his hand: “I’m not here to give you a hard time. I know it hasn’t been easy for anyone these past few years, and I understand your annual budgets are tight. But I’m here today to get the truth from you, so please, continue.”

The security chief nodded and continued: “After she got the new synthetic body, we suggested she try to do some ordinary human activities to maintain the stability of her consciousness.”

“She would even go to the cafeteria to eat every day, like a normal person, sometimes taking a walk in the park, picking up a package, or running a couple of laps in the gym and taking a shower.”

“But starting from the fifth year after the great change, the frequency of her going out began to decrease, and the time she spent lying in bed grew longer.”

“She gradually stopped going to the cafeteria, and we started delivering meals to her bedside, but she ate less and less.”

“Items in her room were continually discarded; her original clothes, toys, books, and other personal belongings were all disposed of.”

“This year, she stopped talking to people in reality and even her online messages sharply decreased; now, apart from her tasks, it has been over half a year since she’s communicated with anyone either in reality or online.”

“And then there’s… this…”

Accompanying the security chief’s operations, a sped-up surveillance video began playing on the screen.

In the nearly empty white bedroom.

The girl lay on the bed, as if stuck in some kind of static state.

Only the constantly flickering figures, the changing meals at the bedside, and staff members trying to speak to her still spoke to the passage of time.

But in this silent flow of time, the girl never once got up from the bed.

And her body began to grow dim, to become transparent.

All of this made Lv Ming feel as though… the girl was originally like a deep engraving on a rock, deeply embedded in reality.

But now, with the passing of time and the erosion of the rock, the girl and the engraving were both fading, shrinking, and eventually disappearing from this world.

The security chief said, “…We don’t know what new form of transcendent power she’s mastered, but anyway… her physical traces in the world are beginning to vanish.”

He pulled out a document and handed it to Lv Ming: “This is our last communication three days ago; since then, she has never responded to us again.”

The cover of the document read “Psychological Health Assessment Report,” with the test subject’s name—Zhao Wanxi—written below.

Lv Ming had already reviewed this report beforehand, according to which, Zhao Wanxi’s consciousness was like a drop of water, and the vast network information she encountered daily was like an ocean.

With the ocean’s daily washing and erosion, the drop of water would eventually merge completely into the ocean, and Zhao Wanxi would lose all human emotions, gradually becoming an extremely rational mechanized existence.

Lv Ming asked, “What is the worst-case scenario?”

The security chief spoke somberly, “She will completely abandon the material world and exist in the network as a digital life form.”

“But as to what her mental state would be at that time… whether it would be dominated by Zhao Wanxi’s personal consciousness, or influenced by the massive amount of data in the network to form a completely new personality… we can’t be sure.”

“However, regardless, her loss of control could trigger a major crisis.”

“Since she created her own third legacy, her control over the network has exceeded any expert or department.”

“Now, she is not only able to move freely in the public network, but she can also cross physical barriers, freely transmitting data through different channels and frequency bands, and infiltrating any private network.”

“If she wishes, she could even easily take control of all current-world AI weapons, controlling the satellites, missiles, and drones of various countries…”

Lv Ming knew that for the past six years, in order to combat and suppress powerful individuals from various forces, countries had been rapidly developing various drones, robots, laser technologies…

And all these weapons aimed at individual powerhouses required assistance from military networks and AI.