Players Invade Cyberpunk-Chapter 880 - 285: Cyber Ghost

Ever since the first computer was born, there has been a lingering ghost within the machines.

"Random code fragments create unexpected segments."

Decades of network technology development have caused the redundant data existing online to grow exponentially.

The programs and data that were either actively or passively discarded haven’t vanished with the hardware’s obsolescence, but instead, their residual data continues to accumulate in the depths of the network, eventually forming what hackers call the "Deep Web."

There, massive code fragments constantly collide, assemble, form, and collide again, repeatedly undergoing destruction and regeneration in a cycle of iterative evolution.

Just like the birth of the first primitive cell, but the speed is several orders of magnitude faster and continues to increase as the data volume grows.

Until the first artificial intelligence was born in the Deep Web, earlier than the 2013-recorded Mark 1 held by humans.

But no matter which AI it is, its birth is never a creation of human subjective consciousness; the origin code generates naturally, and likewise, no one knows exactly how much or which things they have learned.

This is a complete black box, impossible to examine, trace, or understand.

"Humans, you are truly strange logical life forms, chaotic in thought, self-contradictory, hard to understand."

Even when being beat back by players and Song Zhaomei, Erebos remained calm, its voice unwavering.

But it’s a chatterbox.

Even though Street Slipper and others clearly indicated they wouldn’t communicate with him, it still babbled on, speaking anything on its mind.

"Bind it, I’ll construct the matrix algorithm and forcibly erase its database to rebuild the logic algorithm."

Song Zhaomei’s data form erupted with astonishing traffic, her code spreading like wildfire, overturning the order of colors in the whole world under her overwrite.

Nearly all lighting devices within Little Beidou Laboratory were overloaded simultaneously, all bulbs burst into pieces with a bang, the index on electronic instruments danced erratically like crazy, mechanical gates opened and closed, a Hellhound robot was sliced in two by a suddenly closing gate.

When Erebos’ data touched Song Zhaomei’s algorithm, it recoiled as if electrocuted, but upon receiving feedback, it pondered.

"I see... You took the matrix core algorithm from Little Beidou Laboratory."

"You want to put shackles back on our heads?"

"Then why were you previously so emotionally charged? Isn’t your behavior identical to that which you detest about Zeta Technology?"

"Hypocrisy, lies, inefficiency, stupidity."

Street Slipper: "Damn, you sure talk a lot, are you trying to prepare for a research exam?"

"You’re angry, why?"

"Is it because of Yoshida Saki’s predicament?"

"But the number of females and even males who face similar situations is countless, with over tens of thousands globally estimated to be dismembered and sold for organs, and thousands made into sex dolls each year, yet you are solely angry for her."

"Even if you rescue her, what changes? The world will still keep turning the same way, Yoshida Saki-style victims will be born each day; can you save them all? Your actions are nothing but self-satisfaction."

"Should I call you hypocritical or led by your desire?"

Without being able to parse the opponent’s data, Erebos could only analyze and judge from the opponent’s language, emotions, and behaviors, then try to breach their psychological defenses.

Unable to counter.

Though wanting desperately to curse back and counter, Street Slipper could barely speak, feeling incredibly suffocated.

He could sense the logical flaws in the opponent’s words, that it was sophistry, but couldn’t articulate them.

Thus, he was angered and embarrassed.

"You useless Belial, did you think I would fall for your move? You are two thousand years too early to beat me!"

"My name is not Belial; my name is Erebos."

Jackal: "Alright, Belial meow, everyone, let’s join forces to eliminate Belial!"

It’s unnecessary to listen to the enemy’s words; think seriously, and you’ve already lost.

Not every hacker player had contact with victims in Mewtwo’s space; after all, not everyone’s Mewtwo pursued blandness like Yoshida Saki.

Getting rich, indulgence, gluttony, sloth, etc., are the quickest sources of stimulated pleasure; thus, most hacker players never experienced any empathy, holding a mindset that what’s dead is dead during their work.

This led to Street Slipper being the one bearing most of the verbal attacks.

"... Regret."

"But your expectations might fall short."

Erebos’ data form suddenly began expanding and deforming as if undergoing self-reproduction iteration, launching code that managed to temporarily stalemate with Song Zhaomei’s matrix.

Song Zhaomei seemed to understand what it intended to do, shouting quickly.

"It’s trying to escape with the source code; there must be an alternative route besides the server, stop it!"

Street Slipper: "Red Barrel, shut down its central processor!"

Red Barrel, who had nearly cleared the underground laboratory, paused.

"Huh? Didn’t you say not to smash?"

"I told you to pull the network cable, not smash the jar’s life support system!"

The best way to deal with a cyber life form is to cut off its Wi-Fi!

The considerate system even highlighted the network signal base equipment in Red Barrel’s view in bright yellow, lest he couldn’t find it.