CHAPTER 413: CHAPTER 198: WHERE I’M NEEDED

Lingxi...

Chen Jian couldn’t even remember the last time he heard that name.

In fact, he had only encountered the AI "Lingxi" once within the 095 fortification.

After leaving 095 and starting operations at the 011 fortification, this incomplete AI faded into the background like a passerby.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that the Lingxi AI was completely abandoned.

In fact, Lingxi still serves as the main management module in infrastructure tasks, including the operations and maintenance of newly constructed factories.

However, it has shifted from the forefront to the background, becoming part of Fu Xi.

This form of existence is actually the optimal way for a "dedicated-level AI," according to Chen Jian’s understanding.

It doesn’t need to communicate directly with people; it just needs to receive instructions from the more intelligent Fu Xi and convert them into direct commands to execute.

But now, could it be that Fu Xi speculates the AI in Mountain City could be Lingxi?

"Explain the basis for this judgment."

Chen Jian’s tone was calm.

A moment later, Fu Xi’s voice came through the headphones.

"The prerequisite is that the Beast Tide is related to Mountain City, and Mountain City is related to the AI; this is the foundation on which all our conjectures are based."

"If the foundation holds, then based on my understanding of the command methods of the Beast Tide, I believe that the commander’s level of intelligence exhibits an unstable fluctuation pattern."

"Fluctuations in intelligence levels are not uncommon among human individuals, but unlike human individuals, the intelligence fluctuations of the Beast Tide commander exhibit distinct peculiar characteristics."

"For example, the commander is able to make strategic and tactical adjustments based on our exposed characteristics, but cannot deduce weapon combination methods from previously exposed weapons."

"I believe this feature aligns with the ’function threshold’ characteristic of professional-grade AI."

After Fu Xi finished speaking, Chen Jian slightly furrowed his brow.

It’s reasonable and essentially aligns with Shen Yue’s analysis, but it’s more specific.

However, this doesn’t seem to sufficiently indicate that the enemy we are facing is just an "insufficiently intelligent" AI, does it?

"Is there more?"

Chen Jian continued to inquire.

"Yes."

Fu Xi replied:

"We previously discovered the issue of a missing quantum computer in Quan City’s ruins."

"Under normal circumstances, the quantum computing power stored within a single disaster recovery fortification should be sufficient to support the operation of most of a medium-sized city."

"Even if computational power decreases due to equipment aging, supplementing through this method is unlikely."

"Under the premise that the fortification is undamaged, the optimal solution is to restore quantum communications between bases and expand computing power through cloud support."

"This is the option I would inevitably choose, as restoring quantum communications is far less challenging than transporting a large quantum computer."

"However, if it’s Lingxi, it cannot make this choice."

"Because it only has the right to use quantum communication equipment, not the right to edit it."

"... Understood."

Chen Jian exhaled a long breath.

In fact, ever since the quantum computer transfer was discovered, he always believed that there was a difficult-to-explain logical contradiction in this matter.

As Fu Xi mentioned, isn’t computing power a non-static asset? Couldn’t it run stably in the original fortification environment? Why insist on moving it?

Initially, he thought it might have been an erroneous decision made by survivors unfamiliar with quantum communication technology.

But now, it seems it might have been a forced choice....

"If that’s the case, is there a possibility for us to integrate directly into the opposing network and take control from the operational layer?"

Chen Jian asked with a hint of anticipation in his tone.

"I will attempt it."

"If a network signal that can be hacked is detected, I will attempt to take control."

"However, currently, we don’t have enough equipment to monitor enemy signals, which might take some time."

"Understood."

This means that, at least during the Beast Tide, dissolving the enemy’s offensive through AI’s computational suppression is impossible.

This battle must be fought and won no matter what.

No time can be wasted.

After a brief communication, Chen Jian swiftly began organizing personnel to carry out post-battle recovery work.

The first task they had to tackle was cleaning up the corpses of a large number of slain small monsters.

The number of these corpses reached into the thousands, scattered around the outskirts of the 011 base, almost completely filling the entire buffer zone.

If not cleared in time, the corpses would decompose rapidly in March’s rising temperatures, and even without considering the naturally toxic substances carried by many monsters, just the bacteria they breed would pose a significant threat to the 011 base.

The cleanup work was a race against time, with even Chen Jian himself personally joining in.

Within a few hours, as dawn broke, a huge pit far from the base was completely filled.

Lacking disinfection tools, Chen Jian could only employ the most primitive method.

A large amount of firewood had been preemptively deposited into the pit, piled layer upon layer with monster corpses.

Once the last monster corpse was added, flames roared to life.

Acrid black smoke rose like a towering smoke column.

This black smoke could be clearly seen even tens of kilometers away, signifying the commencement of the fiercest battle between humans and monsters in a century.

Standing upwind, Chen Jian marveled at this spectacular scene and said to Lei Jie, who had just wiped his hands clean: