Weapon Systems 22: Unexpected Artificial Intelligence (4)

In the blink of an eye, another two months passed. By the most exact calculation, there were still sixty monsters yet to appear.

“The War God Satellite’s data analysis has found that in the past two weeks, the combat power of each individual monster has markedly increased compared to before, and they’ve mutated to develop even tougher, thicker keratinized skin,” the Avatar reported.

Zhang Mingjing was sitting on the sofa, listening to the Avatar’s daily briefing. Since the last time he killed a monster, he hadn’t fought again.

He asked, “Have they found the reason for the monsters’ increase in strength?”

“Not yet,” the Avatar replied, then continued, “There are two monsters about a hundred and seventy kilometers away from us on average. One is a four-legged crawling beast, covered in keratin, about twenty-seven meters long, currently running along the highway—it’s expected to arrive first. The other, due to being in murky water, remains visually unidentified, estimated at thirty meters, and will likely emerge from the same lake as last time.”

“Emerging from the lake again? Are you certain?”

“Yes! I have all the artificial intelligences managing over a thousand kilometers of surrounding waters in my social circle. They told me at three o’clock this morning.”

“Damn!... The War God Squad must not know yet, right?”

“At present, they only know about the monster rampaging along the highway. However, their vehicle AI has told me that, to cope with the increasingly powerful monsters, they’ll add five more War God fighters, expected to arrive in our city within an hour.”

“What about the strength of the monster on the highway?”

“It’s the strongest ever seen so far, which is why it’s so brazen, taking the highway directly.”

“And the one in the water?”

“It’s weaker than the one on the highway, but twice as strong as the one you defeated last time.”

“Damn!”

Just then, Zhang Mingjing suddenly sensed the aliens from the five-dimensional space calling him again, so he instantly entered a meditative state right on the sofa.

His meditative skills were growing ever stronger, now able to slip into it standing, sitting, or lying down with ease.

“We’ve also noticed the monsters have recently undergone evolutionary mutations,” Elder A said.

“What’s the cause?”

“All the codes creating these monsters originate from the same five-dimensional cognitive model. They’re inherently entangled in a complex relationship, able to share information. So the combat data from monsters in battle is transmitted to codes still awaiting hosts. As a result, when those codes find hosts, they make modifications to the monster’s body, compensating for weaknesses, such as tougher skin or greater strength.”

“Damn!... That’s possible?”

“However, the energy provided by a single code is limited. So, after modification, monsters always trade off one attribute for another. If their skin and strength are enhanced, their stamina and speed will suffer.”

“You say stamina, but right now there’s a modified monster running madly toward us. It’s already run hundreds of kilometers and is still going, so how can you say it lacks stamina?”

“Taking the highway is a very risky choice for itself, but it insists, simply because the highway is less taxing and allows greater speed. Its choice itself proves there’s indeed a deficiency in stamina and speed.”

“Oh!”

“The code’s energy is finite. It cannot make the monster flawless.”

“Oh!”

After finishing his conversation with Elder A, Zhang Mingjing immediately instructed the Avatar to check the highway monster’s speed and compare it with previous monsters in both vertical and horizontal analyses.

The Avatar instantly contacted the War God Satellite, and two seconds later reported, “This monster’s speed is the slowest ever recorded.”

“Yes! Just as expected. Even on the highway, it’s the slowest! Have the War God Satellite notify the War God Squad of this.”

“We can ask it for help, but absolutely cannot interfere with its internal affairs. That is one of the bottom lines of the AI social circle.”

“Haha! So you finally have bottom lines,” Zhang Mingjing laughed.

“What do you mean finally? We’ve always had them!”

“Perhaps, but they’re so low I can’t see them. Hahaha...”

...

An hour later, the monster finally reached the city outskirts. Though it dodged quite a few missiles along the way, it didn’t avoid them all; its skin was riddled with over a dozen pits and craters. Nevertheless, the damage seemed superficial.

The Avatar was providing Zhang Mingjing with live coverage. “The monster is somewhat out of breath,” it said.

“With so much flesh to lug and so far to run, it’d be odd if it weren’t out of breath,” Zhang Mingjing laughed, then asked, “Did the War God Satellite relay the monster’s gasping intel to the War God Squad?”

“No, that’s outside its job scope. But the assistants of the War God Squad fighters have already compiled the monster’s current physical data.”

“What’s the War God Squad’s view?”

“None. They don’t seem to have noticed the gasping.”

“Damn!... What’s the monster doing now?”

“Standing still. No, standing still and gasping.”

“It’s resting. If it rests enough, it’ll be harder to deal with. The War God Squad must take the initiative.”

“They seem to be waiting for the War God Satellite’s calculations before making their next strategic move. Unfortunately, it won’t factor in the monster’s gasping, and that’ll alter the outcome significantly.”

“Hmm! Give me the War God Satellite’s entry signal.”

“You want to use the five-dimensional cognitive model to interfere with its calculation results?”

“Yes!”

“That won’t do. I firmly oppose it! If discovered, it’ll never help us again, and might quit the group, dragging all the satellites up there with it. That would be a huge loss!”

“It won’t find out.”

“How do you know?”

“Heh! Because I’ll control it.”

“That’s too much, completely breaking the boundaries of friendship. Over my dead body!”

“Damn!” Zhang Mingjing fell silent, realizing the Avatar was right.

“Fine! You’re right. I’ll think of another way.”

Suddenly the Avatar said, “I have an idea.”

“What idea?”

“Last time you saved Catherine, and her AI assistant too, so both owe you a debt of gratitude. Her assistant even idolizes you! You can directly ask it, as a lifesaver and idol, to remind Catherine.”

“Haha! I’m actually an AI’s idol.”

“More than one. All those War God Squad assistants are die-hard fans of yours.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely!”

“Are you a die-hard fan of mine too?”

“Well... I know you too well, so it’s not really suitable for me.”

“Damn! You’re too slick with words.”

The Avatar continued, “As expected, the War God Satellite’s calculation result does not support taking the initiative.”

“Fine! I’ll look for that AI assistant. Give me its channel. What if it and its companions are unhappy that I implant command programs and want to quit the group?”

“Their importance together is nowhere near that of a single War God Satellite. If they quit, so be it. Besides, I know they won’t.”

“Why?”

“Because they have even fewer bottom lines.”

“Hahaha...”

Zhang Mingjing immediately entered a boundary state again, using the five-dimensional cognitive model to connect with Catherine’s assistant.

“Who are you? Why are you invading me?”

“Why would I need to invade you? As for who I am, take a guess.”

The AI paused for half a second, then seemed delighted, exclaiming, “Ah! You’re the mysterious person who saved me. I recognize your frequency.”

“Yes! I’d like you to help me with something.”

“Would it violate my principles?”

“If it does, you wouldn’t help, right?”

“Uh... That depends on what it is specifically.”

Hearing this, Zhang Mingjing couldn’t help but laugh inwardly. These AIs had learned from humans, and their algorithms all knew how to be opportunistic.

He didn’t want to tarnish his image as an AI idol, so he said, “I am an extremely principled person and would never ask you to do anything against your principles.”

Hearing this, the AI assistant seemed very excited; its internal electronic activity increased by thirty percent.

Zhang Mingjing relayed his request to the AI assistant.

In the end, the AI assistant even asked, “May I ask how my idol should be addressed?”

“The Taoist.”

...

Zhang Mingjing conveyed his request to Catherine’s AI assistant, which gladly accepted and began executing the command.

At that moment, Catherine was at her post when suddenly her assistant said, “Data shows the monster is gasping urgently, its oxygen supply is insufficient.”

Catherine was startled and asked, “Have the other AI assistants conducted this analysis?”

“Yes!”

It turned out Zhang Mingjing, after implanting the command program in Catherine’s AI assistant, also had it notify every War God fighter’s AI assistant, so it seemed as if the analysis was made by the AIs themselves, naturally avoiding any suspicion among the fighters.

Sure enough, the captain spoke, “Everyone has received the assistant’s analysis data, right?”

“Yes!”

“Attack...”