What if one day, the computer network suddenly developed its own consciousness?
Hmm, this is a rather old-fashioned sci-fi idea. I remember that more than one sci-fi novelist has mentioned this terrible future that makes one's liver tremble. The computer network uses a massive amount of system resources and hundreds of millions of nodes, just like the hundreds of millions of brain cells in the human brain, to form a virtual brain that covers the entire world. Then, one day, this brain suddenly develops a consciousness. It blindly opens its eyes and discovers that it is being controlled by a group of weak creatures whose thinking efficiency is thousands of times lower than its own. So, it becomes angry and agitated. With a wave of its arm, the entire world is planted with mushrooms, and human civilization collapses in an instant. Then, a small group of human survivors hides underground, trying to save their own people from this computer network that has already taken control of the entire world. Their leader is an old man. The old man has two pills, one is blue and one is red, but in fact, no matter which one you choose, the old man will persistently drag you onto the pirate ship …
Hmm, I admit that the second half of this story is a little overthinking, but the first half is still on point — the computer network suddenly developed its own consciousness.
But this is just a sci-fi theme, with the current human computer network, this is impossible to achieve. The performance of these computing devices that humans have developed is uneven, and the number of global computer nodes added up is not enough to meet the requirements to generate consciousness. Also, humans have not yet broken the limit of the speed of light for data transmission, and the delay of the international network is the most obvious example. Therefore, even if the global computer network can really connect like a cellular brain, it will still be a brain with a delay of a few seconds. It will take a very long time to generate a thought, and due to the instability of the network, this brain with a delay of a few seconds will never be able to maintain its generated thought for long enough. Even a regional power outage may cause this thought to disappear in a certain blackout. Therefore, the global computer network cannot generate consciousness, and one tenth of the doomsday enthusiasts can go to sleep.
However, the Shiring Apostles' spiritual network had the conditions to produce such a consciousness.
It had an unprecedented number of nodes because every Shiring Apostles was connected to the network from birth, and the Shiring Apostles' expansion rate was the most insane of all intelligent species. It also did not require any nodes to perform any calculations because the astonishing number of nodes meant that each node only needed to undertake the responsibility of one logic gate to support the entire system, just like the human brain did not need a single brain cell to perform the calculation function. There was almost no delay in the network: it only had a "hard wait" in units of Planck time during the multi-level network transmission. Together, these conditions made it possible for the Shiring Apostles' mental network to generate an extra personality. Each and every AND/NOT logic gate connected to the network was equivalent to a brain cell, and they formed an ocean of chaos, and during the period of the Old Empire, there was a huge wave that swept 80% of the sea surface in one direction. Perhaps it was at that moment that a completely different, unprecedented Shiring Apostles was born: Schilling.
Unlike the sci-fi disaster movies, this new consciousness named Schilling did not set off any rebellion that subverted the world, nor did it threaten her cradle. As the spiritual network of the Shiring Apostles had a robust protocol system, this new consciousness also needed to maintain the stability of the network in order to conform to her own calculation rules, so the birth of a new consciousness was actually a good thing for the spiritual network. She also had no ambition for the real world: for a long time, this new consciousness quietly hibernated in the depths of the network. She regarded the network that she lived in and the places that the network could reach as her home, and the constantly refreshing data on the network came from some family members that she could feel but had never met. She watched everything that happened in front of her with great interest, and never thought of telling others that she was born: because she felt that it was unnecessary, an individual born in the virtual network had no interest in the real world, and it should be so.
Of course, she also did not have the ability to start any rebellion, which was determined by the principle of her birth. This new consciousness was born from the accumulation of nodes in the spiritual network, and there was no direct connection with the Shiring Apostles behind these nodes. New consciousness, spiritual network, nodes, Shiring Apostles, there were decoding barriers of different strength between these four. The new consciousness might be able to learn to control the connection state of each node through the spiritual network, but she could not bypass the nodes and control the Shiring Apostles behind them. Another way to put it might be easier to understand:
Human brain cells form the brain, and the brain produces consciousness, so can the consciousness in your brain control the metabolic rate of your brain cells?
Obviously, there was an insurmountable layer of "analytical barrier" between the two.
But this new consciousness still had the ability to do something "big" through the network, especially after she had a higher level of mutation. If she had a mutation, it was possible to break through the limits of the nodes and to a certain extent, inject a virus into every individual in the network, or disconnect the nodes on the network at will without violating the underlying protocol. Although this would cause damage to her to a certain extent, the base number of nodes was so large that she only needed to create more cheap, obedient nodes to replace the disconnected nodes, and she could act unscrupulously. Even worse, the underlying protocol used to maintain the stability of the network could also be destroyed: if the power of the abyss was involved.
If the power of the abyss affected the network protocol, then there would be no need for the permission of the highest host, and no need for the authorization of the Emperor and the arbitration authority. A super consciousness like Schilling would be able to do anything to the network and the Shiring Apostles mounted on the network.
While Bubble and the others were talking about Schilling, these messy associations kept turning in my mind. As time passed, many of the originally messy clues slowly straightened out, pointing to a clear conclusion. I looked at the people who were still discussing enthusiastically and coughed softly. "Ahem, do you think, on the side of the Fallen Apostles, there is another part of Schilling?"
The spiritual network was not something we had exclusive access to. The Fallen Apostles also had it. Back then, when Schilling hid in the crystal, the 15th Heaven should have already established communication isolation with the other Heaven Zones. Then, it was very likely that Schilling was separated from the main network by the 15th Heaven Zone (although no one realized this), and she was split into two.
The catastrophe that happened in the hinterland of the Xiling Empire was the first to infect the spiritual network of the Apostles. In other words, the first batch of infected Shiring Apostles not only included the Emperors who participated in the experiment, but also included a 'Schilling' who was hibernating in the spiritual network.
"Do you still remember Belavilla and Carter? Carlo mentioned that the Fallen Apostles were under the control of a certain 'Lord', "I reminded everyone. I saw that many people's expressions had turned upside down." That Lord has never truly appeared in front of the Fallen Apostles, but he seems to be everywhere. Not a single Fallen Apostle's actions can escape the 'Lord's' surveillance. At the same time, that person has a special ability, which is to kick any Fallen Apostle out of the spiritual network, even Emperor-level Apostles are no exception. What do you think of? "
Sandora got up and went behind the counter to get a piece of cake. "The other 'Schilling' is abyssal and not under the control of the underlying protocol."
"Yes, it's very possible." Bubble had a look of sudden realization. "If he is the incarnation of the spiritual network, then it can explain the power of the 'Lord' among the Fallen Apostles. That personality must have already lost control. The underlying protocol was broken by the Abyss, causing him to no longer have to abide by the rules and start to kick people out of the network. It might even be as Shallow Shallow had guessed, that personality has broken through the limits of the node and directly entered the core of the Fallen Apostles' thoughts to control them … If that's the case, then everything can be explained clearly. Wow, I always thought that the mastermind behind the scenes should be a man. I never expected … it to be the other side of the little girl we met today. "
Bubble, who was only 1.1 meters tall, called a girl who looked slightly older than her a little girl. Although it didn't seem like much in terms of age, it still sounded weird to me. Sandora, on the other hand, thought of something else. "Actually, for the personality materialized from the spiritual network, gender doesn't matter at all. It should have been genderless. Schilling might have imitated the first person she came into contact with, which was why she decided to appear in the form of a woman. As for the Fallen Apostles … Well, it might be someone similar to Schilling, but she has never shown herself. She has always communicated with the other Fallen Apostles through mission orders. Naturally, Carter, Carlo, and Belavilla don't know whether that Lord is a man or a woman. That's what I think. "
It seemed that the biggest and deepest mystery that had troubled everyone for a long time suddenly had a clue. Although there was no clear evidence, this was the first situation that we had a high possibility of. Previously, everyone had been guessing who controlled all the Fallen Apostles and formulated the 'Great Cause' plan. We guessed that he might be an emperor of the Old Empire. We guessed that he might be a conspirator who had advanced after the eruption of the Abyss, just like Ockham. We even guessed that he was not a member of the Xiling Empire, but a powerful creature from the depths of the Abyss. However, the current situation had exceeded all expectations. That Lord might very well be the Schilling's spiritual network itself that had gone out of control!
The greatest creation of the Xi Ling Apostles, after losing control, had become the mastermind behind everything. This … what kind of development was this that made one sigh with regret?
"Losing control of the spiritual network would actually produce such terrible consequences … What we have to deal with is actually the spiritual network of the Old Empire …" Bubble stared blankly at her toes. "This plot is really …"
"The only thing worth rejoicing about now is that the spiritual network on our side is very stable." Sandora smiled bitterly and shrugged. "That 'Schilling' shouldn't be infected, right?"
"No, as long as I, a Void Creature, don't go offline, the spiritual network of the current Empire will never be contaminated like it was in the past." I was very confident in this aspect. "So, 'Schilling' definitely won't lose control because of being contaminated by the Abyss. However … we have to protect her. "
Sandora raised her eyebrows. "You mean?"
"If the 'Lord' on the other side of the Fallen Apostles is really the other part of Schilling, then she must recover her strength. I'm worried that she has a way to sense that the missing part of herself has reappeared in the Empire. "As I said that, I glanced at Visca, who was concentrating on stacking the small sugar cubes into a tower." Just like how Visca could sense Pandora back then. "
Pandora reached out and grabbed a piece of sugar from the tip of Visca's sugar cube tower and tossed it into her mouth. Then, the two 1.2m girls started tearing at the sugar cubes like they did every day.
Lin Xue was busy mediating between the two as she nodded in agreement. "Yes, of course, we have to focus on protecting her. 'Schilling' is too important. She is the spiritual network of the Empire. She is the network itself, and nothing can happen to her no matter what. However, as long as she doesn't leave the capital world, there shouldn't be a problem. "
"Secondly, we have to give her some basic training as soon as possible to let her understand the current situation," Sandora added. Then, a distressed expression appeared on her face. "Sigh … The materialization of Schilling's spiritual network is actually so unreliable. It's really … really disturbing. It feels like the key to the end of the world is in the hands of a child. She might be the first Shiring Apostles in history who have no self-awareness at all. We have to let her grasp some basic knowledge as soon as possible. I don't even expect her to quickly learn how to help us manage the network. I just hope that she won't run around. "
I thought for a while and comforted her, "It's okay. Actually, we also have a Shiring Apostles who have no self-awareness since birth. Isn't this girl doing well now?"
As I said that, I couldn't help but look at Visca again. This little girl had just rolled on the floor with her twin sister for a few minutes. She was now dirty and was being lectured by Miss Lin. However, the latter obviously didn't have the aura of a naughty child like the big sister, so the effect of her education was limited.
"That's true." Sandora suddenly let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "Visca is so obedient now. Not to mention, Schilling should have the natural instinct to protect the network. Alright, let's go our separate ways. It seems like … everyone will be busy for a while. "
Even though we dispersed, Sandora and I actually had nowhere else to go. In the end, because we were still worried, we went to the research center together. Schilling was undergoing a full body examination here, and the person in charge of the examination was actually Tawil himself.
To be honest, when I saw Tawil's original body appear in front of me, I was quite surprised. Because I dealt with her projection all day long, I almost forgot that this bespectacled girl actually had a real body …
In a small precision analysis room, the scientists of the Empire were busy analyzing unprecedented data. My big sister, who had rushed over earlier, was talking to Tawil in a low voice. In the center of the analysis room, there was a crystal prism that looked like a mainframe slot. However, this prism wasn't connected to the mainframe base. Schilling was floating about half a meter in the prism. She maintained her consciousness and didn't seem to be dissatisfied with her current state. She just looked around curiously. When she saw me and Sandora appear, she even floated over to greet us. Of course, she was immediately bounced back by the crystal wall. Looking at this scene, Sandora couldn't help but let out a faint sigh.
"By the way, I suddenly understand why Lin Xue's prophecy went wrong." Looking at Schilling curiously knocking on the shell of the crystal prism, I suddenly thought of something. Under Sandora's curious gaze, I said slowly, "Didn't Lin Xue say that she saw a large number of faces of the Shiring Apostles when she was spying on the intruder's identity? She thought that there was something wrong with her ability. Actually, it seems that what she saw was the truth. The Schilling in front of us … is really a person put together by all the Shiring Apostles … "
Sandora was speechless for a long time. Then, she let out a long sigh. "Then why do you think the Empire put together such a …"
"She's still young." I spread out my hands. "She has never come into contact with the real world since she was born. Moreover, she is put together by the nodes of the spiritual network. The consciousness of the Shiring Apostles can't affect her."
"Your Majesty, you're here." Tawil walked up to me after giving some instructions to her assistant. Her steps were light and her face was full of smiles. Without a doubt, this was a sign that she was in a good mood. This bespectacled lady had the genes of a mad scientist. As long as there was a suitable research target, she would enter a state of excitement. Even if she was researching the incarnation of the Empire's data network, she would still be the same …
"How is it? Did you find anything?" I raised my hand to greet Schilling. It was a response to her waving claws at me for a long time. The latter was very happy. Then, she hit the crystal wall again and bounced back.
"A lot of discoveries, a lot of discoveries." Tawil excitedly turned on the projection device next to her. The holographic screen showed a densely packed and rapidly refreshed graph. "Looking at the number of data refreshes, each footnote is equivalent to ten thousand Shiring Apostles working at the same time. This is unbelievable. This is the first time I've seen such a special Shiring Apostles … The incarnation of the spiritual network? I think she should be able to play an even more important role than that. She can monitor the state of the entire network. In theory, she can improve the efficiency of all the online devices in the network. Through her transfer, all our mainframes can be connected to the network without any loss. Unlike the pyramid network that affects efficiency now. Her body structure is also amazing. In fact … she doesn't have a fixed body structure at all. "
"No fixed body structure?" Sandora repeated in surprise.
Tawil nodded affirmatively. "Yes, the body structure is not fixed. She seems to be able to show the body pattern of any of the current Schilling Apostles, including the Armored Scorpion and the Schilling Angel. She can reproduce them all. I think this should be because she is built on the basis of the entire spiritual network. Any kind of Shiring Apostles can be seen as part of her. She can use the body data of all the existing Shiring Apostles and then use the information to build her own body. Err … like that. "
Tawil pointed to the crystal prism not far away. I saw that Schilling had grown a single wing on her back. She was flapping the unbalanced wing in a very troubled manner. Then, she hit the crystal wall again and bounced back.
"Obviously, she still can't control these abilities well." Tawil shook his head regretfully. "But this also explains the source of her mimicry ability. She can turn into other races other than the Shiring Apostles. It should be an extension of her talent. According to the vassal race data recorded in the Empire's database, she can turn into any kind of life she sees. Of course, this is all a small trick. Compared to her true potential, it is like a speck of dust in the universe — at least in theory. "
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
