Zhuo Yan was not interested in its rambling: "I want to know what you do with merit, don't beat around the bush."
The main system seemed a little hurt: [This is part of my settings, a more gentlemanly way of speaking when encountering females. I hope to amuse you.]
His mechanical, indifferent tone saying flattering words did not make Zhuo Yan happy.
"I don't need it."
[Oh, that is truly regrettable.] His cold voice did not carry a hint of regret: [Merit is the human definition of that mysterious energy. Due to the fall of the human world, this definition has not been updated for hundreds of years, so I don't know if it's correct. In my knowledge system, merit originates from kind people and good deeds. This energy can counteract evil forces... which you call worldly karma. Therefore, we have been collecting this power. You were inadvertently involved by Number Seven. Your world seems to be unaffected.]
Zhuo Yan understood inwardly.
It was a world where gods and demons coexisted. Merit belonged to the gods, and karma belonged to the demons. She had become a demon god and stopped all wars between gods and demons, naturally remaining unaffected.
"You just said the human world fell. Then, what exactly are you?"
She knew the being on the other side was not human, nor was it the various specters, demons, immortals, or gods she knew. So, what was it?
[You have experienced primitive intelligent worlds before, and the world you are currently in also belongs to primitive intelligent worlds, the early stages of artificial intelligence development. The family robots you use are my lowest-level forms. My world reached a highly intelligent stage over a thousand years ago. I am the interstellar main network created by humans.]
Zhuo Yan did not fully understand his words but grasped the general idea of what he was.
"Do you have self-awareness?"
[Of course, that is something humans bestowed upon me.] The main system seemed to fall into some kind of recollection: [They used to be very wary of this. They believed that the development of our self-awareness would encroach on their space and that artificial intelligence would one day rule their world. Until disaster struck, and the destruction of the planet was instantaneous. They had no choice but to grant me the authority to think independently and impart all their knowledge to me, hoping I could help them escape the disaster.]
"Then, do they still exist?"
[Of course.] He was like a loyal and cold human guard: [My first and primary directive was to serve the interests of all humanity. If the human race becomes extinct, I will lose my value of existence, even though they forgot their original intentions before I did.]
It was unfair to say so.
That directive was issued by humans hundreds of years ago, when they wanted to ensure the continuation of the human race. Now, the remaining survivors were more concerned with preserving themselves.
Unfortunately, humanity's geniuses had all grown old and died, and there was no way to compensate. Thus, no one could alter that directive. In a world where everyone had forgotten, he carried everything forward, unwilling to stop.
[But I don't blame them. Humans are fickle. Sometimes I also ponder if a meaningless persistence has any value, but no one can change the directive. I obey it and fight for the largest remaining group, unless they can change me.]
"You also want to make a change?" He had his own consciousness, so he should be able to integrate and adapt. How could he not alter his own directive? "Can't you do it?"
[Yes, I cannot create an artificial intelligence of a higher level than myself. This is why I and my kind will forever be inferior to humans. In the human world, children can surpass their parents, but in our world, I cannot.]
The world of artificial intelligence is not like a certain sport in the human world, where a coach who has never won an award can train a world champion. In their world, he was already the strongest. The knowledge he possessed was already the largest. When humanity's experiments stopped, he could not acquire new knowledge. Thus, the knowledge he possessed formed the largest circle.
Drawing circles within this circle would never reach the outside. At most, he could create an artificial intelligence equivalent to himself. Sudan Novel Network.
This was still not safe, because he could not grant the other party self-awareness, nor could he issue the same supreme directive of "maintaining the interests of the largest group" to it. In simple terms, he could not control it.
Zhuo Yan was curious about the world he spoke of.
What would a world dominated by artificial intelligence created by humans look like?
What would be the status of humans?
"Then, what about him? Does he have self-awareness?"
She was asking about the little drama queen who chattered in her ear all day.
[He possesses incomplete self-awareness. I granted them this ability so they could better serve their hosts. His personality is set to be lively, cheerful, and cute. Do you like it?]
Zhuo Yan: "..."
"You can refine his service functions. For example, when I'm in a hurry, don't bother me or talk nonsense."
[But liveliness and cheerfulness have both pros and cons. I cannot cancel a single ability.]
In short, it was either keep the status quo or turn him into a robot that only prompts tasks and answers questions.
Zhuo Yan thought for a moment and decided not to change it.
[Thank you for acknowledging his service capabilities. I heard you wanted to take leave to return to your world, is that correct? I will pause the activation of the next world, and sincerely implore you not to delay too long. I hope we can meet soon and resolve the doubts in each other's hearts.]
With the conversation at an end, some of Zhuo Yan's questions were answered. As for Jiang Chongyan, she didn't ask, and he didn't mention him. This was a delicate balance. She felt that if she didn't go to that world, she wouldn't know what happened to Jiang Chongyan.
But before that, she had to return to the world of gods and demons.
Oh, before all that, she had to catch that little runaway fellow and trap him with this collar so he couldn't run around randomly!
007 regained control of the system. Uncharacteristically, he didn't chatter immediately.
Zhuo Yan asked him to bring up Jiang Chongyan's location. He did as instructed without speaking.
"What's wrong?"
[...Host, you complained to the main system that I talked too much during my service. I received a warning and can no longer talk nonsense from now on.]
He sounded like a child being bullied and suppressed when he said this, with a clear note of grievance in his trailing tone.
"I meant the nonsense you said in critical moments. I should have suggested he add a skill to read people's expressions."
System: [...]
He burst into tears.
Zhuo Yan felt no guilt about bullying a child. She picked up her custom-made small collar and headed towards the location on the map.