Chapter 113: Artificial Souls - Part 40 |
In Kui Xin's home, there were few "ports" to connect with the "network." Counting all available devices, there was only one smartphone capable of accessing the internet. However, when she lifted her gaze, she noticed networks and lines for data transmission hidden within the walls of her house.
Her old residential neighborhood had undergone wall renovations a few years prior, concealing numerous cables inside the walls, including fiber optic lines mounted externally.
Kui Xin withdrew her consciousness from the phone and attempted to bypass the electronic device, directly linking her awareness to the "network" within the fiber optic lines, but she failed.
She jotted down a note: Consciousness can only connect to the data world's "network" through "doors" or "ports." Without a "door" or "port," she would be akin to standing at a shopping mall entrance blocked by a glass door, unable to enter and "shop" no matter what.
However, data can also be transmitted via electrical signals. By linking her consciousness to a smartphone, Kui Xin essentially transformed herself into a signal-receiving device. Through the electromagnetic signals propagating in the air, she could access various devices to achieve control over them.
Her consciousness soared high above the cityscape, traversing the information superhighway as it darted through urban landscapes. While her physical body remained stationary, her soul entered another wondrous realm—a world filled with numbers, letters, and symbols—the data world.
The continuously changing characters dazzled her eyes, quickly leading to dizziness and overwhelming sensory overload.
Every moment, data is transmitted outward and received back, making the data world ever-shifting. If she wanted to manipulate or reconstruct data, she needed to capture the correct stream of information.
Through prolonged practice and experimentation, Kui Xin finally gained a concrete understanding of the extraordinary ability called Data Manipulation.
After comprehending this ability, Kui Xin's first thought was that such a fantastic power would be wasted if not utilized for learning.
Her brain functioned as a central processing unit. By leveraging her superhuman ability to summarize online study materials and imprint them directly onto her brain, couldn't she achieve a unique form of "photographic memory"? However, she worried that receiving too much data at once might cause the central processor to overheat, overwhelming her mind's capacity to handle such information.
Without wasting any time, Kui Xin proceeded to download several gigabytes of English speech translation packages on her phone, then promptly replicated them and stuffed them into her brain.
The massive influx of information forcefully squeezed into Kui Xin's brain made her vision blur and her legs buckle. She quickly grabbed onto the bed frame for support. Her head felt unbearably swollen, accompanied by an irritating tickle in her nose. When she touched it, her hand came away covered in blood.
"You can't transfer too much data to the brain at once; it will cause discomfort. Splitting it into multiple sessions should be manageable." Kui Xin tore off a piece of paper to wipe her face and noted down the second ability observation: "Will increasing the volume exacerbate the side effects?"
For the moment, she refrained from further experimentation. Storing several gigabytes of English material in her mind felt as unpleasant as enduring the back-to-back completion of two hundred math exam papers.
It turned out that Kui Xin had underestimated the adverse effects of Data Manipulation. After going to wash her face in the restroom, she barely made it there before doubling over, clutching the toilet bowl, and retching uncontrollably.
No wonder He Gaoyi chose to work as a secretary in the Investigation Department rather than leveraging his Data Manipulation ability to rapidly become a renowned scientific figure or excel in other fields.
Supercomputers can occupy entire buildings, but the human brain, this biological "computer," is remarkably small, weighing just over 1 kilogram. Serving as a central processor for data is already pushing its limits; adding such a massive amount of information all at once risks causing a mental overload akin to a brain explosion.
After emptying the contents of her stomach, Kui Xin clearly realized one thing: the limitation of the Data Manipulation ability was not tied to its level but rather to the human body itself. The human body has inherent constraints; no matter how developed the brain may be, it struggles to match the capabilities of supercomputers.
The superchips developed by individuals from the Second World were as thin as a sheet of paper and roughly the size of a fingernail, yet they could store vast amounts of data. The structure of the human brain inherently has limitations; no matter how desperately one tries to memorize and cram information, the amount stored would not surpass that of a single chip.
To maximize the effectiveness of abilities, extensive practice is required.
At home, Kui Xin continuously practiced Data Manipulation for several hours until her head began throbbing with pain, at which point she finally stopped.
After hours of research, Kui Xin grasped the key principles of using her ability effectively.
Firstly, act only as a data processor or data navigator, not a data receiver. Otherwise, the brain, like an overheated processor, may encounter issues.
Secondly, when utilizing Data Manipulation, focus solely on capturing the targeted data stream without interfering with other streams. Interference can potentially lead to data chaos.
Thirdly, it's best to use a medium while employing Data Manipulation.
The medium could be a smartphone or a computer. Kui Xin used these electronic devices as intermediaries, temporarily storing captured data within them. This allowed the phone or computer to act as "data receivers," thereby preventing her own brain from directly receiving the data. These mediums functioned like data relay stations; with such relays sharing the load, it made the processing path more circuitous, but it significantly reduced the risk of overwhelming her brain with too much information.
Tch, what a complex ability!
This was undoubtedly the most intricate skill Kui Xin had encountered and possessed so far. Even after several hours of experimentation, she still hadn't fully grasped its usage rules and nuances.
Unbeknownst to her, it was already noon. As Kui Xin prepared to start cooking, her phone suddenly rang—it was a call from Su Rong's mother.
"Hello? Xiao Xin?" A gentle voice came through the receiver.
"It's me, auntie. Is there anything you need?" Kui Xin asked.
"Thank you for staying overnight with Rongrong yesterday. I just got home and found that Rongrong hasn't woken up yet. When I checked, she had a fever," Su Rong's mother said. "For the next couple of days, there's no need for you to come over for Rongrong's lessons. Let her rest for a few days; she's been working quite hard lately."
"Sick?" Kui Xin frowned and added, "I've noticed that Rongrong seems somewhat down lately. Could there be any troubling issues bothering her?"
Su Rong's mother replied, "It's possible; I'll find time to talk with her… Xiao Xin, make sure you rest well these next few days. I need to hang up now, as I'm taking her to see the doctor shortly."
"Alright, goodbye." Kui Xin put down the phone.
After a moment of thought, she opened a messaging app and sent Su Rong a brief message, wishing her a speedy recovery.
Su Rong must have encountered something distressing in the Second World, causing such significant emotional fluctuations that led to her falling ill. Unfortunately, Kui Xin couldn't help her directly.
In the First World, Su Rong had a joyful family who supported her through difficulties. However, in the Second World, Su Rong was a celebrity, distant from Kui Xin's reach. With Kui Xin already struggling to manage her own challenges, she had no means to provide assistance to Su Rong.
After finishing her meal, Kui Xin picked up her phone, intending to continue browsing the forum, but suddenly remembered something.
Yu Qiwen once told Kui Xin that the game forum was impenetrable, and he himself had attempted to hack into it without success.
Now possessing the ability to Data Manipulation, could she try what Yu Qiwen failed at before?
Kui Xin focused on the forum page, activated Data Manipulation, and immersed her consciousness along the data pathways to infiltrate the forum.
Her consciousness extended like a tendril, slowly reaching out. Just as she was about to touch that digital gateway, her phone emitted a buzzing sound, sparked with a burst of flames, overheated, and exploded on the spot, leaving a scorched mark on the table and burning a hole through the tablecloth.
Kui Xin stared, stunned. "…?!"
She opened her mouth, completely taken aback.
The second-hand smartphone, which she had only recently acquired, was now utterly destroyed!
Kui Xin placed her hand on her forehead, stood up, and carefully examined the ruined remains of the phone.
It felt as if some mysterious force suddenly emerged, preventing her from further probing…
Involuntarily, she recalled He Kangshi's words from the video: "This game isn't just any ordinary game; even if it is considered one… it's a game created by gods."
In ancient times, people often attributed natural phenomena they couldn't understand to divine entities. However, at their core, these were not acts of divine power but rather natural occurrences explainable by science. Yet, the existence of the game ‘Crimson Soil' defied human scientific explanation. While the game manifested in a form comprehensible to humans, once players entered it, their experiences could no longer be described simply as gameplay.
Two worlds, two gaming arenas, where individuals struggle for survival… Could this truly be a game devised by deities for their own amusement?
Kui Xin sighed, manually crushed her now-useless phone, and tossed it into the trash bin. She then changed her clothes, descended downstairs to withdraw money from the bank, and set off to purchase a new phone.
Xie Ganqing had transferred 100,000 yuan as compensation to her, and there was no reason not to use such a substantial amount. Kui Xin maintained frugal habits, but that didn't mean she should deliberately deprive herself. Especially considering her precarious situation in the Second World, where death could strike at any moment, having a more comfortable financial standing naturally warrants enjoying life appropriately.
Efficiently handling her tasks, within half an hour, Kui Xin obtained a new smartphone and replaced her SIM card.
Now equipped with Data Manipulation, Kui Xin's capabilities have undoubtedly expanded. She could have better concealed herself, hiding behind the scenes.
Given these favorable conditions, it was time for proactive action.
Kui Xin's fingers caressed her new phone's screen as she effortlessly hacked into the backend system of the website where He Kangshi posted his video. With minimal effort, she bypassed the weak firewall, retrieved He Kangshi's information, and pinpointed the coordinates from which he uploaded the footage.
The First World's information technology lagged significantly behind that of the Second World. The firewalls were riddled with vulnerabilities, making her intrusion remarkably easy. In contrast, hacking in the Second World would likely not be as straightforward.
In the dimly lit rental room, He Kangshi rested his head on the table. He hadn't taken breaks for several days in both the Second and First Worlds, constantly maintaining a state of high alertness. His exhaustion had reached its peak, causing him to slump over and fall asleep at the table.
At that moment, his phone began vibrating repeatedly.
He opened his bloodshot eyes and groped for his phone.
The screen displayed a single message: "Are you interested in collaborating?"
Instantly jolted awake, He Kangshi felt a chill surge from his spine up to the top of his head.
The author has something to say:
Kui Xin: I’m coming to you through the Internet.
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