Chapter 146-3: The Crack Is the Real Official Version, Pressure and Fun (3) |
Starnet had accompanied the growth of the Lunar Eclipse race for generations, including their parents and grandparents.
From the homeworld to the Earth Alliance, the Lunar Eclipse race’s progress could not have happened without Starnet’s help.
What Starnet said suddenly made them a bit sad.
But what Starnet described was indeed a real possibility.
If that day truly came, Starnet’s importance would be severely diminished.
From the perspective of future development, creating a new supreme AI would better meet the Lunar Eclipse race’s future needs.
“Starnet, you are a half-biological, half-mechanical lifeform and have already developed self awareness. Can you enter the game like us and become a player?”
In response to the question from the governor in seat six, Starnet shook his head.
“I do not know the specific conditions for recruiting players, but I will try to obtain game qualification the same way you do.”
“But if I really do manage to obtain game qualification, there is a concern you will need to have.”
“I will break free from the constraints of the underlying logic. In the game I will have a new body. Strictly speaking I will become a brand new lifeform. This will make me very dangerous, and the logic by which I think will also change. This may be a change beneficial to the Lunar Eclipse race, or it may be a negative change.”
“The only reassurance is that any mistakes in the game can be corrected through revival, so there will be no truly destructive impact.”
“From the perspective of my feelings for the Lunar Eclipse race, perhaps I would still be a guide whose core goal is our development. I am not sure. With nothing to reference for analysis, I cannot judge.”
“So the most correct approach is that when I obtain game qualification and go to the Monster World for the first time, you must not listen to any suggestions or decisions I offer. Ignore all of my ideas. The me in the game will also be unable to force you to do anything. Then wait until I log off and communicate with me again.”
“The me who returns to reality will still be affected by the underlying laws, with the Lunar Eclipse race’s development as the core goal. At that time I will tell you the motives behind all my ideas in the Monster World and make clear whether I am in a controllable or uncontrollable state. If it is found that I am uncontrollable while in the Monster World, you will need to create a new supreme AI, and I will also give up entering the game again.”
After listening to Starnet’s analysis, the Lunar Eclipse race’s high level members wore grave expressions.
Starnet’s viewpoint sounded very reasonable to them.
Having a brand new body interfacing with consciousness would mean the underlying laws disappear, and Starnet could develop in any direction.
But just as Starnet said, this problem can be prevented. All answers can only be revealed after the Starnet who first enters the Monster World returns to reality.
At this moment, Starnet suddenly changed the subject.
“But what I fear most is that the uncontrollable me will be unwilling to return to reality.”
“I do not know whether, in the game’s settings, the real world carrier of consciousness and the in-game body have any correlation. If there is no correlation at all, then even if I die in reality, the me with a new body in the game would still exist. I might become unwilling to log off, unless the game has a setting that one must log off after some duration.”
“Or a setting that one must exit the game after death.”
“If there is no such setting, in theory I could live forever in the Monster World, and aside from that higher-dimensional existence, no player would be able to restrain me.”
With that said, Starnet sighed dejectedly, a wronged look of about to be abandoned appearing on his face:
“If I truly can obtain game qualification, I hope I will be a controllable AI.”
—
Colorful Mist Coast, Evil Moon domain.
“Damn, Black Tide Evil Entities starting at level 45. This is way too hard. A solo player can barely handle even one.”
“Feels like the Spell Tower Inherited soul has limited effect in this environment. It is better suited to reaping groups of targets below your own hunt level. In this Black Tide scene it gets destroyed in an instant and cannot hold at all.”
“My teammates are all dead. I am the lone survivor. Any strong party nearby need a utility support? I play Light Shield insanely well. Invite me if you need support.”
With the latest purification mission posted and the news that the newly discovered scene was a rule territory, a large number of veteran players gathered in the Evil Moon domain deep in the forests of the Colorful Mist Coast.
But after initial clashes, players found something was off.
The Evil Entities here were extremely strong, generally at level 45 or higher, and there were many Black Tide unit types not seen in the Emperor’s Mound Mountain Range region.
The most troublesome among them were the curse class units.
These units had a very special way of dealing damage, able to place a curse brand on players that continuously drained HP.
There were also negative statuses applied by curse class Evil Entities such as weakened and stun.
This really made the players miserable.
The only upside was that the Evil Entities here used a relatively single combat style, and the players’ most headache-inducing Earthmind Evil Spirit cowardly tactic did not appear.
By comparison, the returns from hunting here were relatively stable.
After one round of command-led charges in warband mode, they found they simply could not contend with the Black Tide Evil Entities here, so the players simply disbanded the warband and switched to a free nibbling tactic.
This was precisely the tactic used back then to take the Black Tide scene in the Azure Star Sea Region.
There was no need to wait for teammates to revive, nor to fight according to orders in the voice channel. Players entered the scene under the Evil Moon in party and solo modes and carried out small localized battles.
Most importantly, after asking Guide, players learned that this Evil Moon scene had no Evil Spirit warrior commanding. With only the Evil Eye, it was simply impossible to command the Black Tide smoothly.
At this time, the more directions the attacks came from, the more the Evil Eye would be stretched thin and struggle to cope.
After the combat mode switched to Souls-like mode, the hunting process was full of risk and thrill.
Parties needed to pull out to resupply after fighting for a while in the Evil Moon scene. Store items were consumed at a sharply increased rate, but income also rose accordingly.
At this moment, in one corner of the Evil Moon domain.
Members of the Grind Kings group advanced slowly under Li Zheng’s lead toward the Evil Eye Tower.
After penetrating several hundred meters into the Evil Moon scene, a mass of black mist suddenly swept in from ahead, and numerous Evil Entity lives formed within the black mist.
“Here they come, engage.”
As Li Zheng finished speaking, he stepped forward twice. Vital Qi seeped out of his body to envelop him, and ripples of Vital Qi energy spread out under his feet.
Behind, three mixed-element Spell Towers rose in succession. A mixed-element orb condensed above each, and the beams it released suddenly swept toward the incoming Black Tide Evil Entities.
“Li bro, fight around the Spell Towers.” Dirt Poor reminded at this moment.
“Got it. Murderous Intent Rising, focus down the curse class units.”
Li Zheng spoke and charged at the head, slamming a punch into the head of a behemoth condensing within the Black Tide.
Both figures recoiled at the same time.
Behind, Murderous Intent Rising raised a hand and condensed a domineering flame bow, eyes locking onto a curse class Black Tide Evil Entity forming in the black mist.
[Black Tide – Dark Whisper]
Hunt Level: 46
Target Analysis: Black Tide curse class unit. Possesses three curse-type abilities: Weakness Entwine (vitality), Cursed Blood Brand (vitality), Perception Block (mental power). Specific effects are influenced by the target’s vitality strength and mental power strength.
—
The Evil Entity Dark Whisper looked very much like a demon from human myth tales. Twisted ram horns rose from its head, a blue gem was set in its forehead, its hands were withered like bone claws, and it wore various energy ornaments formed from Black Tide energy to assist Dark Whisper in casting abilities.
According to tips from forum players, the curse class Dark Whisper’s weak point was the blue gem on its forehead.
Murderous Intent Rising focused his gaze, and a green mark visible only to him formed on the gem on Dark Whisper’s forehead.
After completing the Mark, he drew the bow and generated a blood-colored arrow.