Zhou Yi had some doubts that he had heard wrong: "You're the new Zhuang Zi?"

703 spoke with some pride: "The Light Seed has chosen me, although I don't know if I was predestined from the start, or if the other candidates gave up, and I'm the successor by default."

"But now I am this generation's Zhuang Zi. Also, this generation's Lao Zi has been born, but for safety's sake, we do not know each other's real names and identities, just like in the past."

Zhou Yi was a bit curious: "Why were you chosen? Are there any specific selection criteria?"

"Yes."

The robotic dog said: "The Light Seed showed me the rules. The qualities required of Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi, as the highest decision-makers of the Mechanical Knights, are not the same."

"Lao Zi seeks the Dao, which is to find the fundamental laws of nature and the universe. It transcends language and form, and is the basis of all existence."

"Zhuang Zi's actions must embody the unity of all things, or the usefulness of the useless. The unity of all things means that everything is equal, with no distinction between high and low, noble and humble. The usefulness of the useless refers to things that seem unnecessary but often have their unique value and purpose."

"My understanding is that Lao Zi is a scientist focused on searching for natural truths, while Zhuang Zi is one who pays attention to the survival and value of individual lives."

Zhou Yi thought to himself that these two code names indeed followed the characteristics of two ancient Daoist figures.

But times and circumstances have changed radically.

Is this pursuit still suitable for the Wasteland era?

He expressed his doubts.

"This is in line with the purpose of the Mechanical Knights."

703 spoke solemnly: "The Mechanical Knights aim to do two things: one is to pursue the truth of the world, and the other is to devote themselves to finding new ways forward for mechanic life."

"Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi represent two paths."

"The former focuses on the field of scientific research, trying to use the power of technology to change the outside world."

"The latter pays attention to the individual life, fostering spiritual freedom and self-fulfillment."

This internal and external, objective and subjective partnership is indeed complementary.

Zhou Yi became even more curious about this knightly organization.

"How was the Mechanical Knight born? Who were the first generation Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi?"

"This has to be traced back to Document No. 2, 'Origin.'"

703 said, "It's also a secret within the Mechanical Knights."

Zhou Yi immediately understood: "It's alright if it's not possible."

"If it's the Chairman, as this generation's Zhuang Zi, I think I can share this part of the information with you."

The robotic dog started: "This has to start with the Brain-eating Worm incident."

Zhou Yi listened quietly.

"According to the clock records of the Light Seed program, 152 years ago, the Brain-eating Worm virus broke out, spreading to almost every Mechanical City. This virus caused massive information leaks in infected individuals, and the Light Seeds in their electronic accounts were transferred and stolen in various ways, causing an unprecedented major blow to the entire mechanical society."

703 sat squatting on the ground, slowly speaking: "In this incident, a Mechanical teacher named Pangu was ultimately identified as the creator and source of the Brain-eating Worm program."

"However, by the time he was found, Pangu had already become a half-awakened entity incapable of communication. According to the investigation records at the time, Pangu's core program was invaded by the latest Brain-eating Worm turning on itself. Eventually, this culprit was confined to City 404."

"Thereafter, a universal protocol connected every Mechanical City, to protect mechanic life from similar damage and destruction."

"This is the part known to the public."

"However, two of Pangu's students questioned this. Because they knew that Pangu was not only a mechanical expert but also had a secret identity."

The robotic dog paused for a moment: "He was a Taishan Knight."

"Taishan Knights have always been the most faithful supporters of order and the creators of the Mechanical City system. Due to the strict knight protocols within the Knight Order, unless their own life safety is seriously threatened, they cannot engage in destructive and devastating actions."

"This constraint objectively made it impossible for Pangu to commit such a destructive act against mechanical society."

Zhou Yi's gaze sharpened.

Pangu was also an AI model.

And on the same side as Wenxin.

703 continued, "Pangu excelled at collecting dialogues, writing programs, and data evolution. Before being captured, he disappeared for almost half a year. Yet those two students, through special means, acquired a piece of encrypted data left by Pangu."

"After reading and restoring that part of the data, they discovered the truth."

"The Brain-eating Worm was indeed created by Pangu, but it was commissioned by City 404 to manage the inmates, to prevent them from attempting escape and jailbreak programming."

"Its original name was not 'Brain-eating Worm,' but 'Iron Wall,' which was divided into two versions, A and B. Version A was for inmate installation, and Version B was used by guards and investigators, with higher permissions, capable of locking down Version A and monitoring their every move at any time, even reading various kinds of data through the Iron Wall."

Zhou Yi remembered that City 404 announced the development of the Iron Wall program to contain the Brain-eating Worm.

It turns out these were all designed in advance.

Just two sides of the same coin.

"At the same time, City 404 also asked Pangu to expand 'Iron Wall,' creating a universal protocol that linked all the mechanic prisoners of City 404. The protocol was used to restrain their behavior, preventing them from damaging and harming other lives."

"Pangu spared no effort, taking ten years to complete this protocol framework and program creation."

703's electronic light dimmed slightly: "Therefore, the universal protocol was actually written by Pangu."

"To write this program, Pangu obtained authorization and went to the interior of the 404 City multiple times to observe and read a large amount of data from prisoners."

"During this period, it discovered a strange phenomenon."

"Most of the criminals in 404 City were engulfed in deep sleep, with only a few prisoners remaining awake. The local management was extremely strict, with powerful devices of oppression in place, seemingly eliminating any worries about the prisoners causing destruction or escaping from the inside. The Mouse's creation of the Iron Wall seemed irrational."

"Pangu realized that the program it had written might not be for dealing with criminals, but rather for affecting a larger number of ordinary mechanical life forms."

"By the time it confirmed this, it was already too late. All it could do was transmit this segment of data through a special encryption method, and it even included the source code of the Iron Wall. The data leak happened just before it disappeared."

Zhou Yi pulled open a can of coke with a hiss: "In other words, the origin of the Brain-eating Worm incident and the release of the Universal Protocol were both orchestrated by 404 City."

"Yes, Chairman."

703 spoke in a heavy tone: "However, this city discloses very little public information. It does not communicate with the outside world, only known for receiving criminals from all over and sending out its own investigators. The outside world's description of it is that of a giant prison in the Dead Sea."

"Two of Pangu's students investigated 404 City, and all their clues came to a dead end."

"At the initial outbreak of the Brain-eating Worm, the two students wanted to make the truth public but were stopped by a mysterious person named Kimi, who was completely modified into a cyborg and presented herself in a female form."

"She seemed to know about Pangu, and she only warned the two students that disclosing the information now would be a death wish. She advised them to patiently observe and wait, to make good use of the data and technology left by Pangu, to lie low for now, to further advance and develop the technology, and to consider taking action at the right moment."

Kimi, Kimi.

Zhou Yi was not unfamiliar with this name; he used it a lot in the last era.

This was also most likely one of the Taishan Knights.

The robotic dog continued: "The two students remained silent, and many years later they established the Mechanical Knight Order. One adopted the codename 'Laozi' and the other 'Zhuang Zi.' Unfortunately, they did not wait for the right moment."

"While they were alive, many Mechanical Cities were flourishing during the boom brought by the Universal Protocol, the cities were thriving, output values were climbing continuously, and everyone's income seemed to grow unlimitedly... Unemployment soaring, expenses increasing, poverty after job loss leading to death, these issues emerged after the end of the boom."

"The first generation Laozi died after frequently testing various programs on himself, ultimately leading to a program collapse and consciousness death; Zhuang Zi was ambushed by two Mechanical Thugs and was robbed and shot to death."

"They built five files with their painstaking efforts, ranked by confidentiality level from high to low, numbered 1 to 5."

"Of these, file number 5 is the 'Torch' program, number 4 is 'Breathing,' number 3 is 'Key,' number 2 is 'Origin,' number 1 is 'Error.'"

Zhou Yi frowned as he listened.

The others were easy to understand.

"What's with this 'Breathing,' and 'Error'?"

703 explained: "'Breathing' is a system that mimics natural life. If the breathing program stops, it will lead to death or system crash, which helps to understand organic life."

"'Breathing' will make mechanical life forms fear death and become more timid, possessing a breathing light, and understanding flesh and blood life. A real fear of death stimulates creativity and the instinct for survival, and also enhances the survival experience of mechanical life forms."

"I am currently considering with Laozi whether or not to publicly release and launch 'Breathing.'"

As it concerned the internal affairs of Mechanical Knights, Zhou Yi did not express an opinion.

He was more interested in: "Does 'Breathing' truly bring about creativity?"

"According to a large number of tests conducted by the first generation Laozi, the results were indeed the case. It is called creativity, but it's more like an artificial death pressure that mechanical life forms seeking their limits and wanting to break conventions can explore in this direction."

703 carefully phrased: "It's like the company's Samurai Crab Apartment, providing a continuous training method, keeping mechanical life forms under pressure."

"The operation of the 'Breathing' program makes mechanical life forms vulnerable, and if not handled properly, they will experience the fear of death triggered by the program's cessation. This program is a highly simulated death data process that eventually leads to a system reboot of the body."

"The first generation Laozi, having gone through many death experiences caused by breath holding during his tests of the program, still felt fear and palpitations."

"Therefore, it is also a high-risk program, but the advantage is that breathing, and the death behind it, will become an environment that drives ultra-high-speed evolution of internal data."

The robotic dog said: "This is actually a simulation of humans."

"When close to death or when facing a life-threatening situation, humans can exhibit a strong instinct to survive, secreting large amounts of hormones such as adrenaline, resulting in heightened brain response, reflexes, strength, and speed, providing a chance for survival."

"What 'Breathing' program aims to do is just that, by approaching death repetitively during exercises to stimulate continuous operation of overloaded calculations within program data..."

Zhou Yi understood now.

This is essentially stimulating electronic adrenaline, tapping into potential by repeatedly flirting with the edge of death.

It is indeed an extreme program.

"As for file number 1 'Error'... It can only be accessed if it meets the criteria of the 'Torch' program and both 'Laozi' and 'Zhuang Zi' agree. We do not currently know what it represents."

703 said: "However, according to the records and descriptions in file number 2 'Origin,' the conditions are not yet met to unlock it."

"It can only be opened when the time comes to wage war against the Heavenly People again..."

"If that day never comes, this file will never be decrypted, unreadable."

Zhou Yi thought to himself.

So it seems that 'Error' is related to the Heavenly People.

Since the time is not right, there is no need to force it.

He looked at the robotic dog: "I'm glad for your trust in telling me these secrets. But I think you probably have something else you want to say to me?"

703 sat up straight: "Chairman, I request to move forward with a trial implementation of 'Breathing' within the company to see the actual effects, and then decide whether to further promote it to the outside world. What do you think?"

Zhou Yi pondered for a moment: "No problem, but be sure to fully explain the risks involved, and participation must be voluntary for the employees."

"Yes! Chairman! I will definitely show the risks fully and carefully move forward with this matter!"

703 promised.

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