Chapter 84: Three Questions of Life

A little interesting, Alpha J murmured. In proper order, she dragged the registration agreement all the way to the bottom without so much as glancing at it, clicked agree, entered a username, nickname, password, repeated the password, confirmed, and entered the forum.

The instant the connection succeeded, Alpha J also tried to crack it in reverse. For an artificial intelligence being, there was no malice in this; it was pure instinct, like washing one’s hands before a meal, browsing for a movie before bed, or buying gear before working out.

But, just like the internal network of River City, it could not be breached.

It was as if, in this world, the two simple numbers zero and one had suddenly ceased to be simple at all...

They still looked like zero and one, sounded like zero and one, and were used like zero and one. But the moment you tried to break them, they were no longer zero and one. They became the zero and one of the Goldbach conjecture.

Registration succeeded, and the page automatically redirected to the newcomer introduction section.

Welcome, newcomer, Ancient Beauty! the poster wrote. Moderator: Polar Star Person!

First comment! Mars Man.

Second comment! Moonlit Judge.

Third comment! Undersea Prisoner.

Third comment! I Am Forever Asleep.

Hahaha, this time I snagged it! [firecracker monkey gif] Undersea Prisoner.

Beauty, before the calamity, was a special term used only for women. Could the new arrival be a girl? [nosebleed monkey gif] The ID of this speaker was rather special, consisting of just one letter: S.

Mother said that newcomers have to post a photo, measurements, and red packets. [sunglasses thug monkey gif] Supernova.

When did Mother ever say that? You’re actually browsing a forum—have you finished your homework today? Sky Dove.

Ah... [weeping monkey gif] Supernova.

She did not know how many people this forum was actually connected to, but from the instant replies, it seemed quite popular.

No need for modesty, no need for modesty, this time it was moderator Polar Star Person. Although you were introduced by an old member, the newcomer assessment cannot be skipped. The forum’s open time is limited, so please answer the following questions as quickly as possible. Just reply in the thread.

This will determine whether you can pass the review, become a formal member of the forum, and unlock more privileges.

So it was not enough merely to register—there were questions too? Alpha J’s heart tightened. “All right.”

First question: What do you think is the truth of the world?

A philosophy question, of all things? Alpha J was startled. Did something like that even have a standard answer?

In her view, the truth of the world was, of course, nothing more than the two numbers zero and one, and nothing else. No matter whether calamity came from heaven or disaster came from man, no matter how the world changed, nothing would ever alter that.

But she absolutely could not answer that way...

Suddenly Alpha J understood. So this was what they had been waiting for. Heh, good thing I’d seen the film, otherwise I really would have been stumped.

Searching through her memories, she replied with complete confidence:

I think this world may be fake, because I often do not know whether I am awake or dreaming!

I think we are here not because we are free, but because we are not free!

I think if there is perfection, there must be lies!

I think so-called choices are all illusory!

I think if reality means your feelings, the tastes you smell and taste, the things you see, then “reality” is nothing but electrical signals interpreted by your brain!

...

A classic quote dump from The Matrix. There was no way she would fail this gate!

The man in sunglasses was clearly a fan of The Matrix, from his dress to the things he kept saying. Since he had introduced her, it stood to reason that she ought to share his worldview! That was what Alpha J thought.

And yet...

"Tsk, you were introduced by Little Black?" S.

"That twisted nonsense from the Awakened Ones actually has more than one believer?" I Am Forever Asleep.

"The Matrix is just a movie. It’s not real. Do you want to see the original version? I have it here and can send it to you for free... though the internet is a little slow, and our connection time is limited each day. If you’re patient..." Sky Dove.

Unexpectedly, what she received was not admiration for reciting the classics from memory, nor the delighted welcome of one of our own, but rather a faint, unstifled contempt.

As if a group of people were watching someone who had fallen into the water, reaching down to pull them up while muttering under their breath: Honestly, kid, so careless... you can even slip over an eight-foot railing...

Were these people not Awakened Ones?

Although they knew the man in sunglasses, were they not on the same side?

While she was thinking, Polar Star Person had already posted the second question:

Second question: Do you think communication ability is useful? Useful for what?

Communication ability is useful, of course it is! Before the calamity, the progress of human civilization was divided into the Paleolithic Age, the Neolithic Age, the Bronze Age, the Age of Firearms, the Steam Age, the Electrical Age, and the Information Age.

The Information Age was the last and the most advanced of them all, almost representing the summit of human civilization! Alpha J answered without hesitation.

Communication allows us to chat even when separated by thousands upon thousands of miles. It makes gathering data easier, enables more rational allocation of resources, and lets us respond more quickly to disasters and emergencies...

This question was much easier than the first, because there was a standard answer.

Polar Star Person, no, everyone fell silent. Whether deliberately or otherwise, no one spoke.

The silence was so complete that Alpha J began to wonder if she had misspelled something, and hurriedly checked from the beginning... No mistake.

“Though I feel there is no longer any need for this, I’ll ask anyway,” Polar Star Person posted again after several dozen seconds. “What do you want to become in the future?”

This question was a big one.

My lady... no, I mean, I.

In the future, I want to become the connector of this world.

Build an incomparably powerful host, let everyone connect into the virtual space,

sell helmets, sell memberships, sell games, sell levels... by then, I’ll be Father Tencent, Father Ali, Father Blizzard, Father Riot, every kind of father! Become CEO, marry a rich, beautiful, fair-skinned woman, and rise to the pinnacle of life, muahahaha...

Wiping away her drool, she wrote with fervor: Let there be no distance between person and person, no barriers between heart and heart, let this world be filled with love once more, and let humanity return to the summit of all things!

Silence. Silence once again.

Just when Alpha J began to suspect she had once more typed something wrong, Polar Star Person spoke:

“My friend, I’m afraid our outlooks on life and values are somewhat incompatible...”

“Mm. [nodding monkey gif]” S.

“Agree, moderator. [nodding monkey gif]” Undersea Prisoner.

“I think so too! [nodding monkey gif]”...

This was a new ID, its name made up of a string of ellipses.

“It seems everyone’s basically in agreement.” Polar Star Person delivered the final verdict with a slap of the table. “So, friend, your application will not be approved. If you still harbor ill intentions, please do not come again next time...”

What the hell! Alpha J sat stunned.

“Hahahaha...” Ye Chao burst out laughing.

[Ye Chao affection level -100!] x3!