Chapter 17 May Humanity Endure Forever
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: May Humanity Endure Forever
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What Shen Yi had said this time was spoken from the heart.
And it was also the truth.
Humanity's imagination of the apocalypse had existed since time immemorial, and the vast majority of it had transformed into myth and legend.
It was from mythology onward that the different attitudes of different civilizations toward the end of days had already begun to manifest.
The West believed the apocalypse to be God's punishment for humanity's sins — a burden that they were destined to bear — and that Noah's Ark was humanity's final salvation. And so, when that moment of absolute helplessness truly arrived, many among them could face death with equanimity, even spending their final moments in peace alongside their families.
The East didn’t see it that way.
They believed that they had been struck by undeserved calamity — that wars between divine beings had spilled over and affected them — and so they would resist, they would take up arms, and they even believed that the gods themselves could be overcome.
What was more…
In terms of organization, obedience, and cohesion, Eastern culture had the clear advantage.
Of course, the West wasn’t without its own strengths.
They were optimistic.
But as far as Shen Yi was concerned, he was able to save more people in the East — for unless one had reached a certain level of power, there was no saving those who had willingly accepted their fate.
Perhaps because he could sense the sincerity in Shen Yi's gaze, Chu Lin's throat shifted slightly, and a measure of quiet pride surfaced within him.
"You won't regret your choice."
"Whether or not I regret it isn’t something for you to tell me." Shen Yi's expression didn't change in the slightest, remaining perfectly calm. "It needs to be proven through action."
"We’ll of course prove it." Chu Lin picked up from where the latter left off, then he steered back toward the purpose of his visit, and was even a little more direct about it this time. "So — you didn’t tell those people that the apocalypse is coming?"
"Doing so would only cause unnecessary panic." Shen Yi shook his head and settled back into his seat. "I know what you want to ask. Because the help that I currently need isn’t much, the Association's existence is known only to you people. However, this state of affairs won’t last for long."
"Why?" Chu Lin asked.
He had come precisely to find out whether Shen Yi's attitude toward other countries was the same as his attitude toward them.
He also wanted to know what the latter's plans were going forward.
In this plane crash, the other party's entrance — so thoroughly overwhelming in nature — would undoubtedly send shockwaves through those who stood at the very apex of this world's pyramid.
Even if only a small number of people came to know of it, those people alone would be sufficient to set off waves that could sweep across the entire world.
"How long do you think it’ll be before the apocalypse arrives?" Shen Yi countered with a question of his own, but without waiting for Chu Lin's answer, he supplied it himself. "It always — always — comes faster than you imagine. So it’s not just you who need to make preparations. I need to make some as well."
What preparations?
Chu Lin wanted to press further.
But then he saw Shen Yi pick up his chopsticks, and the words that had risen to the tip of his tongue made a full loop before being swallowed back down.
Shen Yi said nothing either.
He had already said a great deal — it served as a kind of reassurance, dispelling some of the unease brought about by his high-profile appearance. But he had said enough.
Chu Lin understood what the other man’s actions meant. His peripheral vision caught the robot standing to one side, and no matter where he looked at it, he felt that its design radiated an unmistakable sense of menace.
Not only on the surface, but in the terrifying technology it represented beneath.
"Is this robot also one of the preparations you've made?" Chu Lin asked quietly, one last time.
"You mean Qiwu?" Shen Yi glanced at him, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly. "Of course not. It's just a little gadget — a prototype. However, you should be able to see the role it plays quite soon."
The corner of Chu Lin's eye twitched slightly.
A prototype... Meaning that large-scale production hadn’t yet begun?
Though the man hadn't denied it having the capacity for large-scale production.
Come to think of it — an organization capable of traversing different worlds, whose individual members possessed power rivaling that of divine beings... It wouldn't be strange even if they controlled an entire world.
Chu Lin knew he couldn't keep asking anymore.
He always had the feeling of being seen through completely, and he even found himself wondering whether the Shen Yi before him possessed the ability to read minds — though even if the man truly did have it, that wouldn't be the least bit surprising to him.
"Then I shall look forward to it with great anticipation."
Chu Lin put on as natural a smile as he could manage, then took his leave.
His visit had yielded some results, though he suspected that those results were ones Shen Yi had deliberately given him.
Even as he was leaving, he couldn't help but steal one last glance at the U-75.
As if committing the robot's appearance to memory.
Shen Yi naturally noticed this.
"Qiwu, see him out." He gave the instruction in an even tone.
"Yes, Master." Qiwu stepped forward and fell in beside Chu Lin.
Its movements were so natural that the latter found himself half-wondering whether a person was hidden inside that fearsome metallic shell.
But that was impossible.
Because the area at its center where the red light emanated was partially transparent, and through the red glow, one could faintly make out the intricate mechanical components within.
When they reached the entrance, Chu Lin asked instinctively.
"Qiwu, is that your name?"
He had only asked it offhandedly, but he received a response from Qiwu nonetheless.
"Yes. It is the name bestowed upon me by Master. I believe it was derived from my model designation, U-75."*
An ordinary enough answer.
And yet it gave Chu Lin a sudden creeping sensation.
‘I believe?’
‘You're capable of believing things?’
Even without being an expert in artificial intelligence, Chu Lin could understand what those two words implied. What was more, Qiwu hadn’t only answered his question, but it had gone on to offer a further explanation — one that may well have been of its own volition.
Chu Lin couldn't help but want to keep asking.
"You said — 'I believe.' Does that mean that you possess the capacity for thought?"
"Of course."
Qiwu turned its head and cast him a glance with its crimson eyes, and Chu Lin could even sense from that single motion the unmistakable air of a sideways look that seemed to say "what a strange question."
Then Qiwu continued in its metallic voice.
"I am a Tier-II artificial intelligence, which qualifies as a rudimentary artificial intelligence lifeform. An ordinary mortal human such as yourself should have a lower IQ than mine."
"......"
It was the first time in Chu Lin's life that his intelligence had been looked down upon.
Just what did this robot think he had relied on to reach such a high position at his age?! The nerve of it!
Chu Lin's heart had no idea how to process his shock anymore.
Though on the surface, not a ripple showed on his face.
It wasn't until he was standing in front of his vehicle that he turned around.
"You may head back. Thank you for seeing me out." Chu Lin placed a slight emphasis on the word "thank you."
"No need for thanks." Qiwu's gaze seemed to linger on him for a moment. "Do keep an eye on your kidneys. They are already in quite poor condition."
"......" This time Chu Lin couldn't stop the twitch at the corner of his mouth, and he squeezed his words out through his teeth. "Thank you for your concern."
Qiwu gave him a nod, stepped back one pace, and raised its right hand in a light strike against its left chest.
"Farewell. May humanity endure forever."
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*According to Qiwu, the name Shen Yi gave to it seemed to be derived from its model designation: “Qì” means “bond” or “covenant” and “Wǔ” means "martial" or "military". The name carries a meaning along the lines of "bonded warrior", which might be pointing at the fact that U-75 is a combat unit robot loyal to Shen Yi, its master.
T/N - Well, it wasn’t as bad as I thought. While the MC has some pretty weird biases, at least he isn’t discriminating too much against the West. He still plans to save them all regardless (I mean, they’re all points after all), he just started with the East because of his weird profiling and generalization.
Also, dang, Chu Lin just got served by a tin can! Qiwu be spitting bars for something that isn’t considered a lifeform yet. 😂