Chapter 74: Guest_1

Jiang Yu recalled, "When you left the base that time, the iron box you took contained Number Three's brain?"

"That's right," Sixteen said. "At that time, our capabilities were limited, we could only construct a container to temporarily preserve his brain.

"After establishing the new base, I was able to help him upgrade his container."

Sixteen's figure paused slightly and continued, "Not being able to save Number Three from going out of control is my regret. I hope to be able to create a new body for him in the future."

Jiang Yu nodded and asked the "iron box," "I'm very curious about how you feel now?"

"In terms of sensation, it's not much different from before," Number Three's voice was filled with emotion, not at all like a synthesized voice.

He earnestly answered, "I can see what's around me through the camera, I can hear sounds, I can speak.

"The only difference from before is that I can't move myself.

"This feeling is quite strange. I feel like I can command myself to walk, but there's nowhere that can receive the command.

"Moreover, I no longer feel hunger or pain. It's like being a monk in a state of pure existence."

Sixteen smiled and said, "When I make a new breakthrough with my current research, I'll create a somewhat less agile body for you."

Jiang Yu remarked, "This reminds me of the 'brain in a vat' hypothesis."

He smiled, shook his head, and asked Sixteen, "Have you established your own new base?"

"Sort of," Sixteen had already packed up her belongings and sat on the edge of the bed saying, "However, I've learned from the ETO Base experience and made my base highly mobile."

Jiang Yu continued to inquire, "Has anyone from the Combat Center made contact with you?"

"They came to me as soon as I began setting up the new base," Sixteen laughed and said,

"Now, I am in a cooperative relationship with the Combat Center. We will embark on a collaboration in the field of artificial intelligence, and they will acknowledge my existence.

"Speaking of which, I'm kind of grateful to ETO. After all, I inherited the majority of their achievements in artificial intelligence, which gave me the leverage to negotiate with the Combat Center."

Jiang Yu reminded her, "You'd better be cautious. The Combat Center is somewhat chaotic now, with many people trying to take advantage during this period."

"I know," Sixteen replied. "I've told the Combat Center that with a single command from me, or if my life is threatened, all robots under my control and all data will self-destruct within three seconds."

Jiang Yu patted Sixteen's head in praise, "You've got a pretty sharp mind there."

This time, Sixteen didn't dodge.

After washing up, the two of them played games for a while and read books, then went to rest one after another.

The next day, as Jiang Yu was still sleeping groggily, his mother Hu Huilan knocked on his door, "Xiaoyu, get up quickly. Someone is looking for you."

Jiang Yu yawned and checked his phone, it wasn't even nine o'clock yet: "Are they sick? Who comes to see me so early in the morning?"

Sixteen, already dressed, was sitting at Jiang Yu's desk reading a book, "You're lazier than I thought. A person needs six hours of deep sleep a day, or rest for eight hours. You've already..."

Jiang Yu threw a pillow at Sixteen, "Are you the dad, or am I the dad?"

Sixteen caught the pillow, "I wouldn't want such a lazy son."

Jiang Yu said, "I..."

The "Black Iron Box Number Three" emitted laughter.

Jiang Yu tossed the second pillow on the bed at Number Three, which, having no hands, could only watch as the pillow flew towards it and knocked it over.

While yawning, Jiang Yu dressed himself. He opened the door and saw a somewhat familiar middle-aged lady sitting in the living room.

She had light makeup on and was very well-maintained, looking quite elegant.

"I apologize," Jiang Yu said, and after washing his face, he sat opposite the middle-aged lady, "May I ask who you are?"

"Dou Weiying," the lady introduced herself, "You should have seen my profile."

Jiang Yu was about to shake his head when he suddenly remembered a dormitory meeting where his roommates seemed to have mentioned the very Dou Weiying before him.

Starting from there, Jiang Yu gradually recalled that she was a well-known domestic entrepreneur who had contributed to the new energy industry.

Finally, Jiang Yu remembered that Dou Weiying had appeared on the list given to him by Sixteen.

Jiang Yu's face turned stern, "Did ETO send you to deliver a message to me?"

Dou Weiying gestured for him to calm down, "Don't be nervous. ETO has already been wiped out in a global roundup. I'm here on my behalf, wanting to discuss with you some issues about the cognition of new technologies."

Jiang Yu laughed, "I'm more curious about how you managed to escape the scrutiny of the combat center?"

Dou Weiying spread her hands, "That's why I'm looking for you. Although I'm very interested in 'Genetic Modification,' am I committing a crime?"

"When did an interest in new technology become a crime?"

"Don't you use a cellphone? Don't you use solar power? To people half a century ago, these were all new technologies!"

Jiang Yu lit a cigarette, "Don't confuse the issue. If it's new technology that we've proven ourselves, I have no complaints, but Genetic Modification is technology provided to you by others!"

"You have a big misunderstanding there!" Dou Weiying retorted, "Our own Genetic Modification Technology is actually very advanced already.

"For example, we can use Genetic Modification to make children naturally immune to HIV.

"Many of the technologies provided by aliens are topics we're already researching. They told us the answers, saving us a lot of manpower and resources!"

Jiang Yu took a puff of smoke and laughed, "I have consulted experts in this area a long time ago. In terms of Genetic Modification, our technology is still in the 'random' phase!

"If we apply it to human genetic modification, it would take generations of inheritance to stabilize the modified genes.

"It's like creating a new variety of wheat or rice. Every time we obtain randomly mutated new seeds through radiation, it takes several seasons and repeated selections for the genes of the new seeds to stabilize.

"The Trisolarans directly gave us the results; we have no idea what happened during the selection process!

"Rashly using unknown technology is very dangerous!"

Dou Weiying shook her head repeatedly, disagreeing with Jiang Yu's view.

Jiang Yu continued, "There's no need to try to intimidate me with the name of new technology. The technology given by the Trisolarans is like giving a cellphone to primitive people of the Neolithic Era.

"The primitives would become obsessed with the cellphone, and their value systems would be distorted by it.

"What's worse is that by indulging in the cellphone and neglecting hunting and gathering, they would be abandoned by their tribe and ultimately die from cold and hunger!

"For us modern people, a cellphone comes from the gradual development from telegraph, to telephone, to mobile phone. The same goes for new energy; what's the use of talking about new energy in an age without electricity?

"But Genetic Modification is different; it exceeds our capacity to cope."

Finally, Dou Weiying couldn't help saying, "We are in a time of dire survival! Where is the room for such concerns? We must become stronger by any means necessary, we have to defeat the Trisolarans!"