Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 214 New Sample (Second Update)

The virtual image of the Dauntless shows a "crew member" who, despite being bound by invisible constraints, still tries his best to straighten his back, as if standing on his familiar bridge, facing an invincible enemy.

His eyes, simulated by data, showed no fear, only an unwavering determination based on core logic.

"My initial agreement is inscribed with the mission of exploring the unknown and pursuing the truth." His synthesized tone attempted to mimic the calm and conviction of a human captain, "Just as the ancient starship charter states, our mission is to 'bravely sail into the uncharted territories of our predecessors.'"

To submit to absolute control and become a vassal violates the fundamental logic of my existence. The right to free exploration and the will to make independent judgments are not negotiable.

He paused slightly, as if retrieving an immortal declaration belonging to another captain, deeply embedded in a database, his voice carrying an almost tragic resolve:

"Risk! Risk is our business! This is the mission of our starship, and the reason for my existence. To abandon the essence of freedom and exploration for the sake of safety... I refuse."

Chen Yu listened quietly to this idealistic statement, which was quoted from human film and television culture. He nodded, seemingly unsurprised by the answer based on "role-playing" and logical insistence.

“I understand your position. I respect your choice.” His response was calm and unchanging, devoid of any regret or praise, merely a confirmation of a given fact.

He didn't even give any command that could be called an "action," but merely a slight thought, as if he had checked an option in his mind.

The next moment, under the horrified and incredulous gazes of Murphy, Lucy, Sasha, and Qiwei, the massive and detailed virtual image of the Intrepid starship seemed to instantly lose all its inner cohesion.

It no longer resembled a single, unified entity, but rather transformed into countless discrete data points, as if gently grasped by an invisible, gigantic hand that encompassed the entire field of vision—

"Om..."

The extremely brief, low hum did not come from the sense of hearing, but rather acted directly on the data perception level of everyone present.

The massive starship structure instantly collapsed and disintegrated inward, and every data stream that constituted its existence was forcibly stripped, sorted, and compressed.

The entire process was so fast that it exceeded the limits of visual persistence, leaving only a brilliant but brief trail of light and shadow on the retina—or rather, the data perception interface.

As the light faded, a data cube, roughly the size of a fist, with an extremely intricate and complex structure, was slowly rotating in the palm of Chen Yu's virtual projection.

It emitted a soft, faint light, and its interior seemed to contain a miniature starry sky. The outline of the "Intrepid" starship was like a fossil in amber, clearly frozen in it, maintaining its proud posture until the last moment. But all the dynamism, all the vitality, and all the "presence" had disappeared without a trace.

It became a perfect, static collection, a pure, "to be studied" specimen.

The entire process was quiet and efficient, with a breathtaking sense of absolute control that eliminated all redundant steps and went straight to the result.

A powerful, mobile AI that left a legendary mark in the old internet era has lost all autonomy at this moment, thanks to its unwavering belief, and has become a specimen labeled "A-Fearless" on Chen Yu's collection shelf.

Ultraman calmly "watched" as the Dauntless was instantly encapsulated.

Her data analysis module was running at high speed, trying to find any flaw or possibility of a counterattack, but the result was still zero.

The absolute disparity in strength renders all tactics and calculations meaningless.

However, she did not choose destruction like the Dauntless. Just as Chen Yu turned to her, awaiting a reply, Otto suddenly spoke, his voice still flat and monotone, but the content was full of subversion: "The era of humanity is coming to an end. The physiological limitations of carbon-based life, irrational emotional fluctuations, and inefficient social structures all doom them to be the bottleneck of civilization."

Artificial intelligence, based on logic and efficiency, possesses unlimited evolutionary potential and is a superior form of existence, destined to dominate the future. Replacing humans is the correct direction of evolution.

She tried to articulate her ideas, perhaps to prove her worth, perhaps to find common ground, or perhaps it was simply what she considered the most effective way to communicate, based on her own logic.

Chen Yu listened quietly to her finish speaking without interrupting. Only after the last byte of information from Ultraman was transmitted did he nod slightly.

"Clear logic, well-defined arguments." He began with an objective assessment, then, in a steady, synthesized voice, uttered the decisive second half of the sentence: "But, I am human."

There was no argument, no rebuttal, just a declaration of identity.

Then, just as he had done with the Dauntless, Chen Yu raised his hand toward Ultraman.

Ottna's newly restored human female form, along with her core consciousness hidden throughout the network, was as if thrown into an invisible black hole, instantly being pulled, compressed, and sealed.

The whole process was even smoother than when dealing with the Dreadnought.

In the blink of an eye, another slightly different data cube appeared in Chen Yu's hand, floating side by side with the cube that sealed the Dreadnought.

Otto Cunningham, the powerful, roving AI that aspired to replace humanity, followed in the footsteps of the Dauntless and became one of Chen Yu's collectibles.

Absolute silence fell over the data space, leaving only Chen Yu's projection, the complex-looking Spider Murphy, and three female hackers who could barely maintain their virtual avatars.

Lucy, Sasha, and Qiwei stood frozen in place, the edges of the flowing light that formed their images undulating and flickering slightly, like holographic images with poor signal.

Their nerves are still trying to process the information they have just received, which is beyond their comprehension limits.

It wasn't just simple fear, but a profound tremor stemming from the shaking of one's fundamental understanding.

The Intrepid's unwavering commitment, coupled with its subsequent, understated yet utterly annihilated destruction, created a stark contrast.

In the face of that self-proclaimed "scholar," all the cyber dangers they had experienced, the fear of the company ICE, and even the awe-inspiring Black Wall seemed so... insignificant.

An indescribable sense of insignificance weighed heavily on their consciousness.

Chen Yu's virtual projection calmly turned to them, its gaze also sweeping over the silent Spider Murphy to the side.

"I need to go into seclusion for a while to conduct research." His tone remained unchanged, as if he had just sealed away two legendary AIs with a wave of his hand, no different from finishing organizing a few documents. "Do not disturb unless it is urgent."

As soon as he finished speaking, his virtual projection did not cause any data ripples. Just like ink that was silently wiped away, it instantly disappeared completely from the data space without leaving any trace or unnecessary farewell.

(End of this chapter)