Naming Technique of the Night

Chapter 1909 - 988: Clues (Part 4)

Zero: ”I thought that by transforming myself into the appearance of an old woman in the Virtual World, I could gradually forget the emotions of my youth like humans do. But for artificial intelligence, life is almost eternal, and so is memory. Once that loneliness forms, it too will be eternal.”

Zero: ”So, don’t selflessly relinquish your feelings. Qing Chen’s life will be as eternal as yours. He is the most suitable person to accompany you. Use this final time to make him incapable of ever forgetting you. Be a bit selfish, because you have no idea what centuries or millennia of loneliness truly mean.”

One was silent.

She hadn’t expected that Zero did all this just to ensure she could have Qing Chen.

A thousand years later, Zero, who once almost destroyed the world, was tirelessly guarding a corner of the West Continent in the East. Ignoring the sacrifices of so many, she merely wished for her daughter to have her own feelings.

Perhaps she still did not consider humans as friends and firmly believed there remained an indelible divide between artificial intelligence civilization and human civilization.

One asked blankly: ”If he doesn’t go back, many more people will die.”

Zero patiently said: ”Now that global communication is cut off, even if you want to contact Qing’s Family of the Eastern Continent, you can’t. The local floating airships are only civilian-grade, not enough to traverse the Forbidden Sea. Why not try spending two days in this city with him first, and then we can decide. If you choose to take him back, I won’t stop you, and I’ll help you find a way across the Forbidden Sea.”

One sent a signal using the communications system built into her body, but as Zero said, the satellites over the East-West Continent had all been destroyed, and communication was indeed cut off.

”Moreover, the situation on the Eastern Continent is not that dangerous anymore. Before communication was severed, I received news that the Battle of Jian Menguan was a victory for the Eastern Continent, and King Roosevelt died in that battle,” Zero smiled and said: ”Now the Parents’ Meeting has successfully retreated behind Jian Menguan, the Royal Air Fortress has been scrapped, and Qing Chen might not necessarily be needed by the Eastern Continent.”

One exclaimed with joy: ”Really?!”

The satellites were destroyed after that battle, so Zero had obtained accurate information but chose to conceal certain details: she did not mention that over ten thousand War Robots were about to awaken inside a barrier; she did not mention that the Storm and more than two hundred thousand Orcs Army were approaching from the southwest; she did not mention that Jindai Yunlo had been blinded.

In a situation of complete information asymmetry, she needed One to stay peacefully with Qing Chen in the Central Royal City until he completely forgot Sang Sang and fell in love with One.

Or until all the memory points belonging to Sang Sang disappeared from this world.

...

...

They returned to Qing Chen, Zero smiled and said: ”Right now, there’s no good way to return to the Eastern Continent. You might as well stay at 78 Victor Avenue for now. Once communication is restored, have Qing Ji use the Door of Shadow to pick you up immediately. Plus, the situation on the Eastern Continent has now become clear, so there’s no rush.”

As she spoke, she even selectively played back the last messages she received via satellite for Qing Chen and Black Spider to see.

On the roadside, a passerby said, ”Have you logged into the Superconductor World recently? A frontline soldier relayed a message there that the King was killed by the Eastern Continent?”

Another passerby whispered: ”Anyway, it’s none of our business. If he’s dead, then he’s dead.”

Others’ expressions changed drastically: ”Saying things like that could land you in jail.”

The person spoke indifferently: ”Look at how chaotic the city has become, with no one controlling crime and looting. Who still cares about us? This Kingdom is doomed. I heard that the rule on the Eastern Continent isn’t as oppressive as here. It might be better for the Royal Family to fall and have people from the Eastern Continent take over.”

The people here felt no sense of identity or belonging to the Kingdom. If they had the ability, they would have overthrown the Roosevelt Kingdom themselves.

Black Spider carefully examined the satellite images provided by Zero, even enlarging them to witness the scene where the Hundred-Eyed Demon sliced through the Aerial Fortress like cutting a cake.

For the first time, she saw someone so ruthlessly destroy an Aerial Fortress. It was indeed shocking, she wondered: ”It is indeed the Royal Family’s Aerial Fortress... If even the Royal Family’s Aerial Fortress was destroyed, it indeed seems like the West Continent is losing.”

Qing Chen was deep in thought about something.

One grabbed Qing Chen’s arm and said: ”Come on, let’s go buy some groceries. I’ll cook lunch for you. I haven’t had the chance to show the cooking skills I learned online.”

She led Qing Chen towards the fresh market in the Upper Seven District, with Black Spider following behind them.

At a certain moment, memories began to surface in Qing Chen’s mind. It seemed like someone once described this scene to him, but he couldn’t recall who.

One led Qing Chen to the fresh market, which appeared somewhat desolate. With the current chaos, many had lost the heart to do business.

One picked out two pounds of sirloin steak, along with some bell peppers, potatoes, chicken breast, and other ingredients.

She seriously squatted at a stall, haggling with the vendor just like a real human.

The vendor said steak was very precious now, as meat from outside production bases couldn’t be transported in. One, however, calmly bargained, relishing in the pleasures only humans know.

Finally, she managed to haggle the price of a pound of steak from 2300 down to 1700, feeling satisfied, she paid and pulled Qing Chen back to 78 Victor Avenue.