I'm Trapped in the Block

Chapter 297: Chapter 294: A Piece of News

Now that they knew there were no other humans on board, the vast, empty *Paradise* suddenly felt a little desolate.

Although every robot they encountered greeted Li Luo politely, Mo Ling couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

Li Luo, on the other hand, seemed to be adapting quite well. She was a person of this era, after all.

Still, she would often stare blankly at the ship’s interior, as if lost in thought.

’Is she missing Dawn City?’

Come to think of it, some of the scenes from Dawn City she had seen in the dream were very similar to the ship’s interior. They were, after all, both products of human technology from the same period.

These familiar sights had probably stirred some of Li Luo’s memories.

For Mo Ling, the facilities on the *Paradise* were all novelties. It was like visiting a futuristic museum; she was seeing most of these things for the first time.

But for Li Luo, they were all commonplace.

To a person who had lived in this era, such advanced technology was nothing out of the ordinary.

Mo Ling watched as Li Luo skillfully operated the electronic screen by the door, opening it.

”If you need anything else, you can find me or ask for help from any of the other machines on this ship. They will all meet your needs,” Ji Pavilion said calmly.

”Alright,” Li Luo nodded. 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

”Then I shall not disturb you any longer.” Ji Pavilion bowed, then walked straight down the corridor and into the distance.

Li Luo watched Ji Pavilion recede, her eyes still looking distant. After a sigh, she entered the room.

The room wasn’t large. Inside, there weren’t as many advanced devices, just some neatly arranged daily necessities and a small, comfortable-looking bed.

As soon as Li Luo entered, she dropped her backpack and sat down by the wall.

”What’s wrong?” Seeing how distracted Li Luo had been since they boarded the *Paradise*, Mo Ling could no longer suppress her curiosity and asked.

Li Luo looked at the electronic screen but didn’t answer right away. Instead, she began to search for something on it.

Soon, some information appeared on the screen.

Then, she handed the electronic screen over.

The moment Mo Ling took the screen, she was captivated by the information on it.

Or rather, it wasn’t just information—it was a captivating news article.

The headline was exceptionally eye-catching:

”The Sixth Generation of Intelligent Machinery: How Far Is Humanity from Destruction?”

’Damn,’ Mo Ling thought. ’No matter the era, they always find a way to grab people’s attention.’

Mo Ling’s curiosity was instantly piqued, and she continued reading below the headline:

”As exploration of the Abyss deepens, its technology and relics have been integrated into daily life. Among these advancements, the development of intelligent machinery has been plain for all to see.”

”Initially, they only assisted humans with manual labor. Now, a short time later, they can engage in highly human-like interactions. Their intelligence is constantly improving, to the point where some are indistinguishable from real people.”

”However, we know these intelligent machines do not possess true consciousness. Their human-like qualities are built upon a comprehensive database, and every reaction is simply a query to that database.”

”But recently, Yuanxin Technology unveiled its sixth-generation intelligent machinery at a press conference. This new generation discards the cumbersome database. Yuanxin Technology claims to have used relics to simulate the human brain, creating a so-called ’digital brain.’”

”This ’digital brain,’ like a real brain, can grow, learn, and reason on its own. Although its development is slow and highly unpredictable, it could grant intelligent machinery a true soul.”

”Once the digital brain is implemented, intelligent machines—or rather, mechanical life forms—that were once difficult for us to even imagine may appear in the near future.”

”The announcement of this news was undoubtedly a cause for great concern. Fortunately, regulators promptly shut down Yuanxin Technology’s press conference. Shortly after, they entered Yuanxin Technology’s R&D department to launch an investigation into the ’digital brain’ technology...”

Following the text were several photos taken from very peculiar angles.

As if intentionally trying to create an oppressive atmosphere, the photos looked like they were taken surreptitiously. They were dark and hazy, with a strange filter that made them look unsettling no matter how you viewed them.

The first few photos were all of the same scene: a group of staff in suits entering a large building. The caption below read, ”Regulators enter Yuanxin Technology.”

These pictures were all taken from inside a car across the street—the car’s window frame wasn’t even cropped out, creating a very tense feeling.

However, it also greatly enhanced the photos’ authenticity.

Next were a few photos from the press conference. The robots in them were shown in black and white, and they shared the frame with the audience, who were only visible as dark, indistinct silhouettes from behind.

The moment one saw these photos, they would immediately want to know the expressions on the audience members’ faces.

The very next photo was a close-up of the audience from the front. Instead of optimism about the new technology, every face was filled with worry.

Their furrowed brows looked as if they had just witnessed something unacceptable.

The mystery of the blurry silhouettes from before was now solved:

’So the audience was just as worried about the sixth-generation intelligent machinery.’

The caption under the photo was also thought-provoking:

”The press conference was not well-received.”

That single, short sentence was enough to set one’s imagination running wild.

Mo Ling looked at the photos and captions, feeling that something was still off.

The photographer’s focus didn’t seem to be on the press conference itself. The truly significant subjects—the robots and the main screen—were all deliberately blurred.

Even through the slightly blurry images, Mo Ling could make out what the robots looked like.

They were identical to Ji Pavilion.

Or rather, identical to all the robots currently on the *Paradise*.

A slender, humanoid torso; a spider-like lower body; four thick, powerful, folded mechanical arms. They were extremely distinctive. Although the robots in the photos were blurred to the point where only their outlines were visible, Mo Ling could still recognize them.

’The robots on the *Paradise* are all sixth-generation intelligent machinery? The same technology that was shut down by regulators?’

Mo Ling was taken aback.

’No wonder Li Luo has been acting so strange since we came aboard.’

Suppressing the urge to ask questions, Mo Ling continued reading. After the photos came a concise summary.

”Humanity cannot control things beyond its comprehension, just like the relics from the Abyss. The price will always arrive, silent and unseen. When faced with such unknowns, the only solution is to stay away.”

”Do not touch. Do not understand. Do not desire.”