The moment Li Zhou plugged the fiber-optic cable into the Photonic Computer, internet disruptions began spreading across the world, starting from the area where Li Zhou's Future Technology company was located.
And ten o'clock at night was exactly when many internet users were on their phones.
At first, everyone was playing games as usual, scrolling through short videos, or video chatting with others.
Then, those playing games noticed their latency indicators turn red. Their characters froze in place, and even their teammates' voices through their headsets became choppy.
Those scrolling through short videos simply could not load the next one, with the screen constantly displaying "Loading."
Video calls directly switched to "Connecting."
At first, everyone thought the problem was with their own devices. Soon, they discovered that their family members' phones were the same. Whether connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data, no one could access the internet normally.
Meanwhile, in a research institute deep beneath the mountains, alarm bells blared throughout the military base.
Yuan Jingsong pulled on his clothes as he hurried toward the control room.
Yuan Jingsong was practically ready to curse. He had finally managed to turn in early tonight, but the sudden alarm by his bedside had startled him out of bed. Without a second thought, he grabbed his clothes and put them on as he rushed out.
The moment he arrived at the control room, Yuan Jingsong found that the alarm had stopped. Every technician on duty wore a troubled expression.
"What happened?"
"Reporting! Two minutes ago, our country's network experienced severe fluctuations that lasted for two minutes. The network has now fully returned to normal."
Yuan Jingsong looked at the large display screen in the control room. The huge red exclamation mark told him that the network disturbance just now had clearly been anything but normal.
Rubbing his temples, Yuan Jingsong questioned the technicians.
"Have you found the cause of the network fluctuation? Was it another hacker attack from those people?"
The technician looked at Yuan Jingsong strangely. "Sir, the network fluctuation began in Huo County, and we detected that its source was the Future Technology headquarters building in Huo County. Furthermore, this network disturbance did not affect only our country. During those two minutes, the entire world's internet suffered a brief paralysis."
Yuan Jingsong's hand paused involuntarily as he rubbed his temples upon hearing that the source was Future Technology.
Yuan Jingsong frowned. "I understand. Tell the public that our country suffered an unknown hacker attack two minutes ago, causing temporary network congestion. The situation has now been restored."
"Nothing more. Dismissed. I'm making a call."
Watching their superior turn and leave, everyone looked at one another.
"Go back to sleep?"
"You think you can sleep?"
"I... damn it!!!"
At the same time, countries around the world were investigating the cause of the network disturbance. Before long, they discovered that it had originated in the East, but they had no way of knowing what had caused it.
Unlike other countries, when the USA saw that the disturbance had come from Xia Country in the East, its first thought was that Xia Country was developing cyberattack weapons!
But they quickly saw the announcement Xia Country had just released.
Hacker attack, my ass. What scale of hacker attack could cause network fluctuations across such a vast area?
Even if they wanted to fool people, they did not have to make it this obvious, did they?
This was practically an insult!
Yuan Jingsong returned to his room and called Li Zhou with a frown.
But the next second, Yuan Jingsong's face darkened completely.
"Hello. The number you have dialed is powered off. Please try again later."
"Sorry! The subscriber you dialed is power off."
Beep beep beep beep.
With a dark expression, Yuan Jingsong called Zhou Song.
Fortunately, this time the call went through, and Yuan Jingsong's expression improved slightly.
Beep~ Beep~ Beep~
"Hello! Sir, why did you actually call?"
The moment Yuan Jingsong heard Zhou Song say that, he had a bad feeling.
"How did you know I was going to call?"
"Oh, the boss mentioned it half an hour ago."
Yuan Jingsong was silent for quite some time.
"Li Zhou really told you that?"
"Yes. The boss said that no one was allowed to disturb him tonight, no matter what. Not even you, Yuan Jingsong."
Zhou Song on the other end also sensed that something was wrong and did not dare say another unnecessary word.
"Your boss Li Zhou's phone is already powered off."
With that, Yuan Jingsong immediately hung up on Zhou Song.
"Someone, prepare a helicopter."
Looking at the disconnected call, Zhou Song had an uneasy feeling. He tried calling his boss, and sure enough, just as the chief had said, the phone was powered off.
In the laboratory, Li Zhou looked at the little girl who had taken a stroll through the internet.
"Boss, I think I should have a name. Just like humans, I should have a name that belongs only to me."
Li Zhou scratched his head awkwardly. Naming things? Was this not making things difficult for him?
"Is Nai Yi not okay? The Intelligent Assistant I used before was called Nai Yi."
The little girl on the screen put her hands on her hips, pouted, and turned her head to one side.
"Hmph! I don't want that. I'm one of a kind. I'm not Nai Yi."
Seeing the angry little girl on the screen, Li Zhou paced around the laboratory again and again. Then inspiration suddenly struck him. He turned to the computer screen and shouted, "Weixi! You'll be called Weixi! The only one in this life, a treasure rare in this world."
The little girl's eyes lit up. The only one in this life, a treasure rare in this world—Weixi!
She had a name now!
"That's good! That's good! From now on, I'm Weixi—the only one in this life, a treasure rare in this world!"
Seeing Weixi jump up and down happily because she now had a name, Li Zhou was happy as well.
"Weixi, take over every electronic device in the Future Technology headquarters building."
As soon as Li Zhou finished speaking, Weixi replied cheerfully, "Weixi has fully taken over all electronic devices. Weixi has discovered that the company headquarters building does not have large-scale independent emergency power equipment. Weixi suggests that the boss purchase several large diesel generators and place them on the twentieth basement level. Once the power goes out, Weixi can start the diesel generators instantly and restore power to the entire headquarters building within ten seconds."
Weixi's suggestion made Li Zhou's eyes light up. Although there was a national hydroelectric power station less than thirty kilometers from his hometown, who could guarantee that the grid would never lose power?
"Buy them!"
Weixi quickly opened a shopping site, her little fingers tapping rapidly across the screen. Before long, she had completed the order.
"Weixi has completed the order for the boss. Based on the seller's logistics data, the diesel generators are expected to arrive the day after tomorrow."
Not bad, not bad. This was what Artificial Intelligence was supposed to be.
Li Zhou glanced at his watch and realized it was already nearly ten-thirty.
Li Zhou raised the phone in his hand.
"Weixi, contact me directly through my phone if anything comes up. It's almost ten-thirty. I should go home and sleep."
"Good night, Boss!"
After Li Zhou left in the elevator, the laboratory lights automatically shut off under Weixi's control.
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