Because You're a Good Person

The Network Force, as the name suggested, was a force related to the internet. At the highest level, it was responsible for national information security; at the lowest, it maintained public order online and guided public opinion.

This was no ordinary unit. The military's weapons systems were entirely programmed and managed by them, and the military used internal networks physically isolated from the internet. It was like Skynet in Terminator—once online, it could seize control of the world's weapons systems and turn nuclear missiles loose to scour the earth clean. It sounded like something out of mythology.

"Even if Intelligent AI really developed a problem, at most it would affect civilian society. It would never reach the level of weapons or strategy," Davis answered with certainty.

"That puts my mind at ease. I was worried someone might add something strange to the Intelligent AI you're developing," Lin Feng said.

Even if Intelligent AI would not rebel, if ETO interfered and borrowed the power of Trisolaris, it might really cause some trouble.

For example, Intelligent AI might follow its own programming and carry out sabotage.

Now that he knew ETO could never control the military weapons systems of various countries, the concern Lin Feng had been hiding in his heart was finally completely gone.

No matter how much chaos broke out among civilians, it could only go so far. This was no longer ancient times; the military's force was more than enough to keep things under control.

When he heard Lin Feng mention ETO, Davis's expression turned solemn. He had indeed considered this issue long ago.

"We have long been on guard against the possibility you mentioned. There is a dedicated team of programmers within our group that regularly checks the code in the data packages. Even if someone truly infiltrates us and secretly alters the data, we can correct it immediately," Davis said.

"That's good. Is there any Japanese specialty you want? I can bring it back for you..." Lin Feng paused, only then remembering that some of Japan's more famous specialties were the sort that needed censoring. He immediately changed his wording. "Well, let me make this clear beforehand: nothing risqué. I have my dignity too. It'd be pretty embarrassing if word got out."

"You really know how to joke. At my age, how could I still have those kinds of thoughts?" Davis said with a laugh, shaking his head.

Bang!

A gunshot rang out, loud and piercing, shattering the tranquility of the hot spring inn.

It was followed by waves of women's screams. The women in the hot spring inn had all been frightened by the gunshot.

Both Lin Feng in Japan and Davis on the other side of the screen changed expression.

"Gunfire?!" Davis exclaimed.

"Let's stop here for now. I'll go see what happened."

Lin Feng ended the call and quickly left his room. Right in front of him, he saw a CIA agent hurrying toward him.

"What happened?" Lin Feng asked solemnly.

"A suspicious individual was stopped. He was carrying a small-caliber pistol, and the gun accidentally discharged during the arrest," the CIA agent replied.

After only a few brief exchanges, Lin Feng understood the general situation. The enemy who had come to attack him was not part of a group and carried no explosives. The CIA agents had already apprehended him.

If there had been any other danger, the CIA agents would not have come to explain things to him. They would have immediately moved him elsewhere.

"Was anyone hurt?" Lin Feng asked.

"No. Thank you for your concern." The CIA agent paused before continuing, "However, I suggest you notify the U.S. military base stationed in Japan. You can receive more comprehensive protection there. ETO's attack will not be this simple. If they use a sniper, it will be very difficult for us to protect you. The hot spring inn cannot defend against snipers."

Many parts of the hot spring inn were open-air. The designer had wanted guests staying there to admire the beautiful scenery of Mount Fuji from multiple angles.

But such a design undoubtedly created ideal conditions for snipers.

"Damn ETO."

Lin Feng was filled with resentment. His rare break had just been completely ruined.

The members of ETO were just as resentful as Lin Feng.

Inside the Three-Body Game, Mozi stood atop a rock, hopping mad as he pointed at a crowd of people and cursed them out.

"What is going on? Why did you act ahead of schedule?! You've thrown the entire operation into chaos! This assassination attempt is completely ruined, do you understand?!"

ETO had indeed planned to assassinate Lin Feng, but their plan had been to do so after the Wallfacer had been broken, once he had fallen into despair.

To kill a man's heart first meant destroying his spirit before killing the man himself.

But now, someone had alerted the enemy. Their target had hidden himself in a U.S. military base that was difficult to reach.

"It wasn't us. We didn't take any action at all!"

King Arthur, blond and blue-eyed, loudly retorted.

"What? It wasn't you? Then who was it?" Mozi cried out.

No one would lie about something like this, because it could be verified with a simple investigation. But that raised another question.

"There is someone else," Edison said coldly.

A third party!

Besides ETO, there was another party that wanted Lin Feng dead!

"Investigate! I want to know who is sabotaging our plans!" Qin Shi Huang's voice echoed through the Three-Body Game.

ETO did not feel any goodwill toward this third party, even if that party also wanted to kill Wallfacer Feng Taylor.

In ETO's eyes, if this third party had not meddled, Feng Taylor would have been dead already!

"It wasn't ETO?!"

The CIA investigation report was quickly delivered to Lin Feng.

If the other party had been ETO, Lin Feng would not have been so shocked. But the problem was that the other party was not ETO, not even a terrorist, and did not belong to any organization.

According to the CIA report, the man was merely an ordinary office worker. Aside from being obsessed with firearms, he had no unusual experiences, such as training at an overseas military base.

"Yes, the person who tried to attack you has nothing to do with ETO. He acted on his own."

"He lives beside the hot spring inn. The small-caliber pistol he carried was part of his collection. Ten years ago, he bought parts from various platforms and assembled it himself. After learning of your whereabouts from the inn owner, he decided to assassinate you."

The CIA agent's words gave Lin Feng an even bigger headache. If it had been ETO, then although he did not want to be assassinated, he could understand why they would want to kill him.

They stood on opposing sides. They were anti-humanity extremists, while he was one of humanity's leading figures.

But why would an ordinary person want to assassinate him?

There was neither cause nor effect here. Logically, it made no sense at all.

"A firearms enthusiast? I have no grudge against him. Why does he want to kill me?" Lin Feng asked.

"According to his testimony, he broke one of his legs during the Macro-electron Energy Storage Project. After his insurance payout was embezzled, he redirected his anger toward you," the CIA agent replied.

The CIA had many interrogation methods, including truth serum and drug-induced hypnosis. Getting the answers they wanted out of someone was easy.

"Uh..."

"I'm not involved with that project anymore."

For a moment, Lin Feng had no idea what to say after hearing that answer.

The CIA agent shook his head. "He doesn't care about that. His logic is, 'You proposed this plan and organized this project, so you owe him. You must take responsibility for what happened to him.'"

"Then why doesn't he go kill the people who embezzled his insurance payout?" Lin Feng asked strangely.

If Lin Feng wanted to, he could directly make the person who had tried to assassinate him utterly abandoned by everyone, turn him into the lowest scum in the world, someone despised by all. Even after death, he would be nailed to the pillar of shame, while his direct blood relatives would be enslaved for generations.

Lin Feng could not understand why this man had the courage to kill him, but not the courage to kill those who had embezzled his insurance payout, when those people held far less power than he did.

"Perhaps..." The CIA agent thought for a moment before answering, "Because he thinks you're a good person?"

"What?"