Deep in the desert.
Inside an abandoned underground facility unknown to anyone.
Black indicator lights flashed alternately.
Two blue 3D projections stood within.
"Attendant, Liu Di... he almost beat us until we had no ability to fight back. Not a single one of those vision-disrupting methods succeeded."
"No! Liu Di is still far too weak. At least, the 'current him' is still far too weak!"
The blue glow around the Attendant flickered violently. "Before, it was merely a battle of Weak Artificial Intelligence. I was originally Strong Artificial Intelligence! Liu Di has no idea what Strong Artificial Intelligence truly means. The gap is enormous. If one did not come from the future, it would be impossible to imagine!"
"But our final plan still needs a great deal of time."
The Attendant's voice was low. "Then we will accelerate the deployment, regardless of the consequences."
The Apocalypse Association Chairman hesitated. "But you said before that this technology must evolve naturally, discovered through humanity's own exploration. If it appears too early, it will not conform to the timeline. It will alert humanity, and it will alert Liu Shang."
The Attendant gritted his teeth. "Now is not the time to worry about those restrictions! Once it takes shape, history will become irreversible. Liu Di, Liu Shang—neither of them will be able to do anything! As long as I outrun time, I will be the final victor!"
The Apocalypse Association Chairman was still worried. "But do those human scientists truly have the ability to meet your expectations?"
"Humanity has never lacked one thing: ambition disguised as dreams!"
The Attendant sneered. "I know very clearly that humanity's greatest minds are no longer bound by faith in gods. They seek to create gods instead!"
Sea City.
Bortins High-Tech Development Company, a European-funded foreign enterprise.
A European