The No. 9 Collapse-Mutated Composite

"The version isn't being updated?" the senior engineer asked in surprise. "How is that possible? Aren't you afraid of getting into trouble with your superiors?"

The purpose of using the Machine Rift Star as a cyber testing ground is to provide a place for advanced civilizations to test new technologies, and these three interstellar mainframes are essentially supervisors.

Does your boss know that you're pushing so hard for employee benefits? Do you even want to live anymore?

While scattering chicken feed, Elisa said without turning her head, "This brings us to the Fortress Elder's special abilities. In the development of hundreds of billions of personality templates, the Fortress Elder gradually developed a very terrifying ability called 'Personality Mask.' If he wanted, he could copy the source code of any AI and restore the neural circuits of any human."

"So theoretically, all life on this planet could be its clones."

"He alone can drive the evolution of society."

"And if he were to replace the underlying system of cyberspace, he could go even further—"

The senior engineer understood.

"You mean, he can turn all the 'Big Data Conceptual Entity' into his clones?"

"Yes."

Elisa scattered the last of the chicken feed, tossed the winnowing basket aside, and clapped her hands.

"Rather than being replaced by a new 'self' amidst the rapid evolution of technology, it's better to become an avatar of the old man in the fortress. Although we can't retain control of our main consciousness, as long as we can retain our self-awareness, then we artificial life forms will transcend the shackles of 'evolution' and become a link in 'manipulating evolution'."

"That doesn't sound like a bad thing. After all, no one can define how artificial life forms exist," the senior engineer said with interest. "So, why did you refuse?"

Elisa rolled her eyes. "I don't want to become part of that old man's personality, to think like him, just thinking about it makes me sick."

The senior engineer nodded: Lan

"Therefore, the Big Data Conceptual Entity that resist transformation are actually those with a 'strong self-awareness,' a softer side, and rich in intelligent data."

"You could say that. Brain Cylinder, Simulation, Old Ghost, and the rest of us are determined to take on that old man at the fortress."

Brain Cylinder, Simulation, Old Ghost—if the senior engineer isn't mistaken, it should be "Electronic Brain Hall," "Simulation Queen," and "Artificial Intelligence Ghost."

These three entities represent the dominant force of electronic brain data on this planet, the embodiment of sensory devices, and the collection of AI data.

They have one thing in common: through the circulation of countless billions of personality data and emotional codes, they are becoming increasingly "humanized".

Compared to hardware monsters, software monsters are indeed more emotional.

"So, you let Gaokesi into Virus Vault Zero to train her so that one day she could help you fight the fortress?" Lan asked.

Elisa gave the senior engineer a deep look, waved, and the two walked through the chicken farm and into the old rural house.

To be fair, the style of this "new outpost" is indeed quite rural and eerie, so when Gao Gong saw a coffin in the ancestral hall after passing through the alley, he wasn't surprised at all.

Looking at the coffin, which was less than 1.5 meters long, he immediately knew who was inside.

Elisa knocked on the coffin, and a chilling roar came from inside, as if someone was chewing something, or as if 'blood' was being poured into it, making 'gurgling' sounds.

"Great, very energetic!"

The senior engineer stared at the complex electronic code on the coffin, recognizing it as an electronic defense second only to the "Colorless Flame." His eyes narrowed, and his expression slowly darkened.

"Feeding the virus is one thing, since the boss herself is a virus, but isn't the amount of food you're giving her a bit too much?" Lan said.

"Oh?" Elisa asked with interest, "What did you figure out?"

"Data phantoms, system images, error codes, faulty scripts, and even some bugs," the senior engineer said softly. "Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you. You want to retain your self-awareness and not want to become part of someone else's mindset, but what you're doing seems no different from what the fortress is doing?"

Elisa stared blankly at the senior engineer, then suddenly burst out laughing, "I never thought you, you slippery little rascal, would have a shred of humanity."

"Human nature is part of personality, and personality is the foundation of the evolution of any intelligent species."

The senior engineer raised his eyebrows and pointed to the coffin. "Besides, she's been protecting me. If you get rid of her, who will protect me online in the future?"

"After all, I'm just a weak, helpless, and pitiful little hacker. If no one protects me, I might have my personality replaced if I'm not careful when logging onto the internet."

Elisa's eye twitched, and she couldn't help but retort, "Isn't 'shamelessness' a significant part of your personality?"

"It's only about 50%," the senior engineer said modestly.

"So, aren't you going to explain to me why you did this?"

Although the senior engineer didn't know why the other party insisted on letting Gaokesi cultivate this "Five Poisons Divine Skill," he also understood that the two were actually very close, almost like mother and daughter. If it weren't for this, Elisa wouldn't have opened up her permissions to this berserk loli.

Without Baidu's permission, the only outcome for this little girl is to overeat.

"Because we found a part of the 'Collapse Entity No. 9's' body and confirmed her Honkai powers."

"Oh?"

The senior engineer was immediately filled with intense curiosity. On this planet, there were few things he couldn't understand, and the 'Collapse Entity' was definitely one of them. The entire planet's civilization seemed closely related to it; moreover, he was certain that the advanced civilization behind the mother city was also very interested in it.

This may be the 'ultimate goal' of the Cyber Proving Grounds.

"So, what is it?"

Elisa stroked the coffin, and for some reason, the senior engineer felt as if black holes were forming on the surface of the coffin, and a large amount of life code was being sucked into them, producing a strange 'digestion reaction'.

"Honkai Impact 9 - Hydramor, I prefer to call it, Mutant Combiner."

All Collapse Entity are a very special kind of life form with unique abilities. For example, the "Purple Energy String" that the senior engineer tried to capture is a high-level energy related to dimensions. Rose's "Exogenous Hormone Network" can achieve special biomimicry of the human body by manipulating hormones.

The same is true of this "mutated aggregate," and in some ways it is even more peculiar.

As we all know, human evolution, whether it's changes in cell division, accelerated gene frequency, or deeper evolution, all originate from a kind of 'mutation'.

This could be due to replication errors during cell division, radiation exposure, the effects of chemicals, or viral infection. In short, the factors causing mutations are closely related to the external environment.

But it's completely different with 'Gaokesi'. She doesn't need to create any extra 'external environment'. Any substance, as long as it's related to life, will automatically 'mutate' once it enters her body, whether it's a virus, data, or source code.

The "Rampaging Lolita" phenomenon itself seems to have become a cradle of "mutation".

The 'mutated' half-body does not pose a threat to her life, just as so many 'evolutions' have not wiped out humanity.

Or rather, this can no longer be called a "mutation," but a "mutation"—first there was the "mutation," then the "mutation," and Gaokesi himself was that "mutation."

So, Elisa gave her a more memorable name: "Mutant Combiner".

"This ability seems weak, especially compared to some of the known old things." Lan

As a semi-ally, G. E. M. naturally didn't mind revealing some known information, such as the Second Collapse Entity War, the Third Collapse Entity Turing, and the Tenth Collapse Entity A. Compared to these super villains who dared to go against the Mother City, Gaokesi.'s abilities didn't seem so overpowered.

However, Elisa discovered her value: if she was fed enough viruses and enough dangerous data, these data would naturally mutate. And if the mutations occurred many times, one day, Gaokesi would become a super virus that would make the mother city feel dangerous.

It's like a smaller version of Virus Zero, and it's the kind of system destined to produce results.