Suzi's Declaration

Starting with Mechanical Hunter, Chapter 322: Motoko's Declaration: "This is our investigation report on the radiation layer."

In front of the six ministers, there was now an additional electronic document.

The senior engineer glanced through the report; it wasn't complicated, and the key point was just one sentence.

The oxygen content in the radiation layer has increased by 25% compared to three months ago.

"We estimate that this oxygen level will peak in about three months."

The ministers' expressions changed; they all knew what this meant.

"Bionic humans can have their respiratory systems replaced, and cyborgs can also have prosthetic implants inserted, but natural humans will become extinct."

"Oxygen-rich environments will stimulate a secondary evolution of 'radioactive plants.' Soon, all kinds of vegetation will overwhelm this planet, and 90% of human settlements will be lost."

"The ancient biological bloodline within the radiation beasts is awakening, and the radiation beasts, to be precise, the advanced radiation beasts will develop towards larger sizes and more ecological characteristics."

Agent J paused for a moment and said:

"This means that S-class is no longer the upper limit of this planet, and SS-class beast gods will appear on a large scale."

Even the clown minister was stunned.

"Is it too late to carry out a large-scale elimination of the radioactive beasts?"

"It's too late. The 'ancient genes' have already covered the entire ecosystem. Even if all the radioactive beasts are killed, there will still be vegetation and microorganisms."

Agent J teleported again, and another list appeared in front of the minister. This list contained the possible masterminds behind the "Palaeontological Crisis".

The number one item is 'war'.

The senior engineer also saw information about the "brain in a vat".

Both of them have the ability to create large-scale mutations, and both have mastered the technology of flesh-and-machine manipulation.

"What, Minister Gao, aren't you going to explain?" Minister Clown looked at Engineer Gao, his clown mask tilting slightly.

"I don't know, I don't understand, I don't know," the senior engineer immediately denied three times.

"Would you mind if we investigated Dugo Technologies?"

"For the sake of departmental interests and world peace, of course we don't mind!" the senior engineer said righteously. However, he changed the subject and said, "But Dugo Technologies is, after all, one of the two electronic brain contractors appointed by the mother city. If we want to investigate, we still need the approval of the mother city."

"Alright, stop arguing," the head of the prosthetics registration department stopped the two bickering, crushing the electronic file with his thick arm and frowning. "We all know that this thing is most likely the work of this old man! It's a pity that he's hiding in the sea of information; we can't find him at all."

"Even if we find it, it might not be his match. Don't forget, the fact that it could infiltrate the Advanced Information Layer means it has broken through the final barrier and become the fourth planetary host. More importantly," Misty glanced at the senior engineer, "It is still number two."

"In other words, even if we manage to defeat it with great effort, we cannot kill it, or even severely damage it," said the head of the Prosthetics Registry.

"Yes."

"Not necessarily," Gu Yitong suddenly interjected, looking at the senior engineer with a burning gaze. "Just because we can't take action doesn't mean that Minister Gao can't."

The struggle between Collapse Entity tacitly approved by this cyber test site; from the perspective of "cosmic relics," it is a process of fusion.

"I can fight war, if you can get it done," the senior engineer shrugged, seemingly unconcerned.

Given his current condition, he might not be able to defeat the enemy in a one-on-one battle.

Of course, most people probably won't fight him anyway, since he's going for a summoner build.

Soon, two more members of the "Joint Squad" came to report.

One report is about "virtual personalities," specifically manifested in the fact that many people have recently shown signs of a significant change in their personality.

The other report was about a large-scale plague, or rather, an insect plague, that had occurred in the android world.

The senior engineer listened silently.

Two of the three mother cities have run into problems, but the Sixth Division is not incompetent. In fact, every member here is an elite among elites. In just a few months of investigation, they have uncovered the "Memory Wave," "Paleontological Wave," "Personality Wave," and "Bionic Revolution" within the cyber wave.

It's almost halfway done.

And one by one, targeted arrangements were made as the meeting progressed.

To put it simply, without the "memory matrix" bug, these arrangements would likely have had a remarkable effect.

But now...

Araki understood this, so he chose to go it alone.

The senior engineer understood this even better, so he chose to remain a bystander.

The meeting ended quickly.

Every minister looked very serious.

The results of the investigation were completely unexpected.

Especially the last member of the investigation team, he only said one sentence and then silently logged off. Throughout the whole process, the senior engineer didn't even get a clear look at his face.

"The 'Zero' that caused the 'Avalanche' is hidden inside the fortress," the member paused, then said, "Also, the fortress is fake; the real fortress is sealed inside the planet's mainframe."

This news is even more explosive than the previous ones. The former only indicated that there was a problem with the experiment at the Cyber Test Site, while the latter means that the planet's mainframe has encountered a problem.

If the planet's mainframe malfunctions, how can the experiment continue?!

"Should we report to the Sovereign?" Gu Yitong looked around. "Let's vote."

Four votes in favor, one vote against, and one abstention.

The opposition came from the newly appointed machine prophet, who offered no reason whatsoever.

The senior engineer abstained, and his reason was quite simple: the "Overlord" seemed to be the superior of the "Planet Host". If it took action, would it forcibly change the plot?

This is what he is worried about.

Currently, the fortress is in a state of being neither friend nor foe, colluding with the Cloud Nobles and frequently releasing that golden Honkai man to bite people. According to the plot of the previous life, it is a standard "traitor to the world".

Killing him seems like a good thing.

After hesitating for a moment, he chose to abstain.

The meeting ended, and one by one, the ministers disappeared.

In the end, only Gao Gong and Gu Yitong remained.

The senior engineer was stopped by the other party.

Gu Yitong was silent for a moment, then said:

"I think I understand why you didn't meet with me in private, and I also understand why Aramaki faked his death."

The senior engineer nodded. In this state, Gu Yitong was most likely able to "see" the memory worm.

I just don't know whether it's him speaking now, or the memory worm.

"After I forget myself, a new head of the Memory Supervision Department will take office."

Senior Engineer Yang Mei:

"What do you mean? You want to commit suicide?"

"You could call it suicide. If I'm dead, then I'm still the one speaking now. If I'm not dead—"

"The one speaking is someone else," the senior engineer added.

Gu Yitong grinned, seemingly wanting to say something, before finally uttering a single sentence.

"You may not trust the new head of the Memory Oversight Department, but you can trust Agent J."

A day later, the senior engineer sat in his private ministerial office, staring at the data on the joint operations team.

He discovered that having the power of a minister might allow him to do more.

Completely stopping the cyber tide is impossible, but limiting its scale seems possible.

The Memory Mother awakened in the later stages of the Cyber Tide. If the scale of the Cyber Tide can be compressed, could its awakening time be delayed?

"Minister, Captain Motoko is here."

"Yes, please let her in."

At this moment, the senior engineer was using his authority as the minister to browse through the information of each member: Agent J, Supercomputer Type 8, Desperate Situation, Ghost, and so on. Each of them was a well-known figure in the six departments, and their strength was no less than that of Motoko Yagami.

But when you turn to the last page, it's blank.

It was this "blank member" who reported the fortress incident to several ministers.

The joint team is responsible only to the minister and has the same authority to decide what to report to the minister and what not to report to the minister.

The identity of this last member was what they believed should not be reported to the minister.

"Minister," said Motoko Yagami.

"Sit."

Motoko Yagami shook her head. "You were looking for me?"

"I want you to investigate something," the senior engineer paused, looking into the other person's calm eyes, and said, "It's related to monsters in the starry sky."

Upon hearing what the senior engineer said, Motoko Yagami immediately became interested.

"Whom does the minister want me to investigate?"

"Member of Skull and Bones."

"Those radical startups?" Motoko Yagami had some impression of them.

"Hmm, investigate their latest research; you might find something unexpected."

"Minister, are you sure?"

"Certainly."

The reason the senior engineer was so certain was because in the previous life's storyline, members of the Skull and Bones Society developed many information weapons based on the 'Memory Worm'.

They didn't have panels, let alone blueprints, so this research must have been going on in secret for some time.

"I see."

"There's one more thing," the senior engineer smiled and waved. He called over two beautiful female gamers from the doorway. The cute little beauty was PP's boss, and the flirtatious one was like Pan Jinlian. That was Sister Ji.

"These two will be working for you from now on. Just give them any tasks you like."

"I don't understand," Motoko Yagami frowned.

"You'll understand later. Having these two people around can play an unexpected role at certain crucial moments," the senior engineer said meaningfully.

Motoko Yagami remained silent for a moment, then nodded reluctantly.

After calling the player out, the senior engineer said, "I have to go out for a while and may not be back in the department for a month. Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Motoko Yagami had long acknowledged the high-ranking engineer's abilities, and after numerous investigations, she vaguely understood Aramaki's good intentions. After a moment's hesitation, she revealed her true feelings to him for the first time, saying:

"Minister Aramaki probably thinks that some things get worse the more people are involved, and as for you, Minister, you're even more heartless."

"But in my view, it is enough to solve a problem if we can solve it, and to delay it as long as we can, even if it is all in vain and the outcome is destined to be destruction. As long as our personal will can be elevated in the process, that is enough."