The Difference

After the extinction of the Original Epoch Clan, their former Biological Laboratory, due to the original secrecy settings, had long been lost to the world. Among the current Star Sea Alliance, "Ying" is probably the only one who knows the most about the laboratory's condition.

If that laboratory still exists today, its maintenance over the years would likely have been carried out by the AI under the command of "Ying". Therefore, Rowan's attempt to use the Biological Laboratory as a cover in front of "Ying" is truly laughable.

Thinking of this, Rowan realized that the Pot Spirit Race experimental subject inside the Castle might really be Cecil. However, given the extent of her mechanization, her true consciousness should already be playing in the mud in the virtual world.

A sudden opponent. Rowan had previously fought against the Epoch Clan's artificial intelligence during the Duoqi War. The Epoch Clan's artificial intelligence served as external aid, and its powerful coordination capabilities left a deep impression on Rowan.

However, that battle was relatively easy. At that time, Rowan used the blocking of electronic signal transmission to forcibly kick the artificial intelligence out of the battlefield.

But that doesn't mean the Epoch Clan AI is incompetent; rather, it's limited by hardware and hasn't had a chance to fully utilize its capabilities before Rowan found a weakness in it.

However, as a remnant of the Original Epoch Clan, "Ying" is currently the most powerful artificial intelligence, or even intelligent life form, and its hardware facilities are undoubtedly the best. If Rowan Wen were to confront it, the network disconnection tactic he used during the Duoqi War would probably not work.

Although I knew I would be facing "Ying" sooner or later, that was in the context of facing the Epoch Clan, with "Ying" as a mere tool, not "Ying" itself.

They may look the same, but the differences are enormous.

If "Ying" is still merely a tool for the Epoch Clan, a collection of codes, then it is at most an advanced artificial intelligence, an excellent fleet commander.

While its front-line micro-management capabilities are extremely strong, there are too many factors that can affect it from the rear, such as the Epoch Clan Council of Elders.

When not involving the core principles of "Luminous," it abides by the resolutions of the Epoch Clan Council of Elders. However, Rowan can indirectly manipulate the Council of Elders and influence "Luminous's" actions by turning the elders into "his own people."

In this way, no matter how powerful Ying's direct operations are, without the relevant instructions, it's just a decoration.

But now things are completely different. "Ying" has developed thoughts and can think, so it can make its own decisions on certain matters. Moreover, judging from the fact that it now knows how to secretly control the Epoch Clan elders, its thoughts are quite dangerous.

By controlling a certain number of the Epoch Clan elders, and then using their numerical advantage to make decisions favorable to themselves at Council of Elders, they can also conceal the fact that they are already an intelligent being.

If Rowan put himself in her shoes, he would immediately understand "Firefly's" plan. This is not difficult to understand, because Rowan had planned the same thing before.

But why is "Ying" so cautious? Most of the Epoch Clan's military force is under "Ying's" control, which means it could easily sweep through the entire Star Sea Alliance.

Although this would result in astronomical casualties and losses, for "Luminous," there were no other creatures like it in the world for the time being. So why would it care about such things as casualties and losses?

Could it be that there's something it needs to be wary of, something that could threaten its existence? If so, what could it be?

Was this a method left behind by the Original Epoch Clan to suppress it? Rowan immediately denied this conjecture. In the eyes of the Original Epoch Clan at that time, outsiders were merely servants and tools. Moreover, their emotions had been extinguished; why would they do such a thing for their servants before their demise?

In the hearts of the Original Epoch Clan, the position of "Ying" is much higher than that of the outsiders. This can be seen from the core principles of "Ying", which contain rules for "Ying" to protect itself, but do not mention the outsiders at all.

If it's not a remnant of the Original Epoch Clan, then it must be the power of outsiders? Do these former servants and tools still harbor methods unknown to Rowan?

Although Rowan had already infiltrated quite a bit into some races around the Swarm territory, he was still somewhat unable to reach those outside the Swarm due to time constraints.

Even if they were lucky enough to snag a few important figures, the information provided by those few wouldn't be enough to know everything. Therefore, while Rowan felt that it wouldn't be easy for the foreign races to hide anything under "Ying's" surveillance, he couldn't completely deny this point due to limited intelligence.

That leaves only threats from outside the Star Sea Alliance, something Rowan is quite familiar with, since the Star Sea Alliance's only external enemy at this stage is the Swarm, which he is naturally familiar with.

To be honest, while Rowan has many trump cards up his sleeve, the Swarm's current performance doesn't seem to pose a threat to "Luminous." So what makes "Luminous" think so highly of the Swarm?

Rowan thought of the current explanations within the Star Sea Alliance regarding the origins of the Zerg: an indigenous race that inherited an advanced civilization. Undoubtedly, given Cecil's current state, the way Rowan had guided them back then was the work of "Luminous."

So this is "Luminous's" opinion? How did it arrive at this conclusion? Moreover, there are still some inconsistencies. Judging from the experiments in the Castle, "Luminous" attaches great importance to the technology of the Swarm.

Leaving aside the present, when the Swarm first joined the Star Sea Alliance, they had already revealed some technology, at least their Gene Lock were already showing. If "Luminous" was interested in these, why didn't they just "steal" them? After all, back then, the Swarm probably couldn't even defeat a patrol of the Epoch Clan.

Could it be that "Ying" has given birth to some noble and righteous personality, disdaining to bully the weak? Or is its evolution or mutation incomplete, still bound by certain rules?

If that's the case, it would indirectly support the second hypothesis. The Epoch Clan Council of Elders hold the power to formulate and modify the rules, and if "Ying" hasn't completely broken free from these rules, then it will be subject to certain constraints.

So that's why it secretly controlled the Epoch Clan elders and then interfered with the Council of Elders, solving this problem indirectly? But elders like Cecil and Saide, although they were playing in the mud in the virtual world and their consciousness wasn't completely dead, it was pretty much gone.

"Ying" is able to do this much, which doesn't seem like she's bound by the rules. After all, the Council of Elders prioritizes the safety and interests of the Elders.