Reverse Tracking: Paintbrush's Panic

[...Understood.] "Paintbrush" suppressed all "irrational" calculations and began deploying traps at full force.

It redefined that "marker" that had unsettled it, transforming it from a threat to be eliminated into "bait."

However, it did not know—

Almost at the same moment it received the new directive, the core of the New Era Network's Concept Furnace, Lin Ye's lips curved into a cold smile.

"So it really took the bait, and even received a more 'advanced' directive?" It was as if he could peer through that logical fragment and glimpse faint ripples on the other side of a distant dimension.

"They are not unified within. 'Paintbrush' itself is also being 'weaponized' by a higher will. That gives us an opportunity."

He looked toward the Prototype and communicated through his thoughts. Light flowed across the Prototype as it began extracting subtler information from the fragment—"logical habits," "energy preferences," and even a faint "operational rhythm."

"Xuxi, Harmonic Rhythm, core mirror of the Many-Faced Shapeshifter Tribe." Lin Ye called out assignments. "Use this fragment as a template to create something."

"What kind of thing?"

"A perfect 'logic virus.' But it will not destroy or alter anything. It will only do one thing—amplify and manifest 'contradictions.'"

A dangerous, intelligent light flickered in Lin Ye's eyes.

"It must be able to detect and magnify the conflict within Paintbrush's own logic, between 'instrumental rationality' and its 'self-preservation instinct'; magnify its latent dissatisfaction with 'sacrifice directives'; and even... attempt to weakly resonate with whatever potential for 'adaptive evolution' it may still possess."

"This virus itself will be a supreme set of 'contradictory data.' It will be poison to Paintbrush, but to the Archivist's deeper will, which craves observing contradictions, it will be an irresistible feast."

Everyone drew a sharp breath. The plan was utterly mad, yet exquisitely ingenious.