In the Ancient Star Desert, at a certain secret base.
In the spacious factory filled with machinery, countless robotic arms are working day and night, and teams of mechanical assistants are busy like factory workers. Countless production lines are constantly producing various mechanical products with a rigorous and smooth process.
Manison sat cross-legged, suspended in mid-air above the factory, eyes closed in meditation. Circling golden arcs of electricity, like tiny snakes, danced across his body. His brain raced as he focused intently on honing his computational skills—a daily routine for most virtual mechanics.
Just as I was swimming in the ocean of data, a firewall alarm suddenly sounded from the link between consciousness and the Quantum Network Vision, echoing in my mind with a deafening roar!
"Warning! Warning! Abnormal data Detection, penetrating the database firewall!"
Manison suddenly opened his eyes, his engrossed workout abruptly interrupted.
"Someone has hacked my database?"
Manison frowned, and Han Xiao's image subconsciously flashed into his mind.
The last time someone did this was many years ago. Could it be that scoundrel Black Star this time?
Although we're all on the same side now, Manison has always harbored the most malicious suspicions about Black Star. Don't ask, it's just PTSD.
His mind suddenly plunged into the Quantum Network Vision, and along the quantum network nodes, he instantly jumped to the location of the compromised firewall. The next moment, his vision changed drastically, and he found himself in a virtual world constructed from data streams.
Before him lay a thick array of firewalls, like layers upon layers of semi-transparent protective shields, with countless pulsating data bytes flowing across its surface... It was these things that protected his virtual intelligent hub and multiple databases, making them invisible within the wide-area quantum network, preventing ordinary people from finding their paths and searching them.
An adversary capable of discovering a path to invade is either Beyond Grade A mechanic, or the main AI of an advanced civilization or a large power; in any case, they are not friendly.
At this moment, a large, slightly glowing, deep purple mass of data was clinging to the surface of the firewall, like a slime, constantly wriggling and tumbling, thus eroding the firewall, with large patches of purple spreading outwards. From a microscopic perspective, one could see that at the point of contact between the two, their respective basic data bytes were fiercely battling each other, while the firewall's torn basic bytes were reassembled into the shape of the other party's bytes, assimilated and devoured by this abnormal data mass, causing the scale of the abnormal data's computation to slowly grow.
Inside the firewall, a stream of data surged from the ground, coalescing into the shape of Manison's Virtual Soul. He squinted at this scene, stretched out his hand, and grabbed a mass of data. The two ends continued to extend, and the whole thing became slender, transforming into the shape of a scepter, which Manison held in his hand.
He tapped his scepter, and streams of data surged from the ground, their texture like mud. They were quickly molded by an invisible force into a fully armored legion of AI guards, which arrayed behind him.
"Dare to invade my territory? Don't you have the guts to show yourself?" After completing the battle preparations, Manison finally spoke expressionlessly.
As soon as she finished speaking, Mornisa's virtual figure materialized outside the firewall, looking at Manison who was protected by the firewall, and said calmly:
"It's nice to see you again, teacher!"
"So it was you." Manison's eyes narrowed. "What, still not giving up?"
Mornisa once attempted to secretly steal his technical data because she had access to some hidden routes and thus harbored ambitions. However, Mornisa's skills were insufficient at the time, and she failed. He discovered her scheme and gave her a severe beating. Mornisa, Mornesa joined the Federation of Light, and the matter was dropped.
Over the years, Manison had taught many mechanics, among whom Mornisa was exceptionally talented. After Mornisa advanced to Beyond Grade A, he originally intended to support her in establishing her own firm, forming an alliance, and indirectly expanding his own power. Unfortunately, Mornisa turned on him, and this plan fell through, turning their teacher-student relationship into a colleague relationship.
Although their relationship was strained, they didn't immediately become enemies. On the contrary, they maintained a certain degree of intelligence cooperation, each getting what they needed. Mornisa would occasionally reveal some less crucial inside information to Manison, which Manison saw as a way of currying favor and keeping him in check.
He understood this student's personality fairly well; once he set his sights on a goal, he wouldn't give up easily and would try every means to achieve it. He wouldn't simply give up on stealing his technical information.
Therefore, today's sudden invasion by Mornisa felt somewhat unexpected yet also somewhat reasonable to Manison.
Upon hearing this, Mornisa let out a cold laugh.
"Teacher, things are different now. The rise of Black Star has taken away the faith of the Mechanic Faith. You are no longer the unparalleled Mechanic Emperor you were decades ago."
Upon hearing Black Star's name, Manison scoffed inwardly, offering no rebuttal, and said calmly, "Even so, beating you is still very easy."
"I'm not so overconfident that I think I can take on you one-on-one..." Mornisa gave a sarcastic smile, "But this time I have help!"
As soon as he finished speaking, several other directions suddenly unleashed a surge of abnormal data, crashing against the firewall. A large number of data bytes were shattered, and several other Beyond Grade A mechanics appeared alongside them.
With the support of the computing power of the Three Universal Civilizations ' main intelligence units, the group's speed in cracking the firewall was dramatically increased. One by one, the defense modules collapsed, and the firewalls were riddled with holes.
In an instant, he was surrounded!
Manison's expression changed slightly. These people were all direct descendants of the Three Universal Civilizations, and this was clearly a joint operation by the three parties.
Dealing with the intrusion of several Beyond Grade A mechanics was already somewhat troublesome, but on top of that, the Three Universal Civilizations even allocated a portion of their respective AI's computing power to assist, undoubtedly making matters worse.
The primary intelligence of the Three Universal Civilizations is the most powerful intelligence in the entire universe. It has been improved and strengthened by generations of Beyond Grade A mechanics, and has even incorporated the memories, experience and part of the consciousness of these mechanics. It can be regarded as the most precious and strongest tool in the field of virtual technology. If it weren't for this foundation, the core databases of the Three Universal Civilizations would have been thoroughly compromised long ago.
However, most of the main AI's computing power is usually used to maintain the operation of civilization, so it remains unassuming. But if it concentrates all its computing power, its power is quite terrifying.
Now, with the three forces joining forces to invade, and several of his own Beyond Grade A mechanics assisting him, this kind of force is difficult for any individual to match. He may be powerful, but there are limits to his abilities.
Moreover, he had been badly beaten by Black Star and his abilities were no longer at their peak, leaving him feeling helpless and powerless.
"The Three Universal Civilizations really think highly of me," Manison said in a deep voice.
"What goes around comes around. Blame it on your past recklessness, always trying to steal secrets from the Federation of Light. The Glory has tolerated you for a long time, only holding back because you were once a staunch ally. This is a belated reckoning. I merely made a suggestion to the Three Universal Civilizations and gave them a push."
They want to eliminate the secrets you possess and obtain the intelligence you've gathered on various Ancient Star Desert... As for your technological advancements, they're just a side benefit to me."
Mornisa's tone was playful, tinged with schadenfreude.
Manison snorted coldly, knowing that further words were pointless, and struck with his scepter.
The next moment, the AI guard legion launched a massive attack to stop the group's invasion, while Finit also appeared with a large number of intelligent beings, joining the virtual attack and defense.
At the same time, beams of data suddenly shot out from the firewall, evaporating large chunks of intrusion data. The firewall array also began to change positions, like a formation, activating the data traps hidden within to block the enemy's data streams.
Because of the conflict with the Three Universal Civilizations caused by the previous Intelligence Plague incident, Manison took precautions by reinforcing the firewall and deploying numerous virtual technology measures in order to prevent the current situation.
"You're still the same as ever. But even if you made preparations beforehand, can you hold them off today?" Mornisa's eyes flashed.
You'll only know if you try.
Manison remained unmoved.
The opponent's intrusion was more powerful than expected. He had already used all available means, and he wasn't sure if he could stop it.
The data streams on both sides surged and churned in a fierce battle, with computing power operating at breakneck speed, constantly analyzing and cracking the opponent's various tactics. The amount of information per second was astronomical.
Combat in the virtual realm differs from the normal flow of time, depending on the individual's thought speed. With the thought speeds of the numerous Beyond Grade A beings present, each second here seems to have been multiplied countless times.
Faced with the overwhelming offensive of the Three Universal Civilizations, Manison gradually found himself stretched thin, the firewall was becoming increasingly thin, and holes were appearing one after another, leaving some of the peripheral low-level databases without protection.
The data probes of the Three Universal Civilizations were inserted through these holes, stirring up a storm inside, shooting out streams of AI hunters and data, continuing their advance deeper... The innermost confidential database was their primary target for this mission.
Despite the unfavorable situation, Manison remained unmoved, unaffected by his emotions, meticulously tightening his defenses and steadily and accurately blocking the enemy and clearing intruding data.
While manipulating the data stream in an attempt to break through Manison's data blockade, Mornisa repeatedly harassed him with mocking remarks:
"Teacher, your abilities have declined considerably. Without the boost from dominating the Mechanic Faith, you've fallen from your peak. It must be hard for you, right?"
"Why don't you ask Black Star for help? Black Star would probably be very generous in helping a defeated opponent like you... Hey, I almost forgot, we've blocked outside communications. By the time you successfully send out your distress message, we'll have already succeeded."
"Black Star has suffocated you, taking away what rightfully belongs to you time and time again. I never expected you to tolerate him like this. In the past, how could you have let it go so easily? You've definitely gotten older, and your courage has diminished. Could it be that Black Star has scared you out of your wits?"
The barrage of harassment, relentless and pointed, struck at the heart of Manison's grievances.
However, he remained unfazed, his computing power unaffected, and calmly spoke:
"... Are you done talking?"
Upon hearing this, Mornisa suddenly felt a sense of alarm, as if a blood-red "danger" character had appeared above her head.
Just as she was about to react, she saw a glint of light in Manison's eyes as he locked onto her from afar.
The next moment, a strange flow of data spread out.
Mornisa's vision blurred, and her Virtual Soul was pulled by an irresistible force into a silver data world filled with countless machines. A towering silver giant stood before her, an enlarged version of Manison.
Manison looked down, his gaze indifferent as if a god were surveying all living beings, and spoke softly, his voice echoing throughout the land:
"Are you ready to get beaten up?"
Mornisa remained expressionless, a playful glint in her eyes. "Since I dared to come against you, I was already prepared. Getting injured in return for your technical prowess is well worth it. Besides, your move is merely Supreme Virtual Reality; how long can it hold me captive?"
"Not long... but enough to beat you half to death! You wicked disciple!"
Manison suddenly bent down, and his fist slammed down in an instant, smashing Mornisa's Virtual Soul into a flat, round cake.
With a deafening roar, the earth shook violently!