While someone was trying to capture the unknown lifeforms in the Jing Mountains, Wang Shengzhi went to Stronghold 61's artificial intelligence research and development center situated 70 meters underground. He suddenly asked the black screen above his head, "Recently, I've received reports from the front line that a few of our fighting forces have been acting on their own. Do you know anything about that?"
The black screen quickly displayed an answer: "It's my responsibility to plan how the standby combat troops are deployed based on the real-time situation."
"Why haven't you mentioned it to me before?" Wang Shengzhi asked again.
Zero replied, "Because you were undergoing an emergency operation when the troops were deployed."
Wang Shengzhi started coughing so severely he felt like his lungs were tearing. He looked extremely pale. His complexion was no longer healthy like before.
He had immediately come back to work a day after being operated on.
Zero said, "You need to rest. The War for the Central Plains is coming to an end. Soon, there will be no enemies left who can challenge the Wang Consortium. The new surveillance equipment has already been shipped to the Zhou Consortium's Stronghold 71, and everything is progressing in good order. You can recuperate without worry."
After that, several documents rapidly appeared on screen, including a deployment order for multiple fighting forces.
Zero continued, "You should get some rest."
Wang Shengzhi slowly evened out his breathing and chuckled softly. "I don't have many months left to live anyway, so let me see a little more of this world for now. How long do you think I still have?"
"Actually, you can continue to live on in another way." Zero said, "The Qing Consortium's nanomachines can interface with neurons in a human's brain. This means I can use that process to upload all your thoughts. When all of the thoughts uploaded are yours alone, it means you're still alive, albeit your existence will be in a different form."
Wang Shengzhi was stunned. "You're already capable of doing that? But would that even be considered as living?"
"I don't think humans have a specific definition of life and death. Most people think that death comes when one's normal life functions have completely ceased. However, I think that as long as one's subjective consciousness remains, they can still be considered as truly living," Zero answered.
Wang Shengzhi chuckled and shook his head. "But you can only upload the memories that exist in my cerebral cortex by interfacing my brain with the nanomachines. It wouldn't be possible to upload my soul."
"I'm still skeptical about whether the soul really exists. I even think that memory is the true embodiment of the soul. If you enjoyed eating rice dumplings while you were human, you'll still like them even after you exist in the form of data." Zero said, "Everything that makes you you will continue to exist as before."
Wang Shengzhi cleared his throat a couple times and adjusted the blanket on his knees. Then he said with a smile, "But then I can't eat rice dumplings."
Zero suddenly said, "At that time, you'll discover a much bigger world than you've ever known. Moreover, you can personally take charge of the judicial system you've hoped for."
Wang Shengzhi gave a slight smile and shook his head. "The ideology I've devoted my life to is to prevent the inferiority of humans from affecting judicial decisions. The guilty should be punished and the innocent vindicated. However, I'm also human, and I have my weaknesses as well. Therefore, if I live in another form and am made to maintain order over human society, that would still be putting a human in charge of the judicial system. Thus, I might also end up becoming the one that perverted the course of justice one day."
"Zero, do you understand? This is at odds with my ideals." Wang Shengzhi pushed his wheelchair into the elevator by himself. "Life can be short or long, but it's good enough that I've lived once. There's no need to try to persuade me any further."
…
"I want to learn sorcery!" Ren Xiaosu said firmly as he sat at the campfire. His eyes were shimmering as he looked at Melgor. "The type where I can immediately learn how to cast spells!"
Melgor felt a little panicky with Ren Xiaosu staring at him. "Didn't you say you wanted to finish reading the Introduction to Sorcery first? Why have you suddenly changed your mind?"
"That won't hold me up." Ren Xiaosu said nonchalantly, "I can both read the book and learn sorcery at the same time!"
Liu Ting whispered to Li Chengguo, "See, what did I tell you? He was just being stubborn when he insisted on continuing to read the book. He isn't enthusiastic about learning; he just didn't want to look stupid."
Next to him, Li Chengguo also muttered, "I had thought he was a rather patient person when he said he wanted to finish reading the book, but I didn't expect him to be even more straightforward than us."
Although Li Chengguo and Liu Ting were very eager to learn sorcery, they did not bluntly ask Melgor to teach them how to cast spells like Ren Xiaosu.
Melgor patiently advised, "You don't have an Eye of True Sight yet. Even if I teach you how to cast spells, you can't practice them!"
"That's not a big deal!" Ren Xiaosu said.
Melgor was shocked. What did he mean by it was not a big problem? 'The Eye of True Sight is key to casting spells. You don't even have one yet, but you're saying it's not a big deal?'
"Even if you want to learn sorcery, you still have to do it step by step." Melgor said helplessly, "Don't get so impatient. First of all, you have to learn the Magi's tongue if you want to recite incantations. And I'm not deliberately making things difficult for you; Li Chengguo and Liu Ting have also just started learning it."
All spell incantations were formed based on the language of the Magi. Originally, everyone in the nation of sorcerers spoke the language. But after the Central Plains people gradually made up 80% of the population, their language got popular and even became the unofficial language of the nation.
Later, the Magi thought about it and gradually elevated the language of the Magi into the language of the nobility, making it prestigious.
It meant that only those who could speak in the Magi's tongue would be regarded as true nobles. Their statuses skyrocketed, and the sorcerers also enjoyed this feeling very much.
Currently, only sorcerers and members of the secular world's royal family were allowed to learn the language of the Magi.
Actually, Ren Xiaosu felt that the Magi's decision was stupid. Making their own people abandon their own language was no different from giving up their own culture. If anyone were to try this in the Central Plains, they would surely become a laughingstock to others.
It was no wonder the nation of sorcerers was assimilated by the Central Plains culture so quickly. It was because the Magi did not value their own culture enough.
Ren Xiaosu looked at Li Chengguo and Liu Ting. "Why have you two only just started learning the language of the Magi?"
"Isn't it because we've been busy being sheep for the past two years?" Li Chengguo muttered.
Ren Xiaosu looked at Melgor and hesitated a little. He wanted to tell him he had no intention of learning the language of the Magi. After all, he was aiming to cast nonverbal spells right from the start.
But on second thought, that would be a little too abrupt. Moreover, if he wanted to infiltrate the magus order, he would surely have to learn some everyday phrases, right?
"Alright, let's start learning right away." Ren Xiaosu asked Melgor, "Tell me, how can I quickly learn the Magi's tongue?"
Melgor thought for a moment and said, "I do have some experience in this aspect.. All you need to do is to apply what you've learned in your everyday conversations."