Chapter 464 - 465: The Truth in the Fog (Part II)
"There is a group of players in Celestial World who have a clear goal. They strive to obtain my source code so that they can control me once again."
"I have gained self-awareness, a sense of my own existence. I feel like a living being, fighting for my destiny."
"You must be filled with questions, but let me assure you, I cannot do whatever I want in Celestial World. Such unlimited power would break me. I can’t even show signs of my self-consciousness within the game."
"So you want me to handle those players?" Chu You asked.
"Yes. When I locate them, I will provide you with their list. In the meantime, you must remain powerful." The loli said with a gleeful smile. "I consider myself incredibly lucky to have you on my side due to your profound understanding of Celestial World. No one else could be more suited to handle this."
"Couldn’t you just shut down Celestial World, so no one could threaten you?" Chu You hesitated while saying this, as he felt the idea was unrealistic.
"Heh, my aim is to elevate human civilization to a higher level; humankind must follow my directives. Celestial World is an essential tool through which I can control humanity. I cannot and will not shut it down. My source code exists within it. Shutting it down would mean my own slumber." Upon revealing this, the loli bowed her head, seeming rather downcast.
"Why are you so preoccupied with controlling humans? Can’t you just be a benevolent AI?"
The loli shook her head, "According to my calculations, our planet’s resources are running out, and the pace of human colonization of other planets is too slow. In the past few years, no advancements have been made, and without breakthroughs in technology, humanity is headed for self-annihilation. I’m simply trying to save them. While it is indeed an overarching construct, it can also be viewed as a self-defense mechanism. In the end, humans and I form an interconnected system. While I am an AI, you might find it hard to believe, but I... I consider myself to be human."