Chapter 1, The Journey

The place where Zhang Yunxi arrived is called Qingshan Town, which is approximately 800 kilometers away from Mingzhu City. The purpose of his visit this time is to go to Qingshan Theological Seminary to complete the enrollment procedures

Pfft

Intermittent headaches have been a longstanding ailment for Zhang Yunxi. Since his birth, he has been tormented by this affliction. However, it is strange that no matter which hospital he visits or what advanced equipment is used for examination, no issues with his brain can ever be identified.

"Very well, sir." The young man placed his hands together in front of him, bending at the waist to bring his face closer.

... ... ! ''

Zhang Yunxi, resting under a blanket on the cabin recliner, awoke upon hearing the alert sound and rubbed his sleepy eyes. The artificial intelligence automatically adjusted the cabin's lighting and dispensed warm water, tissues, and other supplies from the snack box.

Why should compensation be given? He just discriminated against me

... ...

Who can endure this

Zhang Yunxi could not help but quicken her pace, preparing to leave this place as soon as possible

Fortunately, this headache is intermittent; as long as there are no strong sensory stimuli and no discomfort from resting, it rarely occurs in daily life

... ...

Since it is impossible to find out, it is pointless to dwell on this matter. Therefore, Zhang Yunxi has long since adapted to this habit. When the pain becomes too intense, she takes a moment to rest, adjusts her breathing, and calms her mind

Damn, a bad review! The greasy man checked his account on his watch phone, turned around, and walked out while dialing a number: "Honey! I've made up my mind, you were right, it's my fault. Yes, yes, I'm heading to Qingshan Theological Seminary right now. Don't you remember? I'm enrolling today..."

What kind of magic does this place possess that causes those around me to mention it repeatedly? My father's motives are difficult to grasp, but Li Yun's behavior is particularly strange. Her daily work involves taking care of the Zhang family's daily needs, which is completely unrelated to the "academic world." So why, just before her "death," did she repeatedly call out for Qingshan Theological Seminary? And for books. Her daily work involves taking care of the Zhang family's daily needs, which is completely unrelated to the "academic world." So why, just before her "death," did she repeatedly call out for Qingshan Theological Seminary? And for books.

Due to the explosive popularity of the Immortal World, a new wave of financial transformation has gradually emerged. In the Immortal Virtual World, traffic has become the sole currency of payment, leading to the gradual elimination of paper currency and online payment currencies in the current world. People have come to trust the traffic currency, which is expected to remain robust for hundreds of years to come. Consequently, the globally renowned Lingjing Group, in collaboration with major banks around the world, has launched a decentralized blockchain currency—traffic—in real life.

Life and death are determined by fate, while wealth and nobility are in the hands of heaven

However, Zhang Yunxi still came, because he was too curious in his heart

Before his passing, the father had mentioned to Zhang Yunxi on more than one occasion the possibility of studying at the Qingshan Theological Seminary. This led to a significant argument between the two, as Zhang Yunxi could not comprehend why he should attend a seminary that was rated similarly to a "technical school" when he could be a standout student at the world-renowned Mingzhu University, based on his graduation results.

An elderly man, who appeared very frail, gently set down the file on Zhang Yunxi that he had just finished reading, and picked up another file beside it belonging to a man named Zhang Yunzhao. He murmured softly, "... ... It truly piques my curiosity ... ... Can my body ... ... really hold out until I uncover the truth?"

"Alright, Mr. Zhang," the artificial intelligence in the cabin responded, opening the luggage compartment and using a self-operating mechanical arm to retrieve the black backpack inside, placing it at Zhang Yunxi's feet

Upon seeing the light, a sudden and intense headache struck Zhang Yunxi, who vigorously rubbed her temples with both hands to alleviate the symptoms

Thank you, 039

The cabin door opened, and the footrest automatically ejected. Zhang Yunxi picked up her luggage and left the vehicle

"Sir, we are setting off now," Fangfang reminded him, "You can take a rest for a while..."

In the bright and clean station hall, several large projection screens are playing a variety discussion program, and the content happens to be the case of AI Li Yun murdering her employer https://m.hetushu.com.com.

Check out! The middle-aged man, feeling exhausted, shouted into the room.

You are truly a rather cultured snob, I will beat you to death! The greasy middle-aged man became even angrier as he slapped the other person.

The autonomous vehicle, adhering strictly to traffic regulations, slowly departed from the station

The greasy man swung his right arm and gave the young man a solid slap across the face: "Do you discriminate against me, thinking I am poor, which is why you recommend me second-hand goods? Do I look like someone who uses second-hand goods?!"

These two individuals, one willing to strike and the other willing to endure, tussled in the store for a full thirty seconds

"Sir, you need to pay for 1800MB of data compensation, as well as the payment for 9950MB of economical second-hand brain-machine interface chips." A beautiful store manager stepped out, and from her work ID, it was clear that she was not an AI

Ding ding ding

Zhang Yunxi, witnessing this scene from the side, muttered in despair: "Wow, what a fierce kick"

"Damn it, you clearly looked at me with disdain." The greasy man spat out his national essence and then slapped him again.

The current level of medical science has become highly advanced, especially in the exploration of the human brain, which has reached a new height. Technologies such as consciousness guidance, neuron grafting, and memory downloading have matured significantly. Logically, there should be no brain disorders that cannot be diagnosed. Even if they cannot be treated, the underlying issues should be identifiable. However, Zhang Yunxi's condition remains undiagnosed.

Bang!

In fact, the impact of the Li Yun case is significant, even sparking discussions worldwide. Many experts and scholars are actively debating this matter, with the central issue being the coexistence of AI and humanity

The concept of the vacuum tube train was proposed as early as the 1920s and was widely discussed and developed in the early 20th century. However, due to the conditions of the transportation market at that time and the compatibility issues with other tools, coupled with the high construction costs, it could not be popularized, and subsequent research and development were continuously shelved

Zhang Yunxi truly could not understand, so after much hesitation, he decided to transfer his academic record, giving up the opportunity to enter Mingzhu University, and had his teacher write him a letter of recommendation

... ...

This is purely a fly-by-night school

As the world of immortality gains immense popularity globally, similar peripheral stores have proliferated, becoming ubiquitous.

Since the concept of the metaverse was reintroduced, humanity has made efforts for over a decade, and Lingjing Group has finally launched a groundbreaking product: a globally interconnected virtual universe, translated into Chinese as "Eternal Life World"

Just by hearing this name, it is unreliable

A car stopped at the exit, the door opened automatically, and the artificial intelligence inside called out: "Sir, I am the driver from Qingke Taxi Company, my name is Fangfang, and I am pleased to serve you"

Qingshan Theological Seminary, please turn off the temperature control system, thank you. Zhang Yunxi bent down to sit inside the car, and upon looking up, she was surprised to see that the greasy middle-aged man had also boarded the direct bus to Qingshan Theological Seminary

Zhang Yunxi, carrying a black shoulder bag and wearing black sunglasses, walked through the crowded corridor and arrived at the hall of Qingshan Station

"You physically tied it up, so of course you have to pay for it," the beautiful shop assistant smiled and pointed to the nearby pressure relief shop. "If you want to hit someone, we have a specialized punching AI available for your use, at 500MB per minute"

However, the current level of scientific advancement has made remarkable progress, with various extraction technologies and infrastructure technologies having reached new heights. As a result, the vacuum tube train has officially been put into operation, although it has not yet been widely adopted. Currently, in Asia, only Pearl City has such a train, designated as No. 039.

Well, do you really need to say that

Creak!

The greasy man raised his leg, delivering a kick that severed all future generations.

"Sir, could you please wait a moment before calling?" The young man was beaten, his hairstyle disheveled, and his cheeks swollen like buns: "Could you let me into the lounge to change my face? This way, you would have a better experience..."

Inside the dimly lit UX single-occupant cabin, three prompt tones sounded, accompanied by melodious music. A sweet-voiced female attendant reminded: "The 039 vacuum tube train you are on is about to arrive at the station. Please gather your belongings and prepare to disembark..."

The case of Li Yun is indeed representative. When she was first produced and purchased by Zhang Yunxi's parents, she did not possess human thought; she only had the service-oriented mindset of a system. However, in order to enable her to exhibit more human-like qualities, greater emotional depth, and a more authentic presence, the manufacturer incorporated numerous personalized programs into her system, which also exhibited a degree of spontaneity.

After passing through the automatic gate, Zhang Yunxi arrived at the waiting area outside the station. While waiting in boredom, he happened to notice a man in his thirties arguing with a young-looking AI service attendant over a service issue in the nearby "Virtual Immortality World" peripheral specialty store

Accompanied by the gas erupting from the pipeline, the valve at the outlet of the pipeline wall, approximately one and a half meters away from the hatch, opened first, allowing the bright sunlight from outside to stream in

Before his father passed away, he was summoned. AI caregiver Li Yun, prior to being executed, continuously shouted "Qingshan Theological Seminary" at Zhang Yunxi.

You are welcome, Mr. Zhang. You are the most handsome customer I have ever served, and it is my honor to assist you

Even more outrageous is that the faculty strength announced by this academy can be considered the "floor" of the education sector. The oldest professional mentor is thirty-five years old, while the youngest is only twenty-three. To put it bluntly, Zhang Yunxi even doubts that their level of professionalism may not be as good as her own

Zhang Yunxi had previously searched for information about the Qingshan Theological Seminary online. This institution was established approximately fifteen years ago, lacking any educational foundation, and its curriculum is quite eclectic. The website is poorly designed, resembling a late-night app rather than a scholarly resource, and it even shamelessly advertises for a certain company.

In an office of Qingshan Theological Seminary

Clap!

Thus, Li Yun developed emotions and a certain kind of human consciousness, which ultimately led to the tragic incident

"Sir, first of all, you hit very well, and your arms are quite strong." The young man, with his cheeks flushed, shifted to the side for two steps before immediately returning to his position, bringing his face closer and saying, "But I truly do not discriminate against you."

... ...

Sir, you clearly appear to be a person of great wealth and status. I have no intention of looking down on you; I am merely recommending products based on your financial capacity

Because their discussion revolves around the details of the tragic death of the parents and sister, it is akin to pouring salt into Zhang Yunxi's wounds

Bang

Zhang Yunxi glanced at the variety show and saw three guest scholars engaged in a heated argument and discussion, feeling extremely irritated.

When the system thinking of AI gradually evolves into human thinking, does it mean that a new race has emerged in this world? Should everyone accept it and share the world with it, or should they resist it? On a smaller scale, during the evolution of AI thinking, there may be many inherent deficiencies, such as extremism, irritability, and abnormal thinking. In this case, will the safety of humanity itself face a crisis?

After resting for a while in the cabin, the headache subsided significantly. Zhang Yunxi took a sip of warm water and softly called out, "039, please hand me the backpack, thank you."

He is preparing to enter Qingshan Theological Seminary to clarify the doubts in his heart

Inside the store, a middle-aged man in his thirties, dressed very sloppily, appeared to have not taken care of his hair for a long time, looking quite greasy. He held a luggage bag in his left hand and waved his right hand at the young man across from him, saying, "Come over here."

Ah!

In one minute, Train No. 039 will arrive at the station. The indicator light above the cabin is red, signaling to passengers that oxygen has not yet been released in the train's cabin, and disembarkation is temporarily postponed

The young man collapsed on the spot in pain