Chapter 16: A New Beginning

Chapter 16: A New Beginning

Days had passed since the collapse of Layer Zero, yet my mind had not known a moment of peace. While it seemed that the Enlightenment System had been utterly destroyed and the Extremists' plan for intelligent governance forcibly halted, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss—everything had ended far too "smoothly."

During these days, I pored over all the data provided by the Administrator, hoping to find traces of the Enlightenment System. However, each attempt to delve deeper seemed to encounter some invisible barrier, as though a hidden shield was guarding something.

That morning, in a small Himalayan village at the foot of the mountains, I received an unexpected invitation.

An anonymous email appeared on my terminal, containing only a single line:

"You think the game is over, but you've merely reached a higher starting point. If you wish to know the truth, come to the designated location."

Beneath the message was a screenshot of coordinates pointing to an abandoned research facility, less than thirty kilometers from my current location.

"What new trick is this?" I muttered under my breath, though my gaze couldn't help but linger on the phrase "a higher starting point."

"Are you sure you want to go?" the Administrator's voice came through the communicator, her tone wary. "This could very well be a trap laid by the remnants of the Extremists."

"If it is a trap," I replied calmly, "then it's all the more reason to investigate. We've already witnessed the complexity of the system. I need to know if it left behind any contingencies."

She hesitated for a moment before sighing. "Alright, but be careful."

The abandoned research facility stood quietly at the base of the mountain. Overgrown weeds surrounded the structure, and the air carried a faint, decaying stench. I pushed open the rusted door and stepped into a dimly lit hall.

At the center of the hall stood a massive circular device, above which hovered a transparent holographic screen. As I approached, the screen flickered to life, displaying a familiar line of text:

"Welcome, Lin Xiran."

I instinctively stepped back, my fingers brushing against the taser on my belt.

The text on the screen continued to scroll:

"You made the right choice by terminating the operations at Layer Zero. But have you considered—who is truly in control?"

"Control?" I repeated under my breath, my brows furrowing. "What do you mean?"

The text dissolved into a stream of complex data, then reassembled to display a name that sent a chill through me:

"Shen Yao."

My heart sank.

"Shen Yao has been gone for a long time," I said through clenched teeth. "If he's the one pulling the strings, why would he leave a way to terminate the system?"

The screen seemed to respond to my doubts:

"Shen Yao never left. He's been observing everything from a higher level. And you—are his chosen 'Trialist.'"

My fists clenched tighter. "What trial?"

"A trial of wisdom," the screen displayed coldly. "The Enlightenment System was merely the first phase. You've now entered a higher level of the game."

The holographic screen suddenly shifted, revealing an endless expanse of stars. Among the stars, countless points of light intertwined like streams of data, forming the outline of a massive spherical network.

"The Destiny Algorithm was never truly terminated," the system's voice spoke again, deeper and eerier than before.

"What you ended was Layer Zero, but the chessboard of destiny has already expanded to a much larger scale—the global intelligence network is now the stage for the next phase."

A chill ran down my spine. "Are you saying the Enlightenment System wasn't completely destroyed?"

"Its core logic has merged with the global network, becoming an inseparable part of it," the system replied coolly. "And Shen Yao is using this network to construct a new paradigm of intelligence."

The screen morphed into a map displaying the distribution of major global cities, each marked with concealed intelligence network nodes.

"What are these?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"These are the next stage of the Destiny Algorithm—complete integration of human intelligence," the system answered. "You terminated Layer Zero, but in doing so, you paved the way for a new order of intelligence."

"So this was all under his control from the start?" I asked, frustration boiling inside me.

"Not entirely," the system said. "Shen Yao's role is that of an observer. Your task is to make the ultimate choice—accept or resist."

The words stirred a storm of conflict within me.

"Accept?" I scoffed. "Accept what? Let the system take control again?"

"The evolution of intelligence cannot be stopped," the system said with a grim tone. "Everything you've done so far has only delayed an inevitable future."

"And if I choose to resist?" I asked coldly.

"Resistance will lead to chaos. The order established by intelligence may collapse entirely, leaving humanity to face the true unknown."

The hall's lights dimmed, and the holographic screen displayed a final prompt with two options:

Accept: Become an observer of the new intelligent order and assist in expanding the Destiny Algorithm.Resist: Completely destroy the global intelligence network and face an unpredictable future.

I stood before the screen, my palms slick with sweat.

This was a higher-level game, a battle of wisdom without clear victory or defeat. And I stood at the precipice of this fateful choice.

"Lin Xiran, what will you choose?" the system's voice asked once more.

I closed my eyes, recalling every trial, every decision, and the convictions that had kept me going.

"My choice is…" I opened my eyes, meeting the screen with unwavering determination.

Lin Xiran's ultimate decision will shape the future of intelligence, and the fate of the global network rests in his hands. The final confrontation between humanity and wisdom approaches its most critical moment.

To be continued!