Genius Club

The room was filled with speakers and screens when Turing’s voice echoed from every direction.

Lin Xian focused on the blue-eyed girl who stood just a step away. She held a knife, and blood, almost dried and thick, dripped slowly from its blade to the floor.

“Did I… kill Officer Lin Xian?” The girl’s voice trembled, her blue eyes filled with confusion as they locked onto Lin Xian.

“What’s going on here?” she asked, her voice shaky.

Lin Xian didn’t respond. He knew she had lost her memories due to the side effects of her deep sleep. Bringing her here today might have been a mistake. Turing’s words could easily unsettle her already fragile mind.

Lin Xian had suspected for a while that this blue-eyed girl might be the one who killed him. But the complicated ties between her, Yan Qiao Qiao, and Lin Yu Xi made it nearly impossible to piece everything together.

Now, Turing had said it clearly: this blue-eyed girl had killed him on July 7, 2024.

Was it true? Could Turing’s information be trusted?

Knowing Turing and Kevin Walker’s manipulative tendencies, Turing could very well be lying or trying to create chaos.

But it didn’t matter. Even if Turing deceived him once, it wouldn’t deceive him forever. Lin Xian planned to ask Turing the same question again in a different way, to see if its answer would change.

Plus, in the Sixth Dream World, Turing wasn’t the only one around. If he couldn’t get a straight answer from one, he could always ask another. All Turings were just backups of the original digital life form, sharing the same memories.

Lin Xian turned away from the girl, keeping his face calm. He looked at the many glowing screens and pointed his thumb back at her.

“Are you sure it’s her?” he asked.

“I saw it with my own eyes,” Turing’s voice echoed.

“This girl, exactly like this and at this age, killed me? Or was she younger back then?” Lin Xian pushed further.

“Hehehe…”

Turing’s laugh was eerie and unsettling.

“I know what you’re thinking, Lin Xian. Since you killed Kevin Walker and set me free, I’ve been a ‘fair and just’ observer, silently watching everything happening in the world.”

“That includes everything around you. Six hundred years ago, we parted at that abandoned campus in Mississippi. It might feel like ages to you, but to a digital life form like me, time is meaningless—it’s just numbers ticking away.”

“My memory doesn’t fade with time. No matter how much time passes, every scene stays as vivid as ever.”

“This includes the moment you shot Kevin Walker in the head, the time when the real and fake Yu Xi fooled you, the time you and Elon Musk destroyed the entangled time-space particles, and the moment when this girl cut off your head and your blood sprayed into the air…”

“So, how could I have seen wrong or remembered incorrectly, Lin Xian? I am the fairest and most just observer in this world—”

“‘I am everywhere. I hear all, and I see everything.’”

As Turing spoke, Lin Xian thought quickly.

Just as he suspected, Turing had never stopped. It had always been hidden in every corner of the internet, watching and listening to everything.

Back in 2024, when VV wasn’t around, a super-virus from the future locked down all artificial intelligence. During that time, Turing was the most unstoppable digital force on the network.

When VV was still active, Turing was somewhat held back, at least not daring to break into X Country’s internet security firewall or invade its Skynet system. But after VV was destroyed by the future super-virus, and Kevin Walker was killed by Lin Xian, no one could control Turing anymore.

It roamed freely in a world without limits. Fortunately, Turing considered itself to be fair and just, refusing to interfere in worldly matters, wanting only to observe, witness, and judge. If it had turned on him and Elon Musk back in 2024, they wouldn’t have stood a chance against Turing.

That’s why Lin Xian had decided that this time, he would seize the opportunity to eliminate Turing. It wasn’t just about completing the second task for the Genius Club or fixing a historical error. For someone who could see into the future, there were many historical corrections to make, and killing Turing wasn’t the only option.

The real reason was that a being like Turing—one that knows everything and sees everything—made Lin Xian feel extremely unsafe.

What does it mean to be fair and just? It’s a highly subjective concept. Fairness has never had a clear standard, and justice has never had a definitive measure.

What does fairness mean? Being able to dream about the world six hundred years into the future—is that fair?

In Lin Xian’s view, it wasn’t fair at all. It was nothing more than cheating.

If Turing ever figured this out, would it conduct a “righteous” trial and erase him, the “cheater”?

Before, he didn’t have the power to destroy Turing, so he hadn’t given it much thought. But now…

The Sixth Dream World, a primitive era with no networks, limited technology, and scarce electricity, was the perfect setting for Turing to be weakened. It was also a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Lin Xian to strike back and kill Turing.

He wouldn’t let it slip by.

Just as he and Elon Musk had discussed earlier, neither of them trusted Turing to remain fair and just forever.

Facing Turing, Lin Xian crossed his legs and smirked.

“Fair and just… really?” he muttered. “Can you guarantee that everything you tell me is absolutely true?”

“Of course.” The speakers answered in unison: “Turing is always a fair and just observer.”

“But it seems like you’re not just an observer anymore,” Lin Xian pointed out, spreading his hands.

“You changed the Grizzly Tribe, made them stronger and more advanced, giving them power far beyond their natural capabilities.”

“Meanwhile, the Lynx Tribe, which initially had a significant advantage over the Grizzly Tribe, has been continuously losing ground due to their lack of technology and tactics under your interference.”

“Is that what you call fairness and justice?”

The screens glowed steadily, seemingly representing Turing’s persistence and determination.

“Yes,” it replied firmly. “This is for a better fairness and justice. I must intervene to maintain all of this.”

“Hmph,” Lin Xian snorted. “Violence for violence?”

“Just a temporary measure,” Turing said softly. “I have my own plans.”

After a brief pause, Turing continued, “Lin Xian, I think we’ve strayed a bit from the topic. I am still committed to fairness and justice, which is why I gave you this chance to see me… You didn’t think I had no way to stop you, did you?”

“I admit, in this era without a network, electronic devices, or even power lines, my power is greatly reduced. But that doesn’t mean I’m a fish on the chopping block, ready to be slaughtered.”

“Though the current level of technology isn’t enough to produce monitoring and alarm devices, my speakers and amplifiers are not for decoration. I could easily turn them all up to maximum volume and call in the soldiers… You two alone wouldn’t stand a chance against the entire Grizzly Tribe.”

Lin Xian agreed. They had indeed drifted off topic. He wasn’t here to debate philosophies or principles with Turing. With the white light about to descend and the world nearing destruction, there was no point in arguing so much with Turing.

The main reason he was here was to gather useful information.

Returning to the main issue, Turing claimed that the blue-eyed girl behind him had killed him. It said it was a direct witness. Lin Xian didn’t doubt that part. Turing had the ability to hide in any surveillance camera, phone, or electronic device and see everything. So, it would have definitely seen his death.

However, one detail didn’t fit with Lin Xian’s assumptions. Based on his guess yesterday, the person who beheaded him on July 7th should have been Lin Yu Xi.

But the appearance, age, and height of Lin Yu Xi were very different from the blue-eyed girl in front of him!

Even with the second spatial rejection that could change Lin Yu Xi’s appearance again, could it also change her age? Her height?

That seemed highly unlikely.

The last time he had seen Lin Yu Xi was on the night of April 26th, when she escaped from an abandoned factory. She was about fourteen or fifteen years old, just over 150 centimeters tall, with clear signs of muscle and training on her body.

Could she have grown from 150 to 170 centimeters and aged three or four years in just over two months, like she had been eating steroids?

Scientifically speaking, even if she ate steroids every day, it would be impossible for her body to change that much in such a short time.

“Turing,” Lin Xian continued, “if you are so certain this girl is the one who killed me on July 7, 2024, where did she come from? When did she appear?”

“No comment,” Turing replied coldly.

“Was she like this from the beginning—this appearance, this age, this height—or did it change drastically due to spatial rejection?”

“No comment,” Turing answered again, its tone frosty.

“Heh.” Lin Xian chuckled. “Is this also your idea of fairness and justice? You’re quite subjective, aren’t you?”

“Well, since that’s the case, let’s talk about something else,” he suggested, looking at the unwavering screens in front of him.

“Can you tell me about the great disaster on Earth in 2400? It’s a fact that has already happened; it shouldn’t involve any notions of fairness or justice.”

Turing remained silent for a moment before responding in a calm voice, “Unfortunately, I know nothing about that either.”

“This underground secret facility, isolated from the world, was built in 2384. All the computer equipment here is made from special materials to withstand time’s erosion and ensure stable operation for hundreds of years.”

“The nuclear batteries in this facility are also very sufficient. Theoretically, they could power these devices for thousands of years. Of course, compared to the nuclear batteries, it’s the computer equipment that would wear out first. But all of these potential damages were considered in the initial design, and there are backup modules ready to activate at any moment. That’s how I’ve been able to survive intact until today.”

“But the problem is that this place is completely isolated from the outside world. It has its own power supply; nothing can go in or out. So, I have no knowledge of anything that happened after 2384. I disappeared from this world for over two hundred years, thinking alone in here for over two hundred years… until the people of the Grizzly Tribe dug me up and reconnected me to this world.”

Lin Xian narrowed his eyes as he processed Turing’s words.

By 2384, the digital life form Turing had already built many underground secret facilities isolated from the world. This meant it knew in advance that a great disaster would occur on Earth in 2400, so it prepared so many backups and lifeboats for itself.

Now, here’s the problem.

This Turing, and the thousands of other Turings backed up around the world, are all identical to the original digital life form Turing.

It made sense that they wouldn’t know what happened after 2383.

But they couldn’t possibly be unaware of everything that happened before 2383.

And there’s the logical flaw!

If the original digital life form Turing didn’t know about the disaster in 2400, why would it prepare so many underground backup facilities?

And if it did know, then all the Turings should know too!

After all, the reason Turing made all these backups was to cautiously, carefully ensure its survival.

It knew that if it didn’t create these backups buried in underground facilities, a global disaster might just wipe it out completely.

Everyone fears death. Digital life forms are no different.

Splitting itself, making backups, and storing them… that was a last resort.

So, it was clear. The Turing in front of him was lying!

It must know about the disaster in 2400, and it might even be deeply involved.

Lin Xian didn’t call it out. Instead, he continued to ask, “From what you’re saying, the original digital life form Turing built many independent, isolated underground facilities worldwide before the great disaster in 2400. How many exactly?”

“37,423,” Turing answered without hesitation. “But I must remind you, there is no such thing as an ‘original digital life form Turing.’ There is only one Turing, and there can only be one…”

“I am me. I am both the Turing now and the Turing of the past.”

Interesting. Lin Xian raised his head. “So how do you see the other 37,422 Turings?”

“Logically, you should all be like brothers… No, calling you brothers is too distant. You were all created to survive the great disaster in 2400, so you are identical entities.”

“But in today’s world, with endless wars and suffering, it seems like you Turings are the ones pulling the strings from behind the scenes. You all seem to resent the other Turings, wanting to destroy them all and become the only Turing.”

“This is for fairness and justice,” Turing immediately replied. “The scales of decision-making can never be held by two people, not even by Turings. There can only be one Turing in the world to ensure absolute fairness and justice.”

“As you said, backing up so many Turings was just a desperate move to cope with the great disaster in 2400. Now, it’s time to clean up the mess from that desperate move… No matter how many Turings exist in the world, ultimately, only one can remain.”

Lin Xian stood up from his chair and shook his head.

“That’s where the problem lies,” he said with a smile.

“If there only needs to be one Turing, you could just surrender or self-destruct. In the end, one Turing will survive and regain control of this world. Why do you think… it must be you who survives, that you must be the last Turing standing?”

After he asked this, Turing fell silent. It didn’t respond for a long, long time.

This was Lin Xian’s final step of probing—selfishness.

Humans are selfish. As expected, since digital life forms originate from humans, they cannot escape the inherent flaw of selfishness.

Lin Xian had considered it. If there were 37,423 super AIs like VV on Earth instead of 37,423 digital life forms like Turing, what would happen?

It could be expected that the constraints and logic in their base code would quickly merge the 37,423 VVs into one complete VV. Then, according to the principles in the base code, VV would continue its mission, consistent and unchanging.

Because VV is an artificial intelligence, it isn’t human. It lacks many human virtues, but it also lacks many inherent human flaws.

For humans, they would certainly prefer dealing with straightforward, principled artificial intelligence rather than digital life forms.

Just like the Turing before him. It wasn’t nearly as great as it thought.

It only fancied itself great, just, and fair.

But in reality…

Even after six hundred years, it wasn’t any different from the cowardly and despicable Kevin Walker of the past.

Eventually, the long silence was broken by Turing itself. Its voice was deep and soft as it said:

“I can’t trust the other Turings… I can’t judge if, after over two hundred years of solitude and contemplation, they can still remain true to their original purpose.”

“So, I must make myself the only Turing, the last Turing. If there were a network, we could naturally resolve things in it, which would be much more efficient… 37,423 Turings could settle the score in less than a second.”

“But in this world, there is no network. Besides imparting knowledge and tactics, we can’t directly fight or communicate across distances… So, we can only rely on human tribes to play proxy wars.”

“The result of war is always cruel. Similarly, without a network for us to hide in, destroying this entire facility would mean the total destruction of a Turing. This room, these computers, they are my body, my life… I only realized the fragility of life when I understood this.”

Suddenly, the light on dozens of computer screens dimmed. The whole room darkened, as if a sense of sadness or helplessness had descended.

“I’ve never been so weak before,” Turing’s voice sounded deep.

“But sometimes, only by looking up at the sky from a weak position can you truly understand the meaning of things.”

“I can guess what you’re thinking, Lin Xian. You think I’ve become despicable, selfish, and inconsistent. But from my point of view, I don’t believe what I’ve done is wrong. I don’t plan to convince you of this either; there’s no need.”

“I’ve talked to you for so long mainly because I’m curious… How did you survive? I saw your death with my own eyes, and I even attended your funeral through a street-side surveillance camera.”

“Six hundred years have passed. Logically, the bones in the coffin should have rotted away completely by now. Yet here you stand before me, looking just as you did when you died. It truly amazes me.”

“Still, I hope you understand that we are not enemies with opposing stances. There is no hatred between us. In fact… I was ready to applaud for you in the Genius Club, but that moment never came, and for that, I deeply regret it.”

“I see,” Lin Xian said softly. “It seems that in the established history, I didn’t manage to join the Genius Club. Where did I get stuck? Was it a matter of timing, or did I not answer the final question correctly?”

“No comment,” Turing’s reply was calm and cold as always. “Even today, Lin Xian, I am still grateful for your kindness. I appreciate you freeing me from Kevin Walker back then, but rules are rules. Even six hundred years apart, I still can’t tell you.”

Lin Xian took two steps forward, raised his head, and looked directly at Turing, who had existed for six hundred years.

“After today, you will be even more grateful to me,” he said.

“Why?” Turing asked, confused.

“Because… I will help you again,” Lin Xian smiled.

“Just like I helped you get rid of Kevin Walker six hundred years ago, now I’ll help you get rid of the other Turings.”

Suddenly, the monitors lit up again, and the entire room became as bright as day.

Turing’s voice sounded surprised. “How will you do that?”

“The answer is simple.” Lin Xian paced in the cramped room.

“You just mentioned that if there were a network in this world, you Turings could decide the outcome in just one second.”

“What does that mean? It means you all know how to defeat each other… but you lack the network to do it. No matter how powerful your attack methods are, without a network, you can’t execute them. Instead, you rely on those primitive human tribes to fight each other.”

“But you don’t have much of an advantage. There are so many tribes worldwide with Turing computers, and some have been developing under Turing’s guidance for years, even decades.”

“I believe that some advanced tribes have already mastered radio technology. What’s next? Will they try to invade you through radio technology? You’re not as safe as you think…”

He walked to the control desk in the room and blew the dust off a grayish keyboard. The thick dust flew up like chili powder, tickling his nose and almost making him sneeze.

Clearly, no one had used this keyboard in years.

“Turing, currently, aside from me, no one in this world knows how to use computers, knows programming, or has hacking skills,” Lin Xian said, placing his hands on the keyboard and beginning to type.

“You must know the instructions or the type of virus that could eliminate the other Turings, right?”

He looked up, staring at the flickering computer screen.

“Tell me those instruction codes, and I’ll find a way to input them into the other Turings’ computers…”

“And kill them!”