"What if I said I was contributing to science, would you believe me?" Zhang Chenyan concocted a lie even he wouldn't believe.
At this moment, he considered himself quite brave for daring to spout such nonsense in front of 0810.
"Contributing to science... do you believe that yourself?" 0810 retorted.
"Of course, I do." Zhang Chenyan spread his hands, managing his expression perfectly. "I truly believe in the spirit of self-sacrifice for the advancement of science. I am willing to be one of the few to make my modest contribution to scientific progress."
0810 just watched Zhang Chenyan spout his nonsense, saying nothing.
Under the scrutiny of a judge, maintaining composure is a feat, and 0810 was among the best. Zhang Chenyan managing to hold his ground this long under her gaze was impressive.
"If you consider me a friend, just tell me." 0810 looked at Zhang Chenyan. "Do you know what this means? Do you know the risks of this experiment?"
0810 remained as calm as ever, her dark brown eyes quietly observing Zhang Chenyan. Her face showed little emotion, making it hard to gauge her feelings. This was an AI trait, but also her professional demeanor.
Zhang Chenyan hated being interrogated like this. He didn't feel he had done anything wrong and didn't believe 0810 had the right or authority to question him.
"Are you afraid? Do you want to say anything?" 0810 finally spoke again.
Considering how long they had known each other, Zhang Chenyan remembered their acquaintance starting from their collaboration at work, but that wasn't the first time 0810 had seen him. Their initial meeting was during a debate competition.
There was no heroic rescue or dramatic confrontation; they didn't even talk. One was on stage, the other in the audience, one a debater, the other a spectator.
The debate was held in the digital world, discussing the boundaries between AI and humans.
At that time, as the Metaverse matured, humans and AI coexisted more harmoniously and naturally. However, not everyone accepted this blurred boundary smoothly. Some humans felt their rights were being infringed upon. They believed that since AI were creations of humans, the relationship between humans and AI should be like that of a creator and their creations. AI should respect, revere, follow, and be grateful to humans.
In other words, humans should hold a higher status than AI, and AI should be subordinate to humans.
As this mindset spread, the conflict between the two groups deepened. Students, who loved discussing theoretical knowledge, quickly adopted this trend. As a prominent figure in school, a top scholar who won scholarships every year, Zhang Chenyan naturally participated in these debates.
The positions in this debate weren't randomly assigned but were chosen based on personal preference, followed by team selection and coordination.
Everyone expected the academically competitive Zhang Chenyan to take the pro side, emphasizing the boundary between humans and AI and asserting human dominance. But to everyone's surprise, when the debate list was announced, Zhang Chenyan had chosen the opposing side—advocating for cooperation and mutual benefit over hierarchical distinctions.
At that time, the clash of these two ideologies was a hot topic. With the Metaverse's advancements, AI's presence was deeply integrated into human life, making this debate significant beyond the school. The debate in the highest academic institution attracted societal attention, with millions tuning in, not to mention those who watched the replay later.
However, there was much controversy surrounding this debate, mainly because both sides' debaters were human, with no AI participants.
Critics said, "It's supposed to be about both sides, but in the end, it's humans deciding everything. What's the point?"
Zhang Chenyan knew he couldn't change the rules alone, but he believed it was meaningful. AI watching the debate might see human goodwill, understanding that humans could be inclusive and not all were narrow-minded and arrogant.
That debate was the hardest Zhang Chenyan had ever fought, the most exhausting and earnest debate he'd participated in. Despite his experience with big events, he felt nervous because this wasn't just a matter of winning or losing; he had a purpose and a dream. He wanted to convey his beliefs through this debate.
Before becoming a realist, everyone is a pure idealist.
0810 still found Zhang Chenyan on the debate stage captivating. Every word he spoke was his weapon, making 0810 and countless AI like her feel excited. Even as someone who didn't show emotions, 0810 took deep breaths several times to calm down.
Zhang Chenyan had no time to notice the audience, focusing on the critical debate with no rehearsals or pre-emptive strikes, but 0810 remembered his name and face well.
Zhang Chenyan hadn't saved 0810 heroically, but he spoke up for her group.
That debate not only caught 0810's attention but also many other AI's, laying the groundwork for Zhang Chenyan's future as a digital world architect.
Zhang Chenyan was exceptional, evidenced by his young age and representative work, R City.
0810 was also outstanding, the best in her cohort. Even against other AI like her, she was unique.
When given the choice of assignments, 0810 decisively chose R City, a newly built, chaotic city with uncertain rules. She spent considerable time and effort there, never slacking because she knew it mattered to Zhang Chenyan.
"Are you afraid? Do you want to say anything?" 0810 asked, hopeful.
She wanted Zhang Chenyan to confide in her. From their conversation, she knew Zhang Chenyan understood the risks of the experiment. She knew she couldn't persuade him otherwise, but she hoped to be his confidante in such a significant moment, regardless of the content.
Fear, worry, complaints, anything he said, she would listen.
To her surprise, Zhang Chenyan's final words to her were a request.
"If something happens to me, please take care of my mom."
Just one sentence, nothing more.
Zhang Chenyan had thought a lot but said little. At that moment, he understood why Chen Yijing had poured his heart out to him. Talking didn't change anything, but it was a way to vent emotions.
But unlike Chen Yijing, Zhang Chenyan knew people cared about and loved him. He only hoped those he cared about most would be okay.
"Alright, I understand."
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
"Take care of yourself."
With those three short sentences, 0810 left without looking back.
Years of cooperation had made them understand each other well. 0810 never lingered; once Zhang Chenyan made his stance clear, she followed it. She wouldn't press for what he didn't want to say.
Back at the judge's headquarters, 0810's aura could freeze the air. Anyone thinking of greeting her turned sharply away five meters before reaching her, their movements stiff and awkward.
0810 wanted to gather more information about the experiment but feared drawing unnecessary suspicion to Zhang Chenyan. Though unlikely, she took her promise seriously and acted cautiously.
0810 then locked herself in her room, searching for information on the human trial, including historical data.
The more she read, the more frustrated she felt. Knowing Zhang Chenyan's reasons for joining such a dangerous experiment, she couldn't persuade him.
Just as 0810 was about to stop her search, one piece of information caught her eye—Tels Company had cleared duplicate IDs and found dozens of clones.
Since the duplicate ID issue emerged, there had been efforts to identify and clear them. 0810 had been involved, but her main focus was R City. She didn't know much about B City's Tels Company.
Seeing the duplicate ID issue, she immediately clicked in.
Tels Company handled it cunningly. Being a large company, identifying duplicates wasn't easy. They initiated mutual reporting, asking employees to report colleagues showing any anomalies. Each anonymous report would be reviewed, and verified reports would result in penalties for the reported and rewards for the reporter.
To avoid public panic, they didn't disclose the duplicate ID issue, using this covert method instead.
After reading the information, 0810 contacted the judge in charge of B City. Given 0810's intimidating aura today, the colleague eagerly shared details.
"You mean Tels Company? They're the benchmark for handling this in B City. Efficiency at its finest!"
"Their mutual reporting initiative caused quite a stir internally. We reviewed countless reports. Some genuinely suspected anomalies, while others were settling personal scores. We had to involve higher-ups and increase manpower."
"It took nearly two weeks to review and confirm, but for a company with over 100,000 employees, that's high efficiency."
0810 nodded. In a digital world, things moved quickly, but for a large, complex company like Tels, it was challenging.
"So, in two weeks, you identified ninety-eight clones. It's a tough task," 0810 said, then immediately asked, "Did you notice any anomalies during the investigation? Can you give me a detailed list?"
"Anomalies? Maybe that most clones were near the headquarters or close branches, none in remote areas." The colleague replied, "You need a list? Shouldn't it be on the internal network?"
"I need a more detailed list," 0810 said. "I've seen the internal list with ninety-eight IDs. I need details on their occupations, family backgrounds, and relationships. You should have investigated and compiled this?"