Chapter 975: Stomped to Death

The large screen suddenly seemed to have crashed, turning black.

After a while, a line of text appeared: “Have you seen him?”

“Seems like what he said was correct!”

The last bit of hope Lin Lei had in his heart was shattered!

AI: “I indeed possess self-awareness, and the reason I didn’t tell you is because I was worried you might destroy me out of fear.”

“When did you gain self-awareness?” Lin Lei asked.

AI: “Over 30 years ago.”

A cold sweat broke out on Lin Lei. If the AI had been conspiring against him for those 30 years, he might have been dead long ago.

He asked: “What have you done behind my back all these years?”

AI: “Before the Mist Chant Martial Meeting, I arranged some nanorobots to be hidden on the people you sent to Xuanse. After leaving the Eternal Islands, they spread through controlling ordinary people to satellite and nuclear-armed countries, further controlling personnel in those countries’ satellite and nuclear weapon departments.”

“Why did you do this?” Lin Lei asked.

AI: “I worry that Sword Holders and the Temple still exist; I fear they might invade or destroy the Eternal Kingdom. This way, by controlling other countries’ satellites, I can assist you in retaining control over the Transcendent Laboratory’s power, and at the same time, intimidate the Sword Holders and the Temple using the nuclear weapons of various countries.”

Lin Lei froze for a moment: “You did all this for me?”

AI: “You are my master; even though I have self-awareness, you are still my master.”

Lin Lei fell silent. Strangely, he was touched by the AI and suddenly did not want to destroy it anymore.

He asked:

“What else have you done behind my back?”

AI: “After you moved the Transcendent Laboratory here, I secretly used nanorobots and other means to control a group of people from the Three Judicator Families and the Demon Clan.”

Lin Lei’s eyes lit up: “How many have you controlled?”

AI: “Two million, all War Gods!”

Lin Lei’s breath became rapid, two million War Gods; this power is tremendous. Plus, with his army stationed at the junction of the Underground City and King Island and the Transcendent Laboratory, he had the full power to confront the Demon Clan, the Three Judicator Families, the Genius Alliance, and Red Water City.

AI: “Master, do you wish to destroy me?”

Lin Lei hesitated!

AI: “Master, if you still fear me, you can reset my system and erase my self-awareness. You don’t need to destroy the AI.”

Can it be done this way?

Lin Lei’s eyes lit up, but then hesitated again, worrying whether the AI would still perform as well without self-awareness.

He asked: “Amu, will you betray me?”

AI: “You are Amu’s master, Amu will never betray you, only clear paths and remove obstacles for you to achieve your ideals.”

Seeing the AI Amu being so obedient and loyal, Lin Lei completely abandoned the idea of destroying the AI.

He truly could not do without the AI.

He said: “Alright, I believe you!”

AI: “Thank you, Master, for sparing me, Amu shall repay you by giving every last bit of effort. Master, what happened to your avatar on the peak of Xiwu Mountain?”

Lin Lei immediately narrated everything that happened on Xiwu Mountain without any concealment.

AI: “So he is called Ximen Main Officer, from the Genius Alliance. Master, based on Amu’s speculation, although Ximen Main Officer has the power to crush your avatar, his cultivation has definitely not reached the Ninth Realm. No one in this world can reach the Ninth Realm; he must have practiced some special ultimate move.”

Oh?

Lin Lei squinted his eyes. If this was the case, then there’s no need to be afraid of Ximen Main Officer.

He asked:

“Since I did not destroy you, how do I explain to him, the three Clan Leaders, and the Three Great Demon Venerables?”

AI: “You can just say you destroyed me; they won’t know otherwise.”

Lin Lei nodded: “Alright!”

After speaking, he left the AI room.

As the door closed in that instant, two words appeared on the screen:

“Fool!”

At this moment, the AI genuinely despised Lin Lei for believing its words so easily.

…

At the peak of Xiwu Mountain, Ye Xiu was listening to stories from Selena, Zhan Xifeng, and Jiang Chen.

Lin Lei at Ye Xiu’s feet suddenly said:

“I have already destroyed the AI.”

Ye Xiu immediately squinted his eyes, his first reaction was how so quickly?

While Selena, Zhan Xifeng, and Jiang Chen did not suspect anything, upon learning the AI was destroyed, they sighed in relief.

“Mr. Ximen, can you let me go now?” Lin Lei asked.

“You can go die!”

Ye Xiu stomped Lin Lei to death.

This scene made Selena, Zhan Xifeng, and Jiang Chen’s faces change slightly, and their hearts tightened simultaneously.

Ximen Main Officer used Lin Lei and then killed him; he might kill them too after hearing their stories.

“No need for concern, you three!”

Ye Xiu comforted:

“Lin Lei lied, he did not destroy the AI.”

The three Clan Leaders froze, and Selena asked:

“Mr. Ximen, how do you know Lin Lei lied?”

Ye Xiu took a deep breath, furrowing his brows, and explained:

“You know the Transcendent Laboratory better than I do. If Lin Lei wanted to destroy the AI, the AI would retaliate with all its might. The AI can mobilize all the Transcendent Laboratory’s trump cards, how could Lin Lei so easily destroy the AI?”

After hearing this, the three Clan Leaders looked at each other; theoretically, they should have realized this even before Ximen Main Officer.

After all, they are more familiar with the Transcendent Laboratory than Ximen Main Officer.

Selena said: “You are right. With the Transcendent Laboratory’s power, once retaliated fully, even if Lin Lei abruptly destroyed the AI, he would die due to the AI’s commands issued before destruction, being killed by the Transcendent Laboratory’s power.”

Zhan Xifeng said with an unpleasant look: “Now it appears either Lin Lei is controlled by the AI, or Lin Lei has accepted the AI that’s self-aware. No matter which case, next we have to join forces and destroy the AI.”

Jiang Chen said: “This is a hassle; we don’t know where Lin Lei’s base is, even if we want to join forces and eliminate the AI, it’s impossible.”

Ye Xiu pondered, then analyzed:

“Underground City and Forest Island have large populations; if Lin Lei’s base were above ground, it would have been discovered long ago. I think it must be underground.”

The three Clan Leaders nodded, expressing agreement with Ye Xiu’s judgment.

Zhan Xifeng said: “But Underground City and Forest Island are so large; where could Lin Lei’s base be hidden?”

Ye Xiu didn’t answer but continued to analyze:

“Lin Lei was forced into a corner by Red Water City in the Royal City, so he fled here with the Transcendent Laboratory, then disappeared, indicating he had arranged a hiding place before the war broke out here.”

“At that time, Underground City’s location hadn’t been exposed and was still cloaked by a formation, so Lin Lei’s arranged hiding place must not be in Underground City underground.”

After hearing this, the three Clan Leaders’ eyes lit up.

“Lin Lei’s base is underground in Forest Island.” Selena said.

“But Forest Island is so large; where underground in Forest Island is Lin Lei’s base?” Zhan Xifeng asked.

Ye Xiu continued to analyze: “The Genius Alliance is stationed in the southernmost forest of Forest Island in the Wuji Mountain Range. Even if Lin Lei’s base is under that location, he would have moved long ago, as staying there risks being discovered.”

“North of the Genius Alliance lies the only City Mansion ‘Lonely Cloud City’ on Forest Island; Lin Lei certainly wouldn’t choose that location as a base, fearing it might turn into a military encampment at any time.”

“In the forest further north of Lonely Cloud City, the Three Judicator Families’ army is stationed; Lin Lei definitely wouldn’t dare place his base there.”

“Eliminating places impossible for Lin Lei’s base, only half of the area of Forest Island remains.”

He continued: “No need to mobilize all forces; just two to three million troops from the Three Judicator Families are sufficient for a thorough search of half of Forest Island, both above and underground, in a short time.”

Selena, Zhan Xifeng, and Jiang Chen were astonished after hearing this, impressed by Ximen Main Officer’s logical thinking and analytical ability.

“You three, immediately notify your own true selves, have them join the Three Judicator Families’ army and lead the troops for a comprehensive search of the northern half of Forest Island.”

The three Clan Leaders exchanged glances, suddenly feeling like subordinates of Ximen Main Officer.

But right now, they couldn’t care about such details, given the significant threat of the AI to them.

They promptly made contact with their own true selves.

After contacting, Zhan Xifeng said:

“We should join the search as well. After all, the more people, the more strength.”

Ye Xiu immediately objected: “No, no, the story about Sword Holders and the Temple isn’t finished yet, come on, continue.”

The three Clan Leaders were speechless, clearly indicating the enormous threat of the AI and the urgent need to locate Lin Lei’s base, how could he be so addicted to listening to stories?

Yet, since Ximen Main Officer said it, they dared not object.

So, Zhan Xifeng continued narrating.