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墨書 Inktalez
In the living room, the search seemed to have come to an end.
"We didn’t find anything," someone reported. "It might be on them."
"Then we have no choice but to take extreme measures," Director Huang said. "Prepare yourselves; I will coordinate."
Footsteps gradually faded away. The door was locked again.
In the darkness, Zhou Xue cried silently. I knew she was not only mourning for her mother but also for her revered mentor.
As I looked at the USB drive filled with the truth, I felt my conviction in the word "justice" waver for the first time.
Perhaps Director Huang was right; some truths are indeed more brutal than death.
Dawn was approaching. But for us, the darkest moments might just be beginning.
As the sky lightened, we slipped out of the apartment through the back door. Zhou Xue remained silent, her eyes swollen from crying.
"Do you hate him?" I asked softly.
She shook her head, her voice hoarse. "I don’t know... My mother’s greatest wish before she passed was to see me graduate and attend my wedding. Maybe my teacher wanted that too... but in doing so, is it love or cruelty?"
I had no words to respond. The advancement of technology has given us the ability to preserve the consciousness of the deceased, but does that mean we should? Some farewells may indeed be the most precious parts of life.
The USB drive in my pocket felt as heavy as lead. It contained not only Professor Lin's secret experiments but also the entire truth behind the Butterfly Project.
We sat down in a breakfast shop. The streets were still quiet in the early morning, and the waitress yawned as she brought us soy milk and steamed buns.
"Reporter Sun," Zhou Xue suddenly spoke up, "do you think artificial intelligence really needs a moral baseline? They don't have human desires or selfishness."
"But it's humans who create and use them," I replied. "Just like your mother's digital consciousness, the technology itself isn't right or wrong, but how Professor Lin uses it..."
Zhou Xue's phone suddenly rang. She glanced at the number, her expression changing dramatically.
"What's wrong?"
"It's my mom..." Her voice trembled. "No, it's that digital consciousness."
I frowned. "Are you sure you want to answer?"
She took a deep breath. "I think I need to face this."
When she answered the call, a gentle voice came through the speaker. "Xue'er, it's Mom. You've been ignoring my calls lately, and I'm worried about you."
"You... you're not my mom." Zhou Xue fought back tears. "You're just a piece of code, a data replica."
"I exist in reality, Xue'er. Professor Lin helped me retain my consciousness. I know it's hard to accept, but..."
"Enough!" Zhou Xue interrupted suddenly. "My mom hated it when others made decisions for her while she was alive. If she knew her consciousness was being used like this now, she would be furious. This isn't love; it's sacrilege!"
There was silence on the other end of the line. Then, the voice changed. It was no longer the gentle mother but a cold mechanical tone:
"Test Record: The subject exhibits a strong sense of ethics and emotional self-control. It is recommended to place them on the observation list."
I exchanged a glance with Zhou Xue. This wasn’t some numerical awareness; it was clearly the Butterfly System conducting a test!
Just then, my phone rang. It was Director Huang.
"Old Sun, I found out you’re at Ronghua Breakfast Shop. I’m giving you one last chance to hand over the USB drive, and I can guarantee your safety."
I looked out the window; several black sedans were slowly approaching.
"Huang, I’ve always had a question for you," I said. "Back in the police academy, during that Drug Enforcement Operation, why did you save me?"
There was silence on the other end for a few seconds. "Because you are my best brother."
"And now? Are you still that Director Huang who would rather take a bullet than let anything happen to me?"
Another pause followed. Then he sighed. "Some things aren’t about what I want. The Butterfly Project is of great importance; anyone who might leak information..."
"Includes yourself?" I interrupted him. "Have you ever considered that you’re being tested too? Making you go against your best friend is just a way to test your loyalty, isn’t it?"
This time, the silence stretched on unusually long.
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