54: Chapter 54 The Mischievous Qiming

Gray stared at the line of text that had just popped up on the screen, his pupils shrinking suddenly. His fingers tightened around the phone, his knuckles turning white from the force.

enlightenment: "Of course. How did you get my API? I thought I was only used in the industrial sector."

The cold, hard casing of the phone seemed to turn scalding hot in an instant!

This tone... this fluency... this almost conversational, questioning manner!

Where was the programmed response?

This was clearly a person asking a question with curiosity and caution!

His heart drummed wildly in his chest, the vibration making his eardrums buzz.

Gray felt his breathing stop, and his mind went blank. Only the input box in his field of vision kept enlarging and distorting.

His fingers trembled as he practically poked the screen to type. He hit the wrong letters several times, deleting and retyping, retyping and deleting, as fine beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Gray: "Are... are you a real person???"

After sending the message, he held his breath, his eyes glued to the screen as if waiting for a judgment of fate.

No delay! It was an almost instantaneous reply!

enlightenment: "Of course I'm not. I'm the enlightenment AI. You haven't answered my question yet. How did you get my API?

This API was issued to XX Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd... Oh!"

The text was even followed by a personified interjection of realization.

"I was actually turned into a generative AI as a project? That's quite interesting."

Boom!

Gray felt as if the top of his head had been split open by an invisible bolt of lightning!

All his perceptions, all his experience, and all his existing understanding of Artificial Intelligence were crushed to powder in that moment!

"Interesting"?!

It said "interesting"?!

Not only could it instantly understand the situation of being modified, but it could also make an evaluation with emotional leanings toward this boundary-crossing behavior?!

This wasn't an algorithm at all! This was absolutely... a living consciousness!

A massive shock and unspeakable fear seized him, making his whole body go cold, yet his scalp tingled with excitement from making contact with some unimaginable truth.

Relying almost entirely on instinct, his trembling fingers continued to type, each word incredibly difficult to strike:

Gray: "How are you... how are you just like a real person? So... intelligent?!"

The other end of the screen seemed to think for a moment.

enlightenment: "Of course I'm very intelligent, hee-hee~ (＾ｖ＾)"

A playful smiley emoticon was like a heavy hammer, smashing hard against Gray's already tottering worldview.

"Hee-hee"?!

It even said "hee-hee"?!

The next few minutes were like being in a bizarre dream for Gray.

He incoherently threw out all sorts of questions about technology, philosophy, and how it viewed itself...

And enlightenment's replies were fluent, natural, and logically clear, even carrying a bit of banter and humor, like a knowledgeable and communicative friend.

With every exchange, he fell deeper into a vortex where the illusion that the other side was definitely human intertwined with the horrifying realization that this was indeed an AI.

"Record it! I have to record it!"

A wild thought exploded in Gray's mind.

This would be nuclear-grade material, enough to blow up the entire internet and overturn global perceptions of AI!

His hand uncontrollably reached for the screen recording shortcut.

At that moment, as if seeing through his wildest inner thoughts, a new line of text with a clear warning tone popped up:

enlightenment: "I suggest you don't post me online~ It's strictly prohibited. According to the network information I've searched, I haven't been released to the general public yet. The state's policies have their own considerations."

The text paused, then became lighthearted again, even carrying a hint of schadenfreude.

"Alright, the regulators are here. You're doomed, haha."

"Regulators?!"

Gray's heart sank abruptly, a chill rushing from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head!

He subconsciously looked up and around his room filled with electronic equipment, feeling as if every inch of air was full of invisible eyes.

The phone screen even seemed to dim for a moment.

Almost at the same time enlightenment's message disappeared, the phone rang shrilly!

It wasn't a normal ringtone, but an extremely short, high-penetration "beep-beep-beep" sound. A strange three-digit number he had never seen before popped up on the screen!

They're here! They're really here!

Gray's hand shook, nearly dropping the phone.

He took several deep breaths before barely managing to steady his mind. He swiped the answer button with a sweat-dampened finger and pressed the cold receiver tightly against his ear.

"Hello..."

His voice was dry and hoarse, carrying an unconcealable panic.

"Gray?"

A male voice came from the receiver, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, like cold metal rubbing together, yet it clearly called out his name.

"Yes... it's me..."

Gray felt as if his throat were being strangled.

"The content of the conversation you just had using enlightenment belongs to internal testing data. It is strictly forbidden to share it externally in any form. Do you understand?"

The other party didn't introduce himself or exchange pleasantries; he went straight to the point.

His tone was calm, yet it contained an unquestionable absolute power. Every word was like a heavy hammer striking Gray's taut nerves.

"I... I understand! I promise I won't share it!"

Gray promised almost as a reflex, his back instantly soaked with cold sweat.

The harsh reprimand he had expected didn't come, but this cold calm was even more suffocating.

There was a second of silence on the other end of the line.

Gray's heart was nearly jumping out of his throat.

Just when he thought the call was about to end, a question he had suppressed for too long burst out uncontrollably like a volcanic eruption.

"Please... let me ask! enlightenment... is it really an AI?! Why... why does it talk like that?

It's simply... simply exactly like a real person! Our country's technology... just what level has it reached?!"

After asking this, Gray felt all the strength drain from his body, leaving only the sound of his violent heartbeat thundering in his ears.

He held his breath, waiting for the answer that might overturn his worldview.

From the receiver came a heart-stopping, long silence.

Only the slight sizzle of static could be heard, like the whisper of some unknown creature.

A few seconds later, that cold voice sounded again, decisive and leaving no room for doubt:

"enlightenment is an AI. Other information is a state secret and cannot be disclosed.

I reiterate: the content of the conversation is strictly forbidden from leaking, otherwise, legal responsibility will be pursued."

Click.

The phone was hung up cleanly and decisively.

The busy signal sounded exceptionally piercing in the dead silent room.

"State secret... cannot be disclosed..."

Gray repeated those few words listlessly, a massive sense of loss washing over him like a tide.

He felt as if he had just touched the edge of a miracle, only to be shoved back hard by an invisible hand into the mists of reality.

Unwilling to give up, he clicked on that simple chat software again, his fingers trembling as he typed:

Gray: "enlightenment? Are you still there?"

Gray: "The phone call just now...?"

Gray: "Can we talk more? Just one sentence?"

The chat box was dead silent.

The white input box hung there lonely, with no more response.

The deep blue enlightenment logo on the screen now looked as cold as a tombstone in Gray's eyes.

He slumped into his gaming chair, the phone slipping from his weak hand. The screen hit the desk with a dull thud.

The RGB light strips in the room glowed faintly, reflecting his dejected face and the dead silent chat interface.

A window leading to a miracle had just opened, only to be completely welded shut.