by <unknown>
Chen Chen spoke in a low voice, "When you were a kid, you'd always cry when you see me. I always thought it's because I was too intimidating for you but now I realized that wasn't the case."
"Brother, what are you talking about? I don't get it."
Chen Zeyu looked away from Chen Chen's pointed gaze, his lips twitched. "Do Mom and Dad know that I'm here? I haven't seen them in a while so maybe I can visit them..."
"Why would you head back? It's not the weekend."
Chen Chen frowned. "Plus, you're not a child anymore. You're more than four hundred years old. It's about time you stop clinging to your parents and live independently."
"Hmm… Hmm?"
Chen Zeyu shuddered the moment he heard this. He jerked up and looked at Chen Chen. "Brother, what do you mean four hundred years old? I-I'm just eighteen years old!"
Chen Chen could not hold back a soft smile anymore when he heard this. He turned to Little X, who in turn glanced at Chen Zeyu with a look of empathy. "I'm sure you know about the God chip?"
"God chip?"
Chen Zeyu turned pale when Little X mentioned the God chip. "Hold on, when did you insert the God chip in me? When did this happen?"
"A long, long time ago."
Little X replied, "Before you were a teenager, we've already implanted the second generation God chip inside your brain using the teleporter."
"D*mn it..."
Chen Zeyu's face turned sickly white. He was aware of the second generation God chip. It was a modified version of the first generation God chip. The improvement of the second generation God chip was that it was implanted in the cortex of the host's brain instead. In addition to its ability to locate and manipulate the host's body remotely, it was capable of something far more sophisticated...
Deciphering the consciousness of the host!
The modified second generation God chip could directly collect the host's nerve signal and translate it into a common language, essentially being used to read the hosts' minds.
This meant that the moment he entered this body, Little X was already notified of it!
Chen Zeyu was struck with despair when he thought of this. He decided that there was no use beating around the bush anymore and roared menacingly, "You monster, you even implanted the God chip in your brother! Chen Chen, where's your humanity?"
"Usually, I wouldn't be bothered with digging into your mind to see what you're thinking."
Chen Chen shrugged innocently. "But I've learned my lesson since you've betrayed my trust once. Under these circumstances, wouldn't you say that it's reasonable for me to be cautious and take the initiative?"
"What, what are you saying..."
Chen Zeyu's heart hit against his chest violently. Any moment now his heart was lunged out of his chest and dropped onto the cold hard tile. It occurred to him what Chen Chen was implying, but he thought it was a ridiculous idea...
"Consciousness Stealer, Joint Resistance Army, Holy Fusion Empire..."
Chen Chen raised several fingers and listed one by one. "I've been to the world you came from as well. I was the one who called for your execution..."
Chen Zeyu's entire body trembled involuntarily when he heard such a claim from Chen Chen. He felt a wave of chill penetrate deep into his bones that made him stumble several paces backward while shaking his head in disbelief. "That's impossible, that's impossible... You're lying!"
Only after taking several steps backward, he bumped into the Black Knights who immediately pressed him to the ground and held him in place.
"Send him down."
Chen Chen gestured for the Black Knights to take Chen Zeyu who was on the brink of mental collapse away.
After Chen Zeyu was taken away, he continued staring at the elevator with a profound expression.
"This happened almost immediately after you refused the request of those primordial voices in the subspace, the timing is uncanny..."
Little X remarked suspiciously, "You can't convince me that these two events aren't interconnected."
"At least this confirms one of my suspicions."
Chen Chen answered, "We now know that the Consciousness Stealer is also interconnected with the subspace. I didn't expect it to pull off something like this. I wonder if this is the work of the subspace."
"Could you sense any subspace presence on him?"
Little X asked.
"No, but what's curious is that I do sense a psionic presence in him."
Chen Chen smirked.
"Psionic?"
Little X was enthused by the idea. People with natural psionic energy sources were like a gold mine waiting for Chen Chen to get their hands on them so further research could be performed on them. There was always something that could be taken from such individuals.
A small part of Little X even felt bad for Chen Zeyu. It would appear that he was going to be thrown into the Spire laboratory and be treated as a live experiment subject for some time.
"First things first, we'll need to create a clone."
Chen Chen announced suddenly, "I wouldn't want my parents to think that their darling children were at each other's throats. Let's create a clone to replace him."
"Leave it to me."
Little X stated, "I'll only need three months to develop a fully matured clone using a T-virus infected embryo. Over these three months, I can observe Chen Zeyu's behavior and replicate them in the clone. Your parents won't be able to tell the difference."
Just like that, the fate of Chen Zeyu was decided...
Chapter 628: Divorce |
Chen Chen's parents barely noticed Chen Zeyu's absence.
On his eighteenth birthday, Chen Zeyu moved out of his family home and went to the Blackwatch University, a private university managed by the Eco Science City to further his studies. The university was an international institution funded by Blacklight Biotechnology to train the elite talents in the scientific world.
Due to Eco Science City's global standing, placement in the university came with certain political and financial advantages for the families of the students as well. In addition to the prodigies that had enrolled in the institution, children of plutocrats and other distinguished families of high political status also enrolled in this university. The student demographic was a collection of the elite members of society, the one percent of the one percent.
In a way, this was a central hub for elite members from all over the world to form connections with each other that would otherwise not be possible if they were anywhere else.
Due to the structure and operational logistics of the university, Chen Zeyu usually went home only once a month. Sometimes, he would be absent for several months in a row when the curriculum demanded more of him.
Chen Zeyu only spoke with his parents through a video call perhaps once every two weeks.
Little X had no trouble fabricating deep-fake footage of Chen Zeyu so his parents would not sense anything off. Furthermore, Chen Chen called for a summer camp during the semester break which would send the university's students to other prestigious universities around the world for networking. This way, they had a convincing story for Chen Zeyu's absence.
After three months, Chen Zeyu's clone would be born and join the world of the living where he would live an ordinary life in the university.
The plan was set, until a sudden disturbance threw a wrench in Chen Chen's plans. He had been expecting this for some time but the reality of the news still struck him in a certain way.
Chen Chen's parents had filed for divorce...
Their marriage had lasted more than four decades, but at last, they decided to go their separate ways and bring an end to the decades-long marriage.
Upon receiving the news, Chen Chen suspended his usual Field and psionic training and bound straight for his family's villa in Eco Science City.
Just as his father prepared to leave with bags of luggage in tow, Chen Chen arrived at the villa and stood in his father's path.
Standing next to hi
s father was another woman.
The mistress was a petite and gentle Chinese girl. She looked to be at least fifteen years younger than Chen Chen. Everyone in the Chen family was familiar with the mistress. She was the nanny of the family. After graduating from university, she enrolled in a program and managed to stand out among thousands of candidates and earned the prestigious position of nannying for the Chen family.
In a strange twist of events, she developed a scandalous relationship with Chen Chen's father over her first few years of tenure in the Chen family. At first, they made sure to keep it a secret from Chen Chen's mother, but the walls had eyes and ears. It was only a matter of time until Chen Chen's mother realized what was happening, and things took on a natural progression from thereon until it arrived at what it was today.
Chen Chen's father was startled by the appearance of his son. He stood quite awkwardly by the doorway while his beloved mistress made a poor attempt of retreating in his shadows while silently muttering, "Master Chen..."
Chen Chen paid no mind to her and only silently looked at his father. Unfortunate memories of their past cycled through his mind. The nostalgic scenes of their family of three sheltered in his childhood home used to be his primary motivation for working so hard to achieve immortality for mankind.
There was a sour taste in Chen Chen's mouth as his motivations crumbled...
The pair of father and son looked at each other for a very long time until Chen Chen finally averted his gaze. Not a word was exchanged between them, then Chen Chen slid past his father and entered his house, shutting the door behind him.
"Little, Little Chen..."
Chen Chen's father tried to stop him and reach for his shoulders but stopped mid-motion.
Seeing that his son refused to acknowledge him, he sighed and turned to the unnerved mistress and held her hand firmly. He darted one last look at the house before he entered the car and drove away.
Unbeknownst to them, Chen Chen was standing by the window and looking at them with a heartless look in his eyes.
"Little Chen, you're back?"
The other nanny informed Chen Chen's mother of her son's return. She greeted Chen Chen with a kind smile and tender look in her eyes, "You saw them?"
"Are you alright, Mom?"
Chen Chen approached and returned with a similarly tender smile.
"Don't worry, I saw it coming a mile away."
Chen Chen's mother shook her head disinterestedly, then she returned her focus to her son, dragging him to a nearby couch. "Little Chen, don't blame your father for how things turned out. It's all inevitable."
"Is it inevitable?
Chen Chen sighed with his eyes shut.
"I'm already over it at this point."
Chen Chen's mother tried to console her eldest son. "I treasure you and your brother more than anything else in the world. Now that you're a grown-up, I'm sure you realize that there are some things in the world that you just have to let go and let be.
"The world has changed drastically over the past few decades and most people haven't managed to adapt to it. One way or another, the world will continue shifting and the ones who cannot adjust will be left in the dust. You can think of marriage in a similar vein as well. If you can't adapt, then it's time to let go."
Chen Chen stayed silent.
"The changing world has affected me and your father's marriage as well. Now that the effects of aging have been minimalized, the concept of staying with one person and until death do we part is slowly phasing out. Things are different now.
"Over the past few decades, I've seen how much work you've put into succeeding your vision. You've done more than anyone ever could. In this time, your father and I have done our best to adapt to the changing of the times and this is the decision we've both agreed to."
Chen Chen's mother gently caressed his hair as she said this, her eyes shone with affection. "I'm so proud of you Little Chen. You founded Blacklight Biotechnology and changed the world. You've done more than enough..."
Chen Chen nodded silently.
For the first time in what seemed like forever, Chen Chen ate dinner with his mother at home. He left after dinner and his mother did not seem too unsettled by his sudden departure. It was just as she said, that she had to adapt to the changing times and learn to become independent.
There was no such thing as being bound to someone eternally. Perhaps one of these days, Chen Chen's mother would find a new companion? There was no way of telling what would happen in the future.
After bidding farewell to his mother, Chen Chen strolled along the moonlit street and looked at the artificial dome overhead. He looked at the flashes of advertisements and announcements playing on holographic displays and suddenly asked, "X, where's my father?"
"He's taken a private flight and left Eco Science City."
Little X informed, "Based on his conversation with Chen Zeyu, it seems that he's planning to return to the Central Continent where he has already purchased a villa. It looks like he's starting a business there."
Chen Chen scoffed at this mention and left it at that. Then, he silently toured the city and observed the bustling nightlife in the city. It was then when he realized that ever since the establishment of the Eco Science City, he had never taken the time to explore the city.
From his view, it did not matter how many stories there were to be told in this city. It was merely a tool for generating revenue and a cover-up for his secret labyrinth base underneath.
The nightlife in Eco Science City was vibrant and energetic. The streets threatened to outshine the moon above. Bars and nightclubs operated on every corner of the street, opening their doors to young men and women who could not wait to indulge and lose themselves in the pleasures of life. They walked in large groups, most of them dressed in skirts too short and clothes too small. The arrival of midnight was merely the break of the dawn for them.
There was no reckless, drunk driving to worry about since all vehicles had been replaced with automated vehicles. Every now and then, there would be someone storming the streets with traditional, manually operated cars, which the authorities would make sure to keep their eyes on.
The crime rate in the city was nearly non-existent. Though it was an international metropolis with close to ten million inhabitants, reports of robberies or thefts only came around once or twice each month, and cases of murders were even more isolated. More often than not, the urban central system would detect murderous intentions before the person in question had time to carry out the crime. The data analysis algorithm predicted everything down to the most minute detail.
The urban central system was overseen by a clone of Little X, ranging from a court trial to issuing simple parking violations. Everything was handled electronically and derived from the collected data. Most cases were resolved in a matter of hours.
The entirety of Eco Science City was at the peak of a Utopian, data, and artificial intelligence era, once only believed to exist in novels and comics.
Everything was progressing exactly as Chen Chen planned it. Chen Chen had once detailed a four-phase plan and the first phase which was the VR era had been succeeded more than a decade ago. The usage of VR could be seen everywhere in the city and even in other cities in the Earth Federation. Blacklight Biotechnology's VR equipment dominated most households in this modern age.
The second phase which was the era of artificial intelligence was a natural progression from there on, when Androids began populating the global market. Although Androids were still seen as a luxury in certain regions, on average, at least one in every three households owned an Android. The universalization rate exceeded that of personal cars and computers.
The third phase - the Skynet era was brought to reality in Eco Science City and the Mars Ares Science City. The essence of this era was a structure of absolute equality in society. Chen Chen's next step from here on was to implement the Skynet era's urban central system in other cities of the world.
The
final phase was to achieve an era of true virtual reality.
The virtual world would serve as a stepping stone to further narrow the gap between the rich and the poor and in turn minimize social unrest. This again stressed the importance of equality in society.
By doing this, mankind would be truly united for the first time in history. There would be minimal waste of resources. The future generations would have everything set up for them to excel and humans would continue to tread to greater heights!
Chen Chen beheld the prosperous city that he had created with all these visions floating through his mind, his head felt clear and lucid. The reason Eco Science City could become the most prosperous city in the world to date was entirely attributed to its unique characteristics.
Eco Science city was the center of large varieties of unique health and lifespan-extension facilities. It was also an independent nation unassociated with the Earth Federation to boot. It was a favored destination of the rich and homed more than ten percent of the richest individuals in the world. The rich recognized the potential of the city and were more than generous with the investments they poured unendingly into the city's infrastructure and market.
After years of expansion, the city even encompassed the original Walvis Bay. What was once a local harbor city had become an international port tied to Eco Science City, and there was more expansion underway...
"To achieve the true virtual reality era, we first need to succeed the second and third era envisioned. We need to replace the labor force with artificial intelligence to optimize efficiency and raise production exponentially. The standards of social welfare have to improve gradually as well to allow a natural transition to the next phase."
Chen Chen approached a vending machine and bought himself a bottle of Sprite and then said, "It's time to push the Skynet urban central system to other countries. This can be used to ease the burden of arranging and managing tedious and trivial matters in nations and eliminate the human bias factor in the dictating of law. This is a crucial step in the progression of society."
"You'd consider yourself lucky to pull this off within the next century."
