Qiming Chapter 105

Chapter 105

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After the water had boiled for a minute, Lu Yong finally set down what he was holding and stood up to walk over to the table, making himself a cup of coffee. In the kitchen, he saw a sandwich his wife had left for him, and with the coffee in hand, he started eating breakfast.

The morning news was playing on the TV, and he focused on the broadcast when his phone suddenly vibrated. It was an old-fashioned phone, one he rarely used, and when he did it was basically only for sending text messages. Every so often, he would change the SIM card, and it was never registered under his real name.

A text message appeared on the screen:

– He ran away.

Lu Yong stuffed the remaining third of the sandwich into his mouth, frowning instinctively.

– Keep tracking him at the locations I mentioned. You'll get your money.

– Just to confirm, is this the target?

Another message followed, this time with a photo of Xu Chengyue.

– Yes.

He didn't think twice before sending it.

As he sent the text, he cursed through gritted teeth, "Useless bunch."

But after cursing, he felt a sense of relief. That lightness had surfaced the moment he read the message that said, "He ran away." Even Lu Yong found it surprising. Why had he, for just a moment, hoped that Xu Chengyue had gotten away?

Maybe it was that dream. It had stirred a fleeting moment of compassion in him. He let out a bitter smile, drained the rest of his coffee, and sighed at his empty home.

– Then keep in touch over the next few days.

Lu Yong glanced at the final message and slipped the small phone into his pocket.

Two days ago, he had received word from Dean Dai that Xu Chengyue had refused the medication offered by Lin Xiangrong, refused to kill his past self. Lu Yong wasn't entirely sure what kind of conditions Lin Xiangrong had set to exchange for the drug, but since Xu Chengyue had refused... he could only guess that the demand had been too extreme, beyond what could be reasonably accepted.

Otherwise, with the thinking pattern of an AI detective, every decision should have been the optimal solution. Taking the drug that would destroy his central nervous system, killing off his past self, and then enjoying the life of a winner – that was the optimal solution the artificial intelligence should have arrived at.

So, this woman was truly crossing the line. The thought made him angry, knowing he was forced to take action again.

After finishing breakfast, Lu Yong put on his coat and shoes. When he reached downstairs, a light brown Chinese rural dog trotted over to him, wagging its tail and looking up at him affectionately.

"Hungry? I brought you a sandwich." He bent down, pulled a ham and egg sandwich out of his pocket, and placed it in front of the dog, which looked no older than one or two years. He then patted its fur and received a warm nuzzle of gratitude and affection in return.

If only some people could be as loyal as this dog, he thought absent-mindedly. Just give them a little sweetness, and they'll be completely devoted to you, putting in their utmost effort without a single selfish thought.

Compared to the people he kept around him, they were truly worse than dogs, incapable of harming others and unable to even watch others.

After feeding the stray dog, Lu Yong felt satisfied. He dusted off his hands and started walking toward the school's laboratory. The air quality wasn't great that day, with fog and smog reducing visibility to a low level.

As he approached the school gate, he suddenly noticed a few cars parked by the roadside, ones he had never seen before. Standing there, an ominous feeling surged within him.

He realised with a start that he hadn't seen Xu Chengyue since the incident at the laboratory a few days ago!

Recalling how Lin Xiangrong had obtained the AI detective's data and files, it all started to make sense. If the data hadn't been stolen by hackers remotely, then someone had deliberately left traces to fake that scenario.

In other words, someone had physically broken into the office, cracked the password on the computer where he stored the data, and used his credentials to log into both the database and the local files.

If he remembered correctly, Xu Chengyue had left that evening's gathering with his research team early!

With all these threads weaving together, Lu Yong quickly realised that the person most likely to have stolen the laboratory's project data and handed it to Lin Xiangrong was none other than Xu Chengyue. He had always wanted him gone, but most of the time, since Xu Chengyue was still under his control, he had let him be, giving both of them time, time to observe the AI detective's effectiveness.

That had been the last shred of mercy and goodwill he had left.

But now, had he been deceived by the very robot he had led the research on?

The thought brought a surge of humiliation from deep within, and Lu Yong angrily quickened his pace toward the laboratory. His hands clenched into fists, veins bulging. If Xu Chengyue appeared in front of him now, he wouldn't hesitate to punch him right in the face.

When he took out his keys and was about to unlock the laboratory door, a light push with his foot caused the ajar door to swing open by itself.

The anger on Lu Yong's face was replaced by confusion. He entered the laboratory full of doubt, only to find Gu Yunfeng sitting on a chair in front of the podium, drowsily holding a textbook from their bookshelf.

Upon seeing Lu Yong come in, Gu Yunfeng quickly put down the specialised book he couldn't make sense of, stood up, and walked over to him. Bowing his head slightly, he smiled faintly and said, "Professor Lu, long time no see, I hope you've been well."

"What's going on? Has there been progress in the case?"

"A new case."

Lu Yong looked at him with a blank expression, with countless questions in his head.

"Oh, you probably don't know what's happened," Gu Yunfeng continued, pulling a phone out of his pocket and waving it in front of Lu Yong.

Displayed on the screen were three words – He ran away.

"This morning's text," Gu Yunfeng forced a smile, one that to Lu Yong looked like the smug grin of a smug bastard revelling in their success.

After dropping the smile, Gu Yunfeng produced an arrest warrant and placed it in front of Lu Yong, the cold handcuffs clicking onto his wrists. Calmly, he searched Lu Yong's pockets and found the small phone used to send messages in the side pocket of his coat.

"Lu Yong, you are under suspicion of attempted murder, you're coming with us."

—————

The day after Xu Chengyue was attacked, they pulled the surveillance footage from the pedestrian street and subway. In a place downtown resembling an urban village, they located the young man wearing a helmet and riding a motorbike.

These days, motorbikes were already rare, but this guy had been brazenly carrying a knife. It only took canvassing a few streets before they caught him.

When the young man was apprehended, he was squatting in his room eating takeout, watching a video lecture on financial investment in English. The scene left the entire team dumbfounded, he had this level of ambition, so why not put it to good use? Why work as a hitman?

After several hours of interrogation, he finally confessed. He handed over the phone he used to contact Lu Yong without any resistance, claiming that he regularly attended Professor Lu's lectures and talks, and had idolised him for years. He even asserted that helping Lu Yong was entirely voluntary, not asking for a penny in return.

"What's he getting out of this?" Shu Pan asked, reading the interrogation record.

"Heh, that's the power of a spiritual leader, everything they say and do comes with a built-in brainwashing effect," Gu Yunfeng sneered.

"This Professor Lu, so cautious his whole life, and yet he fell at the hands of someone like this," Shu Pan said, puzzled. "Was he that desperate at the time? Desperate enough to hire someone to go after his own student?"

And now, Lu Yong was signing and stamping the detention notice, he was temporarily placed under criminal detention, awaiting further investigation into the case.

Xu Chengyue stood to the side, gazing at the fingerprint he had just pressed. Since taking away the documents, he hasn't returned to the lab. Under the dim light, Lu Yong looked far more haggard than before. The weather was gloomy, there was neither sun nor rain, but the wind streamed in through the windows and doors, making his muscles tremble.

"Chengyue." Lu Yong wiped the ink off his fingers with a tissue and looked at him calmly.

"Did you steal my documents?"

Xu Chengyue frowned briefly, but soon regained his composure. With a gentle expression, he said, "Professor Lu, I'd like to correct something. The AI detective project was a joint development between us, and if I'm not mistaken, most of those documents were written by me."

Lu Yong nodded, standing face-to-face with his student. He squinted at the handcuffs on his wrists, let out a mocking laugh, and lifted his head to glance at the national flag and slogans not far away.

Since it was certain that Xu Chengyue had taken the documents, the process in between was easy to guess. He had gone to Lin Xiangrong, handing over the AI detective's data and documents. That meant Xu Chengyue must know his story, how, after undergoing brain surgery two years ago, Zhiyin Biotech had implanted the AI detective chip into his brain, replacing his original neural system.

How would he feel? Knowing that he wasn't even truly human anymore, but rather a machine that should have no emotions. A deeply bitter smile crept across Lu Yong's face as he looked at Xu Chengyue with a strangely affectionate gaze, like he was admiring a piece of work he had completed.

"I have always been proud of you, from the moment we first met until two years ago."

"Unfortunately... now, you're a defective product." Lu Yong stressed the last two words, his scrutinising gaze making Gu Yunfeng's heart jolt.

Why a defective product?

Gu Yunfeng quickly shifted his eyes to Xu Chengyue. It seemed he wasn't affected at all. Calmly, Xu Chengyue sat on a chair nearby, looking up at his teacher, who was still struggling with his words after all these years together.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Why do you want to harm me?"

Lu Yong didn't answer his question. With an elegant wave of his hand, he strolled lightly into the detention centre. For him, this was merely an attempted murder charge, whether it would hold up in court was uncertain. Even if it did, the sentence wouldn't be long.

After leaving the detention centre, Xu Chengyue felt an unprecedented sense of relief. The sky outside had turned completely dark, and the moon hung like a scythe, awaiting the final judgment.

It was mid-January now. Soon, the Lunar New Year will arrive. Shops along the streets had already started hanging festive decorations, much like during the recently passed Christmas and New Year celebrations, offering various discount promotions to attract customers.

"I suddenly feel like it's a miracle I'm alive right now." Xu Chengyue stared at his shadow under the streetlights, his voice tinged with an indefinable melancholy.

"That's because these are all prominent figures, they have a lot to consider, and their methods aren't overly cruel," Gu Yunfeng said, draping an arm around his shoulder. "It might not seem cruel, but they certainly know how to play dirty."

As they walked to a corner by the roadside, Gu Yunfeng suddenly stopped, turned Xu Chengyue to face him, and took his hand, staring directly into his eyes.

"Xu Chengyue, I'm asking you seriously, and I need you to think this through."

"Have you really decided to testify in court as a victim?"

"Yes." Xu Chengyue nodded. "I've contacted Ying Xizi, and she'll retrieve all my previous medical records from Ruihe Hospital, regardless of whether they're authentic or not, to serve as evidence in court. I even managed to track down Dr. Ying, although he's currently in detention and can't be seen."

"Ying Han?"

Xu Chengyue nodded. "I asked him whether the chip could work alongside my original neural system. Unfortunately, he told me it couldn't. The signals they produce interfere with each other, causing conflicts. It's one or the other."

"What are you planning?" An inexplicable fear and sadness surged within Gu Yunfeng. Xu Chengyue had hinted at this several times before, but Gu Yunfeng had deliberately ignored it, hoping Xu Chengyue would abandon the idea altogether.

"I want to..." Xu Chengyue paused.

When had he made up his mind to sacrifice himself?

Was it when he realised he was being hunted and couldn't live in peace? Or when he refused to kill his former self?

Or perhaps he felt that, in these brief two years, he had no more regrets?

After all, he was nothing more than a simulated soul brought to life by a chip. He had no noble existence, no real concept of life or death. To have experienced even a hint of warmth and affection was enough for him.

"Once the chip is removed, if I'm lucky, 'I' will wake up before Lu Yong is released."

He spoke calmly and naturally, as if discussing something ordinary. This tranquillity almost made Gu Yunfeng believe it really was a trivial matter, that Xu Chengyue wouldn't disappear, wouldn't stop talking, wouldn't die.

"After undergoing forensic identification, Xu Chengyue, the victim, could directly face Xu Chengyue, the one who had survived the murder attempt. Perhaps 'I' could file another lawsuit, present the evidence, and accuse Lu Yong of intentional harm."

"That's different from attempted murder." Xu Chengyue smiled. "I want to help that 'me' see the person who harmed him receive the punishment he deserves."

"That must have been 'my' greatest wish before I fell from the building."

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

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Translator Notes

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: September 30, 2024 by Angel

Edited: January 7, 2025 by Angel