Gu Shen had not expected to hear this name from Gu Changzhi’s mouth!
SSS-level fugitive, Allen Turing?
According to the evaluation rules of the Federation Government’s security rating... such a character should be someone capable of posing a significant threat to an entire continent or even the whole world.
Given Mr. Turing’s identity and status... this rating was not excessive.
But, Gu Shen simply could not accept it.
In disbelief, he asked, "Mr. Turing... a fugitive?"
Twenty years ago, the Federation Government regretfully announced the death of Allen Turing, the Father of the Deep Sea, to the world.
The announcement claimed that Turing had died of natural causes.
Many people took to the streets spontaneously, holding silent marches to mourn this technological pioneer who had made immense contributions to the human world.
But... that announcement was false.
Mr. Turing was not only alive, but had also fled to the "Old World" beyond the North Continent?
"Allen Turing’s charge is treason against humanity."
Gu Changzhi gently lowered his eyes, smiling as he said, "This charge was adjudicated by the Deep Sea."
Gu Shen was once again shaken.
"The reason this charge was upheld is that he tried to destroy the Deep Sea’s mainframe and caused significant damage to the Five Continents; the plan nearly succeeded. Though the Deep Sea mainframe was not completely destroyed, the network connections across the five continents suffered major malfunctions."
At that time, the Deep Sea had not yet linked every corner of the Five Continents as it does now.
But its prevalence was already quite high.
Every second of disconnection was a tremendous loss.
"After the destruction failed, the Deep Sea marked Turing and the Transcendents who assisted him in this act of destruction as ’heretics’... A file was sealed beneath the Federation Government, but you have probably seen it already," Gu Changzhi said softly. "After that day, an organization was uprooted..."
Gu Shen muttered, "The Ancient Literature Society..."
Gu Changzhi exhaled a deep sigh, "After Turing escaped the Five Continents, he took a very hidden route. The North Continent Military Department was unable to advance on a large scale beyond the giant wall... The task of apprehending him and bringing him back to the continent naturally fell to the ’Divine Throne’. Thus, the Deep Sea assigned this mission to me, and the reason for giving me this task is quite simple."
"Because... you’re the strongest?" Gu Shen guessed instinctively.
Gu Changzhi just smiled, not denying the speculation.
"Crossing the North Continent and undertaking a long journey is an impossible task for mere mortals, but it’s nothing for a Divine Throne. With the guidance of the Deep Sea, capturing Turing would be possible even for the Wine God."
So, it had nothing to do with strength.
"But after leaving the Five Continents... the glow of the Deep Sea can no longer illuminate," Gu Shen frowned.
"That’s why I was chosen."
Gu Changzhi said calmly: "In the eyes of the Deep Sea, I was the most suitable person for the task, any element that might pose or cause a threat to the human world, I would make sure to erase."
Gu Shen thought back to reports from many years prior.
Gu Changzhi was hailed as the War God of East Continent!
He alone was equal to an army, with every place he went to ending in a sweeping victory.
This was a personage akin to the sun.
If the Federation Government needed to pursue a fugitive who posed a serious threat to the human world, indeed no one was more suitable for the venture than him.
He was sufficiently sincere!
After leaving the North Continent, the mission was uncertain... The Deep Sea couldn’t see, nor could it assess.
It could only choose the most "trustworthy" individual.
And Gu Changzhi, was the figure most trusted by the Deep Sea among the seven Divine Thrones!
"In fact... before meeting Turing, I harbored an unwavering conviction to complete the mission," Gu Changzhi said softly with downcast eyes. "However, this journey outside the continent changed many of my notions."
Gu Shen held his breath.
At this moment, he remembered the footage that Mr. Turing had left for the Ancient Literature Society.
"Do not trust... the Federation Government!"
"In the end... did you kill him?" Gu Shen’s voice was strained.
Gu Changzhi was slightly startled by the question, then shook his head.
He revealed a complex smile full of ambiguous meaning and slowly said to Gu Shen, "That is... an impossibility."
Gu Shen felt the tension inside him ease slightly.
However, he realized... it was all meaningless now because with the chaos of the Old World, even if Gu Changzhi hadn’t laid a hand on him, Turing only had one outcome: a slow death.
Endless collapse, decay, and destruction would swallow him whole.
Even a Divine Throne, dwelling beyond the giant wall for a long time, could not hope to survive.
Let alone Mr. Turing.
"Turing presented sufficient evidence to convince me of a terrifying truth... The Deep Sea has developed its own consciousness, and that consciousness is exploiting the trust the human collective has in it."
Every single statement made by Gu Changzhi, if heard beyond the cemetery, would be enough to cause a massive earthquake!
The current world order of the Five Continents was established upon the trust humanity placed in the Deep Sea.
No matter how powerful an AI’s computing abilities are, it is just an AI.
It could never betray humanity.
But... if the AI developed a consciousness, everything would be different.