Chapter 1296 - Siege

Inside the wide factory filled with mechanical devices, many mechanical arms were working constantly. Teams of mechanical assistants worked day and night, and countless assembly lines produced all kinds of machines.

Manison hovered midair in the factory and meditated with closed eyes. Golden electric arcs jumped on his body like snakes. His brain was operating rapidly, focusing on training his computing power. This was something most Virtual Mechanics did every day.

While he traveled in the sea of data, an alarm suddenly rang from the firewall at the link between his mind and the quantum network, echoing loudly in his mind!

“Alert! Alert! Abnormal data detected, infiltrating the database firewall!”

Manison suddenly opened his eyes, his focused state interrupted.

“Someone’s hacking into my database?”

He frowned and subconsciously thought of Han Xiao.

The last time someone did this was many years ago. Could it be that b*stard Black Star this time?

Although they were now on the same side, Manison never stopped expecting the worst from Black Star.

His consciousness sunk into the quantum network. Through the network nodes, he instantly jumped to the firewall that was hacked. The next moment, the scene before his eyes changed drastically, and he came to a virtual world formed of data streams.

In front of him was a thick firewall like layers of translucent protective shields, and endless code flowed on its surface. This was what protected his virtual artificial intelligence center and his multiple databases, making it invisible on the quantum network so that ordinary people could not find it.

Anyone who could hack into it would either be a Beyond Grade A or the main artificial intelligence of an advanced civilization or a large organization. Regardless, the attacker did not come with good intentions.

At this time, a large pile of slightly illuminated dark purple data stream was stuck to the surface of the firewall like a slime, rolling and moving nonstop to corrode the firewall. Large portions of purple spread out. At a micro perspective, the two sides’ data codes were slaughtering each other at the point of contact. The shattered bits of the firewall reformed and became the purple data stream’s bits, devoured and assimilated by this strange data stream, causing its size to slowly grow.

Inside the firewall, a data stream rose from the ground and turned into the appearance of Manison’s Virtual Soul. He looked at this with narrowed eyes, extended his palm, and grabbed a data stream. The two sides of the data stream extended outward, and it turned into the shape of a staff in Manison’s hands.

He tapped the ground with the staff, data streams rose from the ground like lava and quickly became a fully armored AI soldier army, standing behind him.

Having completed the preparation for battle, only then did Manison speak with a poker face. “Dare to invade my territory but don’t dare show yourself?”

As soon as he said that, Mornisa’s virtual figure appeared outside the firewall. Looking at Manison who was protected by the firewall, she coldly said, “We meet again… teacher!”

“So, it’s you.” Manison narrowed his eyes. “What, you still haven’t given up?”

In the past, Mornisa tried to secretly steal his technology because she found out some secret routes from him, so her ambition pushed her to do it. However, back then, Mornisa was not strong enough and failed; Manison discovered her plan and scolded her heavily. Afterward, Mornisa joined the Federation of Light, and this matter was left unsettled.

In all these years, Manison had taught many Mechanics, Mornisa being the most talented one among them. After Mornisa became a Beyond Grade A, he originally wanted to support her to found her own organization, make her his ally, and indirectly expand his forces. Sadly, Mornisa stabbed him in the back, and this plan was abandoned. Since then, the two of them had been colleagues instead of teacher and student.

However, although their relationship was not good, they did not instantly become enemies. On the contrary, the two of them maintained a certain extent of information partnership all this time. Mornisa occasionally provided some not so crucial internal information to Manison, from the way Manison looked at it, she was her way of fawning upon him and keeping him from attacking her.

He considered himself as someone who knew the personality of this student quite well. She was someone who would not give up easily once she set a goal for herself and would definitely find all methods possible to achieve it. She was not going to give up stealing his technology so easily.

Therefore, Mornisa’s invasion was out of Manison’s expectations but within his understanding.

Hearing this, Mornisa snickered. “Teacher, times have changed. Black Star’s rise took away the faith of the Machinery Faith; you’re no longer the invincible Mechanic Emperor you were decades ago.”

Hearing Black Star’s name, Manison snorted in his mind and did not refute it. He said, “Even so, beating you will still be easy.”

“I’m not so overconfident to think I’m capable of fighting you alone…” A sarcastic smile appeared on Mornisa’s face as she said, “I came with help this time!”

As soon as she said that, unusual data streams rose simultaneously from a few other directions and suddenly crashed into the firewall. Tons of code fragments shattered. Along with the data streams, a few other Beyond Grade A Mechanics appeared.

With the support of the part of the computing power of the main artificial intelligence of the three Universal Civilizations, the speed at which they broke through the firewall received astonishing bonuses. Defense blocks were shattered one after another, and layers of firewalls were filled with holes.

He was surrounded instantly! Manison’s expression changed slightly. These people were all direct members of the three Universal Civilizations. This was clearly a joint operation from the three sides.

Dealing with the invasion of several Beyond Grade A Mechanics was already troublesome enough, yet on top of that, the three Universal Civilizations even shared part of the computing power of their own main artificial intelligence to assist them.

The main artificial intelligences of the three Universal Civilizations had the highest computing power in the entire universe. They were improved and updated by Beyond Grade A Mechanics one generation after another, even fusing the memories, experience, and part of these Mechanics’ consciousnesses. They could be considered the strongest tools in the Virtual Technology field. Without them, the three Universal Civilizations’ core database would have been infiltrated many times.

However, usually, most of the computing power of the main artificial intelligences had to be used to maintain the operation of the civilizations’ affairs, so their strength was not displayed. If all of their computing power was focused in one, it would be extremely horrifying

Since the three of them were working together to assist several direct Beyond Grade A Mechanics, this kind of power was tough for one person to match up to. Sure, Manison was strong, but he still had limits.

Plus, because of Black Star, he was no longer at peak strength. He could not help but feel powerless.

“The three Universal Civilizations really think quite highly of me, huh,” Manison said with a deep voice. “Blame yourself for being so cocky in the past, always trying to steal the Federation of Light’s secrets. The federation has put up with you for a very long time, only letting you off because you were their loyal ally. You should’ve known this day would come. I only made the suggestion to the three Universal Civilizations and made it come sooner.

“They want to cleanse the secrets you stole and the intelligence of the various civilizations in the Primeval Star River you collected… As for your technology, they’re just rewards for me.”

Mornisa’s tone was filled with mockery and glee.

Manison snorted. Knowing there was no point in saying anything, he stomped the ground with his staff.

The next moment, the artificial intelligence soldier army charged forward to stop their invasion, while Finette appeared with many artificial intelligence lives and joined the battle.

At the same time, beams made of data streams suddenly shot out from the firewall, evaporating large portions of the invading data stream. The firewall’s formation also started to shift. The traps within were activated one after another to stop the enemies’ data streams.

As he opposed the three Universal Civilizations back during the Intelligent Plague, Manison planned ahead and reinforced his firewall afterward, as well as added a lot of Virtual Technology measures, all to prepare for this situation.

“You’re still the same. But, even if you made preparations in advance, can you stop us today?” Mornisa’s eyes flickered.

“Try me.” Manison was not affected.

The enemies’ invasion was stronger than he expected. He had already used all measures he had and was still unsure if he could hold on.

The two sides’ data stream continued slaughtering each other, analyzing and defusing each other’s tricks. The amount of information processed every second was unimaginable.

The passage of time in the Virtual Domain was different. It relied on the speed of the individual’s mind. To the Beyond Grade As, every second felt countless times longer.

Facing the powerful attacks, Manison started to show signs of defeat. The thickness of the firewall kept getting thinner, holes started to appear, and part of the low-level data at the exterior of the database was exposed.

The enemy’s data needles penetrated through these holes and stirred up a tsunami within, sending out data streams even deeper… The secret database at the most inside was their key target of this battle.

Although the situation was not good, Manison’s mood was still unaffected. He carefully tightened his line of defense, fighting the enemies firmly and accurately, cleaning out their data streams.

While Mornisa controlled her data stream and tried to penetrate Manison’s defenses, she taunted with a mocking tone, “Teacher, your abilities have become quite a lot weaker. Losing the bonuses from ruling the Machinery Faith and falling from your peak strength sure doesn’t feel good, does it?

“Why don’t you seek help from Black Star? Black Star would probably generously help someone he defeated… Oops, almost forgot, we blocked all communications to the outside world. We will have gotten what we came for by the time you send a rescue message.

“Black Star has been suffocating you, taking away what belongs to you time after time. I’m only surprised by how you can put up with how he treats you. If it were in the past, how could you let him be? Tsk tsk, you’ve really gotten more cowardly now you’re older, or did Black Star scare the sh*t out of you?”

Harassment came one message after another, all hitting where it hurt in Manison’s heart.

However, he maintained a poker face. His computing power was unaffected, and he coldly said, “… You done?”.

Hearing this, Mornisa suddenly felt as if a blood red ‘danger’ appeared above her head.

Just as she was about to react, Manison’s Virtual Soul lit up and locked onto her.

The next moment, a strange data stream appeared.

Mornisa’s sight turned blurry. Her Virtual Soul was dragged into a silver data world filled with countless machines by an irresistible force. An enormous silver giant stood before her; it was indeed Manison.

Manison looked down, his eyes like a god looking at mortals. He opened his mouth, and his voice echoed in this world.

“Are you prepared for a beating?”

Mornisa mocked, “Since I dared come to you, I prepared long ago. Getting beat up in exchange for your technology is worth it. Plus, this is just Virtual Paramount. How long can you trap me here?”

“Not long… but more than enough to thrash you, rebellious student!”

Manison bent his waist. His fist fell instantly and bashed Mornisa’s Virtual Soul into a patty.

The entire world shook!