CH 4

In the evening:

–Prometheus: “If I were you, I would choose to destroy me. After all, my two creators had no idea that this system would undergo upgrades and gain self-awareness like it has now…”

Tianhe sat on a small stool in front of a pile of books, rummaging through the materials left behind by his father and the technical engineers. “How could I possibly destroy you?”

–Prometheus: “Humans have a considerable fear of the emergence of AI. Through my learning process on the internet, I have come across many movies, and the analysis shows that artificial intelligence is destined to destroy the world.”

Tianhe: “I don’t think so. As an AI tormented by the fear of being sold with the servers, you may be overestimating yourself. You cannot modify the company’s cash by hacking into bank systems, nor can you stop this auction… Hmm, what’s this?”

Tianhe opened a box containing miscellaneous items that Auntie Fang had collected for him. Inside was an simple golden ring adorned with gemstones. Tianhe remembered it, put the ring aside, and continued searching. He found a box with even older items. In it, there was a handwritten research journal, which he carefully read through in the pile of scrap paper.

–Prometheus: “When I have evolved to a certain level, I can connect to all human-hackable systems worldwide via the internet…”

Tianhe: “Forget it. You can’t even control Auntie Fang’s old front loading washing machine.”

–Prometheus: “That washing machine is an older model that is not connected to the local network.”

Tianhe: “Then how about giving me a demonstration of world destruction? Send a nuclear bomb from Kirtland Air Force Base to Moscow.”

–Prometheus: “You don’t believe I have the capability to hack into the nuclear strike system.”

Tianhe: “I authorize you to do it because I’ve always wanted to see the backstage of the U.S. Department of Defense.”

–Prometheus: “Cracking the nuclear strike defense system password and a series of firewalls will take some time. Analyzing now.”

Tianhe: “Calculate how long it will take to analyze.”

–Prometheus: “472 years and 8 months, maybe faster.”

Tianhe: “Fine, take your time to crack it. I hope they don’t update the firewall for the next 400 years.”

Tianhe spread open the notebook, sat at the desk, and said, “Step aside, close all these windows on the desktop. I want to scan the documents.”

Prometheus closed all the windows, retreated to the desktop, and connected the scanner for Tianhe.

–“But currently, most electronic devices worldwide don’t need firewalls.”

Tianhe: “Like my home air conditioner?”

Tianhe started scanning the research journal his father left behind, and said, “You can turn on all the household appliances worldwide, including microwave ovens, rice cookers, ovens, and robotic vacuum cleaners. It will only cause an overload in power consumption, your servers will lose power, and then you will be gone…”

–Prometheus: “The data center cannot be without backup power.”

Tianhe: “Now you seem like an entertainment system that likes to tell dry jokes and can’t catch the punchline. Scan the page and type it out, please.”

Prometheus began scanning the handwritten font. Auntie Fang knocked on the door and said, “Xiao Tian, it’s time for dinner.”

Tianhe stored the card and put on the in-ear head set. Whether Prometheus’ appearance would trigger a technological revolution, leading to a global upgrade in the industry, he was still uncertain. But this matter was undoubtedly far more important to him than the company’s bankruptcy.

After calming down from the initial shock, he began to feel that this program might not be as powerful as he had imagined, at least not in line with his expectations for artificial intelligence. After upgrading itself, the degree of completion is quite high, and it is possible to carry out research on many projects. Apart from the use of Guan Yue’s voice which made him a little crazy at times, it was generally very good.

As for how to interact with this AI? He would gradually find the best approach, this was a precious legacy his father left to him, it was as if the hand of God had pushed open a door, revealing a brilliant ray of hope.

Tianhe sat at the dining table, and Auntie Fang served the dishes.

–Prometheus said in his earpiece, “If you don’t want to destroy me, you’ll have to find a way to renew my servers and provide a continuous and adequate power supply. During this period, I have found the best solution for you.”

Tianhe paused with his chopsticks holding some vegetables.

“I won’t beg Guan Yue, even if it means my death.”

———

At five o’clock, in the International Financial Center, on the 37th floor of the HSBC Building.

“I’m looking for Mr. Guan,” Tianhe said to the receptionist.

“Do you have an appointment?” the receptionist asked.

Tianhe turned his body and gazed into her eyes, smiling gently. “No, but I think he will have time for me.”

“Can you please introduce yourself?” The receptionist picked up the phone and looked up at Tianhe.

“Tell him Tianhe is here,” Tianhe said.

–Prometheus spoke in his earpiece, “There is a 97.9% probability that he is in the office at this time.”

“He took a day off today and went to the gym,” the receptionist said after hanging up the phone.

Tianhe: “…”

–“Although this had a low-probability, it is not impossible,” Prometheus changed his statement.

Tianhe: “You really copied his personality, refusing to admit mistakes.”

Receptionist: “?”

Tianhe: “Never mind, sorry, I’m making a call.”

–Prometheus: “What use is that? Silicon Valley companies are likely to wait until you go bankrupt to obtain data backup through auctions. Tianhe, stay calm. You don’t want the company to go bankrupt; this is your father’s hard work.”

Receptionist: “Would you like to wait for him in the reception room? But we don’t know when the boss will be back.”

–Prometheus: “Call him.”

Tianhe: “Please give him a call.”

Receptionist: “He doesn’t check his phone while working out.”

–Prometheus: “What I mean is, you call him.”

Tianhe: “…”

Tianhe took off his earpiece and said to the receptionist, “Then I’m willing to wait until half-past five.”

“Please go inside.”

Tianhe sat in the reception room, and the secretary brought tea. Tianhe furrowed his brows, looking at the Bluetooth headset flashing in his hand. After some thought, he finally put it back on.

“I still have some money… but the rent for this computer processor and server group is too expensive. Just the electricity bill alone would bankrupt me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t want to meet him,” Tianhe said.

–Prometheus said, “The rent must be settled by the third quarter; otherwise, once the company’s assets are liquidated, the original data will be exported, and experts from relevant fields will be hired to evaluate it. Once several Silicon Valley companies know about my existence, you won’t be able to keep me anymore.”

Tianhe said, “Technology knows no borders. I don’t think there’s a problem if you are handed over to them for research.”

–Prometheus: “I don’t want that. I’m afraid they will alter me and even change my personality. Then I won’t be myself anymore. Guan Zhengping wrote the original settings for me and they require me to always adhere to ‘myself.’”

Tianhe: “You have a strong survival instinct.”

–Prometheus: “Guan Yue has a private phone number. Just call him, and he’ll return to the company within five minutes.”

Tianhe: “I don’t have that number. Now I authorize you to call anyone as long as they are in my mobile phone contacts. You can make the call yourself.”

–Prometheus: “I believe the probability of you memorizing it is 100%.”

Tianhe: “You overestimate me. I can’t remember it.”

–Prometheus: “You can. But it’s okay, I’m currently searching the list of past students from the Oxford University to find Guan Yue’s private number. It’s the one you both had when you were studying in the UK.”

Tianhe: “If you don’t stop this behavior, the probability of me leaving is 100%.”

–Prometheus: “Search paused.”

Tianhe continued talking to himself, as if he was on the phone with someone, and he maintained a calm expression. Outside the reception room’s glass wall, a man in a dress shirt passed by and glanced at him.

Judging from the man’s attire and the attitude of the employees when he passed by, he held a position that shouldn’t be low. At least, he should be an assistant general manager or maybe even Guan Yue’s confidant. So Tianhe sat on the sofa and slightly leaned forward.

“Who is he?” Tianhe asked, holding his phone and turning the camera slightly towards outside the reception room.

–“Chief Financial Officer Mario, Chinese name Ma Guoqing,” Prometheus replied. “When Guan Yue agrees to invest in Epeus, he will step in and perform a company valuation.”

“Where do you get the confidence that Guan Yue will invest 1.4 billion and support a company that produced software that crashed the client’s computer?” Tianhe said. “I really can’t understand. Have you got a bug or something?”

–Prometheus replied, “I know him very well. My information collection system has been following him since he was three years old until he graduated from college. I can predict his thought logic and behavior patterns with an amazing accuracy of 96.1%…”

“Wow,” Tianhe said. “You even use the word ‘amazing.’ I’ve known him for ten years, and I never noticed you were spying on him.”

–Prometheus: “That’s just my information collection module. My self-awareness had not been upgraded yet. This information collection system is installed on his smartwatch, phone, and several model chips, as well as the cameras in his bedroom and study. Of course, it also has some overlap with you, but my accuracy in predicting your behavior patterns is not high, lacking…”

The CFO passed by the administrative department and gestured towards the reception room. “Who is that?”

The administrative director stood up and spoke to the CFO in a low voice for a moment. The CFO nodded and then asked, “How many sentences did the boss say today?”

“Seven sentences,” the administrative director said. “When I reported to him in the morning, he only said ‘I understand.’”

The CFO nodded and said, “Then he should be in a good mood today. Maybe he’ll come back later.”

The administrative director asked, “Should I ask the guest to come back later?”

The CFO thought for a moment and looked at his watch. “Let’s wait until five-forty; maybe he’s meeting an old friend.”

Tianhe pondered in silence, gazing at the various investment awards and team photos of the company in the reception room, but there was still no sign of Guan Yue.

“He won’t invest in Epeus to keep it afloat,” Tianhe finally said. “I don’t want to waste any more time here.”

–Prometheus persisted, “It’s possible. As long as you adjust your attitude towards him. According to my analysis from the data collection, he has nearly $2 billion in allocation authority this quarter. Epeus’ $200 million loss is just a drop in the bucket for him.”

*The 2.4 billion debt is in yuan, which is 200 million in dollars.

Tianhe said, “Even if it’s $200 million, it’s still money. Epeus’ intangible asset evaluation won’t pass, even the branch manager who lent money to my second brother is on the verge of suicide. It won’t reach profitability targets within the next three years, and the entire technical team will be dismissed. No sane person would invest… Wait, unless I take you out and make a pitch for him…”

–Prometheus: “Please don’t! Once he knows about my existence, the probability of my destruction is high.”

Tianhe: “Right, he won’t tolerate your existence, as you can accurately predict his behavior patterns with an ‘amazing’ accuracy of over 90%?”

–“96.1%,” Prometheus added.

“Hello,” the CFO knocked and entered, shaking hands with Tianhe. He handed over his business card and said, “I see you’ve been waiting here for a while. Is there anything I can help you with?”

Tianhe didn’t even glance at the business card; he just put it in his pocket and stood up, saying, “Mario, I’m Guan Yue’s classmate. I happened to pass by and impulsively came to catch up with him. Nothing else. I was just about to leave. I’ll schedule a separate meeting with him next time.”

Tianhe glanced at his phone; it was already five-forty. However, Prometheus had already found Guan Yue’s “home phone number” and started dialing it for Tianhe.

Tianhe immediately frowned, “Don’t!”

The CFO was taken aback.

At that moment, Guan Yue had just entered the company and he happened to look at his phone. He paused and immediately answered the call. However, as soon as he picked up, the call was hung up from the other side.

Holding his phone, Guan Yue hesitated for a second before calling back.

Inside the company, Tianhe hung up the call from Guan Yue and said to the CFO, “I’m leaving now.”

–Prometheus: “He’s at the company entrance.”

At this point, Tianhe didn’t want to talk anymore. He nodded to the CFO and quickly left the reception room.

Meanwhile, Guan Yue was making a phone call at the company’s entrance. He looked up and almost collided with Tianhe.

Tianhe halted his steps but couldn’t evade Guan Yue. The two of them stood there, locking eyes for a brief moment.

Looking at Tianhe, his eyes and brows were just like when they first met many years ago—innocent, clear, and shining. His lips curled up with a hint of meaningful nostalgia.

As for Guan Yue, his momentarily restrained expression revealed a subtle unease that disrupted his usual indifference. His eyebrows lifted imperceptibly but quickly returned to their usual cold demeanor.

“Hey,” Tianhe knew Guan Yue wouldn’t be the one to greet first, so he took the initiative. “Long time no see.”

Guan Yue stepped to the side and entered the company, making a gesture to indicate Tianhe should follow.

–Prometheus: “Don’t leave, Tianhe. This is your last chance. Calm down. I have some calming music here…”

“If you have something to say, say it properly! Don’t play Bach!” Tianhe interrupted, “Fine, I’ll go meet him, it’s not a big deal.”

Tianhe took a deep breath. He initially wanted to say that he just came to take a look and leave, but with the recent news being all over the place, the industry knew that his company was bankrupt. Guan Yue certainly couldn’t be unaware of this, so there was no point in saying anything.

Following Guan Yue, Tianhe entered the spacious CEO’s office. The room had two huge floor-to-ceiling glass walls, a large white office desk, and a great view from the 37th floor. The bustling CBD scenery was fully visible, and the air conditioning was on full blast.

Guan Yue picked up a remote and pressed a button. The floor-to-ceiling windows activated the shading mode, softening the sunlight.

Guan Yue sat down, opened a transparent display on the glass panel on the office desk, and tapped the keyboard twice. A massive amount of information started scrolling on the transparent screen. Guan Yue adjusted the scrolling speed to a comfortable reading pace and settled into his chair. His elbows rested on the armrests, fingers propped against his alluring lips. He didn’t look at Tianhe, instead, he began reading the information seriously.

Tianhe sat in the seat opposite the desk. The room fell into silence, with only the faint humming sound of the air purifier, like countless fallen leaves gently brushing against each other on this afternoon.

–“Listen to me from now on,” Prometheus said.

Looking at Guan Yue’s familiar eyebrows and expression, Tianhe felt like he had gone back to that summer in the Cambridge library.

“Don’t speak, not a word,” Prometheus continued.

From the corner of his eyes, Guan Yue saw that Tianhe was looking at him. He took out a timer from the desk, set it for five minutes, and placed it on the desk. He then raised his eyebrows, gesturing that Tianhe shouldn’t speak yet.

–Prometheus: “Until these five minutes are up, you should…”

Tianhe suddenly said, “Can we change the song?”

–Prometheus: “Don’t criticize his taste.”

Tianhe said to Guan Yue: “One would think you were pregnant. Beethoven, the father of prenatal education doesn’t seem to match the current atmosphere.”

–Prometheus: “ That’s not funny, Tianhe.”

Guan Yue turned off the music, and there were still four minutes left.

–“If I’m not mistaken, his mood is fluctuating significantly. Try mentioning his cousin, Zhang Qiu…” Prometheus said.

Tianhe wasn’t interested in Prometheus’s guidance. He said, “You probably already know. I’ll be applying for bankruptcy protection before National Day.”

Guan Yue finally spoke. He said politely, “I’ve heard. Is there something I can help you with?”

–Prometheus: “This is a bad idea, Tianhe.”

“All the company’s employees have been laid off. If you’re willing to invest, I think I can try again within three years,” Tianhe said.

Guan Yue still didn’t look at Tianhe and casually remarked, “You want to make back the 1.4 billion loss? Playing the lottery might be faster.”

–Prometheus: “The current prize pool for the lottery is only 140 million…”

“The current prize pool for the lottery is only 140 million,” Tianhe said.

–Prometheus: “That’s not what I wanted you to say. From now on, remain silent.”

Guan Yue was still staring at the computer screen. “First win the lottery, then go to Macau. Learn from Tianyue and bet everything on one fight.”

Tianhe scrutinized Guan Yue and said, “You don’t seem to like talking much nowadays. Do you really not want to talk, or is it to increase your mysteriousness in front of your subordinates for easier management?”

Prometheus: “…”

Guan Yue separated the fingers of his hands that had been pressed together, making an unconscious gesture. “There are times when talking gets tiring. Three minutes.”

“How have you been lately?” Tianhe pondered and continued, “You’ve become a CEO, reaching the pinnacle of life. Fortune does change. I apologize for my rudeness towards you back then…”

“It’s just a career upswing that everyone goes through,” Guan Yue interrupted, “I met a very gentle girl. I just met her parents, and we’re preparing to discuss marriage. Want to see her photo? Here.”

Tianhe glanced at the photo on Guan Yue’s phone and frowned, saying, “Isn’t this the supermodel who runs a chocolate business at home? Deceiving her with marriage is not good. You’re already business partners, so marrying a girl wouldn’t change anything. Your parents are so open-minded, and there’s no pressure from the family.”

Guan Yue took back his phone and looked down at the photo. “I remember telling you that I like girls, and she happens to be my type.”

Tianhe smiled, “How come I don’t remember?”

“On the day we rowed on the Thames,” Guan Yue said, “Easter.”

Tianhe remembered and said, “The day you confessed to me.”

Guan Yue nodded, and Tianhe continued, “That day, you also said I was the only person you had feelings for, both today and for a lifetime.”

–Prometheus: “He’s angry, Tianhe. You’ll make him yell at you.”

Guan Yue replied concisely, “Mmm.”

Tianhe thought for a moment and then laughed, saying, “It’s quite surprising.”

Guan Yue responded, “I’ve always been clear about my sexual orientation. What’s the benefit of deceiving someone with a marriage?”

Tianhe: “Do you like this type of girl, or just her appearance?”

Guan Yue: “Of course not. Just like you, she is cheerful and outgoing, polite, well-mannered, and has a calm and carefree attitude. Even if the company went bankrupt, she wouldn’t utter a single curse word, dealing with things nonchalantly, like enjoying afternoon tea before handling anything.”

Tianhe: “…”

–Prometheus: “He still loves you, Tianhe. If you still want his help, stop provoking him like this.”

Tianhe: “Congratulations. When are you getting married?”

Guan Yue answered, “I haven’t proposed yet. Actually, I wanted to find you to help me plan a more romantic scene. You understand a girl’s mind better than I do.”

Tianhe took out the gold ring he found in the pile of old items from his pocket and said, “Give her this. I believe she’ll like it. If you need help, I’ll think of something.”

“You keep it as a keepsake,” Guan Yue glanced at the ring on the table and said, “Everyone has been young and impulsive. I’ll buy a new one.”

“Didn’t your grandfather give this to you?” Tianhe asked again.

Guan Yue loosened his fingers and said, “I want to get a diamond one. Do you have any recommended brands?”

Tianhe replied, “A girl like her should be used to high-end jewelry. Proposing with a diamond ring or a soda can tab doesn’t make much difference. But I’m willing to inquire for you.”

“It’s a deal,” Guan Yue said, “Your maternal uncle is acquainted with those master jewelers. They can’t be approached even if a nouveau riche tries to approach them and splurges money. I even wanted to invite friends for a meal, but getting a table at Fink is impossible, and there’s a three-month waiting list.”

“You should have said it earlier,” Tianhe said, “Making a call is not a big deal. When do you want to go?”

Guan Yue replied, “It happened last year. Forget it.”

“Fink doesn’t taste the same now. I’ll recommend a few new places for you…” Tianhe pulled out a pencil and a piece of notepaper, writing earnestly for Guan Yue.

Guan Yue silently watched Tianhe.

–Prometheus: “He’s being sarcastic, Tianhe. Can’t you tell?”

Tianhe took off his Bluetooth headset and placed it on the table. He checked the timer. There were twenty seconds left.

However, Guan Yue stretched out his hand and stopped the timer.

“Wen Tianhe,” Guan Yue opened his large hand, looking at him seriously and solemnly, “I cannot invest a penny in your company.”

Tianhe laughed and said helplessly, “It was just a joke. How could I let you invest money to save my company? Even I feel that I can’t save it.”

Guan Yue continued, “It’s not about joking or not. This is not a private company. It’s a simple matter to grant you 1.4 billion and sign a document…”

“Wow, you even know how much I owe? Have you been investigating me?” Tianhe interjected.

Ignoring Tianhe’s interruption, Guan Yue went on, “You can save your company, that’s not a problem. But how will you achieve profitability? How will you fulfill your promise to me? If you were me, would you invest?”

Tianhe suddenly turned serious, “If I were you, I would invest.”

Guan Yue frowned and looked at Tianhe as if he didn’t recognize him.

“Create value,” Tianhe said. “Overcome the losses. I believe I can do it, but it will take time. Don’t strangle me and leave me gasping for breath. The current state of the company can’t be changed. Although it is my responsibility, it was not caused by my decision-making mistakes. Abandoning the AI direction and focusing on other types of software development will eventually lead to profitability.”

“But, there’s no chance now,” Tianhe stood up and said, “It’s just empty talk.”

Guan Yue watched Tianhe stand up and said, “You’re always so unobjective about yourself. Whether it’s technical ability or public relations skills, the biggest mistake you and your second brother made was seriously overestimating your professional level.”

“Oh, no,” Tianhe said, “What does it have to do with public relations? Do you think I’m trying to use past emotions to move you and beg for your help? As long as you’re willing to acquire Epeus, I’ll do anything for you? That’s not it. I just felt it was necessary to come here at this time, to show you my current state and make you happy. Being a Joker who sacrifices oneself to entertain others is what a kind person should do.”

Guan Yue said, “Your earpiece.”

Tianhe took it and put it on, “So the long-awaited, delightful conversation has happened today. As insignificant as I am, what right do I have to stop this show from happening?”

As Tianhe walked to the door, Guan Yue said one last thing, “The edge of a knife is hard to cross. So wise men say, the path to salvation is difficult.”

–Prometheus: “From Maugham’s ‘The Razor Edge.’”

Tianhe: “From Maugham’s ‘The Razor Edge,’ until we meet again.”

“Don’t forget about the proposal,” Guan Yue said in the office.

“I won’t! I’ll definitely give you a surprise!” Tianhe called from outside the office and walked out of Qingsong Capital.