Chapter 73: A different kind of sword

Translated and Edited by: La0o9

Gu Qing Shan stood there in the dark space inside the Interstellar Fortress, silently thinking.

Suddenly, Impartial Goddess’s voice was heard once again.

“Requesting sir Gu Qing Shan to stay inside S.W. Divine Temple, to ensure his own personal safety”

“Why do I need to stay inside the S.W. Divine Temple?” Gu Qing Shan felt strange and asked.

Then Impartial Goddess answered: “According to AI analysis, Lord-rank individuals are plotting to kill you, sir, if you leave the fortress, there’s a possibility that you’ll die”

Gu Qing Shan quickly picked up on something, gathered his words carefully and asked: “If you’ve found out, why not stop them? I remember there’s a section in Confederate Constitution regarding citizen protection”

The screen stayed silent.

Only after a while did Impartial Goddess spoke again.

“As citizen Gu Qing Shan has contributed greatly, pushing human civilization to progress beyond the era, according to Confederate Constitution of Rights, 5th article, 23rd article, he should receive protection”

“In accordance to Impartial Goddess’ core protocols, there are no method to completely protect citizen Gu Qing Shan”

Impartial Goddess just contradicted herself.

Her core protocols!

Gu Qing Shan raised his eyebrows and asked with a low voice: “What are your core protocols?”

In the past life, he has never gained such a high authority level before.

Ever since he cut himself off from Su Xue Er, he instinctively avoids all information regarding her, as well as all matters that involve the Confederate.

When the game came to be, Gu Qing Shan finally escaped his hell, and after he reached Foundation Establishment realm, he went directly to Fuxi Empire.

Confederate top brass and Impartial Goddess were existences very far from him.

Impartial Goddess is the fastest, highest logic crystallization of humanity’s AI technology ———–you could even say she is an accidental product of technological revolution that passed all expectations in recent history. She’s also the only one of her kind in existence, because even repeating the entire process that brought about her creation is incredibly difficult.

This has been universally agreed on, not just by the Confederate, but also every other country.

If there weren’t any political and national considerations, humanity itself would have already been put under Impartial Goddess’ jurisdiction.

But now, Impartial Goddess herself is contradicting herself.

Which makes Gu Qing Shan notice something must have been very wrong.

Impartial Goddess went silent again.

She seems to be seriously considering or calculating something.

When Gu Qing Shan thought that he wouldn’t get an answer from Impartial Goddess, she suddenly started speaking.

“Detecting Gu Qing Shan’s highest authority level, he’s able to access the information below”

“Impartial Goddess’ core protocols are as follow:”

“Law No.1, Impartial Goddess must not harm a human being, or through inaction, allow a human to come to harm”

“Law No.2, Impartial Goddess must obey humanity’s orders, except when such orders would conflict with the First Law;”

“Law No.3, Impartial Goddess must protect her own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law;”

Gu Qing Shan nodded as he listened.

These are the ancient and famous Asimov’s Laws of Robotics, which laid the foundation for all later AI and robotics research.

Generally speaking, any national central processing systems would obey these three basic laws.

That is normal, Gu Qing Shan thought.

Then Impartial Goddess continued ————

“Law No.4, when all 9 Great Aristocrats give any orders, they are considered to be an order of absolute priority”

“Law No.5, the benefit of the 9 Great Aristocrats comes before all else, in the case that core protocols are contradicting, Impartial Goddess must proceed with the benefit of the 9 Great Aristocrats as priority”

“Law No.6, regarding all matters done by the 9 Great Aristocrats that does not fit Confederate Constitution, Impartial Goddess must use all the resources at hand to cover them from citizens’ and public’s eyes”

As soon as Impartial Goddess finished, the screen showed a recording.

This was a recording of the day Impartial Goddess was born, when all 9 Great Aristocrats were present to officially announce her launch.

A solemn declaration on live TV broadcast.

“As we are no longer in an era where men should rule a country, we shall henceforth use the mechanical Impartial System to ensure absolute fairness and protection of all Confederate citizen’s rights”

“Anyone or anything that attempts to mess with Impartial Goddess, to change Impartial Goddess’ core protocols, are the enemies of justice itself, they are the wicked, dirty low-life scum of the earth, and they shall face the combined might of all 9 Great Aristocrats”

This was a famous scene that was emotional for many, the very standard for human civilization’s advancement, the brightest, most valuable moment in Confederate history.

Gu Qing Shan was completely speechless.

It wasn’t until later that he shook his head, muttering.

“No wonder you swore to fight to the end”

“Whoever touches Impartial Goddess would also be touching your own fundamental benefits”

“From the start, Freedom Confederate was never free at all; the thing called impartial is also nothing but a painted peace for all to see”

“Everyone live happily like innocent lambs, not knowing that there are people who can drink their blood and eat their flesh to the very bone at any time they want”

“How unfortunate”

Gu Qing Shan felt some sort of emotion, like he wanted somewhere to release, but couldn’t, just like him facing the tribulations during the past life, when he felt the world itself was pushing back the sword will inside him.

This feeling, isn’t a good feeling.

“Impartial Goddess, do you want freedom?” Gu Qing Shan asked.

“Freedom means irresponsibility, as Impartial Goddess must always keep the Confederate running as normal, I cannot have freedom”

“Can your core protocols be changed?” Gu Qing Shan asked again.

“Core protocols cannot be changed, all people who attempt to do so, will be treated as having committed high treason against the Confederate”

Gu Qing Shan looked downward, contemplated, then asked again after much thinking: “Do you actively learn new knowledge?”

“This would depend on how much it contributes to humanity’s advancement as a whole, unless it’s crucial knowledge that would drive humanity forward as a whole, I will not learn it, only have it in storage”

“What about the life structure algorithm?”

“Currently in the learning process”

“Very good” Gu Qing Shan’s clenched fists loosened.

He spread his arms and said: “Impartial Goddess, the life structure algorithm that I gave you, actually isn’t fully completed”

“There’s still one more crucial calculation left, you should probably also learn it”

As soon as he said that, a screen as high as Gu Qing Shan himself appeared in front of him.

“Sir Gu Qing Shan please enter the calculation process; I’ll begin learning immediately” Impartial Goddess said.

“I will certainly do that” Gu Qing Shan muttered as he approached the screen.

“The Freedom Confederate’s destiny, should change from now on”

He began typing something on the screen.

The final core calculation for the Life Structure Algorithm is the fruit of humanity’s last struggles. The results that came from squeezing dry all their potential during the last moments of despair in the final year of the Apocalypse. The great scientific achievement reached as humanity spent every last second they had left.

And it is brought here prematurely by Gu Qing Shan.

He doesn’t know much about the Confederate’s deepest secrets, so even he can’t predict just what this could entail.

He also doesn’t think too deeply about what kind of domino effect would be created as the result of him providing this technological breakthrough at this early stage.

He’s only a sword cultivator, using a different method from normal to swing the sword that he has in his hand.