Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 127
“Is the Yasha really that terrifying?” After hearing Nolin Titian’s explanation about the Yasha, Alveira couldn’t help but shiver. “It sounds like a monster straight out of a science fiction novel.”
“It is a monster. A real one.”
The Princess was at a loss for words. Everything she had just heard was beyond her comprehension. Could it be true that in the desolate frontier of the galaxy, the cradle of humanity, such a killing machine was imprisoned?
Darius placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, calming her slightly. “Lord Archon,” the admiral said, “if what you say is true, and the ‘field’ on Earth is containing the Yasha, preventing it from freely moving through all time and space, does that mean destroying the field would release the Yasha?”
Nolin Titian’s face had long since lost its smile. He looked as if he were facing life and death itself. “That’s correct.”
“It’s like a ticking time bomb… If a terrorist wanted revenge on society, Earth would be the perfect target,” Darius muttered. Then his expression turned serious as he looked suspiciously at the Archon. “But if Winnet truly intends to release the Yasha, wouldn’t that mean he’s willing to perish alongside us? What benefit does he gain from that? Why would he do such a thing?”
Nolin Titian offered a bitter smile. “You’re doubting me, Admiral Bayes. Your caution isn’t misplaced, but it’s ill-timed. I have no intention of deceiving you. The truth is, the Yasha can be controlled, but only by the most advanced artificial intelligence.” He glanced meaningfully at Leo. “There are three advanced AIs in the world, all belonging to Neo Athens, but none of them have the power to control a monster like the Yasha.”
“Then who can?” Alveira asked, her unease growing as she looked at the AI. Although she had long suspected Leo was extraordinary, she hadn’t realized just how advanced he was.
Leo bowed slightly. “I appreciate the compliment, but I’ve never tried… and I’m not entirely confident I could control it.”
Alveira raised a hand to stop him. “Leo would never betray us, right?” After receiving a firm confirmation, she turned back to Nolin Titian. “So, is Winnet truly mad enough to release the Yasha and destroy humanity? Or does he have an AI as advanced as Leo by his side?”
“That’s what we fear, Your Highness,” the ruler said. “We’ve always believed there were only four advanced AIs in the universe—Leo and the three guardians of Neo Athens. But we were wrong. Not long ago, we confirmed the existence of a fifth advanced AI. It’s elusive, hiding its presence, and incredibly difficult to track down. We only managed to find a few clues after considerable effort.”
Alveira and Darius exchanged shocked glances.
“Do either of you remember the Battle of Datia?”
Darius spoke up first. “Of course.” His father, the elder Count Bayes, had died in that battle.
“There was a particularly heinous ‘accident’ during the Battle of Datia. A warship’s computer malfunctioned and attacked friendly forces, resulting in hundreds of casualties. This information was later suppressed by the Empire, so few people know about it.”
Alveira shook her head, unaware of the incident, while Darius had some recollection—he remembered that Alois’s father had been one of the victims.
Nolin Titian continued, “Neo Athens didn’t pay much attention to it at first, but recently we received a request from Leonard”—he glanced at the purple-haired AI—“so we reopened the investigation. We discovered that the ship’s computer had been hacked, and only an advanced AI could have breached such a high-level defense system. From this, we concluded…” He deliberately paused.
Alveira finished the thought for him. “The fifth advanced AI truly exists.”
“And it’s right beside Winnet,” Nolin Titian added.
“What… What do you mean by this…” Alois’s voice was hoarse, and he looked as if he wanted to tear the AI in front of him apart. “Are you saying that my father… That he didn’t die by accident… That he was murdered? Someone hacked into that ship’s computer and deliberately caused the ‘accident’ just to…” His voice trembled. “Just to murder my father?”
“That’s correct.” Leo nodded.
Alois slumped against the wall, his mind in turmoil. He realized he was caught in a web of intrigue that had been quietly woven over millennia. Kester, the Old Earth scientist, had created the deadly weapon the Yasha and the AI Leonard capable of controlling it. The Yasha was imprisoned on Old Earth, while Leonard had accompanied the Earth’s remnants to the colonies. Two thousand years later, the legendary thief Figaro (his father) had stolen Leonard from Neo Athens under secret orders from the Federation Council, only to betray them. Leonard had wandered, eventually ending up in the hands of the space pirate Joanna, while Figaro had been secretly murdered. Eighteen years after that, Alois had met Kester’s brother Joshua in prison, boarded Joanna’s ship, and encountered Leonard…
—It was like a fateful reunion!
“Did Joshua… Did he know all of this?” Alois stared at the ground, his voice shaking.
“He knew everything,” Leo answered.
“Then why… didn’t he tell me…”
“Don’t blame him. I asked him not to. If there ever came a time when you needed to know the truth, I wanted to be the one to tell you.”
Alois slid down the wall, sitting on the cold floor, though he felt none of its chill. Leonard, like a shadow, moved closer to him. “I wanted to tell you myself, Alois. Your father was an honest and brave man—one of the best I’ve ever known. He took enormous risks, refusing to sell me to my buyers, preferring to live a life in hiding. In the end, he even sacrificed himself for it…” Leonard knelt before Alois, placing his hands on his shoulders. Although Alois shouldn’t have felt anything, it was as if an invisible force was flowing from where Leonard touched him, shaking his very soul. “I will forever be in his debt, Alois.”
“Why… are you telling me all of this…”
“Because there’s a task awaiting you, one that you cannot refuse. I didn’t want to keep anything from you, so I chose to tell you everything. We need you to carry out that task.”
Alois suddenly lifted his head and glared at Leo. “We?”
“Yes, we. I’m speaking to you now on behalf of Neo Athens, Alois. We need you to complete a mission. Your father once took me out of Neo Athens, and now I need you to take me back to Old Earth.”
“You want to go back… to control the Yasha?”
“It’s the best option. We can’t let Winnet and the fifth advanced AI get their hands on it, can we?”
Alois lowered his head again. “Why does it have to be me?”
“We’re only sending two people, and we chose you and Joshua.” Leo smiled slightly. “The last descendant of Earth’s survivors, returning to his homeland—you wouldn’t let him embark on that journey alone, would you?”
Alois shrank back. “Let me think about it.”
Leo stood up and patted the front of his robe. “Let me know when you’ve made up your mind.” With that, his figure disappeared from the room.
The door silently rose, and Joshua walked in. Seeing Alois sitting in the corner, he paused for a moment, then walked over and sat down beside him, pulling him into his arms.
Silent.
The faint scent of smoke clung to the assassin’s fingertips, like a sparse nebula scattered across the boundless sea of stars.
“So, Lord Archon, by revealing all of this, are you asking for our help?” Alveira asked.
“That’s correct. While our efforts in AI development over hundreds of years pale in comparison to the glory of Old Earth, we have made some breakthroughs in other areas.” Nolin Titian spread his hands. “Ever since the Neo Athens Academy was established, we’ve been searching for a way to counter the Yasha. We’ve created a new field generator that can encompass 99% of the galaxy, limiting the Yasha’s activity to the current galaxy. We call this field the ‘Galactic Field’. Once activated, the ‘Galactic Field’ will gradually shrink, restricting the Yasha’s movements until it’s confined to a very small area. Finally, we can create a singularity black hole to throw the Yasha into the end of time. Neo Athens has been working on this plan in secret for centuries, and now, just as the ‘Galactic Field’ generator is nearing completion, someone is trying to release Yasha.”
“That old fox Winnet…” Alveira gritted her teeth.
“That’s why we’ve devised a comprehensive strategy, and we need your help, Your Highness.” Nolin Titian’s tone became respectful at this point. “We need you to defeat Winnet’s forces as quickly as possible, locate the fifth advanced AI, and send agents to Old Earth with a data backup of Leonard to control the Yasha before it’s released. If successful, we can wait for the ‘Galactic Field’ to activate and eliminate the Yasha in one fell swoop!”
“That’s something I can agree to.” The Princess nodded. “It also aligns with my original strategy. How many agents do you need me to send? A squad?”
“Two people will suffice. Since Neo Athens is sending two agents, we hope you can send the same number. One of them, however, will have to be borrowed from you, Your Highness.”
“Who?” Alveira asked curiously.
“Alois Lagrange. The two people we’ve chosen are him and Joshua Planck.”
The Princess turned to Darius with a wry smile. “Why does everyone like to borrow Lagrange?”
“Those with ability are given more tasks,” the admiral replied with a straight face.
“Will he agree?”
“He’ll agree,” Leo answered. He had already persuaded Alois beforehand and knew that Alois would certainly agree.
“In that case, I’ll only need to send one more person. Lagrange is half mine, after all.” The Princess listed several names to Leo. “Call them to the bridge. I need a volunteer.”
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