The Mechanic [BL]

[73]

Chapter 73 - The New God (2)

He was in a maximum security single cell. The room had all the necessary furniture, the bed was soft, the sheets were clean and there were even some books on the shelves to prevent the prisoner's life from being too monotonous.

Zhang Xun knew that this was a cell Adam had prepared for him and it had been prepared for a while. Adam sensed his doubts and anticipated that one day their relationship would come to this point.

Adam had private dealings with the Round Table and may even be collaborating with them. Zhang Xun wondered who the insider was who connected them with Adam, was it Jian Mo?

Zhang Xun didn't want to think about it. After knowing the truth, all his memories became tainted by suspicion. He was lying on the bed, staring blankly at the white-painted ceiling, pressing his hand lightly on his chest.

Under the thin material of his shirt, the locket was still lying against his heart.

He didn't want to think about the past, so he could only replay in his mind the last words Adam said to him over and over again.

Could Adam be right? Was losing individuality and evolving into a huge collective consciousness the future of human beings?

How would the conflict between consciousnesses be reconciled? Would the weaker consciousness be swallowed up and obliterated, or suppressed in the deepest darkness?

Could that even be called being alive? No longer able to perceive the world, no longer able to make independent choices, no longer able to experience life, no longer having personal memories, no longer being aware of one's self. Friends, lovers, family, all the joys and sorrows that may be experienced, would all disappear. What was the difference between that and dying?

Moreover, without the support of the body, emotions and survival instincts, pure reason couldn't survive for long. The structure of human consciousness was completely different from AI consciousness. It was a phenomenon that had been gradually formed and perfected through hundreds of millions of years of continuous evolution and was based on various chemical reactions in the body. It was a mysterious mandala that emerged from chaos and randomness. Without emotion and instincts, human consciousness would not be able to generate desire, would have no purpose, no motivation and would not find a meaning to exist.

Who could make such a decision?

Zhang Xun didn't understand, after all that he and Adam had been through together, wasn't there anything that Adam would want to hold on to? Was it because he didn't do enough so he only saw the struggle of being a human being? Making him want to let all human beings get rid of their human bodies and become something else.

Was everything between them not even worth mentioning for Adam?

Zhang Xun clenched his hands tightly, scrunching up his shirt into his fist. He didn't want to think about it, but he couldn't help thinking about it. Thinking back to every tender moment, every kiss they exchanged... Thinking back to the trusting, focused and tender look in Adam's eyes when he looked at him, as if Zhang Xun was the most important person in the universe, as if Zhang Xun was his whole world.

Zhang Xun swallowed the pain that was blocking his throat with difficulty and his eyes were sore again.

He still had one last line of defence, although he didn't know if Adam had lifted that one too. He hadn't taken that final step because he hadn't been able to make up his mind yet.

He was a coward.

At this time, the sound of gears turning came from the steel plate door of the cell. Zhang Xun immediately sat up from the bed, wiped his eyes with his sleeves, took a deep breath and prepared for whatever he might face.