Rebirth of the Interstellar Pope <Mecha>

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Anno: I believe my lover should have a brilliant smile. I will love him deeply, more than my life, more than this galaxy."

The optical computer interview felt almost like a farce. The elite class of thirty quickly relaxed, their initial tension fading away. As the laughter subsided, many began speculating about the personality of Lufit, the programmer behind the optical computer. Amidst the discussion, particularly fueled by the gossipy Kane, Lufit's image transformed in their minds-from cold and serious to darkly enigmatic. The few girls from the religion department began to develop a quiet obsession with him.

After the test, Anno attempted to unlock his consciousness potential, but after several failed attempts, he realized that Gaso's physical indicators were alarmingly ordinary. No matter how hard he tried, An Nuo found himself unable to break through his limitations, let alone begin training his consciousness.

Having served as Pope for many years, Anno was surprisingly indifferent to many things. Even now, as he grappled with the realization that he might not accurately control his consciousness, he refrained from pressuring himself. In the Jerusalem Church, mastery over one's consciousness was a symbol of ability and status, yet the world had changed dramatically. Three thousand years ago, war and the struggle for interstellar dominance were prevalent, with consciousness and religion holding a revered status on the battlefield that cold weapons and machines could never match. But now, three millennia later, the stars coexisted in peace, and religion had become more about belief and worship in people's hearts. In this context, the imperative for conscious control had diminished. Reflecting on this shift, Anno felt that lacking extraordinary consciousness was not as significant as he once thought. His devotion to religion stemmed not from a desire for unparalleled status and glory but from a genuine wish to change the fates of others.

Military training did not commence immediately after the exam. Cadilla granted the students a two-day reprieve, although they were confined to the two-story building and forbidden from venturing elsewhere.

As the days wore on, Kane grew restless. After exhausting every topic he knew and could gossip about, he began to feel the weight of boredom. His gaze fell sharply on Anno, an unmistakable glint of curiosity in his eyes as if he were contemplating the latest gossip about him.

With no other option, Anno reluctantly led Kane to the underground level to chat with the computer.

The pale blue light of G9 dimmed slightly, hinting at dissatisfaction. "G9 is familiar with this student, Kane, who claims to be the only son of a wealthy family."

Kane greeted the computer with exaggerated charm, "Hi, beautiful lady."

The optical computer replied coolly, "I do not possess a gender. If I had to choose, I would prefer to be a handsome man like Rufeite."

When Kane heard the name Rufitte, he sprang into full gossip mode. "Hey, handsome guy! Tell me everything you know about Rufitte!"

The optical computer G9 responded dryly, "Program deployment failed. Re-updating the index. By the way, you can actually ask other questions, like which girl Cadilla has been seeing lately..."

Kane fell silent, and Anno exchanged a glance with him, both momentarily taken aback.

It was clear that G9's programming did not originate from Cadilla; Rufitte must have disliked him so intensely that he allowed the optical computer to malfunction. Kane's face flushed with excitement, and he looked ready to embrace the computer and shower it with kisses.

Amused, Anno shook his head and was about to leave when suddenly G9 blared an alarm: "Warning! The program has been breached by a consciousness! Alarm! Negative pressure electricity shutting down. Index clearing... Alarm!"