The flicker of Dream City continued until dawn.
It was not because it couldn’t stop flickering, but because the night was just that long.
Before the people in this city could recover from the spectacle of the previous night, another shocking news spread early in the morning.
Kael Technology’s various secret operations within Dream Zero were exposed by an anonymous hacker. The leaked information included, but was not limited to, illegal dream entry, a large number of human experiments conducted to adapt to Dream Zero, and personnel bribery to evade regulation.
What shocked many Dream City residents the most was that Kael Technology even attempted to collect “Zero” data to mass-produce synthetic humans. These synthetic humans, who would only obey their commands, were to be planted in various social mechanisms, important positions, and even replace others. Using such deceptive methods, they aimed to gradually control the military and political circles, establish a complete monopoly, and bring the entire Dream City under their control.
In response to the overwhelming public opinion, the government and military of Dream City quickly assembled and, at a lightning-fast speed, took over Kael Technology and officially sealed it off in just one day.
At the same time, the resentment of Dream City’s residents towards companies and tycoons monopolizing everything, and the government being merely a tool and puppet of the corporations, finally erupted. The streets were filled with people demanding the punishment of companies and the establishment of an effective government.
Many other giant corporations attempted to join forces and resist during this time. While they were glad to see Kael Technology, their major competitor, fall, they certainly did not want the government to regain the power to punish companies.
However, including the Emergency Squad, several super corporations only probed slightly before quickly retreating like startled birds. They even actively cooperated with the government later, handing over their company’s power.
It was through this probe that they discovered a terrifying existence had emerged behind the government and military. To be more precise, the original Mistress of the Mechanical Alliance had awakened from the dream.
Indeed, only such an existence could effortlessly make the mighty Kael Technology crumble in just one day, as if it were a toy being crushed.
Those few tycoons who failed to react, who remained deluded and unwilling to relinquish their power, ultimately met the same fate as Kael Technology. They were silently destroyed and dismantled without so much as a ripple.
One could imagine that, starting from Dream City, a massive earthquake of change would sweep across the entire Mechanical Alliance. Numerous powers would reshuffle, and the era of companies and tycoons would come to an end. The federal government, equipped with the new generation of super-intelligent AI “Zera” would take the stage of the Mechanical Alliance.
Although this significant political and commercial upheaval was undoubtedly an attention-grabbing headline, there was another group of people who didn’t care much about it.
Compared to the intrigues and messy reforms, scholars pursuing knowledge and art were more concerned about what had actually happened that ‘night’ in Dream City, which was now tentatively referred to as the “Flickering Night”
“Brother Renji! You didn’t see the flickering of Dream City?!?” .𝒎
“What a pity! It’s truly a pity!!!”
In the former Kael Technology building, now reclaimed by the federal government, one floor was rented to the Quis Group. Keyji was looking at a young man across from him with an expression of deep regret.
The feeling was akin to two sports fans, one of whom had missed the final match of the Miss Universe pageant.
Renji: “I was asleep that night.”
“Wha—at?!?”
“Asleep? Dream City was flickering like a several-thousand-watt light bulb every seconds, and you were still able to sleep? How could you possibly sleep through that!?”
“…”
“I was just really tired that day,” Renji answered honestly.
But this seemed to anger Keyji a bit.
“Brother Renji, I think you just don’t understand, you have no idea how incredible and awe-inspiring the flickering of the entire Dream City was that night!”
“This level of control is impossible for any tech company. All the appliances and devices flickered in unison, as if they all shared a single ‘consciousness’!”
“What’s even more amazing is that all the firewalls in Dream City that day seemed to have been ‘forcibly stopped’, allowing such an enormous data current to move freely in and out of Dream City. The entire city was like a bottomless battery, absorbing all that direct current and creating fluctuations in voltage, which ultimately resulted in the flickering!”
“Furthermore, after my investigation, I discovered that the frequency and wavelength of the flickering had a discernible pattern. At first, it was ‘slow’, but it gradually ‘accelerated’, reaching a ‘peak before rapidly declining’. Such wave valleys and peaks, I’ve never seen anything like it in my life!”
Keyji gesticulated wildly, spouting foam as he excitedly tried to help Renji understand just how incredible the concept of Dream City’s flickering was.
“…”
Renji remained indifferent, but his Western-style maid assistant beside him suddenly interjected.
[Dr. Renji, I believe that during the entire flickering process, there was not only ‘direct current’ but also ‘alternating currents’, *86 adds, trying to prove her and her little sister existence*]
“Hmm? Alternating currents? This hypothesis is indeed interesting.”
Caught up in the excitement, Keyji didn’t notice the strange way Renji’s assistant spoke. Instead, he felt inspired by her words and quickly looked back at the waveform diagram he had collected.
Behind Keyji, a group of Quis Group researchers quickly began calculating based on the new hypothesis. They rebuilt the model and conducted simulation experiments, repeatedly pushing for verification. Eventually, the experiment team burst into cheers, as if they had discovered another significant breakthrough. At first glance, the flickering indeed seemed to be just a cycle of wave peaks and valleys. However, upon deeper examination, they discovered another accompanying wave pattern hidden within.
“Heavens, I didn’t expect so many secrets to exist within the flickering! This waveform, this flickering, it’s so beautiful, truly beautiful!”
“But who, who could have caused the entire Dream City to flicker? No, no, not even the most incredible hacker could have done this. But what’s the purpose behind it?”
“Brother Renji! I get it, I understand! It’s a miracle, a miracle! It’s the art of Dream City! It’s the greatest art ever offered to us!!”
“From this flickering, I feel as if I’ve sensed the source of all things, the revival of life. Do you understand, Brother Renji? Can you understand?” .
Excited, Keyji vigorously shook Renji.
Although Keyji had joined the Scholars’ Association in Sin City through the back door, he was still a legitimate “ancient civilization” doctor. Every scholar, especially those studying ancient civilizations, had a yearning and desire for mystery.
Renji couldn’t handle it anymore, especially with the group of researchers studying the waveform diagram.
He had come to Keyji’s place mainly for the sake of Eileen, who had been “stored” by himself.
After bringing the gloomy girl, who seemed to be at odds with 86, back to his side, Renji quickly found an excuse and left.
Later, Renji brought Eileen and 86 back to his room.
And here, three people had been waiting for a long time.
Suthia, Nova, and Zero.
Renji had hurriedly brought Eileen back for the upcoming important meeting.
And the topic of the meeting made everyone uneasy.
After seeing that all the powers beside his master had gathered, Zero solemnly and seriously spoke:
[Master Ashen… This might shock you but, I think that…]
[Lena and Miyuki, it’s very likely that they have…]
[Betrayed you]
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