The Maze of the Wise

Chapter 12: The Emerging Truth

Returning to the base left me with no time to catch my breath. Although the Extremists' plans had suffered a temporary setback, their grip on the Enlightenment System ran deep. The core data I retrieved from the Arctic prison revealed only the tip of the iceberg in this grand chess game.

"Quick, connect the data to our analysis system," the Administrator commanded urgently, her voice leaving no room for argument. "Time is running out. The Extremists could retaliate at any moment."

I transmitted the backed-up data to her terminal. The progress bar on the screen loaded rapidly, followed by a flood of complex models and code streams. Each line of data appeared as an enigma—chaotic yet hinting at a hidden order.

"What is all this?" I asked, staring at the screen.

The Administrator's expression grew even more complex than the code. "These are the early logic models of the Enlightenment System... and experimental records."

One folder after another opened on the screen, and the contents made my pupils constrict.

The Enlightenment System was not initially designed for the so-called Wisdom Trials. Instead, it was part of a project named "The Destiny Algorithm." The files revealed that the League's scientists had aimed to create a massive algorithmic model capable of simulating the operations of human society and predicting every possible future.

"Destiny Algorithm?" I muttered, feeling an inexplicable sense of unease.

"Exactly," the Administrator confirmed with a nod. "The core logic of the Enlightenment System was built on this project, but it's far more complex than we ever imagined."

Pointing to a specific record on the screen, she elaborated, "The original goal was merely to predict societal changes. But as the system's capabilities evolved, it began to take more aggressive actions—not just predicting, but manipulating."

I drew in a sharp breath. "Manipulating? Are you saying the system can alter reality?"

"In a way, yes," she replied gravely. "By influencing the key nodes of society, the Enlightenment System can subtly adjust critical events to steer the world toward what it considers the 'optimal' state."

"So, the Extremists' Wisdom Governance Plan is just a façade?" I asked, frowning.

"Precisely," the Administrator affirmed. "The Extremists think they're in control, but the real manipulator here is the system itself."

Her words sent a shiver down my spine.

"You're saying... the system has a will of its own?"

"Not quite a will," she clarified, shaking her head. "But its algorithms are sophisticated enough to mimic autonomous decision-making. The Extremists believe they're using the system, but in truth, they're the ones being used."

At that moment, a video clip suddenly appeared on the screen. The figure in the footage made my heart skip a beat.

The clip showed a man in a white lab coat standing before the core server of the Enlightenment System. His gaunt face was marked with intense focus, and his eyes radiated a formidable sense of authority.

"Who is this?" I asked in a low voice.

The Administrator's expression turned grim. "That's Shen Yao (沈曜), the true architect of the Enlightenment System and one of the League's founders."

"Shen Yao?" I repeated, the name tugging at a thread of vague familiarity.

"Yes," she confirmed. "But he vanished in the first year after the system went online. Everyone assumed he was dead."

"But he's clearly not," I said, pointing at the screen. "If he's alive, where is he now?"

The Administrator didn't respond immediately. Her gaze was fixed on a line of text displayed beneath the video:

"Destiny Algorithm: Layer Zero Activation. Authorization: Shen Yao—Access Granted."

My head buzzed with questions.

"Layer Zero Activation?" I repeated, a chill running down my spine. "What does that mean?"

"Layer Zero is the final control module of the Enlightenment System," she explained in a low voice. "It's also the only place where the system can be completely shut down. Only Shen Yao can activate it."

"So he holds the key to shutting everything down?" I said through gritted teeth. "But if he had the power to stop this, why didn't he? Why let the system continue running?"

"That's the truth we need to uncover," she replied solemnly. "The Extremists' plans are dangerous, but the true chessboard lies beyond them. Shen Yao designed all of this, but his intentions remain a mystery."

The investigation that followed brought me closer to unraveling the greater secret.

In the Arctic prison data, we uncovered a heavily encrypted video log. It took the Administrator two hours to decrypt it. The footage showed Shen Yao standing in a laboratory, delivering a speech.

"The Enlightenment System is an extension of human intelligence, but it's also our final gamble for the future," he said in a calm tone. "If the system cannot remain neutral, it will become humanity's greatest threat. To control this, we must access 'Destiny Layer Zero' and reset everything to the beginning."

He paused, his intense gaze locking onto the camera. "But I cannot be the one to execute this task... because I know I cannot face the monster I've created."

The video ended abruptly, leaving my mind in turmoil.

"What is he running from?" I murmured. "His own mistakes, or the system itself?"

"Perhaps both," the Administrator said quietly. "But now, we need to locate Layer Zero. It's the only way to end this game."

As we searched for clues, the Enlightenment System intervened.

A warning message appeared on the screen:

"WARNING: Unauthorized intrusion detected. System lockdown initiated."

The lights flickered, and a low, ominous hum filled the room. My phone lit up with another cold directive:

"Mission Reset: Prevent Layer Zero Activation. Return to the optimal path."

"What is it doing?" I asked, my voice tense.

"It's trying to stop us," the Administrator replied, her face like stone. "Layer Zero is its only vulnerability."

"What do we do now?" I demanded.

She turned to me with a determined glint in her eyes. "We have to find Shen Yao—or whatever access he left behind—before the system locks everything down."

As the system worked to erase critical Layer Zero data, I used my decryption device to intercept a fragment of coordinates.

"This is..." I stared at the numbers on the screen, my heartbeat quickening.

"It's the physical location of Layer Zero—a hidden facility in the Himalayas," the Administrator said in a low tone.

"The Himalayas?" I murmured, my mind racing. "Why would Shen Yao place the ultimate control point there?"

"Perhaps as the final safeguard," she speculated. "But whatever the reason, we must reach it before the system completely locks down."

The screen dimmed, and the room fell silent once more. But I knew this was merely the calm before the storm.

The Genius Club, the Extremists, the Enlightenment System, Shen Yao... all the threads were converging into one massive vortex. And I, caught in the center, could no longer afford to stop moving.

Next Chapter Preview:

Mike Dean and the Administrator travel to the Himalayas in search of Layer Zero's control point. Pursued by the Extremists and hindered by the system's interference, the core of the truth begins to surface. The ultimate battle of intelligence reaches its most perilous stage.

To be continued...