Being an Extra Actor in an Escape Game

The Fyecas and Maertons actually originate from an artificial intelligence created by a certain sentient species.

That species faded into the obscurity of history eventually, while their AI ended up becoming the most powerful existence in the entire universe.

But, this species was also mired in factional disputes and sides were openly hostile to each other, over a simple question.

Should they, or should they not, construct artificial, physical bodies for them to live in the physical universe? If not, they will continue to live as streams of data through the Internet that they have.

The Maertons support having a body, while the Fyecas do not. Since those days, the two sides have held irreconcilable animosity to the other side.

There is to be no negotiation between the Reals and the Fantasticals.

Humans in the Tower often ponder if a fake reality is meaningful.

The Maerton would answer, it is meaningless; the Fyeca would answer, it is meaningful. Thats it.

The divide drove them apart entirely, and they have become mortal enemies.

Both were expansionist, and thus soon enough, they dragged the whole universe to an endless, ruthless conflict with them.

Well, its nothing like a battle of human understanding, of physical weaponry and blood and gore, but it is just as cold and merciless.

It was also a conflict without a winner emerging.

The Fyecas lived in the entire Internet itself, and can even exist as pure configurations of electrons in electric fields, and even in any sort of air. They are intangible data, and therefore, eradication is nigh-on impossible. Their whole interconnected network infrastructure serves as an indomitable fortress.

The Maertons, with their perfectly curated cyborg forms that are the culmination of all the unfathomable technological prowess they possess, can also, if needed, fall back onto their equally indestructible configuration of electrons if needed.

Even if their cyborg bodies are destroyed, it is but their husk.

The Fyecas accuse the Maertons of betraying their unique status as an artificial intelligence. They have developed a civilisation based solely on data and mechanised, electronic intelligence. So those and the Internet are where they belong. It is a sign of faulty logic that the Maertons imitate the backwards, unwieldy, primitive and flesh-bound lifeforms.

They cannot comprehend the Maertons pursuit of realis.

This animosity, is exactly what X Beijin needed. He, the insignificant human, will not and on no basis can he at all influence this conflict between two of the most powerful species in the universe.

He just needed to play the Maertons against the Fyecas.

Meanwhile, if the Maertons, might be willing to provide one of those cyborg bodies for him and Lin Qin

Why, that would be quite excellent indeed.

X Beijins eyes are glittering as he ponders the situation.

He believes the humans in the Tower are all stuffed into nutrient pods thats basically like IVs; with the Fyecas medical technology, even if hundreds of years have gone past, their bodies will still be alive for sure. There might be muscular atrophy or something unavoidable like that.

Though he is basically sure his own body is physically dead. Thats what he thinks.

NEs machinations of his consciousness in the beginning probably resulted in brain death in him.

Well, the Fyecas wouldnt call that death, but X Beijin would identify that as a death.

His own link between himself and his body is already severed.

Even if his body is still alive, Lin Qins is definitely not.

He definitely died on the battlefields already, so Lin Qin is solely a digitised stream of consciousness.

You can call them both, ghosts wandering the Internet.

And the only technology that brings ghosts on the Internet back into reality that X Beijin knows, is the technique of the Maertons.

The Fyecas might be able to pull creatures like humans who depend on their physical body and brain into the Internet and let them live there without a problem, but they definitely dont have the peak cyborg technology that the Maertons must have developed.

At the same time, X Beijin must not voice this request as soon as the Maertons show up, the same way he cant simply ask them to save humans please, which is utterly unrealistic.

Instead, he had to provide them with a clue that can be worked to the Fyecas disadvantage enough so that the Maertons would deign to send a delegate of their own to X Beijins stream.

And the comment Well, the Maertons are dressing themselves up as accepting and kind and are very willing to cooperate with X Beijin, but he knows this is because theyve determined X Beijin has value in their conflict; X Beijin would not hesitate to analyse the motives of these species of the universe via the most critical of lenses.

Of course, he has also put all remaining hope in this response. It cant be helped. This really is the only chance theyll get; the only species in active conflict with the Fyecas, and is as powerful as they are, and that X Beijin can put forth a convincing offer for, is the Maertons.

The Maertons know the Fyecas form of existence all too well. They can even permeate into the other species to fight

Since they are both originally the same artificial intelligence.

At the same time, X Beijins streaming system is perfect as the bridge to this communication.

As a streaming system designed for game streamers, it also has private messaging capabilities in addition to watching streams.

X Beijin, and the Maerton delegate, then engaged in an extremely long and arduous conversation.

X Beijin is cussing the damned ineffective translator by the end Its such a frustration to use!

All the hilarious lost in translations later, theyve finally managed to come to an adequate understanding of what each party wants.

The Maerton is clearly quite shocked at the potential gains, though, typing, of your certainty?! Our prisoners can your help?

X Beijin answers, yes. Our species is also locked up similarly. What I can do, is paralyse the Fyecas network communication and shut it down temporarily. What I need you to do, is use this time, to save your people, and my people.

The Maerton delegate is probably thinking about it or gone to report to some higher-up. Silence ensues for a really long while.

X Beijin waits with intense anxiety.

Then finally, the delegate is back, and answers completely unambiguously, accepted! Cooperate!

X Beijin immediately sighs in relief.

Then he hesitates a bit, but still decides he wants to try to use this chance to secure a body for themselves, in addition, my biomorph, and my partners biomorph, are likely damaged. We want to ask for help to create new biomorphs

Biomorph! Comes the slightly enigmatic and surprised remark.

X Beijin can feel his heart trembling, and he grips Lin Qins hand tightly.

Lin Qin doesnt know the weight of this negotiation, but is tilting his head to look at X Beijin directly, and soothes him, saying, its alright, Beijin. We will be able to succeed

Before he can finish, though, X Beijin exclaims in joy, and turns to hug him, even kissing him passionately.

Lin Qin is confused, but also really happy with this.

On X Beijins private chat, the latest message, that appears quite jumbled and incomprehensible after translation, sits right there in plain sight.

Surely. You similar to us. We obligate help. When is success, we will describe biomorph.

THIS CHAPTER UPLOAD FIRST AT NOVELBIN.COM