Chapter 5
"Psst! Ah!" Harry gasped in pain from the hit to his shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Harry!" Raffles looked apologetically at Harry, but Harry only waved his hand and said, "Can't you be more nimble! You're always the slowest!"
"Okay, okay, I'll get to it!" Raffles quickly unbuckled and went to press the b.u.t.ton on the platform's central control module.
The elevator started descending. I saw the square where all the flying vehicles and s.p.a.ces.h.i.+ps were parked. Each and every flying vehicle and s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p had a white platform elevator. Looking down from above, the circular platforms were lined up along both sides of a white walkway lit up with blue lights. It looked extremely grand.
I thought the elevator would stop at the square. Unexpectedly, it continued to descend! There is something below!?
As the elevator descended, I could see another bas.e.m.e.nt hidden underneath. The design and model of the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+ps in the bas.e.m.e.nt looked completely different from the ones above - they were smaller, more exquisite. The wings were folded on both sides of the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p and there was a blue pattern printed on its body, just like the one on the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p from Silver Moon City!
To see these s.p.a.ces.h.i.+ps was to see the hidden side of Noah City! It turned out that there was such high technology and sleekness underneath that shabby appearance.
However, the elevator didn't stop at the bas.e.m.e.nt with the new s.p.a.ces.h.i.+ps either but descended even further, until we reached an all-white cabin that resembled the test cabin. In the middle of the cabin was parked a brand new s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p.
This s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p was shaped like a white bullet, measuring about three meters long. A t.i.tanium protective cover, painted in an extremely trendy color, formed the front and top of the c.o.c.kpit.
Both sides of the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p had no wings, only a blinking blue pattern.
The bottom of the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p was flat. Suddenly, blue lights started blinking and there was the buzzing sound of an engine. The s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p floated up, hovering slightly above the white cabin floor. It looked just like a white pigeon floating in the air.
When everyone saw the new s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p, they were as surprised as I was. Blue lights dotted its snow-white body, beautiful as crystal.
Harry immediately went forward to touch the body of the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p, his gesture as gentle as if he was touching a bird's feather. Raffles quickly pushed his hand away and wiped the places that Harry had touched with his sleeve, "This is for Luo Bing. Don't dirty it!"
"What?! For Luo Bing!?" Everyone exclaimed simultaneously in surprise! They gawked at me.
I was greatly surprised too. I pointed at myself. "For me?!" I simply couldn't believe it. Raffles's newly built s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p was for me!
"Mm!" Raffles nodded with a smile, excitement twinkling in his eyes, "Elder Alufa told me to. With the blue crystal energy, I could finally realize my latest design system.
What does he mean by can I recognize it?
I walked forward in confusion and looked at the hovering s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p. Then, I took a step backward and looked up. Its t.i.tanium cover was like a pair of sungla.s.ses that looked down at me coldly.
"Master," the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p suddenly spoke, giving everyone a shock! I was dumbfounded too. His voice was a soothing baritone, clear and bright. Actually, it sounded like Raffles.
"Oh! There's AI too!" Everyone was excited and they surrounded the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p.
"Awesome! Brother Bing's perks are so enviable!"
Of course! Brother Bing is now Noah's Treasure. She needs to use the best to enter the center of the radiation zone!"
"D*mn! Brother Bing is going to rescue mankind! Brother Bing! The future relies heavily on you! Go for it!"
"Stop licking her boots!"
"Aww. I really want a new s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p too." Xiao Ying pouted with envy.
Sis Cannon held her shoulders and said, "You'd better behave. We don't do fieldwork. There's no need for us to get a s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p."
Harry admiringly looked the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p up and down. His amber eyes shone with true love. He really liked the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p; he looked just like a guy gazing at the supercar that he was dying for, ready to leap into it and rev up the engine.
I was still dumbfounded. "Recognize what?"
Raffles smiled and touched the body of the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p. Suddenly, the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p cursed, "F*ck! Don't touch me if you are not my master! I'm not interested in men."
Everyone's expression stiffened when they heard the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p curse.
I recognized it at once. "This, isn't this… that?!" I was so shocked that I couldn't react immediately. "But, but its voice then was female. Why did it become a male voice now?"
Raffles lifted his head with pride and said, "I changed it. Plus, the AI will only listen to your command now. Hurry up, Luo Bing! It needs to verify your genes. Otherwise, it can't be started!"
I was so excited that I didn't know what to do or where to begin.
I looked at Raffles eagerly. "How do I do that?"
"Please put your finger in the blue circle," the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p spoke again. Suddenly, a ray of light projected from the c.o.c.kpit above onto the white s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p body, forming a small fingerprint scan box in front of me. This is so high-tech!
I immediately raised my hand, but then I recalled that the AI was Silver Moon City's technology. I asked anxiously, "But, wouldn't he connect to Silver Moon City?"
Raffles tilted his proud head even higher. He replied loftily, "I rewrote his genetic code and AI DNA order, replaced Silver Moon City's code with a code I created, altered his program and..."
"Raffles brainwashed him," Harry cut Raffles off. He patted Raffles's head and said, "Speak in human language. My wife doesn't understand."
Stunned at the interruption, Raffles quickly came back to reality and smiled. "Yeah, that's what I meant."
"I don't think that's brainwas.h.i.+ng," the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p spoke again. His timbre was colored with the elegance of an English aristocrat. "This is more akin to rebirth. Liberation. I am no longer controlled by the chief. I feel good about myself now." So, this is the legendary AI. He has conscience and feelings. And, he seems to remember Silver Moon City.
"He seems to remember the things that happened in Silver Moon City." I was quite worried. Would this thing betray us?
"Don't worry, Luo Bing. He is an AI, he has his own thoughts." Raffles was not only content, but also full of praise and admiration. He seemed to hold the AI from Silver Moon City in high regard.