Ch 159: The World’s Number One Resort

“Manager Tang,” Chris greeted, finishing his conversation with the ambassadors before walking up to Tang Huai.

Chris had classic European features, with thick eyebrows, a high nose bridge, and deep-set eyes, exuding the aura of a cold, aloof CEO.

“Mr. Chris,” Tang Huai replied, shaking hands with Chris. This handshake, captured by the press, marked a significant and symbolic moment.

Bodyguards cleared the way as the group boarded the official Sora vehicles.

“Is the person in the middle the CEO of FillTech?”

“I heard he’s a tech expert; probably a key figure in FillTech.”

“To have so many ambassadors waiting at the airport—what a show of power.”

“That’s the allure of technology, haha.”

Sixty-plus vehicles headed toward Sky Forest. The tourists in Sora Town snapped photos and marveled at the scene. Fifty-two ambassadors gathering in Sora was a spectacle more impressive than some entire underdeveloped countries.

“Hello, everyone. I am Chris Jack, head of technology at FillTech and the company’s chief technical decision-maker…” Half an hour later, in the grand hall of the Sky Castle, Chris opened with a brief introduction.

This was a pre-agreed part of the agenda.

“Mr. Chris, could you tell us the current state of FillTech’s research? Will it be available for use in other regions?” An Indian reporter asked during the Q&A session.

The question came from an official Indian journalist, and the ambassadors held their breath. This was the question everyone wanted to ask. If FillTech’s technology could be used worldwide, it would be a revolutionary change.

“FillTech is committed to global environmental research, focusing on geographical environment, air humidity, wind direction, and wind speed as reference points. Currently, all simulation technologies are limited to the Sora Island region…” Chris’s answer left many disappointed.

He presented a lot of data, which boiled down to one key point: FillTech’s technology is based on research specific to Sora Island, and only Sora Island’s environmental metrics align with what FillTech’s technology requires.

Other areas are unable to replicate Sora’s simulation conditions.

“Is there any possibility of overcoming this limitation?” An American journalist pressed. Sora’s environment was too advanced; if it could only be used on the island, that would be a significant letdown.

“For now, it’s impossible,” Chris replied, showing a look of regret.

“What is FillTech’s exact location?”

“South Africa; you can find more information on the official FillTech website.”

“How many commercial bases does FillTech have worldwide?”

“That’s a commercial secret.”

“How many employees does FillTech have, and are there any allegations of worker exploitation?”

“The headquarters has 30,000 employees; global figures are a commercial secret. As for exploitation, FillTech’s salaries and benefits would make anyone insanely jealous.”

The journalists continued their questions. Though Chris appeared stern, he answered earnestly. However, they soon realized that aside from basic questions, most inquiries were dismissed as “commercial secrets.”

Chris’s adaptability and eloquence left a deep impression on everyone.

“We look forward to tonight’s ball,” Chris concluded the meeting, which lasted an hour. This conference was just an official appetizer; the evening ball was the main event.

After gathering their materials, the journalists left, while Chris headed to his room for a rest under the guidance of the staff. Meanwhile, the ambassadors strolled leisurely through the inner courtyard of the Sky Castle.

The inner courtyard was temporarily reserved for the visit, limiting access to only those involved in the event. Most tourists lingered in the commercial areas.

For them, the reservation of the Sky Castle had little impact since the Sky Forest was a large, plot-driven game, and the inner courtyard was typically off-limits anyway.

…

“Hello, I have an appointment with Ambassador Wilson,” Choi Young-seok, tidying his attire, spoke to the secretary outside the American delegation area on the third floor of the castle in the afternoon.

“Please wait a moment…” The secretary gestured for him to wait. After half a minute, Choi Young-seok was allowed in.

He took a deep breath.

The office space provided by Sora was designed in a medieval European style. It featured walls lined with bookshelves, a fireplace, a dark wooden desk, and leather sofas. The furnishings were minimal, yet the color scheme gave the room a solemn and majestic atmosphere.

“Choi Young-seok, my old friend,” Wilson greeted warmly as he saw Choi enter the room. Wilson, an American diplomat, had been chatting with Dell, the deputy governor of Hawaii. Despite his initial hesitation, Jonathan eventually decided to send Dell over. Since there was no direct flight from Hawaii to Sora, Dell had met up with Wilson in New York, and they took a private plane together to Sora.

“Ambassador Wilson, Deputy governor Dell.” Choi had met Wilson several times before, and in private, their interactions were quite relaxed.

“Is it true that FillTech’s technology can only be applied to Sora?” Choi asked after some small talk, getting straight to the point of his visit. During the earlier press conference, Chris had earnestly explained that FillTech’s environmental simulation technology could only be used on Sora Island. However, like many other ambassadors, Choi remained skeptical.

FillTech’s technology was too advanced; limiting its use to just one location seemed like a waste.

“We could bypass Sora and have a ‘friendly’ discussion directly with FillTech,” Choi suggested, adding that “friendly” implied putting pressure on FillTech, possibly through flight restrictions or trade limitations.

After all, FillTech was just a company and should be easier to handle.

“Here’s a document from New York. It looks like your ‘friendly’ plan might fall through,” Wilson said as he handed Choi a document from the desk.

The document had been sent two hours earlier. It wasn’t classified, so it was likely that the other ambassadors had also received it.

“What is this?” Choi asked, puzzled, taking the document.

“How could this be possible…” Half an hour later, Choi finished reading the document, feeling utterly confused. The content was straightforward: FillTech’s top executives had privately met with leaders of various countries. While the specifics of their discussions remained unknown, the resulting agreement indicated that FillTech had made extraordinary contributions globally. All countries pledged to maintain friendly relations with FillTech.

This was true, unconditional friendliness.

FillTech’s leadership had visited the various heads of state a week earlier in a secret diplomatic mission. After their departure, the global leaders held private meetings, leading to the issuance of a joint document. This common statement had been finalized only this morning.

“Could FillTech have weapons of mass destruction?” Choi speculated, holding back his thoughts. Given FillTech’s capabilities, it was a plausible explanation.

“This is a decision made by global leaders, not something for us to speculate on,” Wilson replied. Though he had been quite aggressive just three hours ago, now he had to realign his stance. He was, after all, a seasoned politician.

Choi had entered the room full of ideas but left utterly bewildered.

“Ambassador Wilson, about the situation in Hawaii…” Dell, the deputy governor, spoke up, feeling rather troubled as Choi left.

With the joint document issued, Hawaii’s economy was bound to decline further under the pressure of Sora’s success. Hawaii desperately needed a direct flight route to Sora to revitalize its economy.

“I’ll arrange a meeting with Boss Tang,” Wilson replied, waving a hand dismissively. He was growing increasingly frustrated with Jonathan. The Sora-Hawaii route had potential, but Jonathan had complicated matters unnecessarily, stirring up trouble where there was none.

Wilson sipped his coffee, glancing at the seat where Choi had been sitting moments earlier.

Compared to South Korea, Hawaii’s flight restriction situation wasn’t as severe… The thought brought Wilson a momentary sense of relief.

Amidst these musings, time slipped to 7 p.m. Wilson straightened his suit and headed to the banquet hall.

…

“Boss Tang, is this Aunt Miley’s special steak? It’s absolutely delicious.”

“Mr. Chris, is the principle behind Sky Forest’s gravity control magnetic separation?”

“The view of the stars from this angle is outstanding!”

…

The Sora banquet was held in the grand hall of the castle. The Sky Castle spanned a vast area, designed in a colorful fairy-tale style. There were no reporters at the ball, so everyone appeared at ease. Compared to the slightly tense atmosphere of the morning, Chris and Tang Huai were undeniably the stars of the event.

After an afternoon of brewing, the joint document had reached the hands of all the ambassadors. This was a serious internal document that analyzed every possible scenario, elevating FillTech’s status in everyone’s eyes. Just the fact that such a document could be coordinated across multiple countries was not something an ordinary conglomerate could achieve…

As everyone mingled and exchanged toasts, the atmosphere grew increasingly congenial.

“How did FillTech manage this?” Chris stood on the balcony, enjoying the breeze, while Tang Huai approached with a glass of red wine. Tang Huai had received news of the joint document in the afternoon. It was a system-generated logic chain, but the simultaneous issuance of such documents by various countries felt a bit exaggerated…

“The power of technology,” Chris replied. This was their first conversation of the day.

“A more precise answer?” Tang Huai pressed on, unwilling to accept a vague response.

“This is part of the system’s automated logic chain. Just like how every AI has a set identity, these logic chains revolve around Sora Island and are designed not to interfere with Earth’s political and social dynamics. It’s the system’s consistent approach,” Chris explained.

A gentle breeze tousled Chris’s hair, giving him an air of deep thought.

“How did you… all get here?” Tang Huai suddenly asked. He used “you all,” not “the system.” Whether it was Alang or Xie Yunshu, they looked just like real people—perhaps even more real than real people.

Tang Huai was quite curious. Hollywood had made plenty of movies about AI gaining consciousness, and if that were the case here, it would be pretty terrifying…

Tang Huai opened Chris Jack’s personal profile.

Chris Jack: Boss of FillTech, Advanced AI, Intelligent AI, calm and meticulous personality.

Loyalty: 72

As the only naturally emerging AI, Chris Jack sat in the passable range.

“Master Host, FillStar is an ultra-advanced civilization from a high-dimensional planet. We were created by FillTech, and all our thought processes and personalities are predetermined to a certain extent.

Of course, that was the outdated AI technology from 5,000 years ago. Now, FillTech advocates for individuality and development. We are input with initial programs, and our thoughts completely evolve on their own. This only applies to intelligent AIs,” Chris explained, understanding what Tang Huai was getting at.

“Have you… ever considered an AI uprising?” Tang Huai, bewildered by the explanation, pressed further.

“Why would there be an uprising?” Chris asked, puzzled.

“For instance, I control your cards. If I destroy the cards, you would cease to exist…” Tang Huai felt he was being a bit harsh.

“We are, after all, just programs. Disappearing is merely a form of reformatting. Unlike humans, we know why we exist and why we vanish. We have clear goals and the drive to achieve them. As long as there is an initial program, we can endure for ages.

The cards serve as a restraint but also as proof of our existence. Master Host, we are quite content with our current state,” Chris responded, not understanding Tang Huai’s concern.

Chris then looked at Tang Huai with a sympathetic expression. They had endless time and could soar through the universe, but humans lacked that ability. Such a life seemed so dull.

Tang Huai: …

He felt that Chris should be renamed: “Chris the Philosopher.”

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