The workshop's heavy metal door completely closed behind Maine's crew, isolating outside clamor and disturbances.
Internal space was again filled with precision machinery's low humming and energy flow's steady rhythm. The air mixed with ozone, coolant, and a trace of slightly musty metal smell just brought up from underground facilities.
Cairo's attention had been completely absorbed by that solitary cylindrical storage unit on the workbench.
Its shell ice-cold, interfaces flickering with faint isolation layer energy halos like slow heartbeats, hinting at the extraordinary nature of what was sealed within.
"A complete, highly autonomous rogue AI..." From beneath the face mask came Cairo's low, steady voice carrying nearly ritualistic solemnity. "Under the Imperium's strict prohibitions, wanting to access research samples precious as Abominable Intelligence is almost fantasy. Never expected to obtain such precious research samples in this world.
Old friend, activate highest-level data isolation protocols, interface backup analysis arrays, establish a data sandbox."
"Instructions confirmed. Isolation protocols activated, analysis arrays ready." The servo-skull Cairo called "old friend" had ghostly light flickering in eyes, rapidly deploying multiple data and logic isolation layers while preparing a series of complex analysis probes.
One of Cairo's mechanical tentacles flexibly transformed, tip extending a precisely structured universal data interface, steadily and firmly interfacing with the storage unit's physical port.
The instant connection established—
A cold, swift, extremely aggressive data stream like a long-lurking venomous snake suddenly lunged from the storage unit's depths!
It was pure digital-level onslaught—efficient cracking algorithms attempting to tear interface firewalls; logic bombs drilling everywhere searching system vulnerabilities; plus a sharp simulated consciousness signal rushing straight for Cairo's neural interface, attempting to invade his thinking core.
If it were an ordinary netrunner of this world, even a top hacker, under this assault from a top creation of the old era's corporate wars, consciousness would likely shatter in an instant, reduced to a controlled husk.
However, Cairo's thinking core was a product tempered through Forge World's harsh logic training and forged in confronting various anomalous technological threats.
Outside his neural pathways solidified multiple thought firewalls and logic barriers.
What that invading consciousness stream struck wasn't fragile biological neurons but layer after layer of cold, absolutely rational solid barriers constructed by rigorous logic and mathematical rules.
Cairo's optical lenses didn't flicker in the slightest. His processing core had completed threat assessment and countermeasure strategy deployment within nanoseconds.
"Crude attack patterns." He silently evaluated in internal circuits, even showing barely detectable disappointment—this attack lacked the sophistication and depth he expected, disappointingly clumsy.
Counterattack launched immediately.
Not using complex viruses or flashy electronic warfare techniques, but pure data crushing.
A highly compressed binary data stream like a heavy hammer hammered backward along the connection channel into the storage unit interior!
This force brutally disintegrated the rogue AI's carefully constructed attack code. With its irrefutable logic priority, it forcibly overwrote the AI's core instruction regions.
The process was direct and efficient, like using absolutely correct formulas to overwrite erroneous calculations.
The rogue AI's resistance was like ice crystals cast into flames, rapidly melting.
Those signals attempting to invade thinking core self-disintegrated upon contacting Cairo's consciousness barriers forged through extremely harsh logic tempering.
The entire process lasted about twenty seconds.
The indicator light at the storage unit interface that had been constantly flickering became stable, finally transforming into soft green light representing controlled status.
"Threat eliminated. Target core protocols forcibly overwritten and locked, highest permissions successfully obtained." Cairo announced in steady tone, as if merely completing routine system maintenance.
The servo-skull hovered silently aside, recording this brief, unsuspenseful confrontation.
"Attack pattern analysis: Possesses basic adaptive learning and logic deception capabilities, attack vector selection acceptable, but core algorithm efficiency poor, lacking redundancy design for high-intensity logic impacts." Cairo called up confrontation logs, rapidly browsing.
"Its aggression and defensive resilience far below Mechanicum standard battle servitor underlying combat logic. Cannot compare with malicious programs controlled by fallen Dark Mechanicum members or scrapcode attacks developed by certain academic heretics."
He couldn't help recalling years serving as cogitator-servitor monk with battle servitor squadrons.
Those massive Imperial war machines' core logic complexity and potential ferocity far exceeded what this rogue AI trapped in a small storage unit could reach.
Though Tech-Priests strictly observed the Crimson Protocol, never creating Abominable Intelligence with true self-awareness, they possessed extremely deep (though in some aspects trending toward calcification) technical accumulation in manufacturing, controlling, even destroying powerful automated combat units.
"However," Cairo's tone shifted, crimson optical lenses refocusing on the storage unit, "precisely because its technical level is relatively 'basic' and current computational power limited, it becomes an ideal research sample."
In the Warhammer universe, deeply researching truly powerful Abominable Intelligence was tantamount to playing with fire—not only violating Imperial iron laws but potentially inviting catastrophic disaster.
Those dark creations entangled with forbidden knowledge filled with unpredictable corruption risks.
But this rogue AI was different.
Its technical foundation remained largely within Cairo's thoroughly understandable, completely controllable scope.
Like a scholar versed in higher mathematics analyzing a complex yet not beyond known mathematical framework problem—challenging yet without risk of losing control.
"Can safely disassemble, analyze its program core architecture, observe its learning and adaptation mechanisms, even... attempt limited 'reprogramming.'" In Cairo's thinking, researcher's exploratory desire gradually replaced previous slight disappointment.
This wasn't merely war spoils but a treasure trove. This data held immeasurable value for perfecting his techniques, adapting to this cyberpunk world, even planning longer-term objectives.
"Old friend, deeply parse this AI's core code structure, learning algorithms, and its interaction methods with local network protocols within data sandbox. Note recording all abnormal data fluctuations and potential logic traps."
"Instructions received, sandbox environment construction complete... analysis process initiated..." The servo-skull began executing Cairo's commands.
The rogue AI's code like meticulously dissected specimens unfolded layer by layer before him.
He immersed himself, beginning to patiently dissect this dangerous digital soul from the old era, like a rigorous scientist exploring its deepest internal mechanisms.
Inside the workshop, only faint sounds of data flowing remained, plus Cairo's barely perceptible, focused and steady respirator sounds while immersed in parsing work.
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