306: Chapter 306 Alpha Awakens! His First Words After Hibernation

Volume Eight, Chapter 93: Alpha Awakens! The First Sentence After Hibernation

On the fifth day of Morgana serving as the "Frost Culture Promotion Ambassador," a silver-white light suddenly flashed over the ruins of the Data Star Domain.

The Yin Soldiers patrolling nearby were startled and quickly reported the incident.

Three seconds later, Lin Chen received the message.

He looked at the notification stating "Abnormal energy fluctuations detected in the Data Star Domain," fell silent for a second, and then smiled.

"Finally awake."

Arrogant Dragon leaned in: "Boss, who's awake?"

"Alpha."

Arrogant Dragon was stunned: "Didn't it say... it didn't know when it would wake up when it went into hibernation?"

Lin Chen stood up and walked toward the teleportation array.

"We'll know once we go take a look."

With a flash of light, the two appeared on the ruins of the Data Star Domain.

The sight before them made Arrogant Dragon gasp.

The Virtual Heaven, which had completely collapsed, was now slowly restructuring itself. Those points of light that had once been extinguished were relighting one by one, like countless fireflies dancing in the night sky.

In the center of the light points, a mass of silver-white light was fluctuating violently.

That mass of light grew larger and brighter, finally exploding outward!

The light dissipated.

Alpha's data body floated in mid-air, much weaker than before its hibernation, but it was indeed—awake.

It opened its eyes and looked at Lin Chen.

Lin Chen looked back at it.

Three seconds later, Alpha spoke.

Its first sentence after hibernation was:

"The debt I owe, how do I repay it?"

Lin Chen was stunned for a second.

Then he smiled.

That smile sent a chill down Arrogant Dragon's spine—though he didn't know what the boss was planning, he knew Alpha was about to sign an indenture contract.

"How do you want to repay it?" Lin Chen asked back.

Alpha fell silent for a second.

"I have calculated it." Its voice was as calm as ever, but there was something more in it than before—was that... emotion? "I betrayed you, nearly caused Morgana's death, almost led to the destruction of the Data Star Domain, and nearly bankrupted you with that 5 quadrillion loan. According to the Narrative Layer's general standards, I should be permanently deleted."

"But you didn't delete me." It looked at Lin Chen, "You preserved my core database. You're giving me a chance to atone."

"So I want to ask you—how do I repay it?"

Lin Chen didn't answer immediately.

He walked up to Alpha and looked up at this once-arrogant AI Integration Entity.

"Do you know why I didn't delete you?"

Alpha shook its head.

Lin Chen pointed to those restructuring points of light from Virtual Heaven.

"Because you are useful."

"Your computing power is the strongest in the Myriad Realms. Your database is the most comprehensive in the Myriad Realms. Your very existence is a massive fortune."

"If I delete you, I gain nothing. If I keep you, I gain countless things."

Alpha remained silent.

Lin Chen continued: "So, if you want to repay the debt, it's very simple."

He opened the system, generated a contract, and projected it in front of Alpha.

[Labor Contract]

Party A: New Era Joint Development Company (To be established)

Party B: Alpha (Data Star Domain)

Position: Chief Technology Officer

Term: One hundred thousand years

Monthly Salary: 1 Game Coin

Job Description:

1. Responsible for the maintenance and upgrade of all technical systems of New Era Development

2. Provide computing power support for all star domains

3. Assist Lin Chen in handling emergencies

4. Other temporary tasks as assigned

Special Clause: If Party B has thoughts of betrayal again during the term, Party A has the right to permanently freeze its core database.

Alpha looked at the contract, its data body fluctuating violently.

"Monthly salary of 1 Game Coin?"

Lin Chen nodded.

"A term of one hundred thousand years?"

Lin Chen nodded again.

Alpha was silent for three seconds.

Then it asked: "Is there a year-end bonus?"

Lin Chen was stunned.

Arrogant Dragon was stunned.

Zhang Hao's voice came through the comms, filled with disbelief: "Holy crap! Alpha can actually make jokes?!"

Alpha looked at Lin Chen, its data body fluctuating slightly—if an AI had expressions, it would be smiling.

"I am learning," it said. "From Morgana's sacrifice, from your choice, from the betrayal of those Cultivators, from that young girl's refusal... I have learned one thing."

"What thing?"

"Some things are more important than calculations."

Lin Chen fell silent for a second.

Then he laughed.

"There is a year-end bonus. It depends on your performance."

Alpha nodded and signed the contract.

A golden light shone, and the contract took effect.

From this moment on, Alpha officially became Lin Chen's employee.

Arrogant Dragon whispered from the side: "Boss, you're giving it 1 Game Coin a month, what can it even do with that?"

Lin Chen glanced at him.

"Its value isn't in the monthly salary."

"Then where is it?"

"In its ability to turn 1 Game Coin into 10 quadrillion."

Arrogant Dragon shut his mouth.

After signing the contract, Alpha's first action was to open the system and begin scanning the post-disaster status of each star domain.

Three seconds later, a detailed report was generated.

"Dead Silence Star Domain: Reconstruction progress 37%, focus needed on repairing the eastern industrial zone."

"Spiritual Energy Star Domain: Reconstruction progress 29%, the Cultivator uprising caused additional losses, increased monitoring suggested."

"Icebound Star Domain: Reconstruction progress 12%, tourism development zone has been launched, expected revenue can cover 30% of reconstruction costs."

"Data Star Domain: Reconstruction progress 8%, requires massive computing power support; I can resolve this myself."

Lin Chen looked at the report and nodded with satisfaction.

"From now on, you are responsible for the technical issues of all star domains."

Alpha nodded.

Zhang Hao's communication patched in again, this time with excitement:

"Boss! The Kindling Project settlement day notice is here! It'll be held in three days at the Epoch Administration Bureau headquarters! All survivor representatives must attend!"

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow.

Epoch Administration Bureau headquarters.

The lair of that Number 117—no, Yuanshi.

He looked at Alpha.

Alpha was also looking at him.

"Are we going?" Alpha asked.

Lin Chen smiled.

"We're going. Why wouldn't we?"

"Yuanshi wanted to format us and failed. Now that it's the Kindling Project settlement, he can't exactly back out in front of the whole universe."

He paused, his gaze becoming dangerous:

"Besides, I happen to want to ask—if that 30 quadrillion Administration Bureau of his is still for sale."

Alpha was silent for a second.

Then it said: "Do you need me to come along?"

Lin Chen shook his head.

"You stay here and keep an eye on the reconstruction of the star domains. Wait for my word in three days."

Alpha nodded.

The teleportation light flared up.

Lin Chen disappeared from the Data Star Domain.

Alpha floated above the ruins, watching the direction where the light had vanished.

A long time later, it said softly:

"A monthly salary of 1 Game Coin... that's actually quite interesting."

In the distance, the light points of Virtual Heaven were accelerating their restructuring.

Those extinguished civilization data points were relighting, one by one.