Chapter 9

Tears beg for recommendations!

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As expected, despite hearing the footsteps behind him, Mephisto’s gaze remained fixed on a damaged oil painting on the wall, almost unrecognizable due to its condition. The steady,沧桑的声音已经响了起来：

“Fear of the unknown is a common trait among humans. Fear often stems from ignorance, and ignorance comes from avoidance. In reality, why bother concealing one's ignorance? Everyone has been ignorant at some point!”

“Are you mocking those who indulge in life and avoid reality? The phrase ‘everyone has been ignorant at some point’ is profound and can lead to numerous interpretations!”

Faced with such a high level of “qi,” Gao Tianxin also became a bit unsettled. He took a deep breath, realizing his own realm was still insufficient and needed improvement. Then, he slowly threw out a reference from Gintama:

“The truly important things are always clearer to those who don’t have them than to those who do. Similarly, many people think that obtaining something is the hardest part, but they overlook the fact that letting go is even more difficult!”

You talk about ignorance, I'll talk about possession!

What kind of possession?

The greatest pursuit of the human resistance—freedom!

Mephisto’s pupils constricted upon hearing this. He pondered for a moment, seemingly weighing his own pursuits and sacrifices, then slowly said, “One shouldn’t avoid possession out of fear of losing it. Similarly, one shouldn’t worry about losing something just because they possess it. If you do, you will ultimately lose yourself! We fight not only to change the world but also to prevent the world from changing us!”

Gao Tianxin was shaken by this response. His gaze became sharp. This answer was even more ingenious, shifting from possession to change. How should he respond?

His mind raced as he slowly walked towards the sofa opposite Mephisto, reciting a poem in seven steps, his expression gradually revealing determination:

“Yes, those who cannot let go of anything will never change anything! Many people are changed by the times, but only a few change the times... This is the worst of times, and the best of times. Perhaps future generations will gradually forget this era, but they will always remember the changers of this era—us!”

First, he referenced Attack on Titan, then Qin Shi Ming Yue, and finally, Tiny Times. For this clash of “verbal art,” Gao Tianxin was really giving it his all.

Mephisto was moved, also walking slowly and sitting on the sofa, facing Gao Tianxin. For some reason, he suddenly felt a sense of mutual respect, and his thick lips parted.

However, this time, he did not succeed.

Because Su Weiqi, who could no longer bear listening outside, suddenly burst in, roaring, “Are you two tired? Please, speak in human language... Can you speak in human language?”

“Cough, cough!” Gao Tianxin and Mephisto both felt a bit awkward, coughing in unison and leaning back into the sofa, adopting a slightly more comfortable posture. The overwhelming aura around them finally dissipated.

Mephisto said, “The New Eastern Resistance Base is a resistance organization composed of Easterners. We in Zion are ignorant and have never heard of it, but we are very grateful for your assistance this time.”

“We are here for the Messiah.” In response to Mephisto’s probing, Gao Tianxin was straightforward, “Zion is frantically searching for the Messiah, and our New Eastern Resistance Base has not given up on this greatest hope to defeat the Matrix!”

“I have also studied the legends of Zion. The first free humans were saved by the first generation of the Messiah, and one day, the Messiah will be reborn, leading you to defeat the Matrix and liberate all of humanity!”

“This is a beautiful hope, but in the cold world where computers enslave humans, is reincarnation really possible?”

The first part of Gao Tianxin’s words made Mephisto’s expression change slightly, and the last sentence made his face darken.

Mephisto firmly believed in the existence of the Messiah because he was the guide who could find the Messiah, as the prophet had said!

His name indeed had deep meaning. In Greek mythology, Morpheus is the god of dreams, capable of altering dreams. In the Matrix, Morpheus awakens people from the dream-like virtual world, guiding them to resist and seek freedom!

In short, Morpheus’s belief is to find the Messiah and have the Messiah save humanity!

So, anyone whose most unwavering belief is denied would not have a good expression. Unexpectedly, at this moment, Gao Tianxin suddenly turned the tide: “Have you heard of Gödel’s proposition?”

Mephisto shook his head.

Using a concept similar to Gödel’s proposition to explain the existence of the Messiah was something the prophet had told Morpheus, but that was in the second Matrix film. Now, he was unaware of it.

Thus, after listening to Gao Tianxin’s explanation of how the Messiah exists outside the cold logic of the Matrix, Mephisto felt greatly enlightened. His belief in finding the Messiah became even stronger, and he began to view Gao Tianxin more favorably.

When dealing with strangers, the first impression is crucial. If the other party develops a bad feeling, even doing ten good deeds afterward would be in vain, or even worse, useless!

“The New Eastern Resistance Base has spent countless efforts to uncover the truth about the Messiah’s existence, but we are still ashamed in our search for the Messiah. It was only after discovering that Zion was very close to success that we took the risk to meet you!”

On the contrary, when Mephisto began to view him differently, Gao Tianxin seized the opportunity, praising Mephisto as the action-oriented leader of Zion. After touching his heart with a few words, he then suppressed himself: “However, at this critical moment, if a traitor ruins everything, it would be truly regrettable!”

Mephisto’s eyes narrowed. He did not become complacent due to a few flattering words and a bit of goodwill, maintaining his usual calm and composure: “I will not baselessly suspect my comrades. I hope you can provide proof and a convincing reason!”

“First, I am willing to undergo a neural link to prove that I am also a Matrix escapee!”

Gao Tianxin nodded matter-of-factly, a statement that made Mephisto’s eyebrows raise.

A neural link is a literary term. To put it bluntly, it’s the mode of entering and exiting the real and virtual worlds through a phone. Similarly, “hackers” who have infiltrated the Matrix can use a neural link to locate the true physical body!

In the original plot, Neo was pulled out this way, a move that carries significant risk!

Not only does Mephisto’s side risk being discovered by the Matrix, but the person undergoing the neural link must return to their physical body within a specified time. If they fail to wake up from the virtual world, their brain waves will dissipate, leading to brain death!

However, this method is one of the effective ways to determine if someone is under Matrix control. Given this, Gao Tianxin’s willingness to undergo such a test already convinced Mephisto to a large extent.

To be cautious, Mephisto needed to confirm the evidence. He stood up and led Gao Tianxin to the adjacent room.

There, a few other resistance members were gathered. Soon, Gao Tianxin lay on the old surgical chair where Neo had lain in the original plot, connected to various instruments.

“The Matrix cannot find his body; he is indeed an escapee!”

Since he had not taken the red pill, this was a one-way trip. When Tank, who was in the real world, sent the confirmation, Mephisto sighed in relief and promptly awakened Gao Tianxin.

Gao Tianxin, however, was not particularly concerned upon hearing this news.

Whether in the beginner mode or the observer mode, the fact that Matrix agents could not invade his body proved that the bodies of the cycle travelers were not under Matrix control. Otherwise, the Matrix would not need to send agents to infiltrate; it could simply read their minds!

When Gao Tianxin and Mephisto returned to the room, Mephisto’s tone changed again: “Who is he?”

If it were another cycle traveler, they might have hastily mentioned Cypher’s name, but Gao Tianxin remained calm, shaking his head: “I cannot be certain, but the two pure humans on your ship are not suspects.”

The pure humans were Tank and Dozer. Mephisto’s eyes narrowed slightly: “Oh? So you have a way to identify this traitor?”

Earlier, Mephisto was half-probing, half-asking. If Gao Tianxin had made a single mistake, Mephisto would have turned on him instantly. This time, he was genuinely seeking Gao Tianxin’s opinion.

Mephisto knew that in matters of internal betrayal, the observer often sees more clearly than the participant. If he, as the captain, searched for the traitor, he might suspect innocent crew members.

The Nebuchadnezzar had only seven or eight people, each with a crucial role. If internal cohesion was disrupted, leading to suspicion and fear, the team would fall apart!

Therefore, letting Gao Tianxin propose a plan provided room for maneuver, whether it succeeded or failed. This small detail demonstrated Mephisto’s exceptional leadership.

With the initiative gradually in his hands, Gao Tianxin became unhurried. Now that Mephisto was seeking his help, he did not want to be too eager, lest his assistance be taken for granted.

After Mephisto’s repeated requests, Gao Tianxin finally asked for paper and pen, and began to write:

“The article I am writing is from ‘Five Years of Escape, Three Years of Struggle,’ a secret manual of our New Eastern Resistance Base. Legend has it that if one can fully understand the entire manual, they can summon the ‘Escape Champion’ and achieve true freedom!”

Facing Mephisto’s astonished gaze, Gao Tianxin smiled: “Have each of your crew members go through it. The traitor will be obvious!”

Mephisto hesitated for a moment, considering the danger of a traitor, and finally nodded.

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