Chapter 97

"Feeling bad? Me?" Li Huailin was taken aback for a moment, then he touched his face, "Was I that obvious?"

"Usually, you wouldn't come to drink with me." Officer Zhang smiled and said, "If there's something, just talk to me. I'm afraid you'll bottle it up and make it worse, then I'll be the one busy dealing with it."

"It's nothing much, just a few things that happened while playing games, a bit annoying," Li Huailin said, taking a sip.

"Is it that 'Heart of Glory'?" Officer Zhang asked.

"Do you play it too?" Li Huailin asked.

"I'm busy with my divorce, how could I have time to play? But I know you play it," Officer Zhang said.

"Ah... you guys know I play online games?" Li Huailin asked.

"Bro, you can see your videos in the top posts on any forum, who wouldn't know? Do you know what low-key means?" Officer Zhang said helplessly.

"Ah? Is that so." Li Huailin nodded, "This game is quite fun, you should try it when you have time."

"Sure... anyway, I won't play, but they'll probably make me play it." Officer Zhang said, "So, what happened? You got so worked up over a game?"

"You tell me, with today's technology, can we create something like artificial intelligence?" Li Huailin suddenly asked.

"Artificial intelligence?" Officer Zhang nodded, "I've heard there are robot programs that can mimic human thinking, but they're still in the experimental stage. Shouldn't you know more about this than me?"

"In theory, no matter how sophisticated the program, data is just data, not life." Li Huailin wasn't sure if he was talking to Officer Zhang or to himself, "I used to think that way, but today in the game, I felt like an NPC was a real person for the first time. Do you think I've been playing too much lately?"

"Is that why you're feeling bad?" Officer Zhang was taken aback.

"Not just that, I also feel like I owe him something, it's hard to explain, but it sounds weird, right? I actually feel like I owe something to a piece of data. Don't you think it's strange to have such thoughts?" Li Huailin said seriously.

"Hehehe..." Officer Zhang couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey, I'm being serious here. I know it sounds strange, but that's how I felt, so I'm not feeling good now," Li Huailin said.

"Oh, no, no." Officer Zhang tried to control his laughter, "No wonder so many people can't figure you out. You can come up with so many thoughts from a game. What do you play games for?"

"To pass the time, what else?" Li Huailin said, "I heard this game is good, so I started playing."

"So, did you enjoy it?" Officer Zhang asked again.

"Um... now that you mention it, I did have a good time," Li Huailin thought for a moment.

"Then why are you thinking so much?" Officer Zhang said, "Does it matter if it's a real person or not?"

"But the problem now is whether I should play the game as a player or as a character in the game. It's giving me a headache," Li Huailin said.

"What's the difference?" Officer Zhang asked.

"The difference between being the one who acts and the one who is acted upon," Li Huailin thought for a moment.

"So, do you want to be the one who is acted upon or the one who acts?" Officer Zhang thought and said.

"Probably the latter."

"Then you're the one who acts?" Officer Zhang asked.

"Hey, that makes sense," Li Huailin suddenly said.

"Ah? Are you really the one who is acted upon?" Officer Zhang was surprised.

"Your sister is the one who is acted upon. I just think I understand something," Li Huailin held his forehead.

"So you're the one who acts?" Officer Zhang asked again.

"You're really persistent..." Li Huailin was speechless, "Can we end this topic of being both the one who acts and the one who is acted upon?"

"Sure, let's drink." Officer Zhang raised his glass and, without waiting for Li Huailin to drink, clinked his glass against Li Huailin's and drank it all.

"Cheers." Li Huailin also picked up his glass and drank it all, "Will you play this game in a while?"

"Yep." Officer Zhang nodded, "Not just me, but people from our department will probably play too."

"You don't need to involve the whole department, do you?" Li Huailin said.

"Not that extreme, we have other things to investigate," Officer Zhang said, "About this game."

"This game?" Li Huailin asked, "Is there something strange about this game? Do you need to investigate it?"

"You're a player, tell me, is there anything strange about this game?" Officer Zhang suddenly asked seriously.

"I've already said it, the NPCs in the game feel like real people, isn't that strange?" Li Huailin said, "What are you investigating?"

"I haven't read much of the data, you know I just joined, and I haven't even found the database, but I heard it's about the Memory Information Tree," Officer Zhang said.

"Memory Information Tree?" Li Huailin thought for a moment, "I think I've heard of it, it's a new theory, who proposed it..."

"Director Liu Heyun of Tianyu Group," Officer Zhang said.

"Ah? This guy is the head of Tianyu Group?" Li Huailin was taken aback, "This game is from Tianyu Group, right?"

"Right, that's why I said this game isn't simple," Officer Zhang said.

"You didn't say that."

"I didn't say that?" Officer Zhang thought for a moment, "Hmm, I guess I didn't. Now I'm saying it, this game isn't simple."

"..."

"What's wrong? You look like you want to say something," Officer Zhang looked at Li Huailin's speechless face and asked.

"Nothing, I'm just thinking how you can play games with your IQ," Li Huailin said, "Do you need help?"

"Bro, please don't help, I'm already grateful you're not causing us trouble, really, don't help," Officer Zhang said.

"You make it hard for me to back down, but fine, if you need anything, just find me in the game. Don't bother me, though, I'm already being sent to the remote Siberian wilderness by an NPC, I won't be back until level 30, so you'll have to level up on your own," Li Huailin said, "By the way, I've already disabled friend requests, it's too annoying."

"Oh, no need, I'll move in downstairs in a couple of days, you can just knock on my door," Officer Zhang said.

"What? You're moving in downstairs?" Li Huailin was taken aback, "For real?"

"Of course, the house was given to Lan Ling, I'm homeless, so I have to find a place. I was actually here to look at the house, but I ran into you at the door," Officer Zhang said.

"Fine..." Li Huailin held his forehead, "Please don't always call me to drink, I'm busy, really."

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