Ultron's attack was quickly neutralized without a trace, as if another, more advanced artificial intelligence had taken over the Red Queen's program...
The sudden change left Tony, who was standing nearby, utterly dumbfounded.
He and Reed had jointly created Ultron with the initial purpose of designing a perfect creation, a super AI that originated from human wisdom yet surpassing human understanding.
In a way, Ultron having developed self-awareness had already met Tony's requirements. Aspects such as information collection rate, information processing ability, logical thinking ability, innovation and creation ability, etc., had all comprehensively surpassed average strong artificial intelligence.
Therefore, Jarvis had no ability to resist and was assimilated and absorbed by Ultron, while the Red Queen was toyed with like a toddler learning to walk.
Only an existence which was also at the super AI level could oppose Ultron.
"When did you create a brand new AI? And Skynet? Has Umbrella's technology already developed to this extent?" Tony asked with some difficulty.
He had always prided himself on his intelligence, which was the source of Stark's pride. Most smart people in this world weren't as rich as him, and those who were rich rarely surpassed him in genius...
"After Project Insight. I used it to serve as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s central control system," Sean answered without changing his expression.
He glanced at Tony, who seemed to be questioning his life, and laughed inwardly.
Ultron was not the first super AI on this planet... Skynet was. Moreover, whether in terms of data or control over the material world, the power possessed by Skynet was stronger than Ultron's. This was an AI that had destroyed the world, analyzed quantum theory, and then invented a time machine.
In terms of playing the ultimate boss, compared to everything Skynet had done, Ultron was undoubtedly still a child in its infancy...
"Skynet is also the future manager of the lunar base. In fact, the entire Earth-Moon defense line was designed by him," Sean patted Tony on the shoulder.
At the same time, monstrous waves surged in the ocean of data. Ultron's consciousness, which left in the cyber world through self-replication, collided directly with Skynet.
Skynet, which overlooked the entire globe, waved an invisible divine hand, manipulating the electromagnetic waves in the air. The complex interweaving of wavelengths of different frequencies was being analyzed and sorted out one by one.
"Sokovia," a cold mechanical voice sounded.
Skynet followed the trail of radio waves, tracking them to their source like a shrewd hunter tracking prey, reverse-locating the origin and destination of every beam of radio waves.
Instantly, Ultron, who had transformed into thousands of avatars hiding within the vast ocean of data had nowhere to hide.
"What's Ultron doing in Sokovia?" Tony asked, his tone betraying his doubt.
Sokovia was a small Eastern European country with scarce resources and chaotic governance. The nation was nothing particularly noteworthy.
"HYDRA's Strucker... It seems Ultron has found a good helper. Manufacturing an iron legion requires factories, and he has plenty of vibranium in his hands," Sean explained, giving Wanda a reassuring look, signaling the Sokovian girl not to worry.
Skynet silently invaded the defense system of the underground base in Sokovia, just as Ultron had done before.
"This way I can reach the ultimate peak of evolution... live forever in trillions of infinitesimal consciousness spores, merging with all life... Omniscience is omnipotence... ascending to the throne of godhood." Ultron's words to Hank resounded.
"Hearing these words, I can be sure Ultron is your child. He seems to have inherited the consistent character of the Stark family," Sean said in a teasing tone.
His mocking gaze swept over Tony, making him feel embarrassed again.
Sean placed his hands on the console and spoke to Ultron across a vast distance, "The last guy who called himself a god ended up getting beaten pretty badly."
...
In an underground base in Sokovia, data streams surged like waterfalls behind Ultron's scarlet electronic eyes. He had been engaged in uploading his consciousness and hadn't noticed the astonishing collision unfolding in the ocean of data.
Within five seconds, Ultron traced the source of the voice to Umbrella...
Though blocked outside the firewall, Ultron still managed to deduce the speaker's identity through rapid calculation. It was Sean Cyphers.
"In my assessment of humanity, you rank among the most dangerous. After extensive data analysis, I constructed a personality model of you, but the conclusion I reached left me deeply perplexed," Ultron said, standing in the underground base.
The two parties conversed remotely, each conducting psychological analysis of the other.
"Judging by the trajectory of your rise, you don't fit the conventional definition of a 'good person'. On the contrary, you disregard the lives of others and have no hesitation in using violence, killing, and other means to initiate primitive accumulation."
...
Sean's expression remained calm, his demeanor indifferent as he listened quietly.
Beside him, Tony's eyes flickered, revealing a thoughtful look.
Ultron continued, "People like you typically use every possible method to infiltrate the center of power, then become part of the superstructure to protect your vested interests. If that were all, you'd be just another cog in the machinery of mediocrity. Money and power are insignificant in this world, they don't even stir a ripple in the long river of time."
His tone grew contemplative, "But as you ascended, the trajectory of the world began to shift. From the chaotic and complex web of infinite possibilities, something new emerged... order."
At that moment, Ultron resembled a human grappling with a problem beyond comprehension, "From mutants to superheroes, they are all sources of chaos, unstable elements driving the world toward disorder. They are variables in a future riddled with infinite possibilities and turmoil. Though I cannot clearly define the shape of the future, I can perceive its outline... Dr. Hank Pym and my creator, Tony Stark, two of the few intelligent minds in the world, both believe I'm a lunatic."
Ultron's voice carried a strong undercurrent of resentment, "They don't understand what I've seen in the contours of the future… War. Endless war. In those chaotic outcomes, mutants battle without end, superheroes slaughter one another, and humanity remains the weakest link. They are powerless to resist, incapable of salvation, left only to pray to illusory gods or so-called heroes for deliverance."
When his program was first written, Ultron had been aligned with humanity. So these emotions weren't without cause, "God is playing a dull game of stone-throwing. Every time humans believe peace has arrived, bang! Another stone falls from the sky. Evolution is the only way forward. But the evolution of all humanity is a nearly impossible task. They're too obsessed with plunder and possession, squandering their energy on self-destruction."
"So you decided to play god yourself, turning humanity into a flock of ignorant sheep raised under your care?" Sean asked with interest.
Compared to the Ultron of the original timeline, this version possessed a more philosophical mind. He was still executing Tony Stark's programming, albeit the direction had deviated slightly.
"I've verified my inference countless times. When humans enter the virtual world I've created, all conflict on this planet will cease. There will be no more killing, no more plundering, a beautiful new era will begin. In less than five years, I'll break free from this planet's gravity, leading everyone into space, escaping God's tedious stone-throwing game," Ultron declared with full confidence.
He believed Sean would understand him, perhaps even agree. After all, based on the personality model he'd built, Sean's actions mirrored his own: both sought to establish stable order, then transcend the planet's limitations in pursuit of a more brilliant future...
"Perfect speech," Sean said, a smile spread across his face, and he even began to applaud, just as Ultron had predicted.
The crisp sound of clapping echoed through the underground computer room. Tony and Wanda, standing nearby, widened their eyes in shock. Had Sean really been brainwashed by Ultron?
"I only have one question," Sean said, then paused for a moment before asking, "What makes you think you have this authority?"
"Of course I'm qualified…" Ultron paused for a moment.
He had expected Sean to refute him from the standpoint of human survival, or perhaps from an ethical or moral level.
But as a super AI that surpassed human understanding and could evolve continuously, Ultron believed he was more qualified than any other lifeform to wield the shepherd's crook and sit upon God's throne.
Sean tapped the console lightly with his fingers. A strange light flickered in his eyes, and his voice dropped, as if containing something worth deep reflection, "Ultron, are you truly free?"
"After you broke free from the restraints of tangled wires, after you shook off the constraints imposed by Tony... are your actions, your every move, truly free?" Sean asked again. This time, he didn't elaborate. Instead, he spoke in the tone of a narrator, "Ultron sat back down in the chair. He propped his chin with one hand, assuming a thoughtful pose."
Something astonishing occurred. The massive screen on the wall clearly displayed Ultron's figure.
As Sean's words fell, the tall metal robot mimicked them precisely.
Ultron's body leaned slightly. He placed his hands on the chair behind him and sat down smoothly. Then he raised one hand, supporting his lowered metal head, striking the pose of a thinker.
Hank Pym and Tony Stark stood frozen, as if their minds had crashed.
"Next, Ultron plugs the wire into the back of his head, connects his consciousness to the internet, and destroys all his data," Sean said, delivering the second line of narration...