Just as Caroline was enjoying her afternoon tea, a female researcher with black-rimmed glasses and a few freckles politely entered.
"Miss Caroline, the latest data from the 'Spirit Realm Experiment' is out. Would you like to take a look?"
"Just leave it, Lena. I'll check it after my afternoon tea."
"Understood."
Caroline's voice was very flat, polite yet carrying an indescribable aloofness.
Although Caroline was subtly conveying her desire for the other person to leave, the female researcher named Lena lingered, nervously twisting the corner of her white lab coat.
It was clear she had something she wanted to say.
Seeing this, Caroline calmly stated, "What is it, Lena? Is there something you wish to say?"
Lena took a deep breath, then mustered her courage and said, "Miss Caroline, everyone is actually very curious why you always have an extra portion prepared whenever you have afternoon tea."
"Also, since you enjoy sweets so much, why do we never see you eat them outside of afternoon tea and dinner?"
Facing this question, Caroline elegantly set down her coffee cup.
The ceramic cup's bottom clinked against the saucer, producing a crisp sound.
"These are my private matters. I am not obligated to answer you."
Caroline's reply was cold and unapproachable.
But Lena wasn't offended; instead, she showed an expression of admiration.
After all, the silver-haired girl before her was an AI genius who had set the 'Star Track Corridor's fastest promotion record.'
Having suddenly appeared in the New Federation six years ago, she was not only exceptionally taken in as a disciple by President Einit but also shocked the entire AI academic community with a series of groundbreaking research achievements.
It was just that Caroline's current qualifications were still shallow, and her own Star Envoy rank wasn't high enough.
Otherwise, it was entirely possible for her, at the age of twenty, to become the youngest 'AI Doctor' in the entire history of the New Federation.
And when these factors combined with Caroline's aloof and cold demeanor, and her exquisite beauty, it added even more to her legendary aura.
It was only because Caroline disliked publicity and had explicitly informed all media outlets in the Star Track Corridor not to easily disclose information about her.
Otherwise, her fame would undoubtedly be on par with the renowned Frost Sound family's superstar, Jing Liuli, in the New Federation today.
Seeing that Lena still hadn't left, Caroline, unafraid of offending anyone, directly issued a dismissal.
"Alright, Lena, I've understood what you've said. Go to Research Lab 3 first and have everyone prepare the instruments. I'll be over shortly."
"Understood, Miss Caroline."
After Lena's footsteps faded, Caroline gazed at the empty seat opposite her.
Her silver-white hair cascaded down, glowing softly in the sunset.
It gave off an indescribable sense of loneliness and melancholy.
A moment later, Caroline picked up the AI tablet from the table and rose to head towards Research Lab 3 within the institute.
When she arrived at Research Lab 3, all the researchers inside had already made their preparations.
Without unnecessary preamble, Caroline walked directly to the central holographic data screen.
Her slender fingers glided across the screen, and her emerald pupils began to reflect complex quantum data, like waves.
She was clearly calculating something.
Unlike her relatively youthful figure six years ago, Caroline was now much taller, and her previously dark green, shoulder-length hair had, for some reason, turned silver-white and reached her waist.
However, what was most captivating about Caroline at this moment were her special dark green eyes—the [Emerald Star Pupils].
Because when she was fully focused on analyzing data, her pupils would decompose into countless tiny hexagonal gratings, like an ever-recombining kaleidoscope, mesmerizing to behold.
After a period of complex data analysis, Caroline, under the anxious gaze of those around her, slowly returned her pupils to normal.
Then, she turned to the people beside her and said, "Everyone, we are getting closer and closer to success."
Hearing Caroline's words, the researchers in the institute could hardly contain their excitement and cheered.
They firmly believed in Caroline's judgment.
"Spirit Realm" was an experimental project led by Caroline, attempting to allow ordinary people with insufficient computing power to safely connect to quantum space with the help of specific equipment.
If this project succeeded, even a group of ordinary people without star origin could achieve significant improvement.
This would help them better resist the threat from star beasts.
Therefore, the "Spirit Realm" project received strong support from the New Federation and even the Star Envoy Association.
Against this backdrop, while the project researchers received considerable attention, they also bore immense psychological pressure.
But now that Caroline herself had confirmed they were on the verge of success, this pressure was released to the greatest extent possible.
After all, they were very clear about how powerful the research capabilities of this person, known as the 'strongest AI of the younger generation,' truly were.
Therefore, they would not doubt Caroline's words.
What these researchers didn't know was that they believed Caroline's purpose in researching "Spirit Realm" was to further strengthen the ordinary people of the New Federation and enhance the overall strength of the human race.
But in reality, only Caroline knew that her true purpose in researching 'Spirit Realm' was to use its special 'virtual space' to temporarily shield her 'AI personality.'
This would allow her to bypass 'it' and investigate a memory that she had proven to be somewhat 'erroneous.'
Therefore, unlike the excitement of the surrounding researchers, Caroline's eyes at this moment not only lacked the elation of an imminent project success but also showed a more human-like apprehension, as if she were worried about something.
After announcing a temporary holiday for everyone and sending them all away, Caroline remained alone in the research institute.
She looked at the two dolphin plushies placed on her seat and whispered, "If even 'Spirit Realm' cannot help me bypass the underlying code of my AI personality, then it might take me a very long time to find the secret hidden in my memory."
"It's just that for some reason, I always feel that I must find that true memory quickly, otherwise... I will definitely regret it."
Thinking of this, Caroline lowered her head to look at the dolphin necklace hanging around her neck.
"My memory clearly tells me that this necklace was a birthday gift from Chen Xing when he was in Deep Blue Metropolis."
"But neither Chen Xing nor the other clues I've gathered tell me this memory is wrong."
"However, if I don't bypass my AI personality, no matter what evidence I find, the underlying code rooted deep in my brain will forcibly distort my subjective inference and compel me to be immersed in that false memory."
"And if I can find a way to temporarily shield this underlying code, then I... will be able to get close to the buried truth."
Speaking of this, Caroline tightly gripped the dolphin necklace around her neck.
She said with a resolute tone, "To make an absolutely rational AI personality temporarily dormant, I must make her analyze a large amount of illogical things to tie her down."
"And the most illogical thing in this world... is the unreasonable complexity of human emotions."
"As long as I can create the Spirit Realm, I can temporarily trap my AI personality within it."
"This way, no one, not even myself, can stop me from getting closer to the truth."
With that, Caroline put down the dolphin necklace in her hand and turned to walk out of the research lab.
"I will find you, no matter... how great the cost."