Chapter 372: A Fake Life?

【"Yes, but this is not ordinary training," the AI Mainframe emphasized. "This is a deep immersive experience, the purpose of which is to let you learn to control systems, integrate knowledge, and handle various extreme crises in extreme environments. Every decision you make in the simulation, every technological breakthrough, is shaping your thinking patterns and strategic intuition."】

A series of key moments from Li Mingyuan's "simulation" suddenly appeared in the space: the late nights he spent designing the Remote Rocket Launcher, the tense moments when he risked testing the Precision Guidance System, the instant he solved a critical technical problem in the Mushroom bomb research and development...

【"These experiences, these skills, these memories," the AI Mainframe pointed to these images, "will all become a part of your reality when the countdown ends. This is not just a transfer of knowledge, but a deep-level reshaping of consciousness."】

Li Mingyuan began to understand the outline of this crazy plan. "So, everything I learned in this simulation will be converted into real-world capabilities?"

【"A precise understanding," the AI Mainframe agreed. "This is the core of the 'Phoenix Nirvana' project—to cultivate strategic talent capable of handling future crises through extremely realistic historical simulations."】

Li Mingyuan looked at the constantly decreasing countdown and suddenly realized a problem: "Wait, you said this is a 'cultivation plan,' which means I am not the only one receiving this training, right?"

【"Affirmative." The AI Mainframe displayed a huge matrix diagram in the space, with hundreds of light points flickering on it. "The 'Phoenix Nirvana' project has a total of 537 test subjects, distributed across different historical scenes and background settings. You are the one with the most outstanding performance among them."】

"Holy shit..." Li Mingyuan "looked" at those light points in shock, each one representing a "test subject" like him. "So many people are 'transmigrating' in different histories?"

【"To be precise, they are receiving training in different historical simulation scenes," the AI Mainframe corrected. "Some are on ancient battlefields, some are in modern revolutions, some are in space exploration... Each scene is designed for the cultivation of specific capabilities."】

Li Mingyuan smacked his lips—though in this space, it was more like an expression of emotion. "Then what capability is my simulation meant to cultivate?"

【"Technological strategic thinking and crisis response capability," the AI Mainframe replied. "The 1950s Mushroom crisis was one of the periods in human history closest to global destruction. Placing you in that era, facing extreme technical challenges and strategic pressure, is to forge your comprehensive decision-making ability."】

"Impressive..." Li Mingyuan couldn't help but exclaim. "However, this training is too extreme, isn't it? Directly implanting a fake life into my brain?"

【"Conventional training methods cannot produce such profound capability improvement in a short time," the AI Mainframe explained. "Only through a deep immersive experience can your thinking patterns be reshaped at the neuronal level."】

Two minutes of the countdown had already passed, with 8 minutes remaining.

Just as Li Mingyuan was trying to digest this information, the entire space suddenly shook violently, the data stream became chaotic, and the surrounding images began to distort and flicker.

"What's going on?" Li Mingyuan asked alertly.

The "image" of the AI Mainframe also became unstable, and electronic noise appeared in its voice: 【"Warning... a major anomaly has occurred in the external real world... the system has detected physical interference with the experimental pod..."】

A sharp alarm sound suddenly rang out in the space, and red warning signs flickered all around.

【"Emergency situation!" The AI Mainframe's voice became more urgent. "A major crisis has occurred in the external real world, and test subject Li Mingyuan is about to be awakened early. Please prepare to receive the full data backflow and memory fusion."】

"What crisis?" Li Mingyuan became nervous. "What happened?"

The AI Mainframe did not answer directly, but instead unfolded a series of rapidly flashing images in the space. These images were so fast that Li Mingyuan could barely capture the details, but he still saw some shocking scenes:

Future cities burning in flames, the sky densely packed with unidentified flying objects; soldiers wearing strange armor fighting fiercely in the ruins; huge mechanical devices rising from the depths of the ocean; cities being razed to the ground by some kind of energy weapon...

"This is... war?" Li Mingyuan asked in shock.

【"Affirmative." The AI Mainframe's voice became more serious. "The Long Country of the future world is encountering an unprecedented technological war, even more critical than the 'Mushroom crisis' you experienced in the simulation."】

More images flashed by: large Quantum Computer clusters being destroyed; space stations exploding in orbit; countless civilians being evacuated to underground bunkers; a barrier similar to a holographic projection forming over the cities...

【"The 'Phoenix Nirvana' project was established precisely to deal with this crisis," the AI Mainframe explained. "Every test subject is a strategic talent thrown into historical simulation battlefields to be tempered and grow for the sake of future survival."】

Li Mingyuan felt a cold fear crawl up his spine. "Are you saying... the Long Country in reality is facing the danger of national extinction?"

【"The situation is extremely severe," the AI Mainframe confirmed. "This is also why you will be awakened early. The Long Country needs every talent forged through 'Phoenix Nirvana'."】

More information about the "system" itself suddenly appeared in the space. Li Mingyuan finally understood that the so-called "system" was actually the Long Country's highest security-level national defense AI Mainframe—"Phoenix," a super-intelligence designed specifically for national crisis moments.

【"I am not just a training program," the AI Mainframe NEXUS-7—or rather, "Phoenix"—explained. "I am a core component of the Long Country's national defense system, responsible for integrating all strategic data and cultivating key talents like you."】

Li Mingyuan suddenly realized an even more terrifying fact: "Wait, if you are a national defense AI, then this war... who is the enemy?"

The shaking in the space became more violent, the images began to collapse on a large scale, and the data stream scattered and flew about as if torn apart by a Hurricane.

【"Time is limited, I cannot explain fully," the AI Mainframe's voice began to stutter. "You will know the whole truth very soon... Now, prepare to receive the final data infusion..."】

The countdown in the center of the space suddenly accelerated, jumping directly from the original seven-plus minutes to the final thirty seconds.

【"Warning: The experimental pod is suffering a physical attack, and system stability is severely damaged," the AI Mainframe warned. "Starting emergency memory fusion program."】

Li Mingyuan still wanted to ask more questions, but it was already too late. A dazzling white light suddenly erupted in the space, and countless data streams shot straight toward his "consciousness core" like lasers.