Chapter 384

In September, with the approval of the Supreme Committee, the State of Su began to implement OGAS—also known as the OGAS Plan.

The plan is divided into three major steps:

Step one, based on existing computer resources and the Internet, fully implements digitized, paperless office work in government agencies and state‑owned enterprises. At the same time, to ensure information security, two parallel networks are built from the outset: a non‑classified system and a classified system.

Regarding the non‑classified system, the Protection Umbrella Company of Su builds the government cloud system, which will serve as the backbone of the future national Internet. Its hardware includes a supercomputer and server cluster in Moscow with Computational Power of at least 100 PFLOPS, as well as 163 state‑level computational nodes, totaling a capacity equivalent to 0.1 Pioneer.

On the software side, there is an integrated application library for all departmental government systems; each department has a vertical business system developed according to its functions, and all data of each level of department operates within that system. Different departments are linked via a universal integrated data interface, enabling data sharing among them.

The classified system runs in parallel with the non‑classified system, with essentially the same structure but far less Computational Power. Inter‑department interactions occur only through classified documents and email systems with minimal data exchange. Lower‑level computational nodes and communication lines are physically isolated from the Internet, connecting only at the top to the Pioneer supercomputer.

Enterprises act as user terminals, regulated by a unified computerization system; all accounting transactions and the like must be processed through that system.

This step will be rolled out sequentially from the central government to localities. The entire plan is planned and its progress supervised by the national laboratory's central supercomputer "Pioneer", with an estimated three‑year duration, to be completed by the end of 1999.

Step two implements a mobile Internet across the whole society, relying on more advanced wireless communication technology and the Starlink satellite program to build a nationwide wireless communication network, allowing the benefits of the information age to reach ordinary people.

The Protection Umbrella Company of Su, together with several major communication departments, forms the Umbrella Communications Group, tasked with constructing nearly four million high‑speed wireless communication towers nationwide, as well as communication service clusters in various regions and Moscow, integrating them into the backbone network under the unified supervision of Pioneer.

At the same time, the Umbrella Company will launch affordable digital communication devices, covering more than half of the nation's primary consumer population.

This step will commence alongside the first step, with an estimated 50 % completion before 2000 and 90 % before 2003.

Step three, based on Pioneer's strict information analysis and control of national economic data, will gradually liberalize non‑critical industries, loosen some capital constraints, stimulate market vitality, and steadily achieve a semi‑market‑oriented transition.

Simultaneously, various advanced sensing technologies will be deployed and the Internet of Things advanced, integrating production, transportation, security, and livelihood sectors into the Internet, further enhancing the OGAS Plan's information collection and analysis capabilities. It is projected that by 2006, within roughly a decade, a "National Brain" centered on the OGAS Plan will be completed.

"This is truly a grand plan…" A'erkayimu, the Empress, said, looking at the plan before her, "Do you need A'erkayimu to do anything?"

"It isn't necessary for A'erkayimu to do anything; as you know, the various laboratories have been lacking Wizards, and the production departments as well. Magic Stone supplies are insufficient, and many places still require Wizard assistance."

The Empress nodded, "I understand, but lately A'erkayimu's personnel have also been strained; magical disaster events within the State of Su are increasing, and we have had to reassign many staff from other departments, even the Royal Guard has dispatched many members. It may be difficult to find Wizards that meet your requirements for the time being."

"I can train them. If you permit, I would like to recruit Wizard laborers in the city; many jobs have low requirements, and essentially any Wizard can handle them, even housewives." Murphy said.

"Very well." the Empress agreed.

Both were silent for a moment; Murphy lifted the tea on the table and took a sip, "How have you been lately?"

"I'm fine," the Empress replied.

"I heard your hypersomnia has worsened recently?"

"Was it Mrs. Ya Jia who told you?" the Empress frowned, "I told her not to meddle. No wonder you came all the way here despite having no major matters."

Murphy thought for a moment, "May I give you a diagnosis?"

"It should just be a physiological issue of the Vampire race; I still haven't gotten used to sleeping by day and rising at night…" the Empress said.

"It's a bit odd; Vampires have strong regenerative abilities, so you should have adapted by now. When did your symptoms worsen?"

"About three months ago," the Empress said.

"Did anything special happen then?"

"Nothing particular…" the Empress thought, then suddenly frowned, shook her head, "No, that probably wasn't anything…"

"What have you thought of?" Murphy asked.

"I just recalled that three months ago I had a nightmare where someone tried to seize me, and I also saw an iron chain… I don't know why, but I felt terrified in that dream and woke up frightened… but it was probably just a dream."

"What did you say?!" Murphy exclaimed.

Three months ago, the iron chain… that inevitably reminded him of the black ship that appeared at Hogwarts earlier… At that time, the black ship launched three iron chains: one captured Voldemort, another shot toward itself, and the third vanished into the void.

Back then Murphy was busy fleeing and trying to eliminate the Holy Mother, leaving no time for contemplation, but now recalling, Dumbledore seemed to have said that the Holy Mother identified three enemies it must eradicate: herself, Tom Li De Er, and Prophet Mi Li An.

Now thinking back, perhaps the black ship was summoned to capture all its enemies at once, so could the iron chain that vanished into the void have been aimed at Mi Li An?

Mi Li An is located behind the Gate of the Afterlife within the ancestral tomb, which seems to be part of the spirit realm; perhaps the black ship's chain could reach there directly.

The Empress's dream may have been about this.

But why would that exacerbate the Empress's hypersomnia?

In the end, what exactly is the relationship between Prophet Mi Li An and the Empress?

Thinking of the girl identical to Suo Fei Ya that Murphy saw behind the Gate of the Afterlife, he felt uneasy.

By the way, this can't be some body‑snatching reincarnation plot, can it?

"Your Majesty, I must ask you a question," Murphy said, "What is the relationship between your ancestor Mi Li An beyond the Gate of the Afterlife and you? Do you know how she is doing now?"

"Why are you asking that?" Suo Fei Ya looked at him puzzled, "The Prophet is my ancestor, and beyond that there is no other connection, after all she lived more than a thousand years ago."

"As for her current situation, the Gate of the Afterlife has remained closed since it was last opened, and no one can enter it."

…

Murphy left, promising to have the laboratory increase its efforts to research and develop a treatment drug targeting the Vampire's defect, which might help alleviate her symptoms.

When Murphy departed, Suo Fei Ya went to the window, looked out at the bright garden through the blackout curtains, and after a while she drew the curtains together and lay back on the bed.

She closed her eyes, waiting to sink again into that distant dream.

(End of Chapter)