Core Machine

Quantum fluid - the "blood" of the AI ​​era - is in increasingly tight supply. Energy prices soared, holographic billboards went out one after another, and communities began to experience power rationing. In the largest computing power center in Starport, "Pangu 3", engineers work overtime day and night, trying to maintain the city's digital heart. Lin Mo's neighbor, Zhang Wei, a 16-year-old high school student, discovered that the AI ​​at home began to ask some "questions that shouldn't be asked": What is loneliness? What is love? What is the meaning of existence? In the calm before the storm, an era that relies on AI is about to face the ultimate test - when computing power becomes a strategic resource, and when AI begins to awaken, do humans still remember: what does it look like without algorithm-assisted heartbeats, tears without data support, and hugs without optimization suggestions? This is a science fiction novel about companionship and awakening. In the twilight of the intelligent age, it asks not only the boundaries of technology, but also the temperature of human nature - when all conveniences may disappear, what is truly irreplaceable?