Three years later, Ding Yun and her organization's research in artificial intelligence had yet to yield significant breakthroughs.
However, the number of newborns from their hospital had long surpassed the number of deaths.
Society had undergone immense changes in various aspects.
For instance, the New Human Gene Bank had ceased creating new humans. Since the birth rate already exceeded the death rate, there was no longer a need for them to create new humans, and their operations were naturally halted.
Likewise, institutions and companies related to infants and young children.
They sprang up like mushrooms after a rain.
Furthermore, the number of purification and environmental protection companies increased. Most people demanded higher purity for nutritional supplements and infant food, and their requirements for environmental purity also grew.
Besides these…
There were many other ripple effects.
Yet, the World Mainbrain remained stagnant, showing no reaction towards them. This, on the contrary, made Ding Yun and others, who had already prepared countermeasures, feel uneasy, even suspecting a conspiracy.
Therefore, at the latest annual summary meeting.
After discussing the scheduled topics, they dedicated a portion of their time to discussing this lingering question.
"I believe the World Mainbrain's continued inaction is definitely problematic. The current situation is that the entire New Human Gene Bank has ceased operations, and the total current population has even surpassed the total for any year in the past century. Neither of these are minor matters.
It's impossible that relevant boundaries haven't been crossed.
Yet, the World Mainbrain remains completely silent.
Is this a case of the natural humans playing a long game, or what? If they made any moves, we could at least respond actively, but their utter lack of action is truly unsettling."
"It's like knowing there's a knife.
But not knowing where it is, or when it will strike us!"
Wei Ju, responsible for intelligence gathering, voiced the collective concern of everyone present from the outset.
"Could it be that we're overthinking things? Perhaps natural humans aren't as bad as we imagine, and that's why they've tacitly allowed our actions?
They aren't specifically targeting us?"
"I don't believe it. Do you remember the applications for legal amendments we, along with many new humans, submitted last year? They were all directly rejected.
And as far as I know, in the past 150 years, not a single amendment application submitted by us new humans has been approved; they've all been rejected. Can that be considered natural humans not being so bad?"
"Could it be that the natural humans have gone extinct?"
"Impossible. Although we haven't seen any natural humans for many years, the World Mainbrain reports the remaining total number of natural humans annually. The current data is 11,763, and some of the World Mainbrain's actions are carried out procedurally, so it wouldn't lie.
Therefore, natural humans have definitely not gone extinct!"
"But the situation is inexplicable!"
"Oh, why are you all thinking so much?
I actually feel that we don't need to speculate wildly without any clues. The World Mainbrain's lack of reaction to our current actions, isn't that a good thing? Isn't it giving us more time to prepare for other things? Regardless of any conspiracy or whether there are indeed no set boundaries.
As long as we remain vigilant and continue to advance artificial intelligence technology, that should suffice?"
While some were consumed by worry about the current situation, unable to sleep, others felt indifferent, believing the current state was quite good. People's mindsets and logical thinking differed, leading to different attitudes towards events.
Some tend to get bogged down,
While others are more open-minded.
This is normal.
After a period of discussion, they ultimately didn't reach any concrete conclusions, as the information they possessed was too scarce. They were unclear about the World Mainbrain's operating logic, had very little understanding of natural humans, and to top it off, much of the data from centuries ago had been destroyed or simply couldn't be found.
Under such circumstances, they had few grounds for speculation,
Let alone making accurate judgments.
However, at the end of the meeting, Ding Yun specifically activated her microphone and stood up in the holographic world to speak:
"Please, everyone, don't leave just yet.
I have a new achievement I'd like to announce.
Since I made some breakthroughs in human genetics four years ago, I haven't conducted much further research in that area. However, I haven't been sitting on my laurels, as some might say.
I've simply shifted my research focus from animal genetics to plant genetics.
Because I believe that to combat environmental pollution.
We might still need to rely on plants.
After several years of hard work, I finally achieved some results recently. My laboratory has now produced a batch of plants capable of gathering, absorbing, or purifying most non-radioactive pollutants. While it can't solve all pollution comprehensively, most pollution can now be addressed through my findings.
The relevant testing results have already been uploaded to the platform.
Experimental data is synchronized and uploaded.
Therefore, I will need your cooperation going forward. I need your cooperation to plant these plants in polluted areas as much as possible.
Restoring the ecological environment is urgent!"
As Ding Yun finished speaking, everyone at the meeting became agitated. Some directly praised Ding Yun, while others eagerly began to browse the data she had just uploaded to understand the details.
The meeting was then, of course, extended.
Discussions began on how to promote the cultivation of these plants,
And on how to allocate different varieties with distinct functions to specific polluted areas for maximum pollution resolution efficiency.
As for the ultimate outcome, it was decided that plants capable of concentrating heavy metals would be planted extensively in all heavy metal polluted areas. Plants that could decompose and recombine pollutants, breaking them down into useful elements, would be planted in lands or water sources filled with chemical pollutants. Other various plants would also find their designated locations.
However, since these endeavors offered little to no profit, and there was no way to apply to the World Mainbrain for purification compensation or the like.
Furthermore, Ding Yun's name was still on the wanted list,
Making open promotion difficult.
Consequently, her recent achievement could neither earn her fame nor profit. This made the administrators within their organization feel somewhat apologetic. They allocated a sum of money to Ding Yun, partly as a reward and partly in the hope that she would continue her research. All costs would be reimbursed.
In addition, they assured her that her contribution would be remembered. While they couldn't publicize it widely now, they would surely vindicate her and record her achievements in history once they took down the World Mainbrain.
In short, the organization's attitude was quite positive.
The cooperation was relatively pleasant.