Cosmic Transcendence Guide

Chapter 2
People are always dying, that's the only certainty in the universe. ——Zen Master Kongzhou

1
When Chedan woke up, the wind was blowing outside the window, the sky was blue, the sun was far away, and the linden trees in the yard were falling leaves. Everything looked similar to that in the ruined temple, except that the linden leaves fell to the ground and shook, and then disappeared. outside.

Chedan got up, muttered "Let's live through the winter", and it started snowing outside.

This simulation cabin is a reward for one job. The modeler is a Japanese and insists on only simulating the simple and elegant scenes in his heart.The competition in the simulation cabin industry is so fierce in the whole universe. There are big companies that build a simulation world in units of planets. Naturally, a small company like him cannot sustain itself and has been losing money year after year.

Kong Zhou: "Small is not scary, what is scary is that Xiao still has his own persistence."

This is what Kongzhou said when he took Chedan to rescue the modeler.The son of a modeler has decided to join a large company to fulfill his ambitions. His father's company closed down and went out of business. The son proposed that he has no money to pay the excess fee to Kongzhou for the time being, and will pay it back later.Kong Zhou said: "Did your father build a model of a temple before he died, with the four seasons changing, but didn't sell it?"

Son: "Ah, Zen master is really good at mana, how do you know?"

Kong Zhou: "Oh, your dad told me. Give me that if you don't have any money."

Son: "It can decorate the Zen master's home, so my father's hard work was not in vain."

"I don't have a home," Kongzhou said, "I'm installed on the spaceship, so I have to trouble you to adjust it."

During the debugging process, the son pointed out that his father had many strange details in the design, such as falling leaves in autumn and disappearing, which is obviously not realistic enough.

Kong Zhou: "You don't need to change this, just change the house and tree to look like the picture I gave you."

What Kongzhou gave was a picture of the left temple, which was the temple where Kongzhou and Chedan became monks on the earth. It is still on the earth now, but there are no people there.

Chedan asked his master: "Why don't you let the fallen leaves be more real?"

Kong Zhou: "The fallen leaves are fake."

2
There are many problems in this simulated scene. For example, when it just snowed, a polar bear suddenly emerged from the snow, hugged Chedan, said something in Japanese, and then disappeared.

Chedan was used to this kind of thing, so he wasn't too frightened.In order to do business in the universe, Kongzhou and Chedan have been taking Duoyancao for a long time. People have forgotten which planet this grass was first discovered on. The effect is that they can understand different languages ​​after eating it.

What the polar bear said to Chedan just now was: "The three realms are suffering."

When Che Dan walked to the main hall, Kong Zhou was sitting and drinking tea, because he hadn't been to land for a few months, the tea had long since tasted stale.

Che Dan: "Master, are you going to do something today?"

Chedan saw that the main hall was brightly lit, and the lotus flower was dancing under the seat of the Buddha statue. This kind of simulation effect would consume a lot of energy, and it hadn't been turned on for several months. Chedan guessed that he was going to a certain planet today.

Kong Zhou: "Yeah."

Che Dan: "Where is it?"

Kong Zhou: "You don't even know if you tell me."

Chedan felt a little lost. If he didn't go back to Earth, it meant he couldn't go back to Yi Temple, and if he couldn't go back to Yi Temple, it meant he couldn't see Xiao Bei.Although Xiao Bei is not necessarily on the earth now - the people in the abandoned temple have other businesses, and they are scattered in the universe, so it is difficult to see each other.

The abbot said: "The bigger the universe, the more panicked people are; the more panicked people are, the more they need us."

Che Dan: "Was the person who passed away this time an Earthling or an alien?"

Kong Zhou: "It's a robot."

3
The robot is called Lao Zhang, and it was given by the manufacturer.The main job of this robot is to clean the hair in the bathroom drain, as well as to name the newborn in the family and arrange the week of scratching.Some versions of Lao Zhang are also responsible for teaching children how to taste whiskey.

Lao Zhang is a highly intelligent robot, but he is only responsible for the first two tasks in the local area. The third task was quickly canceled due to lawsuits from other robot manufacturers.The excessive competition of robot manufacturers and the highly developed anti-monopoly laws are the local characteristics that the planet has repeatedly emphasized in its external promotion to attract tourists.

Che Dan: "Master, would anyone come to this planet for these reasons?"

"Then you said that someone will come to this planet because a robot named Lao Zhang is about to die?" Kong Zhou said, "You also came."

Is it up to me to come or not?Che Dan thought to himself, but didn't say it out loud.

It was Lao Zhang who contacted Kongzhou, saying that he was going to hold a funeral. After searching, he chose Buddhist rituals among the tens of millions of religions in the universe. The intelligent algorithm found the advertisement that Kongzhou once got drunk and posted in the toilet of a certain bar. .

Old Zhang: "Master Kong Zhou, I'm sorry to trouble you. I saw that you wrote 'Price Negotiable'. I have whiskey that has been preserved for many years. I don't know if you like it or not."

And sent a picture of the wine cabinet, Kong Zhou looked at it and said that he likes to drink.

The master and apprentice went to the door of Lao Zhang's house according to the address, and it was not easy to find. The styles of the houses on this planet are almost the same, which may also be due to the anti-monopoly law.

Che Dan: "Master, why would a robot hold a funeral?"

Kong Zhou: "A robot has whiskey and can do whatever it wants."

4
It was Lao Zhang who opened the door. Che Dan had seen such a robot on the street just now. In simple terms, it was just like a human, but the ages were different, ranging from thirty to fifty.

Lao Zhang: "Little master has good eyesight. The service life of our model robot is set at 20 years and six days."

It seems that Lao Zhang is 60 years old, Che Dan: "Then you have also reached the age limit?"

Lao Zhang didn't answer Che Dan's question, and invited both master and apprentice into the house: "Master Kongzhou, when can we do the ritual?"

Kong Zhou: "It's generally not my decision."

Lao Zhang smiled: "As long as I am ready, can I do it at any time?"

Sora nods his head and looks at the wine cabinet.Lao Zhang went over to get the cup: "Little Master, do you want to drink?"

Che Dan: "Drink."

While pouring wine, Lao Zhang said, "Then let's do it tomorrow. If my friend is willing to help, I can safely self-destruct this afternoon and save myself tomorrow."

Kong Zhou smelled it, and the wine was really good. "Okay, it's up to you."

"You can't follow me. Doesn't Buddhism talk about interdependence? My destiny is still a little short." Lao Zhang said and opened the door of the bedroom. There was a man tied at the foot of the bed with tears in his eyes, " This friend of mine needs the help of Zen Master to persuade him."

It could be seen that it was a human being, and the wine in Che Dan's hand was not yet drunk, and he suddenly remembered that the robot went crazy and turned into a murderer, so he quickly put down the wine glass.

Kong Zhou looked at the man in the room, took a sip of his wine and said, "It costs extra money."

5
The bound man's surname is Bailao, with the word "four" in his single name.This name was chosen by Lao Zhang, and Bai Laosi was also brought up by Lao Zhang.

It is said that Lao Zhang's parenting was not rigorous enough, and Lao Zhang and dozens of other robots hired by Bai's hometown were brought up together.Among them, Lao Zhang was responsible for cleaning the sewers, naming Bai Laosi, arranging him to catch Zhou, and teaching him how to taste whiskey.

After Lao Zhang untied Bai Lao Si, the first thing he said was: "You can't die."

With a crying voice.

Bai Lao Si was in his early twenties, and Che Dan went up to help him up: "Benefactor, benefactor, if you have anything to say, let's talk about it after a sip of wine."

Fourth Bai: "Two masters, I know why you are here. Lao Zhang is indeed a Buddhist, but he is a robot. How can he be saved? Please go back, both of you. I will trouble you to make a trip and take the wine away. Is the pay good?"

Kong Zhou: "Okay."

After speaking, he got up, Chedan held him back: "Master, listen to what Lao Zhang has to say."

Kongzhou: "I read your laws here before I came here. The folk customs here are relatively simple, and people still have full ownership of robots. They don't fight for the human rights of robots like other places. If you don't let him die, he can't die. of."

Kong Zhou looked at the rope on the ground: "I just don't understand one thing. It is said that if you don't let him tie it, he can't tie it either."

"That's because I should have died a long time ago," Zhang said. "I'm not dead yet, because I'm not me anymore."

Lao Zhang passed the service life a few years ago, and according to the law, it should be scrapped and self-destructed, but Bai Laosi was reluctant.Bai Laosi's parents both work in a robot manufacturing company. They used some methods to get Bai Laosi to help Lao Zhang replace the parts, prolonging his life, but also weakening his control.

Lao Zhang: "It means that the more I live, the more I look like a person."

In fact, almost all the inhabitants of this planet work in robot manufacturing companies. Their daily job is to manufacture all kinds of robots, so that the robots can meet their various needs, so that they can come to the company on time and continue to work. Produce a wide variety of robots.Chedan thought, the meaninglessness of this is so easy to detect, I don't know what the suicide rate is here.

This is Chedan thinking too much.Bai Laosi, including other residents, has never noticed that they are used to this kind of life, and every family will hire a robot that is responsible for teaching values. This robot is designed by the locals themselves. Will make anyone have any doubts about existence and the universe.The world here is a solid circle.

Bai Laosi later became suspicious of everything around him, and it was precisely because of his transformation of Lao Zhang that Lao Zhang jumped out of the circle.The ability to manufacture robots on this planet is indeed excellent, and all robots are highly developed in intelligence, but because of the settings set by the creators, each person is responsible for subtle and specific tasks, which prevents the intelligence from being fully utilized.The first thing Lao Zhang said to Bai Laosi after waking up from the transformation was: "Thank you."

The second sentence is: "I will live more and more like a person in the future."

The third sentence is: "Bai Laosi, you too."

In order not to disturb Bai Laosi's parents and other robots at home, Lao Zhang only exchanged his views on existence and the universe with Bai Lao Si when teaching whiskey tasting. Lao Zhang probably also started to learn Buddhism at that time.

Bai Laosi: "Life has the smell of peat and wooden barrels. Those who have never been drunk will say that it is all bitter. Only those who have been drunk will know that it is indeed bitter. This is what Lao Zhang taught me."

Che Dan nodded while listening, and Kong Zhou took another sip: "Then why do you think you're going to die?"

Fourth Bai: "I suspect that the program is not adjusted properly. I'm trying to figure out a way. I don't want him to die."

"Bai Lao Si," Lao Zhang smiled, "How many times have I told you, how can you adjust the program, besides living without purpose, is there anything on this planet that is not done by robots?"

Fourth Bai nodded in frustration, and Kong Zhou glanced at him: "Don't take such words to heart, I'm afraid I have to do something for you."

Bai Laosi: "I have decided not to live like this. I want to leave this planet and venture into the universe. Lao Zhang, you should also go to the universe with me. The best whiskey is always the next bottle. Isn't that what you taught me?"

"I have to die. It's not a psychological problem. It's a reason I've figured out." Lao Zhang filled Kong Zhou's glass, "I just imagined a human being. Death is the fundamental difference between a human and a robot. Only death Yes, I am human."

6
That day, three people and a robot drank all the whiskey in Bai Laosi's family.After Kong Zhou drank too much, he talked a lot about Buddhism, and he also talked about a lot of non-Buddhist things, but most of them were dirty words.What was said in detail, Che Dan no longer remembers, neither does Bai Lao Si. After waking up from the wine the next day, the only thing he remembers is that Lao Zhang's self-destruction procedure has been set, and Bai Lao Si agreed.That morning Lao Zhang helped Bai Lao Si clean up the sewer for the last time, and booked a new Lao Zhang for him.

Old Zhang: "I know you're going to venture into the universe, and it's convenient to take a robot with you when you go out, so why don't you just buy Lao Zhang, it's cheap and you can do everything."

Bai Laosi's tears were dried up yesterday, but after hearing Lao Zhang's words, he cried again: "Are you leaving with them?"

In order to make the farewell less sad, according to the time setting, Kongzhou and Chedan will take Lao Zhang back to the Naihe boat to self-destruct.The production technology of this planet is advanced, and the self-destruction of the robot will not cause danger, nor will it produce garbage.

Lao Zhang: "Tell me, if you die, there is no garbage, so what are you waiting for?"

After Lao Zhang finished talking, seeing Bai Lao Si was about to cry again, so he quickly laughed a few times: "I'm just kidding, now that people are dead, there is no rubbish."

Kong Zhou: "Okay, let's go, your wine is only enough for me to wait for a while."

"Bai Lao Si, let me give you another word." Lao Zhang walked towards the door, Master and apprentice Kong Zhou was still hungover, staggering, and stopped to listen to what he had to say.

Lao Zhang: "If you don't drink a bottle of wine, it is still not a bottle of wine."

7
Lao Zhang sat on the snow in the yard for a while, then disappeared.

Che Dan: "Master, I vaguely remember that Lao Zhang's self-destruct program was actually set up by himself, and he didn't need Lao Si's consent in the first place, right?"

Kong Zhou: "Old Zhang wants the consent of the fourth brother Bai, not for himself, but for the fourth brother Bai."

Che Dan thought about the reason behind it, and felt that Lao Zhang might have really studied Buddhism.

Che Dan: "Master, what does his last sentence mean?"

Kong Zhou: "Don't listen to what a robot says after drinking too much."

Che Dan: "You said that Bai Laosi left that broken planet and went to the universe, so his outlook on life can be healthier?"

Kongzhou: "Isn't that planet in the universe?"

Kong Zhou sat next to the place where Lao Zhang disappeared, and Che Dan hurriedly sat down too.

Kong Zhou clasped his hands together: "Take people's money, save others, and chant scriptures."

On the snow, there were signs of Lao Zhang sitting there. A polar bear babbling in Japanese appeared out of nowhere and sat down next to Kongzhou's master and apprentice.

Snow fell again.

(End of this chapter)