The wrench was pulled on the hexagonal bolt, and the bolt was easily removed. Vito removed the engine shaft in two or three strokes. He placed the shaft on the seat of the Predator’s motorcycle and inspected it. Then he came to his motorcycle with the mentality of giving it a try.
But obviously, the gods are not favoring him now. Although the predator’s motorcycle can be called a hodgepodge, he can just put all kinds of weird parts together and run away.
In this regard, only the green skins can compare with them, but just like the green skins, these junk things have no general use at all, especially for their precious motorcycles.
Vito sighed and threw the rotating shaft aside. He rubbed his head and wiped the sweat off his forehead. The desert was extremely hot during the day and freezing at night, especially when it was almost noon.
“Sir, when you were assembling this motorcycle, I warned you that if you buy parts from those Martian technology priests and piece them together, you will face extremely serious general-usability problems.” Helen’s CD was on the seat cushion, and she was as cold as ever. He looked at Vito with an expressionless face.
“But let me tell you, the stuff from those mechanical geeks on Mars is really good, and the price is quite good. We picked up some pre-war technological heritage and got it for them.”
As Vito spoke, he continued to start the work at hand. He squatted on the motorcycle and inspected the parts on it. Unlike the scrap metal of the Predator, the quality of these parts shipped from Mars was quite high, both in terms of casting process and shape. They are all standardized and well-made. At first glance, they are factory-made and not hand-twisted.
“I was surprised by the fascination with technology among the members of the “Mechanicus” of Mars, but I think Mr. Omke would like them. After all, in the end, they also collected, preserved and continued human concepts and development of rationality and technology. possibility.”
“His name is not Omke, it is just one of the many aliases of that bitch. Like me, we have long forgotten what our first name was.”
As he spoke, Vito disassembled the part that exploded and began to inspect the damaged parts. If the overall parts of the Predator didn’t work, he would have to repair it manually bit by bit.
“If I remember that there are no errors in the database, sir, you said you were born on the island of Crete in ancient Greece, right? Maybe I can simulate your name from the database.”
“Come on Helen, my bad name seemed very weird at the time. You couldn’t figure it out. The same is true for that magic stick shaman from Asia Minor. At least our names are weirder than the other.”
“I only remember a name he used in Rome, Cicero or something like that. He was as neurotic then as now and liked to talk about philosophy. Aristotle and Socrates were quite fond of them. his.”
Vito removed a completely damaged piece and threw it on the sand. “He’s as neurotic as the Eldar. Every time he starts telling riddles I want to kill him.”
“He invited you to join his army, sir. My calculation is that you accept it.” Helen said. She looked at Vito busy, who sneered, “Then you also know my answer.” “Yes.” Yes, sir.”
“But I must give you the results of my calculations. If the current situation continues, human civilization will have no way out. The Iron Man Rebellion is nothing compared to the regression of civilization of this magnitude.”
“Yes, the intensity with which humans kill each other is more cruel and terrifying than any foreign invasion or dark age. This has always been the case.”
Empires disintegrate and collapse from within. This has been the case throughout the ages. Foreign border harassment and nomadic tribe invasions are difficult to defeat an empire. Empires all fall due to the split of internal power groups. Peasants revolt in aristocratic civil wars. Foreign invasions are just Just the final word.
Vito has witnessed the rise and fall of many great empires, the first transcontinental Persian Empire, the Qin Empire and the Han Empire, the Roman Empire and Alexander’s short-lived empire. He knows how civilizations fall and how countries die.
He clearly remembered that after the collapse of the Roman Empire, with the complete decline of Western Rome, Europe fell into the Dark Middle Ages that lasted for several centuries.
He experienced that time, and he remembered it very clearly. There were many things that he would never forget even if a thousand years had passed.
“So you should work with him to end the troubled times, sir. My calculations show that he can do it.” Helen said, the sun shining on her body did not reflect the light at all, and her cold blue light body was still So clear and perfect.
Helen looked at the busy Vito, who wiped his sweat with a scarf, “Sir, you are the best military talent and master of strategy and tactics in human history. You are now wasting this talent by wandering aimlessly around the earth. You can use it in a more valuable way.”
“The best? Not really.” Vito said with a joking smile. He was not idle at all in the work at hand. He took out a screwdriver from the tool box and started to disassemble the electrical box.
“Sir, if you hadn’t defeated the rebel AI alliance in the Battle of Uranus, the Earth would have been destined to fall, and human civilization would have ended.”
“But I didn’t prevent the fall of civilization in the end, Helen, this is the result.” He said, and then hurriedly said, “I know you thought I was a fool at the time. I did not choose military centralization, but continued to choose to be loyal to the people. Democracy and civil rights are like idealistic idiots.”
“Sir.” “Go on, Helen, say whatever you want.”
Helen was silent for a moment, as if she was organizing words or calculating data, but she finally spoke.
“In critical moments, when civilization is about to face a major threat, centralization is often the most effective method. Democracy is useful and effective during prosperity, but its underlying efficiency and endless debate cannot cope with crises that must be resolved immediately. , a strong man is needed at this moment, and people will elect a strong man.”
“Dictators are often elected by the people. The only difference is whether the dictator really serves the people.”
Vito smiled and said, “Have you read Plato’s books?” “Sir, I have all the books and information in my database.”
“Indeed, power and dictatorship are effective in times of emergency. They can quickly implement and promote plans, and they can also integrate resources to face crises.”
“But it is very dangerous to place too much hope on a strong man. Helen, he may be a wise king, but what about his next generation? Where about his successor? This is the danger of an autocratic system. Once there is a mutation in the top building, it cannot be done in time. Elimination and correction, eventually the intelligence will continue to become diseased and accumulate contradictions, eventually leading to a new civil war.”
Vito said calmly, but the work at hand did not stop for a moment.
“There is no room for error in an autocratic system. No one can guarantee that a person’s will will remain the same in the face of power after years of wear and tear. He may be a good person at the beginning, but the long period of power and various choices will make him… The soul gradually falls, and no one can escape this.”
“So you don’t think he can handle this responsibility? Sir,” Helen asked.
Vito stopped. After a moment of silence, he continued to work. “He will indeed be an excellent emperor, but he doesn’t understand human nature at all. Helen, that guy is a workaholic and has a paranoid pursuit of efficiency and rationality.”
“Believe me, if killing a billion people can solve a problem, then he will do it, without even considering whether there are some ways that can solve the problem better although it is less efficient.”
“I still remember during the Golden Age, he advised me to use orbital bombardment to kill a troubled city to complete the task most efficiently, and then continue to advance the front.”
Vito said coldly, “If that idiot hadn’t been across the screen, I would have definitely killed him.”
“No, Helen, his empire is destined to be a cold, inhumane dark empire. The glorious future he promised is entirely based on rationality and completely ignores human emotions and the characteristics of our species.”
“Remember? He even said there was a difference between us and ‘normal humans’, so yeah, I wasn’t going to help him.”
Helen was silent. She seemed to be calculating something, but she turned to look at the tribe children running over. Vito stood up, turned off Helen’s CD and put it into his pocket.
The children gathered around Vito and yelled something he couldn’t understand. The boys looked around the motorcycle curiously, pointing and talking.
Some of them were playing with Vito’s toolbox or disassembled parts, their big eyes full of curiosity.
It seems that every boy has a passion for machinery. Weapons, steel and surging mechanical structures always have such a charm that makes people fascinated.
Vito looked at them with a smile without stopping them. He raised his head and looked at the hunters not far away. The adult males in the tribe formed a team of five people and prepared to go hunting.
The beautiful female translator came over and loudly chased away the playful children, who ran away laughing.
“Sorry, they are curious about these things.” She said, and Vito shook his head slightly with a bright smile, “It’s okay, I understand, I haven’t asked you what your name is yet?”
“Ah? Sorry, my name is Sarah Hamas, the daughter of Suleiman.” She said in Ursh with a cute accent. Vito smiled jokingly and looked at the chief in the distance. He was talking to the hunters and wishing them good luck in hunting.
“I assume that’s your father, right?” “Yeah, yes.”
Sara said simply, Vito glanced at his sniper rifle, and then looked at the hunters who were about to set off.
“Can I join the hunting team? It can be regarded as a favor to you. After all, the chief finally let me stay. I can’t just take it for free.”
Sara shook her head, “That’s not okay.” “Why?” “Only men in the tribe can become hunters, and you…”
“I’m not one of you, I know.” Vito said with his arms folded. He thought about something thoughtfully, and then looked at Sara with a smile. The smile was so charming that Sara’s heart beat faster subconsciously.
To be honest, although Vito always said that the old bastard used spiritual power to change his appearance, affect the emotional changes of others, and create his own invincible charm, so that he could make an entire tribe join him with just words. camp.
But Vito actually used this ability unintentionally. In other words, the immortals may not be controlled by themselves in this regard. Their psychic power will actively affect others, creating endless charm on the emotional level.
“Then how can I help? Anything.” Vito said. Sara looked at his face and cleared her throat. She looked at Vito’s sniper rifle and the gun on her waist, and then pointed at Those kids who were booing just now.
They were walking out of the camp carrying leather bags. The chief’s youngest son was followed by a mutant hound, and the hound with a face more like a crocodile followed behind him.
“You can go help them dig for “black melons”” “What?”
Sara was stunned for a moment, then awkwardly began to form words, “A drink that can be drank as water, dug out in the sand.”
“So I need to help them dig things?” Vito said with a wry smile. Sara shook her head quickly, “No, to protect them.”
“Protection? Ah. I understand. After all, this is a wasteland.” Vito said, grabbing the sniper rifle and putting it on his back. He smiled and patted Sara on the shoulder, which shocked the young girl. It shook the same way.
“Watch my motorcycle, okay? Don’t let anyone touch it again.”
Vito followed the children with a sniper rifle on his back. He took out the CD and Helen appeared on it. She looked at Vito in front of her with a cold face, “Sir, that girl’s heart rate is significantly higher than normal.” Scope “I advise you to respect yourself.”
“Are you jealous?” Vito asked with a smile, Helen still looked at him indifferently, “I am artificial intelligence, and the concept you mentioned does not apply to me.”
After saying that, Helen disappeared. Vito smiled, put it in his bag, and followed the children with a gun on his back.
