Ren Zhong made a decision; over the next four years, the fleet’s main focus would shift to further advancing information flow technology and computational programming techniques.

The key research objective is to design a highly streamlined yet misleading artificial intelligence algorithm and communication mechanism based on the existing Super Network nodes to mislead the Super Network nodes in the Nanxiang Star Cluster about the fleet’s positioning.

This research project will be led by Ren Zhong himself, aided by Sun Ai, the unique life form that is part human, part intelligent program, while Hua Yuelan and Chen Qiao will be brought out of cryostasis to be Ren Zhong’s right- and left-hand personnel, respectively, and Xiao Xingyue will serve as a technical consultant.

Ren Zhong’s accomplishments in the field of programming and his talents in computing were already proven in those earlier years at the Deep Communication Group.

It was precisely because he was too busy and there were ready talents available that he did not venture further down this path. Otherwise, he had a full opportunity to become a top programmer dominating the Nanxiang Star Cluster.

Back then, Ma Zhongfei praised this ’High Noble’ coming from an ancient family with gears and integrated circuit boards on his epaulets as a super programmer. Although there was a hint of Ma Zhongfei currying favor with Ren Zhong, it wasn’t completely without foundation.

"The network does not use binary algorithms; instead, it’s a topological structure simulating biological thinking. Each time it processes, it unfolds a myriad of possibilities like a human neural network."

"To deceive it and instill it with misleading erroneous cognition, the only way is not to directly tamper with its programs but to provide it with more generalized suggestion-like inputs, akin to how a Telekinesis Master guides humans."

"Of course, that’s the ultimate goal and very difficult. We’ll start with something simpler, analyzing the network’s lattice structure and identifying the patterns in which the microcurrents representing computational power traverse within it and release new signals."

...

"This matter is of utmost importance, and we must utilize collective wisdom and resources. From now on, we’ll second specialists from the former Deep Communication Group and other departments, and also transfer students from the fleet academy who have demonstrated talents in mathematical computation, programming, and information flow fields, to establish the Artificial Intelligence Research Institute. What we aim to do might not have been attempted by anyone in nearly a million years. But you need not be disheartened, for I have already completed a significant portion of the preliminary work." 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Ren Zhong wasn’t boasting.

In fact, as early as eleven years ago, when Liu An formed the special operations fleet and expressed the intent to escort, Ren Zhong had already begun preparations.

Initially, he just announced the decision, but eleven years ago, when doubts first arose in his mind, he started a serious study into the Empire system, Liu An himself, his actions, and the characteristics of the Black Mist Zone.

Subsequently, he saw new scenes in a premonition illusion.

When he tried to firmly set his intention to enter the Black Mist Zone, he witnessed the Tracer spaceship being torn into pieces by an immense, seething, and boiling shapeless gravitational field, and also saw countless sturdy Annulus Ships and Armed Battleships twisting and distorting like pretzels. The impact and twisting gravitational field from a dark energy outbreak are beyond mere words like ’terrifying’—it is a force of universe-wrecking catastrophe, utterly unmatchable by human power.

Later, upon deciding to veer away from the Black Mist Zone, he saw a different scenario. Sitting commandingly in the Tracer spaceship’s control cabin, he watched the giant gravitational waves roar beneath the simulated star map. The vast Source Star Fleet traveled in formation, riding the waves smoothly. Then the scene shifted; who knows how many years might have passed in the premonition, but he saw a multitude of diverse, yet fiercely formidable, motley fleet coming at them—the Space Pirate Alliance active within the Nanxiang Star Cluster.

Immediately afterward, Ren Zhong began establishing new insights, deciding to develop technology to deceive the "Super Network" to avoid Liu An detecting his movements. This time, his premonition illusions turned to calm seas.

After that, because the fleet’s internal dynamics required digesting the Mother Empress Ship battle’s results, Ren Zhong was unable to shift the fleet’s production focus. Thus, he only initiated the establishment of new AI talent training and research systems from the Source Star side, and with Sun Ai as an insider-level sample aiding development, now indeed much fundamental work has been completed.