Chapter 42: How Could a Dying Man Like Me Have Any Bad Intentions?
Facing Finch's urgent questioning, David simply smiled slightly:
"I saw the future from the Machine."
This ambiguous answer made Finch's expression turn complex.
Seemingly somewhat relieved, yet also somewhat apprehensive.
Finally, he showed hesitation:
"Then do you know where it is?"
David nodded:
"Of course. It's currently at the Hanford Nuclear Facility in Washington State."
Nuclear facility?
Finch's face first froze, then showed comprehension.
What a brilliant choice—hiding the Machine in a nuclear facility provided sufficient power while preventing association with its existence.
Even if those who'd participated in construction leaked the Machine's existence, locating it again would be nearly impossible.
Whoever conceived this concealment strategy was genuinely brilliant.
However...
Finch's complex gaze turned toward David.
Were the words spoken by this self-proclaimed prophet actually 100% accurate?
David's assessment of Hansen was undoubtedly correct, but should he trust his other claims?
This guy actively sought him out, so he must have his agenda.
As everyone knows, to achieve their objectives, people are completely capable of deception during the process.
Especially if David could genuinely perceive the future—with truth and falsehood mixed in his statements—even Finch would struggle to distinguish.
Moreover, most critically, the personality Finch analyzed from David's background was completely inconsistent with the David before him.
He didn't believe his analysis as a top-tier intellect would be flawed—there must be something he hadn't deciphered yet.
Thinking this, Finch asked again:
"If you know about the Machine, if you understand the Machine, then you must know what I want to accomplish, correct?"
Facing Finch's probe, David remained composed:
"Yes, I know. That's why I approached you.
And I know you won't trust me easily.
Compared to Reese, whom you can read at a glance, I'm too enigmatic.
So you, accustomed to observing everything through the Machine, will inevitably feel things are deviating from script.
But it doesn't matter, as long as we share a common objective."
Hearing this, Finch immediately chuckled:
"Common objective? If I recall correctly, you're terminal glioblastoma, practically dead already, right?
So your objective should be surviving longer, but what does that have to do with me?
I'm beginning to doubt whether you actually know what I want to accomplish."
Facing Finch's challenge, David explained unhurriedly:
"Of course. You want to save lives, and I also want to save lives.
As you stated, I'm terminal cancer—someone who doesn't have many days remaining.
Since I'm already marked for death, why struggle to survive?
In my final days, I simply want to save more innocent people. Is there something wrong with that?"
Finch's expression was slightly moved.
David was correct—he genuinely wanted to save lives.
Because every social security number the Machine generated meant one or even multiple lives might be lost.
And previously, he could only allow these tragedies to occur without preventing them.
Now that he'd finally secured Reese's participation, he wanted him to help stop these tragedies.
Simultaneously, David was also correct—under modern medicine, David was genuinely beyond saving.
Even if he had resources, even if he was willing to spend on David, it was hopeless!
What malicious intentions could a dying man harbor?
Perhaps it was genuinely the Machine guiding this dying David to find him, enabling him to help save lives!
So what David wanted, perhaps, was simply spiritual redemption?
David quietly observed Finch complete all the logical chains in his mind, and when Finch's expression calmed again, David knew he'd succeeded.
Indeed, Finch's next statement indicated he accepted the premise that David was here to help save lives.
"So, how should we proceed?"
"See the gold coin I gave you? This is currency circulated within criminal organizations.
For coins of this design, there are twelve different variants.
They respectively represent the High Table's Twelve Seats, and forces controlling these twelve seats are distributed globally.
Their influence spans sectors including healthcare, technology, real estate, military, organized crime, and professional assassination.
And the most critical component among them is the assassination industry.
Many competitors are eliminated through contract killing, thereby monopolizing entire industries.
Such an entity is undoubtedly the greatest threat to ordinary citizens.
If you can eliminate them, it's exponentially more effective than saving a few individuals.
Oh, and there's another organization called Decima developing a new AI system called Samaritan.
Coincidentally, this Decima is exactly a High Table subsidiary.
Therefore, we must unite to eliminate the High Table! To save people from the High Table's shadow!"
David, having finished his extensive explanation, paused slightly, extracted painkillers from his pocket, and dry-swallowed them like candy.
Then he quietly awaited Finch to process this information-dense revelation.
Most of what he'd stated was factual, except for Decima being a High Table member—David had no evidence.
It was simply that since the High Table existed in this world, he believed Decima was likely associated.
He merely used his 'prophet' identity to force Finch to consider this probability as 100%!
At this moment, Finch, having absorbed David's words, was experiencing internal turmoil.
First, David had confirmed to him that the 'High Table'—this entity influencing global power structures—genuinely existed!
Previously, he could only discover fragmented evidence about it.
Because matters related to the High Table were often severed by mysterious forces.
But now, David's existence confirmed this shadow organization truly existed!
Second, the assassination organization under the High Table made him recall recent years' unsolved cases.
Either business rivals died mysteriously during acquisition periods, or candidates suddenly died during election cycles.
These seemingly coincidental events finally had explanation.
These were all High Table operations clearing obstacles to their advancement!
Finally, regarding the second AI system, he was genuinely shocked.
No one understood better than him the Machine's capabilities.
It could completely predict everyone's behavioral patterns through big data!
If a second system existed, and this system fell into an entity like the High Table's hands—according to David's description, everyone would be under High Table surveillance eventually.
Resisting this behemoth would become exponentially more difficult!
This would be catastrophic!
This was also something he absolutely couldn't accept.
He narrowed his eyes:
"The High Table, you say? I'd like to meet them."
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