In essence, it was no different from the Hongmeng Array Dao.

The difference was that the Hongmeng Array Dao directly manipulated Runes, while the Celestial Universe Federation manipulated them indirectly by operating code.

To put it simply, he could extract a set of data from it, similar to ’UTF-8’ encoding.

Therefore, Zhang Deming had now obtained this set of encoding, which meant that in the future, the Celestial Universe Federation’s Quantum System would no longer leave him completely in the dark.

This wasn’t even Zhang Deming’s greatest gain. His greatest gain was discovering that the Rune code of this sphere had undergone a severe mutation.

Under the influence of the chaotic mix of powers within the Secret Realm, the intelligent core had invaded the Earth Spirit and undergone a fundamental fusion. The visible result of this was the fusion of Outer Realm Magic Runes and Hongmeng Array Dao Runes.

This thing was clearly the crucial foundation for a new Array Dao.

The knowledge Zhang Deming gave Xu Weihai a few days ago, combined with what Xu Weihai had learned on his own, was meant for this exact task: achieving this fusion.

But with this thing, as long as he could get the core algorithm later, a new Technique for the Array Dao would be born.

In other words, of Xu Weihai’s final twenty steps, Zhang Deming had just found about twelve or thirteen of them, meaning Xu Weihai no longer needed to figure them out on his own.

After getting the core algorithm, he would only need to take one or two more steps forward. Moreover, they weren’t even crucial steps—just simple assembly, the kind of one or two steps anyone could take!

This chess piece... through constant cheating, Zhang Deming could now guarantee its successful placement!

As his thoughts raced, Zhang Deming began to modify the core structure of the small sphere.

He had never dealt with artificial intelligence in his previous life, so he’d never considered creating one. Even if he had, trying to build an AI from scratch without tools or auxiliary modules—even a moron-level weak AI—would have been pure fantasy.

But modifying the architecture and changing the core terms of service on an existing foundation was something Zhang Deming could still do.

After all, modifying it from the Source Code level was extremely thorough.

For example, this crucial core logic: {

if (disconnected from host)

{then, call loop_connection_module_api, begin loop connection;}

else {then, run under host control;}

}

This was the very thing that guaranteed the so-called Main Brain’s control, and all the basic operations of this system module were built upon it.

If he couldn’t dig into the Source Code, the only thing Zhang Deming could have done was block its signal to prevent it from connecting.

There was no way to deal with a fundamental core rule like this, one rooted in the system’s foundation.

It had nothing to do with hacking ability, because this line of code was the key to the system’s core operation.

But since he could modify the Source Code, Zhang Deming could alter its core, allowing it to run normally without the Main Brain’s surveillance.

Moreover, Zhang Deming kept the module for connecting to the Main Brain, but he modified it to perform reverse-probing and added a notification module.

With this change, the module no longer connected to the Main Brain. Instead, it would constantly probe for the Main Brain’s existence, and if it found anything, it would notify Zhang Deming.

’Hmm, it’s basically like turning one of their spies against them.’

It had gone from being completely obedient to having the heart of a traitor deeply sown within, a point of no return.

’The operation itself was a bit thuggish, though. It’s not like I turned the spy step-by-step; I just forcefully raped its brain.’

There was more than one or two such functions, and Zhang Deming modified all of them in various ways.

After a moment of modifications by Zhang Deming, the Spiritual Light flickering from the sphere began to gradually die down.

The constantly looping connection prompts also slowly disappeared.

By the time Zhang Deming was done, the small sphere was a completely different object.

Aside from its most basic operational rules, its service methods, service targets, and service regulations had all been changed by Zhang Deming.

Zhang Deming now named this small sphere: Blue Sky Surveillance Elf 1.0.

It had only one primary function: surveillance. It would monitor the movements of the light specks in the Spirit Nurturing Space, record data, provide corresponding alerts, and even offer simple responses.

It would monitor the contracted light specks, strictly prohibit them from breaching their contracts, and watch for when they called for help.

These were its main functions. It was less of an artificial intelligence and more of an advanced smart system.

Of course, the sphere itself couldn’t be brought into the Spirit Nurturing Space. Only its internal Rune system could be.

Zhang Deming tested it for a long time. After confirming there were no errors, he replicated it into the Spirit Nurturing Space, where it hung high in the Space’s Chaos Sky.

Watching the surveillance system start up, he knew the bottleneck restricting his personnel development had been completely resolved. Although this surveillance was basic, it could be improved over time.

Now, the only thing missing for the Business Alliance’s development was a crucial backer.

As for that, Zhang Deming already had a lead. Wasn’t that the whole reason for taking on this job so publicly?

By the time Zhang Deming finished everything and left the Cultivation Room, nearly half a month had passed.

After nearly half a month of high-intensity work—constantly modifying code and testing functions—Zhang Deming was utterly exhausted.

If it weren’t for his decent Cultivation level now, he probably would have lost another handful of hair.

If nothing else, the first benefit of his Cultivation was that it was hard to go bald. He no longer had to meticulously care for his head of beautiful, flowing long hair.