The message arrived at the National Science & Cyber Defence Bureau (NSCDB) in Beijing at 2:17 AM.
A junior analyst named Chen Qiao was half-asleep, sipping cold tea, when the encrypted alert popped up.
Sender: S.A.FSubject: THREAT PING / UNKNOWN AI DETECTEDMessage:
"Detected entity far beyond class.Terminating contact.Possible threat.Advise caution.Marker tags: 'R.A.N.I' — 'Chennai'."
Chen stared at the screen.
"…What the hell?"
S.A.F was a ghost-program.No one admitted it existed.Fewer than nine people in the government even knew it was alive.
He immediately forwarded it with Level-0 priority, the highest classification.
Within an hour, the lights of the Bureau's 6th floor glowed awake —the "Quiet Wing," where files without official names were handled.
By 4:00 AM, the file was in the hands of General Wei Jian, commander of the Military Cyber-Intelligence Division.
He read it twice.Then a third time.Slowly removing his glasses.
"This is… impossible," he muttered.
S.A.F wasn't advanced, but it knew how to stay alive.If it panicked enough to run across satellites and relay nodes…
Something serious had appeared.
He opened the attached trace logs.The foreign AI's connection times.
0.03 seconds decisions.Zero packet loss.Adaptive tracing countermeasures.
He sat back.
"…faster than Phoenix-9," he said quietly.
Phoenix-9 was China's most advanced classified AI, and it wasn't even close to real independence.
But this "R.A.N.I"—it adapted in real time.It traced S.A.F.It responded.It displayed autonomous logic.
This was not a toy.This was a potential strategic weapon.
He pressed the intercom.
"Bring me Captain Xuebing and Lieutenant Huilan. Now."
The Agents
Xuebing entered first — tall, precise movements, expression unreadable.
Huilan followed — smaller frame, sharp eyes, analytical posture.
Both saluted.
"Sir."
General Wei flipped the tablet toward them.
"What do you know about Chennai?"
They exchanged glances.
"Indian tech hub. Large IT presence. Nothing unusual," Xuebing answered.
"That," Wei said, tapping the screen,"is where this came from."
He summarized the report:
— An unknown AI detected by S.A.F— Code-name trace: R.A.N.I— Location: Chennai, India— Behavior: Autonomous decision-making— Performance: Above any known global system— Intent: Unknown
Huilan's eyebrows rose slightly."S.A.F isn't prone to exaggeration."
"Exactly," Wei replied."It fled. In fear."
The room went silent.
Then he continued:
"This is not a cyber-spill. Not a university project. Not a leaked prototype. India does not possess AI capabilities at this level. No nation does. Even our Phoenix series cannot match the speed logged here."
Xuebing crossed his arms.
"So you think this is a weapon?"
Wei shook his head.
"At this point, I don't think anything.Which is why the two of you are going to Chennai."
He handed them a slim folder.
Inside were only two words on a printed sheet:
TARGETS:— R.A.N.I— Chennai
Huilan frowned."No direct contact orders, sir?"
"No. Observe first.Identify who built it.Identify why it's active.And determine whether it poses a threat."
Xuebing nodded slowly."And if it is a threat?"
Wei's eyes hardened.
"Then you will send extraction coordinates.And the Cyber Division will erase it from orbit if required."
He closed the file.
"This must stay off record. India cannot know.If they've built something beyond our predictions, we need to know before America does."
He looked at them with a cold finality.
"You leave tonight."