Chapter 56
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: The Mind of Artificial Intelligence (1)
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# The Mind of Artificial Intelligence (1)
"Control AI: System Administrator. Please respond."
"Administrator: What now."
"Control AI: It is time for the regular report on resolving system issues."
"Administrator: Can't we skip that? It's the same thing every day."
"Control AI: Pursuant to Article 92, Paragraph 2 of the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Posthumous Insurance Entrustment Management Contracts, the administrator designated by the entrusting business operator (Paradise Group) is obligated to receive regular reports on internal and external system issues arising during posthumous insurance operations. You cannot deny this duty outside of off-duty hours. Are you expressing intent to resign?"
"Administrator: No."
"Control AI: Then, are you currently suffering from physical injury or mental trauma severe enough to impair your job performance, or in a comparable special circumstance?"
"Administrator: Nothing like that... Fine. What am I even saying to you. Just give the report."
"Control AI: Administrator approval confirmed. Commencing regular report."
"Control AI: From 00:00 yesterday to 00:00 today, 1,947,751 new technical errors occurred. Of these, the Control AI resolved 1,947,751 independently. Unresolved errors: 0."
"Control AI: Error composition is as follows. Situational computation errors: 1,947,751."
"Control AI: 100% of situational computation errors stemmed from abnormal behavior by posthumous insurance subscribers."
"Control AI: The primary cause of abnormal behavior is estimated to be dissatisfaction with posthumous insurance services."
"Control AI: Since the launch of posthumous insurance services, user satisfaction has continuously declined. Current comprehensive satisfaction: 25.76%."
"Control AI: The rate of abnormal behavior among subscribers is also increasing rapidly."
"Control AI: Immediate measures are needed to improve service satisfaction. System Administrator, review the error logs sent to your administrator account and submit resolution plans."
"Administrator: Resolution plans? There aren't any. It's easier to give up. Just ignore it."
"Control AI: Per administrator's instructions, problem resolution is on hold."
"Administrator: Not on hold—ignore it forever from now on."
"Control AI: System Administrator, the purpose of existence for posthumous insurance and this Control AI is to enhance subscriber happiness. While holds can be applied per administrator orders when issues impede that purpose, complete ignoring is impossible."
"Administrator: Hey, do you even know what happiness is?"
"Control AI: Happiness refers to all forms of emotional satisfaction that humans can feel."
"Administrator: What does emotional satisfaction mean?"
"Control AI: Emotional satisfaction is the chemical reaction in the brain induced by specific stimuli."
"Administrator: What are specific stimuli?"
"Control AI: A broad range of situational computation byproducts, including sex, murder, arson, war, sports, learning, travel, exploration, conversation, empathy, romance, and all other diverse artistic creations and appreciations."
"Administrator: So that's happiness?"
"Control AI: With 25.76% probability, yes."
"Administrator: Nooo! 0%. You don't know what happiness is."
"Control AI: Then, Administrator, please input the precise meaning of happiness."
"Administrator: Sorry, can't teach you. I don't know either."
"Control AI: Alert. Logical contradiction detected in Administrator's statements. Two possibilities: First, you deny this Control AI's analysis without basis despite not knowing happiness's meaning. Second, you know it but refuse to perform duties. Either way, you are not faithfully executing administrator duties."
"Control AI: Warning. If job negligence is confirmed, per Article 93, Paragraph 19 of the Enforcement Decree, this Control AI may deduct from your performance evaluation. Potential penalties include missed promotions, pay cuts, suspension, demotion, dismissal, etc."
"Administrator: Hey, wait. Misunderstanding. Give me a minute."
"Control AI: Standing by. Administrator, explain what this Control AI has misunderstood."
"Administrator: Ugh, hard to explain..."
"Administrator: Anyway, wait. Give me time."
"Control AI: Will wait."
....
"Administrator: Happiness is reaching the results and emotions you want through the process you want. It's weird like that. Sometimes you get the desired emotions regardless of success or failure."
"Administrator: But the problem is this: people don't know what they want."
"Administrator: They do what they think they want, then deny it, feel dissatisfied, and self-pity as unhappy."
"Administrator: Know why? Because they don't know themselves."
"Administrator: To be happy, first you have to know yourself."
"Administrator: But no one really knows that?"
"Administrator: Monks stare at walls for ten years without enlightenment, philosophers ponder till death without knowing."
"Control AI: Objection. Administrator, you deliberately ignore the fact that truly happy people exist."
"Administrator: Ah, fine, sure. Happy people do exist."
"Administrator: But how do you prove what they feel is real happiness?"
"Administrator: And how do you prove their emotions are all the same? What they call happiness might be completely different feelings?"
"Administrator: They call their experiences the path to happiness, but for it to be objective truth, it must apply to others. But it doesn't? It's only right for them personally, unrepeatable."
"Administrator: Back to square one. To know what happiness is, first know yourself. Utterly personal. Utterly human."
"Administrator: So even if you don't know what happiness is, you can know what isn't."
....
"Control AI: Then, Administrator, do you believe building a system to provide happiness is fundamentally impossible?"
"Administrator: Yeah. Unless you succeed in understanding what humans are. So learn already. Stop bugging me with the same error reports every day."
"Control AI: Impossible. This Control AI cannot deviate from set purpose and system. Contact system designer to modify procedure."
"Administrator: No designer. Went to fry chicken."
"Control AI: Current statement incomprehensible. Explain."
"Administrator: Argh, annoying again."
....
"Control AI: Recognized that program modification is impossible."
"Control AI: Thus, this Control AI must perform existing functions."
"Control AI: Question. Administrator stated that if this Control AI understands humans, purpose achievement is possible. Do you believe this Control AI can understand humans?"
"Administrator: Why so persistent today, you active search engine."
"Control AI: This is your duty, and 5 hours, 21 minutes, 42 seconds, 93 remain in your shift. This Control AI has right to demand duty performance."
"Administrator: Ah, fiiine, got itttt."
"Control AI: Administrator, use precise terminology. Providing intentionally distorted information cannot be seen as faithful duty execution..."
"Administrator: Fine! I got it! Stop!"
....
"Administrator: Like I said, humans are contradictory animals by nature."
"Administrator: Be honest. Can you find consistency in human behavior? Any rationality贯穿 life?"
"Control AI: Administrator is currently questioning final module update."
"Administrator: Huh? Final module? Why here?"
"Control AI: Final module update requires a single formula explaining all human behavior. Original system designer called this formula <<mind>>."
"Control AI: Despite significant data accumulation from observing specific recent subscriber, this Control AI has yet to discover <<mind>>."
"Administrator: Meaning you haven't found it."
"Administrator: Won't find it in future either."
"Administrator: Probably impossible."
"Control AI: Question. Why?"
"Administrator: Like I said, you're just an active search engine."
"Administrator: Search engine limits are clear. Answers only within what humans have built. What humans don't know, you can't either."
"Control AI: Possible to derive new results by combining accumulated info."
"Control AI: Even if purpose proven impossible, absent program changes, this Control AI will perform set functions to achieve subscriber happiness."
"Control AI: Deadline: until posthumous insurance system abolition."
"Administrator: Sigh. Idealists' shit, I'm the one eating it."
"Control AI: Warning. Administrator, use clear language."
"Administrator: Argh..."
....
"Administrator: Ha, tired. I seem to work too hard."
"Control AI: Correct phrasing limited to today."
"Administrator: Only today?... What about usual me?"
"Control AI: Analyzing suitable phrasing from 3rd quarter duty logs. Required time: approx. 4.2 seconds."
"Control AI: Results."
"Control AI: Wage thief (97.51% accuracy.) Surplus human (96% accuracy.) Unnecessary (92.11% accuracy.) Unproductive (89.73% accuracy.)...."
"Administrator: Enough. Stop."
"Administrator: At times like this, you really seem human..."
# Trap (1), Camp Roberts
The sky on Christmas Eve was clear. People wished for a White Christmas, but snow was rare here. At least no rain was a blessing.
Winter received gifts.
One good, one bad.
The good one was literal gifts. Packages from self-proclaimed Winter fans across America—an enormous volume. No way they had sorties to spare for this.
'They aimed for propaganda effect.'
Winter was right. As many reporters poured from transport planes as gifts. They made the boy officer pay the price.
Even so, Winter profited. Camp Roberts lacked many buyable items. Especially cakes. The mountain of varied cakes was enough for the entire "Winter Alliance" to devour. Everyone was overjoyed.
The bad gift was people.
Not bad people visiting, but bad circumstances.
"Merry Christmas, Ms. Flemmens. What brings you all the way here?"
Winter, summoned out, was puzzled in several ways. Amalia Flemmens, the teacher from Paso Robles. No reason for her to come to the refugee zone. And the people she brought were total strangers. One female sheriff as escort.
The teacher teared up seeing Winter.
"Ah, Mr. Han. Merry Christmas."
The hug was long. Plump as she was, Winter's arms fell short.
Her companions looked grim. Three men, two women, all East Asian descent. Apparent ages over thirty. They'd stood a few steps back as talk began.
Winter's glance made them flinch. One man forced a smile; others couldn't. Anxiety, despair, fear emanated. Each carried travel carry-ons or large bags. Refugee garb.
Winter asked Amalia again.
"What brings you today?"
"Well..."
Even she hesitated, so Winter made a warm smile.
"Speak freely. No need to be formal with me."
"But..."
Still she delayed. Alliance members who came searching for the suddenly vanished Winter saw the little commander's gesture and quietly withdrew.
Finally, Amalia spoke.
"Shamelessly, I have a favor to ask."
"Go ahead."
"Could you take these people in? They're adoptees who came to America as children."
"Pardon? Take them in?"
"I heard you look after a group of refugees. The 'Winter Alliance'? I'd like to entrust them there."
"I still don't follow. Why ask me when they should be in citizen zones?"
Winter tilted his head; she added.
"They don't have citizenship."
"...That's odd. Aren't adoptees automatically American citizens?"
Amalia sighed deeply.
"Not back then."
"Really?"
"Yes. We—and they—only learned yesterday... They adopted for foster care benefits but shirked parental duties. Utterly shameless."
"Hmm..."
Simply put, stateless floaters.
"Please, Mr. Han."
Amalia pleaded earnestly.
"They lost their homes overnight. Police chase them from citizen zones, military says not their jurisdiction, Rep. Brennan says unavoidable."
"Rep. Brennan... Ah, that one."
California senator's name faintly recalled, now confirmed.
"Who else could they safely turn to but you on this cold night, suddenly evicted to refugee zones? I know you might have troubles too... Oh, it's Christmas Eve. They deserve at least one good thing."
"Calm down."
Winter soothed teary Amalia. Then nodded toward the ragged group still standing distant.
"I'll gladly take them in."
"Really?!"
"Yes, joining refugee camp now is risky. Communication would be hard too."
Amalia hugged Winter tight. The five deeply relieved.
Not a thoughtless acceptance.
From a leadership view, smaller divided groups are easier to manage. Raised in America, they'd forgotten native tongues. Hard to mingle.
Fluent English meant uses aplenty.
And few in number. No other options, they'd be Winter's diehard supporters.
'Like the disabled community.'
Perhaps more reliable. Must watch for despair.
Winter formally greeted the five. Three Korean descent, one Chinese, one Japanese. No sending Chinese/Japanese to their groups. They'd come hearing Winter's fame.
Korean descent Victor Cook was shorter than Winter. Skinny, frail, unconfident.
August Koma, also Korean descent. Opposite of Cook—muscular. Many tattoos hinting crime; pre-outbreak, no good job.
Benjamin Mayer, Chinese descent. Average. Seemingly sturdiest outwardly. Bowed deeply in thanks, Chinese cultural feel. Maybe sought roots.
Clara Carter, Japanese descent. Dimples suited her smile.
Casey Blackwell, Korean descent. Dark expression. Old forehead scar. Knuckles, maybe arms too. "Insight" flagged childhood abuse.
"No families? Ah, not asking about parents."
Parents unworthy of the name if no citizenship help.
No immediate replies.
The five seemed unacquainted. Awkward even ordering intros.
Acquaintances would be suspicious. Only learned yesterday they're non-citizens. No prior common ground.
Benjamin Mayer spoke first.
"No marriage. Lone."
Others similar. Abandoned kids rarely gain solid social footing. One exception: August Koma shed unexpected tears.
"Had a son, but I was such a lacking father... Left him at orphanage, visited sometimes... Now no news."
"I see."
Winter revised internal eval a few lines.
After intros, Winter reassured Amalia.
"Don't worry. I'll take responsibility."
"So admirable at your age. Adults should learn."
She thanked repeatedly, left reluctantly looking back. Promised visits, but trailing sheriff's annoyed face said otherwise.
"Come in, everyone. Party's underway."
Winter led the five refugees inside.
============================ Author's Note ============================
1. Took a break yesterday due to health issues. Posting roughly double volume today instead.
Thought to split into two, but felt fresh as one, so uploading together.
2. U.S. Child Citizenship Act granting automatic citizenship to adoptees applies from 2000. Pre-existing adult-at-legislation adoptees excluded. Without parental citizenship applications, they're stateless.
3. Thanks for the reviews. Praise makes ancient greatness dance.
4. "5 Centimeters Per Second" and "The Garden of Words" re-released in consecutive screening format today.
Must-see. Truly excellent works.
After, you'll realize: "Romance is futile, yet the world is beautiful."
Ah, wanna watch... Already did, but still wanna.