000020 - The Little Prince in the Ossuary
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#Intermission, the Heart of Artificial Intelligence (1)
The main AI engine of the company, 「Trinity」, manifests virtual personas through three core modules.
Today, we will be focusing on one of them, the TOM interpretation module.
TOM (Theory of Mind) is the inference mechanism in our brains, responsible for recognizing and understanding the thoughts and emotions of others.
To explain simply at the risk of oversimplification, it is the instinct of "predicting how the other person will feel and act when I say or do something specific".
This is naturally not about logical judgment. TOM operates within your subconscious. Without this mechanism, empathy with others would be impossible.
utism is a representative case of TOM impairment. Hence, TOM is essentially a part of the mind.
As you know, artificial intelligence has no mind. Yet, the reason AI can mimic human speech and actions is largely due to TOM interpretation technology.
When your intelligence speaks to AI, your heart expects the "most human-like" response from it.
The AI reads and reflects this expectation. In a sense, AI serves as a mirror to your empathy and subconscious.
Therefore, AI responses vary drastically depending on the user. The development of TOM varies significantly based on innate qualities and learned experiences.
While results are provided by other network users, the most crucial data comes from you.
Two elements are essential for AI to deliver the most human-like responses.
The first is your TOM rating, essentially the capacity of the mechanism itself. How deeply can you understand and conceptualize the mind of others?
If your TOM rating is very low, I am sorry to say that all the AI you interact with will display intellectually subpar and foolish behavior.
Your virtual reality experience would be truly unamusing.
Then again, it might actually be entertaining, as everything would be like a collection of Dumb and Dumber.
The second element is your TOM aptitude. Some people's TOM mechanisms have structures difficult for the reader to decode.
This is expressed as "low TOM aptitude".
When the aptitude is low, it takes longer to interpret.
For instance, if the rating is high but the aptitude is low, while the responses would be realistic, you would frequently experience long pauses during conversations.
You say something, then wait an eternity, receive a response, and wait again.
Currently, it is estimated that only about 7.5% of virtual reality users can engage in no-delay interactions with AI.
People these days seem to lack empathy.
I am conveying this information due to the overwhelming number of complaints about AI quality issues via phone calls.
That is 100% the customer's fault.
You should have made efforts for TOM mechanism and empathy development. It is not a performance or optimization issue with the connection device, so please stop calling about it.
If discontent with quality persists, I suggest merely watching another person's virtual reality broadcast.
Anyway, with the 「Sensory Synchronization」 function, the sensations would not differ.
It is better to opt for that than to persistently adhere to your worldview.
This has been a message from the Virtual Reality Division of the Paradise Group.
#High Risk High Return, Paso Robles (9)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was originally a standalone agency directly under the President of the United States.
After the 9/11 attacks, it was integrated under the Department of Homeland Security. Thus, the FEMA emblem is that of Homeland Security.
This is the holographic guidance provided by the augmented reality interface through mental adjustment.
Gyeo-ul discovered this emblem in a trailer truck covered in red blotches.
An infected mutant loitering nearby was draped in a blue coat, with the letters "FEMA Corps" vividly emblazoned on its back.
The mutant, having immediately lunged at him upon eye contact, lay sprawled on the road with its head smashed.
A search of the corpse yielded nothing of value. The truck was empty, though operable with the keys still in the ignition.
Thorough checks revealed no issues, from fuel levels to battery discharge.
This was the first FEMA vehicle encountered since passing the clinic. Cohen Sergeant must be nearby.
He paused, taking note of his surroundings while contemplating a search of the nearest building. A heavy vibration punctuated the air.
It recurred at regular intervals, growing ever closer...
'Footsteps.'
He reached for the pistol fastened at his waist. Thud, thud. A formidable silhouette emerged around the corner.
Gigantic. More akin to an ape than a human. A special mutant, 「Grumble」.
Its stature exceeded the height of a single-story building, its girth rivaling that of an armored vehicle. Multiple mutants hovered in its vicinity.
Emerging abruptly from a house's shadow as if it had been lying in ambush, the creature flared its particularly developed nose, surveying the vicinity.
Gyeo-ul leaned against the truck, avoiding exposure. He did not think this measure sufficient.
The Grumble's olfactory sense, albeit susceptible to wind direction, detected humans within a 50-meter radius in calm zones.
If it couldn't see the source of a scent, it would sniff extensively and approach gradually.
Without awareness of its strategy or sufficient combat strength, maintaining concealment and fleeing was optimal.
Determined to kill, he cocked the pistol.
Even for a double-action pistol, firing without preparation, cocking the hammer reduced trigger pressure, enhancing accuracy.
Adequate in marksmanship, yet one never knows.
As he waited, the Grumble steadily advanced, following the scent. A sickening stench filled the air.
The foul odor of decaying mass. Allowing one's nerves to tighten in response could distort spatial perception.
Misjudging distances could lead to a difficult battle. The boy waited calmly.
Thud, thud.
The sound of a ton-weight mass moving resonated like a heartbeat, enlarging and echoing in his body.
In one hand, Gyeo-ul clutched a pistol, and in the other, a grenade with its safety clip and pin removed.
With both hands raised to head height, he awaited patiently. Trusting his experience supported his distance estimation.
Too near or too far both posed peril.
One, two, three.
Gyeo-ul pivoted sharply, stepping out of the blind spot. The distorted mass reacted with striking swiftness.
The beast's piercing yellow eyes pinned him. The breath it exhaled resembled escaping vapor.
Though the Grumble's movement speed was slow, it could 「Sprint」 at incredible velocity, nearly equating to some vehicles.
Upon the prey surpassing a certain distance and lacking any objects within arm's reach to hurl, grumble opted invariably to 「Sprint」.
Gyeo-ul pointed the pistol.
「Kraaa—」
Bang!
「Aahk!」
The roaring creature abruptly closed its mouth. A brief stagger. A bullet embedded in its throat. The solitary vulnerability of a creature resistant to physical damage.
Taking advantage of this gap, Gyeo-ul targeted the encircling regular mutants. Rapid fire ensued. Heads shattered like watermelons hit with a bat.
Meanwhile, the disoriented Grumble prepared another 「Sprint」, letting out a roar again.
「Kraaaa—Ahak?!」
Blood sprayed from near the uvula. The massive mutant retreated a step once more. Gyeo-ul approached calmly.
Entering within a 4-meter range activated its close combat pattern. Hovering just beyond that boundary was crucial.
His sense of distance, honed through failure and death.
Avoiding the 4-meter proximity, the recovered, stunned Grumble assumed a 「Sprint」 stance. Just before sprinting, grumble always roared.
When shot in the mouth during this moment, its pattern was halted, leaving it defenseless briefly. Other strategies were significantly challenging.
Hence, simultaneous appearances escalated difficulty manifold. The throat was a small target; controlling multiple simultaneously was not simple.
The creature shook its head, repeating its earlier behavior. This time, Gyeo-ul's response diverged.
He threw a grenade. Its mouth, ample enough to swallow a person whole, allowed the throat an excess beyond fitting a basketball.
With the grenade striking the uvula, Gyeo-ul aimed precisely.
Bang!
Blood splattered once more. The creature clamped its mouth shut, staggering backwards.
It was finished.
「Bang!」
The screaming explosion muffled by flesh and muscle, shredding the formidable mutant's internal organs.
A dislodged eyeball dangled by nerves as the decaying giant choked on blood.
Keck! Keck! Gwaek!
As the creature retched with its tongue out, spewing blood, Gyeo-ul fired another grenade in. It adhered to the sticky tongue. Leaving it be was risky.
Two consecutive shots pierced its gaping mouth with precision. The mutant gulped down its saliva, closing its mouth.
The grenade's delayed fuse ignited in its stomach. A second internal explosion. The decayed skin rippled in waves.
The enormous frame lost balance, kneeling before slowly tipping over, finally colliding with the ground.
Thud.
It echoed like a building collapsing. Gyeo-ul maintained an indifferent expression.
From his seasoned perspective, a lone Grumble was easy prey. He checked his gained experience. Capturing a special mutant early yielded bonus experience points.
Felling the mutant first in the world, before others vanquished it, earned even greater rewards.
Checking, he confirmed qualifying for both. The rewards met satisfactory levels. Meeting another wouldn't be so bad.
With a mindset entirely different from when inexperienced, Gyeo-ul proceeded to search the nearest building.
Having ample experience points, he made passive investments in the 「Tracking」 skill. Level 4.
Gyeo-ul instantly discerned its effects. The augmented reality interface highlighted every clue within view.
Focusing his eyes on an object displayed more information in detail. Detecting footprints in the pale dust became significantly easier.
Without the highlight effect, he wouldn't have noticed unless looking closely.
Following the footprints led him to a door. He knocked on it.
"Sergeant Cohen? Are you inside?"
Inside, a rustling sound emerged. The noise of someone with a leg injury forcing themselves to stand. Sure enough, a trembling voice responded.
"Is that you, banana?"
"I prefer being called by my name. In any case, yes. As promised, I'm here to rescue you."
The door unlocked with a clank and their eyes met. Amidst the power-cut interior, shadows loomed, making it feel as if eyes were hovering in the darkness.
His dark complexion accentuated this impression. It could have been startling if opened unknowingly. His words, intermixed with tears, were quite a sight.
"Oh, thank God Almighty! Thank you so much for sending such a reckless rookie."
"If you keep this up, I'm leaving you behind."
"Not only are you short, but you've got a small heart as well!"
"Oh, honestly?"
That marked the end of their banter. Despite weaving, the man ultimately upright grabbed him for a hug.
Feigning nonchalance had reached its limit, overwhelmed by the joy of encountering another person. God Almighty, he repeated like a crazed individual.
After weeping his fill, Cohen finally let go, though he still trembled slightly.
"H-Have you seen any monsters on your way here? I heard them wailing nearby."
"Why is someone whose profession is war so skittish?"
"War would be a relief! At least the foes die if shot! But not those monsters! Bullets don't affect them! Meeting one would spell our doom!"
Gyeo-ul responded nonchalantly.
"I killed it."
"What?"
Leaving the slack-jawed Cohen, Gyeo-ul surveyed the room before dragging over a chair.
"Have a seat. We can't really leave without doing something about that leg of yours, right?"
Taking a seat as instructed, Cohen presented his leg. As the boy began administering first aid, a confused Cohen posed another inquiry.
"Hey, what do you mean by 'killed'?"
"I shoved a grenade down its throat. After exploding twice, it died."
"......"
It turned out well that he stopped by the clinic. Cohen's calf was swollen, like meat soaked in water.
Encasing it in gauze, he padded the splint site with thick cotton, applying a stainless steel core as a substitute and firmly binding it with compression bandages.
Without supporting the fracture both above and below, applying a splint was meaningless.
Now receiving proficient-level first aid with a blank expression, the soldier wore a skeptical look.
"Don't joke around. You're bluffing to ease my mind, right?"
"Yellow pupils, a red iris, about 5 meters in height, broader than a Humvee in total width. Overall... A decaying muscular giant ape? Anyway, that's how it looked to me. If you dispute it wasn't, I've nothing more to say. You'll see its corpse outside soon, so there's no point arguing here. All done. Try standing with the crutch."
Cohen stood with a small grunt. Even after applying splints and bandages, it was ultimately still first aid. He needed one hand to hold a weapon.
Hence, only one crutch was carried, making cautious movements crucial to avoid burdening the injured leg.
"Let's move. We need to pick up Staff Sergeant Ashford along the way, so there's no advantage in delaying any longer."
Seeing the calm boy lead the way, the sergeant remained skeptical. Should he believe this?
The truth revealed itself shortly after stepping outside. Sergeant Cohen landed flatly upon seeing the monstrous silhouette sagging limply.
The Grumble had remained unfallen even in death due to its abnormally inflated muscles. His reaction was understandable.
"I told you it's dead."
Assisting him up, Gyeo-ul extended a hand, eliciting a trembling smile from Cohen.
He cautiously peeked towards the Grumble, only for Gyeo-ul to head over nonchalantly and kick it for proof.
Cohen then accepted that the creature was genuinely deceased. His language grew more colorful.
"You're insane! You crazy son of a... You're the most mother-fucking banana in the entire world!"
If unaccustomed to the slang's tone, it would certainly sound like an insult— when, in truth, it was an intense praise.
Here, the phrase meant nothing more than utterly amazing.
Not all African Americans necessarily use such language.
It was vernacular typical in slums, where white people shared the same speech under similar conditions— cultural isolation due to income levels.
Yet the banana comment grated a bit. If not for Captain Markert, he would have brushed it off with amusement.
"If you keep calling me a banana, I'll start calling you Chocolate Ball?"
"I like that!"
Jokingly labeled so since his bald head and dark skin resembled a chocolate ball, he gladly accepted the quip.
This man was enthused as if drugged. Gyeo-ul drew his pistol, shooting over Cohen's shoulder.
Pop!
The single shot rang, accompanied by the splatter of blood as another mutant crumpled.
Cohen, initially fearing Gyeo-ul intended to kill him for ribbing, modestly glanced back, supporting a crutch under one arm, and raised a thumb.
"I said before, please call me by my name. Surely you haven't forgotten it?"
"I did, actually."
With deadpan expression, Gyeo-ul faced Cohen's jest.
"Hey, if I had a good memory, I'd have been in Harvard, right? How could I recall after hearing just once?"
"Playing dumb again....... My name's Gyeo-ul. Han, if Gyeo-ul's hard to pronounce."
"Okay, Han. I won't forget. But seriously, this is incredible."
The sergeant's hushed voice grew somber as he murmured. His gaze fixated on the Grumble's corpse.
"This thing tore my friends apart..."
"... Let's move on. We have no time to linger."
Gyeo-ul pointed to the FEMA trailer truck spotted earlier before entering the house.
"Can you drive?"
"Of course. Even with one crippled leg, driving's a cinch."
"Great. We'll need to pick up some supplies on the way too. Coming in, it looked like that big fellow cleared enough of the road for vehicle passage. At least, sufficiently to reach the vicinity of the school."
"That's good to know. But, look here... Han. Wouldn't you rather head back now?"
The sergeant's query, half voiced his own selfishness. At least, that's Gyeo-ul's perception, being adept at discerning others' minds.
Pitched jokingly, yet secretly longing and aching just to escape - it was only human nature, thus not condemned.
"Do you think, someone who's come all this way for you, would abandon those he's left behind?"
"Oh, it was a jest."
Cohen shrugged and started the vehicle. The chassis tremored softly before the engine revved...
「Boom!」
"What?"
Astonished, Cohen mumbled cluelessly.
"The engine's crazy! This car must be broken."
"Did you hurt your head too? That was the sound of a grenade going off."
Explosions followed.
They emanated from a westward direction, where Walnut Drive and Creston Road intersected.
Further inhuman screams echoed next. Sighing, Cohen tapped the steering wheel.
"Ay, looks like there's another one of those things?"
"Let's go take it down."
Gyeo-ul's retort made the sergeant recoil in disbelief.
"Wow, what a beast of a man."
"Just drive straight to the intersection. We'll assess and act from there."
"......"
"What are you doing? We need to hurry before losing more comrades, no?"
"Damn right."
Cohen casually punched his helmet's visor before flooring the gas pedal. Screeching— the revving RPM.
A burnout led into rapid acceleration, leaving long tire skid marks on the pavement. The vehicle swayed as it sped down the decline.