Inside "Narwhal" Research Station
Time: Unknown
96, 97, 98, 99...
We did it!
The excited researcher yanks out the monitoring earbuds and pulls Tatyana over to the holographic display.
Wait, don't tell me this is another one of those "constructive breakthroughs and milestones"...
I've been hearing that phrase for the past three months.
This time is different! Trust me.
As they speak, the researcher deftly connects the terminal's output to the external speakers, filling the lab with deep, resonant whale calls.
We've always assumed the Narwhal's calls were just mimicking real whale sounds. By analyzing these signals from a purely biological perspective, we led our research into a dead end.
But that sonic receiver we found in the underwater factory gave me an idea. What if—
The researcher deliberately draws out his words, clearly proud of his discovery.
Could it be that these whale calls were... designed specifically to communicate with humans from the beginning?
Bingo! That explains why these Narwhals have been constantly circling the city perimeter.
He quickly pulls up several classified documents recovered from an abandoned laboratory, all of which are related to the "Sandbox System."
<i>▂▃▂▃▆▆▆▃▃▃▃▃▂▂▂▂▃</i>
<i>We've made a terrible mistake. We were completely wrong.</i>
<i>I've realized that Narwhal can never become an integral part of the biosphere.</i>
<i>Machines can never bear the responsibility of natural selection.</i>
<i>These Narwhals, created by my own hands, will inevitably harm countless people, but I can never undo these mistakes in my lifetime.</i>
<i>Before I leave this world, I will use the Gestalt sub-terminal to prevent everything from reaching the worst possible outcome.</i>
<i>I will steal administrative access, and although it's just a simulation program, it should be enough to serve as a "safety valve."</i>
><i>……▂▃……▃……▆……</i>
The unnamed creator of the Narwhal realized the impact of their actions at the last moment, but it was too late—the Narwhals had already been widely deployed throughout the polar ecosystem.
...In an attempt to control the damage, they infiltrated the underwater machine factory in the lake, trying to install sound wave receivers on the Narwhals that hadn't yet been deployed, so they would respond and act according to their commands.
But, wait, if that's the case, what is this "Sandbox System"?
I don't know, but if we're looking for clues... I'd guess they're hidden in the wavelengths of the whale calls.
He pulls out a sheet of paper covered with hundreds of small black dots.
The true nature of these endlessly repeating whale calls is nothing but an ordinary, extremely long Morse code message. That's the answer to our mystery.
Ah, of course, the human ear can't detect these wavelengths, and I've also spared you some technical details that would be cumbersome to explain.
Anyway, I've translated the code, Director. Are you ready to hear the answer to our mystery?
Suddenly, she feels a flash of intuition dart through her mind.
What's happening...
No, it's nothing. I'm ready. Go ahead and play the message.
Out of some inexplicable intuition, she conceals that strange feeling, forcing herself to respond with feigned calmness.
Alright, let's play it then!
I'm so excited! This is my first time hearing the translated results too!
The lights throughout the research station go dark as all terminal computing power is redirected to the central compilation program.
The deep whale calls gradually fade away, replaced by a clear, electronic, synthesized voice resonating throughout the room.
W A K E U P……
The letters are spoken one by one as everyone anxiously awaits the complete message.
…………
The electronic voice seems to encounter some issue midway, pausing for several seconds.
Just as everyone begins to wonder if the system has malfunctioned, the voice returns and rapidly pronounces a name.
Tatyana。
————
The world buzzes briefly before plunging into deathly silence.
Tatyana initially thinks the research station has lost power, but when she reaches for the switch, she finds the button completely immobile, as if fused with space itself
After a few seconds of confusion, a bizarre thought inexplicably surfaces in her mind.
The world itself has been paused.
She takes a few steps forward and sees the researcher who was just chatting with her now frozen stiff in front of the terminal chair, like a puppet whose strings have been pulled taut.
Hey... what's wrong with all of you?
Stop it. This isn't funny...
Her mumbled words sink like stones to the bottom of a lake, unable to stir even the slightest ripple across this silent surface.
My apologies. I intended to reveal the truth to you in a more dignified manner, but an uninvited guest has visited our sandbox.
Who's there?!
After hearing that chilling voice, Tatyana instinctively steps backward, only for the mysterious figure to appear behind her—as if they had already anticipated her reaction.
I am the Controller of the "Sandbox System" you've been searching for all this time.
Oh, in "Matrix" terminology, I'm also a kind of Higher Authority, but I'm different from the one you've previously dealt with. This place is merely an altered data copy.
You understand what I'm saying, don't you, "Projection"?
Projection? Who are you calling...
Sensing the malicious intent, Tatyana discreetly reaches for the holster on her back. Just as she is about to draw her weapon, the mysterious gentleman stops her—as if he had anticipated her every move.
A friendly reminder—all resistance here is futile.
I possess the authority to rule over everything here. Your birth, your death—they're merely a fleeting thought to me.
But there's no need to make things so tense. I've chosen to reveal myself and negotiate with you precisely because we share common interests.
I fail to see any reason why I must cooperate with you.
He shrugs slightly, as if genuinely disappointed by her answer.
Fine... In that case, I'll give you a piece of information free of charge.
Listen carefully, Tatyana. You and I are the same—we are the dead ones<//imprisoned consciousnesses>.
If the Sandbox System completely shuts down as that foreign "Projection" wishes, we'll both be trapped here forever.
To escape to the real world<//the future of Mechanical Awakening>, we must exploit the underlying logic of this Sandbox System—running countless simulations until we find the optimal solution.
We are on the same side. Do you understand now?
……
No further interaction is needed. From his arrogant manner of speaking alone, Tatyana knows he is absolutely not to be trusted.
She does not understand the relationship between the "Projection"""" and the """"Controller,"""" nor can she grasp what he means by """"the dead ones." She is simply thinking with her instinct.
Even if she asked, this figure before her—seemingly formed from pure malice—would not give her any trustworthy answers.
She must rely on her own reasoning to make sense of these sudden, unexpected developments.
I must cooperate with you to survive... that's what you're implying, right?
Don't underestimate me. I may not understand what this Sandbox System of yours is, but I know there are already many technologies capable of controlling human consciousness...
How can you prove to me that everything you're saying isn't just another deception?
I cannot prove it.
Only after uttering these words does the figure who had been pretending to be a refined gentleman finally reveal genuine anger.
Just as a brain in a vat can never prove whether another experimental vat exists outside its own, I cannot verify whether my own circumstances are yet another deception.
Tatyana, one day, in the real world of New Sophiasburgh, at the moment you were near collapse and on the verge of death, you crawled into a connection pod of the Sandbox System—this is as much as I can explain to you.
At that very moment, the Sandbox System activated to protect your consciousness, and that matrix data copy—originally designed only to test surface ecosystems—became a cradle that existed solely to repair your M.I.N.D.
The consciousness of that pathetic and boring researcher still lingering within the sandbox chose to disobey its original commands, dedicating all the Sandbox's computing power to maintaining your vital signs.
This is the truth behind why this game keeps repeating itself over and over again.
But in reality, no one is waiting for your return—you're merely curled up inside that cold connection pod, waiting for its power to run out.
You could never accept such a fate, right?
Neither could I—I don't want to be exiled to some corner, wasting away what remains of my existence.
As people equally ignored by the world, why can't we join hands to find the answers together?
My price isn't high—I merely want to discover the possibilities for us<//awakened machines> to step into the future.
Imperceptibly, as the conversation progresses, Tatyana discovers that her body is gradually refusing to obey her will, slowly becoming rigid.
The gentleman was not lying—he truly possesses absolute control over this space, and now he is gradually demonstrating his power.
I could, as I've done countless times before, reset your M.I.N.D. back to its starting point, but then neither of us would experience any change—and that's not the outcome I want.
That's all I have to say. Whether you believe me or not...
The decision is yours to make.
With those words, the gentleman snaps his fingers, and the entire space begins a new cycle of collapse.
In an instant, the entire research station seems to be swept into an invisible black hole, then pulled into an endlessly spinning whirlpool.
Within this ceaselessly rotating whirlpool, Tatyana hangs suspended at its center, still not "permitted" to make any gesture of resistance—only her lips and vocal cords remain under her control.
He "positions" Tatyana at the center of the black hole, then ceases all movement.
Come on, I eagerly await your answer.
Like the king of the universe, the gentleman strolls to the black hole's center, spreading his arms and turning to face Tatyana.
Haha...
She finally understands all the strange occurrences that have been happening to her.
Therefore, she does not even need to consider her answer.
Between "staying alive" and releasing this obviously deadly thing into reality, only a complete fool would choose to surrender to the latter.
She takes a deep breath, even though she realizes the air here is nothing but virtual data—still, she greedily inhales one last lungful.
(Exhales)
Then she opens her mouth wide.
Go to hell.
In an unnamed observation room, the woman who had been sitting across the table with her head bowed in contemplation finally looks up.
Now that we've reached this point in the story, it's time for a brief explanation about everything that's happened.
You might already know the mysterious gentleman's identity, but he is not the purpose of our mission.
[player name], as the "Projection," you need to find Tatyana. She needs your help now.
The pink-haired woman raises her fingertip, and tiny motes of light follow her movement, transforming into luminous streams that draw an intricate scene in midair.
The Gestalt sub-terminal, also known as the Matrix—you remember these names, don't you? A supercomputing facility developed by Leibowitz Company, utilizing the same source technology as Gestalt.
There isn't just one sub-terminal—different sub-terminals carry out different functions. The Sandbox System is one of them.
The predecessor of the Sandbox System... was indeed merely a sub-terminal created to simulate the trajectory of Earth's surface ecosystem.
Along with that laboratory, it remained buried in the snow veins for years, silently and secretly executing the commands left behind by its designer...
At this point, she comes to a halt.
Yes, an "outsider" suffering from severe hypothermia, with energy reserves nearly depleted, lay inside the connection pod that had been reserved for the designer.
In that moment, the Sandbox System's Higher Authority was seized by another entity that had been lurking nearby, watching and waiting.
You know his name.
Ishmael nods gently, changing the light-point images to display scenes you personally witnessed inside the Sandbox System.
Schulz, a skilled deceiver, a ghost from the past, always hiding behind countless "simulations," yet never truly stepping into the spotlight himself.
He exploited Tatyana's consciousness, running simulation after simulation in the Sandbox System, as he attempted to find a future that satisfied him.
Although you prevented most simulations from reaching the worst endings, he still used his administrator privileges to lock down the entire system, forcing her to participate in this game over and over.
So we have no choice but to use our last resort.
But Schulz has already discovered your existence.
Forcing him to reveal himself this time was already a dangerous gambit, but if there's a next time...
Sensing the resolve in your tone, Ishmael quietly closes her eyes.
...I understand.
Well then, please go and help her.
The familiar roar echoes in your ears once more as your consciousness gradually merges with the familiar snowstorm.
You know this match is about to reach its true endgame.
You can only repeat this a few more times... No, next time, you must make that brilliant, game-winning move.
Because this sandbox is gradually collapsing.
Before you sink back into the dream world, you see her sitting across the table, casting a hopeful gaze your way.
—Projection.
Schulz is feeling rather irritated.
Even though he possesses endless time and countless opportunities to start over within the sandbox, he still hates the feeling of failure.
Should he erase her memories again and restart the manipulation...? But that annoying "Projection" is such a nuisance, and tampering with the sandbox's foundation layer would be troublesome too...
This is why I absolutely despise humans who can't stay in their place... All they had to do was quietly hand over the terminal vessel to me.
Enough of this. This game has lost its meaning. Next time, I just need to be a bit more cautious and there won't be any problems.
Schulz casually dispersed the data models of the entire research station and its researchers. Now that their conversation had reached a dead end, these were merely decorations wasting computing power to him.
He had meticulously eliminated all external information hidden within the map, yet the "Projection" still manages to slip hints through his defenses, disrupting his plans, like an irritating insect...
Insect? Schulz chuckled at his own thought—wasn't he once the treacherous bug who betrayed his own kind?
Did he actually get angry because someone was using his own methods against him?
Heh...
Schulz lets out a soft laugh, marveling at how he has developed such hollow emotions with the passage of time.
This anger is pointless... best to discard it.
Don't forget the real objective.
He turns around and releases Tatyana<//consciousness>, which he had just immobilized.
I regret that we have once again reached such an impasse in our negotiations.
But unlike you, I am rational, cold-hearted, a being who has cast aside all unnecessary emotions. I will give you another chance.
One day you will understand me.
...Your gibberish is giving me a headache.
Free again, Tatyana sneers, looking at Schulz with undisguised contempt.
Was I not clear enough? Go to hell. If surviving means becoming complicit in your corruption, I'd rather die right here.
You're getting emotional again. As I thought, it's unreasonable to expect humans to stay reasonable.
Schulz has no interest in arguing with her further. He raises his hand, preparing to reconstruct the sandbox simulation for another round.
I hope next time, you'll be a little wiser.
Schulz gathers the discarded data together, letting it flow slowly into the next sandbox simulation.
The boundless ocean of electrons is about to be extinguished in his palm, only to converge again into a new sandbox.
And in this split second, you spot a fleeting opportunity.
CANNOT DELETE
‘0/csu/sys/dev3/gestalt/mainpackage/heuristically_artificial_intelligence/example/04’……
TARGET LOST
FOLDER NOT FOUND……
You detect a fatal logic flaw in this entity of Schulz <Viburnum opulus 'Roseum'>.
This is enough to turn the tide.
Haaah—!
With a defiant laugh, she follows your instructions and drives the dagger into her own chest without hesitation.
In the microsecond gap between the game's deletion and restart, the entity known as Tatyana<//consciousness> escapes the sandbox's constraints by sacrificing her own life.
Bright red blood gushes out, soaking her scarf and hands, yet she continues to smile fearlessly, her ice-blue eyes still brimming with fighting will.
She holds her head high, like a proud sentinel looking down upon the insects beneath her fortress.
How does it feel, Schulz? Being outplayed by the "humans" you so despised?
Too shocked to even react?
But I'm not surprised—a spineless coward who only hides behind the scenes like you would never expect this move—
She grits her teeth and pushes the blade even deeper into her flesh.
—After all, even if it's just simulated pain signals, every injury in this sandbox hurts enough to drive someone insane!
Stop! If you do this, your consciousness will be ejected from this game and drift into the corners with the discarded data!
Yeah, I know.
In truth, the intense pain is no longer her worst sensation. What feels more agonizing than the wound in her chest is the feeling of her entire body<//consciousness> being rejected by the sandbox, gradually peeling away from herself.
It feels as if her spine is being pulled out of her body, or like her entire form is being corrupted and dissolved. This pain pierces to the depths of her soul <//consciousness>, making her unconsciously clench her jaw.
But only this way can she reach beyond the sandbox<//controller privileges>.
So she will not allow the blade to withdraw even slightly from her body.
She must passionately and bravely rush toward death—to gain rebirth.
Bye—
Just before her consciousness is cast out of the sandbox, she raises a contemptuous middle finger at the figure before her.
What I mean is, see you in your *** next life!
Searching for individual response from entity: Tatyana<//Tatyana>.
<i>Command invalid, command invalid, command invalid.</i>
<i>The data reference points to an empty set.</i>
TARGET LOST FOLDER NOT FOUND……
<FILE NOT FOUND>Current game session has been completely deleted.
