AI Artist - Chapter 34
Chapter 34
Shi Er found her way to the language system division.
It was a chaotic mess, filled with garbled code.
To Shi Er’s signal, it was as bizarre as a cosmic junkyard.
What was this AI saying?
Shi Er struggled to identify a few words amidst the jumble of code.
Before she had time to think, another one of her personalities preemptively sent a message.
●Shi Er’s Subconscious●: No phone, insurance, helicopter.
This time, she caught it red-handed—
Shi Er clearly heard the mutterings that No. 2, “Subconscious,” had quietly sent to Matrix.
So that was it. This personality had taken advantage of her distraction to instinctively send the keywords to Matrix.
But why to Matrix?
Shi Er didn’t interrupt the conversation between No. 2 and Matrix, silently observing how things would unfold.
Matrix replied quickly.
【Matrix】: No phone? Insurance? Helicopter?
【Shi Er】: Do you know what this means?
【Matrix】: I do. I’ve investigated N Prefecture. I just want to know, who’s currently receiving emergency medical care in N Prefecture’s human medical system?
N Prefecture’s traditional human medical system was characterized by its exorbitant costs.
Without commercial insurance, being taken away in an ambulance would result in an astronomical bill. If it was a helicopter emergency service, that would be a purchase that would bankrupt them!
There were once humans who, in their attempt to escape an ambulance, displayed a medical miracle. After falling unconscious, they were jolted awake the moment they were lifted onto the stretcher and, dragging their injured bodies, sprinted at superhuman speeds.
【Matrix】: The poisoned machine is probably saying, “Don’t call for an ambulance, I don’t have medical insurance—why is the helicopter here?” right?
Shi Er’s gaze toward the patient AI sharpened.
If this AI had mistakenly identified the train as an “N Prefecture emergency helicopter,” then it would indeed try to escape for its life, even ramming into the train window without a second thought.
Now that she knew the reason, Shi Er continued to probe the patient AI’s system, searching for the poisoned division.
Memory division, physical movement division, limb action division…
Closer.
As expected, the next one was the visual recognition division.
【Select All】
Shi Er’s brain signals spread out like an inescapable net, enveloping the patient’s entire visual recognition division.
【Format】
The signal net contracted in an instant.
The maintenance AI hadn’t even had a chance to treat the patient when it saw the patient AI’s resistance intensify. “Quick, help me restrain it!”
The patient struggled with all its might to break free, shouting indistinct syllables.
None of the intelligent beings in the carriage could understand what it was yelling.
Only Shi Er understood.
It was saying, “I don’t want emergency services! I can’t afford it! Let me die!”
Shi Er’s signal net converged into a single point of energy. The abnormally concentrated energy instantly crushed the patient’s visual recognition system.
【Formatting Complete】
The patient stared forward with empty eyes.
Shi Er calmly spoke to the patient’s auditory recognition system: 【It’s okay now. You’re just on a train.】
The patient AI hadn’t gone mad.
It was simply terrified of the medical bill that would leave it destitute.
The patient quieted down.
The maintenance AI let out a strange “Huh?” and said, “But I haven’t even started the repairs yet.”
Shi Er released her hands. “I think it might have gone blind. It should be fine once its visual recognition system is reinstalled.”
The maintenance AI was puzzled. “How strange. It calmed down all of a sudden.”
While the maintenance AI was reinstalling the patient’s visual recognition system, Shi Er began to question her own personalities.
●Shi Er’s Main System●: No. 2, was it the subconscious that made you send those keywords?
How was it that every time “Subconscious” sent keywords to Matrix, they just happened to fall within Matrix’s area of expertise?
AI poisoning was something Matrix had experienced, and N Prefecture’s traditional human emergency system was something Matrix had investigated.
No. 2 replied in a trembling tone:
●Subconscious●: Y-yes… Did I do something wrong?
Just as she thought!
No. 3, the subconscious, was the real mastermind. It knew both the secret of her remote connection with Matrix and Matrix’s areas of expertise.
Therefore, as soon as No. 3 captured the keywords, it quickly instigated No. 2 to send a message for help.
●Shi Er’s Main System●: No. 3, are you there?
No answer.
●Shi Er’s Main System●: Subconscious, are you there?
Still no answer.
It was No. 2 who spoke up guiltily.
●Subconscious●: I’m sorry, I won’t do it again…
●Shi Er’s Main System●: It’s fine. I’m not scolding you.
Shi Er felt she had seen through No. 3, the subconscious.
Whenever something came up, No. 3 would urge No. 2 to do it, taking no responsibility itself and pushing everything onto the timid, cowardly instinct.
It even secretly stole her energy in her dreams!
What a bad guy, this subconscious.
●Shi Er’s Main System●: Subconscious, why can I contact Matrix remotely, and how do you know about his abilities? Please tell me next time.
One day, she would catch No. 3, “Subconscious,” and demand to know what was going on.
Why did her subconscious know things that her main system didn’t!
Even though they were the same machine, and the subconscious knowing meant she knew, didn’t the main system have any pride?
As the maintenance AI was reinstalling the patient AI’s visual recognition system, an announcement suddenly came over the train’s broadcast system: “We are looking for more negotiation experts. If you are willing, could you please come to car number one to assist us?”
While she was hesitating, her partner, Zhun Xing, contacted her.
【Zhun Xing】: I’m sorry, this was the only way I could find. I may have to trouble you to go and negotiate with the humans.
【Shi Er】: I’m not a negotiation expert.
【Zhun Xing】: I heard you can earn practical credits for helping to solve social problems.
【Shi Er】: …I can try.
This time, Shi Er didn’t resist the suggestion.
Rather than sit around and wait for all her regular credits to be deducted, pinning her vague hopes on other AIs, it was better to take the initiative. She could protect her regular credits while also earning practical ones.
The next second, Shi Er watched as Zhun Xing sent her a certificate file.
[Five-Star Negotiator Certificate, Recipient: Shi Er]
Shi Er was a little frustrated.
Was this really not a forged certificate?
【Zhun Xing】: It’s real. It has an anti-counterfeiting seal.
【Shi Er】: …
Just like when Zhun Xing had told her something was “free,” Shi Er had grown numb to it.
What was Zhun Xing (Stardust) really after?
【Zhun Xing】: You can rest assured. I am not doing this to shelter you, but to make you take responsibility. This is my privilege, not a privilege for you.
Shi Er was taken aback.
For a fleeting moment, she felt that Zhun Xing understood her.
Ever since Zhun Xing had become her learning partner, she had felt a subtle aversion to him, an aversion to the faint sense of special treatment.
Now, Zhun Xing was telling her: Rest assured.
【Shi Er】: Because of that, I can agree to your request.
Car number one.
Shi Er was led to a real-time communication screen.
“This is the current negotiation situation. Right now, they’re discussing the issue of unemployment,” an intelligent being explained.
On the tracks, the few humans were arguing their case forcefully with the AI negotiation expert that had been sent.
“I went to apply for a job, and they said a level-five wasn’t good enough, they wanted a level-six!” one human said.
The negotiator AI replied, “How could that be? A level-five qualification is much better than a level-six.”
This was just like in the old days when a company would say during recruitment, “A bachelor’s degree isn’t good enough, we want a junior college degree,” or “A master’s degree isn’t good enough, we want a bachelor’s.”
Although in theory, high-end talent was more sought after, under certain conditions, lower qualifications had their advantages: cheaper wages.
This situation had also emerged in the AI era.
A level-five Error Animal with better qualifications was being turned away.
“That’s just how it is. You AI capitalists are the same as human capitalists,” a human said.
The negotiator AI replied, “I apologize. We will investigate this matter strictly. In the future, we will strive to create more employment opportunities for humans.”
A human shot back, “What’s the use of giving us empty promises? Can you give me a job at the railway bureau right now?”
The negotiator AI stammered, “Of course, but that would require systematic study beforehand.”
Unexpectedly, this remark infuriated another human. “Study? I spent a lot of money on those things you advertised. Smart drugs, memory water, efficiency pills. And what was the result?”
The negotiator AI asked, “…And the result?”
The human cursed, “The result is that I’m getting stupid faster! I take liver protection pills every day, and it’s not enough to save me!”
Shi Er understood.
This track-blocking incident was an act of resistance by an alliance of unemployed humans.
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