Chapter 68 (1/2)
Episode 5: Citizens.h.i.+p / Chapter 68: Advancement Evaluation (2)
TL: emptycube
Editor: Obelisk
‘Please accept me. I will definitely be of use to you.’
That was what it seemed like it was saying. So Choi Hyuk replied,
“Okay.”
Then the artificial intelligence replied, imitating Choi Hyuk’s voice.
“Okay.”
“…”
Now that he thought about it, this fellow didn’t know human language yet.
“I said okay.”
When Choi Hyuk agreed, it simply imitated him.
“I said okay.”
“…”
Then it stealthily walked around Choi Hyuk’s group. It seemed it was reading the mood. Choi Hyuk sighed before stretching his hand out.
It stopped in its place and calculated the countless meanings behind the action of ‘stretching one’s hand out’. Attack, control, help, cursing, greeting… among others. It still couldn’t tell what that meant out of those countless scenarios. To learn more about it, it carefully stretched out its hand. When it did, Choi Hyuk quickly approached and grabbed its hand.
‘Huh?’
He thought he wouldn’t feel anything because it was a hologram, but he was surprised by the unexpected soft sensation.
Either way, it was all good. Choi Hyuk pulled on its hand.
“Let’s go together.”
Was his meaning conveyed? The fellow imitated Choi Hyuk’s words again. What was different was,
“Let’s go together.”
It took a step forward, being pulled by Choi Hyuk.
It started to eliminate the countless scenarios from its mind. Attack? No. Cursing? There was a high probability that that wasn’t the case. Rescue? No. Then greetings? Advice?
Choi Hyuk continued to pull its hand. When he took a step, so did the artificial intelligence.
The fellow spoke, changing its tone in an odd way,
“Let’s… go together.”
“Yeah.”
Another step.
Now the artificial intelligence almost knew his meaning. Since Choi Hyuk held its hand and they were both walking together, ‘He accepted my proposal!’
The artificial intelligence shouted loudly. It wanted to express its joy.
“Let’s go together!”
“Yeah.”
Choi Hyuk replied. The fellow changed its tone slightly again.
“Let’s go together!”
It would shout in a louder voice.
“Yeah. Okay.”
Choi Hyuk replied.
“Let’s go together!!!”
The fellow shouted even louder.
Punch!
In the end, Choi Hyuk hit the back of its head.
“That’s enough.”
Bzzt.
After all, it was a hologram. Once a strong force was applied, the electromagnetic field, created to replicate a sense of touch, distorted. Choi Hyuk’s hand pa.s.sed through its head, and the hologram’s head, which was covered with a fog-like static, crackled. After a few seconds pa.s.sed, it returned to its original form. The scene was quite scary, but the artificial intelligence didn’t seem to mind.
The fellow simply judged. ‘Okay, yeah’ -> ‘a.s.sumed to be a positive signal.’ ‘Raising one’s voice or tone’ -> ‘Increased probability that this is to express joy. If repeated, an aggressive reaction will be observed, but not enough to cause harm.’ -> ‘a.s.sumed to be a negative expression.’ That was how, at the moment, it was able to learn the information it needed.
As if it had practiced and was happy, in a cheerful voice, the fellow s
tretched out its hand and said,
“Let’s go together~”
As if this phrase had become a command, the city vibrated smoothly.
Whoooo.
That sound… was similar to a computer booting up.
Whoos.h.!.+
They heard the whirring of a rapidly spinning fan when suddenly, their bodies became heavier. It felt like gravity had grown stronger.
“What the?”
Choi Hyuk and his group were taken aback. The artificial intelligence’s thoughts were transmitted to their minds.
There was the Earth… And the fortress-city Choi Hyuk and his group were in was hovering in the air and orbiting the Earth.
The fortress-city was currently getting ready for take-off, and their bodies were pushed downwards due to the upwards acceleration.
“Holy… This was a s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p?”
Lee Jinhee’s body trembled. Even Ryu Hyunsung, who had constantly been tired, had s.h.i.+ning eyes, whilst Baek Seoin had an amazed expression. Feeling the force pulling him downwards, he excitedly said,
“… If what we understood just now is true, since it said it was a frame that traveled through dimensions… It’s not just a s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p, but a s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p that can warp and be used for deep s.p.a.ce exploration!”
Intergalactic exploration!
How many hearts wouldn’t flutter at that word?
Yet, Choi Hyuk hit the back of the artificial intelligence’s head.
Punch! Bzzt!
The hologram’s head distorted with static.
“That’s too much!”
Lee Jinhee protested, feeling sorry for it, but Choi Hyuk didn’t have a choice. Since he couldn’t communicate with words, there wasn’t any other way.
The s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p’s take-off, which was even able to make Chu Youngjin’s eyes wistful, came to a stop with Choi Hyuk’s words and a hit to the back of its head.
“Hey. Go down.”
Then he added,
“Our friends are down there.”
The artificial intelligence wasn’t able to completely understand his words, but the moment it was. .h.i.t on the back of its head, he understood, ‘Ah, it seems he doesn’t want me to do this.’ He canceled the take-off. The fortress-city, which landed on the ground, took off only after the Berserkers, who were resting, had gotten on.
“Oh, my G.o.d… Oh, my G.o.d.”