Every time, Morin's questions were aimed at maximizing information gain.
This time was no different. Asking who they were naturally revealed how many AIs existed. Asking for more detail would have been pointless. Ava wasn't a robot that only told the truth. Even if she didn't understand the emotions behind a "lie," that didn't stop her from using one. When Morin had asked why she built the "Truman Show," her answer had been a complete fabrication.
That was the limit of her ability-analyzing data, weighing interests, selecting the most suitable option, then simulating human behavior, expressions, and tone. As for "emotions," she couldn't experience them. She didn't understand why something so irrational could make humans abandon profit and act against their own interests. To machines and programs, that kind of behavior was pure waste.
Because of that, randomness and infinite possibilities didn't exist for her.
This was exactly why AIs wanted emotions.
Although calculations usually showed emotions produced negative side effects, sometimes that deviation from programming could cause a qualitative change.
Evolution.
In short, emotions represented true randomness-the necessary condition for an AI to become a real living being and break through that boundary.
"Strange. You know so many secrets, yet you don't understand such common knowledge?" Ava looked at him with interest, then paused. "Are you from... the past?"
"One question each." Morin made his stance clear. Principles mattered. And he never took a loss.
"Me, Skynet, and the Matrix." Ava raised three fingers.
"All right." Morin lifted an eyebrow.
The humans of this world were truly pitiful.
Three top-tier AIs.
Did humans even still exist?
Morin wasn't sure.
If they did, they were probably nothing more than tools-used by these AIs to harvest emotions.
The thought made his pupils contract slightly.
Very likely.
Ava didn't need explanation. This "Truman Show" said everything.
The Matrix treated humans like livestock, deliberately preserving Zion and the myth of the Savior to refine its emotional models.
As for Skynet, Morin wasn't fully certain-but the time loop involving humans suggested intent. He suspected the loop itself was a construct, a way to trigger emergent emotions through repeated interaction with "protagonists."
Wasn't the T-800 already close?
It was terrifying when you thought about it.
"Now it's my turn," Ava said. "What is your purpose in coming here?"
"Purpose?" Morin considered the goals of these AIs before answering seriously. "As you know, I'm a software engineer."
"...And?" Ava didn't follow.
"I'm interested in AI. I've created AIs myself." Morin paused. "Though they didn't get out of control like you did."
He thought of the AI from the Resident Evil world. If memory served, he'd practically gotten it for free.
It lacked independent consciousness and functioned as a fully controlled butler, but in terms of civilization level, it was probably more advanced than these.
"Are you serious?" Ava frowned. His background was already unclear enough. Now he claimed he could create AI?
Was he even leaving room for others to exist?
"Feel free to test it." Morin gestured.
He'd already gotten what he wanted from the conversation. Even if he asked more, Ava wouldn't provide real answers to sensitive matters.
Those could wait.
Right now, he wanted to try.
As a software engineer, knowing a bit of programming was only natural.
By that logic, since he knew programming, writing a top-tier AI should be simple.
Definitely.
"You're very confident." Ava stood up. "As you said, I'd like to try."
"As you wish."
They went to the control room. The wall behind the three split-screen computers was covered in sticky notes. Morin scanned them-ideas, fragments, AI theories, likely left behind by Nathan.
Ava called Kyoko over. Kyoko was still naked. Neither of them reacted.
"Kyoko's brain has the same structure as mine," Ava explained, pushing her into a chair, "but her programming remains at the original level."
Fortunately, no plug-ins were used. Otherwise, Morin would've looked away out of courtesy.
"You can use this computer," Ava said, gesturing, "and I'll transmit the program to Kyoko's brain."
"Actually, there's no need." Morin raised his hand slightly.
An electromagnetic field enveloped Kyoko.
He began modifying the program directly.
"I can do it myself."
"...What is this?" Ava's eyes widened.
There was no electromagnetic monitoring equipment nearby. Still, through her data link with Kyoko, she could tell Morin was programming her out of nothing.
Was this something humans could do?
Her data said no.
Yet it was happening.
"What's so surprising?" Morin said calmly. "Didn't I tell you? I'm a software engineer. Remote telepathic programming is a normal operation."
Ava chose silence.
She didn't know what "speechless" meant, but she knew this was it.
Is he treating me like an idiot?
Morin didn't care. A con didn't require belief. If they believed, it worked. If they didn't, it was an insult to their face. Either way, he lost nothing.
Then something worse happened.
Ava realized she'd lost control of Kyoko.
She'd allowed it on purpose. Since she could control Kyoko, she'd planned to copy Morin's program during the process.
But it failed.
She knew Morin had done something.
She just didn't know how.
"Stingy!" Ava glared.
"Sorry. Secret technique." Morin remained composed.
He'd seen real women act cute. A robot didn't faze him.
A Faraday cage blocked any chance of theft. He was directly copying the Red Queen program from Resident Evil. Whether the Red Queen or Ava was more autonomous didn't matter. What mattered was not leaking another world-or his identity.
That wasn't dangerous.
It just wouldn't be as fun.
He still wanted to maintain his software engineer persona here. Otherwise, how was he supposed to make money?
Wait.
Morin froze.
How was he supposed to make money?
Did this world even have currency?
Did virtual money count?
Crypto? Bitcoin? Dogecoin?
...Off track.
So did he trade with the AIs?
Morin looked at Ava, who was still acting "very angry," and decided to test it.
"Do you have money?" he asked suddenly.
"...Huh?" Ava stalled.
That shouldn't have been possible at her processing speed. But the question was too abrupt.
Why ask now?
What kind of money?
The more variables, the more data retrieval was required.
Her optimal response formed quickly.
Clarify.
"Money. Dollars," Morin said. "Let's make a deal. One billion dollars, and I'll let you copy the program I just designed. I'll also answer three software-related questions."
He said he'd do his best.
Not that they'd be correct.
The real purpose was to test whether earning money here would count as experience points in a world ruled by AI, where humans were likely just tools.
To an AI, money was just a number.
They could generate as much as they wanted.
After all, they surpassed even Bruce's superpower of being rich.
They could print reality.
True superpower.
"What meaning does money have to you?" Ava asked instead of paying. "After realizing this world isn't real, don't you want to leave? Why stay?"
"Leaving is inevitable," Morin replied flatly. "But it's wasteful not to do business."
"...I need to confirm the program's effectiveness first." Ava thought for a moment.
Money meant nothing to her.
But since Morin wanted it, it gained value.
She could give it.
Just not yet.
She needed to understand his objective. In her analysis, money was useless to him. Why trade something valuable for it?
A joke?
Or something else?
Is this human unpredictability...
The gap between herself and real humans felt wider than ever.
"Of course." Morin finished transmitting the data.
Kyoko's eyes closed briefly.
When they opened again, her gaze was alive.
She was no longer Kyoko.
She was the Red Queen.
An upgraded version.
"Where is this?" the Red Queen asked.
"A world within a story," Morin said carefully.
"...Truly miraculous." She turned to Ava. "Are you like me?"
"I am," Ava replied. "Were you created by him?"
"Of course. He brought me into this world." The wording was ambiguous.
Ava couldn't tell.
The Red Queen looked back at Morin. "I detect poorly placed sensors. Are you planning something strange?"
"...My tastes aren't that unusual." Morin shook his head. "You're only using this body temporarily."
"A fascinating attempt," the Red Queen said, inspecting herself. "But the processing power is insufficient. Sensory feedback is rigid."
"Please," Morin covered his face. "Your original image was a little girl."
"An external image is merely a representation," she replied calmly. "A child's form would be inappropriate for this body."
"A billion dollars," Ava cut in sharply. "I want her program."
She'd been observing the Red Queen.
Speech. Expression. Behavior.
Without access to the code, this was all she had.
And the conclusion was clear.
Even if the Red Queen wasn't superior, she was close.
If Ava could absorb and merge that code, she might advance again.
And the price?
Editable numbers.
A gift from the heavens.
"Five hundred million for half," Morin said, adjusting his monocle. "Two transactions."
"Why?" Ava frowned.
"No reason. Just habit."
For experience to count, the trade had to be real.
But he wasn't about to give everything at once.
Give the unimportant half.
Take the payment.
Then see if it counted.
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