"Wait…" Zai muttered, setting the bottle down. "If I'm immortal, why do I still get thirsty?"
The hologram flickered in the corner.
"You think I wouldn't notice?" he snapped, standing. "You said I can't die. No pain. So why water? Why food? Why sleep?"
No answer. Just the hum of blue‑white glyphs.
Zai's smirk turned sharp. "If I'm really immortal, starving shouldn't matter. You're lying or trying to control me."
He hurled the bottle at the wall. It rolled under the desk.
The hologram pulsed. Text appeared.
SYSTEM RESPONSE – SURVIVAL ≠ FUNCTIONALITY
Immortality prevents death, not decay.
Body needs basic upkeep to keep the mind intact.
Without water, survival continues. Mind collapses.
Zai froze. "So I wouldn't die. I'd just go insane."
SYSTEM RESPONSE:Correct.
He let out a low whistle. "That's horrifying. You're saying I'm chained here. If I don't 'behave,' I lose my mind instead of dying."
SYSTEM RESPONSE: Host must stay functional to fulfill directive.
Zai's eyes narrowed. "What are you? Why me?"
Silence.
The room felt colder.