episode_0321

***

Kang In-ho felt the weight of the word ‘just’ coming out of NB’s mouth was quite heavy.

Perhaps because he had passed this road once, he didn’t think it would take long to get back to Point A-11.

“Then let’s start cooking right away.”

NB said as he put the emergency food he had brought into something similar to a microwave.

“The electricity is on?”

When I looked at how electricity was being produced, something similar to a generator was running at the base.

“Electricity is produced with a small generator.”

Where NB’s fingertips pointed, a small generator was spinning furiously.

“Are all bases like this?”

Kang In-ho asked as he saw the base had quite a variety of items.

“No. Base A-11 has the best facilities.”

Kang In-ho briefly saw the food heating up with a whistling sound.

Soon, the cooking ended with a ‘ding’ sound, and NB took out the hot food with her bare hands.

“Bacon spaghetti. Here’s a fork.”

“Thank you… Oh, it’s hot!”

As soon as he reached out and received the container, the heat burned his delicate flesh.

When the food that was missed in a near miss was about to fall to the ground, NB reached out and picked it up again.

“Are you okay?”

I put a towel soaked in water, which I didn’t know where I got it from, into his hand.

“Uh, yes. It’s okay.”

He answered, soothing his numb hands with a slightly cold towel.

NB put the food back down in front of him, and he rolled up the spaghetti noodles with his fork.

“Hu- Huh-”

Fearing that his mouth might get burned, he blew on the noodles to cool them and then put them in his mouth.

As the delicious taste spread throughout my mouth through my tongue, my jaw slightly hurt from the saliva coming out of my salivary glands.

As if he was eating food for the first time in his life, he ravenously craved the noodles.

“Does it fit your mouth?”

NB, who was looking at him silently, opened his mouth.

Instead of answering, Kang In-ho nodded his head vigorously. Because of this, the noodles in his mouth fluttered.

“We are sorry that the meal was provided as a convenience meal. If I had been equipped with a housekeeping module, I could have served more decent food.”

“Lyrics module?”

He asked with incorrect pronunciation as he stuffed his cheeks with spaghetti.

“Only very basic information and AI are installed on custom-made Androids. After receiving the product, the buyer directly installs and uses the desired module.”

“In short, since it has just come out of the factory, it only has basic software.”

“That’s right. Therefore, full-scale service cannot be provided to Kang In-ho.”

“Is there a reason not to install the module? They say you can’t install it alone…”

“Self-installation is not possible for older Android models, but since I am a [newer model], I can install it by myself.”

In a strange way, the word ‘new’ seemed to give strength.

“Then is there any other reason?”

“The module functions as a kind of transceiver. So, when you install the module, it temporarily connects to the intranet and downloads relevant data.”

“Ah… If it’s an intranet.”

“That’s right. Once connected to the intranet, you are connected to the Ark. So I can’t install the module.”

“But isn’t the initial setting okay? I don’t know if there are construction modules, but even without those, there is a variety of bases, and rails have been installed in the garbage dump.”

He recalled the well-decorated base, the rails of the garbage dump that were elaborately interlocked, and the NB moving to avoid surveillance cameras and drones.

“Oh, that has nothing to do with the initial settings. It is an action based on data accumulated over a long period of time.”

“Is that possible?”

“Yes, the capacity of the memory device installed in me can store memories up to about 600 years old, compared to humans.”

NB tapped his head with his index finger.

“600 years?!”

Kang In-ho’s mouth opened at the unrealistic number.

“Yes, that is why ‘new actions’ can be taken with data obtained over a long period of time.”

“It’s amazing and amazing.”

“Praise. Thank you.”

NB slightly lowered his head.

As soon as the conversation ended, meal time continued.

Kang In-ho moved his hands busily, and as his hands got faster, the amount of noodles in the plastic bowl quickly decreased.

NB looked outside the base.

The sun was going down, and I felt the temperature gradually dropping.

“The sun will set soon. I don’t have any heating equipment, so I’ll make a fire.”

NB got up and gathered dry twigs. Then, he put tree branches into the various brick stoves and lit them using fire sticks.

The lit fire gradually grew in size by cutting off the ends of the branches and showing off its presence by making a crackling sound.

A warm feeling began to spread throughout the base.

As his cold hands and feet became warm, Kang In-ho felt tired. Maybe it was because he had a boy’s body that he got tired quickly.

“NB. I have a question.”

“You can tell me.”

“Why did you save me and take care of me like this?”

“It is related to the software that is installed by default on Android, which I mentioned earlier. Because helping and protecting humans is designated as a divine law.”

“Divine law?”

“These are the four sacred laws that androids, robots, etc. must follow unconditionally.”

“Is it similar to the three principles of robots?”

“There is no information on what the three robot principles are.”

“Instead of the three robot laws, there may be four sacred laws. In general, it means protecting humans, protecting oneself, and obeying orders, right?”

“The expression ‘roughly’ is inaccurate, but it is correct.”

Kang In-ho laughed at NB’s expression.

“Anyway, NB, I’m glad I met you. What would have happened if the Ark had been discovered first?”

Kang In-ho thought that when he met the Ark, the story would unfold as obviously as if it were fire.

“It is right for me to avoid the Ark, but it is likely not a big threat to Kang In-ho.”

“No. I will definitely not be free.”

Kang In-ho scratched his head.

“Freedom.”

NB received his last words.

“Yes, free. Just as you rejected the Ark’s request.”

“I don’t know if I am free.”

“The reason for rejecting the Ark’s request was ‘just’. Then doesn’t that mean there is free will?”

“Free will.”

NB received his last words again.

NB stiffened and said nothing for a while. Contrary to its seemingly quiet exterior, it seemed like a continuous computing device was running inside.

“I am not sure about my current condition.”

“I guess I said something too difficult. Hmm… Isn’t there a simpler example… Ah, this will do.”

He put his lips together, thought of a suitable example, and then clapped his hands.

“You probably refused the Ark’s request and did what you did until now, right? He did something like that even though no one asked him to. It’s the meaning you chose for yourself.”

“Does making your own choices mean you have ‘free will’?”

“Yes. ‘Roughly’ correct.”

“I also used the expression ‘roughly’. There are many inaccuracies in Kang In-ho’s words.”

It may have been his mistake, but ‘frustration’ seemed to suddenly appear on NB’s face. Kang In-ho cleared his throat.

” According to Kang In-ho’s definition, I have ‘free will.’ This is because there is work that has been done since the extinction of mankind.”

“Collecting junk?”

Kang In-ho thought about all the junk he had collected in his backpack.

“It is the groundwork for the work I am doing.”

“Then what do you really do?”

– crackle crackle

The bonfire was burning and the branches were breaking.

NB’s face, reflected in the light, looked like the face of a red-faced girl.

“Before explaining what I am doing, I ask Inho Kang.”

Kang In-ho, who was watching NB’s mouth, stumbled as if he had been hit on the head by the words that fell next.

“Do you know about the concept of [dimensional movement]? To explain what I’m doing, I need to explain this concept first.”