9. The Swallowed (1)
The year 2077, when the city’s spire further increased its power. The sun in the sky shattered as it touched the needle pointed by the human conglomerate, casting a deep shadow beneath it.
Rats used to gather in that shadow. They were those who were excluded from prosperity, those who were not supported by civilization, and those whose eyes had died as the fire in their hearts cooled.
However, some of them were still alive.
Those people formed their own groups and hid deeper into the shadows. Into a shadow so thick and dark that the world cannot see it.
They were all envisioning a revolution with anger burning in their hearts, and Siwoo was recruited to work in one of those organizations.
“No matter how much I think about it, the code is too short… “What about quantum language? Is something like this possible in science fiction?”
Siwoo’s job in the organization is coding.
I wasn’t a great programmer. It’s just a matter of patching up the Internet code appropriately and filling in minor and miscellaneous parts. It was a level of work that was sometimes called derogatory terms such as ‘coding slave.’
Therefore, I was able to somehow solve the problem with quick training and the help of other Siwoo, but in the end, there were limitations, and I ended up requesting a coding assistance program from SF Siwoo.
What Siwoo expected was a complex and sophisticated code, but the answer was only about 500 lines of unfamiliar language. Moreover, there was no compiler, so I couldn’t figure out how to run it.
Click.
It was a night when all other members had left work. Siwoo was left alone, finished typing the last line, leaned back on his back, and lay down comfortably. After he stretched, I felt his groggy body relax a little.
Siwoo looked at the ceiling for a moment, then lowered his gaze and looked at the laptop screen. I obviously did everything as SF Siwoo said, but when I looked down, nothing still moved.
Well then. Siwoo sighed and called SF Siwoo.
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-Sifengxiu: @SF Siwoo
-Sifeng Xiu: This doesn’t work?
-Sifeng Xiu: I think it’s because I don’t have a compiler. Please give me a compiler.
-SF Siwoo: Wait a little longer
──────────────
Siwoo glanced at the laptop through the translucent chat window at those words.
The screen still didn’t move.
──────────────
-Sifeng Siu: No, waiting doesn’t work.
──────────────
“… Uh?”
That moment. Siwoo, who discovered the movement, widened his eyes and was astonished.
On the screen that Siwoo’s eyes were focused on, the letters were endlessly dismantled and reassembled, stretching out, doubling in size every time they were turned off and turned on again.
It wasn’t just that the code became longer. The alien programming language, which was completely unknown at first, gradually changed into familiar structures and words that Siwoo knew. As if he was adapting to this world.
And finally, when Sioux switched to a language he fully knew.
Siwoo seemed to be possessed and put his code into the compiler.
[Run the ‘Hyperdimensional Possibility Cross-Space Access Program’.]
[3. 2. 1… Connection completed.]
[Check requirements.]
[Start downloading the program.]
[Estimated program capacity.]
[17 XC (Exsign).]
“Exsign? Exsign?”
Si-woo, who was watching the screen, stood up in excitement.
ExSign is nine levels higher than a terabyte. A unit so unrealistic that it existed only in fantasy. Siwoo’s laptop, which had a capacity of only a petabyte, could not handle it.
[Check available space… Impossible.]
[Selection is carried out.]
[Final capacity 700TB.]
[Download the program.]
“… ? … ?”
Siwoo, not understanding what the program was doing, slumped down in his seat. On the screen in front of it, a bar indicating the progress of the download quickly filled up.
Siwoo watched it for a moment and then asked SF Siwoo for an explanation.
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-Sifeng Xiu: Hey, what kind of program is this?
-Sifeng Xiu: Where the hell are you downloading from?
-SF Siwoo: Oh, that’s what I said last time. Accessing the chat room
-SF Siwoo: You can access the chat room through that and download what I posted in advance in the chat room.
-Sifeng Xiu: But is that the capacity?
-SF Siwoo: Why?
-Sifeng Xiu: No…
──────────────
No matter how he looked at it, Siwoo was going to question it further because it didn’t have the capacity of a ‘simple coding assistance program’, but he remembered the language that was being reassembled on his own a little while ago and quit.
There would be nothing more foolish than using common sense in the face of incomprehensible technological power.
The download continued. 70%. 72%. 75%. It seemed slow at first glance, but considering the size of the download, it was abnormally fast.
At that time, the internet in the studio was cut off. This happens occasionally because it is not an officially approved Internet. However, the download did not stop.
Siwoo’s complexion hardened at the sight of the impossible being broken.
From Noble mtl dot com
What on earth is going on? Siwoo, who knew nothing, could only watch the white bar filling up in confusion.
When the bar is finally full, the screen goes completely blank.
A business-like woman’s voice rang out in front of Siwoo, whose entire body was tense.
-Hello. I am ‘Cosmos Navita’, an artificial intelligence dispatched for Siwoo.
“A.I?”
A muttering to myself out of embarrassment. But the artificial intelligence heard it and responded.
-That’s right. I am the most advanced artificial intelligence, and can fully perform my role as the best artificial intelligence even if most of the data is lost.
No, what kind of artificial intelligence is it? Siwoo felt his head hurt.
“… But what I wanted was just a coding assistant program.”
-Of course, that can also be done.
Siwoo sighed at the calm answer. No matter how I looked at it, I just thought it was a waste and a hassle.
It doesn’t seem to be particularly dangerous, but isn’t it the product of technology hundreds of millions of years ahead of today?
Siwoo sighs deeplyThe artificial intelligence greeted me in a dry voice, not knowing whether it knew my heart or not.
-I hope to go along well. Siwoo.
The voice that came out of the speaker was so incredibly human-like.
Siwoo unconsciously adjusted his appearance and answered the greeting.
“… Okay. Please take care of me. Navita.”
I just hope you can get along without any trouble.
*
The organization that Siwoo belonged to was a secret organization working for revolution.
However, just because they formed an association did not mean they were doing something great. In normal times, they make money by receiving somewhat illegal work through shady channels such as the Tor network service, and use a portion of it to fund their activities.
Rather than a major coup, the activity was a rather timid act that could be called a revolution, such as uncovering the secrets of Megacorp executives or spreading the unknown tyranny of Megacorp.
This was one of the reasons Siwoo still stayed in this organization. It was just a group that he had no choice but to join because he had no place of residence or status, so if it was truly a dangerous and radical group, Siwoo would have left long ago.
An organization that is close to a small business that is nothing more than a mere association and is somewhat illegal and in the shadows.
And as an employee of such a small business, Siwoo was receiving confirmation of the work he had completed from someone who was like his boss.
Druk- Druk-
In front of the red-haired woman who kept scrolling her mouse, Siwoo straightened his back for the first time in a while.
Until now, I was often reprimanded because there were many flaws in the details, but this time, with the help of artificial intelligence, I created a smooth and simple code, which naturally gave me confidence.
Sarah, who immediately saw Si-woo’s attitude, glanced at Si-woo and smiled.
“You seem quite confident, huh? “I see you’re not discouraged today.”
“Yes. “I think I did the best I could.”
Of course, it wasn’t really the best. It is only a correction as long as it does not raise suspicion or is pointed out.
However, even this was beyond Siwoo’s ability as he had not received formal education.
“It’s worth it. This time, I don’t really have anything to say. At your level, this is really good. “Better than I expected.”
“… Thank you.”
“What. It was a strange development. “Did you ever ask your seniors for editing?”
Sara’s question comes to mind right away. Siwoo was not embarrassed and just smiled.
“No way. “Are you the type of person that your seniors would ask for?”
“Okay. They are like that… Good job. “You can leave work today.”
“Yes! Thank you!”
Siwoo left Sara’s office in joy. Even as he passed between her collapsed sign and the wall, Siwoo’s steps continued to speed up.
Since Siwoo had never been able to master his abilities until now due to lack of personal space or time, he felt like something was finally coming to fruition.
Beep beep beep beep- beep- beep-
Si-woo unlocked the old-fashioned, familiar door lock and opened the dormitory door. In a dark old apartment with no light or electricity, several people who had no work today were lying around like corpses.
I’ve seen it a few times. Something naturally came to mind, so Siwoo frowned slightly and asked.
“Did the electricity go out today again?” ＜Br＞
“Uh. The internet was also cut off. “But you came early?”
“Yes. Well, it just so happened…”
It was an insincere answer, but they didn’t ask any more questions.
Another man looked at Siwoo as if he felt sorry for him and comforted him.
“You are so unlucky. Why do you have to leave work early on a day like this?”
“hahahaha. Iknow, right. But even with the Internet, why is the electricity cut off so often?”
“They said something was going to happen if they took out some of the electric lines going to the company and used them… I don’t know. “I didn’t listen properly because I didn’t want to see other gangsters bragging.”
This is the first time I have heard this from Siwoo, who has just left the rookie level.
When other curses were said, those who were almost dead began to wriggle one by one and say one word at a time.
“Ah, those bastards are kind of sh*t.”
“A little? “I want to kill those bastards every time they look down on me.”
“They are still on the revolutionary streets these days.”
“What kind of f*cking revolution are you talking about… “I just want to die, but I’m barely holding on.”
Siwoo listened to their conversation with a stern expression.
The organization he belonged to was like this.
Those who have already been broken. The broken one. A place where only those swallowed by despair remain.
That’s why Siwoo still remains here.
“That’s right. What is revolution? “That’s nonsense.”
Siwoo agreed with their words and mocked himself.
Knowing that their gossip doubles as an excuse for themselves.
Knowing that he, too, has already been swallowed up like them.