Trapped on a Terrifying Island, This Good-for-Nothing Just Wants to Survive

“It seems that the inhibitor is working,” Takuya Nozaka pointed at the monitoring data on the backend system.

Shingo Minae looked at the computer screen, following his gesture, then shook his head. “Showing me this is useless. I don’t understand these things. I just want to know why Airi had no issues when she hit the target, but malfunctioned after hitting the drone?”

“Have you watched ‘From the New World’?”

“Here we go again. Last time it was ‘Brave New World’, now it’s ‘From the New World’. Stop beating around the bush and just tell me,” Minae waved his hand dismissively.

“In ‘From the New World’, humans possess a psychic power known as ‘Cantus’. To prevent them from misusing this power and causing societal collapse, scientists implanted ‘Attack Inhibition’ and ‘Death Feedback’ into human genetics.”

[Note: “Attack Inhibition” is a mechanism added to DNA to suppress human aggressive impulses. It prevents humans with powerful Cantus from fighting among themselves.

“Death Feedback” is a compulsory and robust attack inhibition function in human genetics. Humans with this mechanism, when attempting to attack their own species (not necessarily humans) and during the cognitive process, unconsciously initiate ideomotor action, ceasing kidney and parathyroid function, leading to warning attacks such as unease, palpitations, and sweating;

If the attack continues, physiological low calcium plasma episodes lead to asphyxiation, or an abrupt increase in potassium concentration causes cardiac arrest. – Wikipedia]

Nozaka paused, then continued, “Notice the similarity? The combat inhibition mechanism I set is also based on the bioroid’s ‘cognition’.”

“So, in Airi’s cognition, shooting at a target is just practice, not combat, but downing a drone is combat?”

“Exactly.”

At this, Minae raised an objection: “But such a mechanism only takes effect after initiating an attack, more like a punishment than a deterrent. What if she first attacks a person instead of an object? Wouldn’t that cause irreparable harm? Seems a bit useless to me…”

“Um… That’s true. However, after several punishments and negative feedback, she will no longer initiate attacks.”

“So, you’re saying Airi has to malfunction many times?” Minae frowned and crossed his arms.

“Depends on the efficiency of machine learning. If it’s quick, once might be enough, but if it’s slow…”

“Wait, does this mechanism cause her pain?”

“Bioroids should only simulate human sensory systems, they’re not nearly as intelligent… right? The so-called ‘pain’ is just a bunch of data, sending alerts to the central processor, making her think she’s in discomfort.”

“How come you’re not confident? From what you’re saying, Airi would still feel pain, right? It’s just that her central processor receives non-biological electrical signals, while our brains receive biological electrical signals.”

“Well… I’ve never been a robot, so I don’t know.” Nozaka scratched his head.

“Come on, be a bit more reliable! You’re the developer of the romantic type, right?”

Nozaka quickly waved his hands in denial: “I’m not, I didn’t, don’t talk nonsense! I used the institute’s technology, just modified some parameters, transferred Airi’s brain data into it, and added a combat inhibitor…”

“Then just remove this damn combat core, it’s causing too much trouble.”

“No, no, no, this combat core is like a can of worms, can’t be removed just like that, otherwise it’ll create more problems.”

“Really can only lock it up? Always malfunctioning is not a solution, right?”

“I dare not unlock it. Last time, when the guard and exorcism types went berserk, if it weren’t for Airi controlling them in time, North Yaba might have turned into a sea of blood. Now it’s Airi’s turn, with a higher combat value…”

Nozaka swallowed nervously. He sighed heavily and continued:

“I suspect the original purpose of developing this robot by the institute wasn’t to help the owner protect their home, but to deploy it on the battlefield. Its nature is a humanoid weapon, so going berserk might not be a bug, but an inevitable mechanism. You get what I’m saying, right, Shingo?”

“Damn… that’s terrible!” Minae gasped, “Never mind that. When can Airi wake up? Souji is about to start school. He will be very sad if his beloved can’t see him off.”

“I got it, I’ll take responsibility and handle the issue properly,” Nozaka sighed, “You really care about your junior, huh?”

“Well, he always reminds me of my own brother.”

“That said, Shingo, aren’t you worried about your brother’s condition after fleeing to North Yaba? What if those people refuse to continue

his treatment?”

“There’s no need to worry anymore…” Minae lowered his head, smiling helplessly, “Because, from the beginning, they never intended to keep their promise. With the help of a friend from the Communications Engineering department, I contacted Japan’s top hospital. They said they never treated my brother.”

“So he’s now…”

“Dead.”

2.

Recently, Chirakushi Shrine received several anonymous warning letters, containing Han poems:

“The praying mantis catches the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. The rise and fall through ages past, again brings grief for humankind.” This is from Wen Tianxiang’s “Tombstone of an Unknown Grave.”

“The mantis is proud of its catch, thinking it has drawn a good lot. Little does it know that just for a meal, the oriole and magpie are already plotting.” From Yuan Fu’s “Poem on the Praying Mantis Catching the Cicada.”

“Human hearts fear the Xiezhi, while the oriole eyes the mantis.” From Wei Zhuang’s “Matching Zheng Shiwei’s Autumn Thoughts in a Hundred Rhymes.”

Even more audaciously, a band was formed outside the town of Chirakushi, playing the koto, shamisen, and shakuhachi, while singing “Moon Over the Ruined Castle” and reciting lines like “Where are the days of glory now, where have those people gone,” “Only the wind and rain rush through the pine woods, no more sound of string and song,” “The rise and fall of human life, in an instant, turns to vicissitudes.”

These all pointed fingers at the god incarnate.

The people of North Yaba were abuzz:

“It seems to be the work of the Godslayers again, claiming to be orioles and Xiezhi? They used to stick to assassinations, now they openly provoke.”

“Only the Godslayers? Maybe some ordinary residents are also incited? Should we explain to the public that the previous god incarnate has long passed away and that Airi is the true god incarnate, impossible to have ordered the massacre of the inner ring villagers due to mental issues?”

“Airi’s reputation has already been tarnished by malicious people, what good would explanations do? Besides, doing so might bring unnecessary trouble.”

“Even Godbu Toshiyuki-sensei never had the chance to slaughter the innocent! Wasn’t he confined in a room by the former Shrine Priest due to losing control and injuring someone, and assigned special care? These accusations are utterly unfounded.”

“How’s the contact with Miss Kasahara going?”

“There’s been no response these days.”

“Maybe she suspects we set a trap and refuses the invitation? Looks like we need to have Mr. Kasahara personally find her.”

“No, it’s too risky. Airi finally saved him…”