章 29: Card towers are meant to fall down (6)
Now, let's talk about the third scenario.
[Life and death: Scenario 3 #3945
Survive.]
Name: Life and death.
Only one rule: survive.
I think it is quite obvious where the danger comes at this point—that is, monsters and humans.
There was also a time limit of 7 days.
Of course, a penalty was unnecessary since, if we failed to survive, we would already be dead.
Now, let's talk about more subtle details.
After all, I needed him to fully understand the ins and outs of the situation so that he could properly answer me.
I know you're a smart guy.
Pointing at the rankings, I addressed DHB.
"What do you think about this?"
Like in the 1st scenario, he cooperated and pointed out the issues one by one.
"If I had to say, in the previous scenarios, the rankings were used to evaluate our performance and rewards. However, in the third scenario, rewards weren't mentioned, yet rankings were still inexplicably displayed in the sky. Thus, we can wonder the use of these rankings. Maybe they will be the basis of a future scenario?"
Were you the prophet here instead of me?
"The 'points' shown next to one's name also increase every time we kill a life form, whether it's a monster or a human."
Um… I know this because I wrote that novel, but you, you're not supposed to know that. Why do I feel like you tested it first-hand…?
"There is also that inexplicable change of colors of the system windows since the first scenario. I feel like this detail may be more important than it looks."
As expected from him, he had said everything that was on my mind.
If we were in a class, he would probably be a model student.
I asked him another question.
"Why do you think this apocalypse started?"
DHB was silent.
This should be a question that everyone has thought of at least once.
Why?
I have the answer.
I looked up at the sky.
"Imagine—hypothetically speaking—that this apocalypse is a big experience to determine whether humans deserve to live or if Earth should be destroyed."
Judging by his expression, DHB seemed to think my words were absurd.
Hey, my novel, my rules.
"The more people are killed, the redder the system window gets, and the less humans are worth. When the system window's color reaches a point of no return, humanity will be annihilated."
That is the true purpose of the scenarios.
That is also why I did Operation Card Tower.
Convincing the citizens to stop fighting temporarily prevented more monsters' deaths on our side, especially since these deaths were basically pointless as said monsters' number wouldn't decrease but would increase this scenario's kill count instead.
This was actually my main motive when I took control of the camp and negotiated with Cheon.
However, this was only a temporary solution.
That's why, I prepared another plan.
And what better way to prevent people from killing than by killing these same people?
Assuming that every person that died would have murdered many monsters in the future, then by killing them, humanity's kill count would be reduced in the long term, even after this scenario is over.
The monsters here couldn't disappear, but humans could.
Do I sound like a terrorist trying to explain their actions while claiming their genocide was for a good cause? Certainly.
"Scenarios exist to check humanity's worth."
I looked at him in the eyes and went to the main point.
"Keeping this in mind, if you had to find a loophole in this scenario, what would it be?"
DHB thought for a while.
"I can't find any aspect that should be changed."
There was no problem with this scenario.
"However, that doesn't mean it can't be improved."
Hmm?
DHB looked at me.
"Does that answer satisfy you?"
You are a genius.
I nodded my head.
"Thank you."
I can do what I wanted now.
I stared at the sky once more. The vast infinity of heaven seemed like a blank page to write on.
Then, I looked down at Norwood and made a wry smile.
I am going to save you this time.
'This story is coming to an end. So…'
「Let's rewrite it again.」
"Let's rewrite it again."
As if I was facing a computer, the skill filled in the code with my will.
「Code: 9512192 Scenario Objection」
It was one of the unused settings I had prepared. Although it didn't appear in my novel, it seems that it still worked.
Then, a system window appeared.
[The scenario's administrator will deal with your request.]
The scenario's administrator.
For example, let's take the first scenario. At least thousands of '1st scenarios' occurred.
All these scenarios were executed by the system, an AI.
However, imagine that there is an error in one of these thousands of scenarios. In that case, a person is needed to solve it.
The scenarios' administrators are the ones who conceive scenarios and intervene in these situations.
Now, I simply followed the procedure to call one of them.
Colors dulled and my surroundings came to a stop, as if time itself had frozen.
Then, the scenario's administrator appeared.
It was a woman dressed in a standard green suit, with shoulder-length hair and ordinary facial features. However, she gave off a majestic aura.
It's crazy, I always thought scenario administrators would have wings.
「What sort of unrealistic fantasy is this?」
This skill is getting more and more talkative. Is that my thoughts or your thoughts?
The system window showing that my skill was activated disappeared. However, there was never a notification saying it was deactivated. It's suspicious.
Was it actually a passive skill?
The administrator opened her mouth.
[What is your objection?]
Her voice sounded ethereal, but slightly robotic as well, as if it had been modified. Her tone without ups and downs also contributed to making it seem like it wasn't a human who was talking, but still the system.
Glancing at DHB's frozen figure for a moment, I organized my words.
'System's rules.'
Then, I opened the AI's rules and pointed to one of them.
"As the first rule says, 'the system's goal is to test if humanity deserves to survive'. However, the previous scenarios have broken that very rule."
I took a deep breath.
I mustn't make a mistake here.
[An error?]
I nodded.
"Yes. And, since the system's color changes when people or creatures are killed, I presume that humanity's worth depends on their morality, isn't that right?"
The administrator didn't affirm my words, but she didn't stop me either.
This reaction didn't discourage me so I continued.
"First, the 1st scenario's rules were to 'win three times at a game of luck or kill someone with our own hands'. However, this rule isn't balanced at all. It is supposed to test humans' morality yet it made it far easier to survive by resorting to crime. It would have been fairer had it been 'win one game of luck' or 'kill three people' instead. There's also the rule that makes it that if we don't do anything, nobody will die. If no one understands it, then it is impossible to choose that option."
I concluded my first objection.
"That particular rule is too cryptic and would be practical only in a situation where every participant of the area is smart enough to understand it, which has a very low probability of happening. In short, you are not testing which option humans would choose, but making it so that 'killing' seems more tempting. People are also suddenly thrust into an unfamiliar situation and told they must survive, so it's hard to think clearly. I ask for the main rule of the 1st scenario to be changed."
The administrator retorted,
[What is already done cannot be changed.]
I knew that.
However, I was also aware that there was one exception.
"Indeed, that's why I am not finished. Now, let's continue with the 2nd scenario, which contains a big flaw."
I pointed to another system rule.
"The system only concerns players, yet defenseless ordinary people were involved in the 2nd scenario. Moreover, the barrier around the scenario area indiscriminately blocked both players and ordinary people. That's also a breach in the rules. After all, how could people who haven't received skills nor experienced the 1st scenario defend themselves? There are unable to see system windows as well so they wouldn't know what is happening."
The administrator waited for my next words, seemingly accepting my argument.
Until now, what I've criticized is the scenarios' fairness. However, it would be harder to do so for the 3rd scenario.
If I couldn't convince her, it would be all for nothing.
"As for the 3rd scenario… There is no problem with it."
I eyed the frozen DHB.
"Yet, that doesn't mean it can't be improved."
I thought back to the past few days.
"We arrived in this scenario while only being told to survive. There wasn't even any reward mentioned. However, the fact that our position in the rankings was rewarded in the past scenarios could influence people to believe that it would be the same now. Wouldn't adding a rule that the act of killing monsters won't be rewarded be better? And I know why the rankings are there, but showing them doesn't even seem necessary right now."
As I spoke, I found new ways to improve the scenario that I hadn't thought about.
"From a psychological point of view, it seems like you have been tilting the balance toward murder. People aren't even aware that monsters won't decrease in number when one is killed. Also, we need to defend ourselves, and in certain situations, not killing monsters would be akin to suicide for weaker people, yet there aren't any safe zones."
I nodded to myself.
"It's a 'kill or be killed' situation. At this rate, if you determine humanity indeed 'deserves to live', it would be when we have already been annihilated because people decided to die instead of killing, which would render the scenarios pointless since humanity needs to be alive to let you decide whether we should be spared or not. In other words, please change it."
I have no idea whether what I'm saying makes sense or not.
[What is your point?]
I once again pointed to another rule.
"As stated here, if an error in a scenario is reported, the corresponding procedure is to make adjustments and restart the scenario in question. Of course, since I'm the one who reported the error, I would like to retain my memories as compensation for your mistake."
I looked into the administrator's eyes.
Now that I had pleaded my case, it was time to check if I would be a good lawyer.
"As per the procedure, please restart the last 3 scenarios."
The administrator stared back at me.
Then, she looked at the air for a moment, her eyes seeming lost in thought, until her gaze returned to me.
[After you start this procedure, the scenarios' rules will be locked. You won't be able to restart it again even if you find an error.]
I know.
It was something I could only do once.
[Moreover, to avoid people abusing of this rule, it will also be impossible for you to request future scenarios to be restarted.]
"I know."
The administrator peered into my eyes a last time.
Then, I heard a notification from the system.
[Your request has been accepted.]
The administrator disappeared, leaving me alone in this frozen world where time was about to be rewound.
I looked down at Norwood and smiled sadly.
[According to the procedure, scenarios 1, 2 and 3 will restart.]
I will bring you back.
[Good luck.]
I don't know a lot of things.
However, I at least know what I can do well.
I am skilled at imitating.
To take the right pieces of stories and organize them in the best order.
To take in the information to anticipate the possible futures, and the consequences of my actions.
I can analyze people's behaviors and reproduce it.
Do I prefer books? Or is it reading? Writing? Stories?
I don't know that either.
Sometimes I can pick up a textbook like it's the most interesting thing there is, and at other times I am picky and refuse to read some stories.
There are stories I like, stories I don't like, stories I criticize, stories that inspire me, stories I find boring, and some I don't want to read but that I still read.
Sometimes reading is like a chore, and I count the number of chapters left to read. Sometimes I just want to close my eyes and am tired of reading. But in the end, I still do it out of my own volition.
Writing is the same.
I am like a blank page waiting to be written on, swayed by the stories I come across.
So, now, I'd like to write on this page. I would like my words to affect reality and reach others.
For once…
Let's write a happier story, okay?
Then, a pitch-black notification, unlike the previous green or red ones, appeared in front of my eyes.
{The system has noticed your existence.}
My sight was engulfed by darkness.
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