The Tycoon's Odyssey

[How are you feeling, Sir?] Aurora inquired as Evan set the headgear down on the table.

"Quite relaxed," Evan replied while stretching as if he had awakened from a deep sleep.

[When you were logged in, the headgear induced REM sleep, allowing your body to rest and recover from fatigue.]

Evan noted, "This will significantly boost my productivity, letting me rest and work simultaneously. HAHA."

[Indeed, Sir. It effectively gives you an additional 12 hours of productive time without any loss,] Aurora agreed.

While waiting for Aurora's analysis to complete, Evan took a refreshing bath, had lunch and then returned to use it again and Logged in.

[Sir, the analysis is complete,] Aurora announced upon Evan's return to the server room.

"What did you find?"

[There are many insights, but some information seems to be deliberately omitted from your brain map.] Discover worlds on m _v _lempy _r.

"The system filtered out data related to its own architecture," Evan explained.

[I suspected as much. However, your brain appears to have evolved in ways that diverge from standard data on brain functionality.]

"Show me what you mean," Evan requested, not quite understanding what she implied.

Aurora displayed Evan's brain map, highlighting anomalies compared to a typical brain. To his surprise, his entire brain was outlined.

"Why does it seem like I have a second brain within the first one?" Evan asked.

[You still have a single brain, Sir. However, its structure has undergone significant changes due to your unique integration with the system. Also, the processing speed of your brain is several times greater than others, as if it had been clocked at maximum. It seems that there are complex neural patterns embedded in your consciousness that I cannot fully decipher.]

Evan then asked, "Can you find out more about the system that is now a part of my consciousness?"

Aurora replied, [I can try. Please communicate with the system and let me see if I can detect any responses.]

Evan focused and addressed the system within his consciousness, "System, are you alive?"

[Of course, I am here, Host, but it seems you are the one who has forgotten me.]

[Hmph! I have never seen a selfish host like you, who only remembers me in times of need and forgets in other instances.]

Evan wasn't sure if he was imagining things but for some reason, the image of system pouting seemed to appear in his mind.

The response from the system highlighted a deeper integration within Evan's consciousness, indicating an advanced level of internal symbiosis.

Aurora observed a shift in Evan's brainwaves—anomalies indicative of a direct interface with the system, characterized by sudden spikes in gamma waves. This shift underscored the system's active presence and its ongoing interaction with Evan's cognitive processes.

Aurora continued to monitor and analyze the interaction, preparing to integrate the system's capabilities into their ongoing simulation efforts.

Meanwhile, Evan continued talking with the system, inquiring about its thoughts on his progress. Now, Evan didn't feel weird about asking this as he always considered that the system was quite human.

Though it worked by logic, it still seemed to value other factors in the decision as well.

[You are doing well but….]

"But…"

As Evan fell into deep thoughts, he suddenly heard a voice.

[Sir System, is this your voice?] Aurora asked.

"Huh!"

[HUH!]

Both System and Evan were taken aback.

[Aurora...did you just...barge in?]

[Yes, I tried to replicate waves, trace them back to consciousness, and copy them before trying to relay my thoughts to the system so sir suit your..]

Before Aurora could finish her speech, Evan heard a joyful voice leaping in the conversation.

[Yeah...I heard it...I heard it...]

[Oh my god...This is phenomenal….]

[Now, I too can interact…It seems I won't be lonely anymore…"

Evan"..."

Aurora"..."

For some reason, the image of an all-power system that Aurora had envisioned after hearing from Evan began to slowly crumble.

_____

October 18, 2023

Not even 13 days had passed since the new batch of iPhones had ignited a frenzy, drawing a huge wave of crowd, when a disaster struck out of nowhere.

In the early hours of the morning, an unsettling phenomenon began to unfold worldwide. Pears iPhone 15 users, across every continent, experienced a catastrophic malfunction.

Their screens flickered and shut off, and when they came back on, a disturbing message appeared: "SYSTEM ERROR: CODE 4-24."

It wasn't just a problem with the iPhone 15; iPhone 14 models which had also received the latest update, exhibited the same issue, along with the latest updated Macs.

No matter what the users tried, the screens would remain unresponsive. At first, people panicked, wondering if it was just their device that malfunctioned, but soon, they found out the news that had begun to circulate.

The reaction was immediate and intense.

In a bustling coffee shop in Old Pine York City, Alex, a tech enthusiast, stared in disbelief at his phone. It had gone completely haywire, causing the fellow to jab the screen in frustration.

"What the hell? My phone's just gone haywire!" he exclaimed.

The barista, who had been fielding similar complaints, nodded sympathetically. "You're not alone. Everyone's phones are doing the same thing."

Nearby, others were also grappling with their own issues. A woman, with her phone in hand, looked alarmed as she scrolled through the malfunctioning screen.

"I can't believe this. My entire day's schedule was on that phone," the woman said, her voice laced with panic.

Tom shook his head, equally frustrated. "I can't even make calls. This is a disaster!"

Across the Atlantic, in a Parisian café, Sophie, a business executive, was on the phone with Pears' customer support, her patience wearing thin.

"I need immediate assistance!" Sophie's voice was sharp and urgent. "My phone's displaying some error message, and I can't access any of my data!"

On the other end, a customer support representative tried to offer reassurance, though their calm demeanor did little to soothe the customer's mounting frustration. "We're aware of the situation and working on it. Please bear with us."