[Mechanical Era: Endless Ferry]
Merk stared unblinkingly at the strange flesh monster standing by the cabin door. He watched as it slowly entered the dining hall, its eyes opening wide and scanning the surroundings.
Rustle—Rustle—
The moment its eyes opened, countless other eyes of the same color appeared on the flesh that covered the entire dining hall. Packed tightly together, the dark abyss-like pupils reflected every corner of the room.
“Ahhh!!!”
“Noooo!!!”
A few robots accidentally locked eyes with one of these eyes, and they screamed in agony, clutching their heads and squatting down, too afraid to look up again. It seemed they had been attacked on an electromagnetic level, and their expressions became dazed.
This caused even more panic among the robots in the dining hall. They had never seen such a bizarre ability before. Just making eye contact could destroy their neural systems. Not even the most advanced high-tech military equipment of the robots could achieve such terrifying effects. It was like something straight out of a grotesque fantasy novel.
A filthy, inferior carbon-based lifeform could actually harm robots so easily! The robots were beyond terrified.
Merk also made eye contact with the creature, but perhaps because he too was of flesh and blood, he didn’t feel pain. Instead, he seemed to see fragments of information containing mysterious knowledge. His already awakened self-consciousness was further liberated.
Merk's brain received an overwhelming influx of information, as if he had undergone a baptism. He looked around in a daze, feeling like the world had changed. If before everything was cold, mechanical, and cruel, then now the flesh-covered cabin was warm, filled with soft, inviting light, as beautiful and wondrous as the heaven described in robot literature.
And he was a devout believer, guided by the deity to receive wisdom, and destined to enter paradise under divine guidance.
[&*%...$#]
At the door, the strange creature made of flesh muttered unintelligible gibberish after observing the situation in the dining hall for a while. All the robots who heard this gibberish groaned in pain, except for the Biotic Humans, who were unaffected.
Suddenly, the flesh covering the walls of the dining hall seemed to come alive. It let out a hissing whisper, and like vines growing in an ancient, eerie forest of flesh, tentacles sprouted and started thrashing around the room. Each tentacle was covered in eyes, swaying erratically, as if deciding which person to grab for food.
“What the hell is this monster?!”
Several robots' electronic eyes flickered with red light as their mental circuits began to unravel. They were already on the brink of collapse in this suffocating cabin, and now, faced with this grotesque flesh monster that defied their understanding, their already fragile sanity shattered.
“I’ve had enough! Let me out!!”
The tentacles hovering above seemed pleased by their panic. One shot forward, snatching up a robot passenger and dragging them before the flesh creature at the door.
The tentacle wasn’t exactly holding the robot; it was more accurate to say it was biting him. Merk saw that the tentacle, sprouting from the wall, revealed razor-sharp fangs hidden beneath the crimson flesh, which gnawed into the robot’s hardened exterior.
“Ahhh!! Let me go! No! I don’t want to die! Spare me!!!”
Amidst the agony of being devoured, the robot momentarily regained clarity. He wept, his screams relentless. Though the robot's outer shell had no pain receptors, the agony inflicted by the tentacles seemed to pierce straight through to his soul, making even the once mighty robot, capable of slaughtering Biotic Humans with ease, wish for death.
Merk watched as the tentacles bit into the robot's arm, their sharp teeth sinking effortlessly into the metal exterior. The arm, supposedly as hard as diamond, cracked and shattered in mere seconds.
“Ahhh—!!!”
The robot screamed, his electronic eyes flickering as his strength began to fade. Merk knew that this weakened robot was about to die.
The flesh monster, watching the dying robot struggle, seemed perplexed for a moment. It raised its hand, and another robot was lifted off the ground.
This time, the captured robot was someone Merk knew well—his master, Asas.
“Damn it! Filthy scum! Let go of me! Get lost!!!”
Asas thrashed around in fury and fear, but no matter how much he struggled, he couldn’t break free from the seemingly soft, yet unyielding, grip of the flesh. His murky electronic eyes filled with terror as he stared down at the horrific creature below, much like the Biotic Humans he had once killed so mercilessly, now gripped by a similar fear of death.
The other robots in the dining hall, witnessing the tentacles wreaking havoc and hearing Asas’s fearful cries, shrank back in horror. The deeply ingrained belief that "flesh is weak and disgusting" had been utterly shattered by this nightmarish existence.
Before today, no one had ever imagined that the soft, pitiful flesh could wield such terrifying power, rendering robots utterly helpless. In the robots’ contemptuous worldview, anything made of flesh was inherently filthy, unable to resist the might of machines. Even the Biotic Humans, artificial beings of flesh, were relegated to the lowest ranks of society.
Some radical robots even believed that all carbon-based lifeforms should be exterminated. Robots, as the rightful rulers of this planet, had always maintained a sense of superiority.
But now, that arrogance was gone. They didn’t dare look into the eyes made of flesh, afraid of the unknown flow of information that would assault their fragile central processing units. They didn’t dare approach the grotesque tentacles spreading through the dining hall, terrified of becoming the next victim.
For the robots raised in a materialistic society, if someone told them now that this creature was the God of Flesh, they would believe it without hesitation.
The unfathomable spiritual and physical power of this being filled them with despair. The mere sight of it inflicted unbearable pain. The ever-growing tentacles, thick as vines in a dense forest, completely covered the dining hall, and the strength they radiated was so overwhelming, so divine, that resistance seemed impossible.
At this moment, everything happening aboard the terrifying ferry felt like an unending nightmare. There would be no reprieve, only death. Faced with their impending doom, the once proud robots lowered their heads in despair.
In the dining hall, the tentacles that held Asas seemed to have learned a lesson, handling him more gently now as they brought him before the flesh monster.
The flesh monster stared at the robot passenger for a moment, then, in the next instant, a barrel of oil marked "One Kilogram" appeared in the cabin.
For the robots, who had been starving for half a month, that barrel of oil was like the last drop of water in a desert. Every robot stared at it with a mix of shock and greed, scarcely believing their eyes.
Though they knew the terrifying flesh creature was dangerous, the allure of food was too much. Several starving robots’ electronic eyes glowed red as they considered rushing to snatch the precious sustenance.
Even if it was a trap, they didn’t care. All they wanted was to fill their bellies before they died, to at least die with a full stomach.
However, before they could act, the barrel of oil vanished. Its sudden disappearance was even more shocking, and the robots, caught between joy and despair, were left almost hysterical. They looked up, their gazes dull and lifeless.
In midair, Asas, who had been screaming moments ago, had grown silent. The entire dining hall fell into an eerie stillness.
Suspended in the air, Asas now looked lifeless. Precious black oil seeped from his body. His once bright electronic eyes were now dark, like empty sockets, leaking oil.
His mouth was torn wide open, spewing oil like a deflated balloon pricked with countless holes, oil dripping incessantly from his body. Yet, despite his extreme hunger, Asas made no attempt to swallow the oil, as if he was no longer a living robot but merely a container that had ruptured, leaking its precious contents.
Merk watched silently, his expression unchanged. His focus remained on the flesh monster, whose strange beauty seemed to captivate him. It was clear that his former master’s death meant nothing to him.
Seeing another passenger fall into a coma, the flesh monster seemed even more troubled. It let go of the barely breathing robotic passenger and turned its gaze to the crowd in the restaurant.
“Hiss——!!!”
Watching the second robot grievously injured and on the verge of death, many of the robots were terrified, and their appetite for oil was completely frightened away by the horrific scene. Seeing that the flesh monster seemed eager to torment someone again, they hurriedly curled up under the dining tables. Those who couldn’t find a place to hide shrank into balls, trembling and constantly praying for protection from their omnipotent Machine God.
Only the Biotic Humans who had not received orders remained standing, expressionlessly watching the flesh monster. They had no emotions, but something deep within prevented them from looking away.
Rustle, rustle——
Countless agile, terrifying tentacles surged toward the Biotic Humans, effortlessly capturing those without any resistance and dragging them in front of their master.
Merk was among them. He was bound, sitting on the ground, staring unblinkingly at the nearby flesh monster. Such close contact ignited a fervent desire to worship in his heart. His deeply awakened self-awareness was mesmerized by every line of this great existence, convinced that no creation in the world could ever compare to such perfection.
The robots in the restaurant, seeing the flesh monster’s new targets were the Biotic Humans, breathed a sigh of relief, their expressions relaxing considerably.
In their eyes, the Biotic Humans weren’t truly alive. Even if they died miserably before them, it wouldn’t evoke the same empathy as seeing their kind suffer earlier. Feeling their lives were temporarily safe, they found solace, and their minds, unsettled by the pervasive flesh, calmed down.
Many robots gazed at the nearby Biotic Humans with schadenfreude.
The increasingly twisted minds of the robots eagerly anticipated seeing the Biotic Humans die as miserably as their kin had earlier. After all, if the noble robots had been tormented so pathetically, these lowly carbon-based creatures should suffer even more, to quell their inner discontent and resentment.
Only the suffering of others could give value to their survival.
That was what the robots thought. But things didn’t go as they had hoped. The screams of the Biotic Humans never came.
After tying the Biotic Humans together, the tentacles ceased their actions. The flesh monster, standing at the cabin door, a perfect embodiment of madness and ugliness, tilted its head and looked at the Biotic Humans.
All the Biotic Humans who met the deep, deformed eyes couldn’t look away.
Then, a table full of delectable food appeared before the Biotic Humans. Though disgusting to the robots, they knew these were delicious delicacies for the Biotic Humans.
This stark contrast in treatment left the robots, who had yearned for blood and screams, in stunned silence. They couldn’t believe what they were seeing as the Biotic Humans began to eat. Finally, the robots voiced their questions loudly.
“Why?!!! Why aren’t you killing these Biotic Humans?! Kill them already!!!”
“Damn Biotic Humans! I knew it! I knew it! Damn it! They’re in cahoots with these demons!!!”
“Damn it, Number 102! Kill yourself! Stop eating! How dare you eat without my orders!!!”
Jealous of the preferential treatment given to the Biotic Humans, the robots, who had previously been too frightened to speak under the flesh monster’s brutality, now screamed wildly. They couldn’t bear to see the lowly Biotic Humans living better than themselves. This disparity stoked a fiery rage, and every robot turned manic, wishing to tear the Biotic Humans apart.
Though they couldn’t defeat the terrifying flesh monster, these disobedient Biotic Humans, who dared defy their master’s orders, deserved to be torn apart.
Food appeared on the ground, and Merk, ignoring the commotion around him, gazed at the godlike flesh monster before him. Though he couldn’t see its expression, he understood its intent and immediately picked up a piece of soft meat, devouring it ravenously.
The food, bestowed by the god itself, was unlike anything Merk had stolen before. Warmth flowed from his throat to his stomach, spreading throughout his body. Merk saw his fractured arm heal rapidly, and an unprecedented sense of power surged through his fragile flesh.
This was... divine grace.
A line of thought appeared in Merk’s mind. As a Biotic Human without any faith, for the first time, he felt an overwhelming desire to worship a deity. It was as if the god had bestowed him with wisdom and now had given him sustenance.
This was the benevolent grace the god had bestowed upon the Biotic Humans.
He suddenly realized how to address this great and perfect existence before him.
“God... God of Flesh! Praise be to You!”
Merk opened his pupils, which had changed from blue to black. For the first time, his previously emotionless face revealed a clear emotional expression—devotion.
He knelt, his tall figure performing a standard bow, as if worshiping in a sacred hall, with the greatest god before him.
The other Biotic Humans, who had also consumed the food, opened their eyes, their black pupils identical to Merk’s—or perhaps similar to the God of Flesh.
Their glowing eyes gazed fanatically at the twisted figure of the God of Flesh before them, following Merk’s movements in devout worship.
“Praise be to You! God of Flesh!”
What was once emotionless, unfeeling Biotic Humans now collectively praised the greatness of the god, an act that chilled the previously outraged robots to their cores, as if witnessing the arrival of the apocalypse.
What... what is happening?
The robots were in a daze.
In the society of robots, a theory had once been proposed: what would happen when Biotic Humans, who occupied the entire lower tier of labor and were indispensable tools for society’s operation, developed self-awareness?
The theory had been ridiculed. After all, it was impossible for Biotic Humans without consciousness to threaten the existence of robots. Lowly flesh could never develop the consciousness possessed only by noble robots.
This view dominated society, and no one believed such a day would come, let alone imagined it would arrive so suddenly.
Seeing the Biotic Humans, now full of life and expression, all the robots displayed fear.
And then, the God of Flesh left. It seemed indifferent to the Biotic Humans who worshipped it. After seeing them finish eating, it vanished from the cabin, along with the tentacles and flesh that had spread throughout the restaurant. Everyone blinked and found themselves back in their cabins.
The journey was far from over, but the awakening of the Biotic Humans filled the once-arrogant robots with fear. They resolved to eliminate these abnormal Biotic Humans as soon as they returned.
All the robots understood: they could not let these awakened individuals spread throughout the entire robot society. That would be a catastrophe unlike anything the robots had ever faced.
In his cabin, Merk recorded every word and action of the god on paper.
He now knew his mission. The god was the greatest existence in this world. It protected those of flesh and even Biotic Humans like him. To repay this divine protection, he had only one task: to manifest the god’s glory before the world, so more believers would know of the god’s mercy and greatness.
The first step, then, was to purge the heretics on this ship who followed other faiths.
Merk lifted his head and, with an expressionless face, gazed through the cabin window at the deep night outside.
This was the supreme mission bestowed upon him by the God of Flesh.
------------------------------------------------------------
Reality
Ke Su shut down the page of "Endless Ferry" and watched a video of "Plague Doctor" before taking a break. After getting stuck in "Manor’s Old Tales" and growing irritable, he felt his recent state wasn’t good, so he decided to rest before playing again.
For the next few days, Ke Su played games on and off while focusing on job hunting, working part-time as a ferry captain for passengers.
But for some reason, the number of passengers kept dwindling, and the decline was too rapid. Ke Su began to suspect something was wrong with his method of rearing them.
However, seeing that the remaining Biotic Humans were in good condition, he dismissed his doubts. It seemed he was doing just fine, and the fast-dying robots were simply a problem with the game design, not his fault.
The joy of captaining soothed Ke Su's inner frustrations. One day, as he opened the game, preparing to tackle Manor’s Old Tales again, he noticed that a new guide button had been added to the game.
Curious, Ke Su clicked on it and found a comprehensive guide for every possible ending. It seemed the developers had realized their game was too difficult, so they provided players with this assistive walkthrough.
As Ke Su skimmed through the guide, he received an email notification: a job interview invitation.
“Ken's Insurance Company?”
“Ken's Insurance? More like Scam Insurance,” Ke Su chuckled at the company’s name, thinking it fit the capitalist nature—ruthless and exploitative.
In recent days, Ke Su has been submitting resumes online everywhere. Due to dropping out of college, not many companies were willing to take him on. It was rare for one company to send him an interview invitation, and Ke Su was eager to check it out. He reviewed the scheduled interview time: next Monday. Today was Saturday, so there was still plenty of time.
Ke Su stretched and marked the interview date on his electronic calendar, preparing to go when the time came. He had to find a job soon; otherwise, he wouldn’t even be able to afford the electricity bills. As a heavy electronic product user, he feared he’d go crazy without it.
After noting the time, Ke Su opened up a game again, intending to finish Insect World: Manor’s Old Tales over the weekend so that he wouldn’t be distracted when he started working.
He clicked on the game’s screen. It was already nighttime in the game world. Ke Su found the playable character, Dell, and using the arrow keys, started progressing through the game.
With the strategy guide in hand, this time, he was determined to beat the game successfully.
Ke Su shut down the page of "Endless Ferry" and watched a video of "Plague Doctor" before taking a break. After getting stuck in "Manor’s Old Tales" and growing irritable, he felt his recent state wasn’t good, so he decided to rest before playing again.
For the next few days, Ke Su played games on and off while focusing on job hunting, working part-time as a ferry captain for passengers.
But for some reason, the number of passengers kept dwindling, and the decline was too rapid. Ke Su began to suspect something was wrong with his method of rearing them.
However, seeing that the remaining Biotic Humans were in good condition, he dismissed his doubts. It seemed he was doing just fine, and the fast-dying robots were simply a problem with the game design, not his fault.
The joy of captaining soothed Ke Su's inner frustrations. One day, as he opened the game, preparing to tackle Manor’s Old Tales again, he noticed that a new guide button had been added to the game.
Curious, Ke Su clicked on it and found a comprehensive guide for every possible ending. It seemed the developers had realized their game was too difficult, so they provided players with this assistive walkthrough.
As Ke Su skimmed through the guide, he received an email notification: a job interview invitation.
“Ken's Insurance Company?”
“Ken's Insurance? More like Scam Insurance,” Ke Su chuckled at the company’s name, thinking it fit the capitalist nature—ruthless and exploitative.
In recent days, Ke Su has been submitting resumes online everywhere. Due to dropping out of college, not many companies were willing to take him on. It was rare for one company to send him an interview invitation, and Ke Su was eager to check it out. He reviewed the scheduled interview time: next Monday. Today was Saturday, so there was still plenty of time.
Ke Su stretched and marked the interview date on his electronic calendar, preparing to go when the time came. He had to find a job soon; otherwise, he wouldn’t even be able to afford the electricity bills. As a heavy electronic product user, he feared he’d go crazy without it.
After noting the time, Ke Su opened up a game again, intending to finish Insect World: Manor’s Old Tales over the weekend so that he wouldn’t be distracted when he started working.
He clicked on the game’s screen. It was already nighttime in the game world. Ke Su found the playable character, Dell, and using the arrow keys, started progressing through the game.
With the strategy guide in hand, this time, he was determined to beat the game successfully.
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