Crossing the World
XXXIII - Shelters - Earth (Karen)

I consulted with the AI regarding a suitable corporate candidate to build my game. According to him, Palapa Inc is a promising candidate. Therefore, I agreed to make direct contact with them.

On the same day after I consulted with AI, I returned to earth and started writing an email that I addressed to Palapa Inc staff. To get them interested, I even wrote down in detail the virtual reality project I was developing. After successfully getting them interested, I asked for an appointment at a restaurant in the South Jakarta area the following week.

All right, now just put together a device that will be used to control the avatar in the game.

"Aren't the capsules we use enough?"

AI expressed her opinion when I consulted on this.

It's true that the capsule I used was enough to accommodate my game, even more than enough. However, it was because of these advantages that made me think twice about bringing him to earth.

"Isn't the capsule too advanced? I want to bring something a little old-fashioned over there."

"I can reconstruct the first generation of VR, but there will be a lot of problems. The sensor reads the brain's command signal and translates the body's command slower by a fraction of a second so that there will be a delay in each avatar's movement."

If I use a device that has a delay, problems may arise. It was true that the numbers were not too many, just a split second, but any slow response would be fatal at the time of the fight. The slow response of the controller system will be felt when the player is in full combat mode.

"Then, can't you use the latest sensor in first-generation VR?"

"That's impossible. Insufficient hardware specifications and potentially endanger users. It's better to use an existing VR capsule instead of stringing together an inappropriate system."

I didn't expect the discussion of VR machines to be a bit of a hassle. Do I have to give up and choose the latest capsule to take to earth? What are the dangers of carrying such technology? I don't think it'll cause any trouble even if I bring it.

All right, let's take what's there instead of having to bother designing something old-fashioned.

When I was about to give an order regarding this matter, the AI suddenly came up with something interesting.

"What if you use a motion sensor system instead of translating brain signals?"

I immediately asked him to explain the concept he mentioned.

"The VR control we have always run through one similar system. The commands are temporarily blocked through a brain machine interface chip that can disrupt the brain's command signals that pass through the neck. As a result, the user's body will lie paralyzed without being able to move in the slightest. Furthermore, any signals sent by the brain will be captured and translated just before being messed up through the same chip. The translation of the command is sent to the virtual brain of the avatar to be controlled. Through the process, the virtual body will move to follow the orders of the brain and the original body remains lying as if it were asleep."

Well ... I understand roughly the concept of this VR. The entire virtual senses also work through the same system. The stimuli received in the virtual world will be sent through the avatar nerve to the virtual brain. This form of stimulation will be translated into brainwave form which is then sent into the user's brain in realtime. As a result, unless given certain limitations, the experience in the virtual world is really difficult to distinguish from the real world.

"The system I'm talking about this time is a little different. By using an accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, ambient light and a primorial compass of electrons, we can record every movement on the body and embed the same motion on the avatar's body. Using this principle will make their movements realtime and reduce the workload of the brain's command signal interpreter. A much lighter load will eliminate the delay that occurs in the process of catching stimuli from the virtual world. So, both movement and the process of receiving stimuli from the senses will run without delay."

"So, their bodies will still move in the real world?"

Using a motion sensor means that the sensor itself needs movement to be able to record commands. In that case, a jamming chip that is directly behind the neck should not be used to immobilize the user. The users will keep moving when they are fulldive into the game.

"really so. I can't believe you've caught my explanation well."

This fuck ..he used to insult me at a time like this.

Let's hold the emotion for later. There was still something to discuss about the VR controller system he had just proposed.

"Isn't it dangerous to let someone who is in a fulldive state move his body?"

Can move when fulldive means potentially resulting in an accident. For example, as they ran in the virtual world, their real bodies ran as well. They could have hit a wall or something while running around without being able to see around. Obviously this is very dangerous.

"We can use the principle of repelling a magnet and make the user float a few inches from the surface. Moving as wild as anything, as long as they floated in a magnetic cage, their position would remain in the center of the cage."

Using a magnet to make someone float, it looks quite interesting. After all, technology drifting like this is nothing new on earth. Merely, using it to make someone float was a concept that had never been thought of at all. I'm sure people will be enthusiastic about this.

"Understand."

My business at the shelter is done. Now it's just waiting for the day I'll talk to one of the staff about the game I'm going to release. Therefore, I returned to earth and waited for the day of the meeting to arrive.

At ten o'clock in the morning on the day that we would meet, I was already at the meeting place, one of the restaurants located in Dharmawangsa area, South Jakarta. As a precaution, I also brought Johan and the two robots controlled by Aura. The three of them were placed across the street, facing right towards the entrance of the restaurant.

I won't let anything bad happen to me again.

The menu I chose was of course the best meal I've ever tasted, Fried Rice! No matter where it is, my food will remain the same!

Actually, there were some strange menus when I saw them. Like, Long Life Noodles and Aromatic Chicken. Will it be after eating the noodles that I live long? I also wonder if the aroma of Aromatic Chicken is much more delicious than ordinary chicken dishes?

Too bad! No matter what your name, I will never turn away from fried rice!

By the time my order arrived, I realized there was a slight error in the way I ordered a meal. I mean, there's no rule against me ordering more than one main menu. Wouldn't it be okay if I ordered Aromatic Chicken or Longevity Noodles next to ordering fried rice?

Because the amount of food is very limited on my planet, the shelter strictly prohibits additional ordering when eating. We eat only for the purpose of survival, not satisfaction. Therefore, saving food is one of the most important policies in the shelter. It is this habit that has influenced my mindset until now.

"Maybe sometime." I let out a breath. Next time I have to satisfy myself by ordering various kinds of food.

The fried rice in front of me began to eat slowly, enjoying every taste contained in it. The sweet and salty taste that mixes perfectly gives a unique taste of its own. In addition, the burning sensation caused by the spiciness of chili seed granules adds to the enjoyment of each chew.

Thank goodness I am alive today.

While I was still enjoying the amazing food in front of me, my eyeballs connected to Johan who was standing not far from the entrance of the restaurant suddenly saw something quite surprising. I coughed a few times when I realized it.

"Why is that guy here?!"

Through the two robotic eyeballs connected by parallel consciousness-sharing abilities, I saw the figure of a young girl walking towards the entrance of the restaurant. Her face was clearly not an indigenous with brown curly hair made me instantly recognize her with just a glance.

That girl, no longer wrong. She was the same girl at the time. He was the one who spoke to me through T-13 and knew almost all of my purpose in coming to earth.

Did he just happen to be here? There's no way he's coming here to see me, is he? No, no, looking at the behavior of others with him, I'm sure they did come to see me.

Another teenage girl was walking next to the brunette. The gaze directed by the black-haired mysterious girl pointed right at me, as if all the objects blocking the view between us meant nothing to him. Seeing him like that made me believe they had indeed come to face me.

The question now is what was the purpose of meeting me? Do I have to face them or choose to avoid them? Come think ... think carefully!

While I was still confused to take my best move, the brunette - who had now entered the restaurant - suddenly grabbed her head while showing a look of agony. His steps became dazed and several times crashed into the rows of tables around him. His brown eyeballs then looked straight at me who was still confused. Shortly after, his body collapsed hitting the floor and making everyone panic.

By the time she fell, my connection with Johan and the other two cyborgs had somehow also been cut off as if something was interfering with my network of consciousness. Not only that, my mind was even a little dazed like someone who was a little drunk. My mind cannot focus on a single point for a long time, just like being in a dream. It gets worse over time.

What unpleasant feeling is this? Why was my mind suddenly disturbed?

Putting everything aside and taking advantage of the panic inside the restaurant, I sent a message to Aura through the wireless communicator.

[Bring Johan and get back home!]

Without waiting for an answer from Aura, I immediately activated the portable teleporter in my glove and made a leap towards the shelter. It was fortunate that the brown-haired girl's stupor was more than enough of a distraction. So, I'm sure no one is aware of the loss of my existence. Also, as a precautionary measure, just before I made the space jump, all the cctv footage inside the restaurant was damaged through the wireless communicator so my jump was impossible to detect through the footage.

I need to discuss this with AI immediately. I hope today's events aren't a bad sign.