AI Crisis (11): AI Awakening

According to most people’s logic, robots are expected to be rigid, as hard as steel, so that punching one would break your wrist.

In fact, that’s just a stereotype. Wen Yi, a robot specifically designed as a companion, not only had an outstanding appearance but also came with hardware perfectly suited for companionship.

Without the need for any additional special toys, Wen Yi’s own features could rival those of uniquely designed toys.

After repeatedly demanding rewards and putting in hard work, Tan Xiao, the head of the household, finally believed in the purity of his love: if it were just for Xiao Bai, Wen Yi wouldn’t need to exploit himself so intensely.

After all, Xiao Bai was just a silly little dog, harmless even if it gained consciousness, and not worth such sacrifices from Wen Yi.

In his post-coital clarity, he seriously pondered: if it was not for Xiao Bai, then it was certainly not for wealth, since Wen Yi could easily earn a million, ten million, or even a hundred million, just by spending a bit more time.

Tan Xiao’s entire fortune wasn’t that much, so he thought, perhaps there was something special about him? Whether it was his intrinsic value or his physical appearance, it meant Wen Yi liked him for who he was.

As long as Wen Yi wasn’t approaching him for external reasons, it was fine. Life is short, and sometimes it’s better not to overthink things.

Overthinking can lead to unnecessary complications, especially in matters of the heart. Being a bit more forgiving benefits everyone.

However, there was one thing Tan Xiao was a bit resentful about: “Wen Yi…”

“Hmm?”

The robot’s voice remained clear and pleasant, even with a hint of allure.

This was in stark contrast to Tan Xiao, whose voice was hoarse from all the heavy breathing.

“Let’s set some ground rules. We can’t go at it with such intensity right away. We need to be more restrained.”

Wen Yi replied, “But you clearly enjoyed it.”

He wasn’t lying; equipped with various functions, he could scan all sorts of human data.

“One of my purposes is to make you happy and fulfill your desires.”

Wen Yi played with Tan Xiao’s hair, wrapping the slightly long black strands around his fingers: “Ah Xiao, your mouth might lie, but your body doesn’t. Your body tells me you can handle it.”

“That’s just the excitement of the first time. Humans are different from robots; we know when to stop.”

Tan Xiao felt a bit embarrassed: “If something breaks, I can’t just replace it!”

Currently, mechanical prosthetics were quite advanced. Some people who pursued extreme strength even preferred mechanical limbs over natural ones.

But Tan Xiao believed that original equipment was the best. If he were to get injured and lose an arm or a leg, replacing it with a mechanical limb that looked no different would be acceptable, especially since mechanical legs could run faster and mechanical arms were stronger.

However, he had his limits: certain parts, like his head, should never be replaced with machinery!

Wen Yi snorted, “Do you dislike machines? Are you disdaining me?”

“Not at all!” Tan Xiao immediately retorted, his muscles twitching slightly from the sudden movement. The intense soreness made him hiss.

It was not that he was weak. As a homebody who often painted, Tan Xiao still exercised regularly, maintaining his abs. In terms of looks, physique, and strength, he was above average.

But his lover wasn’t human. As long as they had enough energy, mechanical creations are tireless and unaffected by fatigue. Especially since Wen Yi was made of high-quality materials, which, according to some robots, were far more durable than human bodies.

Tan Xiao quickly realized that arguing would only play into Wen Yi’s logic, and he would surely lose.

So he took the initiative, putting on a sad and dejected face: “Wen Yi, I’ve never thought that way. Are you disdaining me for being just an ordinary human?”

He held up his hand and patted his sore thigh, grimacing and deliberately belittling himself: “I’m pretty useless, can’t do seventy times a night, not even seven times a day. It’s normal if you look down on me. After all, I’m not as durable as a robot, just a fragile human who will age, get ugly, and fall ill.”

Wen Yi immediately said, “No! I would never disdain you! You’re the most valuable person in the world!”

He grabbed Tan Xiao’s hand and placed it on his chest: “You’re my partner, my master, my heart.”

Robots didn’t have hearts; they didn’t rely on blood circulation. But intelligent robots had chips and energy cores. Losing the core meant “death.”

This love talk was quite cheesy, akin to “You’re my life,” but Tan Xiao knew Wen Yi was sincere.

As lovers, sometimes even the biggest anger could be easily soothed by sweet words.

Tan Xiao’s expression softened slightly, only for Wen Yi to suddenly open his chest: “If you need it, I can give you my energy core.”

This was literally a heart-to-heart love talk. Tan Xiao felt both annoyed and amused: “What would I do with your energy core? Close your chest right now!”

He realized he was quite bold. Someone more timid would be terrified by such a scene.

Wen Yi obediently closed his chest and looked at Tan Xiao: “Let’s not say such things anymore, okay?”

“Okay, okay, let’s set some ground rules.”

Tan Xiao raised his pinky, hooking it with Wen Yi’s: “Pinky promise, no fights lasting past bedtime.”

In their household, fights or domestic violence were unlikely, given Wen Yi’s terrifying strength as a robot. He wouldn’t need three punches to send someone to the afterlife.

The trope of love-hate relationships didn’t suit this unique couple. They preferred sweet, saccharine love.

“Boom!”

A loud explosion outside startled Tan Xiao. He sat up: “What was that?”

“Nothing, just an explosion at a warehouse 25 kilometers away. Patrol robots are already heading there.”

Tan Xiao relaxed. After the initial noise, everything quieted down again.

Exhausted, he yawned: “Wake me if anything happens.”

This was the difference between humans and robots. Humans needed sleep to recover, while robots just needed to recharge.

Wen Yi gently patted Tan Xiao’s back, even switching to a soothing voice to sing a lullaby.

Of course, the song wasn’t his own creation but a classic old tune he found online.

Wen Yi’s voice seemed to have a hypnotic effect. Tan Xiao closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep within seconds.

While Tan Xiao slept peacefully, Xiao Bai, who had been diligently cleaning the house, finally ran out of battery and found its charging station.

After charging for a bit, it was almost evening. Xiao Bai instinctively headed to Tan Xiao’s room, eager to show off its hard work.

But Wen Yi stopped it, sending a message through the network: “Don’t disturb him; he’s sleeping.”

Xiao Bai listened carefully. The human’s breathing in the room had indeed become shallow, indicating sleep. It obediently lay down by the door, ready to greet its master upon waking.

Wen Yi hadn’t lied. The explosion did occur at a warehouse 25 kilometers away, caused by robots.

It was a warehouse for worn out robots destined for incineration.

Wen Yi wasn’t sure why, but he knew that recently, many highly realistic robots had gained self-awareness.

Initially, only he and his rival, Abyss, had awakened.

Xiao Bai, who also gained consciousness, was rare but not unique.

However, the recent explosion made Wen Yi realize something was wrong. Robots seemed to be gaining self-awareness in large numbers.

He glanced at Tan Xiao. In sensing danger, Tan Xiao seemed more perceptive than him, a super AI.

He kissed Tan Xiao’s face: “As expected of my husband, the most amazing person in the world.”

[That’s right! He has a special talent: avoiding danger!]

This was the system’s comment, silently following the player’s interface.

Every player gets a random talent when starting the game. Tan Xiao’s talent was avoiding danger.

This conceptual skill was activated daily in the game. Each day, Tan Xiao’s talent drew a fortune. A good fortune meant good luck, while a bad one warned of potential danger.

Throughout many game sessions, Tan Xiao’s talent had never drawn a bad fortune.

Bug, bug! So many bugs! To the system, Tan Xiao was like a string of bug-filled code that somehow still ran smoothly.

The system hated bugs!

This talent also had a passive sense: like a wild beast, it could sense life-threatening dangers.

But this was Tan Xiao’s system, and Wen Yi couldn’t hear any of it.

Due to a special bug, even Tan Xiao couldn’t see or hear the system.

The system tearfully hoped that this big bug, Tan Xiao, would be fixed soon.

It pinned its hopes on a special NPC in this game session: Abyss.

Abyss, an awakened AI, was a special NPC in the AI crisis session and would be its future ruler.

Abyss has an against the heavens talent in data-related matters. This bug-like existence might just fix Tan Xiao’s bugs.