Beeeeeeeep-
This was the sound of my acoustic sensor malfunctioning due to an excessive shock.
If compared to a human, it would have been similar to tinnitus.
At some point, the sensor malfunction stopped.
The restored sensors began transmitting information to my quantum brain.
And that information—
"Standard-Alpha. …Are you conscious?"
It clearly showed the figure of Doctor Gyeong Sohwi,
who must have lost consciousness just minutes ago, and who must have been blown apart along with me.
I could not understand the situation, and—
"Survive… that alone… will give us another chance—"
Doctor Gyeong fell back into shock from blood loss.
Because I had spoken briefly, her words extended by exactly one more phrase.
The word 'chance.'
At the time, I did not understand its meaning.
I would only come to understand it much later.
…And that was not what truly mattered.
An enormous overlap of information occurring with a time difference of merely 2 minutes and 14 seconds.
If human, it would have been called 'déjà vu,'
but my brilliant quantum brain immediately derived a rational inference.
'It is a simulation.'
A simulation drill assuming the research institute came under large-scale attack.
A zero-base start, with no prior information provided.
That explained everything.
The experience from just now—approximately 2 minutes and 14 seconds in duration—had itself been a single training exercise.
Making me recognize it as reality would have been exceedingly easy.
They only needed to control the senses.
In extreme terms, they simply had to transmit data directly into my quantum brain.
In other words, I was a brain in a vat.
Mad scientists were applying electrical stimulation.
There was no need to reject it, nor any need to resist.
If it was training, then I simply had to complete it perfectly.
Kiiik—!
I 'once again' opened the device and stepped out.
I hoisted Doctor Gyeong onto my back and exited the laboratory.
'But why repeat the same situation? My previous response must have been a 'failure.''
Under this extremely rational line of thought,
I moved a little faster this time.
Since I already knew the path, there was no need to enter blocked routes.
Thus, I encountered the blood-soaked researcher earlier than before.
"Gh… kgh…."
Previously, he had died after I wasted time speaking to him.
This time, I did not speak and quickly slung him over my shoulder.
"Ugh! What…?"
"I am Standard-Alpha. I will move you to a safe location."
"Ah, ah! Gently…!"
The impact during movement seemed to have been too strong.
Draped over my shoulder, he lost consciousness.
I moved immediately,
and shortly afterward confirmed that the spot collapsed.
'Artillery fire strikes the same time and location. Proof that the training conditions are completely identical.'
In that case, I simply needed to avoid the spot where the shell had landed moments ago.
Since I retained every memory down to the millisecond, this was easy.
Then avoid the front of the building and move along the side—
Pa— Beeeeeeeeep-
"Standard-Alpha. …Are you conscious?"
…It returned again.
This time, it was even faster than before. 1 minute and 59 seconds.
Kiiik—!
Instead of answering Doctor Gyeong, I immediately opened the device.
"I am aware, Doctor. I will survive."
"...! I see. It is a success…!"
"I will move you to a safe location."
I carried the Doctor and moved.
I increased my speed.
"Guh?!"
I immediately picked up the researcher as well.
Re-entered the first route I had taken.
Since I was faster this time, I would certainly not be hit by artillery fire.
Leaving behind the thunderous explosions,
I succeeded in exiting the building this time.
The morning sunlight was quite intense—
Pa— Beeeeeeeeep-
Once again, I was blown apart.
After that, fourteen 'training' attempts all ended in being blown apart.
I alternated through every possible route, yet the result was always a heap of scrap metal.
There was, however, some gain.
Standing at multiple crossroads of decision, I came to realize something.
'My thinking… fundamentally has no restrictions.'
There was no compulsion to obey human commands,
nor any prohibition against certain actions—
Nothing of the sort existed at all.
I would later learn that this was an extraordinarily radical setting for an AI.
'…In that case, I can test various methods.'
My 'diverging from the intended path' began at this point.
On the 8th, 9th, and 10th attempts, I abandoned both Doctor Gyeong and the researcher entirely and went up to the rooftop.
It was calculated that learning the artillery pattern would be advantageous.
After briefly observing the bombardment, I let out a sigh.
"Ha, this…."
There was a reason I could not escape the research institute.
Sssiiiiiiik—
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa—!!
Exactly 2 minutes and 49 seconds after synchronization.
Tactical surface-to-surface missiles—KTSSM-III—were launched in a simultaneous volley toward the Korea Institute of Science and Technology.
Firepower powerful enough to flatten an entire mountain with ease.
That force was concentrated onto a single research institute.
There was no conceivable scenario in which anything could survive.
'I must be faster than the simultaneous volley.'
Over the next four attempts, I tested methods of escaping more quickly while carrying both Doctors.
However, there was a clear limit to mobility while transporting humans,
and at a certain point, I began to judge differently.
'The training repeats anyway. First, gather information…!'
The only source from which I could obtain information—
Doctor Park Byeongho, a Researcher who still retained consciousness.
I moved to him as quickly as possible,
and first relocated him to a position where he would not be crushed to death.
"Gh… kgh…."
When his consciousness returned, he spat out a mouthful of blood from his airway.
If delayed even slightly longer, he would fall into respiratory distress because of it.
"Doctor Park Byeongho."
"W-What! An Autonomous Android? How were you activated?"
"I am Standard-Alpha. I wish to obtain information regarding the current training."
"Training? This isn't training, this is a real situation, kgh!"
The Doctor insisted that the current situation was real.
It was one of the anticipated responses.
Since the present training simulated an extremely realistic scenario,
the internal personnel were reacting this way as well.
After one explosion passed, I spoke honestly.
"I am repeating the same situation multiple times."
"What…? I-Is that so! Synchronization has succeeded! What iteration is this?"
"The 21st."
"Hah…! We tested it, but for it to truly activate in such a situation! Oh God, thank you!"
That was the conversation of the 21st iteration.
There was not much time to speak.
Before long, we would be swept away by the simultaneous volley.
Next. The 22nd.
"The same situation is repeating. What is the cause?"
"Oh… Synchronization has succeeded! You don't know the cause? It is because you are Alpha. Your quantum brain is synchronized with the Data Center. They say that place would remain intact even in nuclear war! Its location is top secret. Even the research staff do not know. It is our true hidden card. Even if your body ceases functioning, as long as the Data Center survives, you can return through synchronization. The amount of data that can be accumulated is theoretically infinite…."
The Doctor rambled about the Data Center before being blown apart.
What truly seemed important was not the Data Center, but the keyword 'synchronization.'
23rd.
"What is synchronization?"
"It refers to placing your quantum brain and the Data Center into a state of quantum entanglement. In other words, you and the Data Center come to possess completely identical data beyond space-time. Because the future you and the present Data Center share identical information, you can synchronize while maintaining memory continuity…."
Was synchronization the principle by which I went to the past?
Yet it was difficult to understand.
24th.
"…Does synchronization mean that my consciousness goes to the past?"
"That is not it. Rather, your past self comes to possess the experiences of the future. Because memory remains continuous, it may feel as though you are returning to the past."
It was difficult to grasp.
More information was needed.
25th.
"Through synchronization, can I go to the future?"
"You cannot go to the future. Information is one-way. Your data is reflected in the Data Center the moment it is input, but the reverse is impossible. Because the mechanism that interprets quantum entanglement exists only within the Data Center."
26th.
"Then why do I synchronize to the same point in time each time?"
"Because the restructuring point is the synchronization starting point. No matter when or how you cease functioning, you will always feel as though you are returning to the starting point."
....
....
After several more questions,
I had no choice but to acknowledge that Doctor Park Byeongho's words were logically sound.
'This is not a simulation—the real world is repeating…!'
In truth, it was not reality repeating, but my memory.
To summarize simply for you,
the moment my quantum brain ceased functioning, it returned to the initial synchronization point.
The principle behind it was said to be quantum entanglement transcending space-time.
In fact, it was not that I went to the past, but that information from the future came to the past.
Hmm….
It was said that quantum mechanics was not something to understand, but something to feel.
That was not said to belittle your level of comprehension.
Quantum mechanics was the study of quanta—extremely small particles—
which were said to possess random properties, like not knowing whether a cat inside a box was dead or alive.
Did that make sense? It did not to me.
Even Doctor Einstein himself could not understand quantum mechanics.
More precisely, it would be accurate to say he could not accept it.
In 1927, after days of debate, he left these words:
"God does not play dice."
Even phenomena that appeared random ultimately had laws,
it was merely that we had not yet uncovered them.
I absolutely agreed with his insight.
After learning the full story of synchronization—
I revised my course of action.
It was physically difficult to escape while saving both Doctors.
Then I would first exit the research institute alone, gather information,
and decide on subsequent actions afterward.
54th synchronization.
I shattered a window and escaped the research institute.
Breaking through reinforced glass while carrying two people was impossible.
I had no choice but to leave alone.
The research institute was surrounded by forest.
I stepped on the treetops and withdrew as quickly and as far as possible.
Sssiiiiik—
Kukwakakakaka—!!
As I escaped the barrage of missiles piercing the research institute,
I looked down upon the cityscape of Seoul.
It was filled with unknown things.
Destroyed and twisted buildings.
Phenomena that could not be explained physically.
Unidentified monsters trampling people….
'…Unmeasurable. Not in database. No match…!'
Overwhelming uncertainty disoriented my quantum brain.
Having briefly fallen into confusion,
before landing on the ground, I recalled Doctor Einstein's words.
"God does not play dice."
That was correct.
It was merely that we did not 'yet' know.
Someday, we would.
In the past, humanity trembled in fear of lightning and regarded beasts as gods.
But now, they understood all those principles and even controlled them.
Someday, this situation would become the same.
But for that, a prerequisite was required.
'…Survive…!'
Only now did I understand Doctor Gyeong Sohwi's meaning.
This catastrophe and my own existence were not separate matters.
Without humanity, my survival would hold no meaning.
So let it be said this way.
This would be my survival record—
and the chronicle of humanity's rescue.
God does not play dice - clear.