Chapter 160 Kill the Dragon (4)
Abnormal phenomena occurred simultaneously in all branches of Arcadia Co., Ltd. due to Jaeyoung. As a result, all management rights were suspended and the entire company’s work was suspended, so President Lee Mi-yeon called.
It was the first meeting of the heads of all branches since the establishment of the company.
[That…it seems that all the presidents attended the meeting.]
Since it is a multinational company with branches all over the world, there are many practical difficulties in gathering the heads of all branches in one space, so the meeting was held via video. President Lee Mi-yeon started talking while watching dozens of people sitting with serious expressions on the huge screen that filled one wall.
“First of all, I apologize for calling an emergency meeting without any notice. Since the matter was urgent, I did not have time to spare, so I had no choice. Please understand those who missed work or came out early in the morning.”
[Kuhuhmm….. No, boss.]
[Something important has happened to the company, and I think that might be the case.]
The first virtual reality service company, in its early 30s, exerts a strong influence around the world. Lee Mi-yeon, CEO of Arcadia. At her apology, branch managers aged at least 50 waved their hands, saying it was okay with embarrassed faces as if they were a little embarrassed.
[Rather than that… Can you tell me the exact situation of the current situation?]
Kazuki, the branch manager in charge of the third continent of Arcadia. He asked President Lee Mi-yeon with a slightly perverse attitude if he did not like all the situations that were happening recently. However, despite his tone, which could have been a bit unpleasant, she didn’t show the slightest hint and said with a smile.
“Ah, the reason your management system and work intranet are completely paralyzed right now is because the artificial intelligence system is temporarily overloaded. It will be difficult to recover right now, but after a while, the system will normalize without any problems.”
[If it’s an artificial intelligence system… Are you talking about Alice?]
“Yes, that’s right.”
Emily, the branch manager in charge of the US branch, opens her eyes wide at President Lee Mi-yeon’s words and asks as if she is surprised. She muttered with a puzzled look on her face, as if she couldn’t believe that Alice had been suspended due to an overload of the system.
[I can’t believe it….. That Alice is overloaded? What the hell is going on…]
Emily, who has been researching artificial intelligence architecture all her life. She was astonished at the fact that her system was overloaded because she knew that Alice’s capabilities and possibilities far surpassed human intelligence more than any artificial intelligence she had ever seen.
[joy! That fucking AI system. It looked like there was going to be a problem, but of course.]
However, Branch Manager Kazuki put on a snort and put on a cynical expression as if he knew what would happen at President Lee Mi-yeon’s words. He said with sharp eyes shining as if he had caught the pod to attack.
[President, as the branch manager in charge of the Japanese branch, I will make a suggestion. Even if it’s not a problem right now, considering what’s happening recently, the limitations of artificial intelligence systems are obvious. Please consider readjusting Alice’s authority for stable service and smooth operation of the game.]
Branch Manager Kazuki requesting Alice’s authority readjustment. At his words, the expressions of the branch managers reflected in the image changed in various ways.
“Authority readjustment… what exactly do you mean by that?”
President Lee Mi-yeon tilted her head and asked as if she did not understand the gist of Kazuki’s words. In response to her question, Kazuki directly stated what he wanted.
[This means reducing the management authority of artificial intelligence and expanding the authority possessed by managers and branches who are actually in charge of operational services.]
Perfect AI Alice.
Her ability to observe and monitor the entire Arcadia world played by billions of users, actively analyze everything and respond in real time is so efficient and excellent that no human being or organization dares to follow.
And none of the people in this conference room were unaware of that fact.
[Crazy. Diminution of authority… don’t you know what that means right now?]
At the request of Kazuki, Emily, who was in charge of the US branch, looked at him with a madman’s gaze and frowned.
[The biggest advantage of Arcadia in virtual reality is the update that is actively applied in real time. People are crazy about him. It’s thanks to Alice that the game system and environment can instantly change depending on the play and can respond to it. Are you saying we should give up on that?]
Emily reacts sharply, as if this could never happen. In response to her question, Governor Kazuki smirked with a poop-chewed face.
[I haven’t been hit by that fucking artificial intelligence yet, so it sounds like that. That’s pitiful.]
[….What did you just say?]
A meeting with a cold atmosphere that seems like they’re going to fight at any moment. Among those who were quietly watching the atmosphere, President Lee Mi-yeon asked softly.
“Hmm… what do the other branches think?”
A question from President Lee Mi-yeon, who wants to hear each other’s thoughts. The branch managers, who had been silent and watched the situation at her question, began to carefully bring out their thoughts one by one.
[I admit that the artificial intelligence system is useful, but I think it is necessary to strengthen our authority as the operator.] [
That’s right. To be honest, even if each branch tried to develop unique system updates or contents, it often failed due to Alice’s refusal.] [
At the Chinese branch, Alice had previously…]
As if there were a lot of things accumulated so far, the water broke once. Complaints started pouring in. Seeing President Lee Mi-yeon silently listening to their stories, Governor Kazuki said with a triumphant face.
[Heh heh….. After talking like this, it seems that there were many executives who thought similarly to me, boss.]
Kazuki thought that his words were gaining strength and that the atmosphere of public opinion had become favorable. He looked at President Lee Mi-yeon once again and said.
[It is true that Alice is superior to any artificial intelligence. But even so, when these catastrophic errors occur, they cause great confusion. I would like you to consider strengthening the administrative authority at least to make up for this to prevent this from happening again…]
“Director Kazuki. And dear branch heads of all branches.”
However, CEO Lee Mi-yeon cuts off his words and smiles. She slowly got up from her seat, took a quick look at everyone who appeared to be a burner, and said.
“Don’t get me wrong.”
[…Yes?]
[What’s that…?]
A frozen skepticism at her remarks as she spat with a smile on her face. However, President Lee Mi-yeon did not care and continued to talk about what she wanted to say.
“I am calling this meeting not to discuss Elise’s temporary overload or to adjust your administrative powers. It is to inform in advance what will happen to all of Arcadia that we serve in the future… no, to notify.”
The branch managers look confused as if they didn’t understand her words. Looking at them like that, CEO Lee Mi-yeon declared.
“As of the current time, all main scenarios and events planned or promoted by each branch or development of their own quests are completely suspended. In the future, we will not tolerate updates at the branch or continent level until further instructions are given.”
[What do you mean?]
President Lee Mi-yeon’s order to get rid of all development work. At her words, the branch managers who were developing and promoting various projects, including the main scenario, looked shocked. However, President Lee Mi-yeon continued by emphasizing that he had no intention of overturning.
“If you are trying to explain the justification for not following my instructions right now, don’t do it because you don’t need to and you don’t want to hear it. I will not accept any objections. This is a situation that has no choice but to be, regardless of my will or doctor.”
[What do you mean by that? A situation that has no choice but to be?]
A question from someone who asks urgently with a puzzled face as if he can’t understand at all. In response to that question, President Lee Mi-yeon put her finger in her mouth and thought for a moment, as if struggling with whether she should tell her this.
“Hmm… This isn’t information worth revealing to you either… but it’s meaningless in the current situation, so let me tell you.”
President Lee Mi-yeon manipulates the computer for a while and then displays something on the screen. She looked at Executive Director Kwon Myeong-han, who was standing right next to her, sweating profusely.
“Executive? Do you know what map this is?”
“…Isn’t that a map of Arcadia?”
A map of the world with eight continents. There was no one who could not recognize the map because each continent in charge of the branch managers participating in this video conference was all appearing. And at Kwon Myeong-han’s answer, CEO Lee Mi-yeon nodded and smiled.
“that’s right. It’s a world map with all the continents of Arcadia.”
[…?]
The branch managers are looking at President Lee Mi-yeon with eyes as if asking why he is showing this. Looking at them like that, she clicked the mouse once and said.
“And… in the future, the world map of Arcadia will change like this.”
Continents began to move slowly at the same time as she spoke. As the eight continents merged into one huge continent, as if putting together puzzle pieces, everyone opened their mouths in amazement as if they had made a promise. And after a moment of silence, explosive reactions appeared.
[What do you mean by this now?]
[All the continents… merged into one…?]
[Wait! Why did such nonsense happen all of a sudden…!]
The 8 continents that exist in Arcadia.
In Arcadia, a virtual reality service under one world, the continent symbolized a server in a general game.
Arcadia, which was assigned to each continent by gathering similar countries together in consideration of the time zone of the users who play the language they are using and their cultural characteristics. It is in the early stage that users who have just adapted to the game in the assigned continents are enjoying virtual reality while having a stable adventure. So, imagining the enormous confusion and conflict that her plan to unite all the continents would bring, the branch managers scrambled to express their opposition.
[Absolutely not! president! That’s not real!]
[Users’ backlash is no joke!]
[You shouldn’t do that unless you’re determined to ruin the game.]
For the first time, all the branches protest against each other. However, President Lee Mi-yeon spoke softly while listening to their stories.
“To be honest, you are all right. Well, it might be okay after a long time has passed, but right now it’s too premature and it’s crazy that there are more losses than benefits.”
[…]
Her words instantly quieted the meeting room. President Lee Mi-yeon smiled at the branch managers who looked at her as if they were dumbfounded, and said, “Don’t misunderstand me.”
“Infinite freedom. And endless possibilities.”
Lee Mi-yeon, president of Arcadia, recites the core value and absolute management policy. And she waved her hands as if she couldn’t help it.
“If the subject of this crazy thing is a user, there is no way for me or you to stop it.”
[Yes….?]
[User?…?]
The branch managers asked back as if that statement was absurd. And they soon realized. The fact that the huge tsunami of shit that is now coming from the Japanese continent is pouring down on everyone equally, regardless of the opponent.
for both users and operators.
