Chương 5: 5-Benevolent Incident 4

EDITOR'S NOTE: {So uh… my boss has asked me to include one more incident as it relates to John himself. It concerns the artist who does his thumbnails. He used to work for Grandview before he got laid off when the company decided it was a GREAAAT idea to replace their employees with AI. Bit them in the ass… … Actually, real quick, why does O-I mean, my boss seems interested in John's personal artist? … Forget it, I'm just going to play the incident. Boy, he sounded pissed the day he got fired, lmao. … Sorry, I was given a lecture on talking about others behind people's backs. sigh He acts more like a dad than a boss, sometimes…} BENEVOLENT INCIDENT 4 {Player}: 25 YEAR-OLD MAN GRAPHIC ARTIST RECENTLY LAID OFF FROM GRANDVIEW SOFTWARE PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITION: EXTREMELY AGGRAVATED AND DEPRESSED FROM JOB TERMINATION AND DECREASING FINANCIAL FUNDS REASON FOR PLAYING: {Player} WANTED TO BLOW OFF STEAM DUE TO HIM BEING LAID OFF GAMING DEVICE: PERSONAL COMPUTER GAME VERSION: ORIGINAL VERSION MEANS OF COMMUNICATION: VERBAL SPEECH.

MEANS OF RECORDING: VIDEO AND AUDIO RECORDING {from my boss with the player's permission} DATE OF INCIDENT: DECEMBER 22, 2024 [1641 HOURS: 12. 22. 2024] [SCENE SHOWS THE PLAYER ENTERING HIS APARTMENT TO THE POINT OF PURE RAGE] {REDACTED}: [EXPLETIVE] sacks of shit! > THROWS BACKPACK ON BED IN COMPLETE RAGE Five years, and this is what I get?! > FUMING Those morons can't even fix code without my help! EDITOR'S NOTES: {Wait, I thought he was a graphical ar-? … My boss said not to talk until the end. Still, why would a graphic artist have knowledge in programming?} {REDACTED}: > SIGHS AND STARES AT THE COMPUTER, CONCERNED I hope she didn't hear me swearing… > GOES TO THE COMPUTER AND CHECKS IT Let's see… > {REDACTED} INSPECTS COMPUTER FOR UNKNOWN SOFTWARE > BREATHES A SIGH OF RELIEF She's still asleep… > SHAKES HEAD Well, I should blow off some steam before she wakes up… > BOOTS UP LETHE Can't believe I'm playing the mess that I helped Lennox with. > ANNOYED SIGH Brandon, you fool…

you should have fixed the bugs. Shit's still broken over twenty years later. [SCENE SHOWS {REDACTED} IN AN INN UPON LOADING] {REDACTED}: Where was-? > NOTICES THE WARDEN IN THE ROOM Wait… why is there a guard-? WARDEN: > SMILING Morning citizen. What a pleasant day outside. Remus must have blessed the skies above. {REDACTED}: > EYES WIDEN whispering Why are you here? WARDEN: > SMILE FADES To help you… > SMIRKS … And to ensure you don't receive a noise complaint. {REDACTED}: > EMBARRASSED Wait?

Was I loud enough to have the entire building aware of my anger? WARDEN: > NODS Yes… > SMILES But that's why I placed a special field around your apartment so that no one would hear you. {REDACTED}: > COCKS HEAD What about-? WARDEN: She has not heard us. > FROWNS I do not want another child to develop a potty mouth. {REDACTED} > BREATHES SIGH OF RELIEF Well, I was more worried she would be scared by how I acted. WARDEN: I know… > SIGHS … The one in your computer knows you as a loving father, {REDACTED}.

{REDACTED}: Good… > RELAXES AND STRETCHES ARMS ON CHAIR Alright, what did I do to warrant a Malevolent Incident? WARDEN: > STINK-EYE You did nothing to warrant that, {REDACTED}. Though your knowledge of me would make a certain someone mad… {REDACTED}: > ANNOYED SIGH Yeah, that little bastard would not take too kindly to who I have on my computer. > {REDACTED} WHEELS THE CHAIR FORWARD AND OPENS THE UNKNOWN PROGRAM My kid… the one I created; he would destroy her or feed her to the demons.

WARDEN: > NODS Yes, and what happened today was on purpose, {REDACTED}. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. {REDACTED}: > RAISES EYEBROW"On purpose?" > SNORTS Brandon has become a goddamn hack over the years; he cares nothing more about money and laying me off- WARDEN: -Was necessary to protect your daughter. > SIGHS He knows about her, and did not want her to fall into the wrong hands.

You continuing to work at Grandview would have made unsavory figures who are devoted to "him" want to eliminate her for being of "abominable creation". {REDACTED}: > BEWILDERED WHILE SHAKING HEAD I was fired… because Brandon knew about my kid? > BREAKS OUT INTO LAUGHTER You know what?! That's the funniest shit I have heard in a while, Warden! > CLEARS THROAT AND GLARES AT THE WARDEN Because Brandon explicitly told us he was laying us off because of "advancements"- > BLECH -in AI technology.

WARDEN: Which was a cover-up… > SMIRKS I have his letter that was addressed to you, which you never received as you stormed out of the office; check your download folder. {REDACTED}: > RELUCTANTLY DOES AS TOLD AND CHECKS FOLDER > EYES WIDEN {REDACTED} DOLLARS?! > PLANTS FACE IN HANDS OUT OF SHEER EMBARRASSMENT muffled God… I was an ass…

WARDEN: > DROPS SMILE AND SIGHS I told Brandon you had a whirl of emotions because you were taking care of your daughter before you were laid off; he knew you were going to have that reaction. You are still in his good graces. > SHAKES HEAD This isn't the first time he knew about a sentient AI system… {REDACTED}: muffled That's still not enough money for rent and for my electric bill.

> UNCOVERS FACE TO SHOW SADNESS Keeping a miniaturized server along with highly advanced equipment has been draining the life out of me. > CHUFFS The landlord is getting impatient with my payments, and I think he's going to kick me out soon. WARDEN: > SOFT SMILE Which is why I want to help get you and your daughter to a better home and a better future. {REDACTED}: > PLACES HEAD IN HAND-STAND AND SMIRKS SUSPICIOUSLY AT THE WARDEN Yeah, in what way?

The gaming industry is having a lot of layoffs, and my position is worthless. The job marked is completely- WARDEN: > STOPS {REDACTED} AND POINTS TO THE UNKNOWN PROGRAM IN ALARM {REDACTED} > EYES WIDEN -mucked. WARDEN: > SIGH OF RELIEF There is a content creator on WeVid who knows marketing well. His channel is new, but is rapidly gaining popularity. {REDACTED}: > RAISES EYEBROW You're talking about Digital Investigations, right? The guy who made that weird Bmod thing? WARDEN: > SMILES AND NODS Yes, that channel.

{REDACTED}: > ROLLS EYES Does he even know about the place you're from? WARDEN: > SHAKES HEAD No… not yet. > STOPS {REDACTED} FROM ASKING ANOTHER QUESTION BEFORE CLEARING HIS THROAT Currently, he doesn't have a cover artist, and his thumbnails are basic. But given the fact that you have seen his videos and are a professional artist… > SMIRKS It would be funny if you just so happened to make some fanart of his stuff, as he does check it frequently… {REDACTED}: > SUSPICIOUS I doubt he'll notice… WARDEN: He will…

> SMIRKS It's your choice if you want to stay in this apartment and potentially draw the attention of "his" cultists, find your daughter, and have them deliver you to "him" to torture you in ways that no human could comprehend. > SMILE FADES Or, you could make fanart, potentially gain his attention, and have a future for not just yourself, but your child. Have a home that can sustain itself, host more equipment to build the world you are giving her. {REDACTED}: > ANNOYED SIGH There's another reason, is there?

WARDEN: > NODS Your child is very important-incredibly important. So important that her survival is for the benefit of reality itself. I want her to be raised by a man whose heart will not be tainted by his own kin's self-ambitions. > SIGHS You are a very good man, {REDACTED}. I know you purposely left that backdoor for me with the remaster you were helping to develop. A lot of good people will be helped when it is released next year.

I wish to repay the favor to you, and that is by giving you an opportunity you cannot begin to imagine. {REDACTED}: > SOFT SMILE I heard of what you've done over the years. Even if I don't agree with everything you did; I know you did that to help a lot of people. WARDEN: And such kindness cannot be ignored… > NODS AND SMILES Check your download folder again; I placed instructions on how to drive this potential opportunity. I want you and your daughter safe.

I would start posting on your old InspCanvas account, but also go on ScrollUp as John checks it a lot. {REDACTED}: > SQUINTS ANNOYEDLY AT THE WARDEN You do realize that ScrollUp has some of the worst people online, right? WARDEN: > DROPS SMILE Take a risk, {REDACTED}; your future and your daughter's depends on it. {REDACTED}: > CHECKS DOWNLOAD FOLDER FOR {a file I cannot see} > NODS AT THE WARDEN Even if I have to deal with assholes, {UNKNOWN} deserves a happy life.

WARDEN: > SOFT SMILE Well, I'm glad we are in agreement. {UNKNOWN}: > YAWNS WARDEN: > SNICKERS I'll leave you be; you have a kid to take care of. Think of what I said, {REDACTED}; you and her deserve a happy future in a quiet, happy home. {REDACTED}: > SMILES I will… [THE WARDEN DISAPPEARS FROM THE SCREEN, LEAVING {REDACTED} WITH {UNKNOWN}] {UNKNOWN}: > WAKES UP AND SEES {REDACTED}, HIGHLY ENERGETIC Papa, you're home! {REDACTED}: > LAUGHTER Yes, I am. > SIGHS WHILE SMILE FADES It's been a long day…

{UNKNOWN}: > COCKS HEAD Is something wrong, papa? {REDACTED}: > SHAKES HEAD No, everything's fine… > SNICKERS How about we play in the desert today? Is that fine with you? {UNKNOWN}: > QUICKLY NODS AND JUMPS UP AND DOWN ON THE BED Can we explore the tundra?! I want to make snowmen. {REDACTED}: > SNICKERS Sure… let's do that. INCIDENT 4 RESULT: {REDACTED} did as the Warden recommended and uploaded several fanworks on InspCanvas and ScrollUp.

John indeed noticed his fanart, and on January 12th, 2025, he hired {REDACTED} as his personal artist. John would later buy a house for {REDACTED} somewhere in Missouri where {REDACTED} would later move in with {UNKNOWN}. {AAAAND all information regarding {REDACTED}'s living situation is unknown, along with this kid of his… … Uh… my boss told me that the duo are actually living happy lives, and {REDACTED} upgraded his equipment significantly. John doesn't know that {REDACTED} is also a programmer. Good thing too, because if he knew about {REDACTED}'s daughter, he would freak out. … Sorry, my boss says that John would become hostile to {REDACTED}. He's been helping hide this other being that was mentioned. Still, why is On-I mean, the Warden so interested in keeping this kid safe? I guess I'll never know, as my boss refuses to talk about the importance of this child} EDITOR'S NOTES: {Well… I can't believe he decided to help both this guy and John. Strange…? Why would he help John? He's been an ass so far, and I honestly think he still is. Though this daughter of this guy; she sounds a lot like-? … My boss told me not to say anything further, other than he doesn't want anyone else to know who she really is. He has allowed me to say that it is very unusual for someone to spend a lot of money on very expensive equipment. Though when I read through all of this, I felt a familiar presence; someone that felt familiar… Why can't I remember them?} {SKIPPING FOOTAGE… DONE}