CHAPTER 10 — Ang Algorithm at ang Lihim
690 Words
Maaga pa lang, tahimik na ang villa. Ang mga cameras ay nagbabantay, drones umiikot sa kisame, at ang Glass House system ay humming in constant rhythm. Si Jade, nakaupo sa balcony ng kanyang kwarto, hawak ang tablet, nire-review ang metrics mula sa Shadow Trial.
“Every move has consequence… every glance is logged,” bulong niya sa sarili. “And every choice is watched—not just by them, kundi ng algorithm mismo.”
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System Anomaly
Biglang may flashing notification sa tablet: “System anomaly detected. Review required.”
Ang folder: ALGORITHM_LOGS – PROJECT VIRTUE. Binuksan niya, at sa screen lumabas ang complex neural maps, pattern recognition logs, at anomaly reports. Subtle shifts in weighting of moral outcomes.
Jade huminga. “So it’s learning… but it’s hiding something.”
Sa loob ng logs, may timestamps na naglalaman ng discrepancies—ang mga evaluation ng mga past contestants ay hindi consistent. May subtle bias sa system na hindi pa niya naiintindihan.
“Huh… ito yung reason bakit nasira ang reputation ng dad ko?” tanong niya sa sarili. Lalo siyang naging determinado. Kung algorithm ang nakagawa ng mali noon, kailangan niyang tuklasin ang truth at i-correct ang system—pero sa loob ng larong ito, live at sa audience.
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Silas’ Observation
Si Silas, tahimik na lumapit habang nakatayo sa shadow ng doorway.
“You’re diving deep,” sabi niya, minimalist tone, hawak ang kanyang tablet.
“I need to understand it. If this system can ruin lives by mistake, it can’t go unchecked,” sagot ni Jade, calm pero intense.
Sandaling nagtagpo ang kanilang mga mata. May unspoken understanding—at subtle tension. Hindi pa ito love, pero seed na unti-unting tumutubo. Strategic alliance, or something more?
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Chloe’s Schemes
Sa kabilang wing, si Chloe ay hindi nagpapahinga. Nakatingin sa tablet, manipulating perception ng audience at subtly influencing other contestants. Strategic, cunning, at malapit sa edge ng visibility.
Jade, aware, nag-log ng behavior patterns. “Trust no one. Observe everything,” bulong niya. Chloe is real threat, at hindi lang sa trials, kundi sa social metrics.
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The Moral Dilemma
Later that day, announcement para sa next trial: Trial of Confessions. Contestants required to reveal a personal truth in front of audience and peers. The system will weigh authenticity, emotional impact, at social reaction.
Jade, nag-isip habang hawak ang lumang larawan ng ama. “Do I reveal my true purpose—revenge, father’s legacy—or play the strategist role to survive and gather more intel?”
Ang bawat choice ay may layered consequence:
Reveal mission: moral high ground, risk exposure
Hide truth: maintain safety, but lose emotional leverage
Strategic half-truth: maximize audience impact, may risk unpredictable backlash
Bawat second, calculations, intuition, at moral compass ang kasama sa decision-making process niya.
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Executing the Trial
Jade, sa stage, unshakable sa panlabas, pero sa loob, nag-replay ng bawat strategy, bawat microexpression ng audience, bawat possible manipulation.
“I’ve always believed in strategy over sacrifice… pero ngayon, I must combine both,” bulong niya sa sarili.
Revealed niya ang part of her mission: working within the system to expose flaws and protect innocents. Audience reactions immediate—mixed praise at skepticism. Chloe, nakangiti malisyoso, subtle manipulation to cast doubt.
Silas, sa monitoring room, observed every reaction. No words, just the silent acknowledgement: she’s brilliant. But can she handle what comes next?
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Unexpected Twist
Midway through the trial, system flagged anomaly: external manipulation detected. Signal traced to a hidden node—someone trying to influence votes remotely. Jade froze.
“Malcolm?” bulong niya sa sarili.
Yes. Kroeger is intervening, escalating the stakes. Not just the game anymore—it’s war in shadows.
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Closing Beat
Pagkatapos ng trial, si Jade sa balcony, nag-replay ng anomaly.
“You wanted truth?” bulong niya sa sarili. “I’ll find it. And I’ll make sure no one else suffers like dad.”
Si Silas, lumapit sa distance, walang salita, tinitingnan siya sa ilalim ng buwan. Tension, respect, at curiosity nag-merge.
Ang villa ay tahimik, pero sa loob ni Jade, alam niya: the real game is just beginning. Trust optional. Observation mandatory. Strategy paramount.
- Writer
