Karl sighed at the increasingly strange quests. "I should probably try this one in an open space," he thought.
---
Karl took a deep breath as he arrived at the city park. A gentle breeze brushed against his face, carrying the scent of damp grass and the sound of children playing. He chose an empty bench under a shady tree, sat down, and opened the app on his phone.
[Tutorial Quest 5/20]
Objective: Make someone feel like counting their steps while walking is the most important and urgent thing to do.
Reward: +10 Uncommon Points
Karl squinted at the screen. "Counting steps? Who's the best target for this?"
His gaze swept across the park. A young man in sportswear was jogging. Too easy. He was probably already counting his steps.
Then, his eyes landed on an elderly woman walking slowly with a cane. She wore a floral cardigan and seemed to be enjoying the afternoon sun.
"Ah, there we go. The perfect target."
Karl opened the manipulation hub in the app and started typing:
"The target will feel that counting their steps while walking is the most important and urgent thing to do."
A confirmation message appeared:
---
[Confirm Manipulation?]
[YES] - [NO]
---
Karl confidently pressed [YES].
But… nothing happened.
The old woman kept walking at the same rhythm, her cane tapping the ground every few steps. No change, no odd reaction.
Karl frowned. A notification popped up on the screen:
---
[❌ Manipulation Failed]
Reason: Cognitive resistance detected.
Explanation: The target's cognitive pattern is less adaptive due to age-related decline in brain plasticity. Manipulations requiring abstract reasoning or priority restructuring are less effective on elderly individuals.
---
Karl read the explanation carefully. "So… older people are harder to manipulate with this app?"
Another explanation appeared:
---
[📚 System Explanation]
Elderly individuals tend to experience cognitive rigidity, reduced adaptability, and weaker short-term memory. These factors make them less receptive to newly implanted priorities or abstract reasoning.
---
Karl scratched his head. "Basically, the older someone is, the harder it is to influence them if the manipulation requires abstract thinking."
He looked back at the old woman, now feeding birds near the fountain.
"Well, that's an important lesson. Not everyone can be manipulated in the same way."
Karl let out a long sigh and leaned back on the bench. This app really did feel like a game—only instead of aiming and shooting, he had to type instructions after targeting someone.
"It's like an FPS game, but my bullets are words, and my crosshair is my own eyes."
Karl chuckled softly before turning his gaze back to the park. He needed a new target.
A young man in his twenties walked by, typing on his phone. His steps were brisk, and his focus was entirely on the screen.
"Perfect."
Karl reopened the app and retyped:
"The target will feel that counting their steps while walking is the most important and urgent thing to do."
He pressed [YES].
This time, the effect was immediate.
The man suddenly stopped, looked down at his feet, and began walking slowly. "One… two… three… four…" he mumbled softly with every step.
After a few minutes, the effect faded. The man stopped counting, frowned, and walked away briskly while muttering, "I must've spaced out…"
---
[Tutorial Quest Progress: 5/20]
[Uncommon Points: 50]
---
Karl chuckled as he slipped his phone back into his pocket. "Another lesson learned. Age, mental state, context—all those factors matter. This isn't just about typing and pressing 'YES'."
He stood up from the bench and began strolling toward the park exit.
"If I really want to master this app, I need to start thinking like a professional player. Target, timing, context—they all need to be considered."
However, behind his small success, a nagging question lingered in his mind.
"If elderly people are hard to manipulate… what about people with other mental conditions? What if the app starts failing at a critical moment?"
The bright afternoon sky suddenly felt a bit gloomier to Karl. Even though he had completed the fifth quest, a sense of caution began to settle in his mind.
But for now, that could wait.
---
[Tutorial Quest 6/20]
Objective: Make someone feel that clapping three times whenever they see a bird is a normal and important thing to do.
Reward: +10 Uncommon Points
---
Karl stared at the screen with a faint smile.
"The next quest… Still pretty easy. Well, it is a tutorial quest, after all."
With steady steps, he left the park, ready to execute his next manipulation.