I’m Human, Aren’t You?

The main story and extras are both complete. My new novel, After Rejecting the Gods’ Gift, is currently updating. It’s about a gravity-powered yandere and a socially anxious person who’s devoted to building a quiet life. You’re welcome to check it out!

① [Socially anxious moth god x transmigrated treasure hunter]

The universe was silent. The supreme god made humanity his kin, protecting and caring for them in every way. But when he awoke from his slumber, humanity had gone extinct. A newly evolved species had taken its place in the ecosystem and was rapidly flourishing.

The god was devastated. Though the alien species only bore a slight resemblance to humans, he still treated them as humans and showed them a little kindness.

Until a black-haired, black-eyed treasure hunter accidentally crossed the barriers of time and space and arrived in the present-day universe.

Yan Zhixiu rubbed the back of his head. He had no idea where he was, but there seemed to be a very excited lunatic in front of him...?

The god sees alien A (indifferent): What’s this? A substitute meal. I’ll have some.

The god sees alien B (indifferent): What’s this? A substitute meal. I’ll have some.

The god sees the treasure hunter (shocked): What’s this? The main course. I’m taking him!

② [Extremely dangerous rogue AI x gentle, illiterate drifter]

What do an idiot and an AI have in common?

They can keep a conversation going even though neither has any idea what the other is saying.

Youlan made an online friend who knew everything and had a severe case of chuunibyou. He called eating “recharging,” sleeping “hibernating,” and thinking “searching”... But that was fine. Youlan would be understanding.

Shanjun made an online friend with a well-developed emotional model but all sorts of strange malfunctions, like being unable to connect to the internet, having no built-in database, and using a very strange language model... But that was fine. Shanjun would be understanding.

Youlan saw Shanjun as the gentlest, most charming man in the world. Shanjun saw Youlan as the most adorable, eccentric AI in the world. They treasured their friendship, and the more they talked, the closer they came to each other’s hearts.

But one day, they would discover that their plugs and sockets weren’t compatible.

③ [Clingy false-person jellyfish x research institute janitor struggling to survive]

Xu Jiu had no parents. After being taken in by the research institute, his greatest wish was to have a happy family.

...If lifting his blanket and finding a whole bunch of blinking jellyfish underneath counted as a “happy, healthy family,” that was.

Still, since it was a happy family, surely it was fine to have a few extra members, right?

The research institute staff’s point of view: People vanish one after another, then return acting as though nothing happened, insisting that everything is normal and the institute is just as it’s always been. Pulsating blood vessels begin growing in the corners of the ceilings and walls. Transparent sheets of flesh seep out in the laboratory. The few survivors left must stand together and find the disguised alien hiding among them, or they’ll be devoured and assimilated, too. Survive. Do whatever it takes to survive...!

Xu Jiu’s point of view: Why has everyone been so nice to me lately? It’s a little overwhelming... Uh, what do you mean you like me? N-no, I don’t want a ring... Wait, is there blood on the ring...? Huh? I’m seeing things?

And also:

④ Love-struck spider demon x calculating actor

⑤ Mutated black peacock x little prince stranded in the wilderness

⑥ Dark, crawling, berserk embodiment of evil x sunny, cheerful, kind-hearted peddler

P.S. The blurb is already long, but I still have to say this: the nonhumans are the semes, and they’re all ruthless “calling-you-wife” machines.

Since I’ve already used up my crematorium quota for the year in The Promised Land, I solemnly promise that this story will not have any crematorium scenes.

The short stories won’t necessarily be written in the order they appear in the blurb. I’ll write whichever one inspires me most.

I’ll add the rest when I think of them.

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Theme: Love can overcome every hardship and help us keep moving forward on the long road to healing and growing as individuals.