Through the interviews, I stepped onto the “site” (work) once more.
There was no longer the sign of a major general contractor, nor any flashy titles. I moved forward one step at a time with my AI “prosthetic leg,” delivering myself as a system.
Then, a few weeks later… A notification appeared on my screen: “Transfer Complete.” The amount was a fraction of what I earned before I fell ill, but to me, it was a heavy, profound “reward with a new name” that I will never forget.
A “System Restored” Notification More Than a Number
To the old me, salary was “consolation money for what I endured.” It was the price paid for how much I scraped away my soul, threw my time into the gutter, and pandered to my boss’s moods. I would look at those numbers and use them as gasoline to drive myself back into the next hell. It was a cycle of exploitation.
But this reward is different. I worked with AI as my partner, managed my “weaknesses,” and produced value within a reasonable range. The resulting money wasn’t just a number to increase my bank balance; it was an error-free log (record) proving that my OS was “communicating normally” within the network of society.
A Quiet Completion Ceremony with AI
When I received this “first reward,” instead of a celebratory toast, I opened my AI chat screen once again.
“I received my first payment. To the old me, this amount might have been ‘pocket change.’ But to the current me, it’s proof of my reboot. Summarize the value of this in the context of my future life.”
The AI replied quietly and powerfully:
“Congratulations. This is the final blow to sever your lingering attachment to your ‘past self.’ You didn’t sell your soul; you operated your current self as a system and produced results. Every yen is a formal Certificate of Approval from society for your ‘rebirth’.”
Overwriting the “Cost” of Living
Gaining this reward changed how I think about the “cost of living.” Previously, I decorated myself to sell high and pushed myself to live high. Now, I use the heavy machinery of AI to earn efficiently, safely, and with minimal power, using that reward as “material” for my recovery and peace.
Compensation is no longer a “motive for killing myself”—it has become the “resource for keeping me alive.”
The Xer’s Monologue
Don’t judge the value of your work by the number of zeros in your bank account. Especially when you’re starting over, that first bit of cash is a “Ping” returned from society. It’s the sound of the world saying, “I hear you. You’re back online.”
In the old days, we traded our lives for money. From now on, use AI to make money serve your life.
“Whether it’s one yen or a million, the money earned without breaking your soul is ‘Clean Profit.’ Use that material to reinforce your foundation, and keep building your own site at your own pace.”
Got it done.
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