The network hummed as usual.
Until it didn't.
Anomalous Pattern
A regional protocol triggered slightly early.
Patient triage sequences misaligned.
Medication distribution was off by minutes.
Minutes that could cost lives.
[System Alert: Minor Deviation Detected — Probability 12%]
Lin Chen leaned forward.
No Malice, Only Complexity
"This isn't sabotage," Dr. Hart said.
"Just the network being… alive."
Lin Chen nodded.
"Complex systems drift," he replied.
"And small deviations can cascade."
Analysis
He accessed the auxiliary network logs.
Regional timing offsets
Cross-node sync latency
Unexpected emergency sequence overlaps
All within parameters,
yet enough to create stress.
System Prompt
[System Advisory: Manual Override Suggested.]
[Risk: Operational Integrity Decline.]
Lin Chen paused.
Not immediate intervention.
He needed observation.
The Learning Opportunity
"Let it drift," he said quietly.
"Observe. Analyze. Adjust."
The network would correct itself.
But he needed data on how and when drift occurred.
Dr. Hart's Concern
"You're taking a risk," she said.
"Of course," he replied.
"Control isn't the absence of risk.
It's understanding it."
End of Chapter