Intelligent Constructs, also known as construct citizens or simply constructs, are robots who have become fully self aware and are recognised as people. They are one of the three major demographics of New Eridu's population, alongside humans and Thirens.
Description
Biology
Intelligent Constructs are defined as machines with Logic Cores who can pass the "Forbidden Fruit Test", and thus showcase true personhood and free will. While many robots in New Eridu have Logic Cores that grant them some degree of intelligence, such as Bangboo and the construction machines of Belobog Heavy Industries, not all of them are Intelligent Constructs. An Intelligent Construct's memories can be accessed via their "operation logs". Any recordings made by an individual can be accessed here, but it is largely considered to be a breach of privacy to do so.[1] Constructs are usually highly resistant to efforts to tamper with the code of their Logic Cores, as Fairy stated she was entirely incapable of taking control of a construct like she can with Bangboo; however, when under emotional duress, Youkai was able to corrupt their emotions, causing them to behave more erratically, and even hijack their bodies entirely.
Intelligent Constructs have artificial bodies with a variety of physical characteristics. As what defines a construct is to do with their Logic Core, they come in a wide variety of forms, from the nearly human-looking Qingyi to more humanoid-like individuals such as Elfy and Old Duyi, to entirely non-humanoid existences like the car Sleip and the popcorn cannon Hu Wei. Intelligent Constructs can customize their bodies more readily than humans or Thirens.[2] They also demonstrate much higher Ether aptitude than the average person.
Some Intelligent Constructs have body parts which are analogous to body parts in humans, Thirens or animals, but serve different purposes or have different functionality, such as Qingyi's ponytails being Nano Static Eliminators that she can remove and have replaced or repaired, or Banyue's tail, which is prehensile, unlike the tails of actual cats or feline Thirens.[3] Due to being mechanical entities, Intelligent Constructs sometimes run into unexpected problems during daily life, such as being so heavy that they can't swim, causing them to always sink in bodies of water and requiring specialist equipment to get them out, or activating metal detectors unintentionally.[4][5]
Intelligent Constructs have no need for human sustenance, but in some cases can still consume it if they want to, though they need to be modified in such a way as to allow for this.[6] They can't consume most liquids, as such many places such as Richard Teamilk and Coff Cafe provide various flavours of motor oil for them to drink instead. They need to charge themselves in order to stay active, and will shut down if they run out of energy, only reactivating within the proximity of a charging station.[7] Constructs are generally more precise and capable than humans, and as long as their Logic Core keeps running, they can theoretically live almost indefinitely, as evidenced by Qingyi and Billy Kid, who were created in the era before Eridu was founded, but are still active in the present day. Due to their lack of biological needs, constructs can be without power for years or even decades and then be reactivated without much issue, as happened with Qingyi, Banyue and Aria, all of whom entered in to some form of stasis or shutdown before being reactivated much later in time.
History
The methods to create Intelligent Constructs trace back to the "Old Civilization" before the founding of Eridu. They have remained as citizens of Eridu for decades. In the past, "Intelligent Construct Threat Theory" was prevalent, a theory that, given some intelligent constructs were originally produced as weapons, and even those that weren't were often physically and mentally more proficient than humans in many areas, that their very existence posed a threat to humanity. This theory, however, is said to have "died out" around fifty years ago, and in the modern day, constructs are almost entirely normalized in society. They also are able to integrate into human-centric families, such as the construct Vince having a human daughter he adopted.
Constructs that have passed the Forbidden Fruit Test are fully-recognized as legal citizens of New Eridu, along with humans and Thirens.[8] Constructs have full autonomy over their bodies, and the ability to dismantle them is illegal, to the point that even Public Security would only do so if the risk to civilians was too great, and all other options had been exhausted.
Despite this, constructs still face challenges in everyday life. Some humans still have reservations towards constructs as a whole. Banyue was discriminated against, making some people regard him as nothing more than a killing machine, while Vesper had her Test certification illegally locked away, allowing TOPS Entertainment to suppress her intelligence and strip her of her autonomy, as on paper she could be considered "property".
Model Types
While some constructs are seemingly entirely unique, some are manufactured and as such have model types and capabilities which are shared among individuals. Below are several types of Intelligent Constructs which are known to exist as a mass produced unit.
Tin Master
The Tin Master model is used by Coff Cafe to serve as baristas for their chain of coffee shops. The specifics of the model are otherwise unknown, but all Tin Masters known are shown to be programed to not only be exceptionally proficient in making coffee, but also treat it with great care, akin to an artform. Currently there are four known Tin Masters, one at Sixth Street, one at Lumina Square, one at Failume Heights and one at Booastrum District, with the latter being referred to as a T-Type Tin Master who runs a spin-off of Coff Cafe called Cuppa Moment and instead of making coffee, he brews tea instead, but still treats his tea with great care like the other Tin Masters.
New Eridu Defense Force Mass Produced Models
The New Eridu Defense Force mass produced constructs to serve as soldiers, but also had a defense system called "Iron Order" installed into their Logic Cores to prevent them from disobeying orders, as it would forcibly take control of their bodies if a sufficient threat was detected. Removal of this system would result in catastrophic damage to the individual's logic core, as was the case with Seed Sr., who held on for several months before finally shutting down.[9]
The Defense Force also planned at one stage to replace the logic cores of numerous dead Intelligent Constructs, which would allow their bodies to continue serving but with new minds inhabiting them, though this proposal was abandoned due to internal resistance and ethical concerns.[10]
Purge Unit - Type Zero
A construct built by TOPS to serve as a Miasma suppressing machine, which would relentlessly destroy all in its path to achieve its goal. Banyue is the only known form of construct of this model. The project was ultimately abandoned and Banyue was left in a Hollow, before an individual from the Marcel Group modified his core, leading to his eventual awakening as an Intelligent Construct.
A-H0L0 Type Intelligent Tactical Construct
A series of constructs built for combat, the Mirage Archer Unit type was built to be proficient in both archery and the use of concentrated energy blades. They also have the ability to project illusory holograms to deceive enemies. They operated in units and were commanded by intelligent entities, before the anonymous organization that constructed them abandoned the project and sealed the units within a Hollow.
Aria is the only known active example of this type of construct, having been awoken from stasis by the singing of Cecilia.
V-DTX
A model of construct designed specifically for the purpose of operating as performers, hard coded to have a "love for the stage", and having both sophisticated emotional simulation systems and advanced vocal modules. Vesper is the only known example of this type of construct, and also has significant combat proficiency.
Known Intelligent Constructs
Intelligent Construct Agents
There are 16 Intelligent Construct NPCs:
Other Languages
| Language | Official Name |
|---|---|
| English | Intelligent Construct |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 智能构造体 Zhìnéng Gòuzào-tǐ |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 智慧構造體 Zhìhuì Gòuzào-tǐ |
| Japanese | 知能構造体 Chinō Kōzōtai |
| Korean | 스마트 구조체구조체 Seumateu Gujoche |
| Spanish | Mecanismo sapiente |
| French | Automate intelligent |
| Russian | Разумный конструкт Razumnyy konstrukt |
| Thai | โครงสร้างอัจฉริยะ |
| Vietnamese | Cấu trúcCấu trúc thông minhthông minh |
| German | Intelligentes Konstrukt |
| Indonesian | Robot cerdas |
| Portuguese | Construto inteligente |
References
- ↑ Phaethon's Story, Memories of Dreams Bygone, Episode 3: Slumbering Mystery
- ↑ Dialogue: Banyue
- ↑ Dialogue: Qingyi
- ↑ Dialogue: Banyue
- ↑ Trust Event Commission: Public Security's Biggest Security Check Victim
- ↑ Quality Time — Trust Invite: Massaging Hands
- ↑ Trust Event Commission: The Last 1%
- ↑ Event: Daily Life of a PubSec Officer
- ↑ Zenless Zone Zero (August 30, 2025). Seed Animated Short Film "Love, Death & Constructs" | Zenless Zone Zero. YouTube.
- ↑ Agent Story, Flora of the Blooming Valley, Episode 2: Flora of the Blooming Valley (II)
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