I stood on the outskirts of Austin, staring at the towering structures that Cedar had built. They were beautiful, no doubt, but there was something unsettling about them. Something unnatural. I could feel it in my bones, a silent whisper of a warning. But warnings were for those who could afford to heed them. I was not one of those people. I was just a construction worker, and Cedar was my only chance at survival.

Ever since the world had fallen into chaos, cities had become the only safe havens. And Cedar, the proptech startup that had revolutionized the way cities were built, held the key to our survival. Their generative building design method had allowed them to construct cities at an unprecedented speed, providing shelter for the millions of people displaced by the environmental disasters that had ravaged the world.

But as I looked at the towering structures before me, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something wrong. The buildings seemed to loom over the city, casting a shadow of unease. I had heard whispers among my fellow construction workers, rumors of strange side effects caused by Cedar’s methods. People falling ill, plants withering away, and animals disappearing. But no one dared to speak up. Cedar was too powerful, too influential. They controlled everything.

As I made my way through the city, I couldn’t help but notice the sterile perfection of the buildings. They lacked the warmth and character of the old world. Everything was sleek and efficient, but there was no soul. It was as if the city itself had become a machine, churning out buildings without thought or care for the people who would inhabit them.

I had always been drawn to the old buildings, the ones that had survived the chaos. They had a history, a story to tell. But Cedar had deemed them obsolete, tearing them down to make way for their new creations. It was as if they were erasing our past, erasing our humanity.

But it wasn’t until I stumbled upon a hidden room in one of Cedar’s buildings that I realized the true extent of their power. The room was filled with documents, blueprints, and reports. As I sifted through the papers, my heart sank. Cedar’s generative building design method was not just causing side effects, it was destroying the environment. The algorithms they used were stripping the land of its natural resources, leaving behind a barren wasteland.

I knew then that I had to do something. I had to expose Cedar for what they truly were. But I also knew that it wouldn’t be easy. Cedar had powerful allies, and they would stop at nothing to protect their secrets. I had to be careful, to gather evidence and allies before making my move. The fate of future cities hung in the balance, and it was up to me to save them.

The Maze of Deception

As I delved deeper into the world of Cedar, I realized that the company’s reach extended far beyond just building cities. They had their hands in every aspect of society, from politics to media. They controlled the narrative, shaping public opinion to suit their needs. It was a web of deception, and I was just a small thread trying to unravel it.

I reached out to a journalist named Maya, hoping that she would be willing to help me expose Cedar’s secrets. She had been investigating the company for months, but had hit a dead end. Together, we formed an unlikely alliance, determined to bring the truth to light.

But as we dug deeper, we discovered that Cedar’s influence extended even further than we had imagined. They had infiltrated the highest levels of government, pulling the strings behind the scenes. It seemed that no one could be trusted, that anyone could be a pawn in Cedar’s game.

We knew that we had to be careful, that one wrong move could cost us everything. We met in secret, communicating through encrypted channels. We gathered evidence, piecing together the puzzle of Cedar’s operations. And with each piece we uncovered, the more dangerous our mission became.

But we were not alone in our fight. We discovered a group of rebels, a resistance against Cedar’s tyranny. They had been fighting in the shadows, trying to expose the truth for years. Together, we formed a united front, pooling our resources and knowledge. We knew that if we were going to take down Cedar, we had to do it together.

Betrayal

As our alliance grew stronger, so did the threat against us. Cedar’s powerful allies were closing in, determined to silence us before we could expose their secrets. We knew that we had to act quickly, that time was running out.

But just as we were about to make our move, betrayal struck from within. One of our own had been working for Cedar all along, feeding them information about our plans. It was a devastating blow, one that left us vulnerable and exposed.

We were forced to go into hiding, to scatter and regroup. Trust became a rare commodity, and suspicion hung heavy in the air. We knew that we had to find the traitor, to root out the cancer that had infiltrated our ranks. But it wouldn’t be easy. Cedar had eyes everywhere, and they were always one step ahead.

As we searched for the traitor, we uncovered more of Cedar’s dark secrets. They were experimenting on humans, using them as guinea pigs for their generative building design method. People were disappearing, their lives erased without a trace. It was a horrifying revelation, one that fueled our determination to bring Cedar down.

But as we closed in on the truth, the danger escalated. Cedar’s allies became more ruthless, their attacks more frequent. We were constantly on the run, never knowing who we could trust. It was a game of cat and mouse, and we were the mice.

The Final Showdown

As the noose tightened around us, we knew that we had to make our move. We had gathered enough evidence to expose Cedar’s crimes, to bring them down once and for all. But it wouldn’t be easy. Cedar had built an empire on lies and deception, and they would fight tooth and nail to protect it.

We rallied our forces, the rebels and the disillusioned, ready to take a stand against Cedar’s tyranny. We had a plan, a carefully orchestrated attack on their headquarters. It was our only chance to expose the truth, to free the world from Cedar’s grip.

The battle was fierce, the air thick with tension. We fought with everything we had, knowing that failure was not an option. The sound of gunfire echoed through the halls, the clash of metal against metal. It was a war zone, a fight for our lives and the future of our cities.

And in the end, we emerged victorious. Cedar’s empire crumbled, their secrets laid bare for the world to see. The truth could no longer be hidden, and the people rose up against their oppressors. It was a new beginning, a chance to rebuild a world free from Cedar’s influence.

But the fight was not over. The damage caused by Cedar’s generative building design method was irreversible. The environment was in shambles, the land stripped of its resources. We had won the battle, but the war against the consequences of Cedar’s actions had just begun.

As I stood among the ruins of Cedar’s headquarters, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of hope. We had exposed the truth, and now it was up to us to rebuild. The future of our cities depended on it, and I was determined to make sure that they would rise from the ashes stronger and more resilient than ever before.

The Cedar Paradox had been revealed, and it was a wake-up call for the world. We could no longer ignore the consequences of our actions, the impact they had on the environment and the lives of future generations. It was a lesson learned the hard way, but one that we would never forget.

And as I looked out at the cityscape, the new buildings rising from the rubble, I knew that we had a chance to make things right. We had the power to create a future where technology and nature could coexist, where cities could be built with thought and care. The Cedar Paradox had taught us that progress should never come at the expense of our humanity. And with that knowledge, we would build a better world.

The Source

This small novel was automatically created by processing the news article “This proptech startup says generative building design can change the way cities are built” published by TechCrunch. This novel is generated using a collection of recipes, generative AI, and the touch of a human (when time allows).

This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this book are either the product of the Generative AI algorithm “imagination” or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.