Yes. It was designed by one of the Runners for us to solve. It was to present us with various conditions they wanted to test.

I feel like it's the former theory of yours. The other one doesn't have enough evidence to back it. I found a computer chip with Peter in the tunnels a long ways back. Nothing ever happened with it but it was...strange. But it implied there was something amiss. And not something organic by any means.

I don't really understand much of the concept of gods but something about them seems off too. I still don't really think they are actual deity figures as people think.

(But that was a generally frowned upon thought to be had here, it seemed.)