—I'm sorry, I once joined the wave of criticism against xx. I didn't know that my words would cause so much harm to others. I apologize.
—I'm sorry, I got involved too. I don't actually know the truth, but I just felt that since so many people were saying she was wrong, it must be her problem. I apologize.
—I'm sorry, I was in a bad mood at the time, so I swore a few words to vent my frustration. I apologize.
—I'm sorry, I…
The dog at the village entrance barked, and then all the other dogs in the village started barking too, even though they didn't know why they were barking.
Before Boss Qi, who had just finished taking down another keyboard warrior, could leave the screen, he saw the overwhelming flood of apologies and smirked sarcastically.
As a result, a comment appeared simultaneously below each apology text.
I will not forgive!
Ata: "Boss, do you really think they don't know that their words will hurt others?"
Qi An sneered: "Of course they know, but they think, if everyone else is cursing, what's wrong with me cursing a couple of times? If everyone else is throwing paint, what's wrong with me throwing two buckets too?"
The most prominent characteristic of group crimes is that everyone feels innocent, especially since the virtual world of the internet makes people act with impunity.
In reality, no snowflake is innocent during an avalanche.
With so many people dying, some news could no longer be concealed.
Relevant departments have issued an urgent notice stating that a serial killer has recently been targeting keyboard warriors who lead online attacks against others, and urging everyone to be mindful of their words.
It's impossible for the authorities not to see the comments online, but this notice neither refuted nor denied netizens' speculations about "ghosts killing people."
With the death toll still rising and videos from the scene being uploaded one after another, panic quickly reached its peak.
For more than ten days in a row, people died every day, and without exception, they were all keyboard warriors who led the cyberbullying.
Amidst the widespread panic, some people began recording tearful apology videos under their real names, reflecting on their actions.
Even if it was just a casual comment like "Go to hell," now I'm worried about being retaliated against.
Others have taken a different approach, donating money to impoverished areas and posting their donation receipts to prove they are atoning for their sins.
The online environment has reached an unprecedented level of harmony and friendliness.
That day, after taking down the last idiot who had led the cyberbullying, Qi An began to change his tactics.
In the following days, hospitals across the country suddenly became overcrowded.
Overnight, many more patients came to the clinic, and without exception, all of them had rotting hands; some patients even had their bones exposed when they arrived.
The decay was extremely rapid, and no amount of medication could alleviate it; in fact, it continued to spread to the arm.
In the end, these people had no choice but to have their hands amputated to save their lives.
They knew perfectly well that these hands had once joined the online bullying of others, and this was their retribution.
However, compared to those ringleaders of cyberbullying who died tragically, they are lucky to have only lost their hands; at least they are still alive.
Those who survived by chance later realized that they had been naive.
Because they not only lost their hands, but also had three red characters tattooed on their foreheads—keyboard warrior.
It's the kind of stain that you can't cover up or get rid of no matter what you do.
I'll have to live with these three words on my forehead for the rest of my life. Just thinking about it makes me feel suffocated. Who says social death isn't death?
It was Ata who reminded Qi An of this idea.
After killing those heinous ringleaders, Qi An fell silent as he looked at the overwhelming flood of confessions and apologies online.
There are way too many of them; killing them all is unrealistic.
However, we can't just let them off the hook; they have to pay the price for their bandwagon cyberbullying.
Otherwise, when they go out into the world, who will know that they once harmed people in the virtual online world?
Ata hesitated, "Yeah, bad guys don't have the word 'bad guy' written on their faces."
Qi An's eyes lit up. "That's right, let's write it on their faces then."
The horrific hunt has finally stopped.
No one dares to spout nonsense online anymore, and cyberbullying has become taboo. People have learned to use civilized language in an instant.
A new internet law was also introduced, stipulating that cyberbullying and spreading rumors against others will be criminalized depending on the severity of the offense, and the internet is no longer a lawless zone.
There will be no more anonymous accounts. All netizens will be required to register with their real names and use their own photos as profile pictures. Everyone will be responsible for every word they type.
If anyone is found to be maliciously attacking or cyberbullying others, and the report is confirmed, they will not only be forced to wear a silver bracelet, but will also be blacklisted online.
Once blacklisted, you will never be able to register any online accounts again, and like those who have lost credibility, your descendants will be affected in taking civil service exams and finding employment.
The reason why keyboard warriors exist is twofold: first, they are not taken seriously or controlled; second, there are too many layers of virtual protection.
They dare to hide behind layers of virtuality, mingling with many like-minded people to disgust others, but they dare not do this with their real faces.
Without the protective layer, former keyboard warriors have all learned to speak like human beings without any instruction.
Bearing the words on their foreheads, the strange looks from others, and the complaints and disdain from their children, they live a life of constant fear and trepidation, remembering the pain of their severed hands.
Ata asked Qi An, "People die every year because of cyberbullying, why wasn't it taken seriously before?"
People are always cyberbullied to death, the whole internet condemns it, things calm down for a while, and then the next cyberbullying begins. Why is no one doing anything about it?
Qi An sneered: "Have you ever seen truly sensitive content published online? For example, content involving Z that is harmful."
Ata shook his head.
"So, there's nothing that can't be managed, it's just that people don't pay attention to it. It's a small matter, it doesn't affect the overall situation."
The large number of deaths and injuries has caused widespread panic, which demands serious attention.
Ata seemed to understand, but not quite.
Besides revenge, Li Siting's wishes also included saving lives.
She said, "If it's possible, could you please save that poor mother and her child?"
Qi An agreed to her request.
If time could be turned back, some things would not have happened, and some regrets could still be rectified.
In a primary school campus, children chased and played, their carefree laughter filling the air.
On the playground, a lively little boy is running, jumping, and playing with his classmates, occasionally making a funny face, being both mischievous and adorable.
Suddenly, a car went out of control and crashed into him at such a high speed that he had no time to dodge.
The little boy was terrified and stood frozen in place. The adults and children who saw this screamed in horror.
"Watch out, run!"
"Stop the car! There are people behind you! Stop the car now!"
The car had reached the little boy, and as the tragedy was about to unfold, many children closed their eyes in fear.
Suddenly, as if it had been violently kicked, the car swerved sharply and then, as if its brakes had failed, sped towards the wall.
With a loud bang, the wall collapsed instantly, and the rear of the car was deeply embedded in it, burying the person in the driver's seat in the bricks and stones. It was unknown whether they were dead or alive.
In a moment of crisis, the little boy was pulled into someone's arms, who was holding a candied hawthorn stick.
He trembled in Qi An's arms, his face pale, until his teachers and classmates surrounded him, at which point he suddenly came to his senses.
Then she burst into tears.
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