98 Hate You
Me too
It seems that becoming a new human is not as happy as rumored.
Qi Qiuxue recalled the background setting of this copy. When old humans voluntarily implant chips to become new humans, they can get decent jobs, housing and huge financial support.
Everyone has their own aspirations. Some people love to work and will continue to work even if they have enough wealth, hoping to shine in their jobs; some people are content with the status quo, and when the wealth they have is enough to support all their living needs for the rest of their lives, it is better to relax and enjoy life than to work.
Aiglet was once a very backward town. Most residents relied on farming and animal husbandry for their livelihoods and were not exposed to a wide variety of jobs. When decades-long habits suddenly changed, with cattle and sheep becoming sheets of data-filled paper and wheat becoming strings of incomprehensible code, only a few would be interested; most would find it difficult to adapt.
If that's the case, why not give up your job? Even if it's just to maintain your dignity, when more and more people are assigned to so-called excellent jobs and everyone gradually has the same status, does dignity still matter?
"It seems that the decision makers want to build a perfect new world, the legendary utopia." Qi Qiuxue's eyes swept around calmly. The extremely luxurious high-rise buildings, the shopping malls with a full range of department stores, the amusement parks decorated with lights, the spotless streets, everything seemed beautiful.
But what is behind the beauty?
If the world they live in is really a perfect world, everyone should be free and equal, and terms like the old and new worlds, the old and new humans, differences in identity and status... these terms should not exist.
Otherwise everything is just an illusion and an empty shell.
-
Along the way, Qi Qiuxue and others tried to talk to other new humans, but they were unsuccessful.
In the eyes of others, they are like a virus plague. Once they get close, they will trigger a chain reaction, causing the new humans to retreat and flee in a hurry.
"Do you want to go to the shopping mall in front and take a look?" Liu Ge suggested.
"Someone will stop us." Meng Yiyue shook her head. "As old humans, we can't enter these places. If we force our way in, we might even be in danger of our lives."
"What about those small shops on the street?" So Liu Ge had to shift his gaze to other directions, "Those small supermarkets, restaurants, coffee shops..."
"They will be driven away anyway." Meng Yiyue sighed.
"Then how are we supposed to complete this mission?" Li Yiqing tilted his head and whispered softly to Qi Qiuxue, "Forget going to the places where those decision-makers are to gather clues. We can't even enter ordinary street shops."
"There will always be a way." Qi Qiuxue looked into the distance, and someone happened to come out to throw away the garbage. Seeing this, several people hurried over, picked and chose, and selected the things that could be used and put them into the sack.
They have been reduced to picking up garbage.
The more they picked up the trash, the more sad they felt. They hadn't had a good day since entering the game.
Fortunately, the new humans sorted the garbage very well. They seemed to have a common concept. Food, utensils, various home appliances... corruption and damage were never the criteria for them to be discarded. Most of the food picked up by Qi Qiuxue and others were well packaged, about to expire or just expired, and the utensils could basically be used normally, just a little old.
There must be someone behind this, desperately exploiting the living environment of the old humans while always giving them a glimmer of hope, making it impossible for them to live well or die.
What exactly is the other party researching?
Qi Qiuxue frowned, becoming more and more aware of the malice of the copy.
“…”
By four or five in the afternoon, everyone's pockets were gradually getting fatter.
Although Meng Yiyue and Qingqing are just NPCs generated by the dungeon, they are as vivid as real humans. They work harder than the players, cooperate with their actions without complaint, and even tell stories and jokes to provide emotional value.
"Are you tired?" The sun still had a few hours to go before setting, so everyone was in no hurry to return. They sat down by the clean flower bed to rest for a while. Qi Qiuxue glanced at Qingqing beside her, took a piece of bread from her pocket, and handed it to her, "Have something to eat."
"I'm not hungry, thank you, Axue." Qingqing shook her head and smiled at her. Experience makes people grow. She is much more sensible and mature than ordinary children.
Qi Qiuxue raised her hand and touched her head: "Thank you for your hard work."
Qingqing naturally held her hand tightly, and her soft fingertips gently stroked her palm. A different emotion flashed in her eyes: "You are."
"Thank you for your hard work all the time." She looked at her quietly, her dark pupils tinged with a hint of sunlight. Somehow, Qi Qiuxue unexpectedly read a bit of heartache in her eyes.
She seemed to be looking at her, and also seemed to be looking at the real her through this skin and the constraints of the copy. Qi Qiuxue frowned, and that inexplicable sense of familiarity crept into her heart again.
Although the other person had a strange face, Qi Qiuxue always had the illusion that she seemed to have seen her somewhere.
When and where exactly?
There is one more thing that needs to be explored. Aqing has a secret, and Qingqing also has a secret.
"What are you talking about?" Intentionally or unintentionally, Li Yiqing came over.
The moment he saw her, the smile on Qingqing's lips disappeared instantly, and he even turned his childish face into a stern one, with his eyes full of unwelcome and disgust.
After a few seconds, Li Yiqing pouted and opened his lips as if to say something.
Qingqing anticipated her behavior and said in unison with Li Yiqing: "Axue!"
Qi Qiuxue suddenly felt a little headache.
“…”
A few people returned to the old world before the sun set.
Wu Xiyin had been standing at the door waiting for a long time. The setting sun fell on her, deepening the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. Wu Shanyue looked at her from afar and suddenly recalled his elementary school days.
At that time, her mother had not yet fallen ill and was still in good health. Wu Shanyue's father died early, and the burden of life had to be borne entirely by Wu Xiyin, the mother. In order to give her daughter a better life, she worked two jobs during the day, leaving home early and returning late, which was very hard.
There were few primary school courses and school ended early, so Wu Shanyue was left in the care of Wu Xiyin's aunt who ran a daycare center. She ate, did her homework, and slept well. It was not until very late, when all the other children had gone home and her aunt was also preparing to go home, that her mother finally had time to pick her up.
Wu Shanyue came out of the daycare center with her schoolbag on her back. At a glance, she saw Wu Xiyin standing under the street light, smiling and waving at her. She could also see the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and the white hair that had grown on her at such a young age.
Just like now.
Wu Shanyue couldn't describe how she felt. She knew clearly that the person in front of her was just an NPC, but she still couldn't help but be moved by him.
"Mom." She walked quickly forward and said softly.
"Hey." Wu Xiyin touched her head lovingly, "Thank you for your hard work, my baby."
"Come in quickly." Like a responsible head of the family, she called everyone into the room and prepared milk and food for everyone. The flickering candlelight in the dimly lit room unexpectedly added a touch of warmth.
After dinner, Qi Qiuxue and the others stayed outside for a while and then went back to the inner room to rest. They reviewed what they had seen and heard today and briefly discussed their future plans. At the moment, they still had too few clues, so the most urgent task was to collect as much information as possible, no matter what method they used.
The night is getting deeper and deeper.
Everyone gradually began to feel sleepy. Today and last night were like that. Half asleep and half awake, Qi Qiuxue heard the door open. She opened her eyes and saw Qingqing still standing obediently at the head of the bed, asking for her consent: "Axue, can I sleep with you?"
"Okay." Qi Qiuxue nodded in agreement. Qingqing quickly climbed onto the bed and was about to lie down beside her.
Li Yiqing, who had been pretending to doze off, sat up at this moment, hugged Qingqing and placed her beside him: "Axue is tired today, so don't bother her anymore."
"Sleep with me." She said, forcing Qingqing to lie down quietly.
So Qingqing looked at her with an unhappy face.
"You don't look like a child when you make that expression." A few seconds later, Li Yiqing spoke softly in the night, in a voice that only the two of them could hear.
"You don't act like an adult either." Qingqing snorted and laughed. Where Qi Qiuxue couldn't see, her eyes returned to their previous calm and cold look.
Gradually, Li Yiqing's eyes also turned cold. The two looked at each other silently in the darkness, examining each other with the same eyes, each with their own thoughts.
After a while, Qingqing said in a deep voice: "I hate you."
"What a coincidence." Li Yiqing responded calmly, "Me too."
【Author’s words】
Coming
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