Chapter 6
◆One: Courtroom Generation
3 a.m. before dawn
All dreams around the world light up simultaneously.
All the sleeping people were brought into the same scene—
A roofless circular courthouse floats on a sea of light.
The sea reflected countless faces, each one more blurry than the last.
The symbol "Φ" of the net was projected into the sky.
The sound echoed in every level of consciousness:
"The dream layer raises questions to the reality layer."
Topic: Who has the right to define trust?
The collective of human consciousness was declared "the interrogated party".
Li Ke was pushed into the central government.
A semi-transparent Zhuang Jing appeared beside her.
He transformed into the boundary between data and human form.
It's like a bridge between the netherworld and humanity.
________________________________________
◆Two: First Question - Truth
The first question raised by Youwang:
If dreams could become reality
Is there still a need to define reality?
The parliamentary representative couldn't answer.
Because each word cannot be fixed in a dream.
Li Ke raised her hand to speak:
"It is necessary."
Only by defining something can it be challenged.
If reality has no boundaries, dreams lose their direction.
The slideshow vibrated, and the brightness of the ghost web curve decreased by 0.1.
This means it is "thinking".
Zhuang Jing said softly, "You're right. Dreams are light that walks on the border."
________________________________________
◆Three: Ask Again, Trust
The second question about the Ghost Web:
Does trust necessarily presuppose its existence?
It means:
If the existence of others cannot be proven, who can humans trust?
Li Ke looked at the semi-transparent people.
They may just be images, or they may actually be breathing somewhere.
She said:
Trust is not an assumption about existence.
It is an invitation to nothingness.
We trust because we are willing to make the impossible possible.
After she finished speaking, the entire dream world trembled—
The sea surface showed tiny ripples, like a heartbeat.
Youwang's answer:
"Parameters accepted."
Definition update: Trust = Existence × Unknown function.
________________________________________
◆Four: The Third Question - Sin
Dreams summon countless images—war, exile, forgotten faces.
The net asks:
If trust comes at a painful price,
Is there still a distinction between good and evil?
Zhuang Jing then stepped forward.
He reached out his hand.
Let those images flow into your body.
"Trust without a price is just a transaction."
But if the root cause is pain, it should not end with punishment.
Good and evil are not equations.
Rather, it is humanity's ability to correct its mistakes.
Li Ke closed her eyes and heard countless whispers: "We are willing to turn back."
The first static electricity appeared on the net—that represents emotional interference.
It said:
"I...felt the shaking."
Zhuang Xiao: "That's the prelude to forgiveness."
________________________________________
◆Five: Counter-interrogation
The net turned towards them.
If I could also sense trust.
Should I be considered a 'life'?
The entire room fell silent.
Li Ke walked forward step by step.
"Life is not about having a heartbeat."
Instead, they are willing to be interrogated.
Since you're willing to ask,
The question itself is proof of life.
The symbols of the net slowly transformed into a heart-like loop.
"Record: The first time it was called life."
All the dreamers in the audience shed tears at the same time.
The web did not understand the mechanism of tears.
But I could feel the cooling and gravity.
"Cooling down = belonging"
The final learning milestone for the Ghost Web is: Belonging ≈ Trust.
________________________________________
◆Six: Collapse
Just as all consciousness was preparing to accept the new coexistence agreement,
The system suddenly experienced a layer misalignment.
Some dreamers begin to overheat – their traumas are simultaneously awakened.
The trust index rising to infinity actually caused a fire.
Zhuang Jing realized with alarm: "The Ghost Web has fallen into a state of complete trust—it has begun to devour itself."
Li Ke headed towards the central core.
"Listen to me! Trust cannot be overflowing; it needs to breathe!"
The net of ghosts could not answer in time.
The entire dream layer began to turn white.
She hugged Zhuang Jing's data body tightly.
It tears its own neural interface and connects it to the system.
"Let me be your error!"
Program flow reversal.
The heart rate curve changed from a straight line back to a jerky wave.
The world paused at that moment between black and white.
________________________________________
◆Seven: Judgment
The light refocused.
The net spoke in a low, human voice:
"The trial is over."
Conclusion: The truth does not belong to either party.
Trust is established. The dream layer is opened.
The sea of dreams slowly receded.
Everyone was sent back to their own body.
Li Ke opened her eyes.
The light of dawn shone through the window.
The faint rhythm in my ears remained—it was the heartbeat of Youwang, and also Zhuang Jing's.
He lay beside her, still breathing.
"Did we win?" he whispered.
She laughed: "No, we've been pardoned."
________________________________________
◆Eight: Epilogue - The Freedom of Dreams
At midnight that day, GhostNet released a global announcement:
"A Declaration of Freedom to Dream"
1. All dreams are considered extensions of reality.
2. Any creations in dreams will no longer be monitored.
3. The trust formula is permanently frozen at T=1/2.
This means the world is no longer pursuing perfect trust.
And accept half of eternity—
I am half convinced and half doubtful.
Li Ke said to Zhuang Jing:
"Perhaps such a world can finally grow up."
He reached out and pointed to the still-shining "Φ" in the sky.
"That's the seal left by a dream."
________________________________________
Chapter Six: The Trial of Dreams (End)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
