Chapter 112: Artificial Souls - Part 39 |
The comment sections and live comments on video websites were all disabled, so Kui Xin couldn't gauge the reactions of ordinary people. She refreshed the forum and noticed a recent post stating that Old Kang's video had surged to the top of trending searches.
86L: Some fearless netizens really intend to try it now. Reading the comments made me furious enough to risk a brain hemorrhage; it feels like the warnings have backfired. I advise everyone not to read those comments; they only lead to frustration and harm your health.
87L: Anti-intellectualism has grown more prevalent in recent years.
88L: It's not necessarily about anti-intellectualism. If we hadn't personally experienced the crossover ourselves, nobody would dare believe what Old Kang said was true.
89L: Bloggers are already creating videos frame-by-frame, analyzing whether Old Kang used special effects or not. One blogger claims Old Kang didn't use any effects, but some commenters suspect he colluded with Old Kang to promote the game.
90L: I advise everyone not to make any comments online; even when chatting with friends and family, be particularly cautious. The best course of action is to disable microphone permissions on your devices. In this digital age, there's no such thing as privacy. Once you post something, others can potentially trace it back to your home on the internet. We should be vigilant about cyberbullying and doxxing, which have occurred online. It's crucial never to underestimate others' lack of moral boundaries.
116L: Old Kang's video has been uploaded to foreign websites, and someone added subtitles for it.
117L replying to 116L: Damn. Now Old Kang will become globally famous.
118L replying to 117L: The view count isn't that high—just a few hundred. Videos posted by Chinese users often have limited reach overseas, and the account that shared them was new, lacking a substantial follower base.
120: Is there any courageous foreign player who could create a video warning their fellow non-Chinese players to avoid these games?
121L replying to 120L: It seems unlikely. If someone takes the initiative, others might follow suit but don't forget that anti-intellectualism is more prevalent abroad than here. Their societal environment and culture differ greatly from ours. I suspect that even if someone steps forward, the impact as a deterrent will be minimal.
133L: Breaking news! A foreign player really posted a video. That player explained the basic premise of ‘Crimson Earth' and showcased their superhuman abilities.
Shortly after, 133l shared several screenshots from the video, showing someone becoming invisible on the spot like a chameleon, with empty clothes floating mid-air for a chilling effect reminiscent of horror movies.
Some users accessed the foreign website to watch the video, then captured key phrases and translated them onto the forum.
149L: This foreign player must be out of his mind; he's inciting interest rather than dissuading others from playing. With an enticing tone, he said entering that world grants superpowers, akin to being reborn, allowing one to start anew in another realm… I strongly suspect his motives are not pure.
150l: Although what he said isn't entirely wrong, he focused only on the benefits of the Second World without mentioning its drawbacks or risks. Indeed, it raises suspicion about his intentions.
151L: No need to doubt it; there have always been people willing to harm themselves just to hurt others. Some individuals might think, since they've already had such bad luck, why not bring misfortune upon others too? So they encourage others to participate in the game, seeking internal satisfaction as others experience similar hardships.
152L replying to 151L: I also believe such people exist. It's not that they are inherently evil, but this game is too easy to corrupt individuals. How many can truly remain true to themselves in that brutal world? In the real world, everyone is ordinary with both selfish and kind aspects. But after being baptized by the Second World, how much of their kindness remains intact? The harsh environment brings out people's wickedness, turning them into devils.
153L replying to 152L: Evil simply means evil; it has nothing to do with the environment. Good people don't turn into murderers just because they enter a bad environment.
154L replying to 153L: My point is that without that detrimental environment, most would have lived their entire lives as ordinary individuals in the real world, unlikely to cause significant harm to society. However, due to the environment's influence, they transform into villains… It's somewhat disheartening, isn't it?
155L: Over these past few weeks, I've reflected on life more than any other period before, and now I appreciate it even more. Only after experiencing those trials did I realize the true value of an ordinary existence.
156L: Do you remember a few weeks ago when someone leaked information about the Federation in the Second World allegedly brainwashing players? At the time, there were speculations that a surge of traitors might emerge among players. I suspect this foreign guy who posted the video to incite others could be one of them.
157L: But would a traitor be so brainless to directly incite chaos like this? I feel like this person is just purely malicious.
Kui Xin exited that thread and refreshed the forum's homepage, searching for other informative posts.
If He Kangshi's video hadn't been deleted by official authorities, it would at least take several days to gauge its impact. Public opinion requires time to ferment; observing short-term effects or reactions from specific groups wouldn't provide an accurate assessment.
Time—everything needed time.
However, the announcement of the one hundred thousand player slots was due in just a week. Once revealed, another hundred thousand players would flood the forums, making it too late then.
Silently, Kui Xin scrolled through multiple pages of threads, surprisingly coming across discussions about the major event in Black Sea City—an event closely related to her own situation.
"Have you seen the news about Black Sea City? The Deputy Director of the Investigation Department was assassinated by terrorists."
Original Post: This news has shocked me for the entire year. Black Sea City is one of the Federation's most important port cities, economically thriving and akin to New York City in the Lighthouse Country in terms of significance. The Investigation Department itself is also highly influential, with the Director holding almost equal status to the city's mayor. Drawing parallels to the First World, if such a high-ranking government official were assassinated, imagine the massive international uproar it would cause?
1L: Truly lives up to being the Second World, eye-opening indeed.
2L: Which terrorist organization carried it out?
3L: It seems like I should pay more attention to the news from now on. Because I am a corporate drone every day in the Second World, I barely have time for anything else, including watching the news.
4L (Original Poster): This incident has garnered significant attention, making headlines in mainstream media about the Second World. The news articles remain featured even up until Return Day. People in the Second World are just as shocked as we are, and surprisingly, there's a small group cheering it on—hilarious.
8L: I've been following this news too. According to official reports, the assassination was planned and carried out by a terrorist organization called "Mechanical Dawn." Now, this organization is wanted globally, with rewards offered for relevant information—a hundred thousand Federation Credits for any tip, half a million for major leads, and a million for assistance in capture.
12L: Hey, I'm also familiar with this. It turns out that the Deputy Director assassinated by the terrorist organization was also an heir to a powerful financial dynasty. Apart from the official bounty, that influential family issued a private reward through the underground networks, which is even higher in value—starting at thirty million, with no upper limit! Isn't that insane?
16L: He was a Deputy Director, so he must have had bodyguards accompanying him during his travels, right? Those bodyguards would likely be awakened beings themselves, at least. What kind of terrifying organization could assassinate a Deputy Director under such heavy protection?! That's insanely impressive!
17L: I'm more interested in what this organization's objectives are. Since it's a terrorist group, they surely wouldn't be aligned with the federal government. What are the benefits of killing a political figure?
18L: On a darker note, could it be related to political struggles hiring assassins?
This thread didn't garner much discussion, as everyone was captivated by the upcoming second wave of Closed Beta and He Kangshi's video.
"Dear friends, my transmigration location is in a remote corner of the Second World, far from any major developments. As a result, my access to information about the outside world is significantly delayed. Sometimes, news that everyone else already knows isn't readily available to me. It would be greatly appreciated if you could share significant events happening in the Second World within this thread. I want to stay informed."
Main Post: As stated above, There is no need for highly confidential information; just sharing major news updates would be sufficient. Many thanks in advance!!
1l: With the Second World so advanced, are there still places where internet coverage is lacking?
2L (original poster) replying to 1L: Yes, indeed. My newbie village aligns geographically with Equatorial Guinea in the First World. It's extremely arid, desolate, isolated, and impoverished; all resources have been depleted, and pollution is severe. When I first transmigrated there, I nearly starved to death qwq.
3L: Don't reveal personal information, OP!
4L (OP): No worries; nobody would go to that forsaken place. Do you know why it's so impoverished and heavily polluted? It's because the Federal Government abandoned the Wasteland District. You'll find the most severely radiation-contaminated factories and destitute people suffering from radiation sickness—it's hell on earth. Compare the poorest African countries in the First World with the Wasteland District, and you'll realize the Wasteland District is even worse off than the poorest African nations.
5L: OP, that sounds terrible.
6L: Sorry, OP; I can't help much, as I never really follow the news regularly. Give me until next week, when I return to the Second World. I'll specifically keep track of the news for you and update this thread then.
7L (OP): Thanks a lot!
8L: I haven't paid close attention either, but after watching a few days' worth of news, let me share what I recall. First, the biggest event was the assassination of Deputy Director Lin Xinji from Black Sea City's Investigation Department by the terrorist group Mechanical Dawn. Additionally, there was a high-ranking official, whose name I don't remember clearly but who held an apparently important position, who got caught embezzling 30 billion… Next, there was an accident at a flammable ice mining site in the Polar Regions, resulting in over thirty deaths, and the insurance company denied responsibility, refusing compensation. Furthermore, numerous environmental scholars criticized whaling ships for killing whales, leading to public sit-in protests beneath tech corporation buildings against the widespread adoption of mechanical neural interface technology…
9l: Adding another piece of news: the civilian version of the brain-machine interface is about to be released. It can be used by psychiatrists to treat mental patients and individuals with psychological disorders. The related policies and laws are also being refined. Based on information provided by experts on the forum, I believe the widespread adoption of brain-machine interfaces brings both joy and concern.
10l: An advocate delivering a human rights speech on the street was assassinated during their talk, and the killer remains at large. People spontaneously took to the streets, protesting for relevant authorities to apprehend the murderer. Unfortunately, a stampede occurred amidst the demonstration, resulting in several deaths.
16L: Reading these news updates from the previous posts just leaves me stunned. The Second World truly is an ultimate cesspool.
17L: OP, could you enlighten us with more details about the Wasteland District?
18L (original poster): Once I have some free time tonight after getting home, I'll provide the information. Survival in the Second World isn't enough for an old workhorse; I still need to work in the First World.
Kui Xin put down her phone and rubbed her forehead, taking a moment to process the news she had gleaned from the forum.
She got up, opened the window to ventilate the room, and then grabbed high-calorie foods from the refrigerator, stuffing them into her mouth.
Kui Xin was about to start practicing her superhuman ability, "Data Manipulation." Based on previous experiences, it was crucial to eat well before training, as using superhuman abilities similarly depleted energy like physical exercise causing hunger.
The situation changed with every passing moment, so she had to seize the opportunity to strengthen herself rapidly, familiarizing herself with her superhuman ability in order to gain an advantage amidst these shifting circumstances.
After preparing, Kui Xin took a deep breath and activated Data Manipulation.
In an instant, the scene before Kui Xin's eyes transformed.
She saw countless green "doors" composed of numbers, letters, and symbols. Behind each door, there stretched a connected "network."
These networks intertwined and overlapped, carrying a torrential flow of information. The characters surged like a rushing river, constantly changing and overwhelming in their complexity.
Kui Xin observed the nearest "door"—her smartphone!
"So that's how it works…" She came to a sudden realization. "A smartphone serves as a ‘port' for data, just like computers do. The data cables and electrical wires form the ‘network,' representing a tangible manifestation of the information superhighway."
Data Manipulation did not magically bestow Kui Xin with computer knowledge, turning her into a super hacker overnight. Instead, it presented various data, data ports, and a network of information in a way that she could understand and control.
She could reconstruct data like a building with blocks, enter through "ports" as if opening doors, ultimately connecting to the vast web that covers the world, and immerse her consciousness in the torrent of data.
Kui Xin looked at her phone, and her awareness was linked to the electronic device. Instantly, she gained control over the smartphone. With a mere thought, the phone automatically switched to its social media interface, followed by playing music on command, as if guided by an invisible hand.
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