In the early morning of November 2397, the sun had yet to rise, casting a grayish hue across the sky that sent chills down the spine. Cold winds sliced through the neck of the scavenger, stealing away what little warmth remained, showing no mercy and moving as if indifferent to everything in the world.
Trudging alongside a vast landfill, Cui Xiao sifted through the debris tirelessly. Fortunately, at the age of 17, he could endure the constant bending and rising, a feat that would give any grown man a sense of lingering discomfort.
"Today's luck is not bad at all. I've found several unopened loaves of bread. I might escape scolding today," Cui Xiao, clad in a single layer of clothing, walked barefoot near the garbage heap, seemingly unfazed by the cold. Years of hardship had accustomed him to this temperature.
In this era, with technological advancements and dwindling resources, people had completely transitioned to a life in the virtual world. The so-called advanced technology of online shopping had been around for hundreds of years. Now, not only work but also life and marriage took place in the digital realm. For instance, marriage requests online had obtained exclusive legal recognition. Even childbirth only required two individuals who had never met in real life. After a request for a relationship upgrade online, a self-service machine would be sent to the individuals' homes. Once they extracted the "necessary elements," an unmanned drone would deliver them to a breeding center, adding a new life to the world. Couples in the virtual world thus formed families, dominating the mainstream of society.
Although most people had migrated to the online world, the real world still required attention to certain matters, such as dealing with leftover garbage and waste disposal. While artificial intelligence controlled robots handled most tasks through the internet, some people from the lower strata, for various reasons, couldn't enter this world. They were trapped in the already desolate reality. As currency had shifted entirely online, these individuals couldn't earn money and could only assist robots in exchange for basic necessities. They were referred to as the fallen—some descendants of serious criminals, some undocumented and thus labeled as blacklisted, and others emerging like fish from a stagnant pond, unaware of their origin. Unable to enter the virtual world, they decayed in the shadows.
Cui Xiao's parents had passed away, and he relied on his aunt for support. Besides helping with his aunt's work, he also had to scavenge for a living.
"Auntie, guess what I managed to get today?"
"Cough, cough. Regardless of what you got, you better not hide anything. It's best to bring everything out. Otherwise, if I catch you, I'll pull your ears."
Caught off guard by her words, Cui Xiao, with a somewhat awkward expression, helped his ailing aunt up from the bed. He said, "How could it be? It's not hoarding; it's for a better life. Otherwise, you'd have to go hungry one day and full the next. My small frame can't handle that."
"You little rascal, look at the state of the world. Do you still expect to live a hundred years? Fine, have it your way. Quickly, what are we having for dinner tonight?"
"Hehe, Auntie, let's have a hearty meal today!" With that, Cui Xiao, as if performing a magic trick, produced a long, dark loaf of bread from somewhere. Despite the packaging, the bread showed signs of greenish mold from prolonged exposure.
"Sounds good. Today is our lucky day. It's been so long since we had a meal of this quality. This dish is indeed tough; I'm having a bit of trouble chewing. Go fetch me some water; I'll soak it before eating."
Cui Xiao picked up the only yellow ceramic bowl without any chips from a table stained with oil, walked to the corner where the water tank was, lifted the lid, scooped a bowl of relatively clean water, covered it, and returned to sit by the table, asking, "Should I break off large pieces? Small pieces won't have the texture; it would ruin this thing."
"Alright, today, the two of us will savor a good meal!"
Late into the night, Cui Xiao looked at his aunt, who had already begun to doze off on the bed. Let's call the dilapidated boards on which they slept a bed. The face, meant for the youth, bore a hint of wrinkles not befitting his age, making him appear both young and old. He sighed lightly, walked out of the approximately 30-square-meter home, and gazed at the distant horizon. There, towering skyscrapers illuminated by colorful lights stood. Cui Xiao knew that while it seemed prosperous, there was nothing there—no people on the streets, everything from their clothing to their food and shelter was completed in the network. Going there would likely yield nothing, and one might even be apprehended by patrol robots. The thought of potential arrest sent a shiver down his spine; he didn't want to end up in that place.
"Well, this technological progress has nothing to do with me. If one day I could enter that world, I would make them see my capabilities." Amidst the intermittent coughs inside, Cui Xiao's thoughts were brought back to reality. He was powerless in the face of this; without an identity, he couldn't earn money, and without money, he couldn't buy medicine. He could only continuously search for somewhat decent food to ensure his only living relative could eat a little better and perhaps increase her resistance. "If things don't get better..." Cui Xiao shook his head abruptly, fell silent for a while, stood up, and, accompanied by moonlight, walked on the desolate land, slowly and resolutely making his way back to the worn-out bed in the house, hugging a cartoon doll he had found somewhere. Staring into the gaps in the roof, he fell into a reverie. Soon, the sound of breathing gradually echoed, spreading from inside to outside the house.