It was already past 8 PM, and the last ray of sunlight had disappeared. A gentle breeze swept through the air. There was a lot of noise at the front gate of Twin Birds National Park, with security guards struggling to manage the crowd. The traffic organizing robots were unable to control the traffic, and a higher number of personnel were appointed by the Council to regulate the flow of people. Today was not a peaceful day.
At that moment, three figures stepped out from the Twin Birds Cafe. One was a stout person with sharp ears, wearing jeans and walking with a somewhat puffed chest. The second was a girl with a slender figure, fair complexion, and in the prime of her life. The third was a tall individual with well-defined facial features, a somewhat handsome young man. They slowly crossed the road using the pedestrian walkway to reach Twin Birds National Park.
The Twin Birds Cafe was situated opposite the Twin Birds National Park, and it would take hardly 5 minutes to reach the park from there. Today marked the last day of the celebration, with the upcoming Republic Day of Peturia being an important day for the entire world. Human figures from all over the country swarmed Twin Birds National Park to witness the grand celebration organized once a year. Observing the large crowd in front of the gate, Sai sighed inwardly and said, "Seems like today is going to be hectic. Sister Sara, you need to cover for us."
Sara nodded slowly and replied, "Leave it to me."
"There won't be much of a problem the way they are going to treat us because the Council needs to show a good side to other countries. Look at how the guards are still talking politely with the 'Outsiders' they usually make remarks," Fatty Lucas remarked.
"Yes, with Sara with us, it would be even better," Sai acknowledged.
They slowly joined the queue to enter Twin Birds National Park. The security measures were very tight, and the way the Council had organized things could be described as perfect. Despite the commotion, the human flow was mobilized smoothly and efficiently, so people didn't have to wait a long time for security checks.
Lucas felt disgusted when he saw the smiles plastered on the faces of the security guards. Even though Sai and Lucas did not have their own Citizenship Identity (CI) cards, they could use Twin Birds Cafe's profile to bypass security. Additionally, with Sara accompanying them, there was no problem at all. While many 'Outsiders' were not allowed to enter, those with yellow cards and no criminal record faced no issues at the gate.
Next week marks the most significant day in the world – the 150th Republic Day of Peturia. Peturia stands as a heaven where humanity yearned to settle down after the devastating aftermath of the Third World War. Following the war's conclusion, nearly all lands became uninhabitable, resulting in the loss of half of the global population. Over the next two decades, humanity faced relentless assaults from natural disasters such as earthquakes, storms, and tsunamis.
As habitable lands dwindled, people sought refuge in camps established by various countries. Unfortunately, governments struggled to meet the needs of their citizens due to the prolonged war and loss of habitable territories. Worldwide, governments collapsed, with over 50 countries succumbing to this fate. Only wealthy nations could partially manage their people's needs. Some affluent individuals and their families had already settled on Mars, becoming self-sustained and avoiding the difficulties faced by the majority.
However, the plight of ordinary people was tragic. Many lost their lives due to war, natural disasters, and famine.
During these challenging times, our paradise emerged. Near the Indonesian archipelago, a sudden volcanic eruption engulfed almost the entire region, spreading to nearby countries over the following decade. Sumatra, Indonesia, and the Malay archipelago succumbed to the volcanic activity. After two decades of relative stability, with the assistance of eight affluent families and extensive global efforts and research, the vast volcanic island transformed into a thriving nation – Peturia.
Today marks the eve of Peturia's 150th year since its inception. This day is celebrated globally as a festival, attracting millions of visitors each year. For many, visiting Peturia is a pilgrimage, a symbolic journey to this utopian land. As usual, this year witnesses a bustling rush of people eager to partake in the festivities.
Sai's group finally entered the gate, and the scene before them filled them with a blissful feeling. People were everywhere, and the security personnel were still organizing the flow of the crowd. Various entertainments awaited them, including a giant wheel, roller coaster, bike racing, car racing, and a space war simulation. The three of them were filled with excitement, and they eventually stood before the space war simulation.
As they approached the space war simulation, Lucas nudged Sara and asked, "Hey Sara, how much money do you have? Please lend me some."
"I don't have enough for you," Sara replied, turning her head, leaving Lucas disappointed.
"I have enough money, Lucas, but only for one time. Let's go," Sai informed.
"Boss, you are the best!" Lucas exclaimed with excitement.
Afterward, they joined the queue for the space war simulation. It was a famous demonstration of the pinnacle of Peturian technology, providing a realistic experience that made participants feel like they were inside an actual war. The last time they tried it was a year ago, and Lucas had almost spent all their money on it.
After a 15-minute wait, it was finally their turn. They presented their identity cards and entered the space war simulation area. Inside, they saw neatly organized simulation pods, with some people entering while others exited. Their assigned pods were in the third row, and they reached them after some time. Slowly, they opened their respective pods, resembling beds with markers indicating where to place their body parts. Once inside the pod, their heads were automatically covered by special helmets.
Sai..
As the special helmet covered my head, a sudden shiver coursed through my entire body. The lid of the simulation pod slowly began to close, tightly enveloping my body. Though dim, there were still some illuminations inside. The instruction voice commenced guiding us through the subsequent procedures.
"Hi, welcome to the Space War. Kindly relax your body and adjust to your comfortable position. Slowly take a deep breath. Your consciousness will enter our simulation world shortly. Don't panic and take a deep breath."
The instruction voice repeated, and after some time, the surrounding lights started to dim. I felt a dizzying sensation as if my head were being pulled. Slowly, I closed my eyes and found myself in another place after a while.
"Respective participants, welcome to Space War once again. Slowly open your eyes and adjust to the environment."
Upon opening my eyes, I found myself inside an empty room with a glass window. After inspecting for a while, I deduced that I was in a spaceship.
"Respective participant, please reach the cockpit."
I adjusted myself, rose from the bed, and opened the door to the cockpit. Multiple screens displayed real-time parameters of outer space. I strolled towards an empty seat and sat down, the seatbelt automatically wrapping around my body.
"Respective participant, here are the instructions for controlling the spaceship."
The electronic voice explained how to operate the warship—it's not as complicated as one might think, just like operating a joystick. I remembered all the instructions. Simulated copilots were stationed beside the seat.
Once the voice completed the control instructions for the spaceship, it delved into the mission details.
"Here is your mission. There were some space pirates between the planets NF201 and WT32. Many people were killed during their last siege. Destroy the space pirate warships."
I calmly absorbed the instructions. The best thing about the simulation is its ultra-realistic nature. We feel the tremors, and sometimes due to G-Force, we might feel dizzy and even vomit. Everything feels too real. This is my third time participating in the simulation. Last time, I lasted for around three hours. I don't know how much time I will last this time.