Once, while with Norton, Suldair and Willie, we encountered some peculiar Guoker people. These individuals seemed weightless, floating as they walked, yet their physique and expressions were indistinguishable from ordinary Guokers. Suddenly, I saw them glide right through a wall as if it posed no barrier at all.
I immediately thought it might be the Global Motion Network assisting them, but GMN typically facilitates movement so rapidly that it's invisible to the naked eye. I was curious; my intuition told me these were not ordinary Guokers.
"Wow, these people are so strange! How did they get into the house through the wall? Can you do that?" I asked, bewildered.
"They're virtual light beings from Guoker planet," Willie responded nonchalantly, "You've already seen them at Norton's place."
"Oh, so buildings can be virtual, and so can people? The virtual buildings I've seen always seem to tremble slightly. Why don't these people exhibit the same trembling?" I inquired.
"The standards for buildings are lower; their appearance can be roughly rendered by the artificial field imaging technology, but virtual people are rendered with much finer detail. When the imaging is sufficiently refined, you can't detect any trembling," Willie explained, though I was still puzzled.
Noticing my confusion, Norton offered a more technical explanation: "You still have much to learn about virtual beings. We Guokers have developed artificial field scanning technology that captures and records human consciousness, storing these records in computers. Originally, the idea was that once our technology evolved sufficiently, we could manufacture bodies to house these recorded consciousnesses, allowing us to swap bodies and achieve immortality.
"These digital consciousnesses were not meant to remain idle in computers; instead, they were active within the network, forming the earliest virtual beings of Guoker. Initially, these virtual beings existed only within Guoker's computers and networks, and real people needed image display devices to interact with and see them. Moreover, their appearances changed frequently, lacking a consistent human identity.
"Back then, the digital consciousnesses of Guokers ran on networks and computers, and we encountered a significant issue. Human consciousness, when residing in the brain, is generally immutable, but once transferred to computers and networks, it becomes susceptible to modification by others or even oneself. This frequent tampering with digital consciousnesses caused substantial negative side effects."
Later, we introduced the concept of the "Personal Source Code," allowing individuals' consciousness to revert to its initial recorded state under certain conditions. This concept became crucial once we were capable of creating life and constructing human bodies. If such technology—preserving consciousness and switching bodies to achieve immortality—were to be realized on Earth, the "Personal Source Code" would undoubtedly become an essential and unavoidable concept for Earthlings.
Initially, our virtual beings were merely represented by light but were not true light-based virtual entities. As 3D virtual imaging and artificial field scanning technologies evolved, virtual beings were able to step out from behind networks and screens. Composed of light images, these three-dimensional virtual beings began appearing on our streets and eventually in every corner of the real world.
The virtual light beings you see are crafted through remote locking of local light and colors by artificial field scanning technology, coupled with 3D holographic imaging. Without this technology to lock the light, managing light that encounters physical obstructions becomes challenging.
Virtual beings appear dimmer at night due to less available light to lock, whereas during the day, they are brighter and clearer due to ample natural light. However, it's common to artificially enhance the locked light at night, making the virtual beings appear exceptionally bright.
These virtual beings are consistently tracked and supported by the GMW, GIW, and GPS, requiring massive data flow. Essentially, virtual people are products of vast data collections, impossible without the powerful storage and computing capabilities of artificial field scanning computers, which are billions of times more powerful than Earth's computers.
Although virtual people are composed only of light and lack physical bodies, they possess self-awareness. This consciousness, fundamentally informational, is stored digitally within computers and operates within them. Virtual beings can interact and form emotional connections, establish romantic relationships, and even engage in sexual activities, both with each other using proxies and with real humans, exhibiting the full range of human thoughts and emotions.
Yet, virtual people experience the physical world very differently from real humans. They have no need to eat, drink, or excrete, hence no feelings of hunger, satiety, or thirst. They do not feel their own weight and are free from physical ailments since they lack physical bodies.
Nevertheless, virtual people can suffer from mental illnesses and experience happiness and pleasure. They come in male, female, and neutral genders, and can be heterosexual or homosexual.
Their perception and understanding of physical concepts such as space, time, force, heat, light, and sound differ significantly from ours. Movement from one place to another is effortless and unconstrained for them; no physical object can obstruct them, they perceive no barriers, and can enter and exit places at will. Virtual beings effectively live in a two-dimensional world, existing merely as non-material collections of information.
Additionally, virtual people perceive the physical world—including space, time, force, heat, light, and sound—very differently from us. They can move from one location to another with ease and freedom that physical beings cannot match. No object can obstruct them; they have no concept of physical barriers. They simply go wherever they desire, entering and exiting at will. Virtual people face no spatial constraints; they essentially live in a two-dimensional world, existing merely as non-material collections of data.
Virtual people experience time differently from us physical beings. They have no concept of day or night and do not require sleep for rest. They are impervious to extreme temperatures, allowing them to navigate environments as perilous as volcanoes and glaciers with ease.
The virtual people of Guoker evolved gradually, particularly as artificial field scanning and virtual imaging technology advanced. This technology enabled pure virtual beings, previously confined to computer networks, to be projected anywhere on Guoker as holographic light beings.
"Oh, I see," I remarked, "so the artificial field locks certain light rays on the street to create visual representations of people. But these individuals aren't actually there; they continue to exist digitally within computers."
Norton added, "Correct, but it's not quite that simple. The GMW deploys the artificial field imaging technology, supported by the GIW and GPS, which captures detailed environmental data and transmits it to the virtual people. This process ensures they receive the same, if not more detailed, information as a physical person would in that location. Everything relevant to these virtual individuals is also collected and transmitted to them in real time.
"You see, virtual people can manipulate physical objects because they send signals to the GMW, which then facilitates these actions through its network.
"How do virtual people engage in sexual relationships with each other or with real people?" I asked.
"There are a couple of methods," he explained. "One is using frequency interception technology, which transmits the sexual activity's digital signals directly into the brains of both parties, linking and interacting their sensations, memories, and consciousness with that of the virtual person. Another method involves using proxies, such as remotely operated manikins, or activating two sets of information-clay bodies that are connected to the virtual person's hologram via artificial field scanning."
Suldair's statement took me by surprise: "In fact, 90% of our population are virtual beings."
"Virtual people are seen as failures in reality; they've grown weary of it and have retreated into the virtual world," Willie commented. "Actually, every individual possesses both a real body and a virtual identity within the network—it's simply a matter of preference whether one chooses to appear as a virtual being or as a physical person."
Her words astounded me further. "Everyone has both virtual and real identities, and in special cases, a person might have multiple bodies and virtual identities. Your 'body' isn't limited to human forms; you could be a spaceship, a fish, a castle—of course, these entities are highly intelligent, capable of receiving and processing human consciousness, allowing for interaction. In essence, these entities are alive, not inanimate."
Norton said, "Generally, we refer to those who persistently refuse to appear in a real body as virtual people."
Later, I returned to Willie's place, still fascinated by the topic of virtual people. I bombarded Willie with endless questions. Today, she seemed very patient and thoroughly explained everything about virtual people. Finally, she swiped her hand through the air, and a mist arose beside me, displaying various images through a hologram as if she were becoming my teacher.
"Does every virtual person have a backup body ready so they can switch to a real body whenever they want?" I asked.
"Yes, that's correct," Willie responded.
"Where are these backup bodies kept then?"
"Look here," Willie pointed at the virtual screen. I saw several translucent containers filled with liquid, each holding a dormant, naked human. Among them, some beautifully formed female bodies caught my eye, causing an involuntary reaction that made my face turn red. Willie noticed and looked at me with a peculiar expression.
"Does each virtual person need a backup body?"
"Not really, only a few virtual people request to revert to their real bodies each day," she replied.
"Can I exist as both a virtual person and a real person?"
"That would create two instances of 'you,' leading to mental suffering and confusion—no one wants that kind of trouble," she explained.
Eventually, Willie grew tired of my relentless questioning and refused to engage further. Instead, she offered me a computer program to experience life as a virtual person. She instructed me to lie down on the bed as she set up the virtual computer. Suddenly, I found myself in a bizarre world where everything seemed painted. I floated down the street while a voiceover asked, "Where are you going? Do you need a partner? Please make your selection."
I noticed five beautiful women nearby, all excitingly waving at me. If this were Earth, I wouldn't dare to look directly at them because I've always felt inferior, coming from a poor rural background where beautiful women seemed out of reach.
Now, empowered to choose, I felt thrilled. I selected one, but up close, she resembled Willie—was this the type I preferred? As I hesitated, the other four vanished in disappointment. I later chose a few pets that floated around me, accompanying me on my travels. Continuous voiceover prompts urged me to make decisions, but lacking experience, I sometimes chose poorly, leading me back to the start or making random selections.
Fortunately, the journey eventually got smoother. I experienced many incredible sensations—I could leap onto mountains in a single bound, pass through walls, float and soar through the air, and feel as if my body was as soft as silk. I could go anywhere instantly. But then I realized no scenic beauty could compare to the beauty of a woman. I began searching for beautiful women everywhere until I realized the woman who had been accompanying me was right there. I approached her slowly, embraced her, and felt a profound sense of pleasure during our hug. Suddenly, I felt as if I had awakened from a dream. Willie was standing beside me, watching intently.
Later, I played these virtual reality games on several occasions, immersing myself in the extraordinary sensations of being a virtual person. Initially, through field scanning, I was put into a state of weightlessness, similar to how astronauts are trained underwater on Earth. This is because most virtual people living in computer networks do not experience gravity unless it is specifically programmed. Removing the sensation of gravity not only brought me closer to the experience of virtual beings but also diminished my self-awareness of reality. They severed my connection to the real world, making me unable to feel gravity, time, space, color, temperature, sound, or scent, thus freeing me from these influences. Only by completely detaching from the real environment and forgetting the real world, could I truly immerse myself and live within the virtual world.
When you become a virtual person in the Guoker planet's computer networks, you start by feeling very alert, not at all like being in a drowsy or half-awake state. The virtual environment appears different—blurred and constantly changing colors. Distinguishing between sky and earth is difficult; sometimes, it feels as if the ground is overhead and space below your feet, or that space is merely a narrow gap between two expanses of earth.
Most of the time, there is no sense of being in a fixed place. Surroundings and colors are always shifting. Different areas have their own color themes; for example, you might enter an area where everything is tinted red, then move to another that's purple or cyan. Virtual people can exist simultaneously in multiple locations and view their bodies from various perspectives.
Virtual people experience time differently from physical beings. They hardly feel the passage of time and often cannot tell the sequence of events. It's common for them to experience time as if it were flowing backward, with recent events seeming to repeat themselves.
Disorientation is common; it's hard to familiarize oneself with any environment, and the sense of spacetime chaos is profound. People and objects appear to float aimlessly in every direction. Unlike in the real world, where everything is grounded, here, people and items drift through the sky and the depths of the sea.
The size of objects and beings can change unpredictably, and their movements can start and stop abruptly. It's not unusual for someone who appears far away to suddenly be right in front of you. You might walk a great distance only to find yourself back where you started. It's often more accurate to perceive your surroundings with your intuition rather than relying on sight.
Virtual people feel no physical weight; their bodies are light, like tufts of cotton, capable of flying and stopping at will. They are fearless, knowing they cannot be harmed by physical collisions or attacks. Initially, you might feel scared when someone swings a blade at you, but as it passes harmlessly through your body, even providing a peculiar sense of relief, you gradually become braver. Soon, no matter how dangerous a situation may seem in the real world, it does not incite fear, except when faced with bizarre creatures or scenes.
Virtual people can teleport to any location instantly, soar through the air effortlessly, and experience their bodies as soft and buoyant, like fluff. They can also divide into filaments or disperse into dust particles. Unaffected by extreme temperatures, they can freely enter hostile environments such as volcanoes and glaciers, jump off cliffs without hesitation, pass slowly through walls, or travel deep into the Earth's core with ease. When virtual people embrace, they can seamlessly merge into each other's bodies, experiencing an extraordinary sense of freedom. At times, they can freely morph their bodies into fragments, fluids, or vapors. They can appear solid but quickly transition into liquid or gas states, switching between them at will.
Virtual people can join any computer game instantly, becoming a character within that digital realm. They are not bound by the constraints of day or night and do not require sleep. There are no concepts of spatial distance or physical barriers for them; they can move through any material and cover vast distances effortlessly. With just a thought, they can be anywhere instantly.
Virtual people can experience happiness and pleasure and have the capacity for both heterosexual and homosexual relationships. They exist as males, females, and neutrals, capable of communicating and forming emotional and romantic relationships, not only with each other but also with real humans. They can even engage in unique sexual relationships through data and physical interaction.
However, virtual people can also experience mental anguish. They cannot commit suicide or kill another virtual person. If someone tries to kill a virtual person, attacking their holographic body is futile; one would need to locate the network and computer where their data resides and destroy it to truly eliminate them.
In their normal state, virtual light people feel like touching air, but they can utilize GMW to create force fields around themselves. This allows them to simulate realistic tactile sensations, offering different textures and feedback when touched.