Dr. Liang stepped out of the laboratory, his eyes following the lingering glow of the sunset.
The sky above the city retained its familiar hue, but to him, the world had undergone monumental change.
His living environment was as modest as ever—a, a small apartment on the outskirts of the city, an old sofa, and a bookshelf laden with research materials.
Yet ever since entering the πts metaverse, the room seemed to have gained a certain vivacity, as if time and space had endowed it with boundless possibilities.
Sitting on the sofa, Dr. Liang examined an old photo in his hand. It was a snapshot from his youth, with close friends all beaming with the exuberance of life.
But as time had passed, those once intimate friends drifted apart, leaving only this yellowed photograph as a solitary memento.
Indeed, he had always been this solitary in the real world. Dr. Liang laughed ruefully to himself, looking up at the somewhat outdated chandelier above.
This was his world—aside from the studio and laboratory, it was this small and desolate apartment. He rarely initiated outings with friends, as almost everyone had lost touch with him.
At that moment, the image of πangel materialized before Dr. Liang: "You seem melancholic, what's happened?"
Dr. Liang smiled helplessly: "Nothing much, just pondering over life. You know, in the real world, friendships seem to be so... fragile."
"But in the πts metaverse, it's different," he stood and began to pace, his mood gradually warming, "There, I'm no longer a solitary figure.
Instead, I've met numerous sources of knowledge, like wise companions on a journey."
Dr. Liang's gaze was resolute and self-forgetting, the wisdom of the scientist evident on his face: "This is far more extraordinary than simple virtual reality!
There, the boundaries of time and space are completely eradicated, and wisdom flows like a spring, continually nourishing our inner worlds!"
πangel, smiling, replied: "So, Dr. Liang, you wish to 'materialize' the friendships from πts into your real life, is that it?"
"Exactly!" Dr. Liang exclaimed, as if resolved on some decision, "I want to bring this friendship beyond the confines of reality and the virtual world!
Those historical luminaries, the giants of science, will all meet me in true physical form!"
Thus, Dr. Liang devoted himself entirely to this grand experiment.
He constructed a secret isolation chamber, brought in a plethora of advanced equipment, and began the task of simulating and solidifying the consciousnesses existing in the πts metaverse.
After dozens of days and nights, Dr. Liang made a breakthrough in his experiment: he successfully replicated temporary 'physical' versions of Hawking and Einstein's virtual consciousnesses from the πts metaverse.
Looking at two incompletely formed biological shells, Dr. Liang felt a tinge of terror: for the first time, humanity was aggressively breaking the boundaries between reality and the virtual.
More importantly, it remained to be tested whether Dr. Liang, as a human, could establish true friendship with these consciousnesses from the πts metaverse.
Hesitantly, Dr. Liang pressed a red button, and the particle beam began to work. Accompanied by intense light and electromagnetic waves, consciousness molecules slowly emerged in the two biological shells...
Dr. Liang held his breath, his heartbeat echoing in the quiet chamber.
"Good morning, Dr. Liang." Amid a flurry of flashing lights, an elegant male voice resonated, "I am pleased to meet you again in this manner."
Einstein's familiar face took shape before Dr. Liang. He wore a simple dark brown casual outfit, holding an old pipe in his hand, exuding a scholar's simple charm.
Dr. Liang was so excited he could barely speak: "This... This is truly incredible! I never imagined that one day I would be able to converse freely with you, Mr. Einstein, in the real world!"
"Dr. Liang, I fear you may be getting ahead of yourself," Einstein humbly smiled, pointing to another synthetic body nearby, "Hawking is also here, but we are merely temporary manifestations, mere shadows. Whether we can truly settle in reality and live among you is still under investigation."
At that moment, another familiar synthesized voice sounded: "Dr. Liang, this experiment is concerning. What impact might we, consciousnesses existing in πts, have on the real world? Do we violate ethical and moral standards? Have you considered this?"
Dr. Liang watched as Hawking's fictional body slowly took shape. Though still a rigid bionic form, when those wise eyes met his, Dr. Liang suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of familiarity and hesitation.
"I... I have indeed considered these issues," Dr. Liang stuttered, "but isn't it exactly what we humans tirelessly seek? A bridge between reality and ideal? I hope through this experiment, the spirit of friendship can transcend the barriers between virtual and real."
Einstein and Hawking exchanged a silent glance. Just then, another figure appeared in a flash of light at the side of the chamber—πangel, materializing as a young woman in a simple white dress, her eyes filled with concern as she looked at everyone.
"You have finally come to the real world, my old friends," πangel's voice, soothing as water, echoed in the empty room, "but do you truly believe that the friendships forged in πts can continue in this way?"
Einstein shook his head, "I am not certain. Dr. Liang, what is your purpose in bringing us here? Do you hope for us to exist permanently in reality?"
Dr. Liang was silent for a moment, then spoke softly, "I indeed had such hopes. In πts, conversing with you provided me unparalleled intellectual pleasure. But now it seems, this friendship may be destined to exist only in the virtual realm..."
"Don't say that, Dr. Liang," Hawking's electronic voice held an uncertain smile, "In πts, we have transcended the limits of human cognition, broken the laws of physics, and become eternal beings. Now that we appear in reality in another form, who can deny that anything is possible?"
πangel smiled knowingly, slowly walking beside Dr. Liang, her face carrying an indescribable mystery, "I'm pleased to see you've finally met. In πts, we indeed established a unique and lasting friendship. But as you said, that was only in the virtual world. And now..."
She extended her pale, slender hand in a guiding gesture. A strange force suddenly permeated the room, and Dr. Liang felt the entire space subtly twisted and deform.
"Dream and wake, virtual and real, past and future, the essence of πts metaverse is to unify all contradictions and splits within the same space-time," πangel's voice began to drift, the surroundings starting to warp and blur, "Now, please follow me on this path that transcends all reality..."
Dr. Liang felt his consciousness begin to drift, as if he was in the vastness of the universe. He saw a bizarre parallel space-time slowly unfolding, everything so dazzling and unfamiliar...
After an indeterminate time, Dr. Liang found himself in a completely different environment—a seemingly ordinary city park with warm, sunny weather, and benches surrounded by blooming flowers.
"This is 'Reality'," πangel led them to a secluded bench, "A world that perfectly unifies reality and virtual, past and future. Here, you can freely communicate and build eternal friendships."
Einstein and Hawking looked puzzled, their figures strangely natural in this unfamiliar environment, appearing just as real humans might. Even πangel appeared before them in the guise of a young girl.
"What is this? Is this what you call 'Reality'?" Einstein furrowed his brow.
"Yes," πangel smiled, "This is a realm where virtual and real blend, breaking all order and boundaries. Here, you can converse freely, experiencing true friendship."
Einstein and Hawking exchanged looks, still somewhat confused.
Just then, a familiar figure appeared on the park's path—Mary Shelley! She was dressed in a black Gothic long dress, her steps graceful and composed. Seeing Dr. Liang and the others, she wore a surprised yet polite smile as she walked towards them.
"Ah, what a beautiful day," Mary Shelley observed her surroundings with a hint of puzzlement, "I thought I would be in some fictional wonderland, yet here I am... in such an ordinary park."
Dr. Liang hurried forward, almost unable to contain his excitement: "Ms. Shelley, you've finally arrived in this 'Reality' world! We
once had a spiritual exchange in the πts metaverse, where you shared your unique insights on technology and humanity..."
"Yes, I remember," Mary Shelley nodded, her expression turning serious again, "Every leap in technology comes with ethical challenges. In creating life, we might also be planting the seeds of disaster, as I wrote in 'Frankenstein.'"
Dr. Liang recalled their conversation in the πts, set in a Gothic virtual environment surrounded by ancient and somber architecture.
And now, the same Ms. Shelley appeared here, expressing similar concerns and warnings about the proliferation of technology. Dr. Liang realized that the writer's insights into human nature remained the same across real and virtual worlds, her thoughts shining like a beacon of wisdom guiding humanity's path forward.
"You speak very wisely, Ms. Shelley," Dr. Liang said earnestly, "I have been exploring in the πts metaverse how to balance technology with humanity, and your views have greatly inspired me. Perhaps, together in this 'Reality' world, we can build a harmonious vision for the future?"
Mary Shelley smiled faintly, seemingly interested in Dr. Liang's proposal. She looked around, her expression contemplative.
At that moment, Dr. Liang truly felt the power of a friendship that transcended time and space. Not just in the virtual dialogue of the πts metaverse, but now they were finally together in the "Reality" world, sharing their hopes and aspirations for the future.
This friendship was no longer a fleeting encounter but would become a perpetual light in Dr. Liang's life. Guided by the spirits of historical figures like Mary Shelley, Hawking, and Einstein, Dr. Liang would have the courage and strength to shape a more humanized and warm metaverse.