The next day, Zhang Chenyan met up with 0810 as planned. This time, however, he didn't use the work pod to connect; he used the brain-machine interface. After all, with a brain-machine interface, using anything else to log in would be a waste.
As soon as they met, 0810 confirmed, "Brain-machine connection?"
Zhang Chenyan nodded. "Of course."
"The other three have arrived as well, also using the brain-machine interface," 0810 added. "It seems brain-machine connection is a mandatory requirement for entering that place—for humans, at least."
Even if 0810 hadn't mentioned it, Zhang Chenyan could understand. But lately, he couldn't help but feel that 0810 had been emphasizing the distinction between humans and AI more than usual, which hadn't been the case before.
Typically, when someone repeatedly emphasizes a point, it's either because those around them care a lot about it, or because they themselves care a lot. Zhang Chenyan didn't mind, but what about 0810?
However, now was clearly not the time to ponder such things. Before officially entering, Zhang Chenyan encountered many unfamiliar faces he hadn't seen before. But they clearly knew 0810, leading Zhang Chenyan to speculate that they were likely similar to the Arbitrators, primarily responsible for maintaining the rules of the digital world.
"Please read this document carefully and sign it before entering," a woman with an expressionless face approached Zhang Chenyan, her tone icy and businesslike. She added, "Of course, you have the right to refuse to sign."
Zhang Chenyan glanced at the document and immediately knew this was the same thing 0810 had mentioned earlier. The thickness of the document was on par with the informed consent form he had signed before participating in the brain-machine interface experiment. By now, Zhang Chenyan had mastered the trick to signing such hefty documents: don't bother reading the content, just decide whether to sign or not.
If you decide not to sign, reading through it is a waste of time. If you decide to sign, then you must accept everything written on it.
Zhang Chenyan quickly scribbled his name. When he looked up, he noticed the other three had done the same.
Sure enough, anyone who had been through Tersus Corporation's trials would become particularly "compliant."
The difference this time was that the preparation was remarkably brief. Due to the minimal information available about this unknown territory, there was almost nothing to brief them on. Zhang Chenyan had some experience from before, but the others were completely in the dark.
"Prepare to enter."
That was the last thing Zhang Chenyan heard. As he heard those words, he couldn't help but think that despite both being "icebergs," this staff member was no match for 0810. When 0810 went full "iceberg," her presence was overwhelming, whereas this staff member just came across as numb and indifferent.
...
"Zhang Chenyan, wake up."
Warm sunlight streamed through the window as Zhang Chenyan lay comfortably in his cozy bed. He turned over, pretending not to hear, and pulled the covers over his head, ready to continue sleeping.
The door's lock clicked, followed by the creak of the door opening.
"You've learned to lock the door now, huh?"
"Get up already; the sun is almost at your back."
"Don't pretend you're still asleep—I know you're awake."
"It's the weekend, so I wanted to let you sleep in, but who knew you'd sleep until the afternoon!"
Xie Han picked up the clothes and pants Zhang Chenyan had thrown on the floor, folding them while she nagged at him.
"What kind of bad habit is this? The floor isn't clean so you can just toss your clothes around. The chair for your clothes is less than a meter away from your bed. Would it kill you to reach out?"
As she spoke, Xie Han playfully slapped Zhang Chenyan's backside through the blanket.
"Hurry up and get up. Your dad is taking you to the Aerospace Museum."
That last sentence was more effective than all her previous nagging combined. Zhang Chenyan practically leaped out of bed.
"Really?" he asked, his face lighting up with excitement.
"Would I lie to you?" Xie Han replied with mock annoyance. "Your dad told me last night that since he's home for the holiday, he's going to spend some quality time with you and make sure you have a great summer vacation."
As he hastily dressed, Zhang Chenyan commented, "My vacations are way easier to come by than his. I get regular summer and winter breaks with set dates. His vacations… well, they're about as likely as winning the lottery. You never know when they'll start or how long they'll last."
"He's doing it for work, to earn money for you," Xie Han sighed. "Don't worry. He said this time he won't get called away in the middle of it. He's already taken care of most of the work before coming home, and anything else can be handled by his colleagues."
"Great!" Zhang Chenyan beamed. Then, feeling a bit embarrassed, he added, "Mom, could you step out for a moment? I need to put on my pants."
"Still know how to feel embarrassed?" Xie Han teased as she walked out. "My son is really growing up."
Zhang Chenyan quickly got himself ready and checked his reflection in the mirror. A teenager of fifteen or sixteen still had a bit of boyishness, but there was a fresh, clean-cut look about him, and his youthful energy was especially noticeable.
When he emerged from his room, Xie Han was just setting the dishes on the table.
"Go wash your hands; it's time to eat," his father called as he set the table.
Zhang Chenyan rushed to wash his hands, a quick and not-so-thorough process, then casually wiped them on his pants before sitting back down at the table, waiting for the meal.
"Next time, wash your pants yourself," Xie Han remarked coolly as she noticed the wet spots on his pants.
Zhang Chenyan had heard that threat countless times and didn't take it seriously. He simply smiled and complimented, "Mom, your cooking has improved again! I could smell the food from far away."
"You sweet talker… but you're still washing those pants yourself," Xie Han replied, not falling for his flattery.
Resigned, Zhang Chenyan stuck his tongue out at his dad, seeking some sympathy.
Perhaps because his dad was home, Xie Han had made a full table of dishes, each one a favorite of either Zhang Chenyan or his father.
Lying in bed earlier, Zhang Chenyan hadn't felt particularly hungry, but now, faced with so many delicious dishes, he suddenly felt ravenous, and his stomach growled.
He ate the meal with great satisfaction, partly because of the food itself and partly because of the anticipation of the post-meal activity. He practically devoured his lunch in a whirlwind, then eagerly called out to his father, "Let's go!"
"So, nobody's washing the dishes?" Xie Han asked, looking at Zhang Chenyan.
Washing dishes was something Zhang Chenyan had always detested, but it was a chore he had always been assigned. However, just as he resigned himself to the task and was about to carry the plates to the sink, his father spoke up: "Leave them there; I'll do it. You go get ready. As soon as I'm done, we'll head out."
"Dad, I love you!" Zhang Chenyan exclaimed sincerely.
"You're spoiling him," Xie Han remarked with a smile.
"He's my only son, and I'm not home much. If I don't spoil him, who will?" his father replied as he carried the plates to the kitchen.
Watching his father busy in the kitchen, Zhang Chenyan felt a deep sense of contentment.
He returned to his room and idly flipped through a comic book. Normally, these comics were captivating to him, but today, they seemed less interesting. Nothing could compare to the excitement of the upcoming trip.
The wait felt endless, and just as Zhang Chenyan was about to drift off to sleep, he heard a knock at the door.
"No need to be so polite; Mom always just barges in," Zhang Chenyan called out lazily from his bed.
His father entered the room with a smile. "You're growing up; you need your privacy. I'll talk to your mom about giving you more space."
"Go ahead," Zhang Chenyan muttered, "but good luck getting her to listen. She might be better while you're home, but as soon as you leave, it'll be back to the same old."
"Alright, I'll keep reminding her," his father chuckled, then pulled him up from the bed. "Time to head out—no more lounging around."
At the mention of going out, Zhang Chenyan was out the door faster than anyone. He quickly put on his shoes and waited by the elevator, urging them, "Hurry up, the elevator's here."
"Coming, coming. If only you were this eager for school," Xie Han grumbled as she walked out.
The family took the elevator down to the first floor. As they stepped out of the building, Zhang Chenyan felt the warm sunshine on his skin. He stretched contentedly and called back to his parents, "I've already checked the route—35 bus, right?"
"Yes, yes. Slow down a bit," Xie Han cautioned from behind, "It wouldn't be good if you bumped into someone."
"I'm walking steadily. How could I—" Zhang Chenyan began, only to be cut off as he suddenly stumbled backward.
What just happened? How did things go wrong so quickly?
"Zhang Chenyan, get out! Get out of here!" The girl who had bumped into him whispered urgently. She seemed seriously injured, clutching her abdomen.
Zhang Chenyan was completely stunned. It took him a moment to realize that she hadn't accidentally bumped into him—she had done it on purpose.
But who was this person? How did she know his name?
"Zhang Chenyan, snap out of it! This isn't real!" the girl said again.
Zhang Chenyan was even more confused. "What? Snap out of it? What do you mean this isn't real?"
But the girl didn't respond. She simply collapsed, still clutching his pant leg.
Before Zhang Chenyan could react, his father had already called the police, and Xie Han had dialed 120 for an ambulance. Moments ago, Zhang Chenyan had been wondering why they hadn't helped the girl up; now he realized they were far more composed in handling the situation than he was.
"We don't know her condition, so we shouldn't move her," Xie Han said.
"But she's holding onto my pants…" Zhang Chenyan said awkwardly, bending down to free his pants from the girl's grip, only to find she wouldn't let go.
Xie Han tried to help but had the same result.
"Do you know her?" his father asked, puzzled.
Zhang Chenyan looked closely at the girl's face and finally admitted, "She's pretty, but I don't know her."
"But she called your name…" Xie Han said, confused. "Did you bully her? Why else would she bump into you and cling to your pants?"
"Heaven knows I didn't bully anyone! Do I look like someone who could bully people?" Zhang Chenyan felt aggrieved. "Do you two really think your son has what it takes to pick on anyone? I look like a frail bookworm—who could I possibly beat up?"
"You have a pretty accurate self-assessment," Xie Han nodded, then checked her watch. "Let's wait a bit longer; the ambulance should be here soon."
Zhang Chenyan said nothing more, lowering his head in silence.
Their trip to the Aerospace Museum would have to wait, but there was nothing else they could do.
However, as they anxiously waited, the girl suddenly vanished.
Yes, she just disappeared.
Completely vanished as if she had never existed.
Zhang Chenyan was dumbfounded. He looked to his parents, hoping they could explain or at least confirm that he hadn't imagined it.
But to his surprise, his parents' expressions were completely normal. Xie Han even nudged him, urging, "Weren't you in a hurry to get to the Aerospace Museum? Why are you standing here daydreaming?"
Zhang Chenyan was perplexed. "Didn't you see it? That girl—she's gone."
"What girl?" his father asked, looking around. "Did you run into a classmate?"
Desperate, Zhang Chenyan pointed to the ground. "She was right here. She was hurt, lying on the ground, and she wouldn't let go of my pant leg."
His parents exchanged glances, clearly puzzled.
"Do you still want to go to the Aerospace Museum?" Xie Han asked, half amused, half exasperated. "Telling us tall tales in broad daylight?"
At this point, the Aerospace Museum was the last thing on Zhang Chenyan's mind. He was desperate to prove he wasn't making it up, but after looking around, he couldn't find a single trace of the girl.
It was as if she had never been there at all.
"What's going on with you?" Xie Han asked, walking over and placing a worried hand on his forehead. "Are you feeling unwell? Or did you have a hallucination?"
The moment Xie Han touched him, Zhang Chenyan suddenly felt his mind go blank.
"Unwell?" his father echoed, looking concerned. "Should we head home and let you rest? Maybe we should skip the museum today."
"Why skip it?" Zhang Chenyan asked, confused. "We're already here. Hurry up and catch the 35 bus. What are you standing around for? Did something happen?"