Late at night in the lab, Bai Mingyuan is intently looking at a special test report. This is the data they collected from the University City event, and every awakened person who was affected by the data entity showed some subtle changes.
"Interesting..." "These patterns of energy fluctuations seem to evolve in a particular direction," he muttered, drawing curves on the holographic projection.
Just then, the lab door was pushed open and Rollin came in. "Working so late?"
"Some findings must be confirmed." Bai Mingyuan called up more data, "Look here, every awakened person who has come into contact with the data entity has a slight variation in its energy characteristics. The degree is different, but the direction of variation is surprisingly consistent."
Rollin looked closely. "What does this mean?"
"Suggesting that that data entity may have actually triggered some evolutionary mechanism." Bai Mingyuan's voice is tinged with concern. "But the question is, is this evolution what we want?"
At that point, the system suddenly sounded an alarm. Surveillance footage shows a powerful energy surge at an abandoned factory on the outskirts of town. What's even more alarming is that the energy signature there is remarkably similar to the University City event.
"I'll go and see." Rollin turned to go, but was Bai Mingyuan stopped.
"Wait, take this." Bai Mingyuan handed him a bracelet, "This is based on the last data developed consciousness protection device, should provide some protection."
Rollin was about to say something when the communicator went off. It was Lin Yue's voice: "Luo Lin, you'd better come and see this. I found some interesting records in the ancient books."
"Deal with the factory first." Luo Lin said quickly, "Lin Yue, can you come with me?"
"Sure, I'll be right there."
Ten minutes later, the two men arrived at the abandoned factory. At night, the whole building is enveloped in an eerie halo. More disturbingly, more than a dozen people gathered around the factory, all of them in a curious state - translucent bodies, as if somewhere between physical and data.
"Another collective change?" Lin Yue looked around warily.
Rollin activated the protective wristband: "No, this seems different. They looked sober, like... I actively chose this state."
Then a woman stepped out of the crowd. Her form is the most special, the whole person flickers between the real and the unreal." Welcome, pioneers of evolution." Her voice seemed to come from her throat as well as directly in their heads.
"Who are you?" Rollin asked.
"We are the awakened ones who have chosen the path of true evolution." The woman smiled, "After touching that data entity, we understand the truth: the human body is only a temporary container, consciousness is the true essence." Now we have found a way to escape the limitations of our bodies."
Lin Yue frowns: "You want to be completely digital?"
"Not exactly." The woman shakes her head, "What we want to achieve is a perfect balance, maintaining humanity while getting all the advantages of data life." Imagine being able to feel the joys and sorrows of human beings, and being able to exist freely as data in any carrier..."
Rollin sensed something familiar: "The idea is very similar to that data entity."
"Because it shows us what's possible." The woman stepped forward. "Rollin, you felt it in the data space, didn't you? That freedom beyond the material..."
"But at what cost?" Rawling asks, "Completely abandon your essence?"
"No, beyond the existing essence." The woman raises her hand as the air begins to twist and countless streams of data flow around her. "Look, we still have our humanity, but we have more possibilities."
Just then, Lin Yue suddenly said, "Wait, I remember. Similar records are mentioned in ancient books, and in ancient times, there did appear a group of practitioners who pursued the 'unity of form and spirit'. They try to blend spirit and matter, but in the end..."
"What happened in the end?" Rollin asked.
"In the end most people fail, and only a very small number of people really achieve balance. Others, however, either completely digitized and dehumanized, or completely dissipated in the process of transformation."
The woman smiled, "That's because they don't have the help of modern technology." Look at us. We've found the perfect way."
With these words, she waved her hand to make a light mark in the air. The light trace expands rapidly, forming a huge data matrix. This is the pathway of evolution, through which any awakened person can achieve perfect transformation."
Rollin felt a powerful pull: "Is that why you're all here? Ready for mass conversion?"
"Yes, we will be the pioneers of a new species." The woman said enthusiastically, "And we hope you'll join us, Rollin. As the first perfect awakening, your potential is beyond the average."
Lin Yue was immediately on the alert, but Luo Lin stopped her. He looked the woman straight in the eye. "Tell me, how did you find this way?"
The woman hesitated a little: "It's... We worked it out ourselves."
"Lie." Rollin's voice was suddenly sharp. "You're being used. The energy signature of this data matrix is very similar to the technology of the Source organization.
The woman's expression changed." How did you..."
Just then, there was a distant roar of an engine. Several bright lights broke through the darkness, and several military armored vehicles quickly surrounded the factory. A familiar voice blared over the loudspeaker: "The experiment is over. It's time to pull in the net."
"Sure enough." Rollin sneers, "This is all a trap for the Source organization. They use you to test new translational technologies."
The woman's face turned pale. "No... It's impossible..."
On armoured vehicles, heavily armed special forces began to deploy, their weapons apparently specially adapted to deal with semi-digital targets.
"The transformation must continue!" Someone in the crowd shouted, "We can't turn back!"
With that, a dozen people rushed to the data matrix at the same time. But just as they were about to touch the matrix, the entire data structure suddenly twisted, and countless error codes rained down.
"No! The woman exclaimed, "The system has been compromised!"
Luo Lin immediately realized that the situation was bad: "Lin Yue, prepare to save people!"
The men who rushed toward the matrix began to disperse. Their bodies frantically transition between material and data, and finally disappear into the air as a speck of light.
The woman fell to her knees and watched her companions disappear: "Why... We were so close..."
Lin Yue quickly inspected the scene, trying to save those who were dissipating with healing power, but with little success. This state between material and data seemed to be beyond her ability.
The special forces began to advance on the factory, but Rollin had already noticed a figure in the corner. The man was wearing a mask, and he was quietly operating some device.
"Want to run?" Rollin suddenly appeared behind the man and grabbed him by the shoulder.
The masked man turned his head and let out a small laugh. "You're more alert than I thought, Rollin. But it's too early to say."
His voice suddenly rang out in Rollin's head: "The real game of evolution has just begun. Some of the truth, you will soon know."
With that, the masked man's body suddenly disintegrates into countless pieces of data and escapes from Rollin's hands. By the time the special forces took control of the scene, everyone else had either disappeared or fled, except for the woman who was still lost.
"It's an experiment." Lin Yue picked up a device from the ground. "They're using the awakened ones to test some kind of transformation technology, but it's obviously not perfect yet."
Rollin looked at the protective bracelet in his hand and mused, "No, maybe what they really want to test is something else. The incident exposed many issues: the insecurities of the awakened, the desire for transcendence, and..."
"And what?"
"And our understanding of the phenomenon of arousal is far from sufficient." Rollin looked off into the distance. "This could be just the beginning. If, as you find in ancient texts, such attempts at 'unity of form and spirit' have been made in history, then..."
"Then history is likely to repeat itself." Lin Yue took his words, "But this time with modern technology involved, the results may be more unpredictable."
Back at the base, Bai Mingyuan carefully analyzed the data collected at the site: "There is a very interesting phenomenon. Those people have all experienced some digitization, but they have changed to different degrees and in different ways. It shows that everyone's acceptance of this evolution is different."
"Just as species evolve in nature," says Rollin, "the same species can evolve in different directions."
"That's right." Bai Mingyuan nodded, "This reminds us that perhaps we should not use a single standard to judge the evolutionary direction of awakened people." Everyone may have their own path."
Lin Yue then took out an ancient book: "It is recorded here that those practitioners who pursue 'unity of form and spirit' have finally divided into three schools: some choose to be completely digital and pursue eternity; Some retain their human form but enhance their spiritual strength; Others find a balance between the two."
"History is always strikingly similar." Rollin laments, "Awakened people today may face a similar choice."
Just then, the system suddenly received an encrypted message:
"There is never a single path to evolution.
Some choose to transcend the body,
Some choose to reinforce the essence,
Some seek the perfect balance.
But the most important thing is not which path to choose,
It's about figuring out what you really want.
I'll tell you more next time we meet.
——M"
This night was meant to be a turning point. The community of the awakened began to clearly divide, and each faced his or her own choice. Beneath the surface, a bigger mystery awaits.