Night was falling, and everything was proceeding smoothly. The vaccine production plan had finished testing, and for security reasons, Li Geyu was moving me to her residence.
Bat Corporation's technical department sent a visitor—Xiao Fang. He held a pair of glasses that looked like the standard gaming glasses of the day, except with a faint green glow. Xiao Fang explained that this was an intrusion detection tool developed by the company's security department. It aggregated intelligence to assess threats from approaching individuals: if someone was detected as a threat, they would be highlighted with a red outline; otherwise, with green.
Zhang Beihai put on the glasses, and after adjusting the focus, he found they were not much different from standard gaming glasses of the era, except that everyone around him had a faint green outline along their bodies—much like the color-coded markers distinguishing friend from foe in combat games. Zhang Beihai turned his gaze toward Wan Yining. Today, she happened to be wearing an outfit reminiscent of an elven race from a game, truly looking like an elf stepping out of a forest. For a moment, thoughts flooded Zhang Beihai's mind: in this game of life, perhaps most people were mere NPCs. The script had long been written, and the possible interactions and choices were forever finite.
"What is its detection principle? I am currently responsible for Chairman Beihai's security, so please brief me right now."
Li Geyu interrupted Zhang Beihai's reverie and began questioning Xiao Fang. Xiao Fang hesitated for a moment before saying, "The guidelines given to me by the company state that the detailed specifics of the technology cannot be disclosed to anyone for the time being. However, since Chairman Beihai is also here, I will summarize briefly. Essentially, it uses nanobots to detect a person's emotions at the molecular level. Each vaccine dose contains a bot to assist in treatment, while the emotional detection capability is implemented at the software level. Suppose someone intends to carry out an assassination: no matter how experienced he or she is, changes in secretions such as adrenaline and cortisol are difficult to conceal and can be detected by the bot. That is the general principle. As for the specific technical implementation, you may need to issue an executive order under relevant laws to requisition the technical documentation."
Zhang Beihai nodded and said, "Bat Corporation is our vaccine supplier; they are on our side. The government's security apparatus must have already vetted it, or it wouldn't have been brought here. Have the Minister of Internal Affairs find an independent auditing agency to review it once more."
Li Geyu nodded, told Xiao Fang to go rest, and then turned to ask Wan Yining what she had to report.
Wan Yining said, "There are conspiracy theories circulating in the gaming community right now, questioning whether our leadership might be using genetic technology to extend their lifespans."
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes glistening, and she looked on the verge of tears. Looking at her, Zhang Beihai couldn't help but think that war truly wasn't a game for women. He then spoke to comfort her: "This is nothing but slander against us. Wouldn't it be settled if you just made public all the current research projects from the Ministry of Science and Technology?"
Li Geyu smiled and said to Wan Yining, "Did the people in the science and technology department throw a bunch of jargon you couldn't understand at you to brush you off? Those old foxes are only ever honest when they're asking for funding. Let Zhang Beihai handle this matter."
Hearing this, Wan Yining took two steps toward the door, then turned back, looking straight at Zhang Beihai: "Chairman Beihai, are we still walking the path of justice?"
Li Geyu turned back with a smile and said, "Justice doesn't come naturally or for free. We are all striving to earn it."
Unlike the standardized government office buildings, Li Geyu's home was decorated with a dazzling warmth, completely devoid of the geometric lines and architectural skeletons typical of buildings in this era. The primary color scheme of the interior consisted of red, yellow, and green. Every projected ornament had clearly been finely tuned, forming a picturesque scene from every angle. Antiques in different spaces echoed one another; for example, her display of a complete collection from iPhone 1 to iPhone 50 was quite intriguing. Computers from a century ago blended seamlessly with the room's contours, decorated with elements of vintage web design around them without clashing in the slightest with the room's overall aesthetic. Looking at this warm, harmonious, and somewhat nostalgic dwelling, Zhang Beihai thought to himself: Li Geyu must have spent a vast amount of time arranging this room, as all the decorative elements were nearly entirely unrelated. Uniting them harmoniously so that their colors, spatial positions, and reciprocal relationships did not clash, while connecting them with lines and blocks of color, was an exceptionally difficult task. In this world, the use of machine learning algorithms was restricted, making it illegal to use computers to devise holistic design solutions or generate ornamental elements. Even for someone with remarkable artistic intuition, it would require countless hours observing from various perspectives and making constant adjustments to achieve such harmony and completeness throughout the room. Moreover, unlike an art exhibit, people actually had to live here. Merely nudging a water glass each day could completely alter the composition, meaning she must tend to the room daily just as one would tend a garden.
Zhang Beihai looked at Li Geyu and teased, "Hostess, tell me the rules for staying here. This place is as intricate as a microchip—I feel like one misstep could throw everything into chaos."
Li Geyu paused for a moment, then chuckled: "Don't worry, make yourself at home. This house has actually hosted quite a few people; Chairman Zhu Ban stayed here before, so I'm quite familiar with arranging the security here."
Zhang Beihai nodded. Li Geyu was a seasoned veteran of this government, and she was indispensable here. Zhang Beihai said, "Then I'll leave it in your hands. Thank you for your hard work over these next few days. History will remember this moment, and once it is all over, the people will remember you too. What you can achieve in the future may well be no less than what I achieve."
Li Geyu looked at Zhang Beihai intently and said, "I love this world, and I love everyone in it. I am not striving for the future of humanity or for personal ambition; I strive only for humanity's past and my own personal history."
Zhang Beihai looked at her and smiled: "I will give that serious consideration."
Zhang Beihai felt relieved. What Li Geyu said could be a higher bargaining chip, or it could be a tactful refusal. Regardless, for now, her interests were tied to his own, and that was enough for the current situation.
Li Geyu then proceeded to organize the security measures with practiced ease, while Zhang Beihai observed quietly. First, she planned the evacuation route, assigning a team nearby to keep it secure; then, she focused on perimeter screening, announced the standard presidential reception security protocol to the guard detail, and finally stationed the unit responsible for her personal safety in the guardroom outside the building. From Zhang Beihai's perspective as an intelligence officer, it was executed with rigorous precision.
When the arrangements were finished, she gave a gentle smile and said to Zhang Beihai, "Waiting to get vaccinated in a bit? Would you like Wan Yining to receive it, or me?"
Looking at the young woman before him, Zhang Beihai couldn't help but wonder: "Why is she so flawless? Sensibility and rationality, body and spirit."