Although a bright smile still lingered on Zhang Beihai's face, his body gradually sank deep into the sofa. Just now, following the work schedule, Wan Yining had already contacted seventy or eighty people. The replies from the other end of the line fell into only two categories: either coldly bureaucratic responses, or seemingly enthusiastic answers that offered no real answers to any questions.
Zhang Beihai felt those leisurely, unhurried faces returning once again. At this moment, he wished so much that his father were still around; that man seemed capable of handling anything that came his way. What should he do now? His father's past admonition echoed in his mind once more: "Think more. And after thinking, think more for others—think about what they truly need. Respect human nature, respect interests, and you won't go wrong."
The sound of rain outside the window gradually quieted down. Zhang Beihai sat before the floor-to-ceiling window. When many things came, they caught him completely off guard. Turning his head, he saw Wan Yining sitting quietly beside him, diligently attending to the work in her hands. Looking at the gentle curves of Wan Yining's face, his heart stirred, and he wanted to say a few comforting words to her, but he felt an overwhelming weariness. The grayish-white sky and the distant vista shrouded in mist looked so much like a dream. Sitting in Sydney in the year 2100, his thoughts connected back to a day in 2013, when people from the Discipline Inspection Commission walked into the office to take that senior leader away, and the entire world seemed to shake. Overnight, the expressions on many faces began to change: leisurely faces might turn into distant avoidance, and upright, candid faces might turn timid and servile. Back then, Zhang Beihai was the person standing behind the surveillance monitors. That old man, whose single word had once shaken several provinces, was lying in a hospital bed undergoing chemotherapy, watched by over a dozen cameras trained on a home that had already been raided five or six times; the once-bustling mansion was visited by only a few peasant relatives. In shifting political tides, a difference of a hair's breadth could mean the difference between a prisoner and a ruler.
Wan Yining and Zhang Beihai sat side by side on the sofa. The man beside her had not shaved for two days, yet she could sense the resilience with which he forced himself to stay alert. What on earth was going through his mind? Wan Yining felt she had never truly been able to read him. When his eyes looked toward her, countless thoughts seemed hidden within his mind. The tall, muscular Zhang Beihai from the old video game now seemed, in retrospect, like nothing more than a textureless plastic toy. The current Zhang Beihai, while neither that tall and burly nor possessing a handsome face, carried in his eyes an aura of composure, shrewdness, slyness, restraint, and calculation that was hard to put into words. Wan Yining knew Zhang Beihai was going through a difficult time, and she enjoyed sitting here beside him while he was lost in thought, even though she knew she would never understand what he was thinking. She could not resist looking into his eyes again, and this time, she suddenly felt she detected a shadow of Lu Youqi in his features. Flustered, she quickly looked down at the device in her hand. She had arranged lunch, reviewed the building's security report, and reconfirmed that the next call with the bioethics department would take place in an hour.
Wan Yining then turned off the screen and followed Zhang Beihai's gaze out the window. Amidst the sound of rain, more and more white "Xingtian" patrol drones appeared outside, marching in neat formation along the street as raindrops splashed against their bodies. The heavy downpour had chased away the flying birds, and white Zhuxuan stood under the eaves just like humans, watching the robots moving in unison through the rain. Those robots were stamped with red hearts and promotional slogans; devoid of the menacing posture of evil factions in video games, they looked more like oversized toys meant for children. For some reason, Wan Yining felt a sense of doomsday hanging over the scene. For several moments, the robots froze completely—perhaps waiting for a system update—standing solemnly like statues. Only a few birds chirped in the rain, sounding like a lament for this world.
Wan Yining could not help turning to look at the man beside her. Thinking she wanted to say something, Zhang Beihai looked back at her. Her gaze met his, and her heart was instantly seized by his deep, hesitant look. In that moment of trepidation, she wanted to look away, yet hated the thought of doing so, afraid she might blush. Turning her head back toward the window, Wan Yining said, "What did Colonel Beihai's former girlfriend look like?" Zhang Beihai was taken aback, then replied, "Well... I was in hibernation for so long that I've almost forgotten. She was very quiet, very different from you. Back then, I worked in the government, and women's makeup wasn't that refined." Zhang Beihai's voice was low and calm. A complex wave of emotion washed over Wan Yining's heart; she couldn't tell if it was disappointment or joy. She continued, "When I was eighteen, I had cosmetic surgery. At the time, I really liked a character in a game, so I had my face remodeled after hers. Later I stopped playing that game, but I never changed my face again." Zhang Beihai turned and smiled, studying Wan Yining carefully. Only then did he realize that her cosmetic surgery seemed to have been modeled after the face of someone from a hundred years ago. No wonder he had always felt a sense of familiarity when he first met her—he seemed to find something recognizable in her features. "You can't just stare at me like that, can you, Colonel Beihai? What does that look mean?" Wan Yining felt a little self-conscious. She brushed back the hair on her left temple, using her hand to briefly shield herself from Zhang Beihai's scrutinizing gaze. Zhang Beihai realized he had lost his composure a bit and said, "I'm sorry, my mind wandered just now. I remembered some things from the past." Wan Yining looked out the window and said, "Colonel Beihai must dislike our faces today, right? In your era, cosmetic surgery wasn't widespread; everyone's face was natural. But now, only a few people have customized cosmetic faces, while most come from similar templates. There are plenty of pretty girls nowadays, but they aren't necessarily unique. In your time, any pretty girl was one of a kind." Zhang Beihai said, "Then what do you think of a Common Era person like me? The other day I passed by and saw a poster from the game, and it was completely different from who I am. Do you think I should get cosmetic surgery?" Wan Yining burst into laughter. "Are you really considering cosmetic surgery? Come find me at our hospital after the epidemic is over. I'll take part in your operation and definitely turn you into a peerless handsome man."
Zhang Beihai said, "That's great. Would that win me more votes? As I see it, Zhu Ban managed to become Chairman largely because Li Geyu is the boss of a cosmetic biotech group. The face she personally crafted for him must have been designed with many factors in mind." Wan Yining shook her head and said, "I've known the two of them since I was six or seven. Everything about Zhu Ban is managed by Li Geyu, but it seems she never interfered with his face, aside from doing some anti-aging treatments at most. By today's aesthetic standards, Zhu Ban's looks are actually quite ordinary, while Sister Li Geyu has only grown more beautiful. Besides, I don't think you need cosmetic surgery at all. In this respect, you might share something with Zhu Ban: your appearance wouldn't stand out much in a group of four or five, but among a huge crowd, it is remarkably attractive. Honestly, after working with you, I've lost interest in those meticulously handsome versions of Zhang Beihai and Wade from the games. None of them have your depth."
Zhang Beihai picked up the thread: "Since you're quite familiar with Li Geyu, tell me, what kind of person is she? Under the current political situation, she's a key figure on Chairman Zhu Ban's side. Could you tell me more about her?"
Wan Yining looked at Zhang Beihai with a smile. "Do you like girls of that type?"
Zhang Beihai rubbed his clothes with his left hand and replied with a smile, "I still prefer girls like you."
Wan Yining's words slowly dissipated into the air, as if absorbed by the sound of rain outside. The room was filled with a calm, contemplative atmosphere, broken only by the ticking of the clock and the patter of raindrops against the windowpane. Zhang Beihai shifted his gaze from Wan Yining's face toward the window, staring at the world in the rain.
The rain formed blurred streaks across the windowpane, washing the scenery outside into a shimmering haze. On the streets, raindrops splashed tiny droplets onto the metallic surfaces of the drones, creating ripples. This rain also seemed to be washing every street in the city clean, washing away the dust and clamor of the mortal world.
Lu Youqi walked along the street. Today, not a single aircraft flew in the sky. Rain swept intermittently across the gloomy, gray heavens. Every few kilometers, fully armed epidemic prevention forces in protective suits stood guard, and bright white fortresses rose one after another across the city. This time it was no longer a drill; the virus had truly arrived.
Such a scene did not make Lu Youqi nervous; instead, it stirred a few childhood memories of Mantis. Over the past half of his life, he had experienced over a dozen epidemic prevention drills of various sizes. Over the last twenty years, the Coalition Government had grown relatively relaxed, and no major outbreak had occurred; those distant memories of epidemic prevention felt almost like amusing childhood anecdotes.
Approaching each epidemic prevention stronghold, Lu Youqi had to expend tremendous effort to find a path through. He noticed that many buildings had been renovated again over the past few years, with fewer and fewer pipes and conduits along the exterior walls. The routes Mantis had provided were no longer viable, leaving him with no choice but to take backup paths.
The latest news reported that due to a shortage of personnel in epidemic prevention forces, United Systems Corporation's new product, "Xingtian," had been deployed to assist with patrols and quarantines. Looking down occasionally, Lu Youqi could spot pairs of robots.
Checkpoints along the road stopped pedestrians one by one, using handheld electromagnetic scanners to verify their identities and ordering them to open their mouths wide for instant nucleic acid tests. Occasionally, when someone was detected not wearing an antiviral mask, a squad would rush over immediately and escort them to an isolation room. This scene formed a stark contrast with the heart logos blinking on Xingtian's bodies.
What gave Lu Youqi some peace of mind was that he still had a special transit pass given to him by Li Geyu. If he was spotted or stopped along the way, it would at least allow him to bluff his way through, avoiding immediate arrest for breaking the law.
Two hours later, drenched like a drowned rat, Lu Youqi arrived at Zhang Beihai's office building. Two guards at the entrance walked up from a distance to intercept him, saying, "Mr. Lu Youqi, please come over to the guest room first for further security screening." Lu Youqi asked in surprise, "You know me?"
One of the guards pointed to the glasses he was wearing and said, "It's a new product developed by Bat Corporation. We no longer need handheld electromagnetic identifiers to confirm identities; these glasses tell us your information."
Then Lu Youqi happened to glance upward and spotted two lookout posts on the roof. Smiling, he asked the man before him, "Were all these arranged by Wan Yining?"
The guard at the door smiled noncommittally, simply gesturing for him to undergo the security check and blood antigen test.
After completing the battery of tests, Lu Youqi was extremely anxious and stressed to the captain of the guards: "I am Lu Youqi from the Coalition Government. I have an urgent and critical matter to discuss with Zhang Beihai. Can we set aside the security check results for now and notify him inside first?"
The captain of the guards politely ushered Lu Youqi over to the communications area in the reception room, asking him to wait for Wan Yining's contact.
When the conference call connected, Lu Youqi saw Wan Yining appear on the screen dressed in the Coalition Government's work uniform, looking both unfamiliar and familiar. She had shed her former childish innocence, gaining a touch of charm and valor, though her eyes betrayed a mixture of exhaustion and determination.
Before Lu Youqi could explain, Wan Yining spoke first: "Mr. Lu Youqi, welcome to our facility to support our work. I assume you already know that the current situation is somewhat turbulent. Regardless of how important your matter is, please submit a report through our visitor system. I will review it carefully and report it to Colonel Zhang Beihai..."
"Yining, listen to me..." Lu Youqi was already beside himself with worry. "I have an extremely urgent matter that I must discuss with Zhang Beihai in person. Please, you must help arrange it right now."
Wan Yining nodded and continued, "Colonel Zhang Beihai is currently holding a funding meeting with Bat Corporation's Beyond Lifeline Laboratories (B3L). If you have also come regarding funding, I suggest you wait a little longer. There are many people waiting in the online queue, and it may take some time. Furthermore, I hope you will address me by my title and refrain from using my name in a work setting."
"Alright, Director Wan, I'm truly sorry. Please be sure to notify Colonel Zhang as soon as possible. He needs my help right now."
Wan Yining nodded and said, "I understand. The rain is so heavy outside; please let the captain of the guards take you to have a hot shower first. Catching a cold right now means you'll have to be quarantined."
With that, Wan Yining turned back to her work, leaving Lu Youqi with no choice but to follow the captain of the guards to change out of his soaked clothes.
Zhang Beihai was in his office on a call with Beyond Lifeline Laboratories. Wan Yining walked in and sat beside him, processing information on one hand while monitoring the nearby security screen on the other. Out of the corner of his eye, Zhang Beihai saw her enter and knew someone else was looking for him, so he said to the other party, "This pandemic proves that we truly need research into basic human health. I will finalize the 300 Bitcoins in funding for you this afternoon. This is very important; how about we follow up on this tomorrow?" Just as he was speaking, Wan Yining suddenly lunged forward like a whirlwind, shoving and pulling Zhang Beihai into the adjacent safe room and locking the door. Before Zhang Beihai could realize what was happening, Wan Yining had already pressed the room's alarm. Red lights flashed instantly, and the urgent wail of the security alarm echoed through the entire building. The sound of a squad running down from the floor above could be heard.
Shielding the entrance to the safe room, Wan Yining drew her gun, aimed it at the ventilation duct in the ceiling of the office, and shouted, "Make one more move and I'll shoot!"
A voice came from the ventilation duct: "Director Wan, don't shoot, it's me."
Hearing the voice, Zhang Beihai and Wan Yining realized it was Lu Youqi. So excited he didn't even put on shoes, Zhang Beihai rushed out of the safe room to greet him. Seeing this, Wan Yining grew anxious, reaching out to pull Zhang Beihai behind her. Still aiming her gun toward the far end of the room with one hand, she shouted, "Come down slowly from the vent. Don't make any sudden moves—the guards are already at the door."
From inside the vent, Lu Youqi answered hurriedly, "I won't, I won't! I'm just in a hurry to see Colonel Zhang Beihai. Besides, Director Wan, I only wrapped myself in a bath towel before coming over..."
"Cut the nonsense!" Wan Yining snapped, adding, "Get down here right now."
Amid a cloud of dust, Lu Youqi jumped down wrapped in a bath towel. Zhang Beihai quickly said to the guards, "What are you still standing there for? Take Mr. Lu Youqi to change his clothes right away."
Wan Yining immediately added, "Check to see if he's carrying any weapons, and install ten more cameras across all the ventilation ducts right now!"
Clutching the bath towel with both hands, Lu Youqi said, "Colonel Beihai, there's no time to change. I have several critical pieces of news to tell you. First, this virus is extremely virulent; as far as I know, the epidemic prevention authorities may have lied about the fatality rate. Second, Coalition Government Chairman Zhang Beihai is critically ill, his survival uncertain."
Zhang Beihai said hurriedly, "I've been trying to get in touch with Li Geyu, but I haven't been able to reach her..."
Lu Youqi smiled and said, "Naturally, the government's official lines won't go through. That's also one of the reasons I determined something happened to Zhu Ban's health. So far, the Coalition Government hasn't responded to this epidemic at all. Li Geyu is probably at the hospital monitoring Zhu Ban's condition, and her major affairs have been handed over to her secretary. For the moment, she hasn't thought of reaching out to our side. We must take the initiative. I have Li Geyu's private contact information; I suggest you call her right now."
Zhang Beihai nodded as he listened, saying, "Yes, that's wonderful!" Then he hastily said to Lu Youqi, "Why don't you go to my room next door first and grab a set of my clothes to wear? I'll contact Li Geyu right away."
Turning to Wan Yining, he said, "Put your gun down quickly. I knew all along that Mr. Lu is on our side."
Wan Yining said bluntly, "Mr. Lu has picked up new skills now, daring to crawl through ventilation ducts. Hurry in and change; the set in the fourth cubby on the second shelf should fit your size."
Lu Youqi smiled awkwardly and went to change.
When he emerged again, a broadcast from Coalition Government Chairman Zhu Ban was playing on the screen in the lobby. Zhu Ban appeared on screen looking extremely frail, as if enduring a severe illness, but his voice remained remarkably full of vigor. What surprised Lu Youqi even more was that Li Geyu was not standing beside him as she usually did.
In the video, Zhu Ban said:
"Respected compatriots, today I stand here not only as Chairman of the United Nations Presidium, but as an ordinary person who has witnessed countless historical transformations. As you know, I am currently at the epicenter of this global viral pandemic. Yes, I too have fallen ill, and my life, like that of so many others, hangs by a thread. Yet even in such difficult times, I still wish to share my thoughts with you."
"I was born in Shenzhen in 2045. In my childhood, I moved to Sydney with my father, Jupiter, a leading academic of the Futurist school. From then on, I witnessed how our society gradually shifted from state-driven governance to globalization propelled by gaming community certifications and DD organizations. Back then, I was merely a child participating in protest marches, brimming with curiosity about the world."
"My life's journey—from the revolutionary movement of tearing up passports to the rise of 'Setting Sun,' and then to the revelations of the 'Shizuko' incident—has taught me deeply that as technology advances, we must never forget ethics and humanity. Facing this epidemic, although we possess the capability to leverage AI to accelerate vaccine development, we must remain cautious and not allow history's tragedies to repeat themselves."
"Today, I want to reaffirm several of my principles for political reform. First is the further advancement of globalization. I dream of a world without borders, a world where we can migrate and coexist freely. We need a globally unified monetary system to foster such freedom and harmony."
"I also firmly believe that the healthy development of the gaming industry is vital to society. Games are not merely tools for entertainment; they are also important carriers of culture and education. I advocate establishing more rigorous systems for gaming content and AI ethics review to ensure the healthy growth of this industry."
"Regarding environmental protection, I advocate strengthening environmental laws and regulations. Every action we take directly impacts our Earth, and we must assume the responsibility of protecting our planet."
"Reforming the educational system is also an issue of profound importance to me. We must provide the new generation with education adapted to future challenges, particularly education and training in fields such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology."
"Finally, I emphasize the importance of open and transparent governance mechanisms. A true democratic society requires everyone's understanding and participation. We must keep our decision-making processes transparent, allowing everyone to take part."
"Although my life hangs in the balance, my heart still beats for the future and our shared ideals. We must stand united and face this pandemic together, while preserving our humanity and ideals. Future generations will remember that when faced with the greatest challenge, we chose the right path."
"Thank you, everyone. May our shared home soon usher in a bright future."