Chapter 1088: Weren"t There No Crimes?
"Here is some information you might want to know about the World Experience Hall:
1. Based on long-term observation and interviews with returnees, we have reason to believe that the World Experience Hall indeed allows people to experience a different life.
2. Due to the increasing cost of visas for Esculent Alethia, most of the issued visas can be traced to the consular officer a.s.sociation"s records. As a result, many visa holders" situations are also traceable.
3. According to verifiable records, 49% of posthumans who have completed the Experience Hall have chosen complete conversion, 21% are willing to consider it as one of their future life choices, 16% do not wish to convert but can understand the choice, and finally, 14% consider conversion to be ridiculous. Considering that those who applied for a visa were initially attracted by advertis.e.m.e.nts and came to this world to embark on a new life, this data is not an exaggeration.
4. Based on the author"s personal experience, there is no discomfort after leaving the Experience Hall, and life goes on as usual. (Note: This does not involve conversion).
5. There are a series of Special Items and evolutionary abilities that can guarantee protection against brainwas.h.i.+ng and external intrusion. For a specific list, please refer to the annex.
—From the Mokugyo Encyclopedic Forum"s Esculent Alethia"s Group.
Bohemia had gone through these pieces of information in the booklet repeatedly, and they were already firmly imprinted in her mind. The Puppeteer had yet to ask for the booklet back, so it had been held in her palm the entire time. As the young receptionist gently unfolded the list of options for the two of them, the booklet"s cover had become slightly damp from her sweating palms.
Many volunteers were willing to offer one day of their lives, and the options on the screen seemed endless. Lin Sanjiu was studying them carefully, but Bohemia had already made up her mind. Regardless of what Lin Sanjiu chose, she was determined to stick close to her side during this experience. Even if G.o.d himself appeared to a.s.sure her of safety, Bohemia wouldn"t trust it entirely. With Lin Sanjiu around, it was like having an extra scout.
"I"ll go with this one,"
Despite her bandaged head, Lin Sanjiu made her choice quickly, "The one with the military, is it for new recruits or women? It suits me perfectly."
Bohemia immediately regretted her choice, "Why did you have to pick the most dangerous profession right away? Couldn"t you have chosen to be a baker?"
"Well, you can choose to be a baker."
"I won"t. I"ll choose this female soldier too. We can experience the same role together, right?"
The receptionist squinted his eyes, smiling as if he had understood her thoughts, "The World Experience Hall has no restrictions, and you can piece together multiple life experiences in one session. Besides professions, there are also personality traits and hobbies as filtering criteria."
Lin Sanjiu took this quite seriously. When the receptionist mentioned this, she diligently went through the list, going through each option one by one. She raised her head with a hint of confusion, "These ones, I guess." Perhaps it was just an illusion, but she didn"t sound very sure.
The final experience journey began with a mother and daughter, then transitioned to a male garbage collector, ending with a newly recruited female soldier. Unfortunately, there were no negative options in the list; otherwise, Bohemia might have wanted to experience a day as a thief or an arsonist.
"Why are there no criminals in the list? Is it because they don"t look good?" As the pale green door slowly swung open, she raised her chin towards the receptionist, "In your so-called happy society, once a criminal emerges, the theory collapses, right?"
The young receptionist remained gentle, showing no signs of being offended.
"If you delve into the motives of crime," he spoke calmly, leading the two inside the pale green door, "it basically boils down to desire or gain. They are powerful because they are rooted in human weaknesses... If we can effectively eliminate and compensate for the flaws in human nature, then crime, as its product, naturally ceases to exist."
"I don"t understand."
"You will understand. Our social structure may be difficult for you to grasp, just like it would be difficult to explain how to use electricity to people from the Middle Ages." The receptionist smiled slightly, "However, your first choice for the experience is excellent because it involves the perspective of a young girl. Through the eyes of someone adapting to this world, it"s the best way to help you empathize and understand the society we live in."
As his words continued, Lin Sanjiu and Bohemia gradually saw the light, a faint aroma of toasting bread wafting through the air, warming them up. Sunlight streamed in through the narrow windows, illuminating several hanging pitchers of pitcher plants. The deep brown dining table, soaked in the aroma of their mother"s cooking over the years, had become a part of their home"s memories.
"I know that some of you consider joining us as "conversion,"" the receptionist"s gentle voice sounded nearby, even before they could clearly see their mother"s figure in the bright sunlight. "But I don"t agree. Our society, which operates based on fungi, including our social philosophy, is an entirely different system from theology and religion. In this experience, besides the emotional resonance, I hope that you can also use logic and wisdom to scrutinize every word you hear... This way, you"ll discover that our social structure can withstand logical scrutiny completely, and the fungi are rightfully called the truth of humanity."
"So, they know they"re just revolving around mushrooms?" Bohemia muttered, but Lin Sanjiu pinched her before she could get any angrier. Before she could react, the surroundings suddenly became clearer, and "she" was sitting at the dining table.
"Mei Jia," the mother called without turning her head, "How many slices of bread would you like?"
"None, I don"t want to eat anything," both of them heard the voice of a young girl coming from their "mouths." The voice sounded quite tender, though somewhat low-spirited.
"No, you can"t," the mother turned with a hint of worry, revealing a face as fair as a goose egg, with sharp corners to her eyes. Although her daughter was in her early teens, she looked like she was in her early thirties, obviously well-preserved. Their voices even sounded similar, "Come on, even if you"re feeling down, you can"t skip breakfast."
Homemade hot milk tea, green toast, some beans, eggs, and fruits - everything was fresh and moist, basking in the long, slender sunlight with warmth and bright colors. Though Mei Jia had no appet.i.te, her mother still advised, "Have some milk tea first. Eating on an empty stomach can give you a stomachache, just like me."
Her mother had always been attentive and knew her better than she knew herself. If only her mother could tell her what path to choose next... She sighed deeply. Despite taking numerous tests, Mei Jia had been running into dead ends. Most of her peers who had started school with her had already left, venturing into the world. She was the only one still reporting to school daily for endless tests. Now, when her teachers saw her, they probably felt a headache coming on.
Things she liked to do? There were quite a few. She enjoyed watching TV, using her phone, admiring scenery, eating, and hoped to become a mother in the future. But aside from the role of a mother, the rest were just pastimes; even someone with no special skills could use a phone, admire scenery, and eat. As for qualities that would make her stand out in a crowd, she had none.
When she saw outstanding people her age, Mei Jia remained expressionless, but inside, anxiety gnawed at her like ants, incessantly biting into her spirit. Besides consuming food and generating waste, what else could she do that others couldn"t?
The more anxious she became, the less she knew what to do. Other children could interact with the fungi, but her daughter was so unremarkable. Her mother probably couldn"t hold her head up high either. She really didn"t want to go to school for tests anymore. She did everything just averagely, and in the future, she might have to do common jobs, where there would be plenty of people to replace her.
Every day, she just drifted by, comforting herself with the thought that she was still young and had plenty of possibilities for the future. At the same time, she was well aware that she was wasting her life, repeating it day by day, during what should have been the golden period of her youth.
"If you"re like a light bulb, then you have to patiently wait for the day you"re placed in a socket and can s.h.i.+ne brightly," her mother softly consoled, "Before s.h.i.+ning, that light bulb doesn"t know what it"s capable of and might even think it"s useless."
But what if there"s no such "socket" waiting for her? On her way to school, Mei Jia absentmindedly pondered this question. The school was in the outskirts, a 30-minute walk away. She usually took a car to school, but today her mind was restless. Coupled with her reluctance to arrive at school early, she decided to walk.
Mei Jia was attacked when she entered a small alley.