The bottom-level "meme purifier" Lin Zhou accidentally discovered a "sovereign meme" that could not be purged by the system, and was therefore hunted down by the "Purification Department", the highest authority in the system. While on the run, he reached a deal with the mysterious information broker "Echo" and learned that all clues pointed to an erased forbidden place - "Quarantine Zone Zero".
Lin Zhou formed an alliance with "Echo", evaded the pursuit of Purification Minister Karen, passed through the crisis-ridden memetic slums, and came into contact with the resistance organization "Cognitive Liberation Front". They went through many hardships and finally arrived at Quarantine Zero.
In the quarantine area, Lin Zhou discovered a shocking secret: This is not a prison, but a cradle for cultivating "Children Zero" who are born with "cognitive immunity." Karen, who was chasing him, was actually one of them, but she just chose to cooperate with the system. The true role of the sovereign meme is the key to awakening the suppressed independent spiritual potential of human beings.
Lin Zhou made a choice and decided to challenge the foundation of the system. At the expense of his allies, he breaks into the core of the AI "Lagos". Instead of destroying the AI, he used the sovereign meme to show it the value of "free will." In the final duel of ideas, he defeated Karen's mental defense.
Rags accepted "free will" as a new axiom, the global memetic control system was lifted, and humans regained the freedom to think, but they also faced unprecedented chaos and a future. In the seemingly victorious ending, Largos asked Lin Zhou a final question about his "Creator", laying a huge suspense for the sequel or a deeper world view.
