In 2165, City A is on the verge of being completely polluted.
To restore the city's vitality as quickly as possible, all citizens vote to hand over full control of the city to an artificial intelligence, so it can swiftly rebuild the ecological order.
Based on each citizen's contributions, the AI divides humanity into four levels.
The AI deems those in the fourth level, the "Expendables," a waste of resources. They will be given a special drug and put into hibernation until they awaken ten years later.
The special drug has a 2% chance of causing death.
Si Lin, a former first-level researcher who once won the Best Citizen Award, is classified as an "Expendable" today. He has a three-day grace period.
If he cannot raise his level within three days, he will have to take the special drug.
But Si Lin has just stumbled upon the truth in the research institute's archives:
The drug's actual fatality rate is 95%.
-
The way to raise your level is to contribute to the city.
When faced with death, people always have boundless potential.
On his first day classified as fourth-level, Si Lin purged a batch of critical data.
On his second day classified as fourth-level, Si Lin saved a girl who was trying to take her own life.
On his third day classified as fourth-level, Si Lin solved a problem that had baffled the academic community for decades.
And yet he was still stuck at the fourth level.
Si Lin: ...
Unable to take it anymore, he asked, "So no matter what I do, I can't level up, is that it?"
AI assistant: "As long as you actively contribute to the city, you can rise to a higher level. Keep it up!"
Si Lin: ...
If that doesn't count as a contribution, then what does?
So Si Lin gave up in despair and decided to take a walk during the last hour of his life.
Already in a foul mood, he got into an argument with a passerby and started a fight, smashing three streetlights. He was then informed on the spot that he'd jumped from the fourth level to the second.
Si Lin: Wait, what???
-
On his way to work, senior algorithms engineer Jing Chen somehow got into a fight with someone. The scene was a complete mess.
Even more inexplicably, he plummeted from the first level to the fourth.
Jing Chen: ...I only broke a few streetlights. Was that really necessary?
Unable to figure it out, he went to confront his nemesis with a cold expression, determined to get to the bottom of it.
On the first day, he waited outside his nemesis's home. The two got into another fight as soon as they exchanged words.
On the second day, he went to repair old servers on the city's outskirts. There he ran into his suspicious-looking nemesis, and when they crossed paths, all hell broke loose.
On the third day, his nemesis came looking for him.
Si Lin said, "You're going to be purged anyway. How about teaming up with me to pull off something big?"
Theme: To be added later
