[Complete. Currently revising; the final version will take precedence]
Billboards flicker in the acid rain, reflecting seven hundred million crimson dots logging in.
On the opening day of the script-killer game "Illusion," neural synchronization exceeds the critical threshold.
Coolant from the nutrient pods streams across the floor into a dark river, drowning the last rebel's footprints in the slums.
Zhou Qian removes her breathing mask, revealing an old implant port at the base of her neck.
The fired top analyst stares at the prize money flickering on the holographic screen: just enough to pay off her loan sharks.
"Welcome to the final instance, 'The Tower of Babel.'"
As the System prompt sounds, the chip at the back of her neck suddenly burns with pain. This kind of pain feedback shouldn't exist in a consumer gaming pod.
The headlines, ten days later
137 seconds after the "Illusion" champion is crowned, a gunshot rings out from the top of the tower.
The headlines flash simultaneously in every cybernetic eye across the city:
[The Ruler's Mechanical Heart Has Stopped.]
Theme: Oppression and resistance.
Post the next article. [Is this label of yours authentic? One day, you suddenly find that you can see a line of words above everyone's head. You thought there was a problem with your visual system and planned to replace the prosthesis in a few days. After all, the person sitting in front of you is the scumbag with the worst grades in the class, and above his head is the [Human Body Maintenance Mechanic]. You smiled and didn't take it seriously. This error piques your curiosity. What will be displayed on the heads of other students? What is displayed above the head of your deskmate on the left is [Data Assassin] Sitting on the head of the academic nerd on your right [Lyncher] And the class is filled with [dark web vendors], [explosion experts], [mind controllers] and so on. You glanced at the top of your head curiously, but nothing showed. But soon you realize something is wrong. You go to the hospital and they tell you that there is nothing wrong with your implanted prosthesis. You saw a scumbag student performing an operation in a black clinic with a knife. You see traffic accidents because of hacked vehicles. You see someone who looks exactly like your classmate standing in front of you and shooting someone. You finally realize it clearly. The labels above their heads don't appear to be fake. Because when you were at school one day, the person in your back seat suddenly leaned into your ear and asked, "You seem to be afraid of me?" Then you see the reflection in the window glass. A line of words seems to be displayed above your head
Catching me_(:з∠)_
Art is Patrick Star!
Xiao Zhou raises the knife. Jpg
Look, look at Senmo~ Xiao Zhou is so awesome
Xiao Zhou: Cold. Jpg
Hee hee, it's Xiao Li~
Although I see Xiao Zhou every day, it feels like I haven't seen him for a long time
Happy weekend(Crazy hint. Jpg
Then what! Today is not Saturday!