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Chapter 381: 381

At last, everything was over…

Chen Chen carried the little beggar and kept rising, and finally broke through the dense layer of clouds . Suddenly, a glimmering golden ball of light emerged in front of them!

The golden brilliance poured upon the clouds, dyeing the boundless clouds a deep golden yellow, like a vast magnificent postcard picture . The little beggar’s eyes grew wider, showing an expression of wonder .

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

Chen Chen suddenly spoke . He lowered his head and said softly, “This scene must be beautiful, but it’s too bad I can’t see it anymore . ”

The little beggar tilted her head in puzzlement . She suddenly stretched out her hand and carefully touched Chen Chen’s eyes .

Chen Chen smiled .

Strictly speaking, this little beggar was not Little X but a person in Chen Chen’s self-consciousness . She did not have Little X’s thoughts and even ordinary people could not see her .

There was only one purpose for her existence — that was to get Chen Chen out of the dream .

Therefore, the little beggar was fake . Strictly speaking, the world in front of Chen Chen was also fake .

“But then what is true?”

Chen Chen suddenly muttered in a low voice . Must the world seen by one’s own eyes necessarily be real?

Science taught humans that everything humans saw with their eyes was nothing more than the world portrayed by the eyes and brain .

The sky as an example, sunlight was divided into seven types of visible light — red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet . Moreover, as the wavelengths of blue and violet lights were relatively short, when they encountered small objects such as dust in the sky, blue and purple lights would be “scattered” everywhere due to being blocked .

Therefore, the color of the sky was blue .

Other objects in the world were the same . Some objects would more easily reflect the red in sunlight, so humans would see them as being red . Others would appear blue or green…

All this was what the eyes allowed humans to “see”, but there were also infrared and ultraviolet rays in the sunlight, which were invisible to humans . If a person could see these two kinds of light or even electromagnetic waves and radiation, then his world must be very different from the world that humankind saw .

Moreover, everything that a person saw had to be processed by not just the eyes, but also by the brain for a second time . As an example, objects that were projected on the human eyeballs were originally upside down but after the processing of the brain, these images gained an upright appearance .

Another example was human eyes . Human eyes could not receive red light and the red that humans saw was the color obtained by the brain’s mixing of green and yellow . Even the peripheral field of vision received by the eye was in blurry black and white and the details were later filled in by the brain…

All of these undoubtedly demonstrated that everything that people saw was limited by their physiological structure or that everything that humans perceived, including sight, hearing, touch, and taste, was perceived by the brain . Therefore, what evidence was there to prove that everything the brain perceived must be real?

Just like the concept of “the brain in a vat” that had always existed in science fiction novels — the brain of a person, who had lost his body due to an accident, was first extracted . Then, advanced technology was used to maintain the activity of brain cells and instruments would stimulate the brain to create a fictitious electronic world . As a result, the person would think he was still alive and it would be almost impossible for him to notice any abnormalities .

He would never know that he had lost his freedom and his entire world, and he only lived under God’s observation…

At this time, was it not true that Chen Chen had fallen into a “brain in a vat”? It was just that this “brain in a vat” was an entire parallel universe .

After leaving Shangdu, Chen Chen flew to the town where he had stayed before, found a new computer, and inserted the USB drive .

Shangdu had long since lost all power and connectivity and only these surrounding towns still had a network supply, but they too, were on the verge of collapse .

At this time, after turning on the computer, Chen Chen hesitated a little and finally opened a web page and started downloading a movie .

This movie was called G . I . Joe: The Rise of Cobra .

When the download was completed, Chen Chen dragged the movie into the USB drive, then opened the file from that location and skipped to a particular scene .

In this scene, an open suitcase was shown, which held three missiles with warheads made of some green transparent material . They also seemed to contain some sort of liquid .

“Nanomite missiles…”

Chen Chen murmured . These three warheads could be said to be the core technology of this movie and the whole plot took off because of this sort of missile .

To put it simply, this nanomite missile contained seven million nanomites . Once launched, it could destroy and engulf all materials on the surface of the earth whether it was humans, plants or reinforced concrete . Everything would become its destruction target and it would never stop .

The only way to stop them was to use the kill switch device matched to these nanorobots . As long as the kill switch was activated, the nanorobots would completely short-circuit and self-destruct .

These kill switch devices were also housed in this suitcase . They consisted of just an LCD screen with the word MARS on it .

After thinking for a while, Chen Chen finally reached into the screen and tugged .

At once, an entire suitcase was taken out of the screen by Chen Chen .

At this point, Chen Chen heaved a sigh of relief . He locked the suitcase, then carried it in one hand and the little beggar in the other, and lifted off again, flying into the distance…

…

“Yes, yes, yes…

“Okay, I understand…

“I understand… I’ll resign and give the higher-ups an explanation . ”

In front of Shen Qi’s corpse, the middle-aged man seemed to have aged ten years . He was talking on the phone with a dull expression and replied in a low voice .

However, at this moment, there was a sudden boom in the sky as if someone had set off a firecracker . Only the sound was dozens of times louder than a firecracker .

The middle-aged man was shocked . He knew this sound . It was the sound of something breaking through the sound barrier . Whenever a supersonic plane flew overhead, people would hear this sound . Sometimes it was so loud it could even shatter glass .

Nonetheless, how could a plane possibly pass by here now?

The middle-aged man turned his head subconsciously, but he was astonished to find that the source of the sound was not an airplane at all but a person!

At this time, the person was standing at a high altitude and slowly descending . In one hand he was holding a silver-white suitcase .

“It’s Chen Chen!”

There was a surprised exclamation from the soldiers beside him, following which came the sound of gun bolts being pulled . All the soldiers instinctively prepared for combat .

“Wait, don’t shoot!”

The middle-aged man hurriedly stopped them . Although he knew Chen Chen was the murderer of Shen Qi, it did not matter whom Chen Chen had killed at this time . The key was that he was the owner of the USB flash drive . Without the owner, the USB drive could not be used . This had been verified before .

“Chen Chen, what’s wrong with your eyes?”

However, when he saw Chen Chen’s eyes clearly, he was shocked . He noticed that Chen Chen’s cheeks were covered with blood scabs and both eyes were tightly shut . Chen Chen’s eyelids were also red, swollen, and even a little caved in .

“Mr . Director, what happened to my eyes is a rather long story . ”

Chen Chen completely ignored the ruthless stares of the soldiers and walked straight toward the middle-aged man . “But I’ve finished my business here, so I’m going to leave . ”

“You’re leaving?”

Hearing Chen Chen’s words, the middle-aged man suddenly became anxious and moved forward in agitation . “Chen Chen, you can’t leave . What will happen to this city if you leave?”

“This city is a goner . ”

Chen Chen shook his head . “I’m not your savior and there are no saviors in this world . Now what you have to consider isn’t the question of whether Shangdu can be preserved, but whether human civilization will be destroyed due to the memetic effect . ”

“What do you mean?”

The middle-aged man was promptly taken aback . He looked down at the suitcase in Chen Chen’s hand and seemed to understand something .

“Give it up . You can’t cure the Ju-on meme by shooting your own movie . ”

Chen Chen tossed the suitcase to a soldier beside the middle-aged man . Once the soldier caught it, he took two steps back and then looked at the middle-aged man helplessly .

“Open it!”

The middle-aged man nodded and ordered .

Upon hearing this, the soldier clenched his jaw and opened the suitcase directly .

At once, everyone saw the three green warhead-like devices in the suitcase, and three palm-sized devices similar to remote controls .

“This is… A nanomite warhead?”

The middle-aged man said, astounded, “Did you extract this?”

“I did . ”

Chen Chen nodded . “Since you know what it is, it means you have considered using it before, so my advice to you is — just cut the Gordian knot . Before the memetic effect kills enough people and spreads fully, destroy everything with the nanomites first! This is the only way to stop the spread of memetic effects from the source . ”

The middle-aged man fell silent after hearing this .

“This is all I have to say . What you should do is up to you . ”

Chen Chen said that and turned to leave .

“Hold on!”

The middle-aged man looked more anxious, but he did not seem to want to use coercive means, so he quickly scampered forward and ran to Chen Chen’s side . “Little Chen, where are you going?”

“Of course I’m going back to where I should be . ”

Chen Chen walked forward slowly step by step and said calmly, “I’ve been in the dream for a long time and it’s time to wake up now . Plus, I’ve also found a way to wake up . ”

“Dream?” The middle-aged man was mystified .

“Mr . Director . ”

Chen Chen stopped and turned to look at the other man while a smile crept up the corners of his mouth . “Have you ever thought that the world in which you’ve spent a lifetime is actually just someone’s dream?

“When that person dreams, the world is born and when he wakes up from the dream, the world disappears again . Along with the world, the countless lives in the dream disappear as well . Will they realize that their long human lives were just part of someone’s dream?”

“Impossible!”

The middle-aged man narrowed his eyes . He thoroughly understood the implication of Chen Chen’s words, but still said emphatically, “This world cannot be a dream of some other person because everything I’ve experienced and encountered is telling me that I am who I am .

“Even if I’ll die and the world will be destroyed, nothing can erase the evidence of my existence, just like Descartes’s famous philosophical saying — I think, therefore, I am . I don’t need anyone to prove whether I’m true or false because I’m my own proof . ”

“Very good . ”

Chen Chen applauded reflexively . “I like your attitude, so please stick to it . ”

With that, Chen Chen lifted off suddenly and was about to fly into the heights .

“Wait!”

The middle-aged man was seized by panic . He raised his head and shouted, “Chen Chen, even if you want to leave, leave the USB drive behind . This kind of thing shouldn’t be left in the hands of an individual . It will threaten the entire human race!”

“Even if I give it to you, you won’t obtain it . ”

Chen Chen smiled contemptuously . “Don’t believe me? Then take it!”

As he spoke, Chen Chen took out the USB drive and threw it at the middle-aged man, then rushed into the sky without looking back!

The middle-aged man reacted swiftly and reached for the USB flash drive . The moment he grabbed it, there was a flicker of ecstasy in his eyes, but then he thought of something, quickly held it to his mouth, and bit it .

The USB drive did not budge at all .

“It’s real!”

The middle-aged man looked even more gleeful . He quickly called someone to put the USB drive away . It was placed in a thick solid safe, to be transported that very night .

At this time, Chen Chen had flown into the air again . He kept carrying the little beggar as he rushed to the sky and once again came to the top of the golden clouds .

Under the endless rays of the sun, Chen Chen suddenly looked powerless .

“I say, X, if you can hear me in reality, I suggest that if there’s another time, let’s change the anchor point . ”

As he spoke, he looked at the little beggar, and finally, reluctantly, kissed her on the lips .

At once, a miraculous scene took place — in the golden radiance, the two figures melted instantly as if melding into the golden sunlight . In just the blink of an eye, they had vanished…

It was as if Chen Chen had never existed in this world .

At the same moment that Chen Chen disappeared from this world, the USB flash drive that had been sealed shut in the safe, and was being shipped to the capital city, also began to melt rapidly . The surveillance feed in the safe showed that it directly turned into a pool of black liquid, which squirmed ceaselessly . Then it began to dwindle as if by evaporation and finally melted into the air .

There was no trace left of it…

…

When Chen Chen opened his eyes again, he found that he was lying on a hard cramped bed . There was a dazzling light over his face and he could not help but squint .

Chen Chen subconsciously raised his hand to block his eyes, but immediately realized that he could see again .

“Have I returned?”

Chen Chen sat up thoughtfully but there seemed to be an unusual weight on his chest . Chen Chen subconsciously glanced down, only to find that the Black Knight clone of Little X was lying on his chest, deep in quiet sleep .

Still, after Chen Chen’s movements, Little X was awakened . She yawned and then said in delighted surprise, “Sir Godfather, you’re awake?”

Upon seeing Little X’s deliberately anthropomorphic behavior, Chen Chen was a little speechless . After all, intelligent life did not need to sleep .

“I don’t need to sleep, but this body wants it . ”

As if she understood Chen Chen’s facial expression, Little X suddenly became angry . “Besides, I also have a hibernation mode . Of course I can sleep, it’s just that it isn’t necessary!”

Chen Chen burst into laughter when he heard Little X’s sophistry . He sighed and everything in the dream flashed through his mind .

However, at this moment, Chen Chen suddenly felt something in his hand . He looked down, only to find that the star-speckled USB drive was resting quietly in his hand .

“What happened?”

Seeing this scene, Little X was completely dumbfounded . “I just saw the USB flash drive charging outside . How can it suddenly appear in the isolation room?”

With that, she directly pulled up the surveillance feed of the power distribution room . Indeed, the slot of the USB flash drive was empty and the USB flash drive that was inserted there had been gone for some time .

Fortunately, this instrument for charging the USB drive had been prepared for two things . A Galaxy pendant was also put into the charging system . Namely, if the USB drive was suddenly removed by someone, there was still the Galaxy pendant to absorb the majestic surge of electricity .

Nonetheless, the USB drive’s teleportation through thin air prompted a pensive reaction from Chen Chen .