Interactive Fiction: The Right Choice After Unemployment

Chapter 96 The Man in the Mirror

Option 60 30%, Option 10 [-]%, Option [-] [-]%.

……

【Option [-]】

【Chu Huairen】

……

"Chu Huairen? Is that you?"

Zheng Zhuo resisted the dizzying staggered conversation and asked loudly.

"……Yes……"

Chu Huairen's voice was slightly louder.

"I can not hear clearly!"

Zheng Zhuo tried hard to listen.

"...it's...I...you..."

The human voice was still vague, but it was getting louder.

"...you...here..."

The golden light around the body became extraordinarily dazzling.Zheng Zhuo couldn't help closing his eyes.

then.

"you are here?"

Suddenly, the voice became much clearer.

Zheng Zhuo slowly opened his eyes.

He did not appear in the pure white space, nor did he return to his original location—it should be the entrance of the small supermarket.

What he saw was a clean and tidy hotel room.

The warm yellow ceiling spotlights sprinkle light on the low cabinet, TV, sofa and small table.Every piece of furniture is clean and tidy, and the appearance reveals a sense of luxury.On their right side, there is a huge glass floor-to-ceiling window, the window is covered by a curtain as thin as a gauze, and the warm sunlight passes through the curtain, leaving bright spots on the ground.

Zheng Zhuo's perspective is directly opposite to the TV.He looked down and found himself lying on the big fluffy bed in a dark bathrobe.But he couldn't feel his body at all.Can't feel hands and feet, or this supposedly comfortable bed.

"Zheng Zhuo?"

The voice sounded again.So close, it was as if someone in the room was talking to him.

But no matter how you look at it, there is no second person in the room.

"……it's me."

Zheng Zhuo answered slowly.

He realized it was his own voice that had changed this time.His voice became a little dull, as if echoing in his brain.

"Can you see me?" the voice asked.

"I can't see it. There is no one else in the room." Zheng Zhuo tried to shake his head, but he found that he could not control this body.

"……wait for me."

His vision faltered for a while.Zheng Zhuo saw his body...or the body whose sight belongs to turned over and got off the bed, put on his slippers, and walked towards the entrance of the room.

This body passed by the low cabinet, and Zheng Zhuo saw that there were English magazines and hotel service lists on the low cabinet.

slap.

The door light was turned on.Zheng Zhuo stood in front of the entrance mirror.

Then, he saw the face in front of him clearly.

Gentle demeanor, wearing glasses.

The person who appeared in the mirror was the [Wise Man] card player he had rescued in [Ocean World].

Chu Huairen.

"Perhaps this is how schizophrenic patients are formed." Chu Huairen raised his eyebrows and said.

"Chu Huairen? You have returned to reality. Do you mean... I am in your consciousness?" Zheng Zhuo spoke... More precisely, he was talking directly in Chu Huairen's head.

"It seems that it should be so."

"How is this going?"

"I also want to know what's going on." Chu Huairen looked in the mirror and talked to Zheng Zhuo, "I can only vaguely remember the things about [Ocean World]. In a certain egg case in a certain white space. Over a long period of time, my consciousness gradually recovered. During this period, I tried to recall this bizarre experience and regained many details... such as the main The names of the characters on stage."

"Then, I heard a movement. For the first time I noticed someone nearby. It was a young woman, sitting outside at a computer. She walked up to me and said 'OK'. Then I lost Consciousness, woke up in my original body again."

"I was trying to figure out what was going on, so I checked the [Collective Subconscious Mind] software on my phone. There was no world I could enter, but after a while, the [Subconscious World] interface glowed golden... Then I heard a loud noise The sound of fighting, and the faint picture. I saw you in the golden light, so I called you out."

"……I see."

"I've done three dives [into the subconscious world]. It's really the most unique experience I've had—it's very different from anything I've experienced before.”

"Haha... this may also be your last experience." Zheng Zhuo thought so.However, he wasn't used to speaking with his consciousness now.

So he said it directly.

"Oh why?"

Chu Huairen who heard this was obviously very interested in it.

Zheng Zhuo sighed.He's not very good at explaining.

"The [Collective Subconscious] software has security risks. The young woman who let you leave the [Subconscious World] is going to close this software. [Small Town World] is the last batch. In the future, no one can sneak into the subconscious through it."

"That's it...it's a pity. This should be a great advancement in neuroscience."

Chu Huairen nodded.He seemed to have expected this to be the answer.

"However, why can you continue to participate?"

"Ok?"

"You." Chu Huairen stared at the mirror, "I fell directly from [Small World] to [Ocean World]. At first, I thought you were the same as me, because of the accident when you left [Small World] Be careful not to fall in, but after we left [Ocean World], you entered at least one world and successfully left, right?"

"..."

"That doesn't fit with your statement that 'the software is shutting down, no one can access the subconscious through it anymore.' I'd like to hear why."

"...well. In fact, there are still many people trapped in the subconscious world."

Zheng Zhuo told the truth.He realized that it was difficult for him to lie to Chu Huairen.

"I'm trying to find a way to help as many people as possible leave. Because once the [collective subconscious] software is shut down, everyone who is still inside will not be able to return to their bodies."

"That's it."

Chu Huairen paused for a while.Zheng Zhuo saw him in the mirror thinking.

"……You are a good person."

Finally, he said this sentence.

"Uh. Haha."

Zheng Zhuo really didn't know what his intention was, so he could only laugh a few times.

"Can I help too?" Chu Huairen asked suddenly.

"What?" Zheng Zhuo was taken aback by his words, "No...I mean, if the rescued person goes in again, wouldn't it be a waste of time? It's not so easy to come out from there—"

I have [Subconscious Voting], Zheng Zhuo thought.The average person is not so good at grasping the vagaries of the subconscious world.

"I'm very interested in [Subconscious World]. At that time, I used this software because I wanted to know its mysteries." Chu Huairen was not in a hurry, he said slowly, "But, of course, I won't do it again. Enter. Pointless bet."

"I want to ask, just like the situation just now. I can see what you are doing in the [subconscious world] through the [collective subconscious] software in the real world, and I can talk to you."

"And it's from a third perspective."

"That alone will be of great help, right?"

"I don't know what perspectives can be done. My perspective—can my software lens be attached to more people or things? It would help more if there were more perspectives. When I called you, I felt It’s kind of like going into the subconscious world—I feel like I’m screaming for a long time, but when I regain consciousness, it’s not even a minute. It’s synchronized in time. It’s absolutely doable.”

"..."

Zheng Zhuo began to think.Indeed, there is no danger in this way, and, moreover, some help is better than nothing.

"I need to ask someone more professional."

Zheng Zhuo said.He thought of young women.

"Looking forward to your news." Chu Huairen nodded.

Zheng Zhuo looked around.

"But...how do I get away from you...uh,?"

"I have an idea." Chu Huairen bent down and opened the drawer.

He took out a small cardboard box and shook it.Zheng Zhuo didn't know English. Looking at the carton's appearance, he thought it was some kind of medicine.

"It's stability."

Chu Huairen said.

"The closest thing to the subconscious mind is deep sleep, right? I think you can try it that way."

……

When Zheng Zhuo opened his eyes again, he was already in the [pure white space].

"It's really useful..."

Chu Huairen's proposal is really something.

Zheng Zhuo raised his head.He can control his body again.

And the air in front of him was densely covered with green words.

……

[Participant: Zheng Zhuo.Settlement based on performance. 】

[Card: Explorer, [Ability [-]: Transformation] has been fixed. 】

[Injury degree: small.Degree of personality damage: Minor. 】

[Permanent reality ability release. 】

[According to performance, provide corresponding ability options. 】

[Achieved: The number of superimposed small damages has reached the requirement.Unlock options: [Repeat Accuracy Increase: Small]]

[Achieving: Did not expose myself in the disguise operation.Unlock option: [breath blocking: small]. 】

[Achieving: Complete the truth exploration as a behind-the-scenes identity throughout the whole process.Unlock options: [Ability: Black Hand]. 】

[Achieving: Helping others obtain the highest honor.Unlock options: [Ability: Assistance]. 】

……

Now, it's time to choose again.

……

【problem】

[Clear the World of Magic Academy.Release permanent reality ability.Please choose one of them:]

【Option [-]】

[Repeat accuracy increase: small]

Specific performance: The accuracy of the work will increase slightly with the number of repeated operations.

【Option [-]】

[Breath blocking: small]

Specific manifestations: It is easier for other humans to ignore their own existence.

【Option [-]】

[Ability: Black Hand]

Specific performance: When you use a false identity, master the minimum intelligence required to assume the identity.

【Option [-]】

[Ability: Assistance]

Specific performance: You can share some of your abilities with others.

　After [Option 1], [Option 1], [Option [-]] and [Option [-]], you can leave a message in the form of [this chapter says]. A message under [-] id counts as [-] vote.

　　票数统计截至至2022/12/19日晚20：00.
　　Finally, please recommend tickets~
　　
　　


(End of this chapter)