68: Chapter 68 The Shattered Utopia

Morning light pierced through the clouds, spilling onto the devastated city streets. The aftershocks of the satellite crash had yet to subside, and the scandals of New Era Technology spread like a virus. More piercing than the disaster itself, however, was the estrangement in people's hearts. The gates of the underground base slowly opened, and the first batch of consciousness Returnees stepped onto the surface accompanied by Su Qing. Their bodies still bore the weakness of a long slumber, but their eyes were filled with longing for the real world. Yet, that longing was shattered the instant they came into contact with the outside world's gaze.

“Look, it's those 'data ghosts'!” a sharp cry rang out from a street corner. A young man in sportswear pointed at the Returnees, his face full of disgust and fear. “I heard their consciousnesses were modified by aliens; it's contagious!”

“Stay away from them!” A mother tightly hugged the child beside her and hurried into a roadside shop. Before closing the door, she didn't forget to glare fiercely at the Returnees. “Who knows if they're being controlled? What if they hurt us?”

Foul language pelted them like hailstones, interspersed with stones and rotten vegetable leaves. An elderly returnee stumbled back and accidentally fell to the ground, his knee scraping against the concrete and oozing bright red blood. He had once been a university professor who, before his consciousness was imprisoned, taught his students about tolerance and respect. Now, he had become an object of scorn for his own compatriots. “We aren't monsters...” he said tremblingly, his voice filled with grievance and despair.

Su Qing stepped forward quickly, helped the old man up, and shouted angrily at the onlookers, “They are all innocent victims! They were Elizabeth's experimental subjects! They are flesh and blood humans just like us!”

But her defense was like a stone sinking into the ocean; instead of gaining understanding, it drew more accusations. “Victims? Who knows if they're faking it!” “No one from New Era Technology is any good; they must have been part of the experiments too!” “Drive them out! Don't let them pollute our city!”

The crowd's emotions grew more heated, and some began to shove the Returnees. The scene was chaotic. Su Qing shielded several weak Returnees and struggled to retreat toward the base, her heart filled with a sense of helplessness. She had originally thought that saving their consciousnesses would allow them to regain a new life, but she hadn't expected the prejudice and discrimination of the real world to be even colder than a digital cage.

When the news reached the underground base, Franklin was in the virtual bar accompanying Michael. He had just taken off his neural link helmet when he heard the commotion outside. Upon learning how the Returnees were being treated, this normally mild-mannered man's eyes instantly turned red. “Those bastards!” He slammed a fist onto the control console with a dull thud. “What right do they have to treat us like this? We endured a hellish imprisonment and finally made it back to reality, only to be met with this kind of discrimination?”

Lin Fan leaned against the wall, his expression solemn. The golden patterns on his skin became clearer due to his emotional fluctuations. The stream of network data surging in his mind was full of negative comments about 'data ghosts.' On social media, someone had started a petition to 'Expel the data ghosts,' gaining hundreds of thousands of signatures in just a few hours. News media added fuel to the fire, describing the Returnees as 'deviants threatening human safety.' Some local governments even issued notices banning Returnees from public places. “Once prejudice takes root, it's hard to uproot,” Lin Fan said quietly. “They fear the unknown and the 'data' attribute we carry. They feel we are no longer purely human.”

“But we ARE human!” Franklin's voice rose to a roar. “We have thoughts, emotions, and memories! Just because our consciousnesses were imprisoned doesn't mean we should be stripped of our right to be human!” He suddenly remembered something and turned to AKai, his eyes flashing with a determined light. “AKai, help me prepare a batch of masks and banners. Since they won't listen to our explanations, we'll use actions to show them we aren't pushovers!”

AKai hesitated for a moment before understanding Franklin's intent. “You want to organize a protest?” He frowned. “Public sentiment out there is very volatile right now. A protest might trigger an even larger conflict or even be viewed as a riot by the government.”

“I'm not afraid!” Franklin's gaze was incredibly firm. “If we don't even dare to fight for our own rights, then what's the difference between this and being in a digital cage? I want everyone to know that we are people too, and we have the right to live!”

Kate walked up to Franklin and nodded. “I support you. But we can't act recklessly; we must be fully prepared. I can contact some human rights organizations I know to speak up for us. Su Qing can handle medical support to prevent injuries. Lin Fan and AKai will be in charge of security to deal with any potential dangers.”

AKai sighed and threw himself into the preparations. The server fans spun at high speed once again. This time, it wasn't to build a virtual world, but to create the banners and masks needed for the protest. “If we're going to do this, we have to do it with style,” AKai said while designing the masks. “I've modified the classic mask from 'V for Vendetta' by adding data stream patterns. It symbolizes our experience while protecting our identities.” He paused and couldn't help but complain, “But seriously, did anyone pay the copyright fees for this classic mask? If we get sued, we have no way to pay the damages.”

Two days later, a massive protest began in the city's central plaza. Hundreds of Returnees wore V masks printed with data stream patterns, holding banners that read 'We Are Human Too,' 'Reject Discrimination,' and 'Give Us Back Our Dignity' as they slowly marched onto the streets. Franklin walked at the very front of the procession. He didn't wear a mask; his face bore a determined expression as he held up a photo—it was a screenshot of Michael in the virtual bar, smiling brightly against the familiar backdrop of the counter. “We demand equal rights!” Franklin's voice echoed through the streets. “We demand respect! We demand to live like normal people!”

The protest march passed through the city's main streets, attracting a large crowd of onlookers. Some still looked on with disgust and fear, keeping their distance. Others showed signs of hesitation, beginning to reflect on their previous prejudices. Some young people were moved by the slogans and joined the march. The cries of “Reject Discrimination! Give Us Back Our Dignity!” rose and fell, echoing over the city like thunderclaps.

However, the peace did not last long. When the procession reached the government building, a large number of police appeared, holding shields and batons, forming a solid human wall. “Stop the protest immediately, or we will take enforcement measures!” the police chief shouted through a megaphone, his voice cold and stern.

“We are just fighting for our legal rights. Why stop us?” Franklin stepped forward and shouted at the police chief. “You should be protecting us, not suppressing us!”

“Protect you?” The police chief sneered. “You 'data ghosts' are the source of instability in society. If it weren't for you, would the city be in such chaos? Disperse immediately, or don't blame us for being impolite!”

Conflict was on the verge of breaking out. Just then, Lin Fan suddenly stepped forward, standing between Franklin and the police. His gaze was calm yet carried a powerful sense of pressure. The golden patterns on his skin flickered with a faint light. “We don't want to cause a conflict,” Lin Fan's voice rang out clearly across the scene. “We just want the respect and rights we deserve. If you insist on suppression, then bear the consequences yourselves.”

The police chief was intimidated by Lin Fan's aura and for a moment didn't dare order his men to act. Looking at the golden light flashing in Lin Fan's eyes, a strange fear welled up in his heart. While the two sides were at a stalemate, the sound of car horns came from the distance. Dozens of media vehicles arrived in a grand procession. Reporters with cameras and microphones scrambled toward the protest march. “Mr. Franklin, what is the purpose of this protest?” “Mr. Lin Fan, there are rumors that you carry dangerous data streams—is this true?” “The government says you threaten public safety; what is your response?”

Flashbulbs lit up the scene like daylight. Franklin took a deep breath and spoke into the cameras, “We are not monsters, we are not threats; we are humans just like you. We have endured pain beyond imagination and finally returned to reality, only to be met with discrimination and exclusion. We just want to fight for equal rights and to live like normal people. I hope everyone can set aside their prejudices and give us a chance.”

At that moment, a female reporter in a black suit holding a microphone squeezed to the front. Her gaze was sharp and cold, with a faint, imperceptible smile at the corner of her mouth. “Mr. Lin Fan,” the female reporter's voice carried a deliberate gentleness, “there are reports that you are a Hybrid created by Elizabeth, containing powerful code technology. The government states that if you hand over this technology, they will provide protection for the Returnees and will not destroy the virtual world. What is your response to this?”

Lin Fan's pupils constricted. The government wanted his code technology? And they wanted to destroy the virtual world? What would happen to Michael then? What about the consciousnesses that hadn't found their original bodies yet? “That's impossible!” Lin Fan's voice was filled with anger. “The virtual world is home to many consciousnesses; it cannot be destroyed! Code technology concerns the safety of countless people; it cannot fall into the hands of those with ulterior motives!”

The female reporter's lips curled into an eerie smile, and her camera lens fixed directly on Lin Fan's eyes. “So, you're refusing to hand over the technology?” Her voice suddenly turned ice-cold. “Then aren't you afraid the government will take harsher measures against the Returnees? Aren't you afraid the virtual world will be completely destroyed?”

Lin Fan's heart surged with intense unease. He could sense a familiar aura in the female reporter's eyes—the coldness and fanaticism belonging to "Deep Blue Watch." He instinctively wanted to step back, but found his body bound by an invisible force. At that moment, dense streams of data suddenly flashed through his pupils, golden light flowing rapidly in his eyes. He could clearly feel that the camera in the female reporter's hand was sending some kind of signal, connecting to a distant server—the core server of "Deep Blue Watch"!

"You are one of Deep Blue Watch's people!" Lin Fan's voice was filled with shock and anger.

The female reporter did not deny it; the disguise on her face was completely shed, revealing a cold smile: "Mr. Lin Fan, you truly are very clever. But unfortunately, you have already fallen into our trap." She raised the microphone in her hand, her voice spreading across the globe through the camera, "Everyone, do you see? Lin Fan, this Hybrid created by Elizabeth, has been completely eroded by data streams. His existence is a threat to humanity! Deep Blue Watch has always been committed to protecting human safety. We call upon governments worldwide to unite, capture Lin Fan, seize the code technology he carries, completely destroy the virtual world, and establish a pure human society!"

The live broadcast instantly ignited the globe. Citizens who originally held sympathy for the Returnees instantly sided with Deep Blue Watch; governments issued statements one after another, condemning Lin Fan and the Returnees, demanding they immediately hand over the code technology; Deep Blue Watch's support rating soared, and more and more people joined their organization, with some even starting to spontaneously search for the Returnees' whereabouts.

In the underground base, everyone watched the live broadcast on the screen with pale faces. "We've been tricked!" Su Qing's voice carried despair, "That reporter wasn't here to help us at all; she was a lure from Deep Blue Watch, aimed at exposing Lin Fan and making the whole world treat us as enemies!"

AKai slammed the keyboard hard, data streams jumping frantically on the screen: "Deep Blue Watch is too cunning! They exploited the public's prejudice and fear to push us to the opposite side of the whole world! What do we do now? It's full of people searching for us outside; we can't get out at all!"

Franklin clenched his fists tightly, his eyes filled with anger and unwillingness: "It's all my fault. If I hadn't organized the march, we wouldn't have fallen into their trap! Michael is still waiting for me in the virtual world; I can't let him down!"

Kate's expression was exceptionally solemn as she rapidly tapped the keyboard. Email records of secret contacts between the government and Deep Blue Watch appeared on the screen. "The situation is worse than we imagined," Kate's voice carried a hint of a tremble, "The government has long been in league with Deep Blue Watch. The government wants Lin Fan's code technology to enhance its own military power; Deep Blue Watch wants to use the government's power to capture Lin Fan and realize their 'Human-Machine Co-governance' plan. They hit it off immediately, and we are the sacrifices of their deal."

Lin Fan leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, his mind in a state of chaos. He could feel the insults and curses directed at him across the global network, sense countless eyes staring at him, and feel the forces of the government and Deep Blue Watch closing in on the base. His body was becoming increasingly uncontrollable, golden patterns already spreading to his neck, and the speed at which the code was assimilating his flesh was accelerating. "Are we really going to fail?" Lin Fan asked in his heart, "Are the efforts of those Returnees, those consciousness entity waiting to return in the virtual world, all going to be in vain?"

Late at night, Lin Fan lay in bed, tossing and turning. The transformation of his body and the pressure from the outside world left him exhausted, yet he had no desire to sleep. Unknowingly, he drifted into a dream.

In the dream, he returned to that pure white laboratory. Elizabeth stood before a cultivation pod with a fanatical smile on her face. "Lin Fan, you are a perfect masterpiece, a combination of code and flesh." Elizabeth's voice was seductive, "As long as you hand over the Core Code, you can become a new god and rule this world."

"I won't let you have your way!" Lin Fan roared, charging toward Elizabeth.

But at that moment, Elizabeth's figure suddenly vanished, replaced by a familiar woman—his mother, Lin Fan's Mother. Lin Fan's Mother wore a light blue dress, a gentle smile on her face, but her eyes were filled with worry. "Child, don't be impulsive." Lin Fan's Mother's voice was as warm as a spring breeze, gently stroking Lin Fan's head, "Elizabeth's ambition will not succeed, but you must be careful not to let 'them' get your Core Code."

"Who are 'they'? The government? Or Deep Blue Watch?" Lin Fan asked urgently.

Lin Fan's Mother did not answer directly, but simply pointed behind her. Lin Fan followed her gaze and saw the silhouette of a massive space station appearing in the distant night sky. The surface of the space station shimmered with a faint blue light, and a familiar logo was printed on it—the logo of Deep Blue Watch! "That space station..." Lin Fan's voice was filled with shock, "What exactly is it?"

"That is Deep Blue Watch's ultimate plan—the 'Digital Ark'." Lin Fan's Mother's voice became solemn, "They want to digitize the consciousness of all humanity and store it in the space station to achieve so-called 'eternal life.' And your Core Code is the key to activating the 'Digital Ark.' Once they get your code, humanity will completely lose its freedom and become digital slaves controlled by Deep Blue Watch."

"What should I do?" Lin Fan's voice was helpless, "I'm being hunted by the whole world now; I have no way to stop them."

"Trust your partners, trust yourself." Lin Fan's Mother's smile remained gentle, "Within your body, there is not only the power of the code but also human emotions and will. This is something neither Elizabeth nor Deep Blue Watch possesses, and it is also your most powerful weapon. Remember, no matter how great the difficulties you encounter, do not give up your original heart. You are not a tool; you are Lin Fan, a unique existence."

Lin Fan's Mother's figure gradually became transparent, as if about to dissipate into the air. "Mother!" Lin Fan reached out, wanting to grab her, but caught only empty space.

"Protect yourself, protect those you care about..." Lin Fan's Mother's voice gradually faded away, finally vanishing in the dream.

Lin Fan snapped awake from his dream, his forehead covered in cold sweat. He sat up, his eyes filled with shock and determination. It turned out that Deep Blue Watch's ambition was even vaster than he had imagined; what they wanted was not just his code technology, but the freedom of all humanity. "I cannot let them succeed!" Lin Fan said in a low voice, his eyes flashing with an unprecedented light.

He walked to the window, gazing at the pitch-black night sky outside. Although the city was full of people searching for them, and although they were regarded as enemies by the whole world, he knew he was not alone. Franklin's loyalty, AKai's technology, Su Qing's medical support, Kate's intelligence, and those Returnees who trusted him—those consciousness entity waiting to return in the virtual world—were all his most solid backup.

"We cannot sit and wait for death." Lin Fan turned and walked out of the room, coming to the control room. AKai, Su Qing, Franklin, and Kate were all sitting there, their faces full of exhaustion and despair. "Although we are being hunted by the whole world, we still have a chance." Lin Fan's voice carried determination, "Deep Blue Watch's 'Digital Ark' has not yet been activated, and they haven't gotten my Core Code. As long as we unite as one, find the location of the 'Digital Ark,' and destroy it, we can stop their conspiracy."

Franklin looked up, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes: "Is what you say true? We still have a chance?"

"Of course." Lin Fan nodded, "My mother told me about Deep Blue Watch's ultimate plan and the existence of the 'Digital Ark' in my dream. Now, what we need to do is find the location of the 'Digital Ark,' formulate a detailed plan, and launch a surprise attack before they are ready."

Determination was rekindled in AKai's eyes as well: "As long as we can find the location, I can hack into their system and paralyze the 'Digital Ark's' defenses."

Su Qing nodded: "I will continue to research drugs to inhibit code assimilation, allowing you to maintain a clear consciousness and exert your maximum power."

Kate opened her laptop, and dense data analysis appeared on the screen: "I have already collected all of Deep Blue Watch's public information and am tracking their secret base through satellite signals. I believe it won't be long before we find the location of the 'Digital Ark'."

The gazes of the five people converged once more. Although it was still stormy outside, the flames of hope were ignited in their hearts. Prejudice and discrimination could not defeat them, and the collusion between the government and Deep Blue Watch could not intimidate them. As long as they united and held onto their original hearts, they would surely break this broken utopia and fight for a truly free and equal future for themselves, for all Returnees, and for all of humanity.

As the night deepened, the servers in the underground base ran at high speed once again. This time, it was for resistance, for freedom, to break the darkness and welcome the true light. The slogans of the march seemed to still echo over the city; the cry of "We are human too" was not only the demand of the Returnees but also the heartfelt wish of everyone pursuing equality and freedom. Above the broken utopia, the sparks of resistance had been ignited, and a battle to determine the fate of humanity was about to begin.