"Forsaken People"

Beep beep beep.

The sound of a communicator echoed in the room.

Qin Yiguan turned around.

The room's decor was bizarre, everything within was an extreme pure black, devoid of any other colors.

Fortunately, the communicator was flashing with red light, making it quite conspicuous.

It was a conversation request from within the metaverse.

He entered the room and pressed a physical button.

A virtual screen lit up, showing a chubby boy with a flushed face standing in it.

Grinning, his chubby cheeks squeezed to the sides, he said, "Hello, Yiguan!"

Qin Yiguan was 18 years old.

A 'freak detective' was his part-time job.

He also had another identity that sent chills down one's spine when thought of.

A student.

A bona fide senior high school student.

And this chubby boy was one of his few good friends in the metaverse school.

Three years ago, when Qin Yiguan first learned his name, he was quite shocked.

His surname was very special, "Taotie" (a mythological ferocious beast in Chinese mythology).

It was the first time Qin Yiguan realized that such a surname existed in the world.

The chubby boy's father was named Taotie Mitian, his sister Taotie Wanlu.

And he was named Taotie Hala.

The name "Hala," pronounced as "gala" in the Northern dialect.

At the time, Qin Yiguan was very puzzled and asked, "Given that your family names are all very imposing because of your surname, why were you named Hala?"

Taotie Hala gloomily responded, "I'm already quite content. I had a serious illness as a child and nearly died. The village seer said I needed to have an inauspicious name, a double negative to create a positive, to ensure a safe life."

"So, my dad and the whole family racked their brains, determined to give me the worst name in the world."

"Taotie Phlegm Bowl."

"Taotie Sock."

"Taotie No Chicken..."

"Taotie Shit..."

At that time, Qin Yiguan couldn't keep calm, "Taotie No Chicken... Taotie Shit, what the hell..."

But Taotie Hala spread his hands and said, "Fortunately, my dad hadn't completely lost his humanity. Now, don't you think the name Taotie Hala sounds pretty good?"

At that moment, Qin Yiguan was still shocked, but he slowly nodded, "Indeed, compared to those names, Taotie Hala sounds quite pleasant!"

...

At this moment.

The chubby boy on the virtual screen kept turning his head, curiously observing Qin Yiguan's room through the screen.

"You've returned to reality again?"

"But this reality isn't much different from the metaverse, just a bit darker."

Qin Yiguan gave a bitter smile.

In the era of the metaverse, 97% of people had completed The Great Migration.

And the remaining 3% were known as 'the abandoned'.

Suspect number 6 was one, the girl in the white dress was another.

So was Qin Yiguan.

Due to brain diseases, psychological disorders, physical illnesses, and so on, they couldn't endure long-term neural connections.

Out of consideration for them, the government issued specific helmets, restricting long-term login to the metaverse.

When the data reviewer saw Qin Yiguan's dizzying array of medical conditions, they couldn't help but exclaim from the bottom of their heart: "There are such unfortunate souls in the world."

So, he only had 5 hours of login time.

Similar to the old days' "minimum living security."

"Returning to reality" sounds euphemistic, but in fact, it means being kicked out once the "daily duration" is exhausted.

In the current era, schools, banks, governments... and so on, have all completed virtualization and moved into the metaverse.

This feeling is like living in the wilderness, far from the bustling world.

"3% of the abandoned..."

"3% used to be a powerful number. In the old days, the real successful people made up 3% of society, controlling over 90% of the wealth..."

"Now, it's become an irony—3% of the neurotics."

Qin Yiguan shook his head.

—Sometimes, when you are different from the entire world, whether you are right or wrong, you are the anomaly.

And people like Taotie Hala, who are normal and wealthy, already live 24 hours in the metaverse.

This lifestyle is a brand new concept.

—Half human.

That is, composed of human brain consciousness + virtual reality, forming a semi-digital person.

They have a complete digital life, where "logging off" is a distant and foreign concept for them, meaningless and unnecessary.

Taotie Hala suddenly encouraged, "Brother, don't give up, keep applying for the nutrient pod."

Qin Yiguan silently glanced at the virtual helmet on the sofa, a symbol of the abandoned.

Compared to the nutrient pod, this device is inferior.

Not only does it come with a time lock, but the sensory data it provides is only 10% of what a nutrient pod offers.

Using it is like being a prisoner with an electronic monitor in the old days.

The young man slowly shook his head, "I've applied a hundred times, but because of several very trivial, insignificant, inconsequential brain diseases, I don't meet the criteria."

"First, you must not give up, then miracles can happen."

Taotie Hala's voice was full of encouragement, "With a nutrient pod, you'll be like me, a normal resident who can spend a lifetime in the metaverse. You can go wherever you want. One day, let's team up and explore the far reaches of the metaverse!"

The far reaches...

Qin Yiguan pondered.

The center of the metaverse is a harmonious society, a safe home, and an equitable real world, with terrain that is a one-to-one match with the physical Earth.

If one travels far within the metaverse, they would reach a new world, hence it's called the 'experimental field.'

It's said that...

Where the emperor's reach is limited.

The experimental field has its own logic.

Once entered, one arrives at a world determined by the potential of the brain... a world that overturns cognition.

Energetic young people, all yearn for it.

Unfortunately.

Qin Yiguan, who only has '5 hours of life,' cannot undertake long journeys.

Suddenly, Taotie Hala whispered mysteriously, "I heard rumors that today's metaverse will undergo an update, and the mechanism might change. Maybe... you'll have a chance to apply for a nutrient pod."

Qin Yiguan paused, ultimately sighing, "I no longer hold any hope."

Then.

He glanced again at the table beside him, where the nutrient pod application form, 30 centimeters thick, lay.

'99th receipt result.'

'Using a nutrient pod to log into the metaverse requires a high degree of cooperation from the brain.'

'Given the applicant's brain disease, granting authorization rashly could lead to unforeseen consequences.'

'For your safety, the application is denied.'

'Daily encouragement: We will never miss any metaverse genius.'