Volume 2 Rashomon of Yomi Hirasaka Chapter 29: Stranger
When I woke up, it was already noon. I lay on the bed looking at the ceiling but didn't want to go down to the ground at all.
I reached out to pull my hair, but found nothing. It was then that I remembered that I had already had my hair cut yesterday. Thinking about it now, I felt a sense of emptiness and loss, especially in this empty house.
"...Have some tea."
I pulled my neatly styled short hair and there was not a single strand of hair left on the bed sheet.
Then it suddenly dawned on me that today’s hair cutting technology has reached the point where there are no fine stubbles left after cutting the hair.
I originally wanted to wash the bed sheets and quilt covers together, but now I see that there is no need for them. Li Lin scratched his static short hair that could be fluffy, yawned, and dragged his tired body to the kitchen.
He walked around the pile of debris and went to the window and opened the curtains. The one-way glass brought the warm light from outside into the room. Li Lin, who saw the sun for the first time in several months, squinted his eyes subconsciously, looking at the bustling . Although there was not much difference between it and the peaceful and familiar city in his memory, the details were completely different.
There are more multi-function charging stations for drones, and some electronic airships and projection screens are floating in the sky, with drones hovering over them to deliver goods or other things. Vehicles on the ground also move forward according to a certain pattern, without touching others or making any honking sounds. The use of cellular networks and overlapping minds has long been planned in all aspects, and no one needs to worry about traffic jams.
“That’s great…”
Looking at the lush green streets outside, Li Lin shook his head, walked into the kitchen and found the tea maker that he had bought almost two months ago but had never used.
Modern technology is still trustworthy. With just a few buttons, the built-in tea bag and the connected pipes will start to blend automatically. It is said that the built-in blending chip is based on the techniques and concepts of hundreds of thousands of tea ceremony masters in history. In short, it is the most expensive thing.
But Li Lin still doesn't know what's good about it.
Maybe it's because the robot can feel the beauty of certain details, but he, a natural person, can't?
Of course, the biggest possibility is probably that the business is making false claims. Anyway, the masters have long passed away, and there is no way to really investigate how those people did it back then.
"Your tea is ready. Do you want it sent to the table?"
"Um."
The magnetically suspended teacup slid silently from the machine and moved horizontally in mid-air to the dining table, just as if an invisible waiter politely handed the teacup to Li Lin.
With one hand supporting his cheek, he stretched out two fingers with the other hand to touch the still hot tea. His brain, which had just woken up, was still not very clear. Instead, he felt even more sleepy under the warm sunshine. However, since he had gone out yesterday, it would be a bit too much to just sleep like this today. After yawning, Li Lin ordered the intelligent machine to turn on the projection screen.
Various television programs that were still popular began to appear on the projection screen, and colorful scenes were reflected in his pupils.
'Today's news: Smart driving has been operating without any accidents for four years, and unmanned networks have become a foregone conclusion.'
'Shocking news! Students in a school started to dismantle their prosthetic bodies and randomly put them together during a fight. The victim said it was a normal joke between friends. How should we, as prosthetic bodies, face the new moral values? Next, please listen to the expert's comments...'
'A huge explosion occurred during the development of Saturn's rings. Workers mistakenly pressed several buttons during operation, causing AI to have logical errors. Finally, the space station exploded due to the employees' mistaken operation. The black box readings showed that it was all human error. We can't help but start to think, is AI suitable or humans themselves? Should we give all these experience and logic to AI for safety? '
'The new generation of virtual idols has begun! Virtual idol group YIY! 987 brings you a brand new folk style...'
'Intelligent logic algorithm update, all cyborgs are requested to upgrade. This update will no longer support 1.0887 version cyborgs. If there are losses caused by untimely updates, the government will not compensate.'
'The National Statistical Algorithm Laboratory will update social statistics. The statistical algorithms for virtual game addicts will be updated simultaneously, and the psychological pollution factors for those who are immersed in virtual reality will be increased as appropriate so that these people can return to society and reduce unstable factors. In addition, the files of citizens with good or higher status will be included in the confidential storage library, and no organization or individual will have the right to browse them. This will be a historic step forward in the advancement of personal privacy.'
“…”
I don't understand anymore.
I took a sip of the bitter tea and watched the news coming from the TV that made me dizzy.
However, thanks to this, his originally groggy head also cleared up. After finally reading a round of completely unfamiliar and seemingly ambiguous news, Li Lin switched the screen to ancient music. A melodious music began to echo from the speakers.
"I don't want coffee. I want tea, dear. And I want my toast on one side. You can tell when I start talking. I'm an Englishman from New York.
You see me walking down Fifth Avenue. I have a cane with me. I live with it. I am an Englishman in New York.
I'm an outlier, I'm a legal outlier. I'm an Englishman from New York..."
The melodious saxophone and hoarse male voice made people feel very comfortable. Squinting his eyes and looking at the familiar yet strange world outside, Li Lin hummed along with the plain tune.
Perhaps this is the benefit of the modern world, you can always find what you like most. Listening to the hoarse voice and the lyrics reflected in the petition, Li Lin hummed, closed his eyes contentedly, stood on tiptoes and hummed along with the sound coming from the jukebox, which made people feel unusually satisfied and peaceful.
It’s as if I want to forget all the uncomfortable things and return to the time when I was free and unrestrained.
Looking at the warm sunshine outside, Li Lin smiled, clapped the beat, and sang along in a low voice.
"There is little grace and reason in today's society, but the light of a candle in the dark is not comparable to the morning sun. Wearing camouflage does not make you a man, and courage is not a license to carry a gun."
"When facing your enemies, try not to deal with them. A gentleman will turn away but never run away. If someone says "A gentleman is polite to others", he is a hero today."
"You should endure the ignorance of others with a smile. Just do what you want, regardless of what others say."
"I just do what I want, regardless of what others say..."
“…”
I won’t play games today, let’s take a break.
Holding the teacup and looking at the bustling world outside, Li Lin sipped his tea and sat quietly in the chair.
Until the tea had cooled down and the sun had set, he didn't get up or move around even once.
