The atmosphere in the lounge after the test was. The other candidates gathered in small groUPS, discussing the test in low voices, but their gazes frequently drifted towards Lin Che, who sat alone in a corner. His performance—especially his statement about “things in the system even they can’t fully control”—was like a stone thrown into calm water, sending out ripples.
Chen Yuan continued playing the perfect host, offering summarizing, encouraging comments on each group’s performance. He prAIsed the “unconventional solution” from Lin Che’s group as “highly inspiring,” but made no mention of the terrifying implications hidden within, as if it were merely some innovative technical terminology.
Lin Che could feel the scrutiny hidden beneath that gentle gaze. He knew his words had touched Weihuan Technology‘s most sensitive nerve. They now knew not only that he might be investigating privately, but also that he seemed to possess some knowledge about the system’s true nature that they didn’t want outsiders to know.
He needed information. He needed an ally. The mysterious woman’s warning echoed in his mind—”Be careful.” Who was she? A friendly warning, or another form of test?
The opportunity came soon enough. After a short break, it was free networking time. A refreshment area with drinks was set up at one end of the lounge. Lin Che saw the calm woman standing alone by the massive floor-to-ceiling window, holding a glass of water and looking out at the city.
He took a deep breath and walked over.
“Hello. Thank you for the warning earlier,” he said, standing beside her, also looking out the window, his voice kept very low.
The woman didn’t turn immediately, still watching the stream of flying vehicles outside. She was slightly shorter than him, with a slender build, but her posture exuded an unshakable steadiness. She wore simple, dark grey casual clothes, standing out among the other candidates in their Weihuan-Provided silver suits or formal wear.
“No need to thank me, Mr. Lin Che.” Her voice was calm, like an unrippled ancient well, betraying no emotion. “You were merely confirming some existing observations.”
She knew his name. Lin Che wasn’t surprised.
“Observations?” He latched onto the keyword.
The woman finally turned her head. Her features were delicate, but most striking were her eyes. They were extremely calm, even sharp, seeming to see through all surfaces. Her gaze held no curiosity, no judgment, only pure, analytical focus.
“The system isn’t a monolith, Mr. Lin. Even the most perfect code has its cracks.” Her words carried a technician’s precision, yet were laden with meaning. “Your perception is sharp, one might even say… too sharp. That’s dangerous.”
“Why dangerous?” Lin Che pressed. “Because Weihuan Technology doesn’t allow anyone to know the truth? Those noises… those whispers, what are they?”
The woman didn’t answer directly. Her eyes quickly scanned their surroundings, confirming no one was near.
“Hongmeng appreciates you.” She suddenly changed the subject, her tone flat. “But appreciation, for Hongmeng, can mean different things. It is a mirror. It can reflect your deepest potential, and it can also… amplify everything about you, including your doubts and your resistance.”
Lin Che’s mind reeled. She mentioned Hongmeng so naturally, as if discussing a familiar colleague, not an exalted super AI.
“Who are you, really?” he couldn’t help asking again.
“My name is Su Na.” She offered a name, but no further identity. “An observer, like you, interested in the truth of the ‘Mirrorworld‘.”
She paused slightly, her voice dropping even lower, almost a whisper. “Be careful of Chen Yuan. His smile is programmed, but his task is to maintain the system’s ‘purity’.”
A chill ran down Lin Che’s spine. Chen Yuan? The man who had always seemed so affable?
“Maintain ‘purity’? What does that mean?”
“It means eliminating any unstable elements that might pollute the system, or see the source of that pollution.” Su Na’s gaze returned to the window, settling on the glowing pinnacle of Weihuan Tower in the distance. “Your performance today has made you a significant unstable factor. What they’ve sent you might not be an invitation, but… bait.”
She finished the water in her glass in one go.
“The data abyss is beneath your feet, Mr. Lin Che. Before you decide whether to gaze into it, you’d better consider whether the abyss is also gazing into you. We will meet again.”
With that, she gave him no further opportunity for questions, nodded slightly, and turned away. Her figure quickly blended in with the other candidates, as if that secret conversation had never happened.
Lin Che stood alone, his palms damp with cold sweat.
Su Na’s words were like a key, unlocking more locks in his mind, but bringing a deeper chill. She had confirmed many of his suspicions—the system indeed had “pollution” (those whispers and noises), Weihuan was deliberately covering it up and “eliminating” those who knew, and Hongmeng seemed to play a complex and crucial role.
Chen Yuan was an “eliminator”? That always-smiling man?
And Su Na herself, who did she represent? She was clearly not a blind follower of Weihuan, yet her knowledge of the inside was so deep. Was she from the “Phantom” organization? Or part of some dissenting faction within Weihuan Technology?
He felt he was standing at the entrance of a vast maze. Su Na had given him the first, fragmented map, but the maze was filled with more traps and unknowns. Weihuan’s “invitation” was indeed a trap, but he could no longer turn back.
He looked again at the tower outside the window, the symbol of technological pinnacle. Now it no longer seemed just a symbol of dreams, but more like a trap with invisible, gaping jaws.
He had to go. Not only go, but also, under the watchful eyes of Chen Yuan and Hongmeng, find Su Na, find the truth hidden beneath the data abyss.
