Chapter 291: Chapter 281: Is This Right?

After figuring out the system, Tang Mo left her room to see what everyone was up to.

To her surprise, it wasn’t just the children; even the elderly had all quickly adapted to the system.

The sight of them lying on the couch wearing helmets struck Tang Mo as a little comical.

’Then again, they were all highly educated people whose work had relied on computers. Why wouldn’t they be able to accept this new technology?’

When Tang Mo arrived in the living room, however, she noticed a solitary figure on the couch.

"Mr. Hu, what’s wrong?"

Tang Mo had actually noticed it earlier. Mr. Hu’s expression had been grim ever since he arrived. He lacked the excitement and thrill on everyone else’s faces; instead, his composure was so absolute it was almost frightening.

The situation here was even better than Tang Mo had imagined, and they were very accepting of outsiders like them.

"Why aren’t you trying out the system? It’s quite convenient."

She had to admit, the system in the room could satisfy nearly every human need. In terms of sheer convenience, it was unparalleled.

"Does that thing even require ’trying out’? Anyone with hands and a brain can use it."

This was the first time Tang Mo had heard such caustic words from Mr. Hu. Until now, he had always been the very picture of a gentle and refined man.

"You don’t like it here?"

Tang Mo was beginning to understand. Mr. Hu didn’t like it here.

’But there are no mutant beasts hunting us here, no human deceit or backstabbing. Isn’t this exactly the kind of place he was looking for?’

Tang Mo didn’t get it. For someone like Mr. Hu—a peace-loving, compassionate man who wouldn’t even kill—this place should have been a paradise.

"I don’t like it. This place offers a comfortable existence, yes, but this is not how an age of automation should be. And humans should not be reduced to mere biological beings. Our emotional attribute deserves respect, too!"

"Emotional attribute? Are you referring to...?" Tang Mo was starting to grasp Mr. Hu’s meaning. She felt the same way, but she prompted him to continue.

"Everything is handed to you on a silver platter. People don’t have to do a thing. Their needs for survival are met, but their social value is completely lost. In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, survival is merely the most basic level.

For example, because new energy solved the problem of the greenhouse effect, all plants have been discarded. With them, humanity’s desire to appreciate flora was also thrown away. Because people lie on their couches every day operating this damned system, there are no longer any pets in this world. Consequently, the human need for companionship has also been cast aside. It seems nothing matters anymore except what’s related to survival. People don’t even leave their rooms, living their entire lives within a few square meters. How is living like this any different from being pigs or chickens, raised in a pen for slaughter?"

How is that any different from pigs and chickens in a pen?

Those words sent a jolt through Tang Mo.

’Yes... if survival is all that matters, then what’s the meaning of being alive?’

’Humanity has penned itself in. How is that any different from being a caged animal?’

"But everyone here lives this way. No one objects. If something exists, there must be a good reason for it... right?"

Tang Mo mused aloud. She knew this was the world a century in the future. It was supposed to be a more advanced world; there was no reason for it to have such a massive flaw.

’Everyone else is perfectly adapted to this world. We’re the only ones who aren’t. Does that mean... we’re the ones who are wrong?’

Faced with this stark conflict between her own values and those of the future, Tang Mo’s first instinct wasn’t to question this world, but to question herself.

"Just because everyone does something, does that make it right?

Does a wrong become a right simply because no one ever stands up to correct it?"

Mr. Hu’s words were powerful and resonant, his gaze so firm that Tang Mo found she couldn’t look away.

’The only thing on her mind was that bringing Mr. Hu in here had been the absolute right decision.’

Here, Mr. Hu was like the sole anomaly, a complete misfit.

’Perhaps that nonconformity was the key to unlocking the secrets of this place.’

The last time Tang Mo had escaped this Illusion Realm, it had been purely by coincidence.

Now, she had no idea how to get out again. After all, it would be difficult to go out and find another stray dog on the street that could see her.

But she wasn’t worried in the slightest. The reason she’d dared to re-enter was that she knew the Illusion Realm had no intention of trapping them here for good.

As long as there was a way out, she was confident she could find it.

Inside the Illusion Realm, the ID Watch had long since become nothing more than an ordinary timepiece, so Tang Mo couldn’t contact Qin Fen and the others.

But even if the ID Watch was useless, Tang Mo had other methods. ’Doesn’t all technology in this world exist to serve humanity?’

She opened the room system’s "Omnipedia" and typed in Qin Fen’s name.

Soon, she was using the number it provided to call Qin Fen.

This world had no communication devices like cell phones. The only way to contact someone was through this system, and even then, you had to ensure both parties were online simultaneously.

In other words, if a person disconnected from the system, they essentially lost all their social attributes, and no one could contact them.

As luck would have it, Qin Fen happened to be online. The call from Tang Mo’s end only rang a few times before he picked up.

"Where are you? Found a way out yet?"

Qin Fen fired off his questions before Tang Mo could even get a word in.

His tone was frantic; he was clearly infuriated by their current predicament.

"In the house they assigned me. Have you guys found a way out? Where are you now?"

"Not yet. This world is bizarre; we have no idea how to get out. We’re in our assigned houses, too. No clue where Zhang Chao and his group went."

Qin Fen was actually seething with frustration. He had expected to find treasure in here, but not only was there nothing, now he couldn’t even get out.

Although it was safe here, for someone like Qin Fen, the challenging, post-apocalyptic lifestyle was clearly more appealing.

Since there was no treasure to be found, all he wanted now was to get out as quickly as possible.

"I haven’t found a way either. I’ll contact you when I do."

Before Qin Fen could say anything else, Tang Mo hung up.

She was beginning to understand what this Illusion Realm wanted. ’If I rely on Qin Fen and his heartless bunch to find the answer, we could be stuck here for a lifetime.’

Just as Tang Mo was contemplating her next move, Xiao Fei and Xiao Mo frantically knocked on her door and burst in.

"This is bad, Tang Mo! Bo Niou’s been taken away!"

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