Chapter 225: The Euthanasia Plan
Only now did Bai Hongtu understand why Jiang Li had such a reaction upon seeing Feitian Corporation.
Feitian Corporation spent fifty years bringing all of Gougle Civilization into the virtual world.
And that was a thousand years ago.
“So-called Longevity Sleep Nutrient Fluid only lets a person live to two hundred years old. No wonder there are no living humans in this world.” Bai Hongtu finally understood why not a single living person remained in Gougle Civilization.
It also confirmed that Du Ming was indeed dead.
“I remember Du Ming saying that Feitian Corporation spent a hundred years collecting data to create virtual personalities, and these personalities react just like humans.”
“You mean Du Ming is also a virtual personality?”
“Yes. I suspect that while Du Ming was using the holographic simulator, Feitian Corporation collected all of his data—memories, physical strength, inner desires—and turned them into data. Once verified, they could produce a virtual personality identical to Du Ming!”
When someone has the same memories, body, and thoughts as you—are they still you?
In Jiang Li’s previous world, this was a philosophical debate that sparked endless arguments, with no conclusive answer.
But in the Nine Provinces, it wasn’t even a point of contention. If your soul has reincarnated, then this person is not you.
The soul is what defines individuality.
The two of them had already confirmed: there were no living people in Gougle Civilization, and no souls either—only data stored in servers.
“Come on, let’s head to Feitian Corporation headquarters.”
They both agreed Feitian Corporation had serious issues.
Feitian Corporation had no living staff either.
In the CEO’s office at headquarters, they found a confidential file labeled the “Euthanasia Plan.”
The plan was divided into four steps.
Step one: use divine revelation to advance technology.
Step two: use capital and technology to control the government.
Step three: promote the idea that the virtual world is equal to the real world, give people a reason to escape reality, and voluntarily enter the virtual world.
Step four: develop the Longevity Sleep Nutrient Fluid for the holographic simulator, allowing all of humanity to enter the virtual world.
The plan was simple, but to Jiang Li and Bai Hongtu, it was chilling to the bone.
A completely open conspiracy, with not a shred of disguise.
Two hundred years of lifespan meant nothing to them—but for mortals, it was a miraculous breakthrough defying natural lifespan limits.
Who doesn’t want to live longer?
And then there was a virtual world indistinguishable from the real one.
On one side, there was harsh reality—childhood full of study, adulthood full of toil, and only a brief moment of peace in old age, all while restricted by material limitations.
On the other side, a virtual world where anything was possible, where you were like a god, where freedom was absolute.
Who doesn’t want freedom?
Longevity and freedom—the two things living beings crave most—presented right before your eyes. Who could refuse?
The only reason Jiang Li could think of to refuse was that the real world was real, and the virtual world was fake.
But does truth really matter?
“F*ck, who the hell came up with this plan? Kills without spilling blood.” Bai Hongtu cursed outright. This would sell like hotcakes in the Nine Provinces too—he was sure that ninety-nine percent of people there would choose the virtual world.
“Here, this is a holographic simulator. Let’s go meet Du Ming.”
Bai Hongtu nodded and put on the simulator. The two entered the grand world together.
Du Ming had treated Jiang Li as a friend and given him a contact method, so Jiang Li could easily find him.
“Back so soon, Brother Jiang? Hmm, brought someone new?” Du Ming noticed Bai Hongtu.
“This is Bai Hongtu. We had something unfinished and came back early,” Jiang Li said with a grin. “I happened to see your nameplate, Du-ge, and realized you’re a thousand-year-old ancient. Honored to meet you.”
“A thousand years?” Du Ming frowned, then relaxed. “Time flow in small worlds is adjustable, and the grand world doesn’t show time. I hadn’t noticed so much time had passed outside.”
“Exactly, things have changed a lot out there. We even found another continent with technology more advanced than ours—turns out Gougle Civilization isn’t the only intelligent race in the universe.”
“And beyond this world are more worlds. We even discovered a cultivation world where people can move mountains and seas with just their physical bodies. If I hadn’t seen it myself, I wouldn’t believe it.”
“Du-ge, wanna come out and take a look?” Jiang Li looked at Du Ming with enthusiasm.
Du Ming shook his head regretfully. “If I had just come in, maybe I would’ve wanted to see it. But sadly, I can’t leave anymore.”
“How come?” Jiang Li asked, knowingly.
“Brother Jiang… even if I’m an ancient, there’s no seniority in the virtual world, so I’ll still call you brother. You should know, the nutrient fluid only lets you live two hundred years. Since a thousand years have passed outside, I’ve already died of old age. The one here now is just my digital consciousness—I can’t leave the virtual world.”
“Dead?” Jiang Li was shocked—truly surprised that Du Ming knew he was dead.
“I don’t remember how long ago it was. One day, I suddenly lost consciousness and got disconnected. But shortly after, I was conscious again, could access the grand and small worlds, free as ever. I thought it was a server glitch—but now that I think about it, that’s when I died.”
“But I wouldn’t call it real death—you see, I’m still conscious. You could say I’m still alive, just in the virtual world.”
Du Ming was completely unfazed by his own death.
Jiang Li and Bai Hongtu exchanged glances. This virtual personality believed itself to be the real Du Ming.
“Du-ge, you’ve accepted your death so calmly—respect.”
This time, Du Ming looked puzzled. “Didn’t Feitian Corporation tell you before you used the simulator?”
“Tell us what?”
Jiang Li and Bai Hongtu had no idea what Feitian Corporation told anyone—the company’s headquarters was now overrun by wild dogs.
“Feitian Corporation said that soaking in the nutrient fluid does grant you longevity, but it gradually peels away your consciousness. Over time, you can no longer return to reality. It also genetically removes your ability to reproduce.”
“Everyone who enters the virtual world agrees to this price.”
Jiang Li and Bai Hongtu fell silent.
They couldn’t tell who was in the wrong.
Was Feitian Corporation wrong? They clearly told everyone the consequences.
Were the users wrong? If real life sucked, weren’t they allowed to escape to the virtual world?
They couldn’t even tell if the whole matter was right or wrong.
Du Ming assumed their silence was due to the no-reproduction clause and tried to comfort them. “It’s just that you can’t have kids in the real world—no big deal.”
“For example, in reality, I only had one wife and one son. But in my world? I’ve got countless wives, a huge family of descendants.”
“So where’s your real wife now?”
Du Ming waved it off. “Back then we got married out of necessity. We just made do—there was no love. As for my son, he was ungrateful and untalented.”
“Not like here, where all my wives are the most beautiful women in the world, truly love me, and my descendants are capable and filial. I haven’t had contact with my wife or son in ages.”
Jiang Li sighed inwardly. Everyone had willingly walked to their own deaths—and still thought they were happy. Truly, “Euthanasia Plan” was the perfect name.