SOTOPIA: Artificial Pseudo-God

The grade of the regional hospital is not too high, and the traces of rusty water extending on the white exterior wall look a little old.By the time Steven drove the car into the open parking lot, the rain had subsided a lot.

There is a flower shop in front of the hospital.The middle-aged man who runs the flower shop does not have the aesthetics commensurate with the positioning of the flower shop, and the bouquets he puts out are not so beautiful. Seeing that the air is humid, he directly skips the process of watering and moisturizing.Mostly because the color is not outstanding, in terms of price, these flowers are very affordable.

Among these "affordable" condolence products, Steven, who had not yet complained, decisively chose a bunch that looked plentiful but was actually very cheap.A handful of wilted roses, carnations, tulips and sunflowers appear nondescript, making it impossible to see the actual relationship between the flower giver and the flower receiver. Even the nurse pushing the infusion stand through the hall can't help but cast a sigh of relief. To look puzzled.

According to the staff who came to respond, the target was not seriously injured, at least not to the extent that he needed to be admitted to the ICU.Before entering the ward, the small doctor in charge trotted to Steven, raised his head and talked to him about the injury of the "target person". It seems that the local observers have already cooperated with a few relevant personnel. Pass the most basic explanation.

"—When he was found, his lower body was still buried in the mud, and it seemed that he was pressed when he ran out. Due to the impact and friction caused by the sharp rocks carried by the mudslide, his legs and torso were different. The degree of abrasions and contusions, especially the right thigh and the lower legs on both sides, the deepest wound reached [-] cm; but he was lucky, the internal organs, bones, head and other vital parts were basically not injured. After timely treatment, he has recovered The possibility of infection has been ruled out. His physique is also good, but he has not yet regained consciousness, and I am afraid that he cannot answer your question for the time being—"

Steven doesn't pay attention, though he nods occasionally to make sure he has the information he needs.

Walking into the ward, he saw the white-haired young man on the bed.

-Steven, can you imagine a person living in modern times who doesn't exist in any file and identity system.

When he came, Maynard said this to him on the phone, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

——Comparison of fingerprints, DNA, and head portraits, none of the relevant comparison results were found, but there was no trace of artificial sales, as if it appeared out of thin air. Non-tradable stuff.But judging from the preliminary analysis of the blood samples at the hospital, he was indeed a very normal "modern person".

The witness, object of protection, and target of investigation that the boss explained was the wounded lying unconscious on the hospital bed, and it seemed to be a mysterious person related to Sotopia.Steven stuffed the bouquet casually into a vase on the bedside table, making no attempt to tidy it up aesthetically.He observed the other party condescendingly, his cold eyes were like a scanner, recording every detail and clue in his mind.

The young man sank quietly on the bed, with slender and transparent infusion tubes attached to both arms pressed against the edge of the quilt. His pale face matched the atmosphere of the hospital, revealing a bit of purity and mystery that seemed not to belong to human beings.Judging from his appearance, this person should not be over 30 years old, and his facial features look like a standard Nordic person.

Ignoring the doubtful gazes of the doctors and nurses, Steven approached the head of the bed, stretched out his hands and twisted a handful of the young man's hair - based on experience, the feel and luster are not like dyed colors, but natural ones.Because the exposed forearm of the infusion does not look thick, nor is it too delicate, it is just right.A snow-white bandage is wrapped around the middle of the left forearm, and the human chip that Maynard mentioned should be taken out from here.

— This is the guy who takes up all the time I spend sleeping in motels.

Thinking to himself, Steven frowned with his back to the doctor who was standing at the end of the bed confirming the medication; the unconscious young man still closed his eyes tightly, so naturally he would not respond.

The blond-haired young nurse walked in with a medical tray carefully and familiarly. The sound of the heels hitting the ground was almost zero, and it was so quiet that it seemed to blend into the building itself. "Mr. Krebs, this is all his belongings when he was found-that is to say, there are actually only clothes and the chips that were taken out here. At that time, we and the rescue team searched carefully around the surrounding area, but we found nothing. There are no other suspicious items to prove his identity." Her voice was as gentle as her actions, and there was a little regret on her face.

"Oh? Thank you." Steven took the tray and thanked him briefly.

It seems that according to the requirements of the observers, several pieces of clothing on the tray that had been severely soiled by landslides were only cleaned in the simplest way, in order to achieve the level of "recognizable"; Packed in transparent evidence bags, large areas of dirt and traces of being torn by tree branches and stone edges are still clearly visible when the mudslide hits.From this point of view, his survival is already a miracle.

Steven picked up one of them and felt where the pocket was - as the nurse said, it was empty. "This chip—"

"I'm very sorry. At first we thought it was a biochip used by other hospitals or medical companies on special patients, but our hospital's equipment failed to read the data inside, and we may need to go to a higher-level medical research institution for testing. " She nodded slightly.

"The result of the bone age test?"

"Around 26 or 27 years old." The answer was very concise.

The agent nodded thoughtfully, signaling the other party to leave temporarily.But he didn't stay in the ward for too long: After confirming the information on the evidence and medical records, Steven had already begun to plan for the next confrontation.

"Is it so interesting to pretend to be in a coma and observe others?" When he walked past the end of the bed and left the ward, he left such a sentence-although it was not accompanied by any specific line of sight, these words were obviously addressed to the young man on the bed .Steven's expression was stern, and his tone was not friendly: "I advise you to give up your desire to escape: the security level of this hospital has been temporarily raised; what's more, with your current state, you can't even climb out of the ward door."

The youth remained motionless.Eyes closed, breathing steady, like a sculpture with vital signs.

Steven glanced at him again and said, "I'll come again next time." The volume was not too high, just enough to be heard by the other party - if the other party was awake.

The brown curly-haired detective walked out of the single ward with a few pieces of evidence, had a brief conversation with the medical staff waiting at the door, and then sent the temporary security mission to the security staff in the hospital and the two police officers stationed temporarily. After making a specific statement, he left the hospital.

The eye of the hurricane never passed through the town of Clovis.After the storm, although the weather temporarily cleared up, the sky was still covered with thick clouds and mist. The gray sky, like the condensed air, gave people an almost suffocating feeling of dreary.Steven walked out of the hospital gate, and the crying of infants and young children and the alcohol-smelling complaints of post-middle-aged men could be heard from time to time in the somewhat deserted hall behind him.He tugged at his neckline irritably—the cotton gray polo shirt he had put on casually was uncomfortably sticky with rain and sweat—but it still didn't make his breathing any easier.At this moment, he wants a hearty hot bath, a cup of hot tea and a good-looking spaghetti bolognese after the bath.

And in the ward, listening to the deliberately suppressed conversation outside and the sound of footsteps fading away, the white-haired young man slowly opened his eyes.Eyes tired, but exceptionally clear.