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墨書 Inktalez
At that moment, both my phone and computer pinged with a message:
"Dear Test Subject:
You have passed the preliminary assessment. Next, please make a choice within 30 minutes:
1. Delete all files, and this matter will end here. You will receive a compensation of five million, and your safety will be ensured.
2. Continue the investigation, but bear the corresponding consequences.
Please note: This is not a drill."
Below the message was a real-time photo: in front of my father's gravestone lay a freshly picked bouquet of gardenias. They were his favorite flowers.
The photo was timestamped: five minutes ago.
"They're watching us," Zhou Xue said. "They have been from the very beginning."
My phone buzzed again. This time it was Director Huang: "Old Sun, you got the message, right? Take my advice and stop investigating. Some things are better left unknown."
A chill ran down my spine. "Are you involved in this too?"
There was silence on the other end for a few seconds. "Standing on the edge of a cliff doesn’t feel good, does it? I went through the same thing back then. Remember, some choices that seem like justice are actually choosing death."
After hanging up, I looked at Zhou Xue. She was staring at her phone, her face pale.
"They sent me photos of my mother's belongings," her voice trembled. "And a video from when she was hospitalized. I thought I would never have to see those images again..."
We sat in silence, time ticking away as the deadline for our decision drew nearer.
At that moment, the computer suddenly began to run a program automatically. On the screen appeared a directory of an encrypted file:
- Butterfly Project Complete Data
- List of Participants
- Secret Experiment Records
- Evidence of Funding Flow
...
All the truths lay before us, just one step deeper to uncover them. But at what cost?
I recalled Professor Lin's words: "The most terrifying thing is not the choice itself, but why we make such choices."
Zhou Xue suddenly stood up, tears welling in her eyes: "I understand what the teacher meant now. This is not just a test; it is a process of self-awareness. It forces us to confront the most vulnerable parts of our hearts."
I glanced at the countdown on the screen: only 15 minutes left.
"You say," I asked Zhou Xue with a bitter smile, "if we really choose to continue investigating, will we regret it?"
She wiped her tears: "But if we give up now, won't we regret that too?"
Just then, the computer screen flickered, and a new line of code appeared. It was Professor Lin's final segment of the program, hidden deep within the source code:
"If you are reading this message, it means you, like me, stand at the crossroads of choice. Remember, when a butterfly breaks free from its cocoon, it seems to choose freedom, but in reality, it is choosing the courage to live. What this system seeks to test is precisely that courage..."
I exchanged a glance with Zhou Xue, and we both saw the answer in each other's eyes.
Yes, some things are more important than living.
Outside the window, the morning light was faint. I took a deep breath, my fingers moving toward the keyboard.
At that moment, the power to the entire building was suddenly cut off. In the darkness, only the faint glow of my phone screen flickered as the countdown continued:
12:59
12:58
12:57
...
In the dark, Zhou Xue suddenly grabbed my hand. "Someone's coming."
The sound of the elevator echoed sharply in the silent corridor. We quickly shut down all devices and hid in the study. Through the crack of the door, I could see a faint light at the entrance.
Footsteps stopped outside the door. Someone was trying to unlock it with a key.
"Does anyone else have a key to your place?" Zhou Xue's voice was barely audible.
I shook my head. Ever since my parents passed away, I hadn't given a key to anyone.
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