Upon regaining clarity of my surroundings, I found myself back in that room.
The maid stood within, regarding us respectfully.
I was stunned. What was going on?
It felt as though only a few seconds had passed!
How had I returned here from that place so quickly?
Turning around, I saw Richard standing there, holding a glass of red wine.
"Have a glass, Lu," Richard said. "There's nothing real here except the wine."
Was this fellow a genuine alcoholic?
I didn't refuse, taking the glass and sipping it. The aroma of wine spreading from my mouth was the only confirmation that I hadn't been dreaming.
"There's no need to rush," Vixi said. "Rest well for now."
"Alright," I nodded. I certainly needed time to sort my thoughts.
So many strange things had happened, things that were beginning to exceed my understanding.
Including this current civilization, and the giant tree I had seen earlier.
There were traces of science here, but also signs of theology.
How had these two seamlessly merged? httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Richard escorted me back to my room and then went off to drink again.
I lay on the bed, my mind a whirlwind.
After a long period of thought, with no clear answer emerging, I got up and walked outside.
There were many residents here, and their apparent happiness index was high.
Every face beamed with a radiant smile, their expressions kind.
There seemed to be no conflict or worry among them.
My impression was that this was a veritable Eden!
However, upon closer reflection, living in such a beautiful environment was indeed a fortunate thing.
And if those around me were included, it would be even more wonderful.
As I was contemplating this, an old woman suddenly approached, leaning on a walking stick, a woven basket in her other hand.
"Young man, I just baked some apple pie. Would you like some?" the old woman said with a smile, offering me a pie.
I hesitated, but accepted. Surely not everyone here wanted to kill me?
And if they did, they wouldn't use this method, so I thanked her and took a bite.
I had to admit, it tasted exceptionally good.
At that moment, an idea suddenly struck me, something I felt was worth trying.
"Grandma, did you make this yourself? Your skill is remarkable," I said with a smile.
"It's not all my doing. The apple trees by the river produce very delicious apples, and the wheat harvested earlier ground into flour of excellent quality," the old woman replied smoothly.
"Do you know about the theory of relativity? Or perhaps Schrödinger's cat?" I asked, my face still wearing a smile.
"Young man, if you'd like more, I can give you another piece," the old woman said, her smile as kind as ever, as if she hadn't heard my question.
Seeing this, I instantly understood.
Something was fundamentally wrong, and gravely so!
It was then that I also suddenly understood why Richard's life was so difficult.
The residents here, on the surface, appeared to be living humans, capable of cooking, thinking, and farming.
But these beings were not normal people.
It felt as if they were programmed entities.
Within the confines of their programming, they could engage in conversations or perform other tasks.
For instance, asking someone if they had eaten, or requesting help with building a house, were all within their operational parameters.
But questions outside their scope, like the relativity I had asked about, were automatically ignored, and they would continue to execute their programmed functions.
These people were not human at all!
They were just sequences of code!
I even suspected that Richard was the one who created these beings.
But then, what about the maid?
Under these circumstances, I couldn't say much more. After thanking the old woman, I quickly returned to my room.
Now I was hesitant, unsure of what choice to make.
If I agreed to Richard's proposal, I might lose everything, including my life.
If I refused, I might be trapped here forever.
Leaving aside whether there would be any chance of escape, even if I did, things would likely have changed beyond recognition by then.
How could I accept that?
The choice I faced now had returned to the beginning; I couldn't set a clear objective for myself.
I touched the Zukadi. No one else could give me clear instructions.
At that moment, I remembered the slip of paper I had placed with the Zukadi.
I quickly searched my pockets.
At the bottom, I felt the paper.
There were no words or marks on it now; it looked like ordinary paper.
But this paper had stayed with me for so long without being damaged, it surely couldn't be that simple!