2052, Thirty Years Of Sleep

2050, April 23, Lianggeng Sanatorium, Menxia City.

In the bright and clean ward, a 15-year-old boy in school uniform hung his schoolbag at the door, walked to the stool next to the hospital bed and sat down.

The white-haired old man on the bed opened his eyes with a gentle smile on his face: "Is school over?"

"Yeah." The young man nodded silently.

The old man reached out to touch his grandson's head, but he lost strength halfway up. The young man stretched out his hands and gently held the wrinkled old palm, and then stopped moving.

"Otaki, are you still blaming grandpa for not freezing his brain?" A wry smile appeared on the old man's face.

"Yeah." The young man nodded again.

He still didn't understand, and he didn't understand why his grandfather was unwilling to do it even though he could continue to exist in this world in another way.

The family is not short of money. My father's salary and grandparents' pensions can fully cover future expenses. As long as I join the workforce in a few years, the problem of money will no longer be an issue.

"As long as you agree to freeze your brain, there is always a chance to wake up again in the future." Yan Long took out his mobile phone and opened the news he had prepared, pointed at it and said: "Now there are rumors about the consciousness uploading technology. The policy is expected to be passed in the next few years, and by then you..."

"Xiaotaki." Yan Guocheng shook his head slightly, his voice faintly tired: "I heard that that kind of technology requires taking out people's brains and connecting various wires and so on. This is really... sigh."

"It has been said in the news and in various popular science videos that the subjects will basically not feel pain. Moreover, there are many things that can be done after uploading consciousness to the Internet, such as reading books, playing games and even 'traveling', which is no different from normal life. big."

Yan Taki tried his best to explain the benefits of consciousness uploading, hoping to change his grandfather's mind: "I heard that consciousness uploading technology appeared a few years ago. The biggest reason why the policy has not been passed for a long time is to prevent citizens from committing suicide for consciousness uploading. , and even extend to a series of black profit chains and other extreme situations. It is not because this technology is not mature enough and will bring risks or pain to the recipients of the surgery..."

"Xiaotaki." Yan Guocheng interrupted his grandson softly, with kind and warm eyes: "Grandpa is 80 years old this year. He has lived long enough. Your father has a bright future in his work and you are so outstanding. I have no regrets."

"Are you no regrets?" Yan Long's eyes were a little red, but he clenched his teeth and endured it. He just raised his head slightly and cast his gaze towards the back of the room.

There is a hospital bed not far away. A figure is lying quietly in the glass cover. Several slender transparent tubes are connected to the person's limbs and waist and abdomen, transporting liquids of different colors.

Yan Guocheng looked along his line of sight, his already cloudy eyes turned gray, and there was deep sadness between his brows.

"Do you really have no regrets?" The young man rubbed his neck and repeated softly with a stubborn expression.

"Almost thirty years have passed in the blink of an eye." Yan Guocheng turned around. The wrinkles on his old face trembled slightly for a few times, but finally squeezed into a smile: "Tell me, will you wait until not long after my death?" , your uncle just woke up?"

Yan Long's expression froze slightly, and he suddenly understood his grandfather's thoughts.

The uncle has been in a coma for 28 years. For 28 years, no one would think that he would stay in such a deep sleep forever. If grandpa left like this, he might still feel a little lucky about his uncle's awakening.

But after the consciousness is uploaded, in the next 10, 20, or even 30 years, grandpa may have to bear the cruel reality that his son is a vegetative state.

Sometimes it is more honorable to leave with hope than to wait painfully and long.

"But, as long as you are alive, there is hope." Although Yan Long vaguely understood his grandfather's point of view, he did not agree: "Uncle's vital signs have always been stable, and he has not even aged. As long as he can persist, he will definitely be able to do it in the future. Wake up."

Yan Guocheng slowly closed his eyes: "I have thought this way for the past 28 years."

Yan Taki's voice was choked again.

To him, the man lying on the bed was both real and illusory.

The other person is indeed his uncle, but all he knows about him is through adults' narrations.

Yantaki certainly hoped that the other party would wake up, but this desire could not reach the level of his grandparents and father, so the torture he suffered during the waiting process was far less profound than theirs.

Grandpa has waited long enough, almost 30 years, and he is already... a little tired.

"Otaki." A man's deep and deep voice suddenly came from behind.

Yanlong turned his head and found that his father and grandma had appeared at the door at some point.

Li Hui, who has silver hair and a slightly stooped figure, walked in carrying a thermos pot and said with a smile: "Old Yan, I stewed your favorite chicken soup. The doctor said that your digestion is not good now, so only You must drink the soup, but leave the meat to Xiaotaki."

"Xiaotaki, please come out first." Yan Yiming waved.

Li Hui noticed something, turned around and looked at her son warily: "What do you want to do? Don't talk about him."

"Study problems." Yan Yiming felt helpless.

"Study? You have to study hard. Even if you want to work in the Special Branch in the future, you must not fall behind in studying. More knowledge is better than none..." The old lady blinked and then rambled on. .

Yan Taki walked out of the ward and followed his father to the corner of the corridor.

"Didn't we make an appointment not to persuade your grandfather to undergo consciousness uploading surgery?" Yan Yiming said with a cold face.

This man can be said to be the second-in-command of the largest violent organization in the entire Menxia City. When he becomes truly serious, his aura of calmness and self-restraint makes it difficult for anyone to remain calm in front of him.

However, this kind of coercion, which is enough to make even the most vicious criminals feel scared, does not work for this thin boy who is only 15 years old.

Yan Long raised his head slightly, his eyes as cold as a man's: "He is my grandfather, I really don't want him to leave like this, can't I?"

"He is your grandfather and my father." Yan Yiming nodded, his eyes softening slightly: "That's why we need to respect his choice, right?"

"What if his choice is wrong?" Yan Taki frowned and said forcefully: "You obviously know that his choice is wrong."

"Why do you say his choice is wrong?" Yan Yiming said calmly.

"The consciousness uploading technology is obviously beneficial and harmless. In a sense, life on the Internet is much more exciting than in reality..."

"Yan Long." Yan Yiming called his son by his first name, which he rarely did.

"Have you ever undergone consciousness uploading surgery yourself? Or is it someone you know who has undergone this kind of surgery and told you about the experience personally?"

Yan Long's face flushed slightly and he clenched his fists: "That's what the Internet says."

“Is what is online necessarily correct?”

Yan Yiming sighed and put his hand on his shoulder: "I can understand your mood. I know very well why you want your grandpa to undergo consciousness uploading surgery. But at the same time, I can also understand your grandpa's thoughts. Can Understand why he is unwilling to undergo consciousness uploading surgery."

"As far as I'm concerned, neither of you is wrong. But in this matter, it's better to respect your grandfather's own wishes."

"Because even if the consciousness uploading is as perfect as you said, can you be sure that your grandpa will be happy in his life from now on?"

Yan Long slowly lowered his head and stopped talking.

What Yan Yiming didn't see was that, hidden by the scattered black hair, the young man's eyes were terrifyingly calm.