Reality Programming Association

Chapter 98: Chapter 41: ”Soul Container

Yu Xian fell into deep thought.

There were clearly many things about this that didn’t add up.

For example, with such obvious manipulation of public opinion, and with the rumors having already led to tragedy, why hadn’t the relevant authorities stepped in? Ordinarily, they should have intervened long ago.

In this storm of public opinion, it seemed as if an invisible hand was stoking the emotions of netizens, making them overly radical and violent.

Anyone dared to flame someone online, but how could so many people actually dare to take real action?

Who had the ability and motive to deliberately create rumors, guide public opinion and topics, and even instigate these actions?

Even if managing a run on resources in the real world was difficult, online risk control should have been achievable.

He could clearly sense that some will was allowing these rumors and atrocities to run rampant, that some organization was orchestrating these events from behind the scenes.

But who was it, and what were they doing it for?

To block science? To limit technological development? But whose interests did that serve?

’Surely there isn’t some real ”Earth Three-Body Organization” out there, trying to stifle humanity’s technological progress just to welcome the arrival of their ”Lord,” right?’

But this wasn’t the world of the novel *Three-Body*.

A soft sound from the bedroom door interrupted Yu Xian’s thoughts.

He looked up and saw Yang Yiyi standing there, leaning against the doorframe.

Although Yang Yiyi was quite tall, standing at over five-foot-seven, the fleece-lined sweatshirt she wore still looked a bit oversized on her.

Her pale face was drained of color, and she looked weak and unsteady on her feet.

”Senior? Why don’t you sleep a little longer?” Yu Xian put down his phone and quickly got up.

Yang Yiyi gestured that she was fine and walked over to sit on the sofa.

”I can’t sleep anymore...” She glanced at the dim sky outside.

”As soon as I close my eyes, my mind is filled with our professor’s email. I don’t know what our research... was used for.”

She turned her head, her expression tinged with urgency.

”Yu Xian, do you have your laptop? I want to look at what’s on that flash drive. I copied it from the lab in such a hurry yesterday that I haven’t had a chance to look at the contents closely. I want to organize the emails and data inside and see if I can find any clues.”

Yu Xian looked at her and sighed to himself.

’Just as Shi Zuozhou said, she really is ”the most action-oriented Brother Yi.” Even though she’s just recovered from a high fever and is still incredibly weak, she’s still thinking about this.’

But he could understand how she felt. With a great unknown and a terrible fear hanging over her head, it was better to do something than to lie in bed and let her imagination run wild.

”My laptop isn’t here,” Yu Xian said apologetically.

”I was staying at my cousin’s place before, so my laptop and files are all over there. Yesterday... when I saw your message, I was in a rush and left with only my phone.”

Yang Yiyi froze for a moment. She lowered her head, her mouth moved, but she didn’t say anything.

”It’s fine, I’ll go get it.”

Yu Xian glanced outside. The rain seemed to have let up a little compared to yesterday, but the situation still wasn’t great.

”Now?” Yang Yiyi looked up, worried.

”The rain is so heavy... We don’t have to look at it right now.”

”It’s okay, it’s not far. Just a few stops on the subway, and Line 4 is still running.”

As he spoke, Yu Xian was already putting on his raincoat.

”Besides, we’re running out of food here. My cousin has a lot of frozen dumplings in his fridge, so I’ll bring some back. You just broke a fever; you can’t keep eating plain noodles.”

”Then... be careful.” Yang Yiyi didn’t try to stop him again. It was clear she desperately needed that laptop right now.

”Don’t worry. Lock the door behind me,” Yu Xian added as a final reminder, then pushed the door open and stepped out into the wind and rain.

「」

The flooding in his cousin’s old residential complex was just as bad as it was around the university.

The large construction pit had completely turned into a murky pond, with blue sheets of metal and white foam boards floating on its surface.

He opened the door. His cousin wasn’t back yet. The apartment was just as he’d left it, feeling a bit desolate.

His cousin had a laptop that Yu Xian sometimes used when he visited. It would be perfect to bring back for his senior.

Yu Xian didn’t waste any time. He went straight to the master bedroom and grabbed his cousin’s unused laptop. Then he went back to the guest room, put his own laptop into its sleeve, and found the sealed bag he’d brought from his old house, which contained his parents’ theses and photo albums.

He had been constantly sidetracked by various things, so he hadn’t made much progress on the thesis despite looking at it for a week. Now that classes were canceled, he had plenty of time to study it.

He turned and went to the kitchen. As expected, there were several large bags of frozen dumplings in the freezer. He dumped all the food into a large plastic bag and also took some common medicines from the first-aid kit.

After zipping his backpack up tightly and making sure it was waterproof, Yu Xian shouldered the bag and took one last look at the area around the windows for any signs of leakage.

’I hope my cousin is safe on the river embankment.’

「」

By the time he returned to the rental apartment, it was already close to noon.

Yang Yiyi was sitting on the sofa in a daze. When she saw Yu Xian return, she immediately stood up as if to get a towel.

”Hurry and dry yourself off. Don’t catch a cold.”

Yu Xian took off his raincoat and put his bag on the coffee table. He first put the frozen food in the refrigerator, then took out the two laptops and their power cords, placed them on the coffee table, and plugged them in.

”Senior, you can use this one.”

Yang Yiyi eagerly plugged the flash drive into the laptop. Her fingers glided across the touchpad, her gaze becoming focused.

Yu Xian sat down at the other end of the sofa, moved aside the glass of water his senior had poured for him, and took the sealed bag out of his backpack, removing its contents.