"Number 10, Alex," a voice called out, echoing in our virtual world. The source was a vibrant bird avatar, known among us as Number 3. In this place, we had abandoned our real names in favor of numbers, cloaking our identities behind the avatars of animals and mythical creatures of our choosing. Yet, sometimes they still called me with name since I said it was okay to use my real name here.My avatar, a miniature dragon, flickered its tail, acknowledging the call. Bear, rabbit, eagle, tiger, and more roamed this space, each avatar as unique as its user. Our leader, Number 1, had chosen a majestic white tiger that stood upright on two legs with white robe."Number 10, have you adjusted well to the sleeping capsule I sent over four months ago?" inquired Number 2, his voice emanating from an old monkey avatar with notably long arms."Yes," I responded, a hint of gratitude in my digital voice. "Thank you for entrusting me with two capsules, each valued at $10 million. My wife would have m
"I'm overjoyed, truly," I confessed, my voice trembling with excitement. "I'm pregnant."This news, I believed, would bring joy to any woman's heart, especially when everything in life seemed perfectly aligned, and the anticipation of a new arrival was at its peak. Two months had passed since we discovered my pregnancy.During this time, Alex had been tirelessly searching for a new place for us to call home. We both agreed that the cramped, fast-paced lifestyle of Babel, with its reliance on instant capsule food and confined spaces, wasn't for us. We yearned for a connection to our roots, seeking out a spacious plot of land, even if it meant settling a bit further from the city where the prices were more reasonable.Eventually, Alex stumbled upon an ideal spot, not too distant from the caress of the sea and nestled within what was once a jungle, which made it surprisingly affordable.Thanks to my diligent savings over the last six months and Alex's breakthrough in his research, we fou
The day dawned like any other, yet it was tinged with an unease that seemed to throb in the very air. My emotions were a tempest, swirling and churning, ready to explode at the slightest provocation. And as if in conspiracy with my internal turmoil, an unprecedented crisis decided to make its grand entrance.This particular morning, I was besieged by a peculiar form of malaise. My tongue was coated in bitterness, rendering me unable to savor a single bite of my breakfast, while a persistent ache gnawed at my back. Amidst this discomfort, the sharp, insistent beep of an alarm from my drone shattered the quietude. It was alerting me to a security breach at our virtual world media company—a problem of a magnitude I had never encountered before.Try as I might, the virtual gateway to our company refused me entry, casting me out time and again. This was a first."Connect to Alex," I commanded, my voice barely above a whisper, directed at the small drone that hovered nearby, its presence a
In the bustling virtual world office of OneMedia, the top number 1 movie streaming, workers moved with their usual efficiency, immersed in a digital buzz of activity. Suddenly, the calm was shattered by the blaring of a red alert alarm, reverberating through the virtual space and jolting everyone present. Amidst the chaos, one of them, voice edged with urgency, shouted, "There's an intruder attempting to breach our security walls, everyone prepare for security measures…"However, before any defensive actions could be taken, the virtual world abruptly disconnected, ejecting all the workers from their digital office sanctuary. As one of them emerged from his virtual capsule, blinking against the harsh reality, he found himself unable to return to the virtual office of OneMedia.In a frenzy, he attempted to regain access, his fingers dancing over the hardware in a desperate bid for reentry. He meticulously cleaned the device and loaded the backup data from the day before the hack, hoping
"Is it really not wrong?" I questioned Alex, my voice laced with disbelief, "We earned $500,000 in just a day?"Alex replied with diplomatic caution, "Yes and no," his eyes avoiding mine as he weighed his words carefully. "Indeed, we netted about $500,000 in a single day. However, I must allocate a portion of that for reinvestment towards our future objectives and new innovations. So, in essence, you could say you're left with $500,000 a week for your personal account."Overwhelmed with gratitude, I embraced Alex, the relief washing over me like a gentle wave. "Thank you, Alex," I murmured, my voice soft and filled with emotion. "Suddenly, I feel so much lighter. It's as if I'm finally healing."Alex chuckled, a light, infectious sound. "It turns out a substantial sum of money can be quite therapeutic."Following that revelation, our AA Media consistently dominated the streaming movie industry, effortlessly outpacing other platforms. Life settled into a comforting rhythm. The morning
My heart was pounding, a rapid drumbeat of anticipation and nerves, as I opened a list of adult virtual world dating options. Among the options laid before me—Human partner, a mix of Human and AI partner, or an Artificial Intelligence only partner—I felt drawn towards the latter.The truth was, communicating with Babel native speakers always felt like an uphill battle for me. Their thoughts raced ahead, conclusions reached with a speed that left me bewildered, as if every conversation was a complex math problem waiting to be solved.I believe if I talked to 100 of them, none of them would be attracted to me in a romantic way. So do i.With a curiosity, I pressed the 'trial' button, opting for a setting labeled as 'vintage Earth'—a quaint term for what still felt very much like the modern world to me. Suddenly, I found myself in a bustling bar.Around me, people were drinking, singing, and reveling in the joy of the moment. Twenty individuals, a blend of males and females, brought the
Alex.When dinner time arrived, I walked out from my virtual capsule toward the dining table. Today seemed special; there was no light, only darkness punctuated by some dimly lit candles, making me wonder, 'Does Aurora want to have a candlelight dinner?'What a romantic occasion it appeared to be.I found her sitting on the couch, enveloped in the shadows."Turn on the light," I said to the house system controlled by artificial intelligence, and suddenly the light turned on. But when I saw her eyes, swollen from tears, I instantly knew something was terribly wrong. She looked at me, her eyes a tumultuous mix of anger, sadness, and betrayal.My instincts kicked in, warning me I wouldn't leave this room without facing a tremendous fight. I braced myself, ready to navigate the emotional minefield with as much caution as possible. It felt like I had to defuse a ticking bomb with the utmost care."Aurora, what happened?" I asked, trying to make my voice as gentle as possible."How dare you
I quickly said, “Of course I never do such a thing. I already have no time for my research, to look for money for us. How can I have time for that kind of wasting time?” My voice was tinged with frustration, the weight of my responsibilities heavy in my tone.Aurora nodded, her eyes searching mine for sincerity. “Alright, I will believe in you.”“Thank you, believe in me. I will never lie to you,” I assured her, my heart pounding with the hope she understood.Suddenly, she stopped, her expression shifting. “Kathleen just sent me a message asking why we fired him,” she said, her fingers flying over her floating screen, typing a rapid response.“And what did you answer?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.“Of course, I fired her because she had sex with you. Even in the virtual world, I still don’t approve of that,” Aurora replied, her voice cold and sharp like a winter breeze.I chose to be silent sometimes when a woman is angry; it's better to shut my mouth.“Alex!” Aurora suddenly yelled,