The Unveiling of Secrets and the Tragic Ending

From a distance, they saw policemen standing guard on the road out of the city. At Midnight's insistence, Mo didn't go through the checkpoint. Instead, he drove the car to the side of the mountain and got out.

Deciding to leave on foot, they would take a vehicle to the airport after reaching the neighboring city district.

Mo left his phone at home before going out. Holding Midnight in his arms, Mo couldn't help but think of the movie "The Fugitive". The criminals being hunted by the government, no matter what they do, can't escape the government's grasp.

However, he didn't know why Midnight was being so cautious. Were they only trying to avoid his family?

Yet, listening to Midnight's increasingly weak breathing, Mo had only one thought. Even if it was just a thrilling survival game with Midnight, it didn't matter.

But he couldn't walk anymore. Mo sat in the woods with Midnight in his arms, taking a rest while fanning the mosquitoes away from Midnight.

Midnight looked at the sky, with a despairing expression that broke Mo's heart.

"I'm afraid we won't be able to reach the airport before dawn," Midnight murmured.

"During the day, we can hide here and set off again at night," Mo comforted.

"When it's daytime and they can't find us, they'll search every house and corner," Midnight said.

"If they want to involve the police, we need to be missing for at least 24 hours. We still have some time," Mo said.

"No... Little Mo, it's different... I'm... different..." Midnight said, leaning against Mo and closing his eyes to rest.

"... Midnight, let me ask you, are they really your family?"

"... Why do you ask?"

"You... the way you talk, it seems you don't like them very much... Do they abuse you? The needle marks on your hands, did they..."

"No... How dare they... It's just... No, Little Mo, I can't tell you. If you know, you'll be in danger," Midnight said.

"As long as I don't tell anyone, what danger could there be?"

"If I'm caught by the government first, you'll be in danger... He will too..."

"He?"

"... Don't ask, Little Mo, don't ask... Just remember, don't trust others. Only trust Chen... and me... We won't harm you... No, he might... But I won't..."

"Midnight? What are you talking about?" Mo asked quickly, not understanding Midnight's illogical words.

"If I fall asleep and don't wake up, and you're caught, don't hand me over to the government. They'll know what I and he are planning... They'll be suspicious..."

"Midnight?"

"... No, don't hand me over to Chen and the others either. They won't let me come back. They..."

"Do you know Chen?" Mo exclaimed in surprise and joy, turning his head to look at Midnight. Midnight opened his eyes slightly.

"... Little Mo, do you know? This world is fictional," Midnight said.

"Fictional?"

"Do you know... Does the world you see really exist, or does it only exist in your own mind?"

"... Because what I see, what I hear, what I touch, and what I feel are all calculated and translated by my brain," Mo replied.

"Your thinking can influence the information you receive, and your judgment will exclude some unreasonable signals. So, even if there is a single true world, everyone still lives in a different world," Midnight said.

"... Have you studied philosophy at such a young age?" Mo smiled gently.

"... I've studied a lot of things... Little Mo, it's because I've studied so much that I always have so many strange ideas. Plan C is also... I didn't want to do it like this originally, but they... Why could they think of such a use..." Midnight closed his eyes, and a teardrop glistened at the corner of his eye. Hearing the term "Plan C", Mo fell silent. He looked at Midnight in wonder, as if looking at an alien creature.

"Just now, we talked about the world being fictional, right?"

"... Yeah."

"So, who do you think I am?" Midnight smiled slightly.

"... Chen's younger brother."

"Then, who is Chen?"

"... I don't know. Isn't he your older brother?"

"... Little Mo, you have a unique ability. Your intuition is always very accurate... No, don't think about what others say. Just tell me, what do you think?"

"He's very similar to Chen..."

"Then, who am I?"

"... Sometimes... the things you say are also very similar to Chen..."

"So, that's it, Little Mo... Forget it. Just stay with me..."

Mo touched Midnight's forehead. Sure enough, it was frighteningly hot. After hesitating for a while, Mo began to doubt whether his actions were right. Should he really have listened to a six - year - old child's angry words, let him run around with himself, and finally die of illness in the mountains?

"... He cut off the energy... No wonder I feel so weak all over... Do you know why he made me like this... So selfish... Can't I even get a kiss from you before I die..."

"Midnight?"

"You underestimate me too much. My obsession with him is the same as yours. They're afraid of you, but I'm not... Instead of letting you be together, I might as well take him away... Yes, that's what I'll do... Yes..." Midnight opened his eyes.

In front of him, Mo had a look of anxiety.

"Ah, Little Mo, why are you looking at me like this? Looking at you and feeling your love, I'm almost becoming a devil. As long as I can keep you by my side, what does sacrificing dozens of people matter... All of this should have ended long ago, right? I understand his thoughts. As long as he dominates this world, this universe, no one can stop you from being with him anymore. He can also give you eternal life and be with you forever. But what does that matter? As long as I'm in front of you, love and hate all fade away. I just want you to be happy, Little Mo. Leave me and live happily. Tell this secret to the whole world and use the power of all humanity to resist him. Then, forget him and live happily with your limited but free life..."

"Midnight, I don't understand what you're saying. Don't say such scary things. You look like a different person," Mo said.

"I'm not Midnight. I'm Chen. Can't you really recognize me?"

Mo let go of Midnight and sat down on the grass. He looked at Midnight with an expression of disbelief.

"So, I said this world is fictional, didn't I? As long as we add some information that you can't judge as true or false, we can rebuild a world for you," Midnight smiled faintly, with a smile that Mo was familiar with.

"No... You have a fever. You're talking nonsense. What you're saying isn't true. You're sick..." Mo murmured.

"Listen to me. Whether you believe it or not now, my time is running out. Only you can take this secret out. He can kill everyone, but he won't have the heart to hurt you. Listen, Little Mo. Even if it's just like listening to a story, you don't have to believe it, but you must remember it firmly," Midnight said.

"... Midnight, stop. You should rest first. When you get better, I'll listen to you again, okay?"

"Don't you understand? When I come back, I'm afraid I won't be me anymore. Yes, because you don't know, I have to start from the beginning... Right, I need his energy to maintain my brain function... No, even earlier... God, my thoughts are in a mess now. How should I say it, Little Mo... Little Mo..."

"Then, let me ask you, okay?" Mo smiled sadly.

"Okay... Right... Like this..."

"You know Chen, right? Where is he now?"

"I am Chen."

"... But you're so small now... You're only six years old, aren't you?"

"Yes... Because it's his conspiracy. He's selfish and suspicious. He gave me a flaw, an age flaw that can never be remedied. So, you won't fall in love with me, and I can't hurt you... That's why he sent me. Yes..."

"... I don't understand. Why do you keep saying 'he'? Who is he?"

"Which 'he'... The one who sent me? He is Father. He is... Chen," Midnight said.

Mo was greatly shocked, and his hands began to tremble.

"So, was it him who wrote to me? Right? He is my Chen, right?"

"No, no. The one who wrote to you is me, not him. He... He can't write anything anymore..."

"... What happened to him? Was he injured? He... He was involved in the city bombing, right? That's why he didn't come back to see me, right?" Mo asked, with a sobbing voice.

"No... He wasn't at the scene that day. Mother was at the scene," Midnight said.

"... Who is Mother?"

"He... is also Chen."

"I don't understand! I don't understand! Then what about him! What about him!"

"Mother died on the spot. They couldn't even collect all his bones," Midnight said.

Mo felt as if his heart was about to die. Midnight struggled to get off the rock. He hugged Mo's neck and continued gently.

"So, we didn't dare to tell you. We were afraid you'd be sad. But we found that you still weren't happy. We didn't know why because the government people only said that Mother died in that accident. So, Father told them that he wanted to talk to you himself. That's why there was that store..."

"... So, I could only find him there, right?" Mo's expression was still dazed.

Chen was dead. He was dead... Then, did the rest of the things still have meaning...

"Father was very worried about you, extremely worried. The people from the government said that they would do everything to compensate for this loss. So, the rest is what you've experienced. Ah, yes... That letter," Midnight said.

"What about that letter?" Mo said coldly.

You said you were very worried about Chen, so we drew lots, and it was my turn to write to you," Midnight said softly.

"I don't believe it."

"From the beginning, I said that you don't have to believe it now... I can't even see you now, Little Mo... Can you hug me?" Midnight asked.

At first, Mo stared at Midnight coldly. However, after a while, he still hugged him tightly and kept kissing his cheeks.

"If you want evidence, after I die, cut open my forebrain. You'll find a chip," Midnight said.

"... Don't be silly. You'll be fine," Mo cried.

"I've seen too much. When we were cloned, it was Mother... Alas, isn't it the same as Father... Actually, it was also our common agreement. No outsiders could be among the members close to the core of the plan, and the experiments couldn't sacrifice other people. So, I created... No, I should say we were created. We became the first - line experimenters. All the changes were tested by myself without sacrificing others... I thought that way, I could reduce some sins..." Midnight said.

"So, you're all..."

"Clones of Chen. We are the core of the top - level experimental design and also our own guinea pigs... So many people have died. We never knew if the next one would be ourselves. But none of us complained. After all, it was our common decision," Midnight said.

"That chip..."

"This is Plan C, Little Mo. Computer Center Coaction. Through it, everyone is directly responsible to the administrative mainframe. There's no need for classes or layers of bureaucracy. The mainframe will give orders to everyone, telling them what to do and integrating their actions... However, the sub - bodies can't upload any information and still need the help of devices. This was a difficult problem left by Mother before he died. Father and I studied it for a long time but still couldn't overcome it..." Midnight said.

Taking a deep breath, Mo understood.

"So, that's how the efficiency of the new city district came about?"

"Yes."

"... So, the government wants to use it in the military?"

"... Yes. Little Mo, if I had thought of this first, I wouldn't have plunged into the research of biological chips for simulating brainwaves... All of this..."

Bang.

A gunshot ended all the words.

Mo, covered in blood, raised his head. A soldier pointed a gun, still smoking, at his forehead.

"Ah... Ah!" Mo wailed meaninglessly. He couldn't even say a complete sentence.

"Damn civilians. What do you know?" The soldier spat and was about to pull the trigger.

At this moment, two bright lights shone into his eyes. If it weren't for the soldier choking his neck, Mo would have thought he had already died by the gun.

The sound of a helicopter rang out in the blood - filled mist. Mo could only see the blood in front of him.

"Come on! Come on! Shoot, and I'll kill him!" The soldier roared in his ear.

"The criminal is holding Mr. Shen hostage. Please give instructions... Yes, it's a soldier from the government... No, it seems there's only him..." The person on the helicopter, holding a sniper rifle, said into the microphone by his mouth.

"Is the child dead? Probably... Yes, shot in the head... No, I don't see any chip. The sight is too dark, and the distance is too far... Yes, standing by," the person raised the gun, aimed at the soldier, but didn't pull the trigger.

Not until the second and third helicopters arrived did the soldier panic. He had left his communication equipment in the car, and his team members wouldn't return to the car to assemble until it was dark.

"You... You, you're taking the country's salary. How can you..." The soldier murmured.

A gunshot rang out. Three bullets passed through the soldier's palm from different directions, and then his head. The bullet fragments scratched Mo's arm and cheek. The soldier's body, still holding Mo, fell to the ground.

"Okay, okay... It's good that you're awake..." Bihua cried, grabbing Mo's hand and sobbing.

"... Bihua..." Blinking his eyes, Mo said with difficulty. His throat was so dry that he could hardly speak.

"Don't talk, don't talk. You were robbed. Fortunately, the police saved you..." Bihua said.

"Bihua..."

"Okay, okay. I know. He's fine... Chen has also been here. He said that he didn't expect you to be so persistent. He'll talk to his parents... Alas, if there's something, we can talk it out. Why did you have to escape from the city district like this... Did you forget that in the mountainous area, the people in the neighboring autonomous city district rarely patrol? You're such a fool, an idiot! If something had happened to you, wouldn't you have made me feel guilty for the rest of my life..." Holding Mo's hand, Bihua said in a low voice.

A gentle knock on the door sounded. Bihua wiped her tears and quickly went to open the door.

Seeing the person outside the door, Bihua smiled gently. "Look, who's come to see you."

Chen led a little boy in. The boy had fair and tender skin and big eyes.

"Midnight..." Mo sat up, looking at him in disbelief.

"So, I said we should take him to the hospital first. Look, he's much better, isn't he?" Chen smiled.

The End