Chapter 61: When Joy Turns to Sorrow (Part One)

“Innocent citizens, just for speaking a few fair words, are forced in front of cameras, humiliated as they read apology letters, while the onlookers stand to the side and cheer!”
“The phrasing here…”
“What right do the Japanese have to say this?”
“Yesterday afternoon, the Imperial Japanese citizen who questioned the government met a fate worse than reading an apology letter, didn’t he?”
“The internet is open; Japanese citizens speaking up doesn’t violate your country’s laws!”
“It doesn’t violate, it doesn’t violate—of course it doesn’t violate our laws, maybe not yours either, but apparently it violates ‘Daddy country’s’ laws: In Japan, the guys who storm in and blow open doors with grenades seem to be stabilization troops from Daddy country’s Marine Corps, right?”

Suddenly, the screen cleared, and after a second, a large block of United Nations official statement appeared:
“Temporary Committee for Celestial Phenomena, United Nations
Announcement:
The upcoming content is highly authentic. Some portions may directly cause discomfort. Citizens under 18 should watch accompanied by a guardian.
Citizens over 18, please watch cautiously.
If you feel unwell, please call 120 for consultation and assistance.
If the situation is urgent, please go to your local ‘Celestial Phenomena Temporary Community Office’ for medical help.
If the situation is critical, click the first ‘Emergency Help’ button at the lower left corner of the screen; personnel from the ‘Celestial Phenomena Emergency Response Community Office’ will come to your aid.
If you have good opinions or suggestions, click the second ‘Opinion and Suggestion’ button at the lower left corner; personnel from the ‘Celestial Phenomena Opinion and Suggestion Community Service Station’ will contact you.
If your area lacks a ‘Celestial Phenomena Temporary Community Office’, or you cannot find it, or you discover any personnel, supplies, or facts you deem unreasonable or illegal, click the third ‘Complaint and Report’ button at the lower left corner; personnel from the ‘Celestial Phenomena Complaint and Report Office’ will establish contact with you as soon as possible.
Note: During periods of special national control, do not waste social resources. For losses and consequences caused by malicious button clicking, state agencies will pursue full responsibility swiftly, severely, and strictly.
Temporary Committee for Celestial Phenomena, United Nations. Seal. Date.”

“Ever since the cattle trampled those two scoundrels, every video switch takes two minutes. For this alone, the entire cattle herder’s family deserves nothing less than death!”
“What, are you willing to take responsibility if the children are frightened? Will you help up the elderly if they collapse from shock?”
“I’ll help, what do I care! At most, pay nine years’ wages, who knows if I’ll even still be around nine years from now!”
“Eh, you shouldn’t say that. Didn’t all the countries publish research? Those five circles that appeared when falling asleep—each time Wu Qingchen enters, the color beside him fades a bit. The closest one, in two or three months, will likely match the color of the one he enters now, and maybe he’ll come out then?”
“Or maybe he’ll fall straight into space and die! Or into the sun and burn! Or into the ocean depths and be crushed! Or maybe two or three months and he still can’t get through!”
“Don’t get agitated. There’s always a solution, right?”
“Don’t be so pessimistic; everything has two sides, good and bad. Think positively: this Celestial Phenomena emergency system, intrusive as it is, has saved many patients with sudden illnesses, hasn’t it? And caught plenty of scum who used the chaos to invade homes!”
“If you rob one, you break even; rob two, you profit one; even a life sentence isn’t scary…”
“Idiot, do you know what swift, severe, and strict means?”
“Severe means, if your sentence exceeds nine years, it’s always that thing!”
“What thing?” “Can’t be, right?”

“If you don’t know what that thing is, or think it can’t be true, just search the Ministry of Public Security website for the pinned announcement!”
“Yesterday’s emergency was pathetic—exposing a leather shoulder pad for a ‘sister’ you’ve only known for two months. Is a nominal ‘sister’ more important than 7 billion fellow Earthlings? The so-called United Nations Special Committee on Celestial Phenomena, the so-called advisory group, the so-called intensive training, the so-called global resources—this is their level? Disappointing!”
“That’s a fascist mindset!”
“Thank goodness Wu Qingchen wasn’t trained into the cold-blooded killer you imagine!”
“This has nothing to do with fascism, and I’m not blaming Wu Qingchen. As an ordinary person, Mr. Wu has done his utmost, and I am deeply grateful! I just mean, for the majority’s benefit, the advisory group’s training content ought to be considered more deeply.”
“Don’t explain. Explanation is just cover-up! Anyway, I’d rather entrust my life to a humane Wu Qingchen than hand it over to a heartless butcher!”
“Butchers, get out!” “Butchers, get out +1!” “Worst-case scenario, I’ll run into the woods and survive with Bear Grylls!”
“You and your populist crowd—”
Account banned.

Two minutes passed, the central announcement vanished, and criticism of populism was quickly drowned in the vast sea of popular, cheerful commentary.

Within the video, the medieval world faded into night, and Wu Qingchen’s family began their evening meal.
“It’s dinner time again…”
“Only two meals a day, how pitiful!”
“I also eat only two meals a day! Often can’t finish, too~”
“Every meal of yours is loaded with seasoning, salt, vitamins, and oils, not to mention snacks! Can’t compare, really!”
“Now you mention it, I’m feeling a bit hungry myself~~”
“Wu Qingchen/Loss gave his egg to his sister again!” “Nothing wrong with gifting food, is there?” “Definitely not, I have two computers open, BBC just broadcast it—Wu Qingchen had braised field mouse for dinner, he must be full now!” “Dual screens: he also had a fish! Steamed, with soup, cooked in a clay pot, nicely done!”
“Even so, in these conditions, every extra bite counts!”
“Supposedly, it’s for united front needs…”

A flashing red arrow swept across the eldest brother in the medieval family:
“Attention, Idra’s hands and feet no longer tremble. No tremors yesterday, none today! Wu Qingchen’s secret salt addition is working!”
“More like Wu Qingchen’s stealing skills are working! Those sneaky folks in the subway aren’t worthy to shine his shoes!”
“Should theft be encouraged?”
“If Wu Qingchen’s stealing, then yes!” “Come to my house, Wu Qingchen can take whatever he wants! As long as this is understood, anyone can take! I guarantee no pursuit of responsibility! If I break this oath, let thunder strike me!”

Bold text soared over Wu Qingchen/Loss’s head: “Increase salt content in plants and animals.”
“What’s the relation between salt and trembling?” “Salt deficiency causes muscle spasms, didn’t you know?”
“Grace doesn’t seem to shake anymore! He has the most bedbugs, just too unhygienic!”
“The whole family has no concept of hygiene. His sleeping spot has the most bedbugs because it’s the dampest; insects and bacteria love such places, and dampness itself triggers skin rashes.”
“Are you a doctor? My baby cries at night lately; could it be because of humidity?”

“Sorry, I’m not a doctor. I saw it on the science update from the Academy of Sciences website, just posted by the Celestial Phenomena Medical Health Committee.”
“Luckily, modern medicine develops fast.”
“It has nothing to do with modern medicine. Do you know which medical discipline has the most practitioners in the current United Nations medical project team?”
“Traditional Chinese medicine!” “Must be Western medicine—even though I want to support domestic, in times like this, Western medicine is more reliable.”
“Most are veterinarians!”
“Veterinarians treat cattle, right?”
“They treat people too! Check the website for their names, specialties, and explanations. The gist is: in Wu Qingchen’s family’s current living conditions, regardless of Western or traditional medicine, most of the time neither can operate. Only veterinarians, with their disregard for raw or cooked, can manage.”
“Takeout, takeout, fried noodles, egg fried rice, meal box, three dishes and a soup for fifteen yuan, those in South China please call ***.”
“The lunatic is back!” “Are the cyber police watching?”
“I clicked the complaint button; why hasn’t anything happened?”
“They’ll call you soon.”

A conspicuous red arrow swept across the bottom of the screen: “Nina just hiccupped! The first hiccup in the medieval world! The first hiccup! Historic moment! The Loss family has achieved satiety, heading for prosperity!”
“Prosperity, my foot! Idra and Grace are still feeling their stomachs, aren’t they?”
“According to unreliable analysis from BBC on the neighboring website, Idra just lost a chunk of dental calculus. Any knowledgeable users, hurry up! Submit a treatment plan to the committee, maybe tomorrow you’ll be eating state rations!”
“Wu Qingchen’s health is not promising. Vitamins are ample, but right now he lacks protein and fat. If things don’t improve in two months, his future height and weight are bleak…”
“Nutritionist?” “Gourmet?” “Biologist?”
“No, I’m a dentist.”
“Dentists count as medical workers?”

Suddenly, the screen cleared again; all comments were muted, and three rows of bright red cyber police prompts appeared:
“Emergency broadcast incoming! Emergency broadcast incoming! Emergency broadcast incoming!”
Channel-switching by cyber police happened often; with a thirtyfold time ratio and a torrent of material, important content frequently surfaced unexpectedly.

A few seconds later, an announcement appeared, with part in bold and red:
“If you have good opinions or suggestions, click the second ‘Opinion and Suggestion’ button at the lower left corner of the screen; personnel from the ‘Celestial Phenomena Opinion and Suggestion Community Service Station’ will contact you. Effective opinions or suggestions that are adopted will receive generous national rewards.”

This time, the announcement lasted only about half a minute.
“Looks like there’s trouble again~” “What’s happened now?”
“Relax, surely nothing serious. If it were another near-beheading for Wu Qingchen, all software and screens would’ve popped up together.”
As the video content updated again, the cheerful dinner scene of Wu Qingchen’s family vanished, replaced by the village constable Espiel from Aikeli and two sturdy men carrying torches, appearing before the Earth audience.