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

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,

Alex. Life and death are something that was really out of our control. We couldn't control how the baby made her movements inside the mother’s womb; it was just fate that we didn't have a baby at this time. I had already read everything and understood about ‘fetal demise due to umbilical cord torsion’, it is not something human could control. It was just fate and not our destiny to have a baby. Even though I had already prepared a name for her. Even though I had already wished and prepared everything for her. Even after I dream for her to grow big, pretty and marriage with her lover. Even after what I did, I knew it was useless. My tears I couldn’t hold it again. Maybe it was just the best arranged by God. Where would people go when they died? I didn’t know. But I knew that wherever I went, lived, and died, I would remember and always remember I had a daughter, even though she was only with us for 7 months. She was still my daughter, and I would find her when I died. At least for a

A year had passed. Trudging towards the police station, my appearance was akin to a homeless person. The relentless consumption of blue pills over the year had significantly reduced my body weight. Real food had become a stranger to my palate for too long. As I approached, an artificial robot glided towards me, scanning my face before greeting, “Welcome Mr. Alex. What can I help you with?”Feeling a deep unease, I confided, “I feel like my soul is in danger; can you protect me?” I was aware that the Babel system offered some form of sanctuary.The robot queried, “How long do you wish to be protected? We can offer one day of protection per year for every citizen of Babel.”Hesitating, I requested, “Can you protect me for two days?”It responded, “Yes, we can, but you will be using your entitlement for two years' worth of protection.”“Alright,” I consented.“Please follow me. Starting now, we will temporarily erase all your data from the Babel system so you will be untraceable by anyon

My disdain for Alex was burgeoning, every fiber of my being recoiling at the mere thought of him. To the world, he might be a hero, but to me, he was nothing but a despicable man who had inflicted pain on his own wife and daughter. This seething anger was a heavy shackle I vowed to carry eternally.Although some of his ventures were professedly philanthropic, enriching various charities, the reins of his empire were now firmly in my grasp. I was resolute in diverting the flow of funds solely towards profit maximization.“Linda, can we pivot all of the company’s efforts to profit-making? Why bother if it doesn’t yield financial gain?” I inquired, the bitterness lacing my words.“But Mrs. Aurora, Master Alex always advocated for a balance between philanthropy and profitability,” Linda cautiously replied.“That’s precisely why your master is a fool. He favored strangers over his own flesh and blood, breeding dependency and idleness. I intend to dismantle his so-called legacy,” I retorted