Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 339 Two Worlds Above the Purple Clouds
P.S.: It's an honor...

From this moment on, the reception work at the Ziyun Patriotic Education Base began to operate like a sophisticated and massive machine, running day and night without stopping.

The special trains, like arteries flowing ceaselessly within this massive machine, tirelessly transport people from all corners of the country, like blood cells, along their fixed tracks to this mountain range shrouded in purple mist.

After a hurried visit and learning experience, they were sent back to their respective lives.

Yes, coincidentally, some of the cells carried in this bloodstream are red blood cells, and some are white blood cells...

Although the "Ziyun" study tour route has been launched with great fanfare, the various strange and bizarre criticisms of the event on the internet have only increased, and have even become increasingly frenzied.

A whirlwind of excitement

Obedience Test from Authoritarian Government

Calling a deer a horse? No, whatever you say goes!

What have we lost in this so-called education?

Where is independent thinking? Where is free will?

……

To be honest, just looking at the titles of these articles, they are completely different from those sensationalist self-media clickbait headlines; they exude an air of knowledge between the lines.

Especially when these self-proclaimed elite intellectuals dedicate themselves to promoting their ideas and propositions to the general public in a seemingly easy-to-understand way, they become the embodiment of "rationality" and "conscience" in the public sphere.

The reason they have been so popular over the past few decades is largely due to their high level of artistry in subtly incorporating their own personal agendas.

For example, they would cleverly use rhetoric and attribution to present a common human vice as a unique flaw of the Eastern Xia Kingdom that is rooted in its system.
Conversely, certain universally existing positive aspects of human nature are deliberately portrayed as fruitful results originating from so-called foreign systems.

For example, using veiled allusions in articles or making indirect criticisms on screen.

For example, by subtly mixing in some rumors that are both true and false and difficult to distinguish at first glance, coupled with an expression of deep sorrow and a posture of loud appeal, a tragic sense of "I am the only one who is sober while the world is drunk, and I am the only one who is wise while everyone else is in the dark" is successfully created.

Finally, a group of online trolls liked, commented, and shared the post, thus shaping public opinion.

In recent years, with the increasing openness of information both domestically and internationally, ordinary people have seen and experienced more and more real-life cases firsthand, making their deceptive tricks less effective. The Ziyun Patriotic Education Campaign undoubtedly provided them with an excellent stage to perform.

Performance is performance, and reality is reality. No matter how well they perform online, they will inevitably face a real offline question: should they participate in this nationally initiated and universally participated event?

If I don't go, I will inevitably be met with indifference from certain departments. After all, in the past, if you talked about "ideologies," I could ignore it or even agree with you, but now we are talking about practical matters.

With the country making such a big fuss, what if the completion rate of this "learning and education" is low within the jurisdiction or system, and the higher-ups are unhappy? Who knows what might happen?
If there are clear consequences, then we can know whether we can bear them or not, and whether we are willing to bear them. If the consequences are unclear now, then this is the greatest deterrent!
However, actually going to [Ziyun] would not fit their mindset or their public persona.

That's not in their interest either!
Only some dogs bring their own food; many still rely on it for food.

As a result, a large group of people with different mindsets, led by these public intellectuals, have adopted a variety of methods to carry out their confrontation, whether overt or covert.

The toughest, or rather the most stubborn, group unhesitatingly packaged themselves as "the last conscience of Dongxia" and "unyielding fighters," making one clear statement: "I'm not going! I resolutely refuse to accept this so-called 'ideological baptism' and 'patriotic education'!"
They are prepared to fight to the end and make it the most glorious chapter in their resumes.

The group in the middle, which may be even larger, fully utilized their "ingenuity" and "flexibility" to find loopholes in the rules and exploit them.

For example, they quickly spawned a new industry: Ziyun attendance tracking!
The so-called "check-in" means that at the [Ziyun] base, you need to complete the park registration by swiping your ID card or facial recognition.

In theory, even if you don’t go in person, as long as your ID card or your face is scanned at the park entrance gate, the matter is considered complete!

If your face is hard to show, your ID card is easy to show too.

Of course, it would be a gross underestimation of Dongxia's on-site management to have someone pull out dozens of ID cards to pass through the gate under the watchful eyes of a sea of ​​visitors. Therefore, a more "reliable" method emerged – buying people's names.

Hire a social idler to act as a "stand-in" and use their identity documents to pass through the [Ziyun] Patriotism Base.

Soon, this became a new professional category. It is conceivable that this will be a long-term "scalper" product for more than a year, with prices rising steadily from the initial few hundred yuan. The market has even become segmented based on the distance of the source and the urgency of the demand.

Of course, it's not that I don't want to go, it's just that I'm too busy with work and have too many academic conferences, so I can't get away. What a pity!

As for the other group of people, they neither wanted to participate in this visit and learning, nor did they want to pay the service fee for having someone else clock in for them.

They reluctantly chose to arrive at [Ziyun] for a critical visit.

Some people, after entering and checking in to prove they've "been there," immediately leave without lingering for even a second longer; some find a shady bench to sit on after entering the park, wear noise-canceling headphones, scroll through short videos, occasionally glancing coldly at the surging crowds, and leave once they've had enough time; still others choose to walk the entire route with a cold expression the whole time!
Li Anke, the eldest son of the Li family, decided to choose the last option.

He was very, very reluctant to come here.

For this young, handsome, and promising overseas returnee, patriotism was a very shameful thing in his circle.

I just can't bring myself to say it!
But no, his father, the pillar of the Li family, was at a crucial juncture in his career advancement.

Under intense pressure from his family—repeated orders, urging, and even threats—he had no choice but to temporarily abandon the "fresh and sweet" air and the "passionate" girls of Bald Eagle Country, cross the ocean, and fly back home to complete what he considered an "utterly absurd" political mission.

At this moment, he and several companions in similar situations were moving towards the huge, monster-like maw-like base gate, mingling in the bustling crowd.

"Honestly, Anke, this is simply absurd!"
The young man with a few strands of purple dye in his hair was named Wang Daiwei, and he gave himself the Western name David Wang. He avoided a dark-skinned old farmer with a look of disgust, fanned his nose with his hand in a slightly exaggerated manner, and complained in a dialect with a slight Uyghur accent.

"The air is filled with the smell of sweat and earth, and my allergies are about to flare up. I really miss the sunshine and sea breeze of Marlborough Beach."

Anke Li gave himself the foreign name Anke Li, which sounds a bit effeminate, but he likes it very much.

The young international student shrugged the shoulders of his bespoke suit, trying to maintain an air of elite nonchalance and wit.

“Relax, David, just treat this as an anthropological field study, to observe the grand performance of the ‘collective unconscious’.”

"They call this 'patriotism,' but in essence, it's nothing more than self-hypnosis!"

"Self-deception, that's all!"
The two "elite" figures, with their condescending and critical gazes, surged towards the park entrance with the crowd. However, something unexpected happened to all of them: Wang Daiwei, who was walking in front, was directly stopped by a young female staff member.

"Excuse me, sir, you are not eligible to enter the park! Please stop!"

Wang Daiwei suddenly became excited.

Indeed, for this generation of young people who believe in "free will," rebellion is their most prominent characteristic. "I didn't want to come, but my family forced me. Now that I've condescended to come, you won't let me in?"
That's right. Perhaps the bigger psychological factor is the feeling of "condescending to my status." Who do you guys think you are to talk to me like that?
In my hometown, I'd even dare to hit a policeman!
"Qualifications? What qualifications?"

Wang Daiwei waved his arms excitedly, his voice suddenly rising, "These yokels can get in? But I can't? Let me tell you, I flew thousands of kilometers to come back specifically. Do you know how precious my time is..."

Before Wang Daiwei could finish speaking, the girl in the light blue uniform slowly put away her standardized smile and interrupted his shouting: "Sir, according to the records, you have a history of using certain prohibited drugs. The [Purple Cloud] base refuses your entry. You can go to the service center at the park entrance to process your refund. Thank you for your cooperation."

Wang Daiwei's voice trailed off as if someone had suddenly grabbed him by the neck, but a wave of intense humiliation washed over him amidst the pointing fingers and whispers of those around him. "I'm here to receive patriotic education. What does this have to do with my past petty incidents? Is there a threshold for patriotism now?"

Enraged, he rushed inside without a care. Then, the pretty girl grabbed Wang Daiwei by the collar and pinned the raging man firmly against the cold metal frame of the turnstile, rendering him immobile!
"Sir, patriotism is the freedom and right of every citizen."

"But the Purple Cloud Base also has the freedom and right to refuse you entry!"

The girl pressed the intercom button on her collar with her left hand: "Command Center, Entrance 3, someone is forcibly breaking through the checkpoint and causing trouble. The situation is under control. Please take note of the instructions!"

Immediately, she raised her right hand and with a clean, decisive swing, threw the 1.78-meter-tall man out like a rag doll. He landed on the lawn outside with a "plop" and rolled around a dozen times in a disheveled state.

A collective gasp rippled through the room, including from Li Anke.

When he turned around, the petite girl with her standard smile, revealing eight teeth, was back in front of him: "Hello, please show your ticket and ID!"

Li Anke subconsciously swallowed, feeling his throat go dry. His hand, which was handing over his ID card, trembled slightly.

He seemed to sense that something was amiss.

After entering the park, the uneasy feeling in Li Anke's heart not only did not dissipate, but instead became stronger and stronger.

He deliberately slowed his pace and observed the [Purple Cloud] base for a while longer.

Then, he saw many events that left him feeling somewhat confused.

For example, an elderly man with a face full of deep wrinkles, the folds seemingly bearing the dark brown marks of time, sat in a wheelchair and was pushed in through a special passage by uniformed staff. He looked around at everything with a mixture of timidity and curiosity, accompanied by a group of men and women who also seemed reserved and uneasy, unsure of what to do with their hands and feet.

Where did this retired cadre or veteran come from?
Another companion went over and chatted with him for a while. When he came back, he looked incredulous.

"This...this is from the mountains of Northwest China, the kind of place where there are no roads, you have to use a cable car to get in and out. From what they've said, many people here haven't left the valley for decades. This time, the local government used a helicopter to bring them out..."

"My God, Anke, how powerful must this park's background be? They even need to bring people like this out to earn ticket revenue..."

Li Anke spat out, "You don't know anything!"

He longed for the unrestrained, extravagant life outside, but that was mainly because the privileges he enjoyed at home were not "powerful" or "comfortable" enough to allow him to do whatever he wanted.

As a scion of a prominent family, he received the most elite education from a young age. He was by no means stupid; on the contrary, he was exceptionally perceptive in certain aspects.

Is this about money?

As he continued on his journey, he saw volunteer teachers from remote areas, like mother hens protecting their chicks, leading a group of children of all ages and backgrounds.

The little ones held hands timidly, their faces full of nervousness and curiosity, and cautiously followed the teacher inside.

He saw groups of young men not wearing military uniforms, all with extremely short buzz cuts, skin tanned dark and shiny like bronze by the intense ultraviolet rays of the plateau, and an upright and uniform posture etched into their bones, marching in formation.

He had seen them at his uncle's house; they were the border guards of Dongxia, and most likely from the highest altitude region.

He also saw many workers and farmers speaking various dialects that he couldn't understand at all; and men and women dressed in brightly colored and unique ethnic costumes, their faces full of curiosity.

We saw all sorts of people with obvious physical disabilities, some in wheelchairs, some using crutches, being patiently pushed, supported, and guided by volunteers in vests and staff from the base...

He even witnessed, more than once, patients lying on medical cots, connected to various life support tubes, their consciousness uncertain, being slowly wheeled into the passageway accompanied by family members and medical staff…

What is it that's making me feel so uncomfortable?

Li Anke paced back and forth anxiously, his eyes scanning his surroundings repeatedly. His brain, with an IQ of 135, was working at high speed, trying to find the source of his unease.

Until one moment, he saw a camera lens.

His companion went to inquire about some news and returned from the crowd, patting off imaginary dust while muttering complaints about the "chaos" here.

Compared to the group of people behind him, he looked so out of place.

In that instant, it was as if a bolt of lightning had cleaved through the fog in my mind!
Yes, that's why it feels so unfamiliar. It's because many of the people here, the people who make up the protagonists of this "picture of all living beings" before his eyes, were almost completely non-existent, ignored, and filtered out in his life over the past twenty years!
As an elite member of society, he grew up amidst the skyscrapers of international metropolises, attending private schools and upscale clubs, savoring exquisite cuisine prepared by Michelin-starred chefs, and sipping fine coffee and wine from around the world.

Everyone he saw and heard was either a successful person, an elite middle class, or at the very least, an urban blue-collar worker.

After studying abroad, his world was further refined, from neon-lit cities to elegant and tranquil wealthy residences, from the ancient libraries of Ivy League universities to high-society events such as yacht philanthropy...

In his world, his old classmate, who lived in a house of less than 100 square meters and whose car cost only a little over 200,000 yuan, was the epitome of poverty!

The sudden appearance of these people, who were usually completely out of his sight and could not even be seen online, in large groups gave him a great sense of unfamiliarity.

Even within the same city, there are actually two worlds, each with its own information cocoon and its own perspective cocoon.

Now, in this [Purple Cloud] base, he suddenly saw the world he had ignored and forgotten, which abruptly appeared before him.

Without warning, these two worlds were forcibly juxtaposed, intersected, and collided.

Is this the real Eastern Xia?
What is the purpose of the government bringing these people here from so far away?

As he was deep in thought, his companion couldn't help but pat him on the shoulder.

"Let's go, Anke! Stop spacing out!"

"The main attraction here is that 'Riding the Waves' hall, which I heard has a huge immersive experience. Let's hurry up and queue up, then get out as soon as we're done!"

"I feel very uncomfortable in this environment, extremely...uncomfortable!"

"It's suffocating me!"

Li Anke looked around, his gaze sweeping carefully across the faces of the diverse and bustling crowd. Then, he looked up at the misty Ziyun Peaks and slowly shook his head.

"You go ahead, I'm going to make a phone call home!"

A dozen minutes later, after Li Anke finished telling his powerful father about his discovery, his father remained silent for a while and then gave this reply.

"I don't know either. We all felt that this was a bit sudden, but we haven't received any useful information."

"But Anke, you have to remember, if the government hasn't announced something, you'd better not ask around or gossip about it. Knowing too much is not good for you or your family."

"Don't overthink it, don't guess, just follow the procedures and come back quietly!"

(End of this chapter)