Elegy from Another World

Nearly a year has quietly passed in this warm yet peculiar "maze of flesh and blood".

When I first decided to stay, there was perhaps a sense of helplessness and escapism in my heart. But now, I can say with certainty that this has been the most fulfilling, happiest, and most satisfying period of my life since I came to this world.

The existence of symbiotic networks has completely broken down the barriers between people. Here, thoughts flow like clear streams, naturally converging without words. I can freely chat with every "resident" in the network, sharing my joys and sorrows. And my existence is undoubtedly a huge surprise for them.

"My soul was not born into this world." When I confessed this online, it sparked an unprecedented wave of curiosity. A soul from another world, carrying entirely different knowledge, culture, and memories—this in itself is an incredibly rich and living legend. They were filled with boundless curiosity about my "past life"—that world without magic, yet brimming with miracles called "technology"; that era of towering skyscrapers and information overload; those bizarre stories, movies, music, and games…

A person's memory spans a long and rich period of time. Even in this environment of complete transparency, the "treasures" in my mind are enough for us to talk about for a long time, and even generate countless novel ideas and creations. My past is no longer a burden to be hidden, but has become a unique asset that connects us and enriches this little world.

Xiao Bei kept its promise. It never forced me to become the "energy battery" for resurrecting the Demon King. But being dependent on others, I always wanted to give back. Sometimes, when inner restlessness or pure desire for pleasure arose, I would actively interact with those gentle tentacles, experiencing the torrent of energy transformed into pure pleasure. This was not forced exploitation, but more like a voluntary "rent payment" or a way to relax.

To my surprise, Xiaobei did not transfer all of the energy I "voluntarily contributed" to the core of the maze. Instead, she stored it for me and made it into a unique "bio-battery" made of biological tissue.

"This is your energy, and you should be able to control it," Xiao Bei said.

With a controllable energy source, a whole new world unfolded before me. I began to try to combine the magical knowledge and structural principles in the minds of everyone on the network with my own understanding of physics, chemistry, biology, and even engineering from my previous life, and then use the energy of the bio-battery to realize them one by one.

The first thing I changed was the diet. The maze originally only contained functional nutrient solutions and… well, the tentacles themselves (edible after processing, but the taste was truly awful). Using energy, I created a small "plantation" on the edge of the maze, simulating sunlight, soil, and water, and accelerating crop growth. When the first batch of vegetables I "created," fragrant with the scent of earth and sweet, juicy fruit, were served on the "table" (a flat piece of flesh), the entire network erupted in excitement. The long-lost rich texture and flavor of natural food brought an unprecedented sense of happiness.

Next came the living space. Each person's initial "room" was only about two square meters, barely enough to curl up and lie down—very cramped. After discussing the feasibility with Xiaobei, we collaborated to use some of the energy generated by the pleasure converter to safely expand and modify the maze structure. After several careful "construction" operations, each person's private space expanded to about ten square meters. Although still simple, at least we could move around and it had taken on some of the basic form of a "home."

Finally, and most proudly, is my creation—music. Music is one of the few art forms that can transcend language and cultural barriers, directly touching the soul. I hope to recreate those precious melodies from everyone's memories. This project was the most complex; I spent two whole months deeply researching the principles of sound production, energy resonance, and information storage in biological tissues. Ultimately, I personally conceived a unique biological player. It's like a giant, pulsating, flesh-colored speaker, capable of reading and decoding the deepest musical memories in everyone's mind on the network, and then playing those melodies—whether exciting, soothing, melancholic, or joyful—in pure sound quality.

When the first unfamiliar song, with its otherworldly feel, echoed deep within the labyrinth, many shed tears. It was the melody of their homeland, long-forgotten memories, and solace for their souls.

Thus, this frontline soldier production base, which was once filled with only fear and despair, has been completely transformed. We often gather in the largest "hall" (converted from the outer perimeter of the core room), sharing food produced by the plantation, listening to music from different worlds and cultures flowing from the bio-players, or sitting together to listen to a knowledgeable "resident" recount her thrilling adventures, which are often embellished with exaggerated claims.

Laughter replaced the deathly silence, and warmth and acceptance dispelled the chill. This place was no longer just a refuge.

I lay in my ten-square-meter "room," feeling the steady and warm pulse from the surrounding fleshy walls, like a heartbeat, and listening to the faint music mixed with laughter coming from afar.

This place really feels like home.