Several low-ranking synthetic security officers were the first to storm into the dilapidated home. Upon seeing a pool of blood on the floor and a body with a sharp knife plunged into it, they quickly rushed out to summon the human officers.
"Gu Ya! You've gone mad and killed your own mother, haven't you?!" a human officer shouted as soon as he entered and got a clear look.
"Come with us! Assaulting classmates and teachers, wantonly destroying public property, and now murdering a family member! How are you going to argue your way out of this?"
"If we hadn't arrived in time, he might have dismembered her."
With the cooperation of the synthetics, several human officers pinned Gu Ya firmly to the ground.
As the cold silver handcuffs were applied, a blue electric chain suddenly appeared between his wrists, linking the handcuffs together.
Gu Ya was thus taken back to the security office.
After sitting in the dark interrogation room for a day and a night, the lights were finally turned back on. Two synthetic officers entered and stood behind Gu Ya twice.
Two human security officers, their faces grim, stared at Gu Ya and sat down outside the iron cage.
As Gu Ya adjusted to the bright light, he sighed heavily, "It seems I still haven't found a way to break through this illusion."
"What nonsense are you spouting! The evidence is conclusive! The trial is just a formality, you'll be executed!" one of the interrogators said in a hostile tone.
The other interrogator paused and then said in a more conciliatory tone, "However, there is good news. Your mother is not dead. Our advanced medical technology saved her. If your mother is willing to forgive you, perhaps your sentence can be commuted."
Gu Ya's expression remained unchanged upon hearing this, for he knew that these were all illusions.
Yet, at the same time, he felt a slight ease in his heart.
Even though it was an illusion, Gu Ya could feel immense love from the "mother."
It was a long-lost, unconditional, and natural maternal love.
Ever since he had transmigrated, Gu Ya had not experienced such peace of mind for a long time.
Although Sister Ling Ling could substitute for a mother and provide him with some warmth from an older woman, she was still his sister.
Thinking of this, Gu Ya couldn't help but smile inwardly.
No matter the time, the safety of his family was what Gu Ya wished for the most.
Seeing Gu Ya remain silent, the interrogator who played the "bad cop" continued, "But don't get too happy too soon! Even if your mother recovers, all the expenses, including the medical costs for the injured party and your mother, will have to be borne by your mother! And you will still go to jail."
"Reflect properly and confess, and perhaps your sentence will be lighter. You can get out sooner and help your mother reduce her burden."
Gu Ya's heart grew cold. He narrowed his eyes and asked in a low voice, "What do you want me to confess?"
"Confess what!?" the interrogator burst into rage. "Confess your motive! Confess what experiences led you to do such absurd things! We will determine your danger level. If your danger level is too high, we might even consider throwing you into the underground mines to accompany the cold ore forever!"
The other interrogator, playing the "good cop," smiled kindly and said, "Gu Ya, we can guess that you acted out due to too much psychological pressure. If you truly worry about your mother, tell us everything that happened, including your abilities. Oh, and look at this, we found this in the classroom."
With that, the interrogator activated the holographic projection. In the classroom, where Gu Ya had been standing, two silver sword hilts appeared – the hilts of light swords.
"From the video footage, we saw you indeed made a motion as if holding a sword. But these light sword hilts appeared out of nowhere after you left the classroom, and this is a classified weapon that ordinary students can't obtain. Can you tell us how you did it? This is very crucial and important, as this thing is quite dangerous, isn't it?"
"Oh?" Gu Ya's face showed a smile of success, and he said softly, "So you want to know this? I understand."
Gu Ya did indeed understand. From these illusions, he knew that Black Star wanted to know how he summoned items out of thin air. He had previously learned from Dou Mei that Black Star and Xian Xia had begun researching "Void Technology."
Black Star had finally captured Gu Ya and would certainly extract all possible value from him.
Not only did they want him to merge with the supercomputer, but they also wanted his system.
The most crucial thing now was to find a way to break through this illusion.
And Black Star's illusion-manufacturing skills were already very advanced. Even if this illusion was broken, there would undoubtedly be more subtle and even more realistic illusionary worlds appearing in the future.
Now, Gu Ya knew Black Star's objectives: first, to have him merge with the supercomputer, and second, to obtain his Void Technology.
Gu Ya didn't know how much time he had left.
But what was certain was that the longer the time dragged on, the easier it would be for him to get lost in the illusions. Once lost, Black Star's objective would essentially be achieved.
Ultimately, this was a competition against time.
Seeing Gu Ya fall into contemplation again, the two interrogators stopped asking questions and quietly left the interrogation room.
A week later,
A weak and sickly mother appeared outside the visiting window. Seeing Gu Ya walk into the visiting room on the other side of the transparent glass, she eagerly tried to stand up, but due to her wounds not having healed yet, she slumped back into the chair heavily.
"Xiao Ya, how are you doing in there? Have those security officers been bullying you?" the mother asked, her pale lips indicating that the stab wound was not minor.
Gu Ya silently looked at this mother. Her appearance was completely different from the two mothers he remembered, yet there was an indescribable sense of familiarity, as if in his bones she was truly his mother.
"Mom, I'm fine, really," Gu Ya said plainly.
The mother nodded, closed her eyes, and breathed slowly. Sweat beads the size of soybeans rolled down her cheeks.
She had come to see Gu Ya before her wound had healed, and she must have been extremely tired and in pain.
Moreover, once discharged from the hospital, she would have to work hard to repay the debt, which would surely hinder her wound's healing.
Thinking of this, Gu Ya felt an unprecedented sense of guilt and sadness.
"Don't worry, Mom will forgive you, and they'll reduce your sentence by a few years," the mother said, breathing exhaustedly. "Don't worry about Mom while you're in there, Mom is doing great. Once my wound heals a bit more, I'll go out and earn money. When you get out, Mom will have repaid all the debts. By then, you'll be grown up, and Mom will be at ease. You are Mom's hope."
Gu Ya's heart warmed, and he was touched.
After a long silence, Gu Ya said calmly, "Mom, during the trial, you must choose not to forgive me. I will bear all the sins alone, and you won't have to bear the debt. Take good care of yourself."
"How can that be? You are Mom's hope! Mom can't live without you! You must cooperate fully with the security officers' questioning, answer whatever they ask, and that way your sentence can be reduced by a few years!"
Amidst his mother's anxious cries, Gu Ya indifferently stood up and walked out of the visiting room.
On his way back to the detention room, Gu Ya replayed the interrogations of the past few days, his thoughts finally settling on his mother's words.
"I am her hope..." Gu Ya murmured.
Indeed, a single mother who had raised her child through hardship, wouldn't her child be her hope?
Gu Ya was certain that he had killed this illusory mother in the kitchen.
Then why did she reappear?
Was it to make Gu Ya feel guilty? To make him cooperate with other illusions and reveal the secrets of Void Technology?
It had to be said that Black Star truly had psychological experts who had completely figured out Gu Ya's personality.
They must have known that Gu Ya was compassionate and valued his family, which was why they employed such a strategy.
In the end, there seemed to be an invisible thread connecting this world to the first illusion, with the two worlds harboring the same logic.
"If the first illusion represents human emotions, what about the second illusion?"
"And what about 'I am her hope' that the mother mentioned?"
"Hope... What is hope? I am hope."
Suddenly, Gu Ya's eyes widened sharply, and then his expression returned to normal.
He had an idea in his mind.
"I see, I've found a way to break through this illusionary world."