50: Chapter 50 The Sleepless

Three days after the seventeen town mayors left, Lin Feng received a phone call.

It wasn't from David Chen.

It was a strange number, showing it was from New York.

Lin Feng stared at the screen for three seconds, then picked up.

"Hello?"

On the other end was the voice of a middle-aged man, steady and polite, but not the same kind of polite as Robert—there was something hidden beneath this politeness.

"Mr. Lin, congratulations. I have been following the situation in Xinfeng Town."

Lin Feng was biting on a straw: "Thanks. Who are you?"

There was a second of silence on the other end, then it said:

"My name is William, and I am a representative of a certain company. I would like to meet with you."

Lin Feng raised an eyebrow: "A certain company? Which one?"

William smiled: "You will know when we meet."

Lin Feng also smiled.

"Fine. Time and place."

Three days later, Lin Feng appeared alone in front of a glass building in Manhattan.

This building was even taller and brighter than the one where he met Robert last time.

There was no sign at the entrance, only a small metal plaque engraved with a single letter: V.

Lin Feng stared at the letter for three seconds, then pushed the door open and went in.

The elevator went straight to the top floor.

The door opened, and a young man in a suit led him into a conference room.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was the entire skyline of Manhattan—taller and further than what he saw last time.

Sitting across the conference table was a person.

He was over sixty, with graying hair, a calm look in his eyes, and a hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth.

He stood up and reached out a hand:

"Mr. Lin, I've heard much about you. I am William."

Lin Feng shook it, then squatted directly on the chair.

William looked at his posture, stunned for a second, and then smiled.

"Mr. Lin is indeed... just like the rumors say."

Lin Feng nodded: "I know. Let's get to business."

William put away his smile and pushed a tablet computer across the table.

On the screen was a report.

The title was: [Analysis of the Potential Impact of the "Xinfeng Town Model" on Traditional Capital Structures]

Lin Feng swiped through it and generally understood.

The gist was: Xinfeng Town and the seventeen towns currently being replicated were forming a kind of "decentralized happiness economy." If this model spread, it would cause an impact on traditional big capital, big enterprises, and big platforms.

Because the people in those places no longer needed them.

Lin Feng finished reading and looked up at William:

"So?"

William stared at him, word by word:

"Mr. Lin, some people can't sleep."

Lin Feng smiled.

"Who can't sleep?"

William was silent for a second, then said:

"Many people."

He swiped to another document on the tablet.

On it was a string of names—not people's names, but company names.

V Digital Entertainment.

V Life Platform.

V Media Group.

V Capital.

Every name was preceded by the same letter: V.

Lin Feng looked at that string of Vs and asked:

"Are you all from the same family?"

William nodded.

Lin Feng asked again: "What do you do?"

William thought for a moment and said:

"What we do is similar to what you do."

Lin Feng raised an eyebrow: "Happiness?"

William shook his head: "Things that make people unable to leave."

Lin Feng stared at him for three seconds.

Then he asked: "For example?"

William smiled and swiped to a video on the tablet.

In the video, a person was wearing a pair of glasses, their hands swiping through the air, laughing uncontrollably.

Lin Feng asked: "What is this?"

William said: "A virtual world. Inside, you can be anyone, you can do anything. No need to go out, no need to socialize, no need to face reality."

Lin Feng was silent for a second.

Then he asked: "Is it paid?"

William nodded: "It's paid. But it's very cheap. Cheaper than the travel expenses to Xinfeng Town."

Lin Feng stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the dense city below.

After a long time, he turned back and asked William:

"You asked me to come, what do you want?"

William also stood up and walked to his side.

"Mr. Lin, I didn't come to threaten you. I came to remind you."

He looked out the window:

"Your model is very good. It makes those forgotten people laugh, and lets those abandoned places come alive. This is remarkable."

He paused:

"But do you know? In this world, more people don't want to laugh. They just don't want to suffer."

Lin Feng turned his head to look at him.

William continued: "Your happiness requires going out, requires socializing, requires facing real people. Our happiness can be had while lying in bed."

He reached out and pointed at the city outside the window:

"Guess which one they will choose?"

Lin Feng did not answer.

He squatted down—just squatted by the floor-to-ceiling window, biting on his straw, looking outside.

William stood next to him, waiting.

He waited for a long time.

Then Lin Feng spoke:

"William, do you know what I was doing before I came?"

William shook his head.

Lin Feng said: "Squatting in Xinfeng Town. Watching those old men grow mushrooms, listening to those old ladies sing."

He stood up and brushed off his pants:

"They didn't laugh before. Now they do."

He looked at William and said seriously:

"Can your virtual world make them laugh?"

William was silent.

Lin Feng continued: "It can. But it's fake."

He walked towards the door.

Walking to the door, he turned back:

"You can't sleep, I understand. But what I am going to do will not stop."

The door closed.

William stood in place, looking at the door, silent for a long time.

When Lin Feng returned to Xinfeng Town, it was already dark.

Margaret was squatting at the entrance of the restaurant, waiting for him.

Seeing him get out of the car, she stood up.

"How was it?"

Lin Feng squatted beside her, biting on his straw:

"Some people can't sleep."

Margaret was stunned: "Who?"

Lin Feng looked at the church across the street with its lights on, and said slowly:

"Those people who want the whole world to not go out."

Margaret didn't understand, but she didn't ask.

She pointed at the church:

"George and the others are still inside. Waiting for you to come back and talk."

Lin Feng smiled.

He stood up and walked towards the church.

After walking two steps, he turned back:

"Margaret."

Margaret looked at him.

Lin Feng said: "Xinfeng Town will always be here."

Margaret was stunned.

Then she smiled.

[Chapter 50 End]