His consciousness finally returned, and he struggled to open his eyes.
A spotless hospital room lay before him. A huge screen hung overhead, playing an investment television program.
After Dewitt opened his eyes, the small camera above the screen flashed. The television program immediately stopped, and a voice prompt sounded.
"Dewitt, please do not make any large movements. You are currently recovering after surgery. Please remain lying flat and still."
The prompt sounded three times in succession. Dewitt quietly sensed his own body, overwhelmed by a strange feeling he could neither explain nor describe. It was as though he were a person molded from clay: his body had first been torn apart, then molded back into its original shape. He seemed injured, yet also seemed fine.
"The large screen in front of you is equipped with an eye tracker that can monitor your line of sight in real time. You can move your gaze to select options on the screen and blink three times in succession to confirm. You can also control it directly by voice."
"Are you conscious now?"
The image on the large screen changed. A huge question appeared at the top, with two enormous buttons beneath it, one marked Yes and the other No.
"Yes!" Dewitt rasped. His own voice startled him. It did not sound like his.
The image suddenly changed again, and a man and a woman appeared like news anchors.
"Professor Dewitt, are you awake? Do you recognize me?" the man asked first.
The woman beside him repeated the question.
Dewitt spoke. "I can't see you clearly. The screen is blurry, but I recognize your voices. Song He and Xiang Xiaotong?"
"It's us!" Xiang Xiaotong said happily. "It's wonderful that you're awake! The surgery was a success!"
"It's not the screen that's blurry. You're