"Two people...?"
Tuofeng, who looked barely older than a human in his early twenties, entered his answer. He turned toward the purple-haired girl who had appeared beside him. Her smile filled his heart with sweetness, and she looked so beautiful in her white dress.
"Yes... we've always been together, our hearts connected. We'll stay that way forever and ever..."
"...Forever..."
Tuofeng no longer remembered how she had appeared. She had simply begun staying by his side, whether he was working, resting, or eating...
He was no longer alone. She was like another version of himself, someone he could speak to openly and easily, without hiding anything or putting on an act.
Tuofeng let everything in his heart pour out. He spoke every word he had kept buried, becoming relaxed and free, as though he were in a dream...
He felt he was finally living as himself, no longer burdened by other people's gazes or the troubles of life...
Yet through the countless cameras operating inside the Observation Station, Tuofeng was the only person there, laughing and chatting merrily with empty air.
His completed test had already been uploaded to the homeworld, and his condition was being monitored at all times.
Would civilization ultimately move toward individual existence, or would it remain collective?
This was the subject being studied by the Crystal Empire's Future Research Department. The empire's population had already grown to ninety billion. One consequence of longevity was that the resources on its planets might eventually fail to meet the needs of civilization's development!
These Observation Stations were the result of the empire's Future Research Department's deliberations.
Could an individual retain their sense of self through prolonged solitude?
In their eyes, Tuofeng had already gone mad. They had thought his case might at least offer some insight into the