“Dear audience, good evening!” The male host in a purple suit smiled at the crowd on the computer screen. “It’s now 6 PM in the Greenhouse Time, and we’ve finally reached the most exciting moment of our first week’s ‘Eden Exhibition’—”
With that, he deliberately prolonged his tone: “—the much-anticipated vote tallying day!”
“Huh, isn’t that Chris, the entertainment host from Starlight TV?” Su Li looked at the man wearing a half-mask on stage, curious. “Why is he here too?”
Chris was indeed the star host of the entertainment channel on Starlight TV. In an era where citizens were monotonous, but the entertainment industry sought exaggeration and romance, his purple suit and half silver mask stood out, becoming one of his most distinctive trademarks.
Amidst the cheers, a woman with exquisite features turned to the lady beside her.
“Where’s your little princess? Didn’t you bring her in?”
“I had the servants take her to the art gallery,” the woman beside her replied indifferently. “For some reason, she started crying as soon as she entered the Eden Exhibition, so disappointing.”
She yawned in annoyance. The woman beside her added, “Kids are just overly empathetic… By the way.”
She revealed a mysterious smile: “Your move was quite clever. Here, she’s easily influenced, isn’t she?”
“Who told the old man to leave half of the inheritance to her? I have to thank the law that prevents potential criminals from inheriting family assets,” the woman said boredly. “Wait, the show’s starting.”
A wave of cheers and applause surged from the audience. Amidst the applause, scantily clad women walked up carrying four glass plaques. Chris dramatically bowed to the crowd: “Over the past week, our 100 potential criminals have competed fiercely, and finally, we’ve determined the four most popular potential criminals. They are—”
Under the exaggerated and drawn-out voice, four beams of light illuminated the four glass cabinets. The four people restrained in chairs frowned as the light hit them.
“First, the crowd’s favorite, No. 1, Eve!”
Sharp cheers erupted as the silver-haired girl lowered her head, indifferent to the noise from the audience.
“I am Eve,” she said.
“Second, our old friend, No. 0, Adam!”
The golden-haired boy smiled perfectly at the audience: “Good evening, everyone.”
“Third, renowned for her beauty and obedience in this exhibition, No. 13 from the Rama Sanatorium.”
The girl called No. 13 timidly looked at the audience.
She was indeed very beautiful, with glowing skin and slightly upturned peach blossom eyes. If she were outside, she would surely be a school beauty attracting countless whistles from boys. Even her timid expression evoked a protective instinct.
“Th-thank you, everyone,” she said.
Su Li’s roommate whistled, leaning towards the screen, his feet hooked together as he said to Su Li, “Have you been to the museum? Is it true that they won’t resist no matter what’s done to them?”
“…It’s true,” Su Li replied. “There are a lot of people around No. 13.”
“Really? I want to go see next week, haha,” the roommate said excitedly.
“But aren’t they all potential criminals?” a visiting classmate asked behind them. “You dare get close to them? What if they infect you and you get judged as a criminal too?”
“I don’t care if they are or not, such beautiful girls are rare in our lives,” the roommate said. “Look, so beautiful, and they let us do whatever we want, hehe…”
“According to the rules of the Eden Exhibition, the top four are no longer potential criminals but ordinary people after release,” Su Li reminded them. “Be respectful.”
He intended to remind them to show some respect. But as soon as he finished speaking, the two exchanged a knowing glance and laughed.
“Isn’t that even better?” they said.
Before Su Li could understand their meaning, the host had already shone the light on the fourth glass cabinet: “And our recent online sensation—No. 81!”
An even louder wave of cheers erupted from the audience, but this time, it wasn’t just cheers; there were other sounds too. Amidst these sounds, No. 81 lazily lifted his eyelids.
His appearance differed from the three exquisitely doll-like potential criminals before him. Though handsome, his brows and eyes carried a hint of the carefree style of ink paintings. He blinked, seemingly not yet accustomed to the light shining on him.
“Does our No. 81 have anything to say to the audience?” the host handed him the microphone.
In his understanding, these potential criminals striving to please the audience could only introduce themselves and express gratitude. Unexpectedly, No. 81 cleared his throat and said:
“I report, the votes have been rigged!”
“What?!”
The three in front of the screen widened their eyes, and the audience erupted in chaos. The host, while embarrassed, realized this was a hot topic and laughed awkwardly: “Wow, it seems our No. 81 has some juicy news to share. So, No. 0, No. 1, and No. 13, who are you accusing?”
“Tch, this No. 81 is shameless,” someone in the audience commented. “Just a clown, who does he think he is? Does he really think he’s that popular?”
“Exactly, thinking he’s such a big deal.”
On the other side of the audience, Dr. Lucifer smiled.
“It seems he still doesn’t realize his online popularity hasn’t translated into real popularity,” he mused, stroking his chin. “Without my manipulation, he wouldn’t even make it into the top ten. But…”
“But this vote tallying day performance is the gift I prepared for him,” he thought coldly. “Enjoy the taste of being a plaything!”
As he reveled in No. 81’s humiliation, the latter’s voice rang out clearly through the speakers: “I report that I rigged the votes!”
The crowd still cursing him: “…No. 81 rigged votes shameless… What?”
The three in front of the screen: “What?”
Dr. Lucifer: “…”
“You see, my vote increase isn’t scientific,” Lin Huai lamented. “From 12 PM to 1 PM, during the lunch peak, the vote increase for each exhibit should theoretically drop, yet my growth curve is significantly different from others. This is clearly vote manipulation.”
“…He’s accusing himself,” the roommate spat out his water. “Is this guy sick?”
“…I’ve always wanted a fair and just competition platform, but someone’s favoritism has led to this result,” Lin Huai said, his gaze drifting towards Dr. Lucifer in the audience. “I don’t want to be a resource star, I want to improve on my own merits. Today, I have no right to stand on this stage.”
The host swallowed, and upon catching the director’s eye from below, he laughed and said, “Oh, I see no problem with this curve, No. 81, don’t be too sensitive. You’re so popular, how could you not deserve it?”
“I’m just a marketing star…”
“How could that be? You have real popularity.”
After several back-and-forths, Lin Huai finally sighed in impatience. After a while, a soft smile appeared on his face, and he said in a gentle voice, “I’ve been talking to you for so long, how come you still don’t understand?”
“?”
“I don’t want to waste time bickering with a bunch of idiots here,” he said the most aggressive words in the softest tone. “Nor do I want to waste time participating in this shitty evaluation.”
The host: …
After muting Lin Huai’s entire speech, the host allowed Lin Huai to smile politely in the cabinet and moved on to the next segment: “Next, let’s read some praises from fans to their supported potential criminals. Also, please respond accordingly, dear potential criminals.”
“First, from a visitor in Greenhouse Zone One, No. 13, I love how you bow and apologize even when verbally insulted. Remember the toy I brought you? I’ll come see you next week!”
Upon hearing this, No. 13’s body swayed, and after a while, she lowered her head and said, “…Thank you, thank you.”
“Second, from Greenhouse Zone Three, Miss Eve, I remember your beautiful figure during the tour. Remember my question? I look forward to more interactions with you.”
“Third, from Greenhouse Zone Eleven, Adam, if you don’t debut, I’d like to buy you and make you into the most beautiful artwork. Your eyes would be the best pendant!”
After a few notes, the host glanced at the fourth glass cabinet and read the final note.
“Fourth, from Greenhouse Zone One, No. 81, if you’re eliminated, I’d like to purchase your head and cut it open to see what’s inside your brain. No. 81, do you have any response?”
Under the gaze of the audience, Lin Huai replied, “If you lack brains, try to grow some yourself instead of always relying on others… Hmm, but if you want to see, I can show you on the spot…”
His last sentence was clearly taken as a joke. The host turned off the lights and announced loudly, “Next is the most exciting moment of our vote tallying session—”
“Out with the old!”
Amidst the mechanical sounds, four glass boxes rose from the ground, each containing a terrified potential criminal.
“These four are the eliminated products of this week. They should have been directly disposed of, but considering the cruelty and entertainment value of the competition, we’ve come up with a method,” the host smiled. “In front of the top four, there is a panel with four buttons, each corresponding to a mechanism.”
With that, Lin Huai looked down at the thing in front of him.
There were four buttons of different colors: red, yellow, blue, and green.
The host said, “Each color corresponds to a mechanism in the glass cabinet. Three mechanisms will result in the criminal’s death, while one allows the criminal to leave the cabinet. Next, we will invite the top four to judge one of the bottom four corresponding to them. Please pay attention—”
He blinked.
“The correct rate is only one in four.”
Meanwhile, in the museum.
A little girl with black hair and black eyes sat on the sofa, crying incessantly. The servant wiped her tears with a handkerchief, comforting her gently, “There, there, don’t cry.”
“But…” the girl sobbed, “They look so pitiful. Why treat them like this? They’re locked in glass cages, and they haven’t done anything wrong…”
Recalling the scenes she had seen in the exhibition, the girl cried again.
“Although they look like us, genetically, they are all criminals,” the servant explained. “They haven’t committed crimes only because they’ve been locked up…”
“But…” the girl said confusedly, “I still don’t understand…”
Their voices were low, unnoticed chatter. Soon, they were swallowed up in the vastness of the museum.
