Firewall

Old Wang was selected.

Not for the lottery, nor for a promotion, but for the company's newly launched "Firewall Project." The HR manager patted him on the shoulder, beaming, "Old Wang, you're usually so diligent and honest at work; this project is perfect for you!"

Old Wang was puzzled. The company is in real estate, not tech. What firewall would they be building? Could it be to prevent unfair competition?

Still, he went.

The project team was located on the top floor, usually off-limits, full of mystery. When Old Wang arrived, seven or eight people were already seated inside, all looking serious, with various instruments in front of them and screens displaying dazzling data.

"Welcome, Comrade Wang," a man with black-framed glasses walked up to Old Wang, extending his hand. "I'm the project leader, Engineer Chen."

Chen didn't explain what the "firewall" was, but simply pointed to the constantly changing lines on the screen, saying, "This is our latest technological achievement, it can effectively prevent external risks from harming the company."

Old Wang didn’t fully understand. He only knew that the company had recently bought a large plot of land in the suburbs, saying it would be used to build an "ecological demonstration zone." Old Wang had thought they were going to focus on landscaping.

Every day, Old Wang's job was to stare at the screen, recording the changes in the lines, and operate according to Engineer Chen’s instructions. The operations were very simple, but Old Wang always felt like something was off because the lines on the screen always seemed to point in the same direction – the company's ecological demonstration zone.

A week later, the company announced the official launch of the ecological demonstration zone. To celebrate this moment, the company organized all employees to visit.

Old Wang went along too.

The so-called "ecological demonstration zone" was actually an area surrounded by high walls, with high-voltage power grids around it, and fully armed security guards. Employees entering were required to wear special wristbands.

"This is our firewall," Engineer Chen said to everyone proudly, standing in front of the high wall. "It will protect our assets from any external factors."

Old Wang looked at the towering walls and suddenly understood. He remembered the recent news about a major fire, and he also remembered the boss's constant phrase, "Stability overrides everything."

He wanted to ask Engineer Chen whether this "firewall" was to prevent fire or people. But the words got stuck in his throat. Because he saw smiles of relief on the faces of all the employees.

Lunch was a buffet, with a wide variety of foods, but all the food was covered by transparent domes, not even a single drop of water could spill out. Old Wang scanned his wristband to get food, and a robotic arm accurately delivered the food in front of him.

Old Wang picked up a sandwich, took a bite, and found it bland and tasteless. He remembered eating in the company canteen before. Although it was crowded, everyone would chat and laugh, and occasionally someone would complain about the food.

Back then, he found it noisy and annoying.

Now, he found it quiet and frightening.

He looked down at the wristband on his wrist, it was flashing a faint blue light. He suddenly remembered what Engineer Chen had said: "It will protect our assets from any external factors."

Old Wang looked around, everyone was wearing the same wristband, and everyone was eating quietly without any expression on their face.

Suddenly, Old Wang saw a familiar figure. It was Old Li, who loved smoking, from the company. Old Li was standing by the wall, looking up at the sky.

Old Wang walked over, just about to say hello, when he saw Old Li being carried away by two security guards, heading towards a white room not far away. Old Wang wanted to stop them, but found himself blocked by an invisible force.

"He violated the regulations," a security guard said expressionlessly.

Old Wang watched the direction where Old Li was taken, and suddenly realized that he was also part of the "assets" being protected, and this wall was not protecting the company at all, but the people in the company. Or rather, the people the company deemed needed protection.

He looked up at the sky. White clouds floated by, looking particularly dazzling under the sun. But Old Wang felt that beneath the dazzling sunlight, there was a darkness he couldn't understand.

He looked at the wristband on his wrist; it was still flashing a faint blue light. He picked up the sandwich in his hand and took another bite; it still tasted bland and tasteless.

Just then, he heard a voice. It was a child’s voice, clear and loud, piercing through the entire silent "ecological demonstration zone."

"Daddy, look, this place looks like a prison!"

Old Wang was stunned. He looked towards the sound and saw a young father, holding his child, standing outside the wall, pointing at the area.

He saw that the young father had a look of confusion and ridicule on his face.

Old Wang felt that his wristband seemed to be getting tighter.