The Destination of Dian Han

Old Wang first met "Little Wang" when he was skillfully assembling a robotic arm. Old Wang remembered that at that time, Little Wang's eyes still had a hint of wildness that didn't belong to this place. That was Little Wang, who had just stepped down from the "Dian Han" position. The company, in order to appease "talent," had transferred him to the "robotic arm assembly" department.

"How is it? Better than tightening screws on the assembly line, right?" Old Wang patted Little Wang's shoulder, a hint of barely perceptible sympathy in his eyes.

Little Wang grinned, revealing his teeth stained yellow by smoke, "Much better, at least I don't have to force a smile in front of the camera."

"Dian Han" was a thing of the past. Little Wang, or rather, the former "Foshan Dian Han," had finally shed the identity that suffocated him. He used to shout "My friends, give me a follow" into the live-streaming camera with a hoarse voice, while inside he longed to escape. He was tired of the repetitive days, tired of being wrapped in virtual numbers, and he yearned for real progress.

The company didn't treat him badly. As a "special talent," Little Wang received a salary higher than the average, as well as a private cubicle with the latest robotic arm assembly tools. Assembling robotic arms was Little Wang's new "upgrade" path. He had to adapt quickly in order not to be abandoned by the times.

Old Wang was responsible for guiding Little Wang. He found that Little Wang was surprisingly smart, learning incredibly quickly, almost understanding everything instantly. Assembling robotic arms was as easy for him as fiddling with his phone during his live streams. Old Wang marveled at the adaptability of young people, while also feeling a faint unease.

The robotic arms that Little Wang assembled would eventually become part of "smart factories." These robotic arms would replace workers who, like the former Dian Han, were repeating simple labor. It was an ironic cycle, and Little Wang himself had become a cog in accelerating this cycle.

"Old Wang, I feel like we're playing a game," Little Wang suddenly blurted out during a lunch break. He scratched the back of his head, looking at the empty cafeteria. It used to be crowded with workers, but now they had either been optimized or moved to other departments.

Old Wang was stunned for a moment, then smiled, "It does feel a bit like it, aren't we just leveling up and fighting monsters? Today we assemble robotic arms, tomorrow we might manage them."

Little Wang shook his head, a trace of bewilderment in his eyes, "That's not what I mean. I mean, we're constantly being arranged, like NPCs in a game. First we were 'Dian Han', then assembly workers, what's next?"

Old Wang fell silent. He vaguely felt that Little Wang was right, they were like characters set by a program, constantly being "upgraded" but never in control of their own destiny.

Days passed, and the robotic arms that Little Wang assembled became more sophisticated, and his efficiency increased. He even began to participate in the programming of the robotic arms, appearing to be a "senior engineer." The company prepared to "upgrade" Little Wang again, transferring him to the "intelligent management" department.

Old Wang watched Little Wang in his new role, directing countless robotic arms at work, and his heart was filled with mixed feelings. Little Wang seemed to have found a new goal, and his face once again showed the confident smile he had during his live streams.

But Old Wang noticed that there was always a trace of confusion lingering in Little Wang's eyes.

That day, Old Wang came to the cafeteria as usual. The cafeteria was empty, with only a few intelligent food delivery robots humming. He realized that only when he placed an order would the robots approach him.

Old Wang took his plate, went to a corner to sit down, and started eating his lunch. He habitually picked up his phone and started browsing short videos.

A video caught his attention. In the video, a familiar figure was smiling at the camera, his voice hoarse but full of passion.

"My friends, today I'm going to show you the tricks of assembling a robotic arm!" the voice in the video said.

Old Wang rubbed his eyes, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. The person on the screen was none other than "Little Wang."

The background of the video was a large, transparent glass room, where rows of robotic arms were neatly arranged. On the robotic arms, the words "Foshan Dian Han" were conspicuously printed.

Old Wang looked out the window, and he suddenly realized that everything outside was so familiar.

He was working in a large, transparent factory that provided computing power support for artificial intelligence, and he himself, like everyone else in this factory, was a "computing power resource" that was being farmed. And the former Dian Han, Little Wang, at this moment, had become a new "live streaming influencer." He was surrounded by live streaming cameras, and he was still streaming.

Old Wang put down his plate, he couldn't eat anymore.