Pursuing the Lost

"There are infinitely many worlds, some similar to ours, some not."

-Epicurus

[0]

Walter saw Dayna once again. Sunlight fell beside her, casting a graceful shadow on the ground.

She gently stretched her arms, her fingers swiftly forming one mysterious shape after another, like incomprehensible symbols or perhaps a mystical dance.

The light grew stronger, and Dayna's figure gradually blurred.

Walter reached out, trying to embrace her, just as he had done countless times over the years.

But this time, he grasped nothing but air.

He suddenly realized with painful clarity that Dayna had left him four years ago. They were already in different worlds, meeting only in dreams.

Walter woke in the morning light, and as soon as he opened his eyes, he felt a wetness on his face, as if traces of tears had lingered there.

For a moment, he could only lie on the bed, staring blankly, his mind utterly empty.

After a while, he found himself pondering: "Who am I?

Where did I come from?

What am I supposed to do?"

These questions, which philosophers have spent lifetimes exploring, held a more tangible meaning for Walter.

He got up and looked out the window. Cars flowed like a river, and the chaotic, noisy sounds intertwined, gradually constructing a blurred image in his mind. Supermembrane structures...

Multiverse...Phase shifts...

Sky Forge...

Walter suddenly raised his head, glancing at the display screen hanging high on the wall. March 14, 2055.

This familiar date struck his mind like a bolt of lightning, illuminating all his lost memories.

He finally remembered where he was and what he had to do next.

Walter walked down the familiar streets, where people hurried by without sparing him a second glance.

This was the city he had lived in for 20 years. Everything looked so familiar. The architecture was luxurious yet crowded, life here was busy and tense, and the people were weary yet optimistic.

But only Walter knew that everything was no longer the same as what he saw yesterday.

To him, this was a new, unknown world filled with endless possibilities.

An uncontrollable longing surged through his veins, turning into an overwhelming emotion that flooded his entire being.

He repeatedly told himself that this city was identical to the one he grew up in, that he knew where to find what he needed, and that everything was within his grasp.

The sights of the third district were particularly familiar. Among the maze of alleys, hidden were those small black-market shops with extraordinary capabilities. As long as you were willing to pay, they could procure items that were not entirely legal but could solve pressing problems.

Ten minutes later, Walter walked out of an inconspicuous temperature-controlled room, carrying a black, oily canvas bag.

Then, he navigated the maze of alleys and entered a café, sitting at the table closest to the entrance. He took out the item from the bag: a personal terminal that required no identity verification. He connected the terminal to the internet and quickly typed "March 14, 2051 Plaudfield Plane Crash" into the search engine, holding his breath in anticipation.

Never in his life had Walter so desperately craved information as he did now.

"No, no, no..."

Walter muttered to himself, repeatedly scrolling through the long list of names displayed on the virtual screen.

After what felt like countless checks, he staggered to his feet, his eyes misted over.

He did not find Dayna's name on the missing persons list from that plane crash.

He had succeeded. In this parallel universe, he would surely see Dayna again.

[1]

Among all of Dayna's paintings, there was one that left the deepest impression on Walter.

Despite his limited knowledge of art, he could vaguely discern that the painting employed abstract techniques to depict the Harmony Trees under the night sky, the place where God was said to have attained enlightenment.

But this did not hinder the deep impact it had on him at first glance.

He could still clearly recall every detail of the painting. It felt as though some mysterious and ancient spirit transcended time and space, traversing countless stars to strike the deepest recesses of the soul.

Walter stared blankly at the screen until it dimmed naturally.

The world had changed. This realization struck his nerves like never before.

He had left the universe he knew and was now in a similar but different parallel universe, and Dayna was surely out there somewhere, waiting for him.

Or perhaps she had already fallen in love with the Walter of this universe and was living a happy life.

But at the very least, he could see her again.

He had tried countless times to erase Dayna's traces from his memory, only to find that his longing for her had deepened, becoming the source of all his pain over the past four years.

This profound longing and pain had driven him to activate that magical machine Sky Forge.

The faint scent of e-cigarette smoke wafted by, pulling Walter's thoughts back to reality. For him, the most important task now was to find out where Dayna was in this parallel universe.

With a sharp "beep," the previously dim screen suddenly lit up, and an ordinary dialog box popped up at the center. "Welcome, traveler from the parallel world."

Walter rubbed his eyes vigorously, thinking he was hallucinating.

However, the black text on the white background was clear, and another line appeared. "You won't find her in this world."

Walter shot up, glancing around.

His sudden movement drew glares from the other patrons quietly browsing the web, but he no longer cared about their reactions and just stared dumbly at the café's door.

There, he saw a white smiling face, a person in a mask, their entire body hidden in a black trench coat.

That pale mask and twisted smile seemed to mock Walter mercilessly.

In Walter's peripheral vision, he saw more figures in black walking into the café, moving towards him with slow but purposeful steps, their faces blank like the killing machines in old films.

Were they here to capture him?

The thought flashed through Walter's mind, but it quickly turned into another intense resolve. He would not go down without a fight.

He decisively grabbed the screen in front of him and hurled it at the men in black, then ducked and bolted for the back door of the café.

Seizing the chaos inside, Walter sprinted out the back door, diving into the nondescript alleys he knew so well in his own universe.

The noise behind him continued, the footsteps of the men in black persistently trailing but growing fainter with his escape.

With his intimate knowledge of the terrain, Walter was confident he could shake off their pursuit.

But a chilling unease gripped his heart. Who were these people?

How did they know his background?

Walter kept running, but his mind felt as if it had plunged into an icy abyss.

This journey to a parallel universe was proving far more complex than he had ever anticipated.

[2]

What was the universe?

From the perspective of higher dimensions, did the shape of the universe differ completely from our understanding?

After shaking off the men in black, Walter soon took public transport to the city center's academy district.

The academy district was strictly managed, especially the dance school where Dayna worked, which had always prohibited the entry of unauthorized individuals. But Walter had his ways. The terminal wasn't the only thing he had obtained from the black market.

With a highly realistic ID card, Walter walked confidently into the art school. As he gazed at the white, egg-shaped building before him, his thoughts couldn't help but surge once more.

This was where Dayna had worked, the place where they had met and gotten to know each other.

Since Dayna's departure, Walter had never set foot here again.

To him, this memory-laden place felt both familiar and strange.

If everything had continued along the predetermined life trajectory, then Dayna should be here now.

And what about this universe's version of Walter? Were they in love as well?

Imagining it out of thin air would never provide the answers, especially since the mysterious message in the café hung over Walter like a dark cloud.

"You won't find her in this world."

Walter had two guesses about the origins of the men in black. The first possibility was that they, like him, came from the same universe and followed him into this parallel universe, knowing his identity and intending to capture him.

This suspicion arose because Walter knew that his research on parallel universes had always been closely monitored by government agencies.

Perhaps they were able to connect Walter's disappearance in the original universe to something larger at the first opportunity.

However, before his journey, Walter had destroyed the data related to Sky Forge, so in theory, they shouldn't have been able to catch up with him so quickly.

The second possibility was that in this parallel universe, research on the multiverse was far more advanced than in his own.

They could detect fluctuations in space-time and thus discovered Walter.

This explanation, of course, had its inconsistencies, such as how they knew Walter's goal was to find Dayna.

But in truth, this guess seemed more likely and was also more terrifying to Walter.

Based on Walter's observations since crossing over, the universe he was currently in was strikingly similar to his original universe, which filled him with confidence that he could find Dayna again.

However, any small change could lead the world in a completely different direction, and the multiverse was born from countless subtle changes. The greater the differences between this parallel universe and Walter's own, the slimmer his chances of finding Dayna.

The mere thought of this possibility tore at Walter's already scarred heart, and the soul-deep pain burned within him as it had for countless days and nights before.

With the school on break, Walter passed through the teaching department almost unimpeded. Occasionally, he received curious glances from a few staff members, but he merely responded with a blank expression and headed straight to the computer lab.

He desperately hoped to find any information related to Dayna, to prove that the woman he loved was still alive in this world.

In this highly digitized society, everything was registered in the system. If he could access the school's personnel system to find Dayna's records, he could quickly determine her current status.

The school's security system was no challenge for Walter, a scholar with the highest level of state-funded technical allowances. He connected to the system using the terminal, quickly locating the art department Dayna belonged to, then her specific group, and finally...

Walter saw her name.

Dayna Briggs-two characters that shone like the brightest star in the dark night to Walter.

His hands trembled as he clicked on the name, but the profile page that appeared left him stunned.

As he stared at the holographic image of a stranger, a strong wave of dizziness overwhelmed his mind.

The name Dayna Briggs was correct, and the department was accurate, but...

Who was this woman on the screen?

She was not his wife.

His face turned pale as he quickly scanned through the rest of "Dayna's" information-birth date, birthplace, family members-everything matched what he knew about his Dayna.

Everything matched, except the person.

Walter clutched his head in agony, feeling as though something was manipulating everything from the shadows. It was as if a malevolent hand was deliberately toying with him, turning Dayna into a completely different person in this parallel universe. Perhaps her life had long since diverged from its predetermined path. But was she still the woman he deeply loved?

Walter had no answer.

Since the appearance of those men in black, this incredible journey through time and space had been filled with unpredictable twists.

He suddenly lost all strength, collapsing to the floor with a loud thud.

"Who are you?"

A crisp voice called out.

Walter turned his head and saw a face that was both unfamiliar and familiar. Just moments ago, he had been browsing her file.

In this universe, her name was Dayna Briggs.

She was the woman who had taken his wife's place.

[3] If the universe was perceived as the shape of a membrane, then on the same dimensional scale, there could be infinitely many membranes, infinitely many universes.

The distance between these universes couldn't be measured in human units, but their distribution was quantized.

Before seeing Dayna, Walter still held a trace of luck in his heart.

He so desperately hoped that all of this was just an inexplicable bug in the system, and that his Dayna was still here waiting for him.

However, when the living Dayna appeared before him in the hologram, his heart instead settled into calmness.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in the archives?"

the parallel universe's Dayna asked warily, eyeing Walter.

"My name is Walter.

I'm here to look for some information," Walter replied,

although a trace of doubt rose in his mind. According to his assumptions, the Walter of this universe should also be living his life according to the predetermined trajectory. Yet this Dayna seemed not to recognize him, which meant that the Walter of this universe had no interaction with this Dayna.

"If you work for the school, then tell me what the announcement broadcast an

hour ago."

This truly stumped Walter. An hour ago, he was desperately fleeing from the men in black and had no way of knowing the contents of the announcement.

When Dayna saw Walter's hesitation, her face changed, and she stepped back, reaching for the alarm button.

No!

In a panic, Walter lunged forward, tackling Dayna to the ground.

The two rolled on the floor, and Dayna cried out in pain. Walter, however, had no time for sympathy. He swiftly subdued her and found a handkerchief to gag her mouth.

But what to do next? Walter was at a loss.

"I'm sorry. I mean no harm.

In fact, I could say I'm here because of you, though not you from this universe.

This sounds unbelievable, but you can look up the information yourself. There should be a person named Walter Briggs in this city, someone involved in multiverse research. That's me."

After much deliberation, Walter decided to be honest with the woman.

Dayna's eyes darted around constantly, but it was unclear whether she took his words to heart.

"I've crossed time and space just to find my wife. She, like you, is named Dayna Briggs.

Unfortunately, amid the changes of time and space, some things have altered beyond my understanding."

Walter's story was brief. He recounted the process of meeting and falling in love with Dayna, then gave a simple explanation of the multiverse's significance.

At some point during his narration, Dayna had stopped struggling. She listened quietly, her expression thoughtful.

Noticing her demeanor, Walter hesitated but decided to take the handkerchief out of her mouth.

Dayna did not scream. The first words she spoke shocked Walter. "Is your wife taller than me, with curly hair, and often wearing a goose-yellow coat?"

That was exactly what Dayna was wearing when she vanished in the time-space storm, a sight Walter could never forget.

He trembled as he asked, "How do you know?"

"I don't know anyone else with the same name, but your description about your wife matches a woman I met before.

A few months ago, I met a woman who saved my life.

It's a remarkable coincidence, but considering your story, perhaps there's nothing more unbelievable than jumping into a parallel universe."

"Where is she?

Take me to her!"

With hope suddenly reignited, Walter could barely contain himself, shaking Dayna's shoulders fervently.

"Your story is incredibly hard to believe, but I'd like to verify it.

I'll take you to where I met her, but first, you need to let go of me and prove that what you've said is true."

This Dayna was easier to communicate with than Walter had anticipated. He could vaguely see the rationality and logical precision that his wife once possessed in her.

It brought him some comfort, though more so a sense of unease.

On their way out of the school, Dayna hesitantly said to Walter, "You can also call me Suzanne. it's a name I used to go by."

Walter responded only with silence.

[4]

What was the universe?

From the perspective of higher dimensions, did the shape of the universe differ completely from our understanding?

"Who are you?"

When this voice echoed again, Walter asked the question for the first time. The response he received was an eerie silence.

Walter was driving Suzanne's electromagnetic car, heading towards the Sufna Bridge, navigating with ease.

The world-famous suspension bridge was where Suzanne had first encountered the mysterious woman.

In the universe where Walter lived, this was also the place where he and Dayna often came for dates, a place filled with both romance and sorrowful memories for him.

Neither of the two people in the car were talkative, and with only a thin layer of trust between them, they both chose to remain silent, creating an awkward atmosphere within the car.

"What are those people?"

Suzanne suddenly widened her eyes. Behind them, two advanced magnetic cars were rapidly closing in, forming a pincer movement, surrounding their vehicle with apparent hostility.

"They're probably the people hunting me. Who knows what department they're from, but they sure found me fast."

Walter caught a glimpse of the dreaded black suits in the rearview mirror.

"Are you a fugitive?"

Suzanne asked, panic in her voice.

"Of course not. Hold on tight."

Walter scoffed, slamming the car's speed to its maximum, shooting forward like an arrow from a bow.

"You're insane!

My car can't handle such speed."

"Sorry, but the people in the car matter more than this old vehicle."

Walter resolutely floored the accelerator, veering onto the Sufna Bridge just before the men in black could close their trap.

The rushing wind sliced through the open windows, and Suzanne shouted to Walter, "What now?"

Upon reaching the Sufna Bridge, Walter realized it had been blocked off midway. Dozens of men in black stood in the middle of the road, armed and waiting, their eyes locked on them.

Among them stood a man in a white mask, silently watching them.

Charging through would clearly be a death sentence.

Walter let out a bitter smile, resigning himself to surrender.

But at that moment, Suzanne suddenly asked, "Can you swim?"

Though puzzled, Walter answered truthfully, "Yes."

Upon hearing this, Suzanne shouted, "Stop the car!

Pull over by the bridge!"

The electromagnetic car skidded to a halt just a meter away from the edge of the bridge.

Walter and Suzanne quickly jumped out, and she grabbed him, yelling, "Jump!"

Without a moment's hesitation, the two figures leaped off the edge of the bridge, plunging straight into the sea below.

Above them, gunshots rang out.

Not long after, the man in the white mask stood at the spot where they had jumped, staring at the calm, undisturbed waters for a long time without saying a word.