The Syntax of Corruption

In the near future, humanity has succeeded in erasing suffering. Through a technology called Neural Link, everyone can filter reality according to their desires. Foul odors turn into the scent of flowers. Dilapidated buildings appear majestic. Exhaustion feels like enthusiasm. Sadness is suppressed before it has the chance to grow. The world has become happier. At least, that is what they believe. Kai is just a twenty one year old student who works part time as a transmission tower technician to pay for his living expenses. His life is far from perfect, but he still possesses one thing that enables him to survive, the small illusion provided by the Neural Link every afternoon during his trip home. Until an accident destroys the chip in his neck. In a single day, the entire layer of artificial happiness vanishes. For the first time, Kai sees the world without filters. He sees the city rotting behind the majestic buildings. He sees the exhaustion behind the smiles. He sees the suffering that has long been hidden from billions of humans. And most terrifying of all, he begins to see things that should not be visible to anyone. When the entire world chooses to live in a comfortable lie, Kai is forced to face a naked reality. The further he searches for a way to fix his chip and regain his old life, the deeper he is dragged into the greatest secret of human civilization. A secret hidden behind the system that maintains the world's happiness. A secret that might explain why humans choose to be blind. And a truth that can determine whether humanity deserves to keep dreaming.