(set: $fname to (prompt: "Your name, please:", "Harry"))
(set: $web to false)
(set: $secondDay to false)
[[Background]] You were born in 2200, the Robotic Era, when robots were doing everything for the entire world - farming, designing, constructing, etc. In this era, all the children were trained to be programers, so that they could create more intelligent robots to handle more complicated tasks, such as coding other robots. Throughout your growth, the only course taught at school was programming. All the other activities are inhibited because they are considered as a waste of time.
[[Coming-of-age Ceremony]]In this era, everyone has to take THE EXAM on the coming-of-age ceremony, which is the 17th birthday. THE EXAM consists of a series of programming tasks. If one's score is lower than an AI, that means the world would not need you to revolve the civilization, then the person will be executed in the name of “resource waste”.
[[You]] (set: $typewriterText to "8AM. March.4, 2217.
48HRS before your 17th birthday. ")
{
(set: $typewriterPos to 1)
|typewriterOutput>[]
(live: 20ms)[
(append: ?typewriterOutput)[(print: $typewriterText's $typewriterPos)]
(set: $typewriterPos to it + 1)
(if: $typewriterPos is $typewriterText's length + 1)[
(stop:)
]
]
(live: 2s)[
(stop:)
</p>
You wake up, but you are not in the mood at all. It will be your 17th birthday and coming-of-age ceremony 2 days later. It has been your nightmare for years...
</p>
Through our your life in the past 16 years, you are never into programming. You don’t understand the logics and you find the plain lines to be super boring. You love visuals - the colors and the flows. You dream to be an architect.
</p>
Right now, you are lying in your bed and thinking about THE EXAM...
</p>
</p>
[[The Choice]]
]
}
You pick up your laptop and want to use the last minute to review some algorithm questions.
"Damn it. I cannot understand the backtracking!" You start to think of your death desperately.
"$fname, it is time to eat!" Mom's voice draw you back to the real world.
"Mom and dad would be grieved if I die." You tell yourself. "And Nick too." Nick is your best friend. Different from you, he is born to be the best programmer. He is always the best in the school. However, he hates this programming-driven society. He is one of the few people who admires your talent in architecture.
"Shall I try my best to grasp the mirage, or I just enjoy the last two days and wait to die?"
[[Even though the chance of me passing THE EXAM is 0.01%, I want to live for the people I love.]]
[[There is no chance I can survive, I should use every piece of it to say goodbye to the people I love.]] Decided to grasp your atomic livng chance, you join the breakfast with your parents. In these days, they tried their best to act normal, but you've seen them whipping behind your back.
Mom: "I made your favorite dish today."
You: "Thanks mom."
......
After the depressing breakfast, "$fname, do you need any help?", your best friend Nick sent you a text.
[[Study with Nick]]
[[Study alone]] "There is NO WAY that I can pass THE EXAM." You mumble to yourself. Thinking you are going to die anyway, you feel relaxed. You have made the life / death decision, so there is nothing you need to worry about.
After breakfast, you decide to
[[Spend the last time alone]]
[[Visit your best friend Nick]] You are standing outside of Nick's house.
Nick: "$fname, I am so glad you came! Do you understand backtracking now? I prepared another 10 practice questions for you."
You: "I gave up, mate... Really appreciate that, but I just... I am just gonna die..."
Nick: "NOOOO!!! There must be something you can do! Worst come to worst, you should at least show your architectural works to people like make a porfolio..."
You: "Come on Nick. You know it won't work! It cannot pass any test cases..."
Nick: "At least better than submitting an empty file! Do you want to just DIE LIKE THIS? WITH NOTHING LFET FOR THE WORLD? Allow people to think you are just an idiot who cannot even beat a robot?"... "You are so talented though, $fname... so talented..."
You've never seen Nick like this - shouting and crying - chattering his teeth like he is in tremendous anger.
[[Make a portfolio and show your talent to the world]]
[[Keep studying the EXAM content]]
[[Spend the rest of my limited life with my parents.]] (set: $typewriterText to "12PM. March.4, 2217.
42HRS before your 17th birthday. ")
{
(set: $typewriterPos to 1)
|typewriterOutput>[]
(live: 20ms)[
(append: ?typewriterOutput)[(print: $typewriterText's $typewriterPos)]
(set: $typewriterPos to it + 1)
(if: $typewriterPos is $typewriterText's length + 1)[
(stop:)
]
]
(live: 2s)[
(stop:)
</p>
You have been studying for 4 hours, but the progress is limited. It's like the EXAM is on level 100 and you just conquered level 3. You realize your determination is vanishing.
</p>
"There is no way I can do this..." You mumble, "It's too far..."
</p>
</p>
[[Maybe I should ask Nick for help. Afterall, he is the smartest in our school.]]
</p>
[[Maybe I should give up. Just enjoy the last taste of my remaining days.]]
]
}
You spend the whole morning wondering around in the city. Realizing that it is your last time visiting this city, you find all the ordinary streets and buildings graceful.
You start crying. "I really wanna live!" You shout to the cold city.
"Live"..."ive"..."ve"... The echo is as powerless as the reality...
2 minutes later, you receive a text. It is from your best friend, Nick. "$fname, do you need any help?" He invites you to study together now.
[[Study with Nick]]
[[Give up the whole thing and embrace your death]] You are standing outside of Nick's house.
Nick: "$fname, I am so glad you came! Do you understand backtracking now? I prepared another 10 practice questions for you."
You: "I gave up, mate... Really appreciate that, but I just... I am just gonna die..."
Nick: "NOOOO!!! There must be something you can do! Worst come to worst, you should at least show your architectural works to people like make a porfolio..."
You: "Come on Nick. You know it won't work! It cannot pass any test cases..."
Nick: "At least better than submitting an empty file! Do you want to just DIE LIKE THIS? WITH NOTHING LFET FOR THE WORLD? Allow people to think you are just an idiot who cannot even beat a robot?"... "You are so talented though, $fname... so talented..."
You've never seen Nick like this - shouting and crying - chattering his teeth like he is in tremendous anger.
[[Make a portfolio and show your talent to the world]]
[[Keep studying the EXAM content]]
[[Spend the rest of my limited life with my parents.]] You are standing outside of Nick's house.
Nick: "$fname, I am so glad you came! Do you understand backtracking now? I prepared another 10 practice questions for you."
You: "I gave up, mate... Really appreciate that, but I just... I am just gonna die..."
Nick: "NOOOO!!! There must be something you can do! Worst come to worst, you should at least show your architectural works to people like make a porfolio..."
You: "Come on Nick. You know it won't work! It cannot pass any test cases..."
Nick: "At least better than submitting an empty file! Do you want to just DIE LIKE THIS? WITH NOTHING LFET FOR THE WORLD? Allow people to think you are just an idiot who cannot even beat a robot?"... "You are so talented though, $fname... so talented..."
You've never seen Nick like this - shouting and crying - chattering his teeth like he is in tremendous anger.
[[Make a portfolio and show your talent to the world]]
[[Keep studying the EXAM content]]
[[Spend the rest of my limited life with my parents.]] You decide not to visit Nick, even though you know he is always willing to help.
You spend the rest of the day wandering around in the city. Realizing that it is your last time visiting this city, you find all the ordinary streets and buildings graceful.
You start crying. "I really wanna live!" You shout to the cold city.
"Live"..."ive"..."ve"... The echo is as powerless as the reality...
[[24hrs before THE EXAM]] (set: $typewriterText to "12AM. March 6th, 2217.
8HRS before the ceremony.")
{
(set: $typewriterPos to 1)
|typewriterOutput>[]
(live: 20ms)[
(append: ?typewriterOutput)[(print: $typewriterText's $typewriterPos)]
(set: $typewriterPos to it + 1)
(if: $typewriterPos is $typewriterText's length + 1)[
(stop:)
]
]
(live: 2s)[
(stop:)
</p>
You work on refining the designs on you portfolio, and Nick works on making the web to represent them. By the end of the day, you both review the web together.
</p>
Nick: "I always know you are brilliant, but I didn't know you are THAT BRILLIANT."
</p>
You: "Brilliant? That's ironic. I don't know if there will be anyone browsing the web since it will not pass the test."
</p>
......
</p>
In the night, you are tossing and turning in bed. You are thinking about random things - your existence, your value and various ways of your death...
</p>
(set: $web to true)
[[Ceremony]]
]
}
(set: $typewriterText to "6PM. March 5th, 2217.
14HRS before your 17th birthday.")
{
(set: $typewriterPos to 1)
|typewriterOutput>[]
(live: 20ms)[
(append: ?typewriterOutput)[(print: $typewriterText's $typewriterPos)]
(set: $typewriterPos to it + 1)
(if: $typewriterPos is $typewriterText's length + 1)[
(stop:)
]
]
(live: 2s)[
(stop:)
</p>
During the dinner.
</p>
You: "I'm ready. I think can do this..." You said that just to make your parents feel better.
</p>
Dad: "That's great, my dear..."
</p>
Your mom burst into tears and run away.
</p>
......
</p>
[[Ceremony]]
]
}
You decide to spend the limited time with your parents, but you feel like every minute is shouting and mocking at your death.
<img src = "https://media.giphy.com/media/tn8zWeNYA73G0/giphy.gif">
[[Ceremony]] (set: $typewriterText to "8AM. March 5th, 2217.
24HRS before your 17th birthday.")
{
(set: $typewriterPos to 1)
|typewriterOutput>[]
(live: 20ms)[
(append: ?typewriterOutput)[(print: $typewriterText's $typewriterPos)]
(set: $typewriterPos to it + 1)
(if: $typewriterPos is $typewriterText's length + 1)[
(stop:)
]
]
(live: 2s)[
(stop:)
</p>
During the breakfast.
</p>
You: "I'm ready. I think can do this..." You said that just to make your parents feel better.
</p>
Dad: "That's great, my dear..."
</p>
Your mom burst into tears and run away.
</p>
......
</p>
[[I wanna rethink my decision of dying.]]
</p>
[[Spend the rest of my limited life with my parents.]]
]
}"I should at least give it a try...for mom and dad..."
"Maybe I should visit Nick. He is the smartest..."
[[Study with Nick]] (set: $typewriterText to "8AM. March 5th, 2217.
24HRS before your 17th birthday.")
(set: $secondDay to true)
{
(set: $typewriterPos to 1)
|typewriterOutput>[]
(live: 20ms)[
(append: ?typewriterOutput)[(print: $typewriterText's $typewriterPos)]
(set: $typewriterPos to it + 1)
(if: $typewriterPos is $typewriterText's length + 1)[
(stop:)
]
]
(live: 2s)[
(stop:)
</p>
During the breakfast.
</p>
You: "I'm ready. I think can do this..." You said that just to make your parents feel better.
</p>
Dad: "That's great, my dear..."
</p>
Your mom burst into tears and run away.
</p>
......
</p>
[[I wanna rethink my decision of dying.]]
</p>
[[Spend the rest of my limited life with my parents.]]
]
}
(set: $typewriterText to "7AM. March 6, 2217.
1HR before THE EXAM.")
{
(set: $typewriterPos to 1)
|typewriterOutput>[]
(live: 20ms)[
(append: ?typewriterOutput)[(print: $typewriterText's $typewriterPos)]
(set: $typewriterPos to it + 1)
(if: $typewriterPos is $typewriterText's length + 1)[
(stop:)
]
]
(live: 2s)[
(stop:)
</p>
You lighted up a candle.
</p>
<img src = "https://media.tenor.com/images/679eb4b33b772a430f72893586fd2ec6/tenor.gif">
</p>
"Happy birthday", you whispered to yourself.
</p>
Then a troop of robots come to your place, they are here to escort you to the "field".
</p>
</p>
Go to [[Exam]]
</p>
[[Escape]]
]
}You go to the EXAM, wishing they do not give you a backtracking problem. Unfortunately, all of your problems are backtracking...
(if: $web is true)
["Okay, the last thing I can do is to show my portfolio to the world.]
(set: $rdm to (random: 1, 2))
(if: $rdm is 2)
[At this time, the computer sends you a notice. Surisingly, it is from Nick.
"Hey $fname. (if: $web is true) [ Forget about the web.] I hacked the EXAM system and sent your the answer. Just copy and paste, and you will pass it!"
]
What you should do:
(if: $rdm is 2) [ [[Copy Nick's answer]] ]
[[Submit an empty exam]]
(if: $web is true) [ [[Code your portfolio]] ]
You escaped from THE EXAM. As a result, you failed. After hiding for several days, you are under arrest.
[[Ending No.1]]
You could not understand Nick's code, but you chose to trust him. You submitted his answer and passed the EXAM.
[[Ending No.3]]You did not do anything and just submitted an empty exam. Unsurprisingly, you failed the EXAM.
[[Ending No.1]] You coded the web with your portfolio on it. You did not realize that your submission raised a widely discussion around the world.
[[Ending No.2]]You will be executed. At the last day of your life, you regretted, not because you do not like programming, but because you did not try to struggle against the world. As you expected, the web code did not pass the test cases. You failed all the tests and received a zero score in THE EXAM. You are under arrest, but your case is reported on the Internet. People are curious about how you get a zero score, and as a result, they browse your profolio.
People are shocked, since in this era, the only thing they know is programming. Your creation is like a nuclear bomb with series chain reactions that recalls their humanity and history.
A week later, you are released. People finally realize the most difficult bug in robots is the process of creation. They need people like you to help creating instead of copying. You finally get a chance to work as an archtect.Passing the EXAM, you formally become a programmer. You work on it for 60 years. Because you don't like programming, you do not get a choice to promote. Your whole life is ordinary, and your architecture dream remains a dream.