Once upon a time, in the present moment, in a world of papers and booklets, there were letters dancing to the tunes of texts, building their words and sentences, and guiding their reality with great wisdom and adherence to grammatical rules.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaC1ncvPSx0
From A to Z, and even to the vowel markers, they harmonized and formed their world.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtgLzDOo9ea
Here comes the train: the letters C and T joined together, along with A and R, to build it and ride along the streets shaped by their own letters.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsoWiWU207
A complete world inhabited by the letters in a state of perfect tranquility, building buildings, vehicles, squares, stadiums, and everything else that could be represented by spoken letters.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cl3COX5Ej
But this world, which was merely a reflection of the colossal human efforts to find ways of expression and communication, was not limited to a few elements; numbers too had their share in these considerations.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIT5VgUfFzR
The invasion of the letter world by numerical symbols was uncommon, but wars were inevitable. As everyone knows, numbers are endless, which always motivates them to invade and conquer spaces.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ng7SJmkFB
“Alas! Alas!”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7eYmgQohsy
The letter W cried out, its voice so loud that it woke up the sleepers, then it continued while fleeing:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbGW8l7Bvg
“We are being invaded by monsters! We are being invaded by monsters! Wake up and save us, oh people!”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05jMQKe1ft
What is this? Letters do not usually face such things; they are used to connecting and building their community structure, not to meeting strangers. In fact, they had never encountered outsiders throughout their existence, for they are writings isolated from the world in every case. This might be the reason why W called these numbers monsters, despite the possibility that they were friendly symbols.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXhrJ7wheq
Just a few hours passed, and all the letters gathered (or so they thought) and gathered in the book square, looking like a crowd despite their small number.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQFKn1wPlp
The letter W stepped forward and took the podium. As soon as it climbed it, it glared at the letters M, N, S, and T:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjRuQ3hBnn
“What are you doing here?! Join the rest so I can address you! We are in a state of emergency!”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFGYseL1OfC
The letters M, N, S, and T (in one voice):
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXieiBrkUm
“But the podium…”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiU66Tm3arq
W: “Forget about that! I don’t need it. Quickly, go join the others so I can finish my speech!”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCIqlsyIJM
(They joined the crowd, and before the leader could address the public without the podium, he turned to look behind him.)
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CRaYUthV8
W: “What’s going on? Why are you standing there motionless? Are you tourists or invaders?”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UXaOFXbiR
(Realizing) No doubt, they cannot hear me.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Qr4uaCBZ0
“Loudspeaker! Come to me!”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKp67Xz79LG
(The letters that were called came to him and formed into a loudspeaker, which W used to repeat his question.)
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2XUUYcZJO
One of the numbers responded, looking over the entire book:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxm74O813a
“We are neither tourists nor invaders, we are explorers.”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02ANOv53J7
“We are an endless series of ourselves, and there is no place left for us anywhere we’ve been, because places are limited, unlike us…”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrEyW4OJkfy
W (interrupting):
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExczyysUBo
“So, you came to examine the place?”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Q1bKtp7Vq
One of the numbers:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyBqHL0dMm
“That’s right.”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbw9e7Okl7
W: “Then go back! This place doesn’t accommodate anyone but us.”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHtjMg69Mf
One of the numbers: “We thought it was abandoned, but it turns out it’s inhabited, so we might buy it if you’re selling.”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZk8zEt5SN
W: “Buying and selling?”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFVUvuEWdy
One of the numbers: “Yes! Buying and selling, is that so surprising?”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqver1iVyo
W: “I don’t even know what buying and selling means.”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVTdi0JOVQ
One of the numbers: “What a shock! A society so prosperous yet unaware of trade?” (To himself: It seems these foolish beings lack much knowledge! Exploiting their ignorance of sciences would be to our advantage!)
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEN2XGOVAD9
“Trade, my dear, is two things: buying and selling. You give me something, and I give you something else of equal value in return.”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjKcNHMgMO
W: “That doesn’t sound too complicated, but I refuse to hand over our land under any circumstances.”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSynVdU7EC
One of the numbers: “It seems we won’t get a satisfying result!”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5reCtglZf
W: “Indeed. Leave.”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Jgluk8vgq
The number turned to its companion and ordered it to leave and continue the exploratory journey with all the newcomers. Then it took a final look at what it had hoped to steal.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzFafefsQ2
This is how stability is achieved! This is how stability is achieved! All the letters cheered as they lifted their leader on their shoulders.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZPuR64Kbm
But one dissenting letter stepped out of line and condemned the leader:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawKm5lUlUF
“We should have fortified the book with a wall! I’ve told you a million times that the book should be surrounded by a wall! Now, those numbers have found a place and will attack us with their massive numbers!”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoMYab5Qko
The letter K responded: “A wall cannot be built. Letter G went on a journey long ago and hasn’t returned.”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCFE4wfuve
Suddenly, the letter D spoke with wisdom:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPyvTS7HKW
“It could have been better than it was. The book could have evolved by adding those numbers, and that would have been a beautiful step toward promoting diversity and co-existence, not to mention gaining new contributors to enrich our nation in ways we can’t even imagine!”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmskUX0lWOB
Whispers and murmurs spread among the attendees:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAKU4NZZMU
“A noble idea!... A symbol of love!... I agree... Beautiful!... Why not?... That would have been wonderful!”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zKBCriOT7
The letter T responded:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXYBPt9nMC
“You are truly a misguided letter, and your error is your ignorance! The problem is adaptation. This environment is made for letters, not numbers. Besides, we are productive beings, while they are mere numerical values that will consume our products without giving anything in return.”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnG2MiBCAJ
Whispers continued:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7vvso8sOx
“That’s true!... Yes, adaptation… How did we not think of that?”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbl5BYIRh8
////////////////////////Meanwhile///////////////////////////
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ860ydd3rlR
On the fixed path of numbers, one blamed the leader:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAPHbae2Ta
“Why did we retreat? We could have crushed those worthless letters and destroyed their place, then occupied it! There were only 28 of them, while we are 280,000 or more!”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQvC0V9NnO
The leader stopped, smiled, and patted his head:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznCOUBrfK5
“The idea is not about aggression or recklessness, and there’s no need to take risks, even if our enemy is weak. Furthermore, a military success can be achieved with a single move, and the results would yield an economy and abundance of resources. Do you understand now?”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgT6zvh0po
The other number signaled yes and asked about the next step, to which the leader replied:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZbCEIedR6Y
“These letters don’t understand trade, meaning they don’t understand goods, meaning they don’t understand the poisonous goods!”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVFWKbs16N
The number stood frozen, stunned by the shock. Poisoning was possibly the most dangerous thing it had ever heard of before… Then, after the shock wore off, it added:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuVJ7X6bO4
“But you condemned aggression and recklessness!”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPx5OwBXPG
The leader interrupted, laughing:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89T1vUW85C
“But not wise aggression or careful recklessness!”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbP1J8Zoh0
The number praised the leader:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWbY2ZOVk2
“What an impressive leader! You exploited their ignorance and proposed a solution that will annihilate them without any losses! But how will we give them the poison? As a gift?”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XTJnGj6qx
The leader: “Yes, as a gift.”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXilivpeeX
The number: “A gift for what?”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwjuxj0ljZ
The leader: “As a token of gratitude and generosity.”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqlbb2Kvnw
The number: “Gratitude for what?”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIhjEyYkoF
The leader (with growing impatience): “For nothing! Just because! Be quiet and keep walking!”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDqFESxezp
The number (apologetically): “As you wish, I apologize.”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2W2uiHgGyA
The numbers continued on their journey.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5MuYoN9PW
From nowhere, the absent letter G descended to the ground after many years. It had heard the wicked conversation. This conversation had taken place in a socially isolated area rich in inanimate objects, one of which was the "tractor" vehicle that letter G had made from metal, forming shapes similar to the letters R and A and moving ahead of the numbers for all that time.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwmaM6VWsL6
Letter G realized that the numbers came from the place of its writing, so it rushed to it eagerly, warning them.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVrdbjulUZ
Upon reaching the book, the letters greeted it warmly, with longing suppressed in their hearts.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZiRNtFoW7t
It sat down, and in awe and wonder, it spoke, expressed its feelings, and shared the conversation it had overheard, along with a solution that was not strange to its kind:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBcW1iY4Bb
“The solution is to build the protective wall, and now its construction is easier than ever.”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKpX0raRCL
One of the letters screamed in fear:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpi6JK0ws4y
“Poison that kills! Is it directed at us?! Let’s build the wall!”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7d4Hezkabz
The leader (proudly and arrogantly):
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdffkyBxZ5
“You heard, my followers! Build the wall!”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1U1DVl6XxP
The letters D, A, and R rushed to build the wall, and G remained silent, head bowed.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoo7UnIzhx
All the letters (in one voice):
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2lon20BjH
“What’s wrong? Why the bowing?”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrCt6sYFqO
Letter G replied:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJehhS3p6i
“Truthfully… the reality is that protection, despite its importance, should not be prioritized over prevention, which is the true priority.”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBBHUwIXeN
Confusion spread across the faces of the letters from A to Z, and they exchanged quiet analyses.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuO2bIyUg8f
The leader stood from his seat and asked for more clarification, which was granted:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQr4UWAlrgn
“I heard from one of the humans – I’ll tell you who humans are later – that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpglraJeHXg
This means that self-preservation is important, even more so than the means of protection itself, without diminishing its value. Therefore, it is crucial that we never fall prey to ignorance, which would allow the predators to devour us. This is a matter of extreme importance and should be considered a basic need for survival.”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbc82vmLnfc
The message I want to convey is that we desperately need to study poison, sciences, history, and more in order to strengthen our existence. After building the wall, do we intend to build our future?”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa01nIr3xta
All the letters cheered joyfully and eagerly, united in a loud voice full of enthusiasm:
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAUbHsFg7h
“Build the wall, build the future! We work and we learn!”
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUq9mHfMKlT
The leader promised letter G a prestigious position before they began building the wall that would keep the invaders away forever.
162Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPw4i7uNj2
然後按「加至主畫面」