Secrets in Steps

Hugo was a slightly overweight middle-aged man working in an administrative role in the French Navy. His main tasks each day were organizing files and watering the commander’s potted plants. His favorite thing was to open his step-counting app during lunch breaks to see how many steps he had taken that day. He firmly believed that even in the office, one should maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Today, his app showed that he had walked 3214 steps, a number that made him quite pleased. He carefully closed the app before his lunch break ended, worried about leaking his personal data.

However, just a few days later, a news item exploded like a bomb in the naval base: a French soldier had leaked nuclear submarine secrets because he was using a step-counting app. It was said that this app could record soldiers’ activity trails, and by analyzing these trails, the nuclear submarine’s berthing location and operational routes could be deduced.

Hearing this news, Hugo’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly opened his app, the step count still there, lying peacefully. He glanced around guiltily and noticed that his colleagues were whispering, their eyes full of panic and doubt.

“Could it be me?” Hugo began to doubt himself. He felt he only walked around the office each day, at most going to the pantry to pour a cup of coffee. How could he possibly leak nuclear submarine secrets?

But over the following days, Hugo’s life became a nightmare. He kept replaying his walks from the past few days, analyzing the steps recorded by the app. He even began to suspect that there might be some high-tech listening device hidden under his desk.

One day, he finally couldn't take it anymore and went to his superior, a bald lieutenant colonel who liked to speak in a high-pitched voice.

“Lieutenant Colonel, about that step-counting app leak… I, I use it too,” Hugo said nervously, his palms starting to sweat.

The lieutenant colonel glanced at him and said in an impatient tone, “I know, Hugo. Everyone in the base knows how many steps you take every day using that app. The office isn't that big; who hasn't noticed?”

Hugo was stunned. Did everyone already know he was using the app? Then why hadn't anyone stopped him?

“Then… that leak incident…” Hugo stammered.

The lieutenant colonel sighed, walked over to the window, and looked out at the warships in the distance. “Leak incident? That’s just a smokescreen. The nuclear submarine's berthing location and operational routes, how could they be leaked by some lousy app? We found the problem elsewhere long ago.”

Hugo felt dizzy. If it wasn't the app leak, why blame it on soldiers’ step-counting apps?

The lieutenant colonel turned around, with a mysterious smile on his face. “Because this way we can divert attention and make everyone focus on these insignificant ‘high-tech’ things. By the way, it can also add a bit of tension to our soldiers, to keep them from being idle all day.”

Hugo understood completely. His step-counting app was like a prop in a farce, used to cover up a deeper issue. His daily steps became a topic of gossip for everyone, as if he really held some kind of state secret.

He returned to his desk and opened the app again. 3892 steps, today’s number. He stared at that number and suddenly realized that it was no longer just a simple step count, but rather a satirical symbol, an epitome of this absurd world. He felt a sense of powerlessness, but at the same time, a strange optimism washed over him. After all, he could still walk so many steps every day, that was a contribution of sorts, wasn't it? At least he made his superiors feel like their schemes were going smoothly. Isn't that worth feeling gratified?

He silently closed the app and started watering the commander’s potted plants. He knew that life was like his step-counting app, seemingly normal, but actually full of absurd secrets, and he was just a small, slightly overweight step in this secret.