2 posts tagged with "Kafka-style"

Alonso, or let us call him Alonso for now—for his real name had long since worn away in the endless archives and atlases, like the emblem on an old coin—spent nineteen years searching for his missing daughter. These nineteen years did not pass linearly, but rather meandered across a map repeatedly folded, riddled with creases and holes. He claimed that for this search, he had traversed "a million kilometers." This number, initially just a hyperbole born of grief, gradually acquired a terrifying, almost metaphysical precision.

Wang Er got himself a new phone, shiny like a spring roll wrapper just fished out of a wok. But that wasn't important. What mattered was the app inside called "Omniscient and Omnipotent Life Assistant." The name sounded like an ancient emperor's title, exuding an air of undeniable authority. Wang Er liked that kind of thing. He felt life should have a bit of that "who else but me" swagger.

This app really had something. In the morning, it would remind Wang Er to get up like a gentle female secretary, casually telling him the weather and which route had the least traffic—even though Wang Er rode a rickety old bicycle where everything rattled except the bell. It could also, based on Wang Er's search history for "how to make braised pork less greasy" the previous night, push him a coupon for the highest-rated deli nearby, adding a note: "According to your health data, your recommended fat intake for the week has reached its limit, but occasional indulgence is good for mental well-being!" Wang Er felt this app understood him even better than his own mother, especially the "occasional indulgence" part—that really hit home.