Chapter 1: The Smile Code
The morning sun wasn't real, but the HoloSky made a convincing show of it. Aeris stood in front of the mirror, practicing her compliance smile — eight seconds of relaxed joy, just enough sparkle in the eyes. It was the law.
"All joy is harmony. All harmony is peace."
– Article 1, The Unified Mood Code
Her HARMONY chip buzzed softly in her neck, pulsing like a second heartbeat. It liked her smile. Good. No red flags. No recalibration.
She glanced at the clock. 7:59 AM. Time to sync.
The public address system chimed.
"Citizens of Euphorica. It's a happy new day! Let gratitude guide your thoughts. Your emotional scan begins… now."
A flash of cold swept her spine as the chip connected to Central. Data streamed in — thoughts, heart rate, expressions, all filtered through Euphorica's neural network.
Aeris closed her eyes and let the smile stay frozen on her lips. But something felt… off. A weight in her chest. A shadow in her thoughts.
It wasn't part of the program.
And that was dangerous.