MindLink Corporation's laboratory was located on the top floor of an unmarked glass building in the city center. The morning sunlight poured through the panoramic windows, illuminating the white walls and blinking equipment. Alex stood at the central console, surrounded by her core research team.

"The latest security protocol has completed testing," said Jason, the chief engineer, sliding through data charts on the screen, "We've added three layers of encryption protection to ensure that data during the connection process cannot be intercepted externally."


Alex nodded, carefully examining the data. "What about the neuronal mapping precision?"

"Improved to 98.7%," replied Sophia, the neuroscientist, "This means the distortion in shared experiences has been reduced to a minimum. Users will hardly perceive any difference."

"Hardly," Alex repeated, "but differences still exist."


Sophia shrugged. "The brain itself is an interpretation machine, Alex. Even our own memories change over time. Perfect replication is impossible, but we've come very close."

The team continued to discuss technical details until the ethics consultant, David, cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.


"We need to discuss the ethical framework for civilian testing," he said, his expression serious, "especially if you and Marcus really intend to be the first test subjects."

The room fell quiet, with all eyes turning toward Alex. Her private plans had clearly become an open secret.

"Yes, I am considering this possibility," Alex admitted, "It would be the best source of data—24/7 real-time monitoring, plus my own subjective reports."

David shook his head. "Alex, you're the chief scientist and company founder. There's an obvious conflict of interest here. If any problems arise, you might be inclined to conceal or downplay them."

"I wouldn't—"

"Not consciously," David interrupted her, "but subconsciously, you want this technology to succeed too much."

Alex took a deep breath, controlling her emotions. "That's exactly why I'm the best candidate. No one understands how the Neural Bridge works better than I do, and no one can report and analyze the experience data more accurately."

Sophia hesitantly spoke up: "There's another issue... neural connections in intimate relationships can bring unexpected complexities. Our experimental volunteers all had short-term connections, while long-term thought sharing..."

"Could lead to blurred identity boundaries," Jason added, "you might begin to have difficulty distinguishing each other's memories and emotions."

Alex looked around, seeing the concern on everyone's face. She understood their worries, but they didn't understand her determination.

"Listen," her voice became firm, "every revolutionary technology comes with risks. Think about the first heart transplant, the first gene therapy, the first brain-computer interface. If no one were willing to take risks, humanity would never progress."

She walked toward the display screen on the wall and pulled up a set of images. "Look at what we've already achieved." The screen showed a soldier wearing a Neural Bridge in simulation training, able to receive visual information from teammates, greatly improving coordinated combat capabilities. The next image was of a doctor using the Neural Bridge to feel a patient's pain, precisely locating the source of illness.

"This technology has already saved lives and improved people's quality of life." Alex turned to the team, "Now it's time to bring it into daily life, to help ordinary people establish deeper connections."

David remained unmoved. "Technical capability and ethical appropriateness are two different things, Alex. We need more research, more short-term testing, more ethical discussions."

Alex looked at her team, knowing she needed their support. "I understand your concerns, really. But I believe the potential of the Neural Bridge far outweighs the risks. Besides," she paused, "this is also a personal decision. Marcus and I are both adults, we understand the risks and are willing to contribute to scientific progress."

Eventually, the meeting ended with a compromise: Alex and Marcus could be the first civilian test subjects, but they would be subject to strict monitoring and regular assessments. Any abnormalities would lead to immediate termination of the experiment.

---

That evening, Alex returned home with a stack of documents and a tablet. She found Marcus in the kitchen preparing dinner, the air filled with the aroma of spices and roasted meat.

"It smells wonderful," she said, placing her briefcase on the kitchen island.

Marcus smiled as he stirred the sauce in the pot. "Italian roast chicken, my grandmother's recipe."

Alex walked to his side and gently kissed his cheek. These warm family moments had become increasingly rare, and she cherished each one.

During dinner, Alex carefully steered the conversation. "Today we discussed the civilian testing program for the Neural Bridge."

Marcus's expression immediately became guarded. "I'm guessing you still want us to be the first test subjects?"

"I brought some materials," Alex said, without answering directly, "about the tests we've completed and the safety protocols."

Marcus put down his fork and sighed. "Alex, I'm not sure this is a good idea. Implanting something in someone else's brain... it sounds like the opening of a sci-fi horror movie."

Alex took out her tablet and pulled up a video. "Look at this."

The video shows a young soldier with an amputated left leg undergoing rehabilitation. Through the Neural Bridge, he connects to a physical therapist, enabling him to "feel" the correct movement patterns, greatly accelerating the prosthetic adaptation process.

"This soldier would normally need a year of rehabilitation," Alex explained, "with the Neural Bridge, it only took six weeks."

She swiped the screen to show another case: a married couple where the wife suffered from severe depression. Through the Neural Bridge, the husband truly understood the feeling of depression for the first time, no longer as an abstract concept but as a personal experience. In the video, the husband tearfully described how this changed his understanding of his wife's condition and his way of supporting her.

After watching the video, Marcus's expression softened somewhat. "These are all medical applications, Alex. We don't need treatment."

"Every relationship needs better understanding," Alex said softly. "Marcus, we were once so close, sharing everything. Now we live under the same roof, yet we're like two polite strangers."

Marcus remained silent for a moment, then looked up, his eyes flickering with complex emotions. "If you could see everything inside me, you might not like what you find."

Alex reached out and took his hand. "I love you, Marcus. Whatever is in your heart, that won't change."

"You don't understand," Marcus pulled his hand away. "Some thoughts... some feelings... they're not meant to be shared. Everyone has secrets, Alex. Not because we want to deceive each other, but because we need to maintain our integrity as individuals."

Alex felt a sharp pain, but she didn't back down. "The Neural Bridge isn't about eliminating all boundaries. It has different connection levels, and we can start with the most basic sensory sharing. And it's bidirectional, Marcus. You'll also see into my mind, my fears, my insecurities. It's equal vulnerability."

Marcus stood up and walked to the window, turning his back to her. "I'm afraid, Alex," his voice was almost a whisper, "afraid that you'll be disappointed when you see the real me. Afraid that the problems between us aren't due to a lack of understanding, but because we understand too clearly."

Alex walked behind him and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. "Or, we might discover that we understand each other better than we thought. Marcus, I don't expect you to be perfect. I just hope we can find that connection again, that feeling we had in Chicago."

Marcus turned around, with a vulnerable expression in his eyes that Alex hadn't seen in a long time. "If I agree, we need to establish clear boundaries. Time limits, connection levels, and the right to terminate at any moment."

Alex nodded, hope welling up inside her. "Of course, everything will be set according to your comfort level. We can start with the most basic level, just a few hours each day."

Marcus took a deep breath, as if he was about to jump into an unknown abyss. "Alright, I agree to try. But not for your research or company, but for us."

Alex embraced him, feeling the tension in his body gradually relax. In that moment, she sincerely believed that the Neural Bridge would save their marriage, helping them find each other again. What she didn't anticipate was that sometimes, knowing too much can be more dangerous than knowing too little.

When Marcus hugged her back, Alex closed her eyes, imagining that in the near future, their minds would connect and all walls would collapse. She didn't notice the fear and hesitation that flashed in Marcus's eyes, nor did she realize that in pursuing a perfect connection, she might discover some truths she could never forget.