The formation of the neutral zone was not without reason; the key lay in the presence of order maintenance.
In the City of Ruins, the stark opposition between the slums and the affluent districts, and between androids and humans, led to constant conflict. Naturally, neither side could establish order here.
Therefore, those chosen were unrestrained in this place. Beyond the skirmishes among the chosen themselves, they were also vulnerable to being killed by the natives.
Bai Ye pressed onward, passing through deserted areas until a vast expanse of barbed wire lay ahead.
Signs like "Caution," "No Entry," and "Please Check for Bacteria Carriers" were attached to the wire. Some signs and portions of the wire were even stained with blood.
However, there was no guard.
Beyond the barbed wire lay the slums.
The streets here remained in disrepair. The ground and the outer walls of buildings were still riddled with cracks, giving a precarious impression.
But signs of life began to appear.
Men in tank tops squatted in street corners, chewing on something unknown.
In the windows of buildings in the distance, a woman, cradling a child in one arm, extended a mop handle from the window with the other, beginning to hang clothes to dry.
From some carts, fragrant aromas wafted, carrying food made from mutated creatures.
Most of it was barbecue, teppanyaki, or soup.
The ingredients were not of the best quality, scraps from the carcasses of mutated creatures.
After all, the truly delectable parts were sent to the affluent districts. Even in the slums, some were available but confined to restaurants, unaffordable for the common folk.
Bai Ye's appearance drew some glances, but not many.
The people here were apathetic, but apathy was the norm. After all, survival was already a difficult struggle; how could they spare thought for others?
Bai Ye, riding his motorcycle, sifted through his memories and soon found a dilapidated alley.
The alley walls were adorned with a chaotic tangle of wires, tattered awnings, and a mess of illegal constructions.
At the alley's entrance, a flickering neon sign read: Hunting Ground.
Bai Ye parked his motorcycle at the alley's mouth, then stepped inside, quickly reaching an iron door and knocking.
A small window on the iron door slid open, revealing a pair of eyes scrutinizing Bai Ye.
"Eating, one of us."
The person did not speak but opened the iron door, allowing Bai Ye to enter.
This was a restaurant, but not an ordinary one.
It served better quality ingredients and offered processing services because it was a gathering place for hunters.
Both androids and humans frequented it. Besides satisfying hunger, it served a crucial purpose: exchanging intelligence and information.
This intelligence pertained to border conditions and information about the affluent districts.
The hunting ground was, in fact, established by androids rebelling against the affluent districts, serving as one of their strongholds.
Of course, this was something most people were unaware of.
Upon entering, Bai Ye walked further in and handed a plastic bag to a man nearby.
"Make it however you want, just make it tasty," Bai Ye said with a smile. "The leftovers are yours."
This was an unspoken rule; the leftovers served as payment for the meal.
The man was clearly satisfied with Bai Ye's adherence to the rules, nodding and gesturing for Bai Ye to sit anywhere.
The dimly lit restaurant had about a dozen tables and a five-seat bar counter.
Bai Ye took a seat at the counter and surveyed his surroundings.
Bai Ye was searching for his target, but he was not certain if his target would actually appear.
This was normal. Even with memories from his past life, some things were not set in stone. Life was always full of unforeseen circumstances.
Any choice, any action, could alter the future.
Just as the route Bai Ye had taken now was different from his past life.
In his previous life, Bai Ye had not possessed the capability to enter the City of Ruins when the world war was only in its mid-stage.
As Bai Ye pondered, a scruffy-bearded man suddenly approached the bar counter and sat down.
The man's face was dirty, his hands caked with mud. A large, peculiar-looking rifle was slung over his back, but it had energy cell slots, indicating it was an energy weapon.
His belt was adorned with several strangely shaped grenades and a worn-out machete.
Bai Ye narrowed his eyes. His target had just appeared!
"Allen, you can't just waltz in and out of my place," the owner said, wiping a glass and glancing at the man. "You'll scare my customers."
"Damn it, I know all your customers. I won't scare them," Allen lowered his voice. "Boss, those crystals have changed again."
"Are you going to start that again?" the owner rolled his eyes. "Nobody cares about that stuff."
"This is important. It's a new discovery. It's possible those mutated creatures are related to the crystals I found, or perhaps the Rhine Company has a new conspiracy."
The owner, impatient, replied, "So what? I only care about how my restaurant is doing. Nobody wants to trade for your intel. And if you're not going to eat, get out."
"Give me a portion of grilled meat rice," Allen said resignedly, then produced a cloth pouch. "And my intel is very useful. If you don't believe me, I'll show you something incredible."
As he spoke, Allen opened the cloth pouch and poured out some fragments of purplish-pink crystals.
Quickly, Allen arranged the fragments into a circle on the table.
Allen said, "May I borrow a cup?"
The owner reluctantly handed him a cup.
Allen placed the cup in the center of the powder and slowly began to rotate it.
Suddenly, a faint halo of light emerged from the crystal powder.
The halo reflected on the cup, displaying wondrous colors, appearing semi-transparent, or perhaps like a seven-colored glow.
Allen seemed to be seeking some revelation, like an ancient gypsy divining, rotating the cup and tilting it slightly, searching for an angle.
And then…
Suddenly, a beam of light enveloped the cup. Immediately after, within the embrace of the light, the cup inexplicably vanished without a trace.
Concurrently, as the cup disappeared, the surrounding halo gradually dimmed, and the crystal powder returned to normal.
Allen exclaimed excitedly, "Well? Do you believe me now? Those crystals are not simple. This is no ordinary thing; it's mysterious and valuable."
The owner remained silent for a moment, then said, "Remember to pay for the cup."
Allen: "..."