Chapter 146: Sky City

Chapter 146: Sky City

It had been a long time since Devil City saw rain, but once the thunder roared and lightning flashed, it was half a month of unrelenting dampness. The icy rain carried with it the dust that floated in the air, drizzling down onto the old streets, mingling with the waste water by the roadside to flow into the stinking gutters.

Year after year, the heavy rains tried to wash away something from this city, yet they changed nothing at all.

Since that day when Lu Yan killed the female ghost and returned home, he had been lying in bed recuperating. A large, black-and-purple bruise covered his shoulder, stubbornly refusing to heal. Even the rate at which his Life Points drained had accelerated significantly.

Lu Xiaozhao, in his usual superstitious manner, claimed that Lu Yan was being haunted by the female ghost's grudge. If he didn't take medicine, the wound would never heal. He had specifically gone to the black market on Cloud Road and spent a fortune to buy back a bottle of Restorative Serum.

"Brother, I've inquired about this Restorative Serum from people in the black market. It's exclusive to the Patrol Team and isn't sold anywhere else. It's specifically for treating wounds left by Stragglers. I squatted there early in the morning for three hours just to snatch one."

Lu Xiaozhao crouched by the bedside, holding a tube of pale green liquid as if it were a precious treasure. He sprayed it two or three times on Lu Yan's shoulder, visibly reducing the clear vial by more than half.

When Lu Yan heard the word "black market," his eyelids twitched. To him, those two words were synonymous with robbery: "How much did you spend?"

Lu Xiaozhao held up his fingers, his heart bleeding with pain: "Thirteen hundred Time Points. The original price is three thousand."

This kind of Restorative Serum was free equipment for the Patrol Team, with piles of them issued every month. But in the hands of ordinary people, it became something more valuable than gold.

After saying this, Lu Xiaozhao closed his eyes tightly, bracing himself for a beating. Unexpectedly, Lu Yan didn't react much; he simply said indifferently, "I see. Go out now, don't disturb my rest."

"???"

Lu Xiaozhao exclaimed in surprise: "Brother, you're not going to beat me?"

Lu Yan lifted his eyelid and countered, "Why? Are you itching for a fight?"

Lu Xiaozhao hastily waved his hands: "No, no. Brother, you should rest well. I won't bother you anymore."

With that, he left the room in a flash, even closing the door behind him. Little did he know that not long after he left, Lu Yan slowly sat up from the bed, staring intently at the golden watch on his right wrist, lost in thought.

In this world, watches had become bestsellers. Poor people wore them to hide their meager Life Points, while the wealthy wore them to conceal their ostentatious wealth. Even Lu Yan would habitually wear a watch when he went out.

But now, the numbers below the watch face had undergone a dramatic change.

Lu Yan undid the clasp, sliding the gold watch off his wrist. Under the slightly yellowish light, he saw that an extra string of zeros had appeared behind the displayed remaining Life Points. Counting them, it amounted to over two hundred years.

Ever since that day when Lu Yan killed the Straggler, he mysteriously gained two hundred years of Life Points on his wrist. During this period, he seemed to be recovering from his injuries, but in reality, he had been mentally calculating the move to Sky City.

The threshold for entering Sky City was high. One needed at least a hundred years of Life Points to exchange for a pass. Lu Yan now had exactly two hundred years, which should be enough to get two passes without any problems.

Lu Yan had never been to Sky City and couldn't imagine what it looked like. Most ordinary people could only stand on the ground, gazing up at the city in the clouds. But even a fool like Lu Xiaozhao knew that Sky City had clean, tidy streets and a Patrol Team patrolling day and night. Once you lived there, you no longer had to worry about sudden attacks by Stragglers.

Lu Yan was also an ordinary person. After having the means, of course, he would consider a better life.

This rain soon stopped, and Lu Yan chose a nice day to directly take Lu Xiaozhao out, even stopping a taxi on the road—a rare extravagance.

"Driver, to Cloud Road."

Lu Yan wore a black hooded sweater and leaned against the window to close his eyes and rest after saying this, his face covered with a black mask. His current mood was like suddenly winning a sixty million lottery prize and heading to claim it immediately. He feared that some criminal gang might target him on the way. After all, Devil City was a mix of good and bad, and crimes for money and life were not uncommon. It was safer to cover his face.

Little did Lu Yan know that his unusual behavior frightened Lu Xiaozhao greatly. Sitting beside him, he nervously fiddled with his hands: "Brother, why are we suddenly going to Cloud Road?"

Was Lu Yan planning to sell him? He wasn't worth much, though. University students were cheap these days.

Lu Yan didn't say much, merely stating, "You'll see when we get there."

Lu Xiaozhao was a chatterbox. The less he knew, the safer he was.

They lived in the outskirts of Devil City, and Cloud Road was the closest place to Sky City. The taxi took nearly two hours to arrive.

Lu Yan and Lu Xiaozhao got off the car together. What met their eyes were towering skyscrapers and bustling commercial areas. Unlike the desolation of Devil City, this place was clearly several levels more prosperous. Passersby were dressed in fine clothing, and the Patrol Team often passed by with guns. The air was filled with the sweet aroma of nearby bakeries, making it seem like a utopia.

"Wow..."

Lu Xiaozhao let out a rustic exclamation, secretly tugging at Lu Yan's sleeve and lowering his voice: "Brother, this place is so beautiful. No wonder the rent on Cloud Road costs over ten thousand Time Points a month!"

Lu Yan was briefly stunned for a few seconds before coming back to his senses. Looking around, he saw a white staircase not far ahead, crowded with people queuing up. At the end of the staircase was a beautiful city floating above the clouds—the entrance to Cloud City.

Lu Yan tilted his chin slightly: "Come on, let's go take a look."

Hearing this, Lu Xiaozhao was taken aback, quickly catching up: "Brother, this is the entrance to apply for passes to Sky City. We don't have any Time Points. Why are we joining the crowd?"

Lu Yan glanced at him: "We're already here. It doesn't hurt to take a look. Either you come with me, or you can wander around elsewhere. I'm going in myself."

Lu Xiaozhao scratched his head: "No, no, no. I'll go with you, so we don't get separated."

Lu Yan and Lu Xiaozhao stood at the end of the queue. Ahead of them was a long line. In front of them was a middle-aged man in a suit, looking quite successful. Lu Yan secretly glanced at his right wrist and couldn't help but narrow his eyes—

Goodness, four hundred years of Life Points. He was a hidden tycoon!

Lu Yan silently covered his own wrist, suddenly feeling that his two hundred years were embarrassingly meager. He cleared his throat and stepped forward to strike up a conversation: "Big brother, is this where you apply for passes?"

The man in the suit didn't expect someone to speak to him. Turning around, he found a young man wearing a mask: "Yes, are you also here to apply for a pass?"

Lu Yan nodded: "Yes."

Lu Xiaozhao quietly covered his face, unable to bear watching his brother tell lies.

The man in the suit was rather surprised, patting his shoulder: "Young man, you're quite accomplished. You've saved up enough Time Points at such a young age. Sigh, unlike me. I've worked hard until this age just to afford a pass."

Lu Yan asked seemingly casually: "I see you have four hundred Time Points. That's enough to exchange for four passes."

The man in the suit suddenly laughed upon hearing this: "Exchange? Don't be fooled. The passes aren't exchanged, they're bought. As long as the balance in your Life Points is less than a hundred years, the Patrol Team will kick you out immediately. In other words, you can't spend that hundred years at all."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yan felt a jolt in his heart. He had thought that exchanging a hundred years for a pass would be enough. It turned out that you couldn't spend that hundred years at all?!

The man in the suit didn't notice his shock, continuing to talk incessantly: "Young man, there are more and more Stragglers in Devil City now. Those people are desperate to run to Sky City, but they should also see if they can afford to live there. Everything—eating, drinking, toiletries—requires spending money. A hundred years is only enough to get you a ticket to enter. Even a bottle of water costs twenty Time Points. This is a place where ordinary people can't afford to live."

Cloud Road was already exorbitant because it bordered Sky City; a regular apartment could rent for as high as ten thousand Time Points per month. So what would the prices inside Cloud City be like? Shockingly astronomical figures? Twenty thousand? Thirty thousand? Or even one hundred thousand?

Even if Lu Yan had exchanged for a pass, without sufficient savings, there was no way he could sustain Lu Xiaozhao's life in such an expensive place.

The man in the suit was completely oblivious to how his simple words had shattered Lu Yan's heart. Curious, he asked, "By the way, young man, how many years of Time Points have you saved up? Is it enough?"

Lu Yan gave an awkward smile. "It might not be. I should go back and save some more."

With that, he gave Lu Xiaozhao a meaningful look, and the two turned to leave. However, before they could take two steps, a sudden commotion erupted from behind them. Instinctively, Lu Yan looked back and saw a crowd gathered at the entrance of Sky City, the cause of the disturbance unknown.

"Scram! I've said it countless times, not even a day less is acceptable, let alone a whole year missing. This is Sky City, not a charity. Take your granddaughter and leave immediately, don't waste time here!"

A patrol guard stationed at the entrance pushed through the crowd and forcefully ejected an elderly woman holding a child out of the queue. The woman, due to her advanced age, stumbled but managed to steady herself with the help of a passerby. Yet, she clung tightly to the frail little girl in her arms, refusing to let go.

Seeing this, Lu Yan couldn't help but pause. The woman's tattered clothes practically screamed 'poverty.' Logically, a family in such straits wouldn't have been able to save up a hundred years of Time Points. He felt a strange sensation, as if he were the only poor person left in a world full of millionaires.

How did she manage to save up enough Time Points?

This thought, shared by others, compelled him to stand aside and watch the unfolding scene.

The elderly woman hugged her granddaughter closer, her hair, now tinged with silver from worry, revealing signs of malnutrition in its dull yellow hue. She pleaded, "Young man, I heard that Sky City's Children's Welfare Home has opened a hundred spots for the residents of Devil City. If we can gather a hundred years of Time Points for the child, she can enter. Our entire family has been saving for a long time, and we've almost reached ninety-nine years. We're just short of one year. Please show some leniency. She has congenital heart disease, and the hospitals in Devil City can't treat her."

In a sense, Devil City had become a forsaken existence. However, Sky City still had many kind-hearted individuals. The Children's Welfare Home annually opened a hundred spots to the public, admitting children with disabilities, taking care of them until they grew up.

In other words, as long as one could gather a hundred Time Points to exchange for a pass, these children could be admitted into the welfare home in Sky City, receiving care and no longer having to worry about their livelihood.

However, the gatekeeper wasn't willing to budge. "If you've already saved up ninety-nine years, what's the problem with the last year? If I make an exception for you, should I do the same for others? Go back and save up the Time Points. There are plenty of people who want this spot!"

Tears streamed down the elderly woman's face as she shook her head vigorously. "It's too late... It's too late... Her parents are gone... Her grandfather is gone... They're all gone... Young man, I read in the news that if the situation is truly difficult, a few years can be waived. Please, have a heart and let my granddaughter in..."

No one dared to delve deeper into what she meant by "all gone." In a world where fathers could steal their infants' life values, there were also stories of parents sacrificing their lives to save their children. Those seemingly light ninety-nine years might have been accumulated at the cost of several generations' lives.

"Make an exception?" The patrol guard raised an eyebrow. "That requires a referral letter. Do you have one?"

This was more challenging than asking someone to save up a year's worth of Time Points. Seeing the elderly woman crying and shaking her head, the guard lost patience and pushed her away. "You don't have enough Time Points, and you don't have a referral letter. What are you still doing here? Get lost!"

Almost pushed down the stairs, everyone watched with a pang of sympathy. Suddenly, a slender figure rushed forward to shield them, anger barely contained. "You're going too far! The welfare home opens spots to do good deeds, not for you to bully people! I read the news too. It said that if the situation is truly difficult, the Time Points can be reduced by three to five years. Even if a referral letter is needed, it should be your responsibility to lead them to the relevant department. What kind of skill is it to bully the elderly here!"

It was none other than Lu Xiaozhao.

He spread his arms to protect the old woman, his face flushed with rage, his chest heaving. "We're all fellow countrymen, we should help each other. Why step on each other instead? Yes, you live in Sky City, so you're great. But if you have the ability, why not save more people?! Are you really happy only when everyone in Devil City dies?!"

His words resonated with the onlookers, who echoed his sentiments, their emotions running high:

"That's right, bullying kids, what kind of skill is that? It's fine if adults are short a year, but what's the harm in turning a blind eye for a kid?!"

"Don't think I didn't see it. You took bribes privately. There was a lively child without any disability, but because his father slipped you a few thousand Time Points, you let him in!"

"What's so great about being a gatekeeper? Once I get my pass, I'll directly complain about you to the welfare home!"

The patrol guard, berated, turned red and then purple, his expression ugly. "I don't care what you say. One year short means no entry. If you can, gather enough Time Points for a year. Otherwise, all of you shut up!"

If you were asked to give a beggar on the street a hundred dollars, it might not be a big deal. But if you were asked to give up a year of your life, almost everyone would find it difficult.

As soon as these words were spoken, the surrounding air fell into silence. The onlookers exchanged glances, suddenly more awkward and embarrassed than the hunched-over old woman.

If they were true millionaires, they wouldn't have hesitated to part with a year's worth of Time Points. But they were all standing here today, waiting in line to enter Sky City, which meant they weren't truly rich. They were merely a group of lucky individuals who had managed to save up enough Time Points, struggling to survive.

The patrol guard's teammate couldn't bear to watch and stepped forward, whispering, "Captain, since it's just one year short, why not let it go..."

Before he could finish, he was shoved aside, staggering. The patrol guard glared at him fiercely. "What does this have to do with you? I said no entry, and that's final!"

Then, he turned to Lu Xiaozhao, who had publicly challenged him, and lunged forward, grabbing his collar threateningly. "I suspect you're intentionally disrupting the peace of Sky City. Come with me for information collection and blacklisting. Even if you save up a hundred years of Time Points in the future, you won't be allowed to enter Sky City. Did you hear..."

"Bang—!"

Before the patrol guard could finish his sentence, a sharp pain struck his shoulder. His vision spun, and he crashed heavily to the ground. The onlookers gasped in shock, quickly stepping back to create a vacuum around him.

Dizzy and disoriented, the patrol guard groaned as he struggled to his feet. He lifted his head with difficulty and saw a young man in a black hooded sweater standing before him. Although his face was obscured by a mask, his eyes were piercing and intimidating.

The patrol guard hadn't expected anyone to come to their aid. Terrified, he took two steps back, stumbling for a moment before finding his courage. "Y-you... How dare you hit me?! Do you know that's a crime?!"

As he spoke, he fumbled to draw the gun from his waist, aiming it at Lu Yan. However, before he could pull the trigger, a bolt of purple lightning shot from the palm of the other party, striking his gun and sending it flying. With a loud clang, the black gun was instantly reduced to a shapeless lump of charcoal.

In an instant, the air fell into a deathly silence, as if frozen by an invisible hand. Everyone forgot to breathe.

The patrol guard stared dumbfoundedly at his gun, now a charred piece of coal, his face draining of color. His legs weakened, nearly collapsing to the ground. "Y-you... You're a superhuman?!"

Sky City stood above Devil City precisely because of the protection of superhumans. Therefore, this identity commanded absolute respect everywhere, especially for superhumans known for their destructive powers, like those with lightning abilities.

No one had expected that the plain-dressed young man before them was actually a superhuman. They were both in awe and fear, holding their breaths in nervousness.

Lu Yan ignored the patrol guard and walked over to the elderly woman, gently lifting the little girl from her arms. She was small and thin, much like a kitten.

Surveying the surroundings, Lu Yan finally turned to the patrol guard who had been pushed aside earlier. "Can you help her apply for a pass?"

"Huh?"

The patrol guard was taken aback for a moment before quickly stepping forward to take the little girl. He handled the matter much more efficiently. "Please rest assured. I will help her apply for the pass. There are specialists inside who will take her to the welfare home."

Under everyone's astonished gaze, the little girl was swiftly taken inside. She didn't cry or make a fuss, only staring blankly at her grandmother outside, not understanding why they had to be separated. She stretched out her hand, trying to reach for her, calling out in a soft voice, "Grandma... Grandma..."

On her wrist, the countdown for ninety-nine years of life slowly ticked away, carrying the lives and hopes of all her loved ones.

The elderly woman watched her granddaughter disappear inside, then stumbled and fell to the ground. Everyone cried out in alarm, rushing to help her. To their surprise, they found that her life value on her wrist was down to only one hour. No wonder she had kept saying it was too late, too late.

A middle-aged aunt, her eyes red with concern, asked anxiously, "Grandma, do you have any relatives left? Call them quickly!"

As she spoke, she tried to transfer some life value to the elderly woman, but the latter firmly held her back, shaking her head with a smile, silently declining her kindness.

The old lady accepted no one's transfer of gifts. Her face was pale, barely holding on to a breath as she searched for the figures of Lu Yan and Lu Xiaozhao amidst the crowd that had gathered around her. Finally, with a trembling hand, she grasped theirs and revealed a smile that was both relieved and grateful: "Young man... thank you... thank you both..."

"I can no longer support her... It's truly beyond my means... Her mother, father, and grandfather have given her their life essence... And mine as well... It was only with great difficulty that we managed to accumulate ninety-nine years..."

"I have grown old... I am unable to save enough for the remaining year of her time... Without you all today... I truly do not know what I would have done..."

Lu Xiaozhao's eyes were red, and he choked up, unable to speak. His parents, too, had been unable to live on due to illness, leaving all their life force to him and his brother.

Lu Yan didn't speak, but instead firmly grasped the old woman's hand, which was as dry and rough as the bark of a tree. After a moment, he slowly released it. His voice was low, yet it seemed to have the power to soothe the soul, even dispelling some of the chill that followed the rain:

"Grandma, the days ahead are long, go home early... Perhaps the world will change in the future, and you might still be able to see your granddaughter grow up."

After he finished speaking, he and Lu Xiaozhao helped the old lady up from the ground together, then turned and left, their figures quickly vanishing into the crowd. At that moment, someone let out a cry of surprise, pointing at the old lady's wrist and exclaiming with delight, "Oh my! Granny, that young man just transferred an entire year's worth of life value to you!!"

Upon hearing this, the old woman seemed to realize something for the first time. She looked down in a daze at her wrist and noticed that the number on it had somehow changed from "1" to "8760".

Eight thousand seven hundred and sixty hours, which is equivalent to three hundred and sixty-five days,

A year that has a beginning and an end.

A complete cycle of the four seasons.

Lu Yan is not known for his generosity, but if a portion of his time could save a life, he would willingly part with a slice of his own years.

If in this year the grandmother could find a job to support herself, then she might live longer than she does now; if the wanderer disappeared a year later and Sky City opened to the public, she could be reunited with her loved ones once again; if nothing happened in this year, she could quietly live through a full cycle of the seasons, witnessing the golden ginkgo leaves fall from the branches, and seeing the white snow cover this city that is always shrouded in gloom.

These people, struggling to survive, are not at fault; it is the flawed world that is to blame.

On the way back, Lu Yan seemed to be in a bad mood. Several times during the car ride, Lu Xiaozhao opened his mouth as if to ask something, only to be stopped by a single sentence from him:

"I know what you're itching to ask, but hold it in. When I'm in a better mood, I'll naturally explain it to you."

Lu Xiaozhao instantly became as quiet as a mouse: "..."

By the time he got home, it was already evening, and without even having dinner, Lu Yan went straight back to his room. He closed the door behind him with a backhand, lay on the bed motionless, and after a moment, suddenly slapped his own head hard, then wrapped himself in the quilt and twisted on the bed like a worm, gritting his teeth and cursing:

“I told you to pretend to be generous! I told you to pretend to be generous! In a whole year, you can’t even make back the money by selling a warehouse of watches!”

Although if given another chance, Lu Yan would still choose to give away the life value of that year, this does not affect the fact that upon returning home, he regretted it so much that he pounded his chest and almost twisted the quilt into a pretzel.

Just as Lu Yan was so regretful that he wished to jump off the building, his mobile phone, which was placed beside his pillow, suddenly rang, indicating that someone had sent him a message. In his foul mood, Lu Yan initially had no intention of responding, but a casual glance caught his eye, and he suddenly noticed that it was a message from the wealthy individual known as Phantom. In an instant, he sat up straight in bed:

Oh my, the benefactor!!!