Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The incident was resolved without any major issues, and the road quickly reopened. The driver continued down the one-way street, still talking about what had just happened.

"That was a dangerous criminal who escaped from White Castle. No wonder Young Master Gu came to apprehend him."

Morna, once divided into seven factions across the continent, later suffered a devastating plague that drastically reduced its population. Now, the Morna government forces exist in name only. Two major factions control both military and political power: the Sunburn Club and the Morning Star Club.

Chu Ya's father, Chu Chengyu, is the president of the Morning Star Club and a candidate for the current prime ministerial election.

With resources scarce, both factions fiercely compete for control over key institutions, neither willing to yield. Some institutions are jointly managed by both clubs, with personnel from each side. Thus, while the government appears to be under the control of the Morna government forces, the actual personnel belong to either the Sunburn Club or the Morning Star Club.

Gu Lin, as a trusted confidant of Chu Ya's father, entered an institution like White Castle, becoming a colonel in the government forces and the warden responsible for incarcerating dangerous criminals.

On this trip to the abyss, Chu Ya accompanied government officials, half of whom were from the Morning Star Club and loyal to Chu Chengyu.

Sitting in the car, Chu Ya couldn't help but think about what had just happened.

He imagined the prisoners at White Castle to have menacing faces. However, the man he saw looked ordinary and harmless. When using a mortar to blast open the window, he even instructed those inside to step back to avoid injury.

Yet, only those who committed serious crimes were imprisoned in White Castle, indicating that appearances can be deceiving. It's difficult to judge someone's character based on a single action.

Chu Ya recalled Gu Lin's words.

It sounded like the man had broken out of White Castle less than a week ago, but what did he mean by saying "it's useless after breaking through"?

What does "useful" or "useless" refer to?

Lost in thought, the vehicle left the commercial district. The towering buildings on either side had no walls, supported only by cylindrical pillars. Under the artificial sunlight of high-pressure sodium lamps, crops like rice, wheat, and corn could be seen growing on every floor.

This vast area served as a cultivation base, with these buildings dedicated to agriculture, adding greenery to the city of steel and concrete.

The cultivation base is also known as the wealthy district, as residential buildings are interspersed between the agricultural towers. These homes offer views of greenery, albeit mostly corn stalks or potato sprouts, commanding high prices and reserved for the elite.

One of these buildings housed Chu Ya's family.

He rolled down the window, letting the fresh scent of plants fill the car. The sedan exited the main three-level road via a ramp, turning onto a narrow lane lined with corn stalks, and stopped in front of a residential building.

Chu Ya got out of the car, and the driver parked it in the underground garage.

The so-called "underground" was actually a hollow structure made of special metal supporting Cloud Peak, housing various factories and parking lots.

Chu Ya entered the private elevator on the far right, heading straight to the top floor of the building.

As the elevator doors opened, he faced the living room where a well-maintained middle-aged woman sat on the sofa. Hearing the sound, she looked up and called out happily, "Xiaoya."

"Mom."

Mrs. Chu stood up and approached Chu Ya, asking, "Are you comfortable? How are you feeling?"

"I was only in the abyss for one night."

"Did you take your differentiation stabilizer? Are you feeling unwell? You look a bit pale."

"I took it, and I feel fine." Chu Ya squeezed his mother's hand. "Is Dad home?"

"He just left for an emergency meeting. He said he'll be back late. Have you eaten?"

Without waiting for an answer, Mrs. Chu added, "You probably haven't. I'll ask Ah Qin to prepare something for you. By the time you finish your bath, it should be ready."

Mrs. Chu went to the kitchen, and Chu Ya stood in the foyer, taking off his suit jacket and coat and placing them on the shoe bench. Wearing only his shirt, he hurriedly walked towards his room, calling out, "Ah Qin, make sure to disinfect my clothes after washing them."

"I know," the maid Ah Qin responded from the kitchen.

The Chu residence spanned two floors, with bedrooms on the second level. Chu Ya went upstairs to his room, took a quick shower, and then soaked in the bathtub.

The warm water enveloped his body, soothing his limbs. As he relaxed, he wondered if his father was dealing with some pressing issue, considering how busy he had been lately.

The lunch bell rang, and Shen Juanjuan was finally released from the punishment room. He hastily hid the tin box in its usual spot behind the yard and rushed to the cafeteria.

The cafeteria hadn't started distributing meals yet, but several lines had already formed, each with two iron buckets containing lunch. Just as he was about to join the queue, a senior student on duty stopped him.

"You're too dirty. Go wash your face first," the senior student said.

Shen Juanjuan stared at the buckets, rubbed his face a few times, and said, "I'm clean now."

Seeing his dirtier face, the senior student turned around to report, "Officer—"

"I'll go wash, I'll wash right away." Shen Juanjuan didn't dare to delay, running to the water room at the end of the corridor.

The faucet still dispensed cold water, but it was warmer than in the morning. Shen Juanjuan removed his hat and tie, rolled up his sleeves, and washed his face and hands thoroughly. In the mirror, he finally looked like a clean, handsome little boy with big eyes.

Shen Juanjuan smoothly entered the cafeteria and found the line for the younger students. Seeing Lin Duozhi standing at the end of the queue, he joined him.

"Were you caught hiding the chocolate?" Lin Duozhi asked nervously in a low voice.

"No, I hid it." Shen Juanjuan pointed to his pocket. "I ran out and back in, and was caught outside the gate."

Thinking about the chocolate, he couldn't resist sniffing his pocket. Lin Duozhi leaned in to smell it, but Shen Juanjuan immediately covered his pocket and turned away. "Smell your own."

"Mine is under the bed."

"What if you smell all of mine?"

Lin Duozhi stopped trying to smell it and asked, "Why did you run to the gate? If you crawled through a hole, you wouldn't have been caught."

Shen Juanjuan regretted it but remained silent.

"Shen Juanjuan." Someone called his name. Shen Juanjuan turned and greeted Liu Sijin from the neighboring queue, "Liu Sijin."

"Come stand next to me." Liu Sijin pointed to the spot beside her.

Shen Juanjuan asked Lin Duozhi, "Should we go over?"

"Who is she?"

Before Shen Juanjuan could answer, a bald girl slightly older than them standing behind Liu Sijin slapped her and said angrily, "No playing with stinky boys."

Liu Sijin dared not speak anymore. Shen Juanjuan turned to stare at Lin Duozhi: "They don't play with stinky boys, so you can't go over there. I'll go alone."

Lin Duozhi was not pleased: "I took a bath last week; I'm not stinky. You haven't taken a bath in ages."

Shen Juanjuan looked shocked: "But I just washed my face. You didn't wash your face. I'm not a stinky boy; I'm a stinky kid."

"I'm a stinky kid too."

Both raised their voices. A tall boy from the younger class ahead suddenly turned around and fanned his nose: "Stinky! You two stinky bugs, disgusting, so disgusting."

"You're the stinky bug," Lin Duozhi retorted.

The boy held up his hand: "You're a monster, you have six fingers, a monster stinky bug."

Lin Duozhi fell silent and hid his left hand behind his back.

Shen Juanjuan immediately scanned the line of older students for any danger. Finding none, he made a face at the boy and pinched his voice: "Dung beetle, dung beetle, Wang Zhusheng is a dung beetle who pooped in his pants."

Wang Zhusheng, as if hit where it hurt most, his round face turned red, and he suddenly shouted towards the serving area: "Brother!"

Several older students on duty were standing ahead, and one of them, tall and muscular, looked over.

"What?"

"Brother! He called me a dung beetle!"

Shen Juanjuan did not expect Wang Zhusheng's brother to be there. He froze, standing there with wide, frightened eyes, watching Wang Zhusheng's brother throw down the serving spoon and stride over.

"Juanjuan, Juanjuan..." Lin Duozhi also spoke in fear, his voice trembling.

Wang Zhusheng's brother reached Shen Juanjuan, grabbed him by the collar, and lifted him up. Shen Juanjuan did not dare resist, dangling in the air with his feet off the ground, body straight, hands at his sides.

The supervisor stood nearby, and Wang Zhusheng's brother did not dare do much but still growled menacingly: "If you call my brother names again, I'll kill you."

Shen Juanjuan remained dazed, staring at him. Wang Zhusheng's brother then dropped him on the ground and pushed him away: "Scram!"

Shen Juanjuan stumbled into the line, his hat falling off. All the younger kids dared not move, and he stayed in a prone position, not daring to get up. It was only when Wang Zhusheng's brother turned to leave that Liu Sijin and Lin Duozhi helped him up.

"I'm going to tell the supervisor," Shen Juanjuan said, touching a scratch on his hand.

A nearby child advised: "Don't tell; if you do, he'll beat you up."

Shen Juanjuan had been disciplined by older students before and had suffered for telling on them, so he would not really report it. He just picked up his hat, eyes red, and put it on.

"He's gone now, it's okay."

"Wang Zhusheng's brother hits hard; I've seen him beat up older students."

"He's so fierce; even older students can't beat him."

The busy supervisor looked up, seeing the children gathered together, and knocked the ruler on the table beside him: "What are you all doing? Stand in line properly and don't talk."

The children repositioned themselves. Shen Juanjuan looked forward and saw Wang Zhusheng grinning at him maliciously, mouthing, "Stinky bug, stinky bug."

Shen Juanjuan pretended not to care, turning his head to look around, indifferent.

But he could not help feeling hurt and sad, so he turned to pretend to talk to Lin Duozhi, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Lin Duozhi kept whispering comfort: "Stop crying, stop crying. I'll let you smell my black ball later."

Shen Juanjuan sniffled: "...I, I have my own."

He reached into his pocket and touched a soft, smooth fabric. He gently rubbed it, then clenched it tightly in his palm, feeling better and finally stopping his tears.

Shen Juanjuan wiped his face, saying to Lin Duozhi: "My brother will help me get back at him later."

Lin Duozhi responded with an "Oh" and then seemed puzzled: "Do you have a brother?"

"Yes," Shen Juanjuan replied firmly: "He's very fierce; three older students can't beat him! Even Wang Zhusheng's brother can't beat him!"

"I didn't know you had a brother."

Shen Juanjuan wanted to say he was the big kid from Cloud Peak who gave us the black balls, but he did not say it. He felt the tie in his pocket, silent for several seconds before affirming: "My brother is in Cloud Peak; he'll come find me later."

Lin Duozhi did not doubt him: "Will he help you fight Wang Zhusheng's brother?"

"Yes, he'll beat Wang Zhusheng's brother to a pulp, and Wang Zhusheng's brother will... will..." Shen Juanjuan raised his hand, mimicking someone flailing on the ground, "He'll try to get up, but my brother will already have beaten him to a pulp." Then he glared at the floor: "My brother says, 'If you hit my brother again, I'll kill you!'"

Lin Duozhi smiled, and Shen Juanjuan felt better. He turned to look at Wang Zhusheng's brother, seeing he was not paying attention, and secretly made a gesture: "Psychic attack."

Lin Duozhi also hid and mimicked: "Psychic attack."

"He'll fall into the bucket soon."

"Dead."

"Yeah, dead."

"Hehehe..."

In the nearby line, the bald girl who had been watching them coldly rolled her eyes: "Childish stinky boys."