Chapter 444: Chapter 174: Lower City District
Once the car entered the tunnel, the surrounding scenery became monotonous. Chen Chuan and Old Zhan chatted idly as Chen Chuan recalled what he knew about the Lower City District.
It was said that when Central City was being built, the construction plans for the Upper and Lower City Districts were launched simultaneously. But for some unknown reason, the construction of the Lower City District was never completed as planned and was eventually abandoned.
Following the withdrawal of the last management and maintenance team thirty years ago, the place had completely devolved into a gathering ground for undocumented drifters and gang members.
The Lower City District was comprised of vast, sectioned-off zones and a complex network of tunnels. These roads extended in all directions, connecting the various zones and even reaching the Upper City District. Its population couldn’t be accurately tallied, but it was possibly no smaller than that of the Upper City District.
Because it had been abandoned by Central City’s administrative system, all sorts of experimental Implants, illegal drugs, and dangerous goods flowed into it daily. It was, in a sense, a free testing ground for various corporations.
It was also where Esoteric Buddhism followers and rebels were most numerous. The area was home to a large number of illegal Esoteric Buddhist sects and Cultists, and even some unaffiliated resistance organizations hid within its depths. At the same time, hordes of gang members conducted all kinds of illegal business there.
For example, the various Esoteric Materials that Old Qi had previously bought had all come from there.
Many Fighters wanted in the Upper City District would sometimes hide out here. Previously, someone at the Processing Bureau had wanted to send sponsored trainees like him to the Lower City District to hunt down fugitives, but Ni Qianqian had chewed them out and shut the idea down.
During the early days of his escape, Wei Wusheng had also been suspected of entering the Lower City District. As a result, the place was always associated with words like chaos, disorder, depravity, and madness.
Just then, the vehicle jolted as if it had run over some rocks, interrupting Chen Chuan’s train of thought. He saw the car turn into another tunnel that extended downward.
After another ten minutes of driving, the space gradually widened. The ceiling rose steadily, finally leveling out at a height he estimated to be twenty to thirty meters.
Now, at regular intervals, he could see huge, cylindrical glass cases leaning against the walls. They contained dark green plants that were entirely wrapped in a fluorescent glow. There were more on the ceiling, suspended like beams, providing ample light to the underground space.
In some places, however, the glass had long since shattered. The pedestals serving as their bases were also smashed, having collapsed onto the road along with their metal support frames. The plants inside had grown out wantonly, spreading across the road surface and reclaiming the space. This resulted in fragmented, flickering points of fluorescent light everywhere.
The glass cases on the ceiling were even more damaged, but the plants seemed to have formed their own structural support over a long period of growth, with numerous vines hanging down like a curtain of rain.
The car often had to navigate through the narrow gaps left behind. He saw that one section of the road had them driving directly over a "bridge" formed by a collapsed pillar and the plants intertwined with it.
He checked with his Realm Token. The plants were Sun Vines, a product from the Lynx Federation’s Giant God Plant Company. Besides these, the company had also cooperated with the Dashun Government to cultivate large quantities of cash and edible crops underground.
However, it seemed the company later had a falling-out with the Dashun Government and was ultimately expelled completely. The plants they had helped cultivate and the facilities they had built were left without management or maintenance, falling into their current dilapidated state.
Nevertheless, the plants had continued to grow, adapting to the environment and providing a cheap light source for the main zones of the Lower City District.
Looking at the layout, Chen Chuan thought, ’It seems the Dashun Government originally wanted to build another defensive perimeter underground, but I wonder why they abandoned it.’
Old Zhan saw him looking at the plants and chuckled. "Those things are all over the Lower City District. You might find them novel at first, but you’ll get sick of the sight after a while."
The car drove on, occasionally turning into a different fork. The underground tunnels here extended in every direction; without a guide, it would have been impossible to find the way.
As they ventured deeper, however, he noticed his Second Self begin to show signs of fading. The effect was faint when they passed through certain areas, but it intensified in others.
Whether through experience or some specific knowledge, Old Zhan always managed to avoid the areas where the interference was more severe.
"By the way."
Old Zhan fumbled under his seat for a moment before tossing an old Realm Token to him. "Brother Chen, use this once we’re inside. Yours is too conspicuous. Besides, you won’t be able to get a signal from the Upper City District down here anyway."
Chen Chuan had no desire to stand out. ’I’m not particularly worried, but I’m not from around here. I should do my best not to cause trouble for Old Zhan.’ He immediately took the device and swapped it with his own.
Seeing how decisively he acted, Old Zhan couldn’t help but nod in silent approval.
Suddenly, the sound of engines echoed from another tunnel entrance—it sounded like a convoy. Old Zhan’s expression shifted. He immediately changed course, pulling the car into a dark corner obscured by tangled vines. He quickly took out a spray can and spritzed the area, causing a dense swarm of insects and small animals to scuttle away.
After a short wait, a series of vehicles roared past on the road ahead.
Chen Chuan caught a glimpse of them. A few had their hair styled to look like moss and dyed in a variety of garish colors, making them easy to identify. "The Moss Gang..." he murmured.
After ten or twenty seconds, the convoy finally passed.
Old Zhan started the car and got back on the road. He explained, "Those are men from Poison Ant Express. It’s a business backed by the Moss Gang. They’ve been eyeing this territory recently, trying to take it over. They’ve been clashing with Lu Tong Logistics a lot lately."
A thought crossed Chen Chuan’s mind. ’Every gang has a corporate backer to some extent. The one behind the Moss Gang must be Green Source Ecological Company.’
It was a joint venture company that usually kept a low profile but was actually very powerful. It didn’t have much of a reputation within the country, but its overseas operations were massive.
The Processing Bureau had been keeping a long-term watch on the company, but since they remained relatively well-behaved on the surface, they weren’t high on the priority list.
After passing through that section of the tunnel, the car entered a wide-open area that resembled a marketplace. Most of the buildings and sheds were slapped together from concrete blocks and simple materials. The layout was chaotic, the roads were a tangled mess, and foot traffic was heavy.
On the widest road running through the center, both sides were lined with countless signs and billboards, many of which were light-screen displays. Through a Realm Token, he could see various light sources sweeping back and forth overhead like searchlights, occasionally flashing crudely made advertisements accompanied by a cacophony of noise and booming music.
He also spotted gas stations and inns, and closer by, there was even a used car market, with hundreds of old vehicles packed densely into an open lot.
Several metal watchtowers stood on the four sides of the market, with patrols of guards carrying rifles pacing back and forth on top. They only gave Old Zhan’s car a casual glance as it passed.
After quickly driving out of this settlement, the vehicle turned into another tunnel. They passed one more small settlement along the way, and after more than half an Hour, they emerged from a tunnel exit. Old Zhan said, "We’re here. The Lu Tong Logistics base is right ahead. Mr. Yu and Brother Lu have been staying there recently. We’re safe here."
As he spoke, he honked the horn a few times. A few responding honks came from up ahead. At the intersection, several gunmen immediately raised the muzzles of their weapons and pointed them toward the ceiling.
Chen Chuan looked over and saw a long convoy of vehicles parked along the tunnel wall. There were so many that they seemed to stretch on endlessly, and he could tell most of them had been modified.
Every so often, riders on two-wheeled motor vehicles would drive up from one end, wearing helmets and carrying boxes and bulky satchels. They would stop in front of a truck, pick up a shipment, and then speed off again.
Despite the number of people, it wasn’t chaotic at all. Vehicles moved in and out in an orderly fashion.
Directed by a flag waver, Old Zhan parked in a spot that had been kept open for them. As the two got out of the car, a middle-aged man in overalls with a full, bushy beard walked up to greet them.
He beamed and said, "Old Zhan, today’s not a supply run day. What brings you here?" Then he looked at Chen Chuan. "And this young fella is...?"
Old Zhan said, "This is Brother Chen, a student of Mr. Yu and a martial brother to Brother Lu. He came specifically to find them."
"Oh, a student of Mr. Yu’s!" The bearded man immediately became more enthusiastic. He called over a boy of about fourteen or fifteen. "Xiaoshan, take Brother Chen to see Brother Lu."
"You got it."
Chen Chuan nodded at the man, said a quick farewell to Old Zhan, and followed the boy.
Just then, a sharp-looking young man with white-dyed hair rode up on a two-wheeler, propping it up with one foot on the ground. He glanced in the direction Chen Chuan had gone and said, "Uncle Zhan, is that Mr. Yu’s student? Heh, he’s pretty handsome. Almost as good-looking as me."
The bearded man asked, "Old Zhan, give it to me straight. What’s his story?"
Old Zhan replied, "He really is Mr. Yu’s student. Brother Lu gave me the address; otherwise, I never would have brought him here."
The bearded man said, his expression turning serious, "He seems like more than he lets on."
"He’s a Fighter," Old Zhan said. "And I think... he’s at least on the same level as Mr. Yu."
The white-haired young man’s eyes lit up. "Then isn’t he on par with Sister Nan?"
Old Zhan said thoughtfully, "I think he might be even stronger."
The young man pursed his lips. "No way. Never mind old-timers like Old Bian, but I’ve never met anyone in our age group who can match Sister Nan’s skill. This guy might be as handsome as me, but he’s even younger. How could he possibly be stronger than her?"
Old Zhan didn’t argue. Instead, he said to the bearded man, "Actually, the stronger he is, the better for us. I reckon Brother Lu asked him to come here specifically to solve our troubles."
Meanwhile, the boy led Chen Chuan to a modified RV. On its side was a circle of fine, palm-sized gears that, from a distance, resembled a ring of fire. This was the manufacturing mark of the Fenghai Company.
Fenghai Company specialized in making these types of large and medium-sized vehicles, though these all appeared to be older models.
After thanking the boy, Xiaoshan, he walked up and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" a familiar voice asked through the intercom.
Chen Chuan smiled. "Brother Lu, it’s me."
The sound of rapid footsteps, heavy enough to shake the walls of the vehicle, came from inside. The door was yanked aside, revealing Lu Ke. Overjoyed, he exclaimed, "Brother Chen!"
Chen Chuan raised a hand. Lu Ke leaped down from the RV and slapped it before gripping it tightly. "Brother Chen," he said, his voice full of excitement, "we finally meet again!"
Chen Chuan said, a hint of emotion in his voice, "Yeah. Over a year has passed in the blink of an eye." He noticed several fresh-looking scars on Lu Ke’s face and couldn’t help but ask, "You’ve been...?"
"Heh, it’s nothing. Just got into a few scrapes," Lu Ke said with a wave of his hand. "Come on, don’t just stand there. Let’s talk inside." He enthusiastically ushered Chen Chuan into the RV.
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