Radiance City
The Gilded Silver Luxury Car moved slowly down streets paved with radiance.
A group of figures dressed in plain gray clothes accompanied the vehicle from behind, following it forward.
These "Followers" ranged in age. Around seven or eight gaunt adults walked on either side of the car, while several equally emaciated children followed behind it.
One such "convoy" after another proceeded slowly forward.
Just then, the left rear window rolled down, and a hand holding a whip extended a chocolate bar with one bite taken out of it from the window.
A gaunt middle-aged man standing beside the rear window immediately stepped forward, bowed, and cupped both hands beneath that palm.
"Throw it away."
The outstretched hand slowly loosened, dropping the bitten chocolate into the man's palms. A cold voice came from inside the car.
Then the hand withdrew, and the window slowly rose.
The gaunt middle-aged man stepped away from the window. He looked at the chocolate in his hand, then at the trash can by the roadside, and slowly closed his fingers around the chocolate.
He turned around and prepared to walk toward the trash can.
The scent of chocolate entered his nostrils, tugging at his stomach until it cramped. As he walked forward slowly, his gaze naturally swept over the gaunt children walking behind the car.
One child, already staggering as though about to collapse at any moment, looked up at the chocolate in his hand, quickly swallowed, then hurriedly looked away.
The man's gaze also snapped back. Still clutching the chocolate, he walked straight toward the trash can.
Soon, he reached it.
Yet at that moment, he paused. He looked around, then after a brief hesitation, removed the chocolate from its wrapper and threw the wrapper into the trash can.
Smack--
Almost the instant