He Ao followed the skinny figure's gaze forward.
In the narrow street between the magnificent buildings, crowded within the shadows, stood rows of crude shanties.
A boxy vehicle resembling a garbage truck was parked among the shanties, with several people busily working around it.
They carried large plastic buckets filled with what looked like discarded food of various kinds from the vehicle, distributed them among different groups, and the busy crowd began sorting through them.
The skinny figure sitting by the roadside clutched a black plastic bag to his chest and stared blankly at the people sorting the food.
"They're sorting 'packaged meat.'"
At that moment, Hel seemed to notice the change in He Ao's gaze. He switched the vehicle to autopilot, turned around, and spoke softly.
"'Packaged meat'?"
He Ao turned to look at Hel in confusion.
"To put it plainly,"
Hel paused as he watched the people sorting the food, as though recalling something. His voice gradually lowered. "It's food scraps."
His gaze swept across the brilliant, grand buildings around them, and he sighed softly.
"City Center has gathered nearly all of Mint City's upscale, or at least decent, restaurants. These high-end hotels and restaurants, along with bars that party every night, produce huge amounts of uneaten, discarded food.
"There are prime steaks, bread made from real wheat flour, and synthetic meat with good flavor and appearance.
"So people collect this 'garbage,' sort and package it, then sell it to people in the Four Districts and City Center who can't afford meat, or who can't even afford basic bread."
"A lot of people buy it?"
He Ao looked at the people constantly working in the street, sorting and packaging food.
"A lot,"
Hel said slowly. He raised his gaze, seeming to recall something. "This should only be one