Capital

The checkpoint at the entrance to the capital city.

Unlike previous highway toll booths, this is a fully enclosed area similar to a private garage, requiring vehicles to be driven completely inside.

The internal scanner performs a comprehensive inspection of the vehicle.

certainly,

After all, the license plate belonged to the General Investigation Bureau, and Yu Ze and Yun's identities were also extraordinary, so the inspection was quickly passed. As for the extra Luo Di, he had already been added to the safe list.

If ordinary people want to travel to the capital from outside, they will need to prepare a lot of procedures and application materials, and the entire inspection process will be very troublesome. Even if they pass the inspection and enter the capital, they will be subject to continuous temporary inspections for the next three days.

Welcome to Earth City, the capital of the Federated States, the starting point for humanity's exploration of every corner of the world.

Through inspection,

Vehicles enter the city.

The vehicle was covered in a dazzling array of colors.

Even though this is on the edge of the city near the city walls, it is still a bustling place.

It was almost midnight, but there were still many pedestrians on the streets, and most shops remained open.

There is no curfew in the capital, and all residents are free to arrange their own time.

After all, people who can obtain a residence permit in the capital are at least very outstanding in some way. They each have a clear concept of time management, and the city itself needs to operate 24 hours a day.

The city's architectural styles are diverse, incorporating themes from multiple countries, but are mainly characterized by a wild style.

But Luo Di's gaze was not on the street.

Instead, by looking up at the sky through the panoramic sunroof of the sports car, one could indeed see a ring-shaped building floating above the city, on a massive scale.

"Completely suspended, without any support?" Luo Di asked.

Yu Ze then gave his answer, "The original World Bureau was built on the ground, which is now the central park area of Earth City."

However, as humans explored these corners and acquired relevant technologies, they did so.

A completely new solution was proposed.

A "Aerial Garden Plan was proposed, which could completely separate the city from the urban area while simultaneously monitoring it, and ensure the normal operation of the World Bureau even if the city completely fell.

At considerable cost, anti-gravity materials were smuggled out from a hidden corner, and combined with existing human technology, a completely new World Bureau was ultimately established.

"Is it Corner technology again?"

Yu Ze gently draped his elbow over Luo Di's shoulder, "With your level, as long as you continue to grow normally and don't encounter problems like the Island Incident again, you'll eventually be promoted to the most mysterious and powerful Exploration Bureau under the three major bureaus."

Then you will be able to explore every corner with your own abilities, reach the depths of this world, and encounter things that transcend technology and cognition.

There's no need to rush at all; just be patient and let things develop.

Look at me, I'm almost twenty-six! I have absolutely no intention of joining the Exploration Bureau. I'll have fun first, no rush at all.

"Um."

Although Luo Di's goal was to reach the corner, he wasn't in a hurry.

His urgency stemmed from a "call from hell." The tentacles blocking his spine might not be effective indefinitely; he needed to prepare for his journey to hell as soon as possible.

"How do we get up there? Are we taking a flying vehicle?"

"I'll keep you in suspense for now, you'll find out in a bit... Anyway, it's related to elevators."

Under Yun's control, the vehicle sped through the city, constantly approaching the city center.

Luo Di's gaze was gradually drawn to the beautiful scenery of the capital city, where the architectural style combined the Chinese style of Jupiter City with the Italy style of Pluto City.

But the most prevalent style is still the rough and unrefined style associated with the Soviet Union.

There are also many American and European style buildings.

Luo Di also discovered that a large number of small aircraft were operating in the airspace of about 10 to 50 meters from the city streets.

In addition to lighting equipment, these aircraft also have a high-definition camera and a support structure resembling a robotic arm embedded in their center, making them look like mechanical life forms.

They move like swarms on every street in the city.

Occasionally, a drone will land to take close-up photos of a pedestrian, and the pedestrian will cooperate by slowing down their pace.

Yu Ze explained in advance:

"The Bee Swarm only exists in the capital."

They are ubiquitous throughout the streets, monitoring the entire city in real time and verifying the identity of every resident. Equipped with state-of-the-art AI algorithms, they can determine whether a person is in a normal state based on parameters such as body temperature changes and heart rate.

Once a certain value is exceeded, a close-up shot will be taken and the data uploaded to the Hive Central Computer.

Under such system monitoring, although the capital city is located in a corner center, the number of Anomaly Event has been reduced to a very low value, and the formation of "gap" can be effectively prevented.

As for privacy concerns, there's no need to worry. The Bee Swarm only checks people outdoors and will never film anything indoors.

"Um."

The vehicle continued to travel through the bustling streets.

The closer to the capital's center, the more noticeable the increase in building height, population density, and level of development.

The "Kilometer-class building" has finally come into view.

There are five in total, arranged in a ring around the central area of the capital.

One of the buildings features a huge Mercury Group logo on its roof, and the entire building continues the hotel style, but with more luxurious decoration and a more elaborate overall design.

even so,

Mercury Group's headquarters is relatively refined and high-end, but it is not particularly outstanding compared to the other Kilometer-class building.

"Is this... one of the top five global companies?"

"That's right. Our country's Taisha Group is currently ranked third in terms of overall strength. If you're interested, I can introduce you."

However, I estimate that you won't need my introduction; the Taisha Group will approach you anyway.

etc..."

Yu Ze quickly calculated. " In Pluto City... the people from Mercury Group headquarters haven't already contacted you about the ' Collaborative Development ' matter, have they? Could you tell me the terms?"

Since Yu Ze brought it up, Luo Di naturally didn't mind saying it, as it would be a good opportunity for the other party to provide some advice.

Yu Ze nodded. "Mercury Group is indeed very skilled in this area, and the terms they offered are quite good. I doubt that even if the other companies approached you, they could offer such good treatment, especially since it's a personalized offer just for you."

Your personality and work style are quite compatible with Mercury Group.

It doesn't matter. Anyway, when it comes to things tied to a company, nationality doesn't matter. Everyone born in this country is thinking about all of humanity.

Ultimately, it's up to you to decide which company to partner with.

"Um."

Luo Di's gaze swept over the other skyscrapers that corresponded to the World Corporation. However, even among these thousand-meter-tall buildings, there were differences.

The largest building, the only one exceeding two thousand meters in height, is located to the due east.

Its base is supported by eighteen giant cylindrical columns with a diameter of over thirty meters, supporting the entire Brutalist-style super building.

The entire building also has a "cybernetic" appearance, with more than half of it made of all-metal structure, making it shine brightly.

At the very top of the building, a giant hydrogen atom structure is projected holographically.

Miliatom (Atom Military Industry)

It has been the largest company since the founding of the nation, and its position has never been shaken, representing the current world's largest country [the Soviet Union].

Yu Ze also turned his gaze in that direction.

"Atom Military Industry... What a pity~ Someone like you who pursues raw flesh doesn't quite fit the theme of this company, otherwise we could have really established a relationship with them through the Island Incident."

The vehicle did not head towards the Earth City, but instead parked on the outer perimeter of the central ring road, directly opposite the ring-shaped floating building suspended above the clouds.

A strange building was constructed by the roadside; it was entirely metal and shaped like a giant chimney, only a few dozen meters high.

Next to this building is a private parking lot, which is filled with all kinds of valuable vehicles, and even some special vehicles that cannot be bought on the market.

The Girl's pink sports car also parked inside.

The three arrived at the building, which had a metal chimney structure, and opened the door. Inside, there was only a square metal platform.

A sign next to the platform reads "One person can use it at a time."

"This is an 'elevator'?"

"That's right. You need to adjust your Investigator uniform to combat mode, so that it's close to your skin. The elevator will only respond to the material of the Investigator uniform."

"You go first, we'll follow."

"OK."

Stepping onto the metal platform, some kind of automated identification and activation device begins to work.

Identity Verification: Luo Di

It has been approved by the Capital General Investigation Bureau and permitted to travel to the World Bureau.

The [Ascension Elevator] is about to be activated. Please switch your Investigator uniform to combat mode.

As rings of magnetic energy appear around us...

Luo Di felt as if he were enveloped and entangled by something, and then he was squeezed and ejected by an indescribable invisible force, achieving super-acceleration in the passage of the chimney structure.

Whoosh!

The enormous initial velocity carried Luo Di straight into the sky.

But this speed didn't seem to be enough for him to reach the special building above the clouds. Just as he was about to reach the highest point and fall from a height of several thousand meters...

A pulling force came from above.

Luo Di maintained a constant speed of 5 m/s as he floated upwards, eventually being sucked up to the [Aerial Garden].