Derek, Ailey, and Leon

Farahan District. Dawn was about to break, and the ancient, dilapidated streets lay beneath a gray gloom. Derek followed a familiar route, running toward his community at a speed an ordinary person could achieve.

He wore a filthy tracksuit from Geek, the Federation's largest sportswear brand. It was a commemorative edition specially made for the Federation military, probably the only expensive genuine outfit he owned. He had bought it with his Veteran's Certificate at an exclusive discount.

It was his second favorite and second most respectable outfit, so after receiving the invitation, he had put it on and gone to the appointment.

But after two perilous battles, the outfit was now too filthy to bear looking at.

Even so, this was probably the most relaxed and joyful Derek had felt since leaving the military.

Ahead of him soon appeared a fairly large but clearly impoverished community, made up of sprawling low houses and even including structures like a garbage dump. It was one of the most typical slums in Hawknest City.

This was also where Drake now lived.

He had been discharged over fabricated disciplinary violations, receiving little compensation. Because of his personality, he also had an extremely poor relationship with his family, and in the end, he had become a homeless drifter.

But unlike other drifters, he did not think he had no home.

Over the past few months, the community ahead with the revolting name "Garbage Home" had, rarely enough, made him feel warmth.

The people there were different from everyone he had met since becoming a drifter.

To some extent, he had already begun to regard it as home.

"Seeing me in such a sorry state, Aunt Monica will definitely invite me to bathe beneath the bridge by her house. Little Aisha will share the cookies she