The Abandoned Underworld

Natasha walked over as well, worry written across her face as she urged:

"Bronya, be good. Let go of Jiang Mo."

In the end, Bronya was forcibly pulled away by the woman.

She was dragged toward the car door, her hand still struggling in the air as though she wanted to grab hold of something again.

Just before getting into the car, she turned back to look at Jiang Mo once more.

Tears still streaked her little face, but her eyes were exceptionally bright.

She said nothing, only nodding forcefully at Jiang Mo.

Jiang Mo looked back at her. Under the woman's gaze, he gave a slight nod in response.

He knew what she meant: Brother Jiang Mo, I'll wait for you.

Bronya was pulled into the car by the woman.

The car door slammed shut, separating two worlds.

Then the black car started up, slowly driving away and disappearing at the end of Rivet Town's streets.

Jiang Mo stood where he was, feeling as if Bronya's warmth still lingered in his arms.

He looked toward where the car had vanished, yet his heart was strangely calm.

Bronya had gone to the Upper District.

The most important step in his plan had succeeded.

The Abandoned Underworld

A year had passed since Bronya left the Underworld.

Jiang Mo had also grown from seven to eight years old.

Using scraps of time and the resources he had "earned," Jiang Mo continuously reinforced and expanded that crude shelter.

With scavenged wooden boards and metal sheets, he made it sturdier and more concealed, while adding a few household necessities inside.

Since he was no longer starving and occasionally even had meat to eat, Jiang Mo's body had grown much stronger than those of other homeless children his age.

As he grew older, two years had passed since the last simulation. Jiang Mo felt that his attribute points should have increased considerably.

He opened the system to take a look.

System Attribute Panel:

Name: Jiang Mo

Physique: 10

Strength: 12

Agility: 12

Charm: 16

Loaded Permanent Traits: Trait Devour (Gold), Silver Tongue (Blue), Berserk (Blue)

Remaining Villain Points: 660

The increase in his attributes was greater than he had expected, leaving Jiang Mo quite satisfied.

His Strength and Agility in particular had already far surpassed those of an ordinary eight-year-old child. He could even compare to some young adults.

His Charm was absurdly high as well...

Well, when someone was just too handsome, there was no helping it.

Just when Jiang Mo thought his life would only get better and that he could grow up in peace,

a month later, changes occurred in the Underworld.

That day, as Jiang Mo crawled out of his shelter, he immediately felt that Boulder Town was different.

There were more people on the streets than usual, but they were not there to trade or make money. Every face was filled with anxiety and unease.

"The Silvermane Guards... they actually withdrew?!"

"Is that for real? That can't be possible!"

"I saw it myself this morning! The sentry post was empty! There wasn't a single person there!"

The news spread through the crowd like a plague.

Jiang Mo halted.

The Silvermane Guards had withdrawn?

This rumor had been circulating for some time, but no one had taken it seriously. After all, they symbolized order in the Underworld. Though their symbolic value outweighed their practical usefulness, their mere presence was a deterrent.

But now, the sentry posts were truly empty.

Panic quickly fermented.

People rushed to the places where Guards had once been stationed. When they saw the empty watchtowers, the shock on their faces turned into fury.

"Those bastards, th-they actually abandoned us! This is unbelievable!"

"No way... Did the Supreme Guardian abandon us?"

"Yes, it had to be her! If it weren't for her, which of those Silvermane Guards would dare withdraw?!"

"My Supreme Guardian—no, my God! How are we supposed to live in the Underworld from now on?!"

Crying and curses rose one after another through the streets and alleys.

The whole of Boulder Town was like a giant that had suddenly had its spine ripped out, instantly collapsing into a heap.

Jiang Mo merely stood apart, calmly observing it all.

He knew this day would come sooner or later. After all, in the Honkai: Star Rail storyline, the Upper District and Underworld would eventually be completely cut off.

He just had not expected it to happen so soon, or so suddenly.

Now, the only passage left was that enormous pipeline used to transport ore and resources. It had become the sole connection between the Underworld and the Upper District.

But that connection existed only to serve the Upper District's resource needs. People could not pass through it.

From this point on, the road to the Upper District had been completely severed.

At least, that was the case for the vast majority of people in the Underworld.

At the snack stall, the owner sat behind his stand with a worried expression, the space before him deserted.

The grilled skewers and red sausages that usually steamed and gave off tempting aromas were almost nowhere to be seen. There was only some dry bread and cheap drinks.

"Xiao Mo..."

When the owner saw Jiang Mo approach, he forced out a smile, though the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were full of bitterness.

"Today... there isn't anything good left. Only this."

He handed over a hard piece of bread.

Jiang Mo accepted the bread and sighed inwardly.

Before this, with Silver Tongue, he could make quite a few people willingly give him food and even Winter City Coins.

But now that the crisis had arrived, Silver Tongue's effect had been greatly reduced.

People's minds were firmly consumed by fear and hunger. Empty rhetoric alone could no longer pry open their tightly clenched purses.

"Thanks, boss."

Jiang Mo left with the bread.

He knew that in the future, days of trading words for food would be hard to come by.

Seele's life was even harder than his.

Without the Silvermane Guards' restraints, security in the Underworld rapidly deteriorated.

Some thugs and drifters who had previously hidden in the shadows began to emerge, forming gangs large and small to fight over territory and the few resources available.

Jiang Mo occasionally saw Seele. She was always in a hurry, often covered in fresh scrapes and bruises.

Her gaze had become sharper than before, as though she devoted all her energy to survival and fighting.

Director Natasha had heard the news as well.

She went to Rivet Town's administrative office in great concern, hoping to receive some official explanation or assistance.

But she returned only with deeper worries.

The administrators could barely protect themselves... faced with this sudden upheaval, they were helpless as well.

Natasha began organizing the older children at the orphanage, teaching them basic self-defense skills and having them take turns keeping watch at night to prevent drifters from coming to steal supplies.

"The Supreme Guardian abandoned us!"

This sentiment spread through the Underworld like a virus, eroding the last trace of hope in people's hearts.

Despair shrouded every corner, as though the entire Underworld was slowly rotting away.

Jiang Mo returned to his shelter and shut the door he had modified from iron sheets.

Though the shelter was crude, it still offered some sense of safety. At least it was better than sleeping outside.

He sat on the bed covered with tattered cloth, holding the piece of bread without immediately eating it.

Now that the Silvermane Guards had withdrawn, the Upper District and Underworld were sealed off, security had worsened, and resources were scarce.

That meant the Underworld was about to enter an even more chaotic and darker period.

Silver Tongue had become far less effective. That path was basically blocked.

Rely on Bronya?

She had only just gone to the Upper District. Whether she could even establish herself there was still unknown, much less lend him a hand.

Besides, he did not want to place his fate in someone else's hands.

He had to find a new way to survive.

He began rapidly reviewing everything he knew about Belobog's story in Honkai: Star Rail.

The Underworld... Wildfire... the Fragmentum... Svarog... the Trailblazer...

Jiang Mo knew that at some point in the future, the Trailblazer would come to Belobog and break the deadlock here.

But he could not simply sit and wait.

Who knew how long he would have to wait? At least ten years, probably?

He was only eight years old now. He first had to survive until then.

So what was there in the Underworld that he could still make use of?

Suddenly, a name came to Jiang Mo's mind.

Wildfire.

A militia organization led by Natasha and Oleg.

After the Silvermane Guards withdrew, Wildfire would be responsible for maintaining order in the Underworld and distributing resources.

Maybe joining Wildfire would be a good choice?

At least no one there would starve to death, right?

But Natasha was Wildfire's true leader. Since she had not yet come to Boulder Town, Wildfire had not been organized yet...

Then what should he do?

Jiang Mo frowned, his mind racing.

Outside the shelter, sporadic sounds of fighting and crying continued.

Jiang Mo ate the bread. The cold, hard food cleared his mind somewhat.

Oh, I've got it...