"Future plans?" Hao Ren turned to look at Ulanov—or, strictly speaking, at the other man's smooth helmet visor. "I really haven't thought about it. I'll take things one step at a time. Once I get there, I'll first find somewhere to settle down."
Ulanov grunted a few times in his throat before asking in a low voice, "Where did you learn your combat skills?"
He had originally assumed Hao Ren was merely an unstable civilian, a rich man lacking even the most basic wasteland knowledge. But after seeing Hao Ren's combat ability, he became deeply interested in his background. To possess combat strength surpassing that of regular soldiers without any biological modifications or electronic assistance was extremely rare even in the No-Man's Land. Feeling the curious gaze coming from behind the other man's visor, Hao Ren turned his head slightly. "I fought in a war before. Don't ask about the details."
"Were you a mercenary too?" Ulanov looked Hao Ren up and down. "You don't have the air of a regular soldier."
"Something like that," Hao Ren muttered. Pretending to help the blond girl beside him comb her hair, he ended the topic. "I don't really want to talk about the past."
Sitting across the compartment, the taciturn Karl suddenly reminded him gruffly, "Ulanov, you talk too much."
The armored truck traveled across the vast, barren wilderness. At last, traces of artificial structures appeared ahead. Through the side window, Hao Ren saw that the road on both sides had become concrete. Crooked, broken streetlights and utility poles flashed past from time to time, and the feeling of returning to human society washed over him. A screen at the front of the compartment suddenly lit up, displaying the scene ahead. At the end of the road stood a sprawling cluster of