What Lies at the Heart of the City (5,500 Words)

"Dead?"

Xiao Xiao could clearly sense Yang Jia's shock and abnormality from her reaction, and even a little bit of horror.

A sudden, inexplicable sense of unease washed over her, making her want to hang up the phone and throw it far away. What was Yang Jia thinking at that moment? Was she shocked that she had killed her own father and, like her deceased father, viewed her as a monster? Perhaps she should explain? But what would be the point of such an explanation...

Absurd, laughable, yet deep down he was filled with a sense of disgust for this world.

The person I hate most is myself.

However, just as countless chaotic thoughts flashed through his mind, these thoughts almost overwhelmed him.

Yang Jia's answer suddenly took him by surprise, "Where are you?"

"I'll come pick you up."

"..."

This reaction startled Xiao Xiao. He stood quietly for a long time before slowly asking, "Why?"

"What else could it be?"

Yang Jia said in a low voice, "Because you're not in a good state right now, wait for me."

Xiao Xiao listened quietly to the voice coming from the microphone, and after a long while, he slowly nodded.

He hung up the phone, sat down on a bench by the street, lowered his head, and watched the traffic flow in front of him form lines.

A dull thud kept echoing in my head, preventing me from forming effective thoughts.

It's like we're back to the state we were in four years ago...

My thoughts felt like they had been turned into mush. A mysterious and unknown force entered my head, shattering everything and causing me to lose my ability to concentrate. I couldn't think or perceive anything; I only had one clear feeling: pain. It was like being in a nightmare with a high fever, chaotic and oppressive, with time stretching endlessly.

The ability to Mind Burst allows one to do things that many others cannot.

It could mean reacting a little faster than others, understanding something a little faster, or even having a longer perception of external pain.

But the painful sensations that surfaced in his mind were something he couldn't get rid of.

Not only could it not be relieved, but the Mind Burst also amplified the perception of the pain in one's mind.

Xiao Xiao really wanted to see Yang Jia, but at that moment he especially wanted to see someone else.

But he didn't know how long it would take to see her if he let his thoughts wander. Perhaps Yang Jia would rush to his location immediately after hanging up the phone. It might take twenty minutes to drive there normally, but she could arrive in five minutes using her Branders abilities. However, in his world, those five minutes might feel like five days...

... even as long as five years.

This discovery plunged Xiao Xiao into a deep panic.

When you're in pain, you always hope someone will be there for you, as if that can ease your suffering.

But ironically, when you're in pain and alone, time always seems to drag on, leaving you with no way to escape.

Everything in this world can be discounted.

Pain, however, always requires one to bear it silently and clearly.

My mind was filled with all sorts of strange and wonderful ideas.

Xiao Xiao sat on the bench, letting his thoughts wander, silently savoring the tearing and painful feeling in solitude and silence. He saw the city before him turn into streaks of light, and the swaying images of people were meaningless shots edited haphazardly and then played back at ten or twenty times the speed. He saw the distortion and collapse of the entire world.

I also wanted to take a deep breath and break free from this state.

But it's impossible; some things that are particularly easy always seem harder than the sky when things are painful.

So he simply let himself go, carefully savoring all the anger, hatred, sadness, and pain.

My father is dead.

Perhaps the only way to lessen this pain is to deny it.

They deny his existence, believing him to be merely a facade in the city, a monster in the guise of his father.

Because he was a monster, everything he did had no real meaning for himself.

But at this very moment, Xiao Xiao could not deny its reality, because just before, when he was fighting against the White Devil, he used the power of the third stage of the Insightful One to its fullest extent, and then in that instant, he suddenly saw the reality of this world, saw all illusions disappear, all distorted and mysterious things disappear, and a clean and utterly real world.

People living away from home all long to return to their hometown.

The world there is real, and the people are real, just like in my memory.

So, was what I saw at that time the real world?

He didn't know how much time had passed; in Xiao Xiao's perception, it was so long that he felt as if he had turned into a fossil, and his thoughts had developed a thick shell.

He suddenly heard Yang Jia's voice and slowly came to his senses.

It felt like a lifetime ago, and I vaguely remembered my father's passing, which seemed like it happened many years ago.

He tried to concentrate, looked up, and saw Yang Jia there...

... arguing with someone.

At this moment, she seemed to have just changed her clothes not long ago, and her hair was not completely dry. She was frowning as she looked at an old man standing next to her with a dog, and said unhappily, "He is not in good condition either, why should he give you his seat?"

"It's not about whether I'm in good or bad shape, I'm telling you..."

The old man, leash his dog, spitting as he spoke, "This kid is so rude. I've been talking to him for ages, but he won't listen to me."

"Besides, I just asked him to get up and move over there. What? Is he tired?"

"..."

Yang Jia's eyes showed displeasure, and she said coldly, "He has no obligation to give it to you."

"The bench is public; anyone can sit here and rest. You can, and so can he."

"..."

"But I come here every day. It's perfect for an old man like me to sit down when I'm tired from walking the dog..."

The old man became angry, his finger almost poking Yang Jia's face. "Go sit over there on the lawn."

"My legs are bad, I just don't want to go there."

"Is this the quality of you young people nowadays? You can't even move your legs?"

"..."

Yang Jia's handsome face turned pale with anger, but she couldn't utter a word.

"Bang!"

Just then, Xiao Xiao completely snapped out of his confusion and suddenly drew his gun and fired a shot into the sky.

The loud noise startled Yang Jia, and the old man was also taken aback.

The old man's dog was also stunned.

Those watching the commotion on the roadside, or even passersby, were all suddenly stunned.

Then Xiao Xiao frowned, suddenly raised his gun again, and fired two shots into the sky.

"Bang!" "Bang!"

"..."

The surroundings were completely silent. Suddenly, everyone scattered and ran away with their heads in their hands. The old man flung the dog into the air and ran away like a kite.

"What's wrong?"

Only after the surroundings were completely clean did Xiao Xiao look up and belatedly say to Yang Jia.

"Fine."

Looking into his somewhat bewildered eyes, Yang Jia realized that he seemed to know nothing about what had just happened.

Feeling a little worried, she asked, "How are you?"

"Fine."

Xiao Xiao shook his head and said, "I was a little unhappy at first, and even now, I still feel a little unhappy when I think about it. After all, he is my father. I can understand that he sometimes favors another child, and sometimes I even feel that I don't care what he has done. But when it comes to the crucial moment, I suddenly can't accept it, and... I feel quite shocked."

As he spoke, he chuckled self-deprecatingly, rubbed his face, and said:

"But that's all in the past now."

"..."

"It's over?"

Yang Jia's eyes immediately showed disbelief.

Having just heard what Mister Ye had told her, she immediately called Xiao Xiao, but to her surprise, as soon as the call connected, she was told by Xiao Xiao that he was arguing with his father and that his father had died... Normally, Yang Jia wouldn't care about these things. Even if Xiao Xiao really killed his father, Yang Jia's feelings towards him would only remain at a strange level.

For example, someone who can destroy a toy that resembles their father.

The key point is that, according to Mister Ye, Xiao Xiao is an indigenous person who lives in the cracks.

His attitude towards certain things differs from that of abnormal people.

So he...

With this thought in mind, she rushed over as fast as she could, only to find Xiao Xiao sitting dejectedly on a bench by the street, letting an old man with a dog curse at him without saying a word or making any reaction. At that moment, the oppression and desolation emanating from him almost made her heart tremble. She didn't even care about her image and wanted the old man to leave quickly so that Xiao Xiao could have some peace and quiet.

But she never expected that Xiao Xiao would be so calm when he regained consciousness.

It feels like it happened a long time ago.

Time can heal all wounds, leaving only a touch of desolation in one's eyes.

She didn't know how to describe this strange feeling for a moment, and slowly sat down next to Xiao Xiao without asking anything.

Xiao Xiao, however, after sitting quietly for a while, suddenly asked, "Do you have any cigarettes?"

Yang Jia paused for a moment, looking a little embarrassed. She realized she wasn't used to carrying cigarettes with her anymore.

What's the point of bringing it?

How many of them can you actually put in your mouth?

But after hesitating for a few seconds, a slight creak came from the nearby sewer pipe. Little Four pushed open the sewer cover and crawled out. He silently placed an unopened pack of menthol cigarettes and a lighter next to Xiao Xiao, then took two steps back and whispered, "Brother Xiao, don't worry, I've already taught that old man a lesson..."

"I picked up the poop his dog left on the street and threw it into his bed..."

"..."

Xiao Xiao was a beat slow to react and couldn't help but freeze for a moment.

Looking at the menthol cigarettes already in his hand, he silently wondered, "Did Little Four wash his hands before buying these cigarettes?"

Anyway, I've already picked it up, so it doesn't matter anymore.

He silently tore open the packaging, took one out of his mouth, lit it, and let the cool sensation fill his mouth.

Then he said to Yang Jia, "You and Mister Ye. Ye are both very knowledgeable about everything in Black Gate City."

"However, regarding the Black Forest Biological Research Laboratory in Black Gate City, and the Black Goat Club among the natives, etc..."

"... Do you understand?"

"..."

Yang Jia focused her mind slightly, realizing that Xiao Xiao already knew a lot of things.

She hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "I know they exist and their operating logic, but I don't understand much else."

She paused for a moment, then added an explanation, "As outsiders, we can do many things, but there is one principle that can never be ignored: we are not the masters of the city. The City Will is the true master of Black Gate City. We are merely beings who serve the will of this city, and everything we can do is only allowed by this city."

"Therefore, there will always be some things in this city that we cannot touch."

"Just like the original inhabitants of this city, the price we pay them varies depending on their influence and their role in the city's operation. Some of the secrets of this city can be easily revealed to us, while others are hidden deep within the city. If we investigate or try to understand them, it will cause dissatisfaction or even rejection from the city."

"..."

Xiao Xiao listened attentively, then suddenly asked, "What if I force my way into the Black Forest and see all their secrets?"

Yang Jia was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head and said, "No one has ever done that before."

"Similarly, I don't recommend that you do that."

"..."

She seemed to be organizing her thoughts, and after a while, she continued, "In this city, there's that guy codenamed Shepherds. I've fought him. His strength is incomprehensible, and I can also sense his danger. But even so, before the city gives us clear instructions, we can't just stand by and watch him. Even investigating him is difficult."

"Because dealing with him or investigating him would be an act of defying the City Will."

"Investigation means spying, and for the City Will, or the Mysterious Source, spying is a sin."

"It is a desecration of those in high positions."

"..."

Is voyeurism a sin?

Xiao Xiao listened to Yang Jia's words, a strange feeling suddenly arose in his heart.

The ability of an insightful person is to see all the secrets of the city, without being bound by rules.

Doesn't that mean this ability is inherently blasphemous?

Although this was the first time he had spoken to Yang Jia, he actually knew some of what she was saying before. He just hadn't considered going against the city's will, so he didn't care about anything else. But now, he had developed a strong interest in the Black Forest and the Black Goat Club. Or rather, it wasn't just an interest, but a responsibility, a duty to himself, so he had to figure it out...

So what should I do?

Is it punishable to investigate these matters without authorization?

A slight thought struck him, and he suddenly raised his head, his eyes fixed on a certain spot.

The Black Forest Biological Laboratory, as a landmark building in the city, may seem mysterious to many ordinary people, but to outsiders, its location and nature are not a secret at all. Xiao Xiao knew exactly where it was located in the city.

The Eye of the Seer appears, and the city before us begins to appear profound.

The buildings between the Black Forest Biological Laboratory and himself instantly became blurry, or even disappeared.

I could see this huge complex of buildings directly, and it was as if I could see right through it and see everything inside.

[Warning: You are touching on a forbidden core]

Points are being deducted...

[...]

But Xiao Xiao only looked at the black building and tried to see into it when he suddenly received a strong signal. At the same time, he felt a splitting headache and his Eye of the Seer felt uncomfortable as if it had seen a bright light. Meanwhile, his points dropped rapidly like a stopwatch, until he completely looked away from the Black Forest.

In just that short time, I lost more than 300 points.

"So strict?"

Xiao Xiao was slightly startled, realizing that there was nothing wrong with what Yang Jia said.

Let alone forcibly entering the Black Forest, even forcibly spying on Black Forest would result in severe punishment.

How long can these 100,000 points last?

He temporarily abandoned the idea, looked at Yang Jia, and said, "But what if there are some things I really want to know?"

"Not a stranger..."

"..."

He tried to explain, "It refers to the indigenous people, and some things that happen among these indigenous people."

"You really want to know these things?"

Yang Jia's expression had become somewhat serious at some point.

She reached out and pressed Xiao Xiao's hand down, whispering, "This isn't the first time you've had these doubts. Perhaps this is a side effect of the Insightful Path; you'll always have doubts. But when you had doubts before, I took you to the edge of the city and dispelled your doubts. But for your doubts this time..."

She paused slightly, looked into Xiao Xiao's eyes, and said, "Our world is an abyss."

"If you look too deeply into things, you will suffer a lot."

"..."

"So she already knew..."

Looking into Yang Jia's eyes, Xiao Xiao suddenly understood.

His extraordinary insight led him to discover that Yang Jia already knew the problems he was facing.

I was initially worried about whether to tell them, but I never expected that Yang Jia knew about these things. Moreover, after learning about them, she didn't feel wary or suspicious of me. Instead, she advised me on how to stay away from these things...

I remained silent for a long time, only within my own consciousness.

Xiao Xiao suddenly said, "I probably can't be considered a true outsider, and I might not even be considered a native..."

"I don't even know what I am..."

"... So how do you understand me?"

"..."

Yang Jia was also somewhat surprised. She thought Xiao Xiao would hide the secret, since even she and Mister Ye. Ye could deeply understand the impact this truth had on the world of strangers. But she didn't expect that Xiao Xiao would admit it in front of her.

"I don't know everything..."

She paused for a long time before slowly speaking, not wanting to lie to someone so insightful, and simply said:

"So I don't know what state you're in either."

"..."

"But..."

She paused for a moment, then met Xiao Xiao's gaze and said softly, "At least I remember, before all of this happened."

"I was not awake before you encountered these things."

"We were classmates back then."

"..."

Xiao Xiao's eyes gradually changed, and it was hard to describe the feeling he had at that moment.

"Especially now, although you are not very remarkable in the eyes of others, you have become a legendary figure who defeated the Hell Organization."

Yang Jia's smile relaxed a bit, and she said with a smile, "But in my eyes, he is still just a newcomer who has only recently awakened."

"It is also our responsibility as mentors to answer the questions that newcomers have in their hearts."

"Last time, to answer your question, I took you to the edge of the city."

"Then, in order to answer your questions this time, it's only right that I take you to see the heart of the city."

"..."

Xiao Xiao listened quietly to Yang Jia's words, and suddenly felt a stinging sensation in his eyes.