Level 0.5 Mobile City and the "Captain's Club"

Chapter 33: Level 0.5 Mobile City and the "Captain's Club" (4.2K)

When Li Ye opened his eyes again, a new day had arrived.

He remained in his side-lying position, squinting his eyes and feeling the slight tremors within the room.

These tremors came from the motion of the Tomorrow as it traveled. Its power engines were operating steadily, and the vibrations were transmitted along the brass pipes carrying steam and vapor, spreading throughout the entire city along the veins of the colossal steel beast.

Li Ye had grown accustomed to this feeling of vibration. It signified the city's stable movement through the wilderness, and it was quite reassuring.

He got dressed, made his bed, and performed a simple wash-up.

As Li Ye stepped out of his room, he saw the wilderness awakening in the pale gray dawn light.

The last lone star in the sky was still on the horizon. The dew condensed on the tips of the green grass resembled its reluctant tears, and the entire plain looked like it had been scattered with fine glass shards.

The sky began to exude a hazy red glow. This blush of red flowed across the small river, over the land, and gradually awakened the entire wilderness.

Birds poked their heads out from nests nestled in the branches, and gerbils emerged from their burrows with rustling sounds, their whiskers still speckled with fresh mud.

Shortly after, the sun finally appeared on the horizon. Golden sunlight gently bathed the gears and pipes of the Mobile City, making it warm and bright like the entire wilderness.

At this moment, the people on the Tomorrow had already begun their daily work.

In the lower Power Engine Zone, Mechanic Lin Wu had his ear pressed against a hydraulic pipe, his eyes closed as he listened to the sounds within. He hadn't changed out of the leather apron he wore during last night's repairs, which was covered in oil and coal dust.

On the newly cultivated fields on the upper level, residents were carefully tending to the freshly planted Sun Fruit Trees and Cloud Dream Cotton.

Along the city's outer shell on the middle level, several residents were hanging from ropes, beginning their aerial cleaning operations.

Occasionally, residents could be seen leaning on railings on the decks and corridors, gazing at the scenery. These were often residents responsible for resource extraction work or combat personnel on rest duty.

After finishing breakfast, Li Ye, as usual, walked into the Watchtower on the upper level.

Lookout Lin Xia was currently holding her post. This young girl had clearly not yet recovered from the pain of losing her father and home.

When Li Ye approached, she gave him a surprised glance, then seemed to realize something and handed him the telescope.

Li Ye nodded at her and then raised the telescope to gaze at the distant scenery.

The morning breeze brushed past the bronze railings of the Watchtower, gently lifting and then dropping the hems of their clothes. The entire Mobile City slowly turned beneath their feet, the muffled sound of gears meshing like the heartbeat of some immense creature.

Lin Xia leaned on the railing, her fingertips tapping it absently.

"What does it feel like when you miss home?" she asked softly.

"Hm?"

Li Ye turned his head in surprise to look at her.

He had initially refrained from speaking, considering her feelings, and had even been careful when using the telescope. He hadn't expected her to initiate the conversation.

Missing home...

He savored the word, and his thoughts flowed like a small box accidentally opened in a corner, unleashing a flood of memories.

He was twenty-five years old, an ordinary office worker in a big city, living a typical nine-to-five life like most commuters.

He rented a small apartment on the outskirts of the city, enduring a long commute every day.

His family was also ordinary: his father was a state-owned enterprise employee, his mother a middle school teacher, and his younger sister was attending university.

His life path had originally been long and predictable.

Work hard for a few years, save some money, find a suitable blind date, buy a car, buy a house, get married, have children...

But the sudden transmigration had disrupted all his plans.

Rather than the melancholy and regret of never being able to return home, Li Ye felt more a sense of ambition.

This was a magnificent world.

The surviving humans relied on Mobile Cities, migrating, managing, and fighting with these nomadic homes.

Along the way, they met many, many people and saw many, many sights.

He looked out at the distant scenery, his brow gradually relaxing.

"Dad, Mom, and sister. If you knew I had come to such a vibrant and wonderful world, you would surely be happy for me."

"It is strange and colorful here, with many beautiful things to yearn for."

"I will live brilliantly here and leave behind many stories."

When he came back to his senses, Li Ye found Lin Xia still looking at him, waiting for his answer.

"Probably a mix of melancholy, sadness, and then a happy release," he replied slowly.

Lin Xia nodded gently and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Is that so?"

They leaned on the railing, watching the scenery and chatting idly from time to time.

Half an hour later, a sight suddenly caught their attention.

Several kilometers away, more than a dozen Mobile Cities of different styles were approaching from all directions, gathering together.

To Li Ye's surprise, these Mobile Cities were all miniature, measuring only a few dozen square meters in size.

They were often small, cobbled-together huts equipped with mini robotic arms and cranes, along with canopies, observation decks, gardens, warehouses, small water towers, and a host of other features.

As one of the mobile cities sounded its whistle, the mobile cities began to link up.

Telescopic bridges of various sizes, with articulated joints, snaked out from under armored plates, their rivets old but reliable.

A device in the center mobile city split open, assembling itself into several hovering platforms as it rose, its serrated edges precisely interlocking with the telescopic bridges.

The people on the mobile cities stepped onto the walkways formed by the telescopic bridges, meeting on the hovering platforms.

They shared the snacks, drinks, and food they had brought, chatting happily. They were all white-haired elders, seemingly having known each other for many years.

The mobile cities also began to move.

First, a mobile city adorned with flowers and plants made a move, spraying out fragrant steam from its pipes, enveloping the atmosphere of old friends reuniting.

A mobile city with several huge wine barrels attached to its exterior provided fine wine.

A mobile city with half its area dedicated to fields offered fresh vegetables and fruits.

The last mobile city provided music. It was the most peculiar in appearance, with its sides resembling organ stops, dozens of metal pipes spreading out in layers. The lord of this city was an elderly woman wearing a pale yellow dress, her hair white. At this moment, she was sitting at a piano.

As she struck the keys, an elegant and melodious piece of music began, the sound gradually extending through the metal pipes, and finally being played through the large speakers mounted on the city's roof.

"This is really wonderful," Li Ye couldn't help but exclaim sincerely.

Even without a colossal body, the yearning for a free life could turn the smallest gear.

"These are Level 0.5 mobile cities, you know." Lin Xia turned to look at him.

From the fortress lord's daughter, Li Ye learned what Level 0.5 mobile cities were.

Not all mobile cities started at Level 1.

Some lords had a very poor start, initially possessing only a steam engine, a boiler room, a production workshop, a few small huts, and tracks or tires, which was Level 0.5.

Everyone would diligently collect resources in the wilderness, slowly building them up to gradually develop into Level 1 scale.

But there were exceptions among some Level 0.5 city lords.

These lords did not focus on upgrading their city's level and space like most people, but rather on their immediate lives, patiently refining and building their Level 0.5 cities.

They built observation decks, small gardens, small fields, and fruit trellises according to their preferences, and planted flowers and plants in the gaps between the cities.

Level 0.5 cities had limited space, often only able to accommodate a dozen people.

And those living in Level 0.5 cities were usually families.

The father was responsible for piloting the city, the mother for maintenance and troubleshooting, and the young children for tending the fields and small gardens.

There was no need to worry about their safety. Level 0.5 cities, due to their small size, were very fast, even reaching speeds of over 200 kilometers per hour in the wilderness.

Some Level 0.5 cities even had vegetation planted on their outer shells for camouflage.

Level 0.5 cities were small in scale and limited in personnel, so their daily operational needs for coal fuel, food, and fresh water were very low.

Since they rarely collected blueprints, Level 1 items, and other resources, Predator Cities were too lazy to consider them targets, making them easier to survive in the wilderness.

"So that's how it is?" Li Ye nodded slowly. "Then what is this gathering of theirs..."

Lin Xia rested her chin on her hand and tilted her head, smiling.

"These Level 0.5 mobile cities in the Wasteland Zone have an organization called the Captain's Club. Periodically, they gather at an agreed-upon location."

The Captain's Club?

Li Ye was first surprised, then nodded gently.

Come to think of it, these Level 0.5 cities were indeed like small boats in scale, so the name was quite fitting.

At this moment, more and more people on the deck noticed these Level 0.5 mobile cities.

They all gathered at the edge of the deck, leaning on the railings and discussing excitedly.

Li Ye thought for a moment, then spoke to Lin Xia.

"Should we go take a look?"

Lin Xia shook her head with a sigh.

"Level 1 cities like ours are not welcome in the Captain's Club. As you can see, their lords are all elderly grandfathers and grandmothers. Don't upset them."

Despite this, Li Ye was still unwilling to give up.

He then had Tang Fang sound two long and one short whistle.

The Level 0.5 cities fell silent for a long time after hearing it, and finally, one city sounded the same whistle.

"They agreed!" Li Ye exclaimed excitedly.

Although Lin Xia was also surprised by this, she still looked at him with concern.

"Aren't we supposed to be heading to the central area? Is it really okay to delay like this?"

Li Ye smiled and shook his head gently.

"We're on the road every day, it's bound to be tiring. It's nice to stop occasionally and enjoy the scenery."

As he spoke, he extended his hand to Lin Xia.

"I guess you're eager to see it too?"

Lin Xia nodded, a rare smile gracing her face.

"Mhm."

The two of them drove their off-road vehicle, slowly heading towards the Level 0.5 city.

Upon arriving nearby and getting out of the car, Li Ye saw that all the lords of the Level 0.5 city were looking at them.

They were all elderly, the youngest over fifty and the oldest nearing eighty.

The floating platform seemed to be a tea party exclusively for these lords, while their families were busy on their respective mobile cities.

"Damn it, Old Li! You never park your city properly. This time, the big wine barrels you attached to the outside scraped off my rose bushes again!" an elegantly dressed old man shouted angrily.

The Old Li he mentioned, an old man with a beard and a beer belly, wearing a white vest, burst into laughter.

"I say, good wine is much better than your meticulously arranged floral art."

"What about the music? Why did it stop playing?" another old man, who was baking cookies, asked curiously.

The lord of the Music City, a well-dressed old lady, slowly sipped her tea.

"I only play one piece each time. If you don't listen carefully, you'll have to wait for the next time."

As they spoke, all these old lords turned their gaze towards Li Ye and Lin Xia.

"Such young lords," the elegantly dressed old man exclaimed. "You haven't been in charge of this city for long, have you? To see it develop so well."

"I hate these Level 1 cities the most," the old man baking cookies said without turning his head. "They swarm around in the wilderness like locusts, mining resources everywhere and causing trouble."

"Don't always be so prejudiced!" the old man in the white vest patted his belly and laughed heartily. "Seeing young people always makes one feel better, like seeing ourselves when we were young."

"How long have you known each other?" Li Ye asked curiously.

"Almost forty years," one of the old lords replied.

He waved towards Li Ye and Lin Xia as he spoke.

"Come on, young ones, have some tea and chat with us old folks."

The morning in the wilderness was exceptionally tranquil. The Level 0.5 cities gathered together, while the Tomorrow in the distance kept watch.

Li Ye chatted with the old lords over tea, his mood gradually relaxing.

"As you can see, this is our life," the elegantly dressed old man said. "No hunting, no fighting. We just migrate with our families every day, and occasionally gather with old friends."

He put down his teacup, looked around at his old friends' mobile cities, and sighed with genuine emotion.

"We believe true freedom isn't about how much living space you have, but about fitting your entire world into these tens of square meters of romance."

Li Ye nodded sincerely, feeling that such a life was quite good.

Soon, he realized something and quickly put down his teacup to remind them.

"Right, the Wasteland Zone will be destroyed in less than three months. You need to hurry and leave."

The old men exchanged glances and smiled.

"In fact, we're preparing for a competition to see who can reach the Basin Area in the west first."

"But aren't there spreading mountains in the west?" Li Ye asked in surprise.

The old man baking cookies waved his hand gently.

"It's fine. Old Li is an excellent mechanic. He can help everyone modify climbing tracks."

The old man in the white vest, however, stood with his hands on his hips, huffing indignantly.

"It seems you want to work this old guy to death."

The lords exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

The tea party soon ended. The old lords returned to their respective Level 0.5 cities, retracting the connected floating platforms and retractable bridges.

At this moment, Li Ye and Lin Xia had returned to the deck of the Tomorrow, gazing at the scene in the distance.

They saw the Level 0.5 mobile cities arranging themselves in the wilderness, heading west. Steam billowed from their chimneys, as if ready to set off.

With a whistle, they surged forward together like competitors in a race, heading west.

"That's so nice," Lin Xia's eyes lit up as she watched. "These grandpas and grandmas seem like they never get old."

Li Ye nodded and sighed in agreement.

Soon, he waved his hand.

"Let's go, we're moving on."