The Small Cart and the Maserati

The next day, August 25, 2030, Eastern Federation.

"According to regulations, we need to go through the procedure."

The meeting was at two in the afternoon.

Section Chief Liu pulled a flat, ruler-like strap from his pocket and gestured for Bai Zhou to bare his wrist.

"What is this?"

Bai Zhou extended his left hand, watching as the other man tapped the orange "ruler" against his arm and gave it a flick.

With a crisp "snap,"

the taut "strap" curled suddenly like a startled little snake, locking tightly around Bai Zhou's wrist.

A sudden, cold sense of restraint made Bai Zhou feel somewhat uncomfortable.

"This is called a Huami Bracelet, very convenient to wear."

Section Chief Liu said.

"Sometimes, we also call it a 'Pat Pat Bracelet' or a 'Slap Bracelet'."

Immediately following—

With a "ding-dong," a small, translucent screen lit up on the flat bracelet.

"Commissioner ID F100000086, authentication successful."

"Huami Bracelet Military Special Edition Honor, happy to serve you."

A gentle, mechanical female voice rang out.

"'Best Employee of the Month' voting is now live—scan your work ID QR code to participate."

Bai Zhou swiped across the small screen in surprise, quickly spotting Section Chief Liu's familiar face.

The crew-cut, square-jawed man with a face as dark as a pot bottom was wearing a stiff smile in his ID Photo.

Just as Bai Zhou cast his vote, Section Chief Liu's voice came through:

"It has many practical functions, but there is one thing I must state upfront."

He pointed to the bracelet:

"According to regulations, it has been fitted with two special features specifically for you."

"—One is a force field containment for Void Contamination, used to prevent the Void Contamination on your body from affecting ordinary people outside."

"And the other is..."

Section Chief Liu's voice paused.

His serious expression carried a hint of awkwardness; it took him a long while to spit out two words:

"Tracking."

Tracking and surveillance.

Forced removal would trigger a self-destruct mechanism.

In short, it was just a different form of shackles.

No further words were needed; Bai Zhou already understood.

...One could even say this was reasonable.

He had been wondering yesterday why it was so easy to get out.

In the eyes of the Special Management Department, Bai Zhou was by no means an innocent, upright citizen—

He had grown up in a stronghold of the Blood Worship Cult, carrying contamination all over his body.

He was in the "observation period" of the Special Management Department and had not yet fully cleared the suspicion of being a mole for the Blood Worship Cult.

The reason they hadn't locked him away for a few years first was, one, because he had cheated on the test;

and two, thanks to the modern civilization's emphasis on human rights.

Therefore, in the short term, he had actually been treating this base as a prison where he could move freely and get fed.

This wasn't bad either.

—The folks back in Evening City were all still lying in the hospital undergoing controlled treatment!

Now that he could actually be taken out, if they didn't implement some restrictive measures, even Bai Zhou himself would feel uneasy.

He might even be terrified—

If they were suddenly being this nice to him, was it his last meal before the execution?

This matter was also recorded by the Black Robe in Evening City.

Whenever someone was about to be dragged to the plaza for judgment, they would be given a good meal in their cell the day before.

He heard Sister Li wanted to eat some Original Recipe chicken, though no one understood what she was talking about.

In the end, she ate a bowl of egg-fried rice.

Flicking his wrist a few times and looking at the bracelet that showed nothing out of the ordinary, Bai Zhou blinked.

However...

Wearing this thing on his body was indeed uncomfortable.

No one wanted to be "watched" at any moment, and even fewer people liked carrying an uncontrollable bomb around with them.

Fortunately—

Last night, he had asked Ya about the matter of going out.

Ya had mentioned the existence of the "bracelet" in advance.

While telling Bai Zhou to wear it without worry, Ya had also drawn several rituals on his back.

Some were for concealing spirituality, while others could block the bracelet's signal at critical moments...

Therefore, Bai Zhou had actually anticipated everything happening right now; he only needed to feign a reaction of shock and fear.

Only Section Chief Liu's candor caught Bai Zhou by surprise.

He even turned the tables to comfort the embarrassed Section Chief Liu, "It's fine, I understand! Everything is done according to the Rules."

Yet, Bai Zhou's "sensibility" in the eyes of Section Chief Liu only made him feel even more ashamed.

"After spending these past few days together, I know what kind of person you are, and of course, I trust you."

"But these are sensitive times, and Rules are Rules..."

The more he spoke, the quieter his voice became, and Section Chief Liu's dark face turned a deep, flushed red.

For someone with his personality, nothing was more painful than failing a colleague who trusted him.

"It's okay, really... Section Chief, I truly understand."

Bai Zhou continued to comfort him, his face neither red nor his heart racing, "It's just an 'observation period,' right? There won't be things like this in the future."

"Actually..." at this moment, Section Chief Liu lowered his voice again and said:

"If you don't consider those two functions, the Pat Pat Bracelet is actually a rare piece of Good Stuff."

"Usually, only Level P2 Specialists are equipped with them, and they are absolutely forbidden from wearing them if they aren't on field duty!"

"Good Stuff?"

Bai Zhou looked down at the flat bracelet tightly fastened to his wrist.

Wearing this thing on field duty... were they planning on using him as a human explosive pack?

Facing such an extreme Special Management Department Research Institute, it was quite impressive that the Blood Worship Cult had managed to hold on until now.

"Because the original intention behind its development was to adapt to the convenient use of specialists in various situations and to enhance a specialist's hidden combat and survival capabilities."

As he spoke, Section Chief Liu also pulled out a similar flat, straight band and snapped it onto his wrist.

The shapes of the two were identical; Bai Zhou's was a vibrant orange, while Section Chief Liu's was green.

"Specialist ID..."

A similar mechanical voice rang out.

After a few simple operations, under Bai Zhou's gaze, Section Chief Liu first voted for himself on the Best Employee page without changing his expression.

Then, he tapped the surface of the bracelet twice.

Hum—

Under Bai Zhou's incredulous gaze, A beam of ghostly blue light projected upward, instantly unfolding a floating, translucent 3D holographic projection.

As Section Chief Liu grabbed, swiped, pinched, and rotated the image, the projection shifted its form accordingly, displaying different pages.

"Accessing nearby holographic maps, satellite communications, and recording scan files are just the basic functions."

Section Chief Liu clicked an icon on the menu.

Next Second, Section Chief Liu vanished into thin air in front of Bai Zhou.

Just as Bai Zhou was struck with astonishment, Section Chief Liu "slowly" reappeared in his original spot.

It was as if he were surfacing from underwater; normal colors appeared on his body bit by bit.

Like a chameleon.

"This is called Optical Camouflage, the latest method developed by the Special Management Department Research Institute."

"It's a pity it can only be used in areas with strong light; it's quite picky about the environment."

Section Chief Liu introduced the bracelet.

"Besides that, it also has an energy shield, electromagnetic interference functions, and more. You can try it out yourself."

Without needing to be told, Bai Zhou had long been unable to restrain himself, playing with it to his heart's content.

It was magical.

Truly, incredibly magical!

It was a different kind of magic compared to the extraordinary means Ya had shown him.

The key was that no learning was required; even a child, if they got their hands on such a bracelet, could become a mysterious agent with countless tricks up their sleeve!

--To Bai Zhou's surprise, such a situation had actually occurred in reality.

"There was once a high-level specialist who brought the bracelet home, only for his playful child to steal it, nearly causing a catastrophe."

"That is why the Special Management Department enforces strict regulations: it is not to be worn unless necessary, and certainly never taken out of the base."

As he spoke, Section Chief Liu unclasped the bracelet from his own wrist.

"--But occasionally, this bracelet has other uses."

Section Chief Liu pointed at Bai Zhou's wrist.

"Just like now."

"Once we return to the base, you will have to hand it back."

"Tsk..." Bai Zhou shook his head in regret.

He suddenly felt that--

The Electronic Shackles were actually not entirely unacceptable.

He was, in fact, a Level P1 recruit who had gained early access to special equipment that only a Level P2 Specialist could possess.

--Even if this equipment came with "extras."

...Later, the department's specialists arrived one after another.

There were about a dozen people, and aside from a few newcomers, they were basically all Level P2 Specialists.

"Let's go."

Section Chief Liu tossed his cigarette butt onto the ground, unscrewed his Stainless Steel Thermos to take a sip of tea, and then spat a tea leaf onto the floor.

"It's time to head out."

The base was brightly lit, and the massive hum of machinery echoed overhead.

Moving against the flow of the patrol teams, the group strolled along as if on an outing, passing gray building after gray building until they reached the base entrance.

Surveillance cameras, guard posts, and roadblocks were all present here, with over a dozen fully armed Soldiers guarding a massive...

Cave?

Or perhaps, a tunnel entrance.

Each specialist filled out a form to register their departure.

The moment they stepped into the tunnel, a cool, damp sensation clung to their skin.

The rock walls were uneven, sparsely dotted with dim, yellowish mining lamps hanging on both sides.

The long tunnel tracks wound upward, pitch black, leading straight into an unfathomable, deep darkness.

This was Bai Zhou's first time coming to the exit of the underground base.

He followed silently behind the others, observing everything without saying a word.

At the same time, he muttered to himself:

The ground is pitted and uneven, and the path ahead is pitch black... we aren't just going to walk up this, are we?

Why is leaving the base more exhausting than a mountain climbing expedition...

"We need a vehicle."

Section Chief Liu said calmly:

"Landmines, electromagnetic nets, Pulse Guns, machine gun fire lines..."

"This tunnel is riddled with traps to defend against external enemies."

"--Only by riding a specific vehicle can we avoid them."

Bai Zhou felt a shiver run through him as he looked at the deep, man-eating tunnel, a chill rising in his heart.

Taking a few steps inside by the dim light of the mining lamps, he indeed saw a winding steel track.

It lay there quietly, spiraling upward.

And at the start of the tracks, a "convertible" Rail Mining Cart that looked like a Small Cart appeared before them.

Its four wheels were pressed tightly against the rails, the dusty little cart covered in patches of rust.

At its rear, incongruously, was an oversized industrial electric fan that looked like it had been salvaged from a scrap heap.

Some of the fan blades were bent and deformed, and the mesh cover was long gone, making it look incredibly crude.

At both ends of the fan blades, several iron pipes of highly suspicious purpose had been attached.

"This is...?"

Just as Bai Zhou was examining it, Section Chief Liu handed him a heavy, yellow Miner's Hat.

"Safety first."

Dropping those words, Section Chief Liu briskly began organizing the group:

"We'll go in batches. Bai Zhou, you're with me."

With a "click," Bai Zhou switched on the headlamp of the Little Yellow Hat.

A brilliant beam of light immediately shot out from his forehead, piercing the depths of the darkness.

"..."

He didn't feel like he was heading out to experience freedom.

He felt more like he'd been abducted to work in a dark coal mine.

After putting on the safety helmet, he approached the "convertible" Rail Mining Cart and gingerly stepped across it.

--Even so, he still managed to get some dust on his pants.

"Sit tight!"

Section Chief Liu, his "coworker" who was also wearing a Miner's Hat, hunched over as he sat down and pressed a button while speaking.

"I'm starting the engine!"

"...Clang! Clang!"

With a jolt beneath their feet, the "convertible" mining cart slowly began to move, its cheerful "clang" echoing rhythmically through the silent tunnel.

The headlamp overhead shone into the darkness ahead, and a hidden underground world slowly unfolded before Bai Zhou.

Water droplets dripped down, and the tunnel walls were covered in damp, dark rocks, colorful and magnificent like a solidified starry night.

When Bai Zhou turned his head and the beam from his helmet swept across, he could occasionally see tiny, crystalline specks flickering—those were small mineral fragments embedded in the stone.

There was a simple yet marvelous novelty here, as if he were listening to the heartbeat of the planet at close range.

The mining cart traveled along a secret path that seemed to come from the earth's core, making Bai Zhou think of the Underground City Adventure Short Story he had once read in Late City--

An adventurer exploring an underground city treasure swung his sword at a Slime blocking the way.

The Slime didn't dodge, its body sticking to the sword.

Then, the Slime reported the incident to a Black Robe--because Late City did not allow the possession of sharpened weapons.

--Bai Zhou remembered that the full title of this adventure story was something like Late City Ban on Blades Popular Science, and it was said that the compiler was a Black-ranked Elder.

There were no Slimes here, but this was a genuine underground world.

In that case, Bai Zhou was the adventurer riding the mining cart.

But there was no treasure from the Previous Civilization here, Only countless traps laid out by the Special Management Department after hollowing out the underground...

From the corner of his eye, Bai Zhou had already spotted many bunkers and electric fences.

This tunnel was the only way in and out of the base, and it was also the safety zone constructed by the Special Management Department for itself.

Under these circumstances, did the Blood Worship Cult actually dare to target the Special Management Department...

Just as Bai Zhou was muttering to himself, Section Chief Liu's low voice suddenly reached his ears:

"Do you know? This tunnel leading to the surface is very long; normal transit can take twenty minutes, which is very inconvenient."

"In the end, those Madmen at the research institute solved the problem."

As he spoke, Section Chief Liu suddenly pulled a strap from the side, buckled it into the slot from left to right, and secured himself safely.

"Sit tight, Bai Zhou!"

"What?"

Bai Zhou immediately followed suit, though he was completely confused.

Section Chief Liu's expression was profound: "Have you ever heard of..."

"Propeller Jet Acceleration?"

"Huh?"

Bai Zhou was completely unable to understand what he was talking about.

"One last time--"

Section Chief Liu's voice came again, "I'm accelerating!"

Then, under Bai Zhou's horrified gaze:

The mysterious, broken fan blades began to rotate with increasing speed, and in the blink of an eye, they emitted the deafening roar of a propeller.

The few crooked "water pipes" stuck to the side suddenly spewed out a translucent gas.

Then, The wind rose.

With a "boom,"

The translucent gas behind the "Jet Pipes" ignited, erupting into long, ghostly blue tail flames.

A sudden sense of G-force slammed into his back.

"Ahhhhhhh--!"

Accompanied by Bai Zhou's startled cry, the open-top mine cart roared and accelerated through the endless, dark tunnel.

The light from the two helmet-mounted mining lamps flickered past like will-o'-the-wisps.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

With Gale Speed, they left everything in the dust!

A group of bats resting upside down on the cave ceiling were disturbed, flapping their wings in a massive swarm like a moving velvet cloak, only to be left far behind in the deep darkness trailing the mine cart.

On Blue Star, they were drag racing in the belly of the planet.

Racing through the underground world in a modified mine cart that looked like a Small Cart...

Although it sounded more incredible than a Fairy Tale, Bai Zhou was indeed experiencing this absurd adventure.

In the blink of an eye, The mine cart crossed mountains and ridges to reach the end of the tracks.

From a great distance away, Bai Zhou saw a tightly sealed Great Door.

"Clang, clang..."

The mine cart began to slow down.

The "propeller" stopped spinning.

The "Jet Pipes" ceased their emission of tail flames.

"We're here."

Section Chief Liu squirmed within the cramped mine cart, unbuckling his seatbelt to prepare for disembarkation.

--Bai Zhou, an Underground Dweller from the depths, Was about to arrive at the surface, a place entirely foreign to him.

"Beep--"

Section Chief Liu swiped his card at the door for authentication.

The Pitch Black and heavy Great Door slowly opened.

What would the world outside look like?

Bai Zhou's imagination ran wild.

But he actually knew that the first thing he saw definitely wouldn't be Tinghai City.

The underground base was so massive that it clearly wasn't located beneath a populated metropolis; it went without saying that they would be in the suburbs.

Therefore, he expected to first see the Flowers and Grass of Blue Star, to see an endless, uninhabited Wilderness.

Then, he would enter the city with everyone else.

So, would he have a chance in the meantime to go to Dongxing Road and check out that Dead Sea Scrolls...

It seemed unlikely.

Bai Zhou pondered.

The rock walls trembled, causing dust to shower down.

The world outside gradually came into view.

"This is..." Bai Zhou blinked.

What met his eyes was completely different from the vast, desolate suburbs he had imagined.

But it wasn't a city, either.

--It was just a bare... storage room?

The Great Door was embedded in one of the walls.

Following Section Chief Liu out of the storage room, the exterior was a room filled with shelves, the lighting dim, and the rolling shutter door tightly closed.

Next, Section Chief Liu slowly stepped forward, bending down to open the door.

The rolling shutter was lifted bit by bit.

Light, surged in.

Surging, surging, natural and pure light—golden rays entirely unfamiliar to Bai Zhou—poured in one after another through the crack of the opening door.

"Click..."

Bai Zhou slowly approached the doorway. Towering, unfamiliar structures made of countless massive panes of glass and gleaming metal shimmered with dazzling radiance beneath the dome of the sky.

Neon lights flickered in alternation, accompanied by the blaring of horns, the friction of tires against the pavement, and the indistinct chatter of crowds, all converging like a surging tide.

In the distance, the "iron boxes" Bai Zhou had recently learned were called cars formed moving ribbons of light, while the crowds flowed like an endless river.

There was also the azure, clear, and unfamiliar sky.

And the golden sun.

Everything, strange yet incredibly prosperous, presented itself vividly before Bai Zhou.

--Right across the street stood the tallest and most eye-catching skyscraper among all the buildings.

At the top of this grand edifice hung a massive electronic sign.

The lights upon it flashed brilliantly even in the daylight, reading--

"Tinghai Welcomes You!"

Perhaps the entire Tinghai City could see this enormous sign.

Bai Zhou stared blankly at everything before him, only then turning his head back in delayed realization.

The greatest hermit hides in the city!

So, the underground base was not in the suburbs, but right beneath the center of Tinghai City.

...Bai Zhou looked up at the space above him.

This dilapidated little shop, situated in the city center and perpetually closed, bore a sign with paint that had almost entirely peeled away.

--"Oddities General Store".

The entrance to the underground base of Black Box Special Management Department Branch 36 was hidden right inside.

At this moment, "Vroom!"

A low, deep roar of an engine suddenly sounded in his ears, snapping Bai Zhou back to his senses.

Only then did Bai Zhou realize that Section Chief Liu, who had been by his side, had vanished while he was lost in thought.

"Where did he go...?"

"Beep-beep!"

The horn sounded twice, followed by a shout from Section Chief Liu, "Bai Zhou! Over here!"

Bai Zhou hurriedly looked toward the sound, then blinked, hardly able to believe his eyes.

"You are Section Chief Liu?!"

On the bustling street filled with traffic, a car was parked by the roadside.

A goose-yellow Maserati MC20 looked as elegant as a swan with its neck held high.

In the driver's seat, a cool and handsome Square-faced Middle-aged Man in a striking white suit was waving vigorously at Bai Zhou.

He wore the same style of sunglasses as the Major, a Big Gold Chain around his neck, and a vibrant red rose was ostentatiously tucked into the breast pocket of his suit.

If not for the Stainless Steel Thermos still visible in the car, printed with the words "Gratitude Gift, Limited Edition"...

Even if the man called out to him, Bai Zhou would never have dared to identify him as Section Chief Liu!

--Not to mention where this car came from.

The man had even managed to change his clothes from somewhere!

Where was that reliable and frugal Big Brother?

Bai Zhou stood there in a daze.

"Since we've entered the city, we should look like city folk."

Section Chief Liu stepped out of the car with composure, his polished custom Leather Shoes clicking as he walked straight toward Bai Zhou.

A ridiculously large cigar, its ember glowing, was stuck in his mouth.

"We must never lose face for the Special Management Department, no matter the time. You'll get used to it."

He patted Bai Zhou on the shoulder, took off the heavy Big Gold Chain, and insisted on placing it around Bai Zhou's neck.

Amidst the frequent, envious gazes of passing pedestrians, Section Chief Liu turned back to open the passenger door of the convertible for Bai Zhou.

Behind his sunglasses, his cool face broke into a smile:

"Welcome to Tinghai City."

"Or perhaps I should say--"

"Welcome home!"