Xu Huo smiled as he watched the old lady walk away. Rather than returning to the beach, he went to Liu Yi's bar.
It was nearly dark, and the number of customers had increased. He found a seat in a corner. Dai Si mixed him a new drink and said with a smile, "Let's have dinner together later. We got some fresh vegetables today, and Liu Yi's cooking."
Xu Huo did not refuse. He quietly took in the seascape and the hubbub of the crowd.
No matter how the districts changed, as long as war had not spread into every last corner, life went on as usual. All pain and joy would eventually be smoothed away.
Of course, things were not always so peaceful. Since midafternoon, quite a few players had gathered near the beach. Some were from District 009, but even more were Outer District Players, though no one knew what excitement they had come to join.
Ignoring the looks around him, Xu Huo waited until nightfall and had a fairly lavish dinner with Liu Yi and Dai Si.
"Prices are high now, and fresh vegetables are especially expensive," Liu Yi said. "I'm worried that if things keep going like this, we'll have to buy vegetables from other districts."
"District 009 isn't doing that badly," Dai Si said from the side. "I've seen plenty of districts in dire straits. Forget living normally—even getting enough to eat is a problem. I still really like our district."
"A person is worthless away from home. Even if I die, I'll die in District 009."
Liu Yi smiled and looked at Xu Huo. "You level up so quickly. You probably rarely go back, right?"
"What about you?" Xu Huo asked instead.
"I haven't had a hometown for a long time," Liu Yi said