Longcheng

Biodata

Overview

Longcheng is a city defined by its persistent fog, from which its name is derived. The Upper City is less affected, while the Lower City experiences especially severe nighttime mist; even fog lights leave distant pedestrians indistinct. 1

Dense fog is uncommon but can halt normal city operations when it occurs. The Meteorological Bureau can forecast fog with relative accuracy, though it does not control its appearance. 2 9

Fog and Anomalies

Longcheng is a high-incidence area for Anomalies, with fog frequently accompanying abnormal weather and rifts to other worlds. 5 38

• Anomalies may manifest as cracks within dense fog, drawing surrounding mist inward and exerting pressure on nearby people. 3 4
• Individuals unable to withstand the pressure can lose consciousness near a rift; those who endure it demonstrate unusually high adaptability. 4 15
• The rifts can connect to multiple worlds, making return travel possible but unreliable. 4
• Anomaly appearances have limited durations. Longcheng researchers can estimate an Anomaly's lifespan with an error margin of roughly half an hour, though they cannot stabilize one permanently. 37 38
• Visuals inside an Anomaly can be misleading: immense or frightening scenes may be distortions rather than an accurate view of the world beyond. 37
• Fog conditions can cause experimental subjects to mutate unexpectedly, creating additional hazards around research facilities. 9

Environmental Adjustment

Longcheng is considered a low-environment world, though not the lowest in strength or energy level. Its environment suppresses powerful beings and abilities arriving from higher-intensity worlds. 38 40

Districts and Locations

• Upper City — Less severely affected by fog than the Lower City. 1
• Lower City — A fog-heavy district containing the Night Banquet Bar and Twilight Chapel. 1 19
• Liuyun District — Location of the Nefita Institute. 7
• Southern Longcheng / Deep Southern Forest — A forest region containing numerous Abnormal Creatures and dynamically appearing Anomalies. Signals are affected even in its outer areas. 21 22
• Twilight Chapel — A Lower City site used by Hunters for information exchange, medical treatment, physical examinations, recreation, and weapon storage. 12 19 27 29
• Night Banquet Bar — A Hunter-oriented establishment that handles licenses, provides commission menus, and circulates information about Anomalies. 1 6 21

Public Safety and Response

Longcheng reacts rapidly to Anomaly incidents. If responders cannot reach an Anomaly site within twenty minutes, the area is generally sealed off. 3 20

• The Countermeasures Bureau manages most Anomalies in the city. 32
• Law-enforcement officers and specialized personnel restrict novice Hunters from approaching an Anomaly's center. 15
• Official Mist Walkers are equipped to respond to Anomalies, unlike civilian Mist Walkers, who are not encouraged to pursue them in dense fog. 3
• Longcheng's public-security capacity is strengthened by the prevalence of firearms among Hunters and the threat posed by Anomalies. 20
• After major incidents, damaged infrastructure is rapidly repaired or replaced; a battle-damaged area was expected to reopen within three to five days. 18

Hunters and Research

Longcheng supports an active Hunter economy centered on commissions involving patrols, research testing, security, bounties, and Abnormal Creature collection. 6 21 31

• Hunters commonly improve their effectiveness through better weapons, practical combat experience, and income from missions. 7 8
• Research institutes employ Hunters as security, combat-test participants, and, at times, de facto test subjects for equipment and experimental procedures. 8 9
• Some institutes pursue human augmentation through anomaly-related methods, including implantation, though such methods are associated with risks and side effects. 7 23
• Major families and influential groups know that Anomalies lead to other worlds and may organize teams to explore or exploit them. 37 39
• Anomaly hunters seek foreign training methods, special ores, and intelligence on the gap between Longcheng's capabilities and those of other worlds. 38

Society and Development

Longcheng possesses modern infrastructure, firearms access through legal and illegal channels, research institutions, public broadcasting, and rapid construction capacity. 1 18 20

The city is not at the bottom of the broader inter-world scale: its athletes can exceed Earth-standard physical benchmarks, Aberrants can manifest supernatural abilities, and supernatural incidents are regularly documented. 24 40

Its unusual value lies in the combination of a relatively safe low-environment setting, capable technology, and exceptional access to Anomalies. This has led some informed residents to regard staying in Longcheng as preferable to immediately migrating to a higher-environment world. 38 39