Residence

"Okay, bro, should we go in and keep playing, or head to our place?" Song 6PUS had just finished speaking when the building behind them let out another fierce blast of white smoke with a heavy gasp.

"Play what? Let's just go to our place first." Sun Jack's nerves had been stretched to the breaking point all day. All he wanted now was to find a place to rest.

Song 6 was apparently thick-skinned, coming to a place like this right after a near-death experience.

As the car started moving, Sun Jack looked out through the glass at the bizarre and dazzling world outside, a persistent sense of unreality washing over him.

After watching for a while, he turned his gaze back to Song 6, who was driving. The guy wasn't driving honestly either; he had started a Live Stream again.

"Even though this guy seems a bit unreliable, he's definitely loyal. 'Old 6, no offense, but you're broke, and you don't know how to save money. You're treating people and ordering drinks? You were so extravagant at first, I thought you were a rich second-generation.'"

"Shit, what kind of talk is that? Am I supposed to save the money I earned with my life?" Song 6PUS said, flooring the accelerator and speeding off. "If you have money, spend it like crazy. What a loss if you die and haven't spent it all."

Sun Jack shook his head slightly, unable to comprehend this guy's views on money and values.

He had seen depictions of future worlds in movies on TV before, but he never expected the real future world to be like this.

Just then, a Chinese GG brand flashed by quickly. Sun Jack knew he had entered Queen District.

The car weaved rapidly between the towering buildings of the city. As time passed, trash began to accumulate on the sides of the road. Although the surrounding buildings still flickered with neon lights, they clearly looked more haphazard.

When he saw a wobbly old man, not wearing pants, standing by the roadside urinating, Sun Jack finally couldn't hold back. "Where exactly are you taking us?"

"Our place. See that building up ahead?"

Sun Jack followed his finger and saw a skyscraper through the car window.

The building was strange. The lower dozen or so floors had lights indicating habitation, and there were GG logos on the walls, but the upper floors were still in scaffolding, creating a very disharmonious appearance.

It wasn't quite a half-finished building, as people lived on the lower floors, but it wasn't complete either, as the top wasn't sealed.

The car door opened, and Sun Jack, frowning, followed Song 6 towards the half-finished skyscraper.

As rain was blocked by concrete, Sun Jack saw people taking shelter from the rain. They looked dazed, their limbs contorted, resembling zombies. A foul stench of excrement permeated the air, and feces and trash bags were scattered everywhere.

"Why do I feel like this isn't a good place?" Sun Jack covered his nose.

"Bro, don't worry. These are just poor people who've been ruined by drugs. They look scary, but they're not dangerous."

As if to prove his point, Song 6 pulled out a gun and fired a few shots at the roof.

Hearing the gunshots, the people scattered along the walls, fleeing like startled hamsters.

"See? In the future, if anyone asks you for food or cigarettes, just do this, and they'll behave."

Passing through these vagrants, they entered the elevator. Song 6PUS pressed the button for the 18th floor.

Emerging from the elevator, Sun Jack found the place to be barely acceptable. At least the disgusting smell of excrement and urine was gone.

"The stairwell certification is enough to divide the two worlds. The trash below won't affect you up here, so don't worry."

Song 6 said this as he arrived at the third door in the corridor. After scanning his iris, he pushed the door open and walked in.

The room smelled musty, but it looked relatively clean. The apartment wasn't large, just over 30 square meters. One bedroom, one living room, and one bathroom.

What was particularly unique was that the separation between the living room and bedroom wasn't a door, but a projected 3D virtual waterfall.

As Song 6 reached out and tapped the wall, the white wall on the right slowly rose, revealing a neon city shrouded in rain outside the huge floor-to-ceiling window.

"What do you think, bro, pretty nice place, right?"

"This is your house?"

"Hahaha, that's a good one. Who buys houses these days?"

As Song 6 sat down on the gray sofa in the corner, a virtual image program was immediately projected in front of him. "This is my buddy's place. I have access. He died later, so the room's been empty. I don't know how much rent he paid. You can stay here for now. I've authorized you. We'll deal with it if the landlord kicks you out."

Sun Jack walked around the small room and found that it had everything he needed: a refrigerator, a washing machine, a wardrobe. He wouldn't need to buy anything. He could move in right away.

Honestly, this was a bit beyond his expectations. He had thought Song 6 would just find some run-down room to fob him off.

Song 6 casually swung his left leg while sitting on the sofa, flipping through the 3D projection program floating in mid-air. Finding nothing interesting, he stood up.

"Alright then, you rest up. We'll deal with the neural system stuff tomorrow. I'm heading back to get laid. Can't waste the money I spent at the 69 Club. My mom taught me from a young age to be thrifty. That place is expensive."

As soon as Song 6 left, Taipai asked, "Do you want me to keep an eye on him? Just in case he runs off."

"No need. This guy isn't going anywhere. Don't forget he's a streamer. But keep an eye out tonight, just in case someone tries to raid the place."

Although Song 6 seemed quite righteous, it was always wise to be cautious, especially in such a strange city.

When Sun Jack sat down on the sofa, his nerves finally relaxed. He let out a long sigh.

He looked at Taipai again, then at everything around him. The events of the day felt so surreal, making Sun Jack feel like he was dreaming.

It felt like an illusion, as if he could return to his own world just by falling asleep again.

But when Sun Jack raised his cold Mechanical Arm and watched his metal palm open and close before him, he knew it was all real.

"Sigh, if only this were a dream," Sun Jack said, tilting his head back to look at the gray ceiling, gently tapping the seam between metal and flesh on his arm.

Meanwhile, outside in the elevator, Song 6 listened to the explosive death metal in his ears and called an acquaintance. "Bro, how much did you sell the info on those two guys for?"

"What?! You didn't sell it? Nobody wants it for even 0.1?"