Xu Feng left Whitewater Residence and headed toward West City.
Compared with the tidy streets of East City, West City's streets were considerably narrower.
Many of the Stone Slabs paving the street were cracked, and the signs hanging outside the shops on either side ranged from new to old. Yet there were even more people here than in East City. The buildings here looked as though they belonged to ancient times.
The architecture looked ancient at first glance.
But it also bore the influence of many alien civilizations.
The buildings were strange enough, and here and there he spotted technological products that clashed with the local style.
Flying vehicles, for instance.
The ones here were rather old, though—far more outdated than those he had seen on White Elm Star.
Their passengers all wore Blackgold Society robes. They seemed to be members of the city's Enforcement Squad, constantly patrolling the skies.
Xu Feng paid the Enforcement Squad no mind. With his saber on his back, he sought out the most inconspicuous alleys.
He wanted to learn the terrain and, while he was at it, see how the Blackgold Society operated in the city.
As he rounded a cluster of stalls selling old weapons, a burst of angry shouting came from ahead.
An older child stumbled out of an alley and fell to the ground, still shielding a smaller child in his arms.
Several men in short tunics followed. One raised his foot and kicked the older child in the back.
"You little bastard! That's for stealing! That's for stealing!"
The older child made no sound. He curled over the smaller one, his back covered in footprints and mud.
A few passersby gave them a wide berth. No one dared look up.
Seeing that no one would interfere, the man grew bolder