As the two squatted outside the restaurant, waiting for the motorcycle to be repaired, Xu Chao shared his experience of surviving outside the zones with Qin Xun.
"Do you know why hardly any of the people eating inside were talking?"
"Why?"
"It's simple. In a place like this, it's best not to draw attention. The lower your profile, the better. Don't even make eye contact with anyone. It's no good if someone remembers your face."
"Then why didn't we have to worry about that at Sister Qiao'er's place?"
"Anywhere outside the zones is actually the same, including her place. Those customers who were drinking and making a racket there last night had numbers on their side. There were seven, eight, even ten of them together, so they weren't afraid at all! The smaller groups were all holed up in their rooms!"
"What kind of people are out here?"
"Some are wanted for killing someone or stealing money inside a zone. Others had to leave because they offended a noble! Then there are bounty hunters who specialize in catching wanted criminals. They're almost all Psionic Power users, and they're only in it for the money!"
Xu Chao continued, "Besides them, there are people who have special reasons for leaving the zones, like caravans escorting goods."
"All sorts of people, basically."
"You just need to remember not to mess with anyone outside the zones. Avoid dealing with them if you can, don't get too close to anyone, and don't be quick to believe anything anyone says!"
"If someone sets their sights on you, don't hesitate. Find a chance and run!"
"Most important of all, if you're injured, try not to let anyone see it. If you really can't hide it, you still have to act like you're not someone to mess with!"
"Of course, if you're strong enough, you can ignore everything I just said!"
Once the motorcycle was fixed, Xu Chao handed the owner three thousand magic coins.
Before setting off, he cautiously opened the fuel tank to make sure it was full.
After being professionally repaired, the motorcycle was indeed much easier to handle than before.
Xu Chao kept a pace that was neither too fast nor too slow.
The main reason was that the road had far too many uneven potholes. Going too fast made it very likely they would overturn.
The sky gradually darkened.
When the road gradually became level and the potholes disappeared, it meant they were close to the next zone.
Xu Chao stopped maintaining a steady speed. He twisted the throttle all the way and headed toward Zone 96 as fast as he could.
Outside Zone 96.
Truck after truck lined up for inspection before entering the city.
The person in charge of the caravan cheerfully pulled a Guard Team member aside.
After looking around to make sure no one was watching, he took an envelope from his pocket and slipped it into the Guard Team member's clothes.
The Guard Team member pulled his clothes open and eyed the thickness of the envelope, looking a little dissatisfied.
"Didn't I tell you last time? You need to add a little more."
"I can't help it. I really don't have any cash on hand. Once I get in and sell this shipment, I'll make up the difference on my way out. I'll bring a few dishes and a few bottles of liquor too..."
Hearing that there would be food and liquor, the Guard Team member was finally satisfied. He waved to his teammates. "All right, all right, let them through after the inspection. It's not their first time here. There shouldn't be any major problems, so there's no need to be so thorough."
At a distance, Qin Xun squatted by the roadside, gazing at Zone 96, which was likewise surrounded by high walls and an electric fence.
"Is Xiao Ling in there?"
"Unless something unexpected happened, they're waiting for us inside."
"Could the Dark Pavilion have found this place already?"
"It's over five hundred kilometers from Zone 108. Unless there's a spy among us, there's no way the Dark Pavilion could have found us this quickly. When we register, don't say anything. I'll do the talking!"
The two men and the dog approached the city gate and joined the line to enter.
When their turn came, Xu Chao went up to a table at the gate.
A Guard Team member sat at the table, pen and paper in hand, looking thoroughly casual. "Where are you from?"
"Zone 103."
"Show me your identification!"
"We lost it!"
"Lost it? How am I supposed to let you in without identification? What if you're not good people and you endanger the residents once you're inside?"
A Guard Team member carrying a gun walked over, his expression serious. "Without identification, we can't let you in. Those are the rules!"
Without a word, Xu Chao placed a thousand magic coins on the table.
The seated Guard Team member immediately covered the money with a document and smiled at the man with the gun. "Good people. You can tell at a glance they're good people!"
The armed Guard Team member shook his head. "One person's identification isn't enough. The other person needs identification too."
Xu Chao took out another dozen-odd magic coins and placed them on the table.
"Go on in. Don't cause trouble!" The armed guard gestured for them to enter.
"Thanks."
Though he felt somewhat disgusted, Xu Chao kept a smile on his face.
After they entered the city, there were already very few pedestrians on the streets.
Those still outside hurried home as fast as they could.
It was much the same as Zone 108. As soon as it got dark, civilians would hurry home.
If special circumstances kept them from getting home, they still wouldn't choose to wander the streets alone.
At the intersection ahead, seven or eight uniformed patrol officers had gathered to smoke, chatting and laughing.
Compared with being on the Guard Team, working as a patrol officer was actually a better job.
Though there weren't as many opportunities for graft as on the Guard Team, they could feed and provide for their families without worry.
Most importantly, their job was to wander around the zone and stop civilians from committing crimes.
If anything especially dangerous came up, they didn't have to handle it. The Guard Team did.
"Where's my sister?" Qin Xun followed briskly beside Xu Chao, having pulled his jacket zipper all the way up to cover half his face.
"Just follow me."
Xu Chao walked ahead, then suddenly stopped as he was about to reach an intersection.
Qin Xun stopped too. He looked at Xu Chao, then followed his gaze to a flower shop ahead.
A woman wearing a floral dress and two braids stood outside the shop.
She was beautiful. Though her clothes were somewhat plain, she looked very innocent.
She was about twenty-four or twenty-five, roughly the same age as Xu Chao.
She busied herself alone, carrying the pots of flowers outside the shop in one by one.
Qin Xun glanced at Xu Chao again.
He saw a particular feeling in Xu Chao's eyes.
"What, you've fallen for her?"
"Her name's Xiao Yu."
"You know her?"
"Yes. Four years ago, when I first came to Zone 96, she was selling flowers here. A few hooligans were bullying her, and I couldn't stand watching, so I drove them off for her."
"Drove them off? If that's all you did, wouldn't they have bullied her even more after you left?"
"I know, so I asked a friend who lives in this zone to look after her for me."
"And then?"
"After that, whenever I came to Zone 96, she'd smile the moment she saw me. And the way she looked at me... how should I put it? I could tell she liked me."
"Is she married?"
"No."
"Is she waiting for you?"
"Maybe."
"Do you like her?"
"I do, but I can't give her anything. She'd be in danger if she stayed with me."
"Does she know you like her?"
"She probably does."
"Have you two barely spoken to each other?"
"Yeah. Apart from a couple of words when I helped her out the first time, we've only smiled at each other whenever we met after that. Her smile was very shy, and she hardly even dared to meet my eyes."
"Like you said, if you like her, go after her. Don't leave yourself with regrets!"
"But what can I give her? I'm a wanted man. If I got together with her, I'd only bring trouble to her and her family. I can't drag her whole family around with me, can I? Even if I could find a safe place for her and her family to settle down, I could still die one day. What would she do then?"
"I think you could ask her first and hear what she has to say. If you keep dragging this out, she might be married by the next time you come to Zone 96. Then you'll be left hurting alone, hiding in a corner and crying."
"If that day really comes, I won't hide in a corner and cry. I'll wish her well." Xu Chao smiled knowingly.
In the lamplight.
The woman came outside, wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead, and looked up at the dark, overcast sky.
Rumble!
Thunder roared, and lightning churned through the clouds!
Xu Chao stood just twenty meters away, watching her.
She didn't see Xu Chao. After carrying the last pot of flowers inside, she came out of the shop and locked the door.
Not far away, a young man in his twenties jogged over. "I had to work overtime and got here late. Did you get everything inside?"
"Yes, it's all inside. Let's go home. It's going to rain."
Qin Xun took a deep breath and slowly turned to look at Xu Chao.
Rumble!
Xu Chao's face turned ashen, and he froze on the spot!