33
"My name is Fan Lu," the old man pushed open a door, "You can just call me Uncle Fan."
"Yeah," Ning Gu followed him and the boss in, "Uncle Fan."
"Who is this crazy uncle you're talking about?" Fan Lu asked.
"A traveler in a ghost town," Ning Gu said, "You two have very similar eyes."
"Oh," Fan Lu thought for a moment, "It's not the same in other places?"
"Not really," Ning Gu was very cautious. He trusted the boss, but not this old man. "So I have to cover your face."
Fan Lu didn't ask any more questions, but just nodded: "There won't be two people who look alike."
There is population control in the main city, and no parents can have two children. Even the travelers who leave the main city and go to the ghost town have very few children due to resource problems, let alone two. The younger brother of the only pair of brothers, Dingzi, was picked up.
But Fan Lu and Crazy Uncle do look a lot alike, even though Crazy Uncle's face is covered with beard and messy hair, Ning Gu has spent a lot of time with him, so he can still see the similarities more or less, just like one can recognize a familiar person when seeing a silhouette.
But he didn't say much, so who knows where this Fan Lu came from.
Fan Lu's house is on this side of the metal wall, in the basement of an abandoned old building.
There should have been a huge and prosperous trading hall above this house. The path from the entrance to the stairs going down seemed like passing through a maze. Fortunately, Ning Gu had the experience of the Lost Valley, so this was relatively simple. He just had to remember to turn left and right a few times.
"You are safe here," Fan Lu brought a plate over and placed it on the table. On the plate were water and a box of rations. "The city guards don't have a station, and the patrol team only passes outside once a day."
"Yeah." Ning Gu sat down next to the table.
"You sleep in the small room inside. There's a bed there," Fan Lu pointed to a small door, "The boss and I will be outside."
"The boss lives here?" Ning Gu was stunned.
When I turned around, I saw a three-layer hammock in the corner. It looked big and soft. The eldest brother had already jumped to the top layer and closed his eyes.
"I'm not here often," Fan Lu said, "When there's a mission, I'm at Lianchuan's house."
"How is Lian Chuan?" Ning Gu immediately asked when he heard the name. Since he was so familiar with the boss, he must know Lian Chuan's situation.
"He has not come out since he entered the City Affairs Hall," Fan Lu poured a glass of water and drank it slowly, "The entire main city was alarmed. Half of the city's military forces are still guarding outside the City Affairs Hall."
"Is he injured?" Ning Gu asked, "Was he captured or did he go in on his own?"
"It wasn't easy for him to get hurt," Fan Lu laughed, "He took the second chief of the City Affairs Office with him."
"How long will it take to get out?" Ning Gu asked.
"It's hard to say," Fan Lu said, "maybe he won't be able to get out..."
"What?" Ning Gu stood up suddenly, "Can't get out?"
"Assaulting the highest administrative organ in the main city," Fan Lu was not frightened by his actions, and looked up at him calmly, "is a serious crime that requires immediate destruction. Even if the City Affairs Office wants to give him a light sentence because of what he has done for the main city, it will still require a reset..."
The eldest moved in the hammock and blew out a puff of air through his nose.
"That's right. Resetting is impossible," Fan Lu thought for a moment. "Everyone in the main city knows about Hyena Lianchuan. He can only be imprisoned for life, which is no different from being destroyed. No one will see him again anyway, so maybe he will be expelled."
"Expel?" Ning Gu stared at him. "Expel to where?"
"Lost Valley is impossible. The poet is here. Normally it would be..." Fan Lu said, "a ghost town."
"It would be nice if we were exiled to a ghost town." Ning Gu sat back in his chair.
Fan Lu laughed, very loudly.
"What are you laughing at?" Ning Gu looked at him unhappily.
"A hyena that has killed countless travelers is banished to a ghost town with no equipment, no backup, and no survival resources. What will happen to him?" Fan Lu said with a smile, "You think it's good?"
"I'm here." Ning Gu said, "I can protect him."
"Silly child," Fan Lu said, "you can't possibly see him. Do you think the captain is a vegetarian? The man who has allowed the ghost town and the main city to live in peace for so many years is definitely not a philanthropist."
Ning Gu picked up the ration and paused in the air.
"You were raised by the captain, right?" Fan Lu approached him with great interest, "You..."
Ning Gu slammed the rations back into the box, stood up, pushed Fan Lu aside, walked into the inner room and slammed the door.
"What did I say wrong?" Fan Lu looked at the boss.
The eldest yawned, covered his eyes with his paws, and ignored him.
"Ning Gu," Fan Lu walked to the door of the inner room, "You can use Lian Chuan's ID card. I have changed it for you. But you have to tell me if you want to go out. If someone finds out, I will not let you come back here."
The door suddenly opened, and Ning Gu stood in the door: "Then I tell you, I'm going out now, and I won't come back here whether anyone finds me or not."
"Learn to be patient," Fan Lu said as he helped him close the door again, "You can bend and stretch and survive."
The inner room should be where Fan Lu usually lives. It is quite tidy, much neater than Ning Gu’s small house in the ghost town. There is also a very thick and soft cushion on the bed.
Ning Gu checked around. Although he didn't know what he was checking, he was sure that there was nothing abnormal.
He lay down on the bed.
To be honest, he hasn't slept on something so comfortable since the day he left the ghost town. After all the trouble he's been through, he's already quite tired.
But I couldn't sleep.
He touched the small leather bag and took out the items inside one by one and examined them carefully.
While he was packing up, Dingzi was sitting opposite him and talking to him.
That time he just wanted to come to the main city to take a look, but Dingzi was afraid that he could not go back... How is Dingzi now? Did anything happen in the ghost town? Leader...
never mind.
He sat up somewhat irritably, picked up the boots he had taken off, felt around inside the boots, and pulled out the "key".
This thing has been despised by Fulu, it is worthless, and there are hundreds of them.
But he didn't quite believe it. Why would such a worthless thing allow a group of bats to chase him all the way to the main city to catch him
There definitely aren't hundreds of them.
Even if it's not just one, there will be at most dozens.
He held the bead up to his eyes and stared at it with one eye, examining it carefully.
I still can't see anything special, I can only see a lot of tiny holes on it.
There was a lamp on the small table beside the bed, which was much brighter than the cold light bottle in the ghost town. Ning Gu pinched the beads and moved closer to the lamp. The light was a little dazzling.
He squinted his eyes and slowly turned the beads.
It's almost blinding.
Finally I discovered that these small holes are not all the same size. Some are larger, some are smaller, with very slight differences. It looks a bit messy, but if you look closely, you will find that there is a pattern between them, with several larger holes and several smaller holes arranged at intervals.
Ning Gu was sure only after his eyes became sore and tears were about to fall.
Every eight small holes of different sizes form a group and are arranged in the same order. According to this arrangement, the entire bead is covered.
This must mean something.
Ning Gu noted the order of arrangement and put the beads back into the small inner pocket of his boot.
"I can't guarantee what will happen after you meet the administrator," Minister Chen looked at Lian Chuan, "It is a serious matter if the precursor experiment loses control. The system will react before the administrator. You must ensure your own safety."
"I know." Lian Chuan said.
Minister Chen took a step back and the door of the transfer cabin closed.
Lianchuan began to move towards an unknown depth underground. Just like before, everything around him was silent and dark.
Minister Chen reported to the administrator that the precursor experiment was out of control as he requested. This news will be conveyed to the administrator through the system. Before the administrator sees the out-of-control precursor, the system needs to ensure the administrator's safety and eliminate all possible threats posed by the precursor.
Lian Chuan didn't know what would happen after the door in front of him opened and before he met the administrator.
There has never been such a precedent in the main city, and no one knows how the system will deal with it while ensuring the safety of the administrator.
The transporter stopped.
Lian Chuan looked at the bottom of the door, avoiding the strong light that would appear.
He saw the door opening to both sides. When it was only opened half a person's width, he noticed a red light spot at the surveillance camera position on the top of the corridor outside the door, which was full of bright light.
Before the light beam shot out from the red spot, Lian Chuan had already moved sideways to the door and rushed into the corridor under the light beam.
At this time, he did not try to judge from which direction the second beam of light from the red dot came. Instead, he jumped up and kicked the wall, and when he was in the air, he kicked hard at the position of the red dot.
The sound of metal colliding made a loud echo.
Lian Chuan could tell that there was a dent in that spot where he had kicked it.
The red light disappears.
But the system's handling could not be limited to this one. Lian Chuan did not have time to wait any longer. As soon as he landed, he rushed to the end of the corridor and kicked the door of the administrator's reception room again.
The door opened silently.
On the semicircular table facing the door were three weapons he was familiar with, the most commonly used destructive weapons by the cleanup team.
Before the weapon was activated, he had picked up the middle one, turned around and fired a shot in the direction of the corridor. An experimental subject outside the door who had not yet rushed in was turned into black fragments.
The other two weapons on the table went out.
The door to the reception room was also closed.
"Put down your weapons." Xiaohong's voice came.
Lian Chuan threw the gun back on the table and stood across from it.
"It's not out of control." Xiaohong said.
"I lied," said Little Blue and Little Green. "Why did you lie?"
"Because I want to see the administrator." Lian Chuan replied.
"Your behavior is against the rules." Xiaohong said.
"The premise is that I have to stay alive," Lianchuan said, "I have to eliminate all threats."
The administrator was silent for a while, and then Little Blue and Little Green said, "Yes."
"Yes." Xiaohong also spoke.
"Who am I?" Lian Chuan said.
"A precursor test subject for the unconventional plan." Xiaohong replied.
"Maternal origin?" Lian Chuan asked again.
"The data of the previous generation's main city is retained." Xiaohong replied.
"Is it theoretically feasible to force a non-laboratory environment to match Betelgeuse?" Lian Chuan looked at the three empty seats.
"Beyond the scope of answer." The voices of Little Green and Little Blue appeared.
When Lei Yu came out of the sleeping cabin, Chun San was sitting in the living room, looking out the window.
Hearing his footsteps, Chun San turned his head, looked at him and smiled: "The vacation is over."
"I'll go back to the Internal Defense Department in a bit," Lei Yu put on his coat, "How's the situation?"
"Come with me to the City Affairs Office directly," Chun San said, "Chuan held Chen Fei hostage and went to see the administrator."
"What?" Lei Yu stopped in surprise.
"The meeting with the administrator will last for one hour," Chun San said, "and after he comes out, the City Affairs Office will announce his decision."
"Did the administrator meet him?" Lei Yu asked, "Why?"
"The precursor experiment is out of control." Chun San pressed his forehead, "He knows."
"... Let's go." Lei Yu said.
The city guards outside the City Affairs Hall were still there, and their number was unprecedented even on celebration days.
From the door to the office, everyone I saw on the way had a solemn expression on their face.
There were quite a few people standing in the reception room. Except for the highest officer Shen Yi from the Ministry of Internal Defense, several other ministers were also present in the meeting.
When Lei Yu walked into the reception room, everyone looked at him.
The ace of the cleanup team, Captain Lei's most trusted member, is now having a secret conversation with the administrator by holding the minister hostage. Everyone's eyes are filled with complex emotions.
The peace that the main city had tried so hard to maintain for so many years, and the inevitable decline that everyone had tried so hard to ignore, seemed to be overturned all at once with Lian Chuan's actions.
Appearing in front of everyone with anxiety and uneasiness.
Even if everyone knows the truth, the person who caused the first crack is still the target of public criticism.
Lei Yu said nothing and walked to the corner.
Standing next to Xiao Lin.
"Are you awake?" Xiao Lin asked.
"It's OK," Lei Yu rubbed his face, "Are you still in the meeting? Have you made a decision?"
"No," Xiao Lin glanced at him, "It looks like Lianchuan will not be destroyed."
"It's still useful after all." Lei Yu said.
"The cleanup team might be implicated," Xiao Lin said.
Lei Yu already knew about the actions of the cleanup team. As early as when Long Biao asked him about the Lianchuan mission, he knew that the cleanup team would definitely anger the main city.
But he didn't stop or remind.
Now hearing Xiao Lin's words with a gloating tone, he actually felt a little proud.
"Come on, I'll take you out for some fresh air." Fan Lu pushed open the door and walked in.
Ning Gu lay on the bed without moving: "I don't want to breathe."
"There aren't many people here at this time of year," Fan Lu said. "I'll take you to an entertainment store to relax. It's the one the cleanup team often goes to."
Ning Gu sat up suddenly.
"But you have to disguise yourself," Fan Lu said, "Although the store is in Area C, you have a special identity after all."
"How to disguise?" Ning Gu asked.
"Watch me." said Fan Lu.
The eldest brother was lying on a hammock in the outer room. When he saw Ning Gu, his whole body froze.
"How is it?" Fan Lu pointed at Ning Gu, "Do you still recognize him?"
Ning Gu's face was covered with several scars caused by something Fan Lu had used, and was also painted with dirty colors. On his head was a tattered hat with a broken brim.
He looks no different from the homeless people hanging around in District D.
The eldest turned his head away.
Fan Lu took Ning Gu out of the door, and the boss followed behind them, but after walking out of the abandoned trading hall above, the boss disappeared.
"Where is the boss?" Ning Gu asked.
"Who knows?" Fan Lu also wore a hat that was almost as ugly as his. After coming out, he pulled it up to cover most of his face. "Remember the route I took you. Some places will trigger the main city system, so you have to avoid them."
"Yeah." Ning Gu responded.
"There used to be a lot of trigger points in the C zone, but now many of them have been removed to save energy," Fan Lu said. "As long as you don't get to the B zone, you can basically survive."
"How do you know?" Ning Gu asked, "What do you do?"
"Me?" Fan Lu thought for a moment, "A former captain of the cleanup team."
"Is this how you have ended up?" Ning Gu looked him up and down.
"What have you become?" Fan Lu said, "Free and easy."
Ning Gu didn't say anything. He didn't quite believe what Fan Lu said, but he felt that what he said was true.
After walking for a while, we began to see residents of the main city.
He walked past them hurriedly, glanced at them warily, then walked away quickly with his head down.
A red ball rolled out from the corner of the street, and when it rolled past Ning Gu's feet, he stepped on it.
"It's mine." A childish voice came.
There was a short figure against the wall at the corner, with half of its head exposed. It was a child, but it was unclear whether it was a boy or a girl.
When Ning Gu was about to kick the ball, the child was picked up from behind and disappeared around the corner.
Do I look so scary
Ning Gu touched his face.
It's quite scary.
He gave the ball a gentle kick and it went around the corner, where an adult hand reached out and picked it up.
When Ning Gu and Fan Lu turned the corner, there was no one there.
"It must be an illegal birth," Fan Lu said, "If it is discovered, it will be recycled."
"Recycle the child?" Ning Gu turned his head, a little surprised.
"You've been hanging out with Lian Chuan for such a long time," Fan Lu also looked at him, "Don't you know?"
Ning Gu didn't say anything.
"This is one of the tasks of the cleanup team," Fan Lu said, "Why else do you think it's called the cleanup team? Why are they hyenas? Do they only clean up travelers? Clean up everything that the main city thinks is unnecessary and cannot exist."
Someone was walking towards him, so Fan Lu stopped talking.
As the man passed by them, he took his hand out of his pocket.
Ning Gu immediately sensed something was wrong, but when he was about to raise his hand and punch to gain the upper hand, Fan Lu grabbed his arm.
The man brushed past Fan Lu, and a faint "ding" sound came from his feet.
Ning Gu saw a metal pipe as thick as a little finger on the ground.
Fan Lu picked up the pipe, and the boss suddenly jumped down from some roof.
Ning Gu suddenly realized that Fan Lu and the boss didn't bring him out specifically to get some fresh air, but to get some information.
Fan Lu opened the tube and pulled out a piece of paper.
Ning Gu had already moved closer when he picked up the metal pipe. When he found that there was a piece of paper inside with words written on it, it was too late for him to leave.
After reading the note, Fan Lu put it on the ground in front of the boss, then frowned and looked at Ning Gu: "It's almost the same as I thought, but what is Lian Chuan thinking?"
Ning Gu looked at him somewhat awkwardly.
Fan Lu stared at him for a while and then said, "Can't read?"
"Yeah." Ning Gu responded.
Fan Lu sighed: "The City Affairs Office announced that Lian Chuan was expelled from the main city, but he is still detained. He is probably waiting for a car to take him out of the ghost city, but the secret news is that Lian Chuan asked to be released from detention."
"What is stripping detention?" Ning Gu asked.
"All senses are taken away," Fan Lu whispered, "It's like being in a coma, knowing nothing, and not dreaming... Why?"
Ning Gu didn't say anything.
Why does Lianchuan do this
He might know.