Chapter 124: Longing Is the Furthest Distance from Understanding

Beep—!

The deafening blast of a steam train’s whistle echoed across the station.

A heavily armored steam locomotive rolled onto the tracks with a grinding screech of metal, slowly coming to a halt at the platform of Steam Capital’s Upper City.

"Miss, we’ve arrived."

"Mm."

Chen Xing opened her eyes after a long spell of quiet meditation, turning to glance out the window. From this angle, she had a perfect view of the stark contrast between Steam Capital’s Upper City and its Lower City.

Beyond the platform, the bustling vibrancy of the Upper City was unmistakable. Wide roads teemed with peculiar steam-powered vehicles, their horns blaring impatiently to urge slower traffic forward. On either side stood gleaming brass buildings intertwined with dazzling, ever-changing advertisements—creating an oddly poetic aesthetic reminiscent of a post-apocalyptic world reborn.

But what truly captured Chen Xing’s attention wasn’t the spectacle of progress.

It was the network of colossal steam pipes that crisscrossed the boundary between Upper and Lower City—like veins pulsing through the heart of the metropolis.

These massive conduits followed the terrain’s natural slope, snaking downward until they vanished into the depths below—into a place known as Rusted Iron Hell, the Lower City.

While the Upper City gleamed with polished efficiency, Chen Xing’s sharp eyes—trained by years of discipline—caught glimpses of the grim reality beneath.

Collapsed tin shacks huddled in the narrow gaps between towering pipes, nestled in perpetual shadow. Mountains of scrap metal and industrial waste piled high, forming jagged landscapes of decay. Even from here, Chen Xing could almost smell it—the acrid stench of oil and rust, thick in the air.

But the pollution was only part of it.

Near the base of the waste heap, tiny figures clung to the outer walls of the pipes, laboring under perilous conditions. Bare-armed and secured only by crude safety ropes, they scraped away rust with small blades, their work exposed to the scorching heat of the steam vents.

Chen Xing’s brow twitched—almost imperceptibly.

It wasn’t pity that stirred in her. Not exactly.

It was disbelief.

Given what she knew of Steam Capital’s technological capabilities, such a basic maintenance task should have been automated—efficient, safe, and consistent. Yet here they were, relying on human hands, risking lives for a job that could be done by machines.

And the irony wasn’t lost on her.

Steam Capital was a second-tier city within the New Federation—no match for the legendary Seven Floating Cities, but still leagues ahead of most others. A so-called progressive capital.

Yet to Chen Xing, it felt stagnant, rigid, suffocating under the weight of outdated traditions.

Somehow, the ruling elite here are even more corrupt than I imagined.

She didn’t need to linger. A single glance was enough to piece together the truth.

Only those who feared change—those clinging to obsolete power—would allow such suffering to persist. Only the rot of complacency could permit such waste of human potential.

"Miss?"

A soft voice broke her thoughts.

Foxes, her guardian and longtime steward, stood beside her, his expression gentle but firm—reminding her of their mission. This was no sightseeing trip. They were here for a family task.

Chen Xing exhaled, rising from her seat.

"Let’s go, Uncle Fox."

She stared out at the dazzling sprawl of the Upper City, her voice cool, precise.

"Some people have lived so long away from the floating cities that they’ve forgotten—Liyang Family’s patience is not infinite."

Foxes bowed slightly. "Indeed, Miss. Even the finest steel must endure fire to be purged of impurities."

He paused, his gaze drifting to the plain pair of sunglasses resting on the windowsill beside her.

The same pair she’d worn since the day she first stepped into the Liyang family estate—never off her face, never removed, as if it were part of her.

Noticing his lingering look, Chen Xing tilted her head. "What is it, Uncle Fox?"

He hesitated, then spoke honestly.

"Miss… there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask. You rarely wear these sunglasses. Yet you never take them off. Is there… something special about them?"

For a moment, Chen Xing was silent.

She picked up the glasses, her fingers brushing the cool frame. A flicker of something unreadable passed through her eyes—something like memory, or longing.

After a pause, she looked down at them, voice quiet but heavy.

"Uncle Fox… have you ever felt that no matter how hard you try, you can never catch up to someone?"

Foxes shook his head. His nature was calm, measured. He rarely pursued goals that seemed unattainable.

And Chen Xing didn’t seem surprised.

"But I have."

She held the sunglasses in her palm, as if weighing something unseen.

"Uncle Fox… there’s a kind of joy in having someone always ahead of you. Because then you never lose your direction. You just have to push yourself to catch up… and then surpass them."

Her voice softened.

"But longing… longing is the furthest distance from understanding."

She looked up, meeting his gaze.

"Because when you’re chasing someone’s back, you only see their shadow. You’re so focused on overtaking them that you miss the moments—the precious moments—when you could have truly known them."

"Miss… what moments?"

"Moments you didn’t realize were gone until it was too late."

She raised the sunglasses, holding them up like a talisman.

"This… reminds me that some chances, once missed, are gone forever."

Her voice dropped, barely above a whisper.

"I will not let myself make that mistake again."

Even if that mistake… is already beyond repair.

Foxes said nothing. He simply nodded.

He didn’t know the story behind her words. But he heard it in her tone—the quiet, unyielding resolve beneath the calm.

It was clear now: even the fierce, unyielding Stellar Prodigy of the Liyang family had her own fragility.

And like all such wounds, it was hidden from the world.

Chen Xing didn’t dwell further. She slipped the sunglasses back into her pocket.

"Come on, Uncle Fox. Time to meet the city’s ‘bigwigs.’"

With that, she stepped out of the first-class cabin, her black cloak trailing behind her like a blade cutting through mist.

Foxes followed, his simple satchel slung over one shoulder.

Their silhouettes vanished into the steam-laden haze beyond the station exit.

Their first destination: the Stellar Envoy Association, Steam Capital Branch.

It was protocol. High-ranking Stellar Envoys were required to report upon arrival—avoiding misunderstandings and complications.

But Chen Xing had no idea that today wasn’t just another routine stop.

Today was the day the Fifth Squad captain was being selected.

And more than that—she would encounter someone she’d thought she’d never see again.

Whether she’d seize this fleeting chance… remained uncertain.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end