Chapter 231: The Real World
Chapter 231: The Real World
On the National Highway, an off-road vehicle was heading towards the direction of Central City.
On both sides of the highway lay barren wilderness and seemingly endless guardrails, with the sun shining brightly and reflecting off the metallic parts of the vehicle.
Yangzhi City, located in the eastern part of the city, was connected to two directions by the National Highway. One route led to the Farview Port in the east, while the other, the one they were currently on, went directly to Central City.
There was little traffic on this road as people from Central City rarely ventured outside, and those from the outside would not choose to enter through here without proper identification.
Cheng Zitong drove steadily, maintaining a good speed. They had set off in the morning, and after five hours, they were approaching the area where Central City was located and had reached a checkpoint on the outskirts of the city.
Cheng Zitong slowed down and said, "Xiao Chuan, once we pass this checkpoint, we'll be in the territory of Central City. The university will have someone to pick you up. Just wait for them there."
Chen Chuan replied, "Okay, Teacher."
He got out of the car, took the Snow Lady Sword from the back seat, and retrieved his luggage from the trunk. Cheng Zitong also got out and looked up, saying, "Ah, the sun is so blinding." He then put on his sunglasses.
He walked over and patted Chen Chuan on the shoulder. "Xiao Chuan, after you settle down there, don't forget to send a message to your teacher."
Chen Chuan nodded and said, "Yes, Teacher."
Cheng Zitong waved goodbye and said, "Go on, then."
Chen Chuan bowed to him and then straightened up, walking towards the checkpoint.
As he approached the mobile isolation barrier, two checkpoint officers came to check his travel documents. Seeing that everything was in order, they moved the barrier aside and let him through. It wasn't until he emerged from the other end that he heard the sound of the car driving away behind him.
At that moment, he looked up and saw the highway stretching straight ahead, and he could vaguely make out the silhouette of Central City in the distance.
The city's buildings, gray in various shades, stood tall on the horizon. Countless towering structures of varying heights loomed, and the bridge leading to the sea arched like a rainbow, disappearing into the sea mist. Compared to Yangzhi City, which was now far behind him, this place seemed like another world.
Under the vast blue sky, Chen Chuan stood with the Snow Lady Sword and his luggage, facing this new world, and the road beneath his feet was the only connection between the two.
After a while, he put down his luggage and checked his watch. It was now 2:00 p.m. According to Cheng Zitong, the person who was supposed to pick him up would arrive around this time.
However, the entry procedures for Central City were complicated, and those with identification might find it inconvenient. Therefore, there might be some delays, so he should be patient and wait. Fortunately, there was a phone booth, a telegraph, and simple accommodations at the checkpoint, all available for a fee.
Chen Chuan stood quietly, guiding his Forge Breathing Method. As it approached 3:00 p.m., he heard the sound of a vehicle approaching on the road.
He looked up at the sound and saw a half-old, half-new armored off-road vehicle approaching. When it was about five or six meters away, the vehicle slowed down, and a man stuck his head out, asking, "Chen Chuan, student?"
Chen Chuan sized him up. He was a man in his forties, wearing polarized glasses, with slightly disheveled hair. The lines on both sides of his mouth and nose were deep, and his beard appeared to have been trimmed recently. However, unlike what he had imagined, this man showed no signs of being a combatant, nor did he resemble a teacher from the school. Perhaps he was a staff member or something similar?
It made sense, as it was currently the holiday season, and those teachers had no particular connection with him, so there was no need for them to come out and pick him up. The person they could send was likely someone of a lower status.
Chen Chuan replied, "I am Chen Chuan."
"Good," the man said, not asking Chen Chuan to verify his identity. He gestured behind him and said, "Get in the car and sit in the back."
Chen Chuan walked to the back of the car, opened the door, and sat down. After closing the door and settling in, he noticed a scar line from the man's ear to the back of his neck, indicating the presence of an implant. Chen Chuan glanced at it and asked, "What should I call this teacher?"
"Oh, don't call me 'teacher,'" the man quickly waved his hand. "I'm not one of your teachers at Wu Yi Academy. It's the holiday season, and Wu Yi Academy has commissioned me to pick up a student. Since I have some credit and have been to Yangzhi a few times, they sent me... Are you sitting comfortably?"
The man waited for Chen Chuan to fasten his seatbelt before starting the car and expertly reversed, making a quick U-turn, and headed towards Central City.
After driving for a while, the man introduced himself, "I'm Qi Gao, just call me Old Qi. So, student, do you have all your identification documents with you? The checks at the city entrance are strict, and it's difficult to enter without them."
"I have them all," Chen Chuan replied. He then asked, "So, can one enter the city without any documents?"
"Well, you can enter, but it's risky and time-consuming. I'd have to take the risk, and so would you. It's better to minimize trouble whenever possible."
Old Qi glanced at the rearview mirror and asked, "Chen, is this your first time in Central City?"
There was no point in hiding it, so Chen Chuan replied, "Yes, it's my first time."
Old Qi's face took on a slightly mysterious expression as he said, "Up ahead is the city entrance checkpoint. Once we get there, you'll need your documents, and then you'll understand."
Along the road, less than half an hour later, the city ahead was getting closer and closer. In the nearby areas, silver-gray skyscrapers could be seen under the blue sky.
There were no more guardrails on the roadside, replaced by basin-like platforms ahead, resembling pillar bases without pillars. People seemed to be able as if they could walk on them, but their purpose was unclear.
Lao Qi said, "This is it, get off." As he spoke, he took a box and pushed the door open himself.
Chen Chuan looked outside; it was still very open, with no one else around. It didn't seem like a checkpoint, and he also pushed the door to get off.
Lao Qi put the box on the ground, then squatted down to open it. With a click, a gust of cold air escaped, and the box was filled with ice cubes. He took a few and threw them far away; in the middle was a sealed bag, which he took out and unsealed. He took out the contents and threw them towards Chen Chuan.
Chen Chuan caught it and found it was a mask covering the upper half of the face. It seemed to be made of bone, but it felt very light, and the eye area seemed to be a transparent film like a lens. Along the edges of the mask were two small white worms, wriggling slightly, as if they had grown there.
"Put on the mask," Lao Qi said from the other side.
Chen Chuan put the mask on his face, feeling it easily adhere there. The sides of the mask formed a curved arc above the ear lobes, fitting perfectly.
With the mask on, the intense light outside was blocked, and he felt a sense of detachment from the outside world, even though only the eye area and surroundings were covered.
At the same time, the two worms slowly crawled down and into his ear canals, but only the front ends entered a little, and they self-adjusted by slightly shrinking, quickly becoming more comfortable.
At that moment, he saw his second self appearing with a very faint sign of virtualization, almost imperceptible. He pondered for a moment, deciding not to let his second self transfer this external assault.
As he made this choice, his vision darkened, then flickered like a jump, and a hissing sound reached his ears.
When he looked up again, the entire city suddenly appeared before his eyes in a completely different way. The originally pale, gray buildings were now adorned with layers of colorful neon lights and swirling light bands. They danced and stretched, extending with the light curtain into the clouds and soaring into the sky!
Above the dazzling lights were various giant figure projections and flickering scenes, from the old era to the new, from reality to the bizarre. They seemed to be extracted from the timeline and merged in the chaotic space.
At this moment, the sounds in his ears became incredibly loud, filled with various languages and fragmented noises.
Both the lights and sounds were rushing towards him, enveloping and surrounding him. Each seemed to vie for his attention, but as soon as they tried to linger, they were swept away by the subsequent flood of information, fleeting and ephemeral.
"Hey, Chen Chuan, can you still hear me?"
The voice seemed to come from a distant place, but it was the only coherent and understandable one. Chen Chuan turned his head and saw Lao Qi waving his hand in front of him while placing his other hand on his ear and making a light-patting motion.
His action of hunching his neck, closing his eyes, and pressing his palm against his ear resembled soothing a child to sleep, slightly comical, but the message was clear.
Chen Chuan raised his hand and lightly patted his ear twice. The worm in his ear suddenly curled up, and at that moment, the mask darkened again. The world returned to its original state, and the cacophony of sounds disappeared.
He took off the mask and felt the wind blowing his hair, carrying a bit of dust. The surroundings were quiet and vast, and the buildings across remained still, as if the previous scenes were just an illusion.
Lao Qi stared at him, examining him from different angles, and his eyes revealed a hint of surprise. "Chen Chuan, are you okay? Most people can't handle their first encounter with this. Some even faint at the sight. You watched for so long, and you're still fine?"
Chen Chuan held up the bone mask and asked, "Lao Qi, what is this?"
Lao Qi shrugged and said, "The official name in the Great Prosperous Republic for this is 'Boundary Vessel.' We usually call it 'Yin-Yang Device,' and there's another specific name for it..."
His eyes flashed with a certain light, "Oh, 'Biofield Interlink Technology,' and other companies have their own names for it. Anyway, you should have seen Central City, right?"
Chen Chuan nodded.
"Then... welcome to the real world."
Lao Qi spread his hands, his expression a mix of excitement and madness, his voice tinged with hatred and affection. He looked towards Central City and said, "What you saw on your way here was just a covered, incomplete side. What you just experienced is its true and complete form."
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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