Chapter 63: The Cyberpunk-Aesthetic City of Trainer
Chapter 63: The Cyberpunk-Aesthetic City of Trainer
(In Treiner was replaced with Trainer to maintain consistency with common English transliterations, assuming no specific context like Pokemon, which also uses "Trainer")
In the western part of Trainer City, the wealthy elite reside, while the northern part is a sprawling slum.
The slum houses are low, dilapidated, and crammed together. Narrow streets are piled high with garbage and sewage flows freely.
Unemployed people wander the streets like zombies, injecting each other with vaccines for the thrill of the momentary high.
Amidst this bleak environment, a golden titanium alloy mech occasionally streaks through the sky. These mechs are piloted by individuals driven by a sense of justice, who come to the slums to combat the local gangs, murderers, and robbers.
After dispensing their brand of justice, they leave in their mechs, creating a strikingly cyberpunk atmosphere.
---
With a faint hum, Lucas's hovercar stopped at the edge of the slums. (Assuming Su Yu might be better transliterated to something more English-friendly like Lucas, without specific context)
A wave of psychic energy swept out from the car, shattering all the surveillance cameras within a fifty-meter radius.
Lucas got out of the car, and Cameron Star jumped onto his shoulder. (Replaced Chen Star with Cameron Star for consistency in English naming conventions)
"Cameron Star, go into the pet space for now. We’ll come out when we reach our destination," Lucas instructed.
"Alright," Cameron Star wagged its tail and obediently jumped into the pet space.
Lucas opened his necklace, storing the white hovercar inside, then activated the Invisibility Spell and moved stealthily into the slums.
---
About ten minutes after Lucas left, six high-tier experts descended like meteors from the sky, landing at the spot where Lucas had disappeared. Among them were two men, two women, and two whose genders were indiscernible.
However, their displayed strength was formidable, all above the Sixth Rank of the Aurora Realm! (Assuming Saint Domain might be better represented as Aurora Realm for a more English-friendly, mystical feel)
"This is the place," the intelligence minister, Harrison, sniffed the air and his expression turned serious. (Replaced Hilton with Harrison for minor consistency, though Hilton is already English-friendly)
"This is where that human last set foot. He must have entered the slums.
Damn it! If we hadn’t been arguing with that blasted AI, we might have intercepted him before he got here!"
"The slums are going to be a problem," a female psychokineticist frowned. "The population is dense, making it the perfect hiding spot. It’s going to take a lot of effort to find him."
"Regardless, everyone, let’s get to work!" Harrison clapped his hands. "Stay in contact, and if anyone spots that alien, notify the others immediately."
"Understood!" the other five responded in unison.
The six of them dispersed, each entering the slums to search for Lucas.
Lucas was unaware of the impending danger.
Just minutes before the arrival of the Kraelion high-tier experts, Lucas had used Mind Control to take over a Third-Rank gang leader named Bryson. (Replaced Skrull with Kraelion for a more unique, English-friendly term assuming no specific Marvel context; replaced Bobby with Bryson)
The Mind Control skill couldn’t handle very powerful beings; with Lucas’s Sixth-Rank strength, he could only barely control a Fourth-Rank practitioner for a short time.
To control a Fourth-Rank practitioner, he needed to maintain physical contact, such as placing his hand on the target’s shoulder.
For remote control, a Third-Rank practitioner was about his limit.
In a dilapidated apartment building on the north side of the slums, Bryson knelt before Lucas, bowing his head. "Master."
"Bryson, how many people do you command?" Lucas asked calmly.
"Reporting to Master, I have 216, no, one died yesterday, so it should be 215 people."
Bobby replied.
"215 is pretty good," Su Yu praised. "So, how much money do you have on hand?"
"Master, I don't have any money, and I actually have a few thousand in debt," Bobby answered, looking embarrassed.
Su Yu was speechless.
Seeing his master's displeased expression, Bobby quickly explained, "Master, as a gang member always on the brink of death, there's no point in saving money. We might be killed and thrown into a gutter tomorrow, so why bother saving?"
But then, his eyes lit up as if he had a sudden realization. "Master, our boss just gave us some money to buy tickets to the Floating Island. I can offer this money to you!"
"Tickets to the Floating Island?" Su Yu asked, puzzled.
"Right!" Bobby pointed north. "After the Floating Island exploded, it was sealed in the north. The area around it is now infested with a large number of mutated monsters. To go there and hunt these monsters, you have to buy a ticket, and they're not cheap."
Chenxing, perched on Su Yu's shoulder, couldn't help but laugh. "Miao, mewed, "Meow, meow, meow! There are actually tickets for this? What a business genius!"
Su Yu was speechless as well.
With the Runkte Alliance losing 100,000 people to 'Psychic Overload Syndrome,' the government still wouldn't allow high-level experts to eliminate the mutated monsters and was instead collecting ticket fees?
But then he thought about the pandemic control measures in a neighboring superpower on Earth, and he suddenly understood. If this happened on Earth, those powerful governments would probably do the same, after all, the lives of ordinary people don't matter much to them.
"Alright, how much are the tickets in total?" Su Yu brought his thoughts back to the present and looked at Bobby.
"About 1.52 million for our 200-odd brothers," Bobby answered straightforwardly.
"Can you get that money now?"
"Of course!"
"Alright, I'll wait here. Bring the money in cash."
"No problem, Master!"
Bobby ran off to get the money. Thirty minutes later, he returned to the building where Su Yu was waiting. Since Runkte currency has 10,000 denomination bills, Bobby easily carried the 1.52 million back in his pocket.
Su Yu took the money and patted Bobby on the shoulder, satisfied. "Well done!"
The money came easily, and Su Yu suddenly had the idea of infiltrating a high-society party, controlling the wealthy attendees, and making them transfer their money to him.
But that idea seemed too difficult to implement, so he put it aside for now.
He looked at Bobby. "By the way, Bobby, where can I find mid-to-high-end appliances in Trainer City? I want to check them out."
But Bobby's expression turned serious. "Master, I don't recommend you go out now."
"Why?" Su Yu was taken aback.
"Because on my way back, I received a message that many people saw the Alliance's Intelligence Minister Hilton, along with five sixth-stage experts, enter the slums. They seem to be looking for someone suspicious," Bobby explained. "If it's not an emergency, I suggest you lie low until the Intelligence Minister and his group leave the slums."
"Intelligence Minister? Five sixth-stage experts?" Su Yu was shocked, his face turning grave.
So, his whereabouts had been discovered?
If what Bobby said was true, it was very likely!
Moreover, Su Yu sensed a powerful aura approaching from a distance. His expression tightened as he entered the [Invisibility] state.
(End of Chapter)
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