Lungmen's neon-soaked nightlife was, by most standards, pretty impressive.
Chen Xiu leaned against a graffiti-smeared wall, listening to the spasms of his own stomach as it screamed itself hoarse. He had the distinct feeling he wasn't far from dying.
The cracked bowl in his arms was empty. A toppled trash can lay not far away; torn garbage bags were strewn across the ground. Yellow-green, foul-smelling runoff crept along the cracked pavement, filling the alley with the stench of rot.
In the distance, skyscrapers rose like a forest of steel. Neon signs flickered bright as day.
The most eye-catching of all was the massive display on the Lungmen Commerce Tower, looping glossy, fashionable advertisements. Even Governor Wei Yenwu appeared on it from time to time, announcing recent changes and policies to the citizens of Lungmen—his last appearance had been a week ago.
To "improve the business environment," the city government had decided to launch a concentrated cleanup of city appearance and related issues. The result was that a huge number of homeless people were forcibly driven to the slums near Lungmen's outer ring.
Unfortunately, the original owner of this body had been one of them. After that, he'd barely eaten anything—until Chen Xiu opened his eyes and realized he'd somehow arrived in Lungmen.
Even more shocking was what he'd become: a solitary, one-eyed giant boy—a Cyclops.
Cyclopes had collectively migrated a thousand years ago, withdrawing into seclusion in Sami's Winterfang Mountains. So long had they vanished from sight that many nations assumed they'd gone extinct.
As for why he was alone out here… it wasn't some rebellious runaway story. He'd been captured when Ursus invaded Sami, sold as a slave, and after countless hands and routes, delivered to a black market in Shengjunbao.
All Chen Xiu could say was: in terms of being morally bankrupt, the Ursus Empire could absolutely go toe-to-toe with Victoria.
Because he was handsome and rare, the original owner had eventually been bought by a powerful aristocrat from Chernobog.
But halfway to Chernobog, he'd jumped from the transport and escaped—and because he didn't know the way home, he'd somehow, absurdly, ended up in Lungmen instead.
Chen Xiu genuinely didn't know what to say about that.
No money. No identity. Not an Infected—yet somehow still a Sarkaz…
What kind of hell-difficulty "urban survival mode" start was this?
He rubbed his belly, which had grown strangely quiet after screaming itself past exhaustion, and yanked his belt tighter around his waist.
Right now, Chen Xiu had only one wish: one full meal. Even if he died afterward, he'd die as a full ghost.
Maybe the obsession was too intense—because all at once, he felt warmth bloom between his brows.
[Ding. Daily Intel has refreshed.]
In fifteen minutes, Lin Yuxia will distribute relief supplies at the Grey Tail Hall outpost in the slums. Each person can receive one bag of steamed buns and three bottles of water.
E-rank fugitive Huang Mingjie, with a 30,000 Lungmen-dollar bounty, plans to flee the city at 2:00 a.m. He is currently hiding in Room 211, Building 89, the slums.
At 21:53, a starving Celinia "Texas" will make up her mind and enter a dark, secluded alley in the Lungmen slums, hoping to run into a few clueless petty thieves.
Today's "peach-tinted" intel: If you have needs, please go to Building 91 in the slums.
Chen Xiu froze.
The cracked bowl slipped from his hands with a sharp clatter, shattering into eight pieces.
He stared into nothing, feeling the sudden flood of information in his mind. It took him a long time to breathe again—then the light in his eyes kept growing brighter and brighter.
"Daily intel… Is this a system? Or an Originium Art? Cyclopes do have prophecy abilities…"
But his attention was quickly seized by the content.
A bag of buns and three bottles of water—at the edge of starvation—was nothing short of salvation.
As for the other intel… he'd think about it after he put something in his stomach.
Right now, his brain had room for exactly one thought: eat.
"Less than fifteen minutes. I have to move—if I get there and they're already out, I'm finished."
Bracing a hand against the wall, he forced himself upright and staggered into a weak, lurching run toward Grey Tail Hall.
When he arrived at their outpost, there were less than three minutes left before the intel's time.
The entrance was already packed with ragged vagrants. They stared at the mountain of white buns stacked in transparent plastic bags, smacking their lips unconsciously—some of them practically had green light in their eyes.
But under the watch of Grey Tail enforcers, everyone stayed put. No one dared rush in and grab.
Chen Xiu didn't try to push forward. Instead, he carefully scanned the layout and quickly found where the line would form once distribution began.
"Lin Yuxia is meticulous. Whether this is her idea or the Rat King's order, she won't let this turn into chaos."
So he slipped around quietly and positioned himself at the side—right where the queue would start.
Soon, crisp heel-clicks sounded.
A striking figure in a black dress stepped out from inside Grey Tail Hall.
Everyone's gaze snapped to her. The whispering died.
Lin Yuxia stopped beneath Grey Tail Hall's signboard. The night wind stirred her pale purple cross-bangs and long side locks. Her right hand rested naturally on her narrow waist. Black pantyhose outlined the curve of her long, sleek legs. Round mouse ears—matching her hair—trembled atop her head now and then, making her beaded pearl earrings sway like a curtain of light.
"Miss!" the Grey Tail members shouted in unison, bowing with perfect discipline.
Lin Yuxia lifted a hand in acknowledgement, then swept her eyes across the gathered vagrants, her expression carrying the authority it should.
"You're here because you heard Grey Tail Hall will be distributing relief supplies tonight. I know many of you haven't eaten in a long time, so I won't waste words."
"Now—everyone, line up over there. One by one. Take your water and buns. No shoving, no pushing. Anyone who causes trouble gets thrown out."
She pointed to the side.
Then her eyes paused—because someone was already standing in the line position.
Only then did the crowd surge toward the designated spot, scrambling to get in. Despite her warning, plenty still shoved and pulled, terrified they'd end up at the back. A few even started swinging at each other in the chaos.
Grey Tail's enforcers immediately stepped in, stopping it before it became a stampede.
Meanwhile, Chen Xiu had already received his bag of buns and three bottles of water from Lin Yuxia herself—and he began eating like his life depended on it.
One bite in, the thick, soft dough and rich, oily meat filling made his eyes go wide.
"No way… it's meat buns?! Miss Lin really is a saint!"
-------
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