Chapter 1015: The City That Never Sleeps (15200 bonus)

"&*%#..."

Aaron looked on with slight surprise as a hovercar stopped in front of him.

Several people with a mechanical quality about them emerged, pointed strange-looking weapons at him, and uttered a series of bizarre sounds.

These pronunciations were somewhat similar to the Invis language from back then, yet had some differences; even he could not understand them.

Fortunately, he learned quickly.

A trace of the Spirituality of 'Light' emerged, rapidly transforming into the Spirituality of 'Tower', combined with a bit of divination ability.

After listening to just a few sentences, he had completely mastered this language.

'However... can the concept of time even be sold or traded?'

'It looks like this old man wants to fleece me?'

"Where are you from? A Mysterious sect?"

'That's right... judging by his cautious behavior, if it weren't to squeeze some profit out of me, how could he keep communicating with me? He would have run away already!'

Hearing these terms, Aaron felt a strange sense of familiarity and closeness.

In a flash, Aaron understood a great deal of information and smiled: "Yes... some Rituals are still quite convenient in daily life. I'm lost; can I catch a ride to the 'City That Never Sleeps'?"

'Mysterious sect? Rituals? Flesh modification...'

Fiona looked at the old man in surprise, while Jason and Wilson beside her also had their pupils shrink slightly, before quickly composing their expressions.

"Incredible... you actually managed to survive in this environment. The air here is toxic; breathing it for a long time easily erodes the lungs and heart!"

"Are you a Natural? How did you survive?"

"My name is... Aaron!"

"Fiona, this young man is from a Mysterious sect; he can surely adapt to the environment through some Rituals, like flesh modification..."

The old man drove while playing high-energy metal music, looking at the bobbing Jason: "Jason, I remember you still have an old-model smart pair of glasses, right? Young man Aaron is a naturalist and surely wouldn't like to have a 'Gaia Chip' implanted in his head. Just use that to tide him over, let him connect to the virtual network, and then teach him to open an account at the 'Life Bank'!"

'Can technology achieve this? Or is it... the effect of the Mysterious?'

Whoosh!

A bit of 'Light' and 'Tower' was consumed, and under the dual effect of divination and deduction, he immediately understood many things.

"Ahem..."

"Gaia Chip? Virtual network? Life Bank?"

'Hmm, even though the God-Ordained have drained the Spirituality of the Mortal World, it is not without loopholes... for instance, my 'Invisible Cult', and the 'Shadow' Extraordinary... as long as one reaches the Fourth Primordial Substance in pure Shadow, one can still go directly to the Spirit World... and from the Spirit World, smuggle some 'Spirituality' back to the Mortal World. Although it is certainly harder than in the past, it is not entirely impossible, one just has to deal with the Spirituality dissipation effect...'

Aaron smiled slightly: "As for the air being toxic? I haven't noticed..."

He was quite interested in the City That Never Sleeps that Fiona mentioned.

'It seems... this world no longer has the concept of nations... massive, terrifying corporations rule everything?'

"Old man?!"

Aaron found it very novel.

'My identity is very suitable for masquerading as a Mysterious sect Naturalist who resists modification?'

Not to mention that he was at least a Worldly Immortal of the Seventh Primordial Substance; even if he were only a 'Furnace' of the Fourth Primordial Substance, he would not fear any toxins in the air, as they would be incinerated by high heat upon entering his body...

Clearly, he remained vigilant toward strangers!

"Natural?"

A woman with wheat-colored skin saw his previous silent posture and asked a second time.

The old man seemed to have choked on his own saliva; Fiona looked at Aaron's expression as if she were looking at those primitive people in tribal societies who only knew how to barter.

"As for that, you'll know soon enough... come on, get in the car!"

'So, the Mysterious of the Mortal World still exists, it's just quite niche, or rather, non-mainstream...'

A flash of wild joy crossed the old man's heart; it was easiest to swindle someone who knew nothing!

After Aaron got into the car, he immediately made a sharp turn, abandoning his scavenging, and drove straight back!

The gale howled!

Besides, compared to wandering aimlessly in the desert, it was naturally better to go to a place where many people gathered.

Fiona patted her chest: "See that... my artificial lungs are 'Natural Green' Type 5! If I replace my heart with an artificial one, I might be able to live in the Upper City District... oh, forgot to introduce myself, my name is Fiona, and they are Old Man, Jason, and Wilson. We are a hunter squad from the 'City That Never Sleeps'!"

"No problem... but there is a fee!"

The old man said with a smile: "One month! One month's fare, how about that?"

As he spoke, three-dimensional images began to provide supplementary explanations: "Every infant must take out a loan after birth to purchase artificial lungs, modified Stomach, and other organs from the Cyber Modification Group, otherwise they simply cannot survive in the pollution... then, there is the even cooler part: implanting a 'Gaia Chip' to connect to the virtual network. Without the chip's assistance, you are a third-rate moron... you can't learn many skills and can't find a job at all. Of course... the most critical thing is that the virtual network has everything... women, gourmet food, all kinds of enjoyment you can or cannot imagine, everything is there... In the game, you can even become an ancient king or a planetary ruler, doing whatever you want... as long as you have enough currency, which is the 'Time' of the Life Bank! 'Time'... is the most universal currency!"

'One month? What kind of unit of measurement is this?'

"Yeah... buddy, just like this... cool!" Jason tapped his temple, projecting fluorescent light from his eyes to form a three-dimensional image: "In the lives of us residents of the 'City That Never Sleeps', we are always dealing with those Leviathan giants... they are the Cyber Modification Group, the Gaia Network Company, and the Life Bank!"

"I think I understand..."

The word Leviathan actually originated from the Spirit World Language and carries the meaning of 'huge and terrifying'.

At this moment, it was likely being used to describe the giants that monopolized the industry!

Aaron looked at her metal arm: "If that means without modifications like yours, then I am indeed a Natural..."

Aaron nodded.

'The mainstream of the Mortal World now should be technology, prosthetics, and human body modification?'

The old man explained with a chuckle, though the weapon in his hand, while lowered, was not put away.

Aaron looked puzzled: "What is 'one month'?"

Aaron understood a little, but more confusion emerged.

However, he still followed suit and put on a pair of silver glasses, pressing the start button...

(End of chapter)