Chapter 10: Life Inside the Quarantine Zone

Over the next few days, Ding Mo requested that He Mingyu move some of his things from home over here.

There was no helping it; since he was already here, he had to make the best of it.

Besides, if not for the fact that the surrounding "neighbors" all harbored bad things within them, life here would actually be quite pleasant.

No need to go to work, no need to go to school, and a monthly allowance of ten thousand yuan. He could do whatever he wanted.

If he was bored, he would watch a movie; if he wanted to eat something, he would order it, as food delivery was also available.

This life was simply what he had dreamed of in the past.

Well, it would be perfect if he could go traveling with his girlfriend, but unfortunately...

If there were any rules to speak of here, there was only one:

Do not approach the gray-white Wall in the distance!

Once approached, the guards had the right to shoot and kill them on the spot!

As for Ding Mo's original girlfriend, Lin Yao, the Processing Bureau had already helped him "break up" with her—in the physical sense—as Ding Mo was already dead to the outside world, a person who no longer existed.

………………………………

Time passed like this for nearly half a month.

This evening.

Ding Mo was walking on the way to the canteen, pondering what to do with his time in the evening.

Find a few girls to play games with? But he didn't know anyone in the building yet.

Or should he go to the gym to work out?

"Hmm?" At this moment, Ding Mo suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Ahead, he caught sight of a somewhat familiar back.

That shouldn't be; could there be someone he knew here?

Just as Ding Mo was thinking this, the man he was watching ahead raised his head and looked at Ding Mo.

Ding Mo saw his face, was shocked, and took a step back:

"You, you are!?"

Wasn't that man's face the very "traffic police officer" who had gotten into his taxi back then?

When the man saw him, he also seemed a bit surprised, but immediately smiled.

"You actually survived; that is truly surprising."

Listening to the voice in his ears, Ding Mo finally confirmed that this person was indeed the traffic police officer from that day.

"So that's how it is; you accepted a Task from the Typewriter that day." Ding Mo realized.

He remembered what that traffic police officer had said before leaving that day:

It's not easy for those of us in this line of work.

So that's what he meant—they were both "beasts of burden" for the Typewriter!

The man had already walked up by now and smiled:

"It's not easy, is it?

"Let's get acquainted; my name is Chu Chenfeng.

"How about we grab a meal together?"

The canteen.

A table in the corner held two plates of sumptuous food, the aroma mouth-watering.

However, although the food here was delicious, Ding Mo always had a strange feeling every time he came.

He glanced at the window where the food was served—it was protected tightly by various isolation iron plates and tempered glass, likely impenetrable even to a burst of rifle fire.

People on the outside could only see hands reaching out from within, silently serving the food, without ever seeing a face.

Chu Chenfeng noticed his gaze and said:

"We are, after all, just prisoners, so this is quite normal.

"If we didn't still have value, we would likely just be locked in a dark solitary confinement cell or killed outright."

"Value?" Ding Mo keenly spotted the crux of the matter.

"That's right," Chu Chenfeng took a sip of cola and said:

"Ding Mo, do you know about the craze that appeared five years ago?"

"That was actually a form of Pollution," Ding Mo replied.

"Correct. That was actually a widespread Cognitive Pollution event, and that craze never dissipated; it was simply erased from the public eye by the Processing Bureau using various methods."

Chu Chenfeng spoke slowly:

"And the specific method was—to construct a meticulous 'Logic Defense Line'."

A meticulous 'Logic Defense Line'? This was the first time Ding Mo had heard such a term.

That computer did not contain such information.

Chu Chenfeng raised his cola can, pointing at his own nose, Ding Mo's, and the others in the distance:

"You, I, they, we—we are all a part of this Defense Line."

"How so?" Ding Mo couldn't help but ask.

He felt that, logically speaking, they should be a part of the "Pollution" instead.

But Chu Chenfeng shook his head:

"It's hard to explain. If you can survive subsequent Tasks without going insane, someone will come looking for you.

"You'll know then."

Another... riddle-monger! Ding Mo gritted his teeth and couldn't help but say:

"Have you ever been to Gotham City?"

"? I don't like watching DC movies," Chu Chenfeng said, picking up his spoon and starting to eat.

Seeing this, Ding Mo stopped talking and started eating as well.

Actually, despite how Ding Mo appeared, he was quite happy to have made a friend today.

Because everyone here exuded a strange vibe, though Ding Mo could understand it; after experiencing those kinds of terrifying and bizarre Tasks, normal people were bound to develop some issues in their minds.

Therefore, there weren't many people left like Chu Chenfeng, who spoke pleasantly, was talented and good-looking, and was even willing to be friends with him.

Just like that, they ate for a while.

At one moment, Ding Mo suddenly heard a commotion.

The two of them subconsciously turned their heads to look.

They saw that the crowd in the distance had automatically parted to form a path,

and two figures walked out from within.

A bald man and a beautiful woman in her twenties.

She was wearing a highly seductive bunny girl leather outfit and black silk stockings, her feet covered by a pair of red-bottomed high heels.

It was just that at this moment, she had a rope tied around her neck, was being led by the bald man, and was walking behind him with her head lowered.

This highly shocking scene was something anyone would take a few extra looks at.

The bald man and the woman were heading toward the counter where food was served. They were clearly here to eat.

Meanwhile, the few people watching on both sides seemed long accustomed to it; after taking a few glances, they stopped paying attention.

The woman kept her head buried deeply, while the bald man smirked, his hands constantly in motion.

"?!" Ding Mo couldn't help but frown.

What was this again?

Seeing this, Chu Chenfeng shook his head and sighed softly, then just buried his head in his food.

"This..." Ding Mo stared over there, frowning as he said:

"Does no one care?"

"It can't be managed," but Chu Chenfeng only shook his head repeatedly.

"Huh?"

Just then, the bald man in the distance seemed to notice Ding Mo, who had been staring at him.

He paused his steps and revealed a fierce look on his face, but as soon as his gaze met Chu Chenfeng's nearby,

he turned his head away and left.

Chu Chenfeng withdrew his gaze and said to the frowning Ding Mo:

"Stop looking, let's eat.

"She can't be saved."

"Does the Processing Bureau not care about this kind of thing?" Ding Mo asked.

"It's not that they don't care, it's that they can't..." Chu Chenfeng sighed.

"She has already been subjected to Pollution.

"Even if she were rescued, she would run back on her own within a few hours.

"Moreover, that bald man also knows who he can provoke and who he can't; he is obedient to the Processing Bureau, so those who dislike him have no excuse to move against him."

Upon hearing this, Ding Mo looked at the arrogant and domineering bald man who had walked up to the counter and inquired:

"Who exactly is that bald man?"

"Zhu Jie. He's not anyone impressive, just someone who has survived two Tasks and gained some ability to control people."

Chu Chenfeng said indifferently, and seeing that Ding Mo had calmed down, he started shoveling food again.

... Zhu Jie? Was this person the "beast" Zhu Jie that the group members talked about? He really was quite the beast.

This suddenly gave Ding Mo a new understanding of this place.

After a while, Ding Mo had no choice but to sit down and continue eating.

Dinner passed in this somewhat stifling atmosphere.

Leaving the dining hall, the two were about to return to their respective rooms.

Before leaving, Ding Mo suddenly asked Chu Chenfeng:

"By the way, it's written in the computer that the 'Typewriter' Task is issued every so often?"

"Hmm," Chu Chenfeng had already turned to leave, but upon hearing this, he turned back, nodded, and confirmed:

"Except for those whose 'Threshold' drops particularly fast, or those who have encountered new Pollution and are forced to actively use the Typewriter,

"the interval between Tasks for most people is one month to a month and a half."

"Calculating the time, both you and I are about due."

Speaking of this, a smile appeared on the corner of Chu Chenfeng's mouth,

"Maybe we can be together for the next Task."

Together? Looking at Chu Chenfeng's gaze, a chill suddenly rose in Ding Mo's heart.

This guy... he doesn't have a penchant for men, does he?

Chu Chenfeng looked at Ding Mo, who had suddenly hurried away, with a look of confusion on his face.

What's wrong with him?

PS: Entering the dungeon in the next chapter, don't be impatient, dear guests!