The final sliver of darkness before dawn was shattered by the perpetual neon lights of Sky City's upper city. The faint light, scattered like pity, was reluctant to illuminate every corner of the lower city. After escaping the edge of the "Silent Zone," Lu Cheneng and Wen Shifei paused briefly at the edge of a makeshift settlement constructed from stacked abandoned shipping containers, changing into even more humble clothing found on the unfortunate individuals of the "Silent Zone."

Lu Chensheng wore such rough fabric for the first time. The frayed edges rubbed against his delicate skin, causing a slight sting. This sting felt more real than ever before. He watched Wen Shifei expertly tuck her short, flaxen hair beneath her worn hood, revealing only a pair of eyes still sharp and bright in the morning light. He felt a mixture of emotions. This girl, once his "target," was now his only guide and...temporary ally in this unfamiliar land.

"The Ghost Market is in the heart of the Labyrinth District, a hive of evil. It's where all the shadows of Sky City converge." Wen Shifei lowered her voice. She handed Lu Cheneng a black, soft mask that could slightly alter his facial contours. "Put it on. Your face is a pass in the Upper City, but here, it's a death warrant."

Lu Cheneng took the mask, feeling it cold to the touch. He knew Wen Shifei was telling the truth. Even though the emotion suppression chip had failed, his face, inherited from the Lu family and perfectly genetically optimized, remained a symbol of chaebol power, enough to provoke unforeseen hostility in the downtown area. He put the mask on clumsily, the cold touch causing him to shiver slightly and making him more aware of his changed identity.

Walking through a spiderweb of narrow alleyways, the air was thick with a complex odor: a mixture of motor oil, low-quality food, disinfectant, and the faintest hint of blood. These odors, no longer filtered by the chip, violently flooded Lu Chenen's nostrils, assaulting every sensory nerve. He saw ragged people huddled under leaky tin roofs, their eyes numb; children chasing a "ball" made of rags and wire in a field littered with industrial waste; and "cyborgs," with obvious mechanical prosthetics or bizarre biological features, hurried along, their eyes flashing with vigilance and ferocity.

This was a world completely different from the top floor of the Tianshu Building, a world forgotten, abandoned, yet tenaciously radiating a primal vitality. Lu Cheneng's heart beat heavily in his chest. He felt an unprecedented sense of oppression, yet also a strange feeling of being touched. These vibrant, painful, struggling lives, once upon a time, in his eyes were nothing more than cold numbers on a data sheet.

"Don't stare at people, it will cause trouble." Wen Shifei's voice whispered in his ear, like a thin needle, piercing his chaotic thoughts.

Lu Cheneng immediately retracted his gaze, imitating Wen Shifei's example, lowering his head slightly, quickening his pace, and trying to blend in with the chaotic background. He realized that without the chip's "guidance," he needed to relearn how to survive in such an environment and how to interpret those subtle, non-verbal danger signals.

The entrance to the Ghost Market was hidden deep within an abandoned underground parking garage. Two massive, rusted iron doors stood ajar, revealing a bottomless darkness, like the maw of a giant beast. Guarding the door were several burly men with fierce eyes and strange, uniform tattoos, their gazes scanning every person who attempted to enter like X-rays.

Wen Shifei was clearly a regular here. She didn't say anything, but pulled out a piece of metal engraved with strange symbols from her bosom and waved it in front of one of the guards. The guard nodded and stepped aside to make way.

"Follow me closely and don't get separated. There are... no rules here." Wen Shifei turned around and reminded him, then walked into the darkness first.

Lu Cheneng took a deep breath and followed.

Upon entering, an even stronger, more complex aroma assaulted my face, a mixture of indescribable spices, herbs, metal welding, and the odor of biological decay. The light was extremely dim, barely illuminating this vast underground space with only a few flickering energy lamps hanging above the stalls and the faint glow of various electronic screens.

This place wasn't so much a market as it was a vast underground maze of countless stalls and compartments. All sorts of bizarre goods were haphazardly placed on the ground or on crude shelves—rusted mechanical parts, biological tissue gleaming with an unidentified sheen, chips inscribed with forbidden data, homemade weapons and potions... The air was filled with the cacophony of hawking, haggling, and the humming and humming of various electronic devices.

All sorts of people moved about, most wearing masks or hoods to conceal their faces, each exuding an air of indifference. Lu Cheneng even saw some stalls openly displaying contraband bearing the logos of chaebols, clearly fresh from the Upper City.

"This is the 'dark web' entity in the Lower Town, and it's also a gray area tacitly permitted by the four major chaebols." Wen Shifei explained to Lu Chenseng in a low voice, skillfully avoiding the crowded crowds and outstretched arms. "The chaebols need a place to dispose of 'trash' and collect 'intelligence,' and the people of the Lower Town also need a channel to exchange for survival supplies. This place is a hotbed of crime, and for some, the only hope."

Lu Cheneng observed all this in silence. For the first time, he intuitively sensed the vast undercurrent beneath Sky City's glittering facade. He began to understand why Wen Shifei harbored such a deep hatred for the chaebol.

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!