A Handcart and a Maserati

The next day, August 25, 2030, in the Eastern Federation. "Rules are rules. Just going through the motions." They met at two in the afternoon. Section Chief Liu pulled a flat band resembling a ruler from his pocket and gestured for Bai Zhou to bare his wrist. "What is this?" Bai Zhou held out his left hand. The chief slapped the orange "ruler" against his wrist with a sharp flick. *Snap!* With a crisp crack, the rigid strap curled abruptly like a startled little serpent, clamping tightly around Bai Zhou's wrist. A sudden chill and restrictive pressure settled against his skin, making him mildly uncomfortable. "It's called a Huami wristband. Very convenient to put on," Section Chief Liu explained. "Sometimes we call it a slap bracelet, or a snap band." Immediately after— *Ding-dong!* A small, translucent screen lit up along the flat wristband. "Specialist No. F100000086, authentication successful." "Huami Wristband Military Special Edition Glory, pleased to be at your service," a gentle, mechanical female voice announced. "Voting for 'Employee of the Month' is underway—scan the QR code on your badge to participate." Startled, Bai Zhou swiped the tiny screen a few times. Before long, Section Chief Liu's familiar face popped up. A crew-cut, square-jawed face dark as the bottom of a wok, grinning stiffly in an ID photo. Just as Bai Zhou cast his vote, Section Chief Liu spoke up: "It has plenty of practical functions, but there's something I need to make clear first." He pointed at the wristband. "According to regulations, two special features have been installed just for you. "First, a forcefield containment for Ruins pollution, designed to keep the taint on you from affecting ordinary people outside. "And second, it's..." Section Chief Liu paused. A hint of embarrassment crept into his stern expression. It took him several seconds to squeeze out a word: "Tracking." Location monitoring. Complete with a self-destruct mechanism if forcefully removed. In short, shackles in another guise. Nothing more needed to be said; Bai Zhou understood completely. ...In fact, it only made sense. Just yesterday, he had wondered why they were letting him out so easily. In the eyes of the Special Control Bureau, Bai Zhou was hardly some innocent, upstanding citizen from a respectable home. He had grown up in a Blood Worship Cult stronghold and was thoroughly tainted by pollution. He was still in the bureau's "observation period" and hadn't fully cleared himself of suspicion as a cult mole. The only reasons they hadn't locked him away for a few years were that he had cheated on his test, and that modern civilization prided itself on supreme human rights. For the time being, he had simply viewed this base as a prison where he could move around freely and get free meals. That wasn't bad at all. After all, the folks next door from Wancheng were still lying in hospital beds under monitored treatment! If they took him outside without imposing some constraints, Bai Zhou would have felt uneasy himself. He might even have panicked— Treating him so well all of a sudden? Was this his condemned man's last meal? The Black Robes of Wancheng had records of such things too. Whenever someone was slated to be dragged to the square for public execution, they would be fed a sumptuous feast in their cell the day before. Rumor had it that Sister Li had asked for something called Original Recipe fried chicken. No one had understood what she was talking about. In the end, she had gotten a bowl of egg fried rice. "..." Shaking his wrist a few times, Bai Zhou blinked as he looked at the utterly normal-seeming bracelet. Still... Wearing this thing was bound to feel uncomfortable. Nobody wanted to be watched around the clock, and nobody liked carrying an uncontrollable bomb on their person. Fortunately— Last night, he had consulted Crow about going out. Crow had forewarned him about the wristband. While telling him to wear it without worry, she had traced several rituals onto his back. Some concealed spirituality, while others could block the wristband's signal at crucial moments... So Bai Zhou had anticipated everything happening right now. He only needed to feign shock and apprehension. The only real surprise was Section Chief Liu's blunt honesty. Bai Zhou even turned around to comfort the embarrassed chief. "It's fine, I completely understand! You're just following protocol." Yet Bai Zhou's understanding only deepened Section Chief Liu's shame. "After being around you these past few days, I know what kind of person you are. Of course I trust you. "But it's a sensitive period, and rules are rules..." His voice grew quieter and quieter, his dark face flushing a deep reddish-black. For a man of his temperament, nothing stung more than feeling he had betrayed a colleague's trust. "It's fine, really... Chief, I get it," Bai Zhou continued to reassure him, his heart calm and face unblushing. "It's just the observation period. I won't have to wear it later." "Actually..." Section Chief Liu lowered his voice again. "Setting those two functions aside, the slap bracelet is truly a rare piece of gear. "Usually, only P2-level specialists are issued one, and nobody is permitted to wear it unless they're deployed on field duty!" "Good gear?" Bai Zhou looked down at the flat band clasped securely to his wrist. Taking this on field duty... did they plan to turn people into walking meat-bombs? It was impressive that the Blood Worship Cult had lasted this long against such an extreme organization. "Because it was originally developed to provide maximum convenience under all conditions, while bolstering a specialist's concealed combat and survival capabilities." With that, Section Chief Liu produced a similar flat band and snapped it onto his own wrist. The two were identical in shape, except Bai Zhou's was a vibrant orange while Section Chief Liu's was green. "Specialist No..." A similar mechanical voice chimed. After a couple of quick taps, Section Chief Liu shamelessly voted for himself on the Employee of the Month screen right before Bai Zhou's eyes. Then, he tapped the surface of the band twice. *Hum—* To Bai Zhou's astonishment, a beam of faint blue light shot upward, instantly expanding into a floating, translucent 3D holographic projection. As Section Chief Liu grabbed, swiped, pinched, and rotated the images, the projection shifted in shape, displaying various interfaces. "Pulling up local holographic maps, satellite communications, and scanning documents are just the basics." Section Chief Liu tapped an icon on the menu. The next instant, Section Chief Liu vanished right in front of Bai Zhou. Just as Bai Zhou gaped in shock, Section Chief Liu slowly reappeared in the exact same spot. As if surfacing from deep water, his natural colors returned to his body bit by bit. Like a chameleon. "This is optical camouflage, the latest development from our research institute. "Unfortunately, it only works in brightly lit areas. It's quite picky about the environment." Section Chief Liu continued explaining the bracelet's capabilities. "Besides that, it has energy shields, electromagnetic jamming, and more. You can try them out yourself." Without waiting for further prompting, Bai Zhou had already begun fiddling with it eagerly, having the time of his life. Incredible. Truly incredible! It was a completely different sort of wonder from the extraordinary arts Crow had shown him. The key was that it required no training. Even a child handed a wristband like this could turn into a mysterious secret agent armed with endless tricks! —To Bai Zhou's surprise, that had actually happened in reality. "Once, a senior specialist brought a bracelet home, and a mischievous kid swiped it, almost causing a disaster. "That's why the bureau keeps strict control over them. You can't wear them without authorization, let alone take them off-base." Section Chief Liu unclipped the wristband from his own wrist. "—Occasionally, though, this bracelet serves another purpose." He pointed at Bai Zhou's wrist. "Just like right now. "Once we're back at the base, you'll have to hand it over too." "Tsk..." Bai Zhou shook his head with genuine regret. He suddenly felt that... electronic shackles weren't entirely unacceptable after all. As a P1 rookie, he had effectively received specialized gear meant only for P2 specialists ahead of time. —Even if the gear came with "extra seasoning." ...Later on, the department's specialists arrived one by one. There were a dozen or so people in all. Aside from a few newcomers, nearly all were P2 specialists. "Let's go." Section Chief Liu tossed his cigarette butt to the ground, unscrewed his stainless-steel thermos to take a sip of tea, and spat a few tea leaves onto the floor. "Time to head out." ... The base was brightly lit, the deep, mechanical hum of machinery echoing through the open air above. Walking against the flow of patrolling squads, the group ambled past rows of gray buildings as casually as if they were on an outing, eventually arriving at the base's entrance. Surveillance cameras, guard posts, and roadblocks were all present and accounted for. A dozen fully armed soldiers guarded a massive... cave? Or rather, a tunnel entrance. Each specialist filled out a form to log their departure. The moment they stepped into the tunnel, a clammy chill pressed against their skin. The rock walls were rugged and uneven, dotted here and there with dim yellow miners' lamps. A long set of tunnel tracks wound upward into the pitch-black darkness, leading into unfathomable depths. This was Bai Zhou's first time visiting the subterranean base's exit. He followed quietly behind the group, observing without uttering a word. At the same time, doubts sprouted in his mind: *The ground is full of potholes, and the path ahead is pitch black... We aren't going to walk all the way up, are we?* *Why does leaving this place feel harder than a mountaineering expedition...?* "We need transport," Section Chief Liu said calmly. "Landmines, electromagnetic nets, pulse cannons, machine-gun fire lanes... "This tunnel is riddled with defensive traps to deter outside intruders. "—You can only safely traverse it by riding a designated transport." Bai Zhou felt a jolt of alarm. Looking at the sinister tunnel that seemed ready to swallow people whole, a chill rose from his heart. Stepping a few paces farther inward beneath the dim lantern light, he indeed spotted a winding steel track. It rested silently, spiraling upward. And sitting at the start of the tracks, an open-topped minecart resembling a handcart came into view. Its four wheels hugged the steel rails, the dusty cart speckled with rust. Mounted onto its rear, looking completely out of place, was an oversized industrial fan that seemed to have been salvaged from a scrapheap. Several of its blades were bent and warped, and the protective grate was nowhere to be seen—an utterly crude piece of work. Connected to either side of the blades were several metal pipes of highly dubious function. "This is...?" Just as Bai Zhou was examining it, Section Chief Liu thrust a heavy yellow hardhat into his hands. "Safety first." Dropping those two words, Section Chief Liu swiftly organized the group with brisk efficiency. "We'll go in batches. Bai Zhou, you're with me." *Click.* Bai Zhou switched on the miner's lamp on his yellow hardhat. A piercing beam of light shot straight out from his forehead, piercing deep into the gloom. "..." He didn't feel like he was stepping out to taste freedom. He felt more like he had been abducted and dragged down into an illegal coal pit to dig for ore. Fastening the safety helmet, he walked over to the open-top minecart and gingerly straddled it. —Even being careful, he still managed to brush some dust onto his trousers. "Hold on tight!" His fellow "miner," Section Chief Liu—also sporting a hardhat—hunched over onto the cart and pressed a button as he spoke. "I'm starting her up!" *...Clack-clack! Clack-clack!* A jolt ran beneath their feet as the open minecart slowly lurched forward. Cheerful clattering echoed rhythmically down the silent tunnel. The miner's lamp overhead illuminated the deep darkness ahead, unfurling a hidden underground world before Bai Zhou's eyes. Water droplets fell with gentle drips. The tunnel walls were covered in glistening, dark rock, shimmering with iridescent hues like a magnificent night sky frozen in stone. Whenever Bai Zhou turned his head, the beam from his headlamp swept across, occasionally catching brilliant twinkles—tiny mineral fragments embedded in the rock. There was a simple, marvelous novelty here, as if he were listening to the heartbeat of this planet at close range. Riding through this secret passage seemingly carved from the earth's core, Bai Zhou couldn't help recalling an underground dungeon adventure story he had once read in Wancheng: An adventurer seeking dungeon treasure swung his sword at a slime blocking his path. The slime didn't dodge; its body stuck right to the blade. Then the slime reported the adventurer to the Black Robes—because private possession of edged weapons was strictly forbidden in Wancheng. —Bai Zhou remembered that the full title of that little tale had been *Popular Science on Wancheng's Blade Prohibition Ordinance*, purportedly compiled by a Black Plate Elder. There were no slimes here, but it was a genuine underground world. In that case, Bai Zhou was the adventurer riding the minecart. Yet there was no ancient treasure ahead, only countless deadly traps laid by the Special Control Bureau, who had hollowed out the earth... Out of the corner of his eye, Bai Zhou had already spotted multiple pillboxes and electrified nets. This tunnel was the sole route connecting the base to the outside world, and the bureau's fortress-like safety zone. Under such circumstances, did the Blood Worship Cult truly dare plot against the Special Control Bureau...? As Bai Zhou pondered this, Section Chief Liu's deep voice suddenly reached his ears: "Did you know? This tunnel to the surface is extremely long. Walking it normally takes about twenty minutes—terribly inconvenient. "In the end, those madmen from the research institute solved the problem." With that, Section Chief Liu abruptly pulled a strap from the side and clicked it into the buckle across his chest, strapping himself in tight. "Brace yourself, Bai Zhou!" "What?" Bai Zhou scrambled to follow suit, utterly baffled. Section Chief Liu wore a profoundly solemn expression. "Have you ever heard of..." "Propeller jet-assisted acceleration?" "Huh?" Bai Zhou couldn't make heads or tails of what he was saying. "Final warning—" Section Chief Liu's voice boomed once more, "I'm speeding up!" Then, before Bai Zhou's horrified gaze: The battered, mysterious fan blades began spinning faster and faster, instantly erupting into the deafening roar of an aircraft propeller. The crooked metal pipes attached alongside suddenly vented translucent gas. Then, a gale swept up. *BOOM!* The translucent gas behind the pipes ignited, blasting out long plumes of eerie blue afterburners. A crushing wave of g-force slammed into their backs. "Aaaaarrrgh—!" Amid Bai Zhou's terrified shrieks, the open minecart roared ahead at breakneck speed through the boundless dark tunnel. The light from their two helmet lamps flashed past like ghostly will-o'-the-wisps. *Vroom, vroom, vroom!* Lightning-fast, leaving all in their dust! A colony of bats hanging from the ceiling was violently disturbed, taking flight in a dense flurry like a shifting velvet cloak, only to be left far behind in the murky depths. Blue Star. They were drag-racing straight through the belly of the planet. Drag-racing through an underground realm aboard a jerry-rigged handcart... Though it sounded more absurd than a fairy tale, Bai Zhou was truly living this preposterous adventure. In the blink of an eye, the minecart vaulted over twists and turns to reach the end of the line. From a considerable distance away, Bai Zhou spotted a tightly sealed gate. *Clack-clack, clack-clack...* The cart began to slow. The propeller stopped spinning. The jet pipes ceased spewing flames. "We're here." Section Chief Liu wriggled out of the cramped minecart, unclipping his seatbelt to climb out. —Bai Zhou, the subterranean resident from deep underground, was about to set foot on an unfamiliar surface. *Beep—* Section Chief Liu swiped his badge at the gate. The pitch-black, heavy blast door slowly slid open. What would the outside world look like? Bai Zhou let his imagination run wild. Yet he knew in his heart that his first glimpse wouldn't be Tinghai City itself. With an underground base of such immense scale, there couldn't possibly be a populated metropolis directly overhead; it had to be out in the suburbs. Thus, he would likely see the flora and fauna of Blue Star first—a vast, desolate wilderness stretching to the horizon. Only after that would they head into the city together. In that case, would he find a chance along the way to slip off toward Dongxing Road and locate the *Dead Sea Secret Scrolls*...? It seemed unlikely. Bai Zhou pondered. The stone walls vibrated, sending dust cascading down in rustling curtains. The world beyond gradually came into view. "This is..." Bai Zhou blinked. What greeted his eyes was completely unlike the endless, desolate wilderness he had pictured. Nor was it a sprawling city. —It was merely a bare, empty... storage room? The massive door was set flush into one of its walls. Following Section Chief Liu out of the storage room, they entered a dim chamber lined with shelves, its roll-up metal shutter firmly drawn. Then, Section Chief Liu strode forward and bent down to unlock it. The metal shutter was hauled upward inch by inch. Light flooded in. A torrential, natural, unadulterated brilliance—golden rays that Bai Zhou found wholly foreign—surged through the widening gap in waves. *Step...* Bai Zhou walked slowly toward the doorway. Towering, unfamiliar buildings rose into the clouds, composed of countless panes of massive glass and gleaming metal, glittering dazzlingly beneath the vault of the sky. Neon signs flickered alternately as the blare of horns, the friction of tires against asphalt, and the muffled chatter and laughter of crowds rolled toward him like an incoming tide. In the distance, the metal boxes Bai Zhou had recently learned were called automobiles merged into flowing ribbons of light, while pedestrians surged onward like an unending river. And above lay a pristine, azure sky he had never seen before. Along with a golden sun. A foreign yet intensely vibrant, prosperous world presented itself vividly before Bai Zhou. —Directly across the street stood the tallest and most conspicuous skyscraper among them all. Perched atop this grand building hung a colossal electronic billboard. Its lights blazed strikingly even in broad daylight, flashing the words— "Welcome to Tinghai!" Perhaps the entire city of Tinghai could see that gigantic sign. Bai Zhou stared blankly at everything before him, only looking back over his shoulder after a long daze. The greatest hermit hides in the bustling city! The underground base wasn't in the outskirts at all—it sat directly beneath downtown Tinghai. ...Bai Zhou looked up above his head. This dilapidated little shop, situated in the heart of the city with its doors perpetually shut, bore a weathered sign with peeling paint. —"Curiosity Sundries Shop." The entrance to the underground base of the Black Box Special Administration's Branch 36 was hidden right inside. Just then— *Vrooom!—* The low rumble of an engine snapped Bai Zhou back to reality. Only then did Bai Zhou realize that while he had been daydreaming, Section Chief Liu had vanished without a trace. "Where did he go...?" *Beep beep!* A car horn sounded twice, followed by Section Chief Liu's shout: "Bai Zhou! Over here!" Bai Zhou hurriedly turned toward the voice, blinked, and could scarcely believe his eyes. "You're... Section Chief Liu?!" Along the bustling street crowded with traffic, a car sat parked by the curb. A pale yellow Maserati MC20 rested there, as sleek and graceful as a swan arching its neck. In the driver's seat, clad in a striking white suit, a cool, handsome, square-jawed middle-aged man waved vigorously at Bai Zhou. He wore sunglasses identical to the major's, a thick gold chain around his neck, and a garishly vibrant red rose tucked into the breast pocket of his suit jacket. If not for the stainless-steel thermos sitting inside the car—printed with the words "Customer Appreciation, Limited-Edition Gift"— Bai Zhou wouldn't have dared recognize him as Section Chief Liu even if called by name! —Setting aside where the car had come from, where had this man even found the clothes to change into?! Where was that dependable, frugal older brother figure? Bai Zhou stood frozen in place, utterly at a loss. "Now that we're in the city, we have to look the part of city folk." Section Chief Liu stepped out of the car with composed swagger, striding toward Bai Zhou in gleaming custom leather shoes. An absurdly large cigar glowed with flickering embers between his lips. "We can never bring shame upon the Special Control Bureau, no matter the occasion. You'll get used to it soon enough." Patting Bai Zhou on the shoulder, he unclasped the hefty gold chain and draped it around Bai Zhou's neck without giving him a chance to protest. Under the admiring, envious stares of passing pedestrians, Section Chief Liu turned and pulled open the passenger door of the convertible for Bai Zhou. Behind his dark sunglasses, his stern face cracked into a broad smile: "Welcome to Tinghai City. "Or perhaps I should say— "Welcome home!"