Starting as a Mechanical Hunter

The clones were not just one; on the screen, a dozen or so similar-looking clones were either excited, or secretly pleased, or trying to feign calmness, driving towards a castle-like place under the service of luxury cars and beautiful women.

Outside the castle was a green screen set.

”The ratings for the last season’s ’Domineering President Falls in Love with Me’ on Channel 4 were poor, so this time they’re planning something exciting,”

said the young man with a cigarette in his mouth, pointing to the number on the top left of the screen, which was 13.

”After this show, that number will become 1.”

”Honestly, it’s boring. Why not watch Cloud TV Station’s Escapee Game, where they throw those freaks selected from the colonies into a death match, let them kill each other—that’s what I call bloody, violent, and thrilling!”

Gao Gong glanced out the window, as drizzling electronic rain fell from the sky, hitting the window. Unlike ordinary rain, electronic rain, once it lands on something, generates the ’same-color effect.’

Suddenly, gray rain, bronze rain, and red rain splattered everywhere, dazzling and wondrous.

The car fell silent once more.

After a while, the young man with the cigarette spoke again.

”Because the Butcher paid exceptionally well this time, I’ve decided to give you a few free survival tips for Nightless City. Whether you listen or not is up to you.”

”Let’s hear it,” Gao Gong turned his head and said.

”First, never trust advertisements. Don’t click on any ads; those things are just the major corporations’ bills of sale.”

”Second, killing, robbery, and imprisonment are all okay—just don’t break the laws of the Mechanical City.”

”Killing isn’t illegal?” Xiaoye asked dumbfounded.

The young man with the cigarette ignored him and extended a third finger.

”Third, you can offend anyone, but don’t offend the Cyber Hackers.”

”Very useful advice.”

Gao Gong agreed, then closed his eyes, having been cooped up at the bottom of the ship for almost ten days. Even he was somewhat mentally exhausted. The ’executive brother’ sitting in the front seat had already started snoring.

Only the sounds of snoring and the pitter-patter of rain occasionally broke the silence.

No one knew how long it had been when the young man with a cigarette said again, ”We’ve reached the district.”

Gao Gong opened his eyes to find Xiaoye’s head almost out the window. He saw an enormous virtual projection slowly stretching its form. This super beautiful girl was wearing a camisole, her hair pink, her features unbelievably delicate, as a finger lightly pressed against her pink lips.

”Aidoru’s 999th real-life interactive concert, welcome to the Pink Heaven~”

Not just Xiaoye, even the executive brother was staring wide-eyed.

’Ding——’

[You are under the influence of subconscious control technique, consciousness check in progress. Your consciousness surpasses thirty points.]

[Check successful, you are immune to the ’Virtual Idol Aidoru.’]

”Who is she?” the executive brother asked, dazed.

Xiaoye perked up, ”Aidoru, the most successful virtual idol in the Virtual Realm, possesses advanced intelligence, human-machine interaction, tactile adjustment, a perfect personality, and 15 other top-notch technical features. She is the symbol of new life.”

”It would be great to sleep with her,”

Xiaoye blushed, ”How can you be so indecent?”

The executive brother glanced dismissively at Xiaoye’s hip area, snorting, making Xiaoye’s face redden further.

”I recall someone saying that their goal for entering the city was to enjoy an intimate experience with an idol. That person wasn’t you, was it?”

The beetle car passed under Aidoru’s feet, and all three simultaneously looked up, only to see a sky covered by cloud-like mosaics.

”Such thick clouds,” Gao Gong remarked, ”virtually otherworldly.”

”By the way, have you guys equipped your cochleas?” the young man with the cigarette suddenly asked.

”What is a cochlea?” Xiaoye asked blankly.

The young man with the cigarette pointed to his ear, where the base had clearly been modified with circular soundproof barriers.

”Remember, to live in Nightless City, three types of modifications are essential.”

”Ear modification, eye modification, and reproductive system modification. Without these, even if you’re the Governor’s son of the colony, you won’t withstand the bizarre aspects of this city.”

”If you haven’t got your cochleas, then cover your ears. Anyway, it’s just a short way.”

”Cover... ears?”

The executive brother turned back, finding Gao Gong and Xiaoye obediently plugging their ears.

In the next moment, virtual figures formed waves of people, crashing towards the car.

’Hello, Beautiful Interconnection sincerely invites you to participate in the ’Moral Template’ experiment—an essential step towards a great society.’

A businesswoman in a purple lipstick suit slightly bowed, revealing a large patch of fairness.

’Deep Image invites you to top-tier sensory design, reshape your image, reshape beauty.’

’MikroScope transplants grant you high-precision vision and visual undressing capability.’

’Is your kidney not well? Is your back weak? Are you lacking energy? The synthetic gland extract will make you forget all troubles.’

’The latest virtual experience machine includes image rights to 106 male and female stars. Want to ascend Wushan with your idol?’

The executive brother was stunned, instantly submerged in a wave of visuals, and in his fantasy, he seemed to have become a big shot, with countless female secretaries, subordinates, and celebrities whispering in his ears, his soul floating to cloud nine.

When he came back to his senses, he found Gao Gong and Xiaoye staring straight at him.

”Wh-what is it?”

”You just said ’yes’, ’agree’ so many times.”

The executive’s younger brother was stunned for a moment, realizing that his memory was already very blurred, with only sheets of electronic contracts appearing in his mind.

”You’re done for. Sixteen contracts. Unless you’re the beloved child of the Deep Net, get ready to sell yourself.” the cigarette-puffing youth said gloatingly.

”Is there, is there any way to cancel these contracts?”

Seeing the various harsh conditions in these contracts, the executive’s younger brother felt like dying.

”Sure there is.”

In the expectant eyes of the executive’s younger brother, the cigarette-puffing youth pulled a handgun out of his storage bag.

”Commit suicide now, and you can cancel the contract. Once the contract enters the execution phase, you won’t be able to die, because that would be a breach of contract.”

Staring at the gun’s muzzle with its dark metallic gleam, the executive’s younger brother gulped and trembled all over.

Xiaoye sympathetically said, ”Hey, don’t you have a relative in Virtual Real Estate who is in a high position? Get them to think of something.”

”Yeah, I have my big brother. I can get him to help me.”

For some reason, this was said with little confidence.

The cigarette-puffing youth suddenly slammed on the brakes and stopped the car at an intersection. The freeway was crowded with people, each looking like they were fleeing from something, while the anti-gravity taxi, though silent in movement, whisked up a haunting wail of wind, making the gloomy weather even more eerie.

”So, how’s Heaven? Fun, right?” The cigarette-puffing youth grinned widely.

Xiaoye and the executive’s younger brother exchanged glances. For some reason, just having entered the city, they were already feeling a deep fatigue.

”Head off the highway and go forward, you’ll reach the Lower Midtown District. It’s both a business district and a safety zone.”

”As a last piece of advice since you’ve been quite obedient, if you’re afraid of dying, avoid the Old Town District, and if you value your life, don’t go to the Outer City District.”

The cigarette-burned youth flicked his cigarette butt out. The ground automatically opened a crack to swallow the butt.

Then he made a swift turn and disappeared into the endless sea of cars.

Through the window, you could see Xiaoye and the executive’s younger brother saying something to each other, seeming to have a disagreement. Moments later, the two ran off in opposite directions through the rain, quickly vanishing amidst the pouring rain.

Meeting by chance, Gao Gong didn’t plan to say much, rubbing his arm, ”It’s a bit cold, huh.”

This was a kind of damp cold, not dry cold.

”That’s just how the environment is. You’ll get used to it after a while,” the youth handed over a document, surprisingly made of rare paper material.

”Everything important is here. Nowadays, these old projects are getting rarer; you might be the last batch.”

Inside the folder were a chip plugin, a key, a photo, and a stack of documents.

The documents covered ”Arrangements for Children of Mechanical City Employees”

”I thought it was for businesses?”

”Nope, family members of entrepreneurs have re-employment quotas, all snatched up already.”

Gao Gong picked up the photo of a pale-faced girl, her eyes were particularly striking—wide and white, reminiscent of Zhenzi.

As for the age, about sixteen or so.

Definitely not fit to be a daughter, that’s for sure.

Gao Gong picked up the chip.

”This is your electronic ID. Find a way to implant a port yourself and plug it in. It’ll keep you safe at night.”

Gao Gong looked up, gazing towards the increasingly distant city center.

”Aren’t we going to the city center?”

”Upper Midtown District is the Main Brain Area, Lower Midtown District is the Business District, and private prosthetic transformations are illegal in most districts. Do you want someone to knock on your door?”

”So, where we’re going isn’t illegal?”

”Outer City and Old Town District aren’t illegal, they’re free zones.”

”So are we heading to Old Town or Outer City?”

”Outer City.”

”Ah, the place for those with a death wish.”

Gradually, the highway became more and more winding, and the buildings increasingly bizarre, giving Gao Gong the impression this place had never been planned.

”You’re headed to Hanging Street. Although it’s in the Outer City, it’s close to the Old Town District. Don’t wander without reason; the underground clinic prepared for you is there, and so is the one you’ve adopted.”

”Try sticking to the Outer City as much as possible. Though there are many gangs, they generally don’t target Prosthetic Doctors. It’s different in Old Town; there are more freaks there. I’ll drop you off here.”

The youth stomped the brake and parked the car in front of a mobile stall. He set the car on auto-pilot, then got out.

The Beetle car reversed direction and went back the way it came.

”Are you coming with me?” Gao Gong asked.

”No, not with my identity. I’d be worried about getting chopped up,” the youth grasped the handgun, chuckling, ”Either way, welcome to Nightless City.”

Then he pointed the gun to his temple, and with a bang, a body fell down.

Nearby, a vendor’s eyes lit up, quickly jogging over, shouting, ”Hey kid, you saw it, you get half of this piece of cooked man!”

Gao Gong flipped open the opposite’s head, finding no brain-machine interface, frowning, muttering to himself,

”A hacked human brain? Didn’t expect this guy to be a Cyber Hacker.”