Chapter 1410: C2
Xu Huo and the others had left, but the aftermath of the attack on the New District Government City was far from over.
First, the New District Government, which had suffered heavy losses, painstakingly retrieved a video from the rubble that recorded the attacker moving from the pharmaceutical factory to the Century Building. Although only a side profile was captured, the district government used technical means to reconstruct a three-dimensional face and submitted it to the game system. This turned the gentleman player into a wanted criminal with a bounty as high as one hundred million—a bounty privately sponsored by the New District Government.
The Ya clan members, who had also participated in the chaos, faced a district-wide manhunt. However, due to the unique natural environment of Zone 023, coupled with the fact that the Ya clan was already small in number and had adapted to life in the wild, the New District Government's extensive net yielded little result.
Not only that, but the truth about the Ya clan's near-genocide years ago was leaked from an unknown source, and several videos were made public showing external forces, presumably involved in establishing the district government, killing people for fun. Before the New District Government City could even be rebuilt, it faced a boycott from Zone 023.
This boycott might seem laughable now, but it represents public sentiment. Perhaps it won't show results in a few months or years, but in ten or twenty years, the situation in Zone 023 might be completely transformed.
Of course, this is only what the district government needs to deal with within Zone 023. Having suffered such heavy losses, they also have to answer to their investors. Moreover, after the clone bodies were exposed, they not only face pressure from investors but also from other forces.
The blame lies with the New District Government for courting disaster. Not only did they provide substitutes for those in need, but they also secretly cultivated clones of certain individuals—it wasn't easy to get samples from the originals themselves, but finding a few similar-looking people in the game was simple enough. Consequently, some people who inexplicably found themselves with one or more clones became uneasy. Their identities were somewhat sensitive. Wasn't the New District Government's action essentially trying to make them disappear quietly and replace them with controlled clones?
Cloning itself is not permitted by morality or ethics, and this matter leaves room for further speculation. It's foreseeable that there will be a long period of tug-of-war between various parties.
And because of the videos of Han Yi's head fireworks, the Han family has been seen as the source of the incident. After all, being the target of revenge caused such a huge mess, and it's unlikely they can clean it up easily.
Overall, this incident was quite significant and became a hot topic at the E27 and E19 wormhole points for a while.
But that's where it ends.
* * *
"Woo..." A deep, muffled horn sound echoed across the Crystal Ice Dock on the east bank of Golden Phoenix City. This imitation of the horn of ocean-going ships from before the technological explosion was a personal hobby of the previous mayor of Golden Phoenix City and has continued to this day. So, upon hearing this sound, people active on the dock knew that the third ship of the day would land in ten minutes.
Golden Phoenix City is located in the northwest of Zone 02 at the C2 wormhole point, surrounded by the sea. Cross-sea traffic mostly handles internal and external material transport. Passengers from other cities usually arrive by airship. There are three fixed airships daily from several major stations to Golden Phoenix City. If you miss the airship, you have to take your own transportation into the city. The checkpoint tax for entering the city by other means is extremely high, and Golden Phoenix City does not welcome such entry methods. Therefore, whether player or non-player, choosing the airship is both good and cheap.
A huge oval airship floated and stopped above the dock. Twelve lift passages detached from its metallic outer wall. Arriving passengers began to disembark according to their cabin order.
"According to the ticket you presented, your disembarkation point is Passage 9. Please follow the line and queue in an orderly manner."
A dark-skinned young man, after a mobile ticket checker announced his passage number, lined up behind a young couple with a child.
The woman was holding the child, sitting on a mobile chair provided by the airship. The man stood beside her, occasionally bending down to play with the child. Just as they were about to enter the lift passage, a shadow running at full speed brushed past them, rushed into the lift passage through the door that had just opened, and quickly pressed the close button.
"Running that fast, you in a hurry for a meal!" the people lining up behind shouted with a laugh. The young man who had already entered made faces at the ticket checker chasing after him from outside.
"Someone is fare-dodging! Someone is fare-dodging! Someone is fare-dodging!" the ticket checker issued a warning, but the surrounding passengers were laughing and didn't mind, even advising the ticket checker to calm down.
"He'll pay the fare sooner or later once he's in the city. It's normal for young people to be a bit naughty."
"Yeah, yeah."
All automatic machinery on the airship is equipped with combat weapons, and the ticket checker is no exception. But even when chasing the young man, its speed wasn't very fast, showing that this is a common occurrence in Golden Phoenix City. Both people and machines have a high degree of tolerance.
"This is a good place, isn't it?" The man behind the dark-skinned youth put his arm around his shoulder and said, "They are very tolerant of outsiders here. As long as you don't commit crimes, everyone greets you with a smile. Finding a job is easy too. Even if you come here without hands or feet, you can still get a meal. It's a place you won't want to leave once you come!"
"Such a good place, wouldn't everyone want to live here?" the dark-skinned youth said.
"Of course, but to live here long-term, you need a proper skill. Otherwise, the government won't allocate you a place to live. Buying a house yourself is very expensive." The man patted his back and said with a full smile, "Don't worry, I've already talked to someone. You'll go as an apprentice, study for three months, room and board included. Once you finish your apprenticeship, the shop will recommend you to the vocational office. You'll definitely have a proper job within three days. Then you can live here and never have to wander around again!"
A hint of a smile appeared on the dark-skinned youth's face, but he was also nervous. "Can someone as stupid as me learn well?"
"Don't underestimate yourself. I've seen your craftsmanship. You just need a teacher to get you started!" the man guaranteed.
The dark-skinned youth gained a bit of confidence and forcefully adjusted his bag, accidentally bumping into the person beside him. He quickly apologized. Seeing that the other person was easygoing, he took the initiative to ask, "Are you also going to Golden Phoenix City to find work?"
"Just doing some small reselling business." The ordinary-looking man had a pair of gentle eyes.
"You're really impressive," the dark-skinned youth introduced himself. "I used to make shoes. You know, those flying shoes? Recently, Golden Phoenix City is building a new airship, so I'm here to try my luck."
"That's not bad either. Precision instruments aren't something just anyone can make; it requires good hand skills." The ordinary-looking man said with a smile.
The dark-skinned youth scratched his head a little sheepishly and wanted to say more, but the man accompanying him pulled him. When he turned his head again, the person who had been speaking was gone.