Unconventional security

Upon hearing this, Ye Zhixue's eyes widened.

If it weren't for the data panel as objective information verification, Ye Zhixue would seriously suspect that the man in her arms was doing it on purpose.

I argued with him for so long without any effect, and Yang Xiu said all sorts of things, but it was my words that had an effect?!

Zhou Yonghe looked at the constantly fluctuating data indicators, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

"I see. It seems my judgment was correct. The most basic level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs is inclusion."

"He is not lacking in nutrition, he doesn't need food or water, and the environment is suitable, but he is lacking this one thing."

"This stimulation is effective," Zhou Yonghe said, looking at Ye Zhixue and continuing, "If you go a little more aggressive, he might wake up right away."

Ye Zhixue's eyelids twitched, and she looked at the group with a cold gaze.

Seeing her like this, everyone knew what she meant even without replying.

Just as the group was about to offer some advice, Ye Zhixue said coldly, "Turn around."

Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged glances, and Yang Xiu winked at the others, looking like he was watching a big show.

I don't know when.

Chen Bei felt his vision blur and his breathing become labored, as if someone was covering his mouth and nose.

He suddenly stood up, only to realize a heavy weight pressing down on him as soon as he got up a little. He stared at it for a while, waiting for his eyes to gradually adjust to the darkness.

"Ye Zhixue? What are you doing lying on top of me?"

Ye Zhixue straightened up, frowned, and looked at him, saying, "Don't you remember fainting and falling on me?"

"The doctor said you were close to death, so he didn't dare to touch you."

Hearing the commotion, Yang Xiu and the others nearby were all awakened from their dozing.

"Chen Bei, you're awake?"

"You can really sleep, but you woke up just in time. It's already the second night, we can go into the city as soon as it's light."

Zhou Yonghe ran over to check on Chen Bei and then looked at his data indicators.

"Good, your body should be fine now. Your sudden fainting was most likely a side effect of that injection. Keep an eye out for information on that when we get to Shangcheng."

"Oh, I see..."

Chen Bei had just finished speaking three words when he suddenly felt a numbness in his mouth, and even a little pain.

With a lick of the tongue, a faint taste of blood lingers on the tip.

"Did you unleash your dogs on me?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Zhixue trembled, and the others quickly averted their gazes.

Before Chen Bei could react, a piercing pain shot through his lower back.

"It was the dogs that attacked you; they almost killed you!"

......

The sun rises in the east.

Chen Bei and his group followed the caravan to the city gate of the upper district.

Before even entering the city, you can see a towering pagoda from afar, its top invisible, but in front of the pagoda you can see a clock slowly turning.

"This must be the Hope Tower that Cao Chengxiu was talking about. It's really impressive."

Chen Bei looked ahead through the car window. This location was so obvious that there was no need to look for it.

"This is one of our destinations, right? Let's go check it out once we find a place to stay..."

As they approached the entrance to Shangcheng District, several people got out of the car and followed Qian Feng toward the testing gate.

Like the nine districts, the entrance here also has a security gate, but it is more upscale and impressive than the one in the nine districts.

Chen Bei stepped through the inspection gate, and then a nearby staff member tossed him a secret card with the words "Limited-Time Permit" written on it.

"You are an awakened individual who has unlocked three gene locks. With this token, you can move freely in the Upper City, but it is only valid for seven days."

"If you want to stay in the Upper East Side, you can find a job or buy a house there to settle down."

"If you want to extend the license period, you can register at the temporary processing desk inside the venue."

The staff patiently explained the rules of Shangcheng District to him. Chen Bei listened attentively, but when he looked up, he found that others were already waiting for him ahead of him.

Chen Bei walked over quickly and realized that the secret cards in the other people's hands were different from his.

What Ye Zhixue and the others held were [Temporary Caravan Station Permits], which were only valid for five days.

It's likely because Chen Bei broke through three genetic locks.

The group looked towards Qian Feng, who was leading the caravan through the security checkpoint specifically for supplies.

A security guard in a blue uniform walked over; the fabric of the uniform shimmered slightly with the changing light.

As she raised her hand, Chen Bei saw a faint blue light flowing beneath the skin of her wrist. "Red Fang Caravan, supplies verified, you may enter."

"A cyborg, or a human implanted with a chip?"

Chen Bei narrowed his eyes, capturing the moment and pondering the possibilities in his mind, but now was not the time to ask.

As the transport vehicle passed through the last quarantine zone, Chen Bei sensed a change in the air.

It's not a metaphor, things have really changed—a fine layer of water droplets condensed on the car window, and the airflow from the vents carried a faint smell of ozone and some kind of artificial fragrance.

Ye Zhixue reached out and wiped the car window. Suddenly, the eternal gray-yellow sky outside the window was cut off by a transparent dome.

The dome rises from the horizon like an inverted giant bowl, enveloping the entire Upper Town.

Sunlight filtered into a cool blue as it passed through the dome, illuminating the buildings that pierced the clouds and reflecting a matte metallic sheen.

When Chen Bei began to observe the interior of the city, he discovered that it was unusually clean.

Clean to the point of being sickly.

The streets are wide enough for twenty cars to drive side by side, and the road surface is made of a milky white synthetic material, without a trace of dust.

The facades of the buildings on both sides are covered with liquid metal, which slowly changes color with the light and angle.

The city is so clean that there are no people left.

Unmanned commuter pods are running on the streets, android cleaners are standing by the roadside, and swarms of drones are flying in the sky...

It has no human touch whatsoever.

The only people they could see were outsiders who had come in from the city gates to conduct business, just like them.

"Population density in Area B: 0.3 people per 10,000 square meters." The data scrolls across a holographic sign by the roadside: "The cloud-based lifestyle you deserve!"

0.3 people per 10,000 square meters. Chen Bei calculated that this meant only three people lived on a standard football field.

"Where are they?" he couldn't help but ask.

Qian Feng turned around from the driver's seat and lowered his voice: "They're all locked up inside. Do you think the people in the upper city want to go out? There are androids doing the work outside, and AI services available. What's the point of going out? To breathe in other people's secondhand air?"

"If I could earn enough money, buying a house here and living here would be incredibly comfortable..."

Chen Bei looked down at the street and just then a man in a bathrobe walked out of a building. As soon as he stepped onto the street, a hovercraft automatically stopped in front of him.

He went inside without looking around or saying a word to anyone.

Chen Bei didn't say anything.

He stared in the direction where the man had disappeared, when suddenly a white light flashed before his eyes.

Above the man's head floated an extremely faint white light, almost dissipating.

"I'm dying."

Chen Bei inexplicably knew that the man wouldn't live more than three months.