Doomsday Wonderland Chapter 1674: Lin Sanjiu Tags Along

Chapter 1674: Lin Sanjiu Tags Along

This new version of herself left Lin Sanjiu feeling slightly off-kilter.
For years, she had lived by a consistent set of principles; her old self was like a well-worn piece of clothing—soft, familiar, and perfectly tailored to her. But now, she felt as though she were wearing a new outfit that didn't quite fit, pinching and pulling in unexpected places, leaving her unsure of how to move naturally.
When Pete presented his proposal, she once again felt that subtle sense of discomfort, like a garment stretched too tight or made from insufficient fabric.
"I'll think about it," Lin Sanjiu finally said, stalling for time. "We're almost at the destination. Let me check things out first."
"Hey, this is really good for you!" Pete exclaimed as she turned to leave, pressing himself against the glass wall. "I guarantee it!"
What he didn't realize was that no benefit could compel this cautious, newly hesitant Lin Sanjiu to take such a risk. She couldn't withstand any background checks. What if they found out about her past enemies? What if they handed her over to the Munitions Factory?
For Lin Sanjiu—or rather, for her former self—the only motivation that might have driven her to action was a combination of outrage at people manipulating others' fates and genuine concern for the well-being of those whose memories had been altered.
That motivation was now gone, pushed aside by her newfound timidity. But she still remembered it, and she also knew this timidity was a recent development, formed only hours ago. This duality left her deeply irritated.
It was like a wild horse staring at the open plains, feeling no desire to gallop across them, yet still remembering the thrill of the wind rushing past and its mane streaming in the air. The conflict made her feel as though she had been split into two separate people.
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So unbearable. Should she release the memory pocket dimension and restore herself?
The thought crossed her mind, but she immediately rejected it. The pocket dimension NPC had made adjustments to ensure her cowardice still allowed for action and combat, but these changes came with unintended side effects—most notably, extreme self-interest.
Lin Sanjiu was fully aware that if she restored herself, she'd have to return to risking her life for others. Why should she?
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'Everyone should look out for themselves. Anything else invites destruction.' Anyone who demanded her sacrifice was her enemy, including her past self.
As she boarded the small aircraft, preparing to leave Exodus, she repeated these thoughts to herself several times, feeling more justified with each repetition.
"Switch to autopilot, Silas," Lin Sanjiu instructed. "Is the flight ready?"
Thanks to Yu Yuan's modifications, the Silas system connected to the small aircraft responded immediately.
"All systems are prepared. Please verify the resources retrieved from Exodus: one biosuit, one handheld air filtration system..."
The place where Exodus was anchored was one of the highest points on the planet, a peak in the once-famous Coastal Mountain Range. This mountain range was said to have been cut sharply by the ocean, its cliffs standing tall and steep against the sea. With a height difference of over 300 meters, it was once considered a breathtakingly magnificent sight. But now, both the sea and the mountains were shrouded and sealed under a dense layer of smoke and haze.
When the circular, snow-white spaceship stopped at the thinnest part of the haze layer, it still remained submerged in the lead-gray mists. Of course, once it emerged, it likely wouldn't stay pristine white for long. Looking up from its position, one could occasionally catch glimpses of patches of blue sky breaking through the clouds.
In theory, the shallow layers of the smoke and haze were still considered safe. Even so, no one willingly ventured into them. Hiding the ship in the haze seemed like a surefire way to avoid detection.
Riding the strong current of air released when the docking bay doors opened, Lin Sanjiu's small craft shot out with agility. As it twisted and turned in the swirling haze, the craft's nose tipped upward, accelerating swiftly into the higher altitudes. Below, the lead-gray smoke, stirred by the ship's movement, swirled and eddied like half-dried, sluggish cement.
"Why is the resistance so much greater than regular air?" Feeling the heaviness of the craft's motion, Lin Sanjiu couldn't help but be surprised. "What's in this haze? This isn't flying; it's swimming."
She understood, of course, that Silas wouldn't have the answer. Perhaps even a fully equipped laboratory couldn't unravel the exact composition of the haze.
"No wonder the number one safety rule in this world is to stay out of the deeper layers," Lin Sanjiu muttered as she skimmed through the information Yu Yuan had left behind. "I can't even imagine what the ground under the densest parts looks like now."
Silas remained silent. In moments like these, Lin Sanjiu felt the quiet was almost too much.
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Having a few friends around, no matter where she went, didn't seem so bad after all. At least there would be someone to talk to.
The nearest human settlement to Old Sea's Crest was still several dozen minutes away, and the round-trip was just within the craft's fuel range. A deeply self-interested person wouldn't voluntarily take on any responsibility; without responsibility, there was no pressure. Lin Sanjiu allowed herself to drift off into a restful nap. By the time she woke up, the "CBD" was already in view. 𝙧äΝ𝐨βÈ𝓢
'So, this is what CBD means...' She stared ahead, momentarily dazed.
Breaking free of the suffocating haze layer, she found herself leaping into clear blue skies, fluffy clouds, and brilliant sunlight. Ahead, the human settlement rising above the haze appeared half-consumed by shadow and half-bathed in radiant light. The skyscrapers, forming a sprawling cluster, gleamed with tempered glass that shimmered like glistening fish scales. With the movement of the wind and clouds, the buildings sparkled as if they were alive, breathing.
No wonder it was called the CBD. Perhaps it had once been the central business district of some great city.
For ordinary commercial buildings, a height of 350 meters would already be unusual. It seemed this CBD owed its survival to the elevated terrain it was built upon. Dozens of skyscrapers had managed to endure, their peaks extending above the deadly haze.
After doomsday, countless posthumans and ordinary people had centered their lives around these skyscrapers. Using steel, wood, and materials she couldn't even name, they had extended, connected, and expanded the habitable spaces, forming a network of roads and new "ground."
If one wanted, it was entirely possible to stride out from the 23rd floor of one skyscraper and make their way to the 19th floor of another.
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"Flying ships or vessels above a certain size cannot approach residential areas," Silas said in its gentle voice. "However, this unit is within the acceptable size range. We are currently approaching the parking area for the CBD."
"Can't I just fly directly into it?" Lin Sanjiu asked. Only then did she notice that, unlike the scaffold and tree zones she had seen earlier, the spaces between the skyscrapers in the CBD were almost devoid of flying vehicles.
"The core building cluster of the CBD, which consists of skyscrapers from the old human world, cannot structurally support the variety of flying vehicles or the potential impact they might cause," Silas explained, clearly reciting from the data left by Yu Yuan. "All flying vehicles must be parked at the peripheral lots. Once inside the CBD, you can choose from light solar-powered cars, dog sleds, bicycles, sedan chairs, and other transportation options..."
What kind of bizarre list of transport was this? Dog sleds? And sedan chairs?
Lin Sanjiu considered it for a moment and decided she might try the dog sleds once inside.
The "parking area" was essentially a multi-layered stretch of open platforms suspended high in the air, with at least a dozen levels stacked on top of each other. At the center of the topmost layer stood a giant electronic sign, visible even from a great distance. It displayed the message: "Available Parking Spots: 25."
As soon as Lin Sanjiu approached, a straight red beam of light appeared in the air, resembling the guidance of a massive flashlight held by someone behind her. Following the red light, she navigated to one of the vacant parking spots.
Once the vehicle was docked and powered down, a lackadaisical-looking worker—a regular human—drove over in a small electric cart. He clambered out, moving sluggishly, and approached her with a handheld black device. With a swift click, a light barrier descended over the flight engine of her craft.
"This is your receipt," he said, tearing a slip of paper from the device and handing it to her. "You'll need to pay based on the time when you return. If you don't pay, your engine won't work."
When no one immediately took the slip, he turned to look at her and snorted. "Another newcomer, huh?"
It was obvious; Lin Sanjiu wasn't paying him any attention at all, her eyes too busy taking everything in. Rows upon rows of neatly parked small flying vehicles surrounded her. In the distance, an airbus was slowly approaching the parking lot. Nearby, a person with a purple afro had just climbed into a violet-colored vehicle, and the hum of its engine soon filled the air.
The parking lot was evidently a hub connecting the CBD to other areas. The airbus came to a halt at the far end of the platform, its doors opening to release a steady stream of people of various ages and appearances. If they had one thing in common, it was the small round stickers affixed to their shoulders or chests and the earbuds plugged into their ears, likely serving as identification.
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Lin Sanjiu knew this kind of group all too well. She hadn't expected to run into one here in Cloudwalk Heights.
"Everyone, stick together," called out the young woman leading the group, speaking into a handheld radio. "We've arrived at the CBD. We'll be touring and exploring for the next three hours..."
Could there be a more perfect and convenient coincidence for someone unfamiliar with the CBD?
Feigning nonchalance, Lin Sanjiu casually followed the tour group.