After an hour-long ride through the desert, Yu Qingyu arrived in Chuxi City.
It was a huge metropolis, surrounded by an endless wasteland from every side. It wasn't just the sand though. There were ruins everywhere. On his way, Yu Qingyu passed by multiple abandoned settlements, completely destroyed by the apocalypse. There were no people to be seen, only plenty of monstrous beasts could be spotted wandering around, some on their own, some in big herds.
'What exactly happened here?' Yu Qingyu couldn't help but ask.
[It is the result of the apocalypse. 50 years ago, multiple natural calamities struck the Earth, almost completely destroying human civilization, and turning the land into the wasteland you can see now. The remaining population is now concentrated in the newly build cities, such as this one.]
Yu Qingyu frowned. 'Natural calamities? Didn't you mention something about a virus?'
520 quickly explained. [The virus is the second disaster. It started around 20 years ago. At first, it affected animals, mutating them into formidable monsters. Later, it also got transferred to the human race. At first, it seemed incurable, and everyone infected perished in great suffering. Liu Wei is one of the only few people in the whole world who managed to survive despite contracting the disease. However, later, when the vaccine was created, the same virus allowed people to develop superpowers, at almost no risk to their life.]
Yu Qingyu rubbed his forehead. 520's explanations were giving him a headache. 'I'm so glad I don't live in a world like that,' he couldn't help but think to himself.
'Alright, let's just get it over with.'
Wanting to leave this harsh world as soon as possible, he entered the city with determination.
The air in the city, although still rather hot, was much more pleasant than in the desert, probably because of the half-transparent barriers set up high in the sky. The streets were bustling, filled with flying vehicles, holograms, robots, and all other sorts of futuristic technology. It might not have been on the level of stuff Yu Qingyu has seen in sci-fi movies, but it was still impressive, considering the difficulties the humanity has faced.
[Are you planning to arrange Liu Wei's capture already?] 520 inquired Yu Qingyu as he parked his scooter and got off.
'Well, what else should I do?' Yu Qingyu glanced around, trying to figure out where to head first. 'I might not be able to get it done today, but I want to at least try to connect with the necessary people.'
[If that is the case, I recommend you to go to the mall. One of the restaurants there is owned by Li Hangu's wife. He's in charge of the military affairs in Chuxi City. If you can get acquainted with him, it will make your mission easier. You can report Liu Wei's whereabouts directly to him.] 520 suggested.
'But what about the cameras? Cause there was some live feed from the city in the base, right? Won't I get caught?'
[You mean by Liu Wei? It doesn't matter. Even if he sees you talking to the enemies, he will just assume you're trying to collect more intel in preparation for the upcoming attack.]
Yu Qingyu's expression got darker. He regretted asking that question.
He took a deep breath, and shook his head. Liu Wei wanted to destroy the city. There was no reason to feel bad for him. Yu Qingyu was simply too compassionate and sensitive for his own good.
'I just hope that my future missions won't require me to betray anyone again… After all, even villains can have some feelings…' he thought to himself as he walked toward the mall.
***
The Bamboo Groove was an expensive, fancy restaurant on the top floor of the mall. It usually provided the customers with a quiet, relaxing atmosphere, making them feel as if they were in the middle of a real bamboo forest.
However, when Yu Qingyu arrived, the place was in a state of complete chaos. All the technological systems were malfunctioning, replacing the tranquility with unsettling-looking glitches.
One of the employees noticed Yu Qingyu approaching and came over to stop him from entering. "I'm sorry sir, but due to technical issues, we are currently closed."
Yu Qingyu scratched his cheek. '520, what now?'
[That's a perfect opportunity! Chen Rumin is a genius after all! You have all of his necessary skills, so you should be able to solve the issue. Then you will be able to easily make a connection with Li Hangu through his wife!]
'…What a convenient coincidence.' Yu Qingyu couldn't help but raise his eyebrows in disbelief.
But who would complain about being too lucky? Definitely not Yu Qingyu. He wouldn't mind having such coincidences happen every day!
And so, he cleared his throat and addressed the employee in front of him. "Would you like me to take a look? It just so happens that I'm an engineer…"
Unsure what to do, the employee glanced back at his other teammates standing nearby, who were able to hear the conversation.
A young woman, who seemed to be their team leader, stepped forward. "If that is the case, then please take a look, if you don't mind."
That was very easy. 'They're really just going to let a random person from the street come in and mess around?'
[It seems that the manager is not currently in. Isn't that good for you?] 520 didn't find anything weird with the situation.
Yu Qingyu shrugged his shoulders and followed the team leader to the control room. He still found it weird, but if the system said it was fine, then it must be so.
Everything inside was very high-tech, fitting the expensive restaurant renowned in the whole Chuxi City. However, it made no impression on Yu Qingyu. Technology in Liu Wei's base was even more advanced.
Even though just this morning his engineering skills were pretty much non-existent, now that he stood in front of the futuristic control panels, he knew exactly what to do. He immediately started pressing various buttons and typing commands on the keyboard at an impressive speed.
He himself was a bit shocked by his new abilities. The previous worlds were similar to his own and didn't require him to do anything he wasn't used to, so it was the first time he truly experienced the power of his system.
He quickly found the errors, and in less than 10 minutes, everything in the restaurant was once again functioning properly. Or actually, it somehow felt that the holograms, the sound, and all the special effects, became even more realistic?
The team leader looked at Yu Qingyu, who casually stretched his fingers acting as if it was all nothing, with her eyes filled with awe.
Just like that, he managed to score a favor with the restaurant, and by correlation, with its owner.