Soon, Sid drove the truck through narrow streets and deserted alleys until they reached an abandoned subway station not far away, its entrance hidden by overgrown grass and crumbling walls.
The eerie silence of the deserted location was a stark contrast to the chaos they had just escaped.
Sid parked the truck, switched off the engine, and the sound of their arrival dissipated into the quiet.
"We should be safe here for a while," Sid spoke, his voice low as he glanced around the station.
"This is where my sister and I live. It's mostly empty—abandoned years ago—so you can stay as long as you need."
Ram stepped out of the truck, his gaze sweeping over the derelict station.
Rusted tracks stretched out like forgotten scars, old advertisements from a bygone era peeling off the walls, now covered in dust and grime.
Yet, despite its decaying state, the place had a quiet charm—amidst the ruin.
"Thanks, Sid," Ram appreciated more than just the shelter.
Sid had also shared valuable insights about their situation—details about the Cyber Core District, the base controlled by the Shadow Society, and the dangers lurking beyond the city walls.
According to Sid, the base they were at was called Cyber Core District and considered a mid-level base with a population of two to three million.
But the society only holds a small part of the entire district, considered as one of the top organizations here.
Most were ordinary people, but there were tens of thousands of professionals.
With so many people, the shadow society didn't even bother to monitor everyone closely.
However, escaping was not easy. First, most professionals were injected with a Mind Shadow Parasite and signed Shadow Contracts.
Second, the wild outside the city walls was very dangerous, and surviving the night without the city's protection was nearly impossible due to the monsters.
Sid nodded, leading Ram and the unconscious girl deeper into the station.
They passed through a series of dimly lit corridors, the flickering lights casting long shadows on the walls.
Eventually, they entered a makeshift living area. The place was surprisingly well-kept, considering the state of the rest of the station.
Furniture pieced together with various supplies was neatly stacked along one wall, and a few rooms had been converted into sleeping quarters.
Sid had done more than just survive here—he had made it home.
Gently laying the girl on a bed, Ram checked her injuries before and found many internal injuries inside her body.
So, he secretly injected over 100 points of Life Energy into her body before they got into the truck, and the effect was immediate.
Now, as he examined her again, he found she seemed to be mostly unharmed, just exhausted and bruised.
Turning to Sid, Ram spoke, "This place is impressive. You've done well to make it your home."
Sid shrugged, a modest smile on his face. "It's not much. Most of the good places are under the control of gangs if you don't want to join one of them you can only hide somewhere else like this."
Ram felt a surge of gratitude and respect for Sid and thanked him again.
Despite the dangers and the harsh world, they lived in, there were still people like Sid who cared enough to help others.
Sid waved off the thanks, his expression serious as he glanced at the unconscious girl and questioned.
"What do you want to do with the girl?" he asked.
Ram hesitated, his gaze lingering on the girl's pale face. "We'll let her rest and recover first," his tone thoughtful.
"When she wakes up, we'll figure out our next move. But we need to know more about her."
Sid shook his head slightly, his expression grave. "You don't need to wait for her to wake up. I've seen girls like her before."
Ram turned to Sid; his curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?"
"Well," Sid began, his voice tinged with sadness, "from what I've heard, the Shadow Society uses many girls of similar age from the district for breeding enhanced children."
"She's probably one of the girls the Shadow Society uses for breeding enhanced children."
Ram's eyes widened in shock. "Used for what? Breeding enhanced children?" he repeated, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Sid nodded grimly. "Yeah, it's messed up," his expression darkening. "The Shadow Society is always looking for ways to create stronger, more obedient soldiers."
"They take girls—young ones—and inject them with these enhanced, fertilized eggs. It forces rapid growth in the children, making them stronger, more obedient than any natural child could ever be."
"I remember," his voice tinged with urgency. "I saw a soldier like that when I first woke up." Ram's mind raced as he connected the dots.
Ram's mind raced. He recalled the soldier he had seen earlier, a boy no older than thirteen but with the body of a man in his twenties.
Mechanically enhanced, bred for battle, but cursed with a drastically shortened lifespan.
It was all starting to make sense now—the twisted experiments, the forced growth, the terrifying future awaiting these children.
"And this girl," he rasped, his voice barely a whisper, "what happened to her?"
"There's a high chance of failure. Most of the girls..." Sid trailed off, unable to bring himself to articulate the fate that likely awaited her.
"Yeah, it's likely them," Sid agreed, his voice tinged with bitterness. "You, saving this girl might've saved me from a lot of trouble. Otherwise, she'd probably be dead, it would've been a mess. The Society doesn't take kindly to losing their... assets."
"Okay, with our current strength, we're no match for the Society, for now, let's rest up," Sid admitted grimly, placing a reassuring hand on Ram's shoulder and suggesting.
"Once dinner's ready, I'll come fetch you and you can meet my sister, She is the boss here," he spoke back, guiding Ram to another nearby empty area with an abandoned train before leaving him to rest.
Left alone, Ram took a deep breath and surveyed his surroundings.
The abandoned train station had a haunting beauty to it, like a forgotten piece of history frozen in time.
He stood on the far edge of the platform, surrounded by tunnels that stretched into darkness.
A rusted, old train sat on the overgrown tracks, moss crawling over its surface like nature reclaiming what was once man's.
The station had a large opening in the ceiling with broken glass pieces, likely damaged, allowing sunlight to stream directly down, casting golden rays onto the moss-covered ground.
The broken glass above seemed to sparkle, adding a mystical touch to the dilapidated station.
Vines and weeds had pushed through cracks in the pavement, creating an almost peaceful, green haven in the midst of decay.
"Ha haa!!..," Ram laughed slightly, his voice barely audible amidst the quiet of the station. "This place is incredible."
He wandered closer to the train, trailing his fingers over the thick moss that had claimed its exterior.
The rust beneath the greenery added a sense of time long passed.
As he moved closer to the back, his attention was drawn to a massive tree that had grown behind the train, its roots spreading into the tracks and the station floor.
The tree's branches reached toward the broken ceiling, forming a natural canopy that blocked out some of the light.
Despite the obstruction, rays of light still managed to filter through, creating a serene and somewhat mystical atmosphere within the space.
This tree isn't a Spiritual Plant yet, but it's on the brink of becoming one with just a little more opportunity.
He turned his attention to the interior of the train, where Sid had told him he'd be staying for now.
Despite the vines creeping through the windows and the rusty exterior, the compartment inside was clean.
Sunlight streamed through the cracked windows.
Green vines twisted through rusted handholds, adding a touch of natural beauty to the surroundings.
Ram's gaze swept over the compartment, taking in the simple yet comfortable furnishings.
Light streamed through cracks in the windows, illuminating a small bed, a simple table with two chairs, and a bookshelf filled with books.
Drawings were scattered on the table, each one more complicated than the last, showcasing mechanical parts, advanced prosthetics, and weapons.
Some sketches were meticulously detailed, while others were rough outlines waiting to be refined.
Ram picked up one of the sketches, his eyes scanning the precise lines.
"Whoever drew this knows their stuff," he thought, impressed by the craftsmanship.
He placed the drawing back on the table and sat down on the bed, leaning against the wall with a sigh.