Chapter 87: The Ancient City (Please Vote)

Sophia opened the control panel on her arm and tapped a location on the outskirts of the city map. The teleportation disc that had just been put away expanded, spinning as it landed on the ground. She then looked up at Zhou Yi and smiled, saying, "That's how you control it. Go ahead, try it with your own control panel." As she finished speaking, Sophia took back the teleportation disc.

Zhou Yi quickly mimicked her movements, a bit clumsy, but the teleportation disc was indeed deployed. Zhou Yi felt a little excited—this was incredibly useful. Next time he found himself in an awkward predicament, he could teleport away instantly, far faster than any plane.

"Not bad, it's not too difficult," he remarked.

Sophia's expression grew more serious as she pointed to a spot on the map and explained, "I haven't mentioned this before, but I need to tell you: no matter which mission world we're in, even though these people are just data constructs, we must avoid letting them see us teleport. Also, you cannot kill innocents indiscriminately. Officially, the penalty is severe. I worry more that it could trigger a sudden surge in local Awakened individuals. Once, a Chosen tried something like this and was discovered by the Brain—he was instantly obliterated. So, always choose secluded locations for teleportation."

Zhou Yi nodded. This was about following the rules of each mission world, perfectly reasonable. "Alright, let's go. This location is quite secluded, isn't it? It's on the city's edge, in the mountains?"

Sophia nodded and smiled at him. "That's right. I hope you can quickly advance to Level Two. As soon as you pass the assessment, you'll be allowed your own base. It may be small, but at least it won't be under anyone else's control. Under Waldner's authority, the risks are high. If he notices your rapid growth, I fear he might resort to underhanded tactics."

Zhou Yi paused, surprised by her remark, but after a moment's thought, he understood. "It's not just Waldner—I'm sure all the lords dislike seeing someone break away from their base. It means more competition and sharing of resources."

Sophia shook her head. "It's more complicated than that. In the breeding centers, humanity's reproductive capacity is extremely low now. Even with artificial insemination and implantation, the survival rate is poor. That's why Awakened are selected from various mission worlds and trained as Chosen. Slaves are mere tools, not worth cultivating. Among the Chosen, few are truly capable; most seek external ways to advance, but such advancement is rare. Even Waldner—though he's reached Level Three—finds further progress nearly impossible. The last time he acquired a gold spirit stone, if it had been before his upgrade, he would have kept it, since the base has disposal rights over spoils of war. Yet he let Carter return it to Time City, indicating that the energy value of spirit stones no longer means much to him. So, everyone strives to maintain a balance. No one wants someone from their own base to reach Level Two, as that might threaten their position. It's an unspoken rule among all base lords."

Zhou Yi nodded. Clearly, upgrading was no easy feat. With his Awakened mark and smooth advancement to Level One, everything had come too easily for him. He realized he truly needed to keep a low profile.

"I understand. I'll lay low for now. But with so many spirit stones, staying inconspicuous may be impossible."

Sophia laughed, patting his arm. "That's what the storage box is for. No one can see what's inside. Keep all your spirit stones hidden. Submit them only when required. Come on, it's time to go."

Zhou Yi nodded and called over Fatty and the others. They stepped onto the teleportation disc, and with a flash of light, the four vanished from their original spot.

When they reappeared, they were standing in a clearing. Sophia waved her hand, and the teleportation disc shrank and was handed to Zhou Yi. She scanned their surroundings warily. As expected, it was desolate, but the temperature was much higher than in the Gobi desert.

At the foot of the mountain lay a village. In the distance, buildings could be seen—not tall, but resembling city walls, with none of the characteristics of a modern city.

Zhou Yi hesitated, recalling the Gravekeeper's attire and feeling uneasy. "This isn't a modern metropolis. Did we land in an ancient era?"

Sophia nodded, agreeing with his assessment. "It seems so. Let's go down and investigate."

Zhou Yi glanced at his jumpsuit. "Dressed like this, the locals will think we're monsters."

Sophia was troubled—she hadn't prepared either. "The jurisdiction of Base Seventy-Two only goes as far back as the 1912 world. We've never encountered an earlier mission world, so I didn't bring any clothes."

Fatty shook his head. "Let's sneak down and take a look. If necessary, we can steal some clothes."

There wasn't a better solution. Zhou Yi glanced at Sophia, noting that she was even more nervous than he was. Still, since they were here, they had to see for themselves.

He opened the control panel on his wrist, but the map revealed little. The town occupied a large area, but nothing was clear.

"Let's go down and see!"

The four descended the hill, approaching several houses. In one courtyard, a fence enclosed some chickens and ducks. The mud walls were barely shoulder-high, some sections collapsed, and the roofs were thatched. The wooden windows were papered, but many were drafty.

Cheng Zhi and Fatty jumped inside to scout, then emerged with a bundle of old clothing. "No one's home, but sweet potatoes are boiling on the stove. Looks like the residents are out working. We took a few clothes."

Zhou Yi inspected the garments, all patched and worn—a sign of poverty. The styles were wide robes with narrow sleeves and long sashes, not many in total. Fortunately, there was a reasonably intact set of women's clothing.

Without hesitation, Sophia dressed herself, letting her hair down and tying it up with a twig. Turning around, she truly resembled a figure from antiquity.

As for the rest, there was little room for complaint. Each grabbed a piece, wrapped a sash around their waist, and used ragged cloth to cover their heads and faces.

"We'd better blend into the city quickly, before night falls," Fatty urged.

Zhou Yi shook his head, stopping Sophia. "First, we don’t know what dynasty this is. Second, if we just walk in, we'll arouse suspicion. Let's find someone to talk to and learn about this place."

Cheng Zhi pointed nearby. "There's a shack at the city entrance, with a cloth sign showing the word 'tea.' Shall we ask there?"

Zhou Yi glanced at Sophia. "Do you have any silver or gold?"

Sophia quickly searched, producing a warped gold coin and handing it to Zhou Yi. "Just this one—from your upgrade experiment."

Zhou Yi examined it. Fortunately, its original markings were unrecognizable. He pressed, beat, and stretched it until the coin was shaped like a leaf, the size of his palm. Breaking it into three pieces, Zhou Yi felt more at ease.

"Let's go. This way, there's less risk of being targeted."

Sophia put away the gold leaf, and the four headed toward the tea stall. Judging by the sky, it was past noon; few people were on the road, but everyone seemed to pause at the tea stall, likely travelers from the distant mountain and Gobi.

Observing their boxes and baskets, Zhou Yi pursed his lips. The four of them carried nothing—he wondered how they would explain that.

Near the stall, several people were already seated. The young proprietor greeted them warmly. "Please, have a seat! Would you like tea or a meal?"

Zhou Yi nodded to the proprietor, an apologetic smile on his face. In those few steps, he had already thought of what to say.

"Brother, we'd like to enter the city. We were robbed on the road and lost our goods. After a frantic escape, we have no idea where we've ended up. Could you tell us what place this is?"