I'm Trapped in the Block

Li Xiangyi, however, recovered her spirits quickly. A moment ago she was dejected, but she soon turned to Li Luo and started discussing Oasis City.

"I heard this is the most peaceful monitoring station on the 2nd Floor of the Abyss. It’s fully equipped with all kinds of facilities and defenses. Some Hunters have even settled down here, never to leave the Abyss again."

"Oasis City was one of the first monitoring stations built, back when the 2nd Floor of the Abyss was just being explored. It’s been here for many years, so it’s one of the oldest. And lots of children have even been born right here in Oasis City!"

"I heard there are even schools in Oasis City. Can this really be the Abyss?"

The more she spoke, the more excited she became, filled with anticipation for the city they were about to reach.

The two of them talked as they walked along the great road for a long time.

Along the way, numerous unmanned transport vehicles and robotic sentinels patrolled back and forth, and road maintenance machines were a common sight.

The city was just as Li Xiangyi had described; its facilities and defenses were comprehensive.

The road was long. They walked until the next day before finally reaching a wide-open area.

By now, cultivated fields had begun to appear along the roadside, with all sorts of automated agricultural equipment working the land.

Moreover, there were rows of neatly arranged greenhouses, identical to those on Earth, creating the illusion that this wasn’t the Abyss at all.

But as they continued forward, a high, white metal wall came into Mo Ling’s view. You wouldn’t find a wall like that on Earth.

A few fully armed guards, accompanied by a squad of robotic sentinels, stood watch at the city gate. They were clearly surprised to see people trying to pass through.

After checking Li Luo’s and Li Xiangyi’s identities, a guard asked casually, "Where are you from?"

Li Xiangyi remained silent. She probably didn’t know the answer herself.

"The Black Tower," Li Luo replied.

"The Black Tower? We haven’t seen anyone from there in a long time. Any news?" The guard seemed very curious.

But Li Luo’s answer stunned the guard.

"The Black Tower has been destroyed."

Hearing this, the guard’s relaxed expression instantly turned grave. "You’re Li Luo and Li Xiangyi, correct? Please come with me."

Li Xiangyi looked around, unsure of what to do, and decided to just follow Li Luo.

The guard was clearly on edge. He led them to a vehicle, and an entire squad of fully armed guards in other cars fell in behind, forming an escort.

"I’m taking you to the Guard Hall inside the city. Please report what happened at the Black Tower directly to the commander there."

"Okay."

Mo Ling steered the Block to follow behind the vehicles as they drove into the city.

Along the way, Mo Ling took in the sights of Oasis City.

It looked more like a modern city. Just inside the high walls was a green, park-like space, which quickly gave way to a residential district.

The buildings were all villas of a style common on Earth, though their height was restricted. The rooftops were utilized, mounted with all sorts of equipment.

Past the residential district was a commercial area. The goods here were for everyday life; there were not only various restaurants but also stores for clothing and daily necessities, just like any other shopping street.

Shops selling weapons and combat equipment were also a common sight, but in stark contrast, they were all very quiet.

This gave Mo Ling another sense of unreality.

’This doesn’t feel like the Abyss at all.’

Beyond the commercial district was the business district, which seemed to be the core of Oasis City.

Countless tower-like buildings, so tall their tops couldn’t be seen, stood here. Personnel in suits and work uniforms bustled about, with a few Hunters in combat gear mixed in among them.

They couldn’t help but stop and stare at the eye-catching convoy.

The guards stopped the vehicles in front of one of the towers, and the lead guard beckoned for the two to follow him to the main entrance.

"We’re from Squad Two. We have two Hunters from the Black Tower Monitoring Station with an urgent report."

Seeing the guards’ serious expressions, a staff member quickly notified their superior. A short while later, a man in a suit and glasses led Li Luo and Li Xiangyi into an office.

"Please, go ahead."

Li Luo explained everything that had happened at the Black Tower and handed the storage device from her bag to the bespectacled man.

As he watched the playback, the bespectacled man’s expression grew more and more serious, and his calm breathing became rapid.

This was followed by a series of detailed questions. The man painstakingly gathered every piece of information about the corruption of the Black Tower. He even repeated some questions, as if to verify the truth of Li Luo’s words.

He took notes as he asked, simultaneously patching in calls from other departments so they could question Li Luo about specific details.

The process went on for a long time.

Only after he had learned everything did he stand up and shake Li Luo’s hand.

"Thank you very much."

He immediately began making hurried phone calls, arranging for a specialized team to investigate the Black Tower and handle the aftermath. Then he started contacting other departments...

Only when he had finished everything did he turn his attention back to the two of them.

"My apologies. The destruction of a monitoring station is a major incident with huge implications. We need to verify everything and coordinate with various departments, which has taken some time."

"Oasis City has grown so much that many departments and procedures have become bloated and complex. It makes processing things a hassle, but rest assured, this will be handled properly in the end."

The bespectacled man sighed, his voice heavy with exhaustion.

"I understand," Li Luo said, nodding reassuringly.

"Is she also from the Black Tower?" the man asked, looking quizzically at Li Xiangyi, who had been silent the whole time.

Li Xiangyi quickly waved her hands and began to explain her own origins.

"I see. In that case, you two should stay in Oasis City for a while. We may require your cooperation with the follow-up investigation into the Black Tower. If you need any help, you can also contact me."

He gave them his contact information, then took out two thin, glass-like cards that resembled smartphone screens.

"These are the electronic passes for Oasis City. All permanent residents have one. Here, take these for now." 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"An address for a house is registered on each pass. You can move in there. You can also use it to look up other information; its functions are quite comprehensive."

Neither Li Luo nor Li Xiangyi had expected things to turn out this way. They just stared blankly at the cards in the man’s hand.

Li Luo, however, quickly took both cards and thanked him.

The bespectacled man still had to deal with the Black Tower situation, so he had a staff member escort them out.

And so, the two of them stood at the foot of the massive tower, staring at each other.

Li Xiangyi kept her eyes fixed on Li Luo, as if afraid of getting separated.

"Aren’t you going to check out your new place?" Li Luo asked, feeling a little unnerved by Li Xiangyi’s intense stare.

Li Xiangyi clutched her card and glanced around.

"No way. I’ll get lost. I’m sticking with you."

"..."

The two of them continued to stare blankly at each other.