Chapter 103: A Few Bits of Trivia

A crooked pole by the roadside came into view, bearing three twisted characters—Huangshi Town.

The appearance of the signpost signified that Qi Chen and his companions had truly entered the territory of Huangshi Town.

Gazing into the distance, through the thick fog, a hazy cluster of multicolored lights shimmered faintly—that was their destination.

The convoy pressed onward, and as the mist gradually lifted, a fence made of wood and iron fully marked the boundary of Huangshi Town. At the gap in the fence stood a low watchtower.

Faint figures atop the tower began to move, likely having spotted the convoy.

“Who goes there?” Several figures rushed out from the watchtower. Their equipment was a hodgepodge, looking even less organized than a ragtag militia; each of the seven or eight men carried different weapons.

“From City Number Three, here on official business!” The warm-faced man rolled down the window, stuck his head out, and shouted.

Even without his call, the guards of Huangshi Town would have recognized the imposing convoy and at least had a general idea of their identity.

“It’s the officers from City Number Three! Let them pass!”

Qi Chen realized that the name of City Number Three held considerable sway in Huangshi Town. The lead guard barked an order, and the guards swiftly moved to the road, retracting all the retractable spike traps that had been laid out as barriers.

As the convoy passed, Qi Chen noticed the guards bowing and nodding respectfully toward their group. Yet beneath their deference, he saw an undisguised longing in their eyes for the armored vehicles.

Pressing forward, a building strikingly similar to the towering structure in City Number Three came into view. Though only ten to twenty meters tall—a mere younger sibling compared to the City Number Three tower—it was still quite eye-catching.

“That’s the fog-dispersal device we provided to Huangshi Town,” the warm-faced man chuckled. “It’s quite a lucrative deal. According to friends at the administrative office, the ongoing maintenance fees alone bring in a steady income.”

Qi Chen gave a small nod but found his gaze quickly drawn to the myriad of signs lining the road.

Advertising? On the way into Huangshi Town?

“Lodging,” “Supplies,” “Fuel,” “Home Services...”

His expression twisted oddly. He opened his mouth to ask the warm-faced man but ultimately swallowed his questions.

Something about this felt... improper.

With a rumble, the convoy came to a slow stop. After the engine, which had been running for a long time, was shut off, it roared loudly one final time.

---

The group pushed open the doors and disembarked. Qi Chen finally caught sight of Huangshi Town’s general appearance.

A small town whose style bore a strong resemblance to the familiar Western towns of his previous life, its buildings mostly wooden. Even standing outside the town, the clamor within was audible, and the multicolored neon lights flickered incessantly before them.

Rows of various vehicles were parked outside the town, guarded by sentries who smoked and chatted idly.

The person in charge noticed their special convoy immediately and hurried over with a broad smile.

“Officers? From City Number Three as well?”

“Yeah.”

Upon receiving confirmation, the leader quickly called over his subordinates.

“Officer... your vehicles?”

“No need to watch them,” the warm-faced man replied nonchalantly, then turned to the special operations team, giving orders, “You all keep an eye on the gear outside. The two of us will go in.”

They had already contacted their people inside Huangshi Town; there was no need for everyone to enter. Qi Chen and the warm-faced man alone would suffice for confirmation.

...

“You probably don’t know, but parking here costs quite a lot,” the warm-faced man began to play the role of senior, explaining the rules of the fog to Qi Chen.

“Huangshi Town is no weakling. Anyone wanting to enter has to pay the parking fee here. Though they do allow visitors to skip the fee... but then no one guarantees the safety of their vehicles.”

Almost everyone paid up honestly—after all, no one wanted to find their brakes failing or accelerator stuck halfway through the journey.

“But people from City Number Three usually don’t have to pay.”

Qi Chen was taken aback. What kind of privilege was that?

“Heh, we have their protection, even if we did pay.”

The warm-faced man’s words expanded Qi Chen’s understanding. He added, “But if you come alone to Huangshi Town, it’s best not to reveal you’re from City Number Three.”

“Huh? Why?” Qi Chen’s mind quickly connected the dots, recalling the guards’ looks at the convoy upon entering the town’s territory.

---

If a large force came to Huangshi Town, they were honored guests from City Number Three.

But if it was just one person or a small group, revealing their origin from City Number Three meant they were a fat lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

“The rules in the fog are nothing like those inside the city. You’d never guess what they might do to you. Even unusual travelers should never let their guard down when alone in the fog,” the warm-faced man sighed deeply. “Poisons, lures, traps—these methods are all worn out by overuse.”

“But they work.”

After hearing this, Qi Chen’s impression of those who roamed within the fog deepened.

Unusual travelers could sense the uncanny, but if their food was drugged, they were utterly helpless.

“That’s why I’m telling you this. After one trip, you’ll understand just how good a place City Number Three really is. In the future, if you don’t have to leave the city, don’t. It’s better to deal with strange incidents here than to live in constant tension out there. That’s our specialty.”

Qi Chen could tell the warm-faced man spoke from bitter experience. Wasn’t he the one who recently traveled alone all the way from City Number Two to City Number Three?

“Wait... you weren’t drugged and knocked out on the way, were you?” Qi Chen asked, surprised.

The warm-faced man’s face instantly darkened, and he cursed fiercely, “Get lost! Do I look like someone who’d be fooled?”

True enough. Despite his thick eyebrows and gentle code name, the warm-faced man gave Qi Chen the impression of a schemer the moment they met.

At the very least, he was a good actor.

“We’re about to enter the town. If you see anything you can’t accept, don’t get too worked up. Remember what I said—outside the city, there are different rules. We... just watch.”

The warm-faced man suddenly gave Qi Chen a warning, and the latter already had a vague sense of what might await.

In a chaotic world dominated by fog, countless things utterly contrary to one’s values could easily take root.

But... how great would the shock be?

...