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墨書 Inktalez
The Federal Northern District Special Administrative Star, the farthest area from the Central District, is known as the Wasteland, or District Thirteen. Years ago, a fierce battle between the Federation Homeworld and the Northern District Government nearly leveled the Thirteenth District. Once a fertile land, it remains largely uninhabitable for humans even after millennia, a testament to the brutality of that conflict, with its bloody legacy still palpable today.
District Thirteen is vast, but only its surrounding areas are suitable for survival. Those who live here are either impoverished or mysterious individuals lurking in the shadows. In the central region of District Thirteen lies a sprawling complex of buildings, surrounded by rolling yellow sands, with hardly a hint of greenery in sight. The occasional desert plant appears droopy and lifeless, as if barely clinging to existence.
The buildings are a dull grayish-yellow, resembling a lifeless giant beast sprawled across the desert expanse of the Central District. Surrounding this complex is a towering wall over ten meters high and more than a meter thick. The top of the wall is wrapped in coils of electrified fencing that crackle ominously, sending chills down one's spine.
At the edges of the wall stand tall watchtowers spaced several dozen meters apart, each one taller than the wall itself. Atop these towers stand four resolute soldiers, armed with Assault Phase Guns, their eyes sharp and hawk-like as they vigilantly survey their designated areas.
Deeper within lies an imposing structure that rises over ten stories high. Numerous surveillance systems are installed throughout these buildings, alongside dazzling black-glowing intelligent Phase Guns. Anyone attempting to breach this area would likely find themselves obliterated by these weapons without a second thought.
Atop one notably taller building, in bold black letters, is inscribed "Wasteland Prison." The entrance is bustling with activity as prison transport vehicles come and go. The criminals entering this place often hang their heads low, their faces etched with despair.
Many know this place as Sin City’s most inescapable Wasteland Prison, surrounded by hundreds of miles of desolate desert. Even if one were to escape from prison, they would ultimately perish in the seemingly endless sands.
Inside are numerous grayish-yellow buildings housing groups of inmates clad in burlap prison uniforms. At this moment, Ye Yu is confined within a dimly lit cell near the interior of one such building. The cell is only a few square meters large and contains two rudimentary iron bunk beds. Ye Yu gazes gloomily at an old man across from him, dressed in a loose gray robe with long gray-white hair. This old man has not uttered a word since Ye Yu arrived at the prison; he sits cross-legged like a statue.
Ye Yu was thrown into this prison by the Silver Dragon Guard without any trial, yet his unique identity prevents him from lodging any complaints. After all, the Zhou family had gone to great lengths to protect him. Although he was young at the time, witnessing his parents' fate made him acutely aware that his existence was a stain on the Federation. Even in Sin City, if anyone discovered his true identity, he would be doomed.
Ye Yu's frustration is palpable; however, carrying his parents' last wishes makes him unwilling to accept being imprisoned like this. He had just been locked away and knew nothing about his situation; he wanted to ask the Nameless Old Man before him for information but found him unresponsive with closed eyes.
At that moment, the iron door that had been tightly shut suddenly creaked open slightly, revealing a twenty-centimeter-wide gap. Two identical portions of food were pushed through—one resembling a grayish-purple loaf and a cup of steaming water—simple fare indeed.
"Ye Yu! Old man! Time to eat!" came a cold shout from outside; it was clearly the guard delivering meals. Countless people in the Federation have called Ye Yu by name, so he felt no fear of revealing his unique identity. After all, any records concerning him had been erased; most people were unaware of his existence.
The prison guard outside closed the door with a decisive slam, and the sound of footsteps faded away. Ye Yu glanced at the small window high above, estimating that it was already noon. He let out a faint sigh, licked his cracked lips, and prepared to retrieve his food.
Since being brought here yesterday afternoon, Ye Yu had not eaten anything, and naturally, he felt quite hungry now. He hadn't expected the conditions in Federal Prison to be so poor; he estimated that here, one could only expect one meal a day.
"Hey, pass me the food!" At that moment, a low, hoarse voice came from across the room. Ye Yu jumped in surprise, realizing it was the old man sitting opposite him who spoke.
He looked over at the old man and saw a face like weathered bark, expressionless, with eyes slightly closed as if he hadn’t just spoken at all.
"Sure," Ye Yu replied, nodding. He bent down to pick up two portions of food and gently placed one on the old man's bed. He then grabbed his cup and took several large gulps of water. The dry climate had left him parched, and he hadn’t had a drop to drink until now.
"Are you curious about where you are?" Just as Ye Yu was about to eat, the Nameless Old Man spoke again.
Ye Yu paused for a moment before nodding. "I just arrived here and am not familiar with this place. I hope you can enlighten me."
The Nameless Old Man smiled and nodded but didn’t speak further; instead, he raised a bony finger to point at the food in Ye Yu's hands, a strange smile creeping onto his lips.
Ye Yu's heart sank as he understood the implication. He was perceptive enough to grasp what the old man meant, but his hunger made him hesitate.
"Everything in this world requires an exchange of equal value," the Nameless Old Man explained calmly. "I believe the information I have for you is worth enduring another night of hunger."
Ye Yu furrowed his brow but ultimately decided to hand over his food. The Nameless Old Man accepted it without hesitation and quickly stuffed all of it into his mouth. The once gaunt face became round as he chewed vigorously.
In less than a minute, the old man swallowed everything down and then lifted his cup to drink all the water in one go.
The old man slowly opened his eyes, a satisfied expression on his face. However, his gaze was not clouded as one would expect at his age; instead, it sparkled with vitality, occasionally revealing glimmers of brilliance.
"Uh—" he burped and let out a long sigh. "The last time I ate this well was during your Federation's Spring Festival Celebration. I devoured three whole servings of Federal Pearl Rice that time, and the taste still lingers in my mouth to this day."
The old man seemed to relish the memory of that meal from several months ago, while Ye Yu was momentarily taken aback. The old man's way of speaking was clearly different from that of the Federation; it bore a resemblance to Huaying, infused with distinct characteristics of the Blue Marked People. From his words, Ye Yu could also sense the hardships of life here, realizing that this was not a place where ordinary people could linger for long.
"Sir, my name is Ye Yu. May I ask for your name?" Ye Yu's eyes shifted slightly as he spoke respectfully.
"Hahaha, my name? I've lived so long that I've forgotten what it is!" The Nameless Old Man seemed touched by Ye Yu's question, suddenly adopting a sorrowful expression.
"According to your Federation's customs, you can just call me 'Sir'!" The old man's tone quickly softened, and the sorrowful look vanished.
"Then could you tell me where exactly this place is? Is there any chance for me to leave?" Ye Yu hurriedly voiced his inner doubts.
"Hmph, you poor soul, not even knowing where you're locked up!" A flicker of pity crossed the Nameless Old Man's eyes before he continued, "This is Wasteland Prison in Sin City. A battalion of guards is stationed here, surrounded by layers of Watchtowers and Phase Guns. This area lies within the Thirteenth District, known as the 'Wasteland,' where rolling sands stretch for hundreds of miles. No one has ever truly escaped from here; even the mightiest find themselves powerless against the vast desert after breaking through all defenses. So you might as well abandon any thoughts of leaving; you share a Prison Cell with me, and it seems you'll either die here soon or grow old in this place!"
Upon hearing the old man's words, Ye Yu felt a wave of shock wash over him. He had heard of Wasteland Prison even in other regions of the Federation. Sin City was a chaotic place where many Interstellar Pirates and serious criminals liked to hide. But that did not mean Sin City tolerated crime; on the contrary, those who committed heinous acts were dealt with swiftly! Wasteland Prison was specifically designed to hold the most vicious criminals. It was also known as Black Hole Prison—once you entered here, there was no hope of escape.
The Nameless Old Man seemed to sense Ye Yu's complex emotions and spoke a few words that reignited hope in the nearly despairing young man.
"Is what you say true? If so, I would be immensely grateful!" Ye Yu's expression changed as he suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to the old man in thanks.
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