The factories in Black Street operated day and night; the dense black smoke from the towering chimneys shrouded the entire city . When standing at a higher point in town, one could even see the haze descending slowly from the sky like a veil . The smoke left a coat of gray and black soot in the neighborhood . That was one of the things that gave Black Street its name . In the modern world of the Nanomachine Swarm, many heavy industries were still unable to get rid of traditional production methods due to technical limitations .
In Black Street, large machinery and arms factories were the biggest industries .
Hao Ren exited the crowded slum and saw the towering factory buildings lining the streets . There were giant reactor towers and pressure vessels in the urban areas . He could hear the roar of the machines coming from the nearby factories as he walked along the street . Meanwhile, people were hustling along the sidewalks on both sides of the road . Most of them were the poor, emotionless and dressed in shabby clothing . They had just finished their synthetic food, and they were now flocking like ants to the factory—the mechanical beast, which engulfed and kept them alive at the same time . Some people used rags to cover their faces to protect themselves from the dust in the air . But the dirty rags were not any cleaner than the air they breathed . The atmosphere was slowly contaminating and irreversibly destroying their lungs . They had to rely on the Nanomachine Swarm to prolong their lives after the age of 30 or 40 . After that, they would quickly die .
"Since the Nanomachine Swarm are still in use, why didn't anyone think of using these things to solve the pollution problem in the city?" Hao Ren murmured to himself .
A loud, low voice came from the side . "Solve the pollution? People who thought this way had all died decades ago . Now it is an era where people only live day to day . "
Hao Ren turned his head and surprised to see Ulyanov behind him . "Hey, when did you come here?"
"This is where I come often . I know the slum very well," Ulyanov looked up at the factories not far away . "Yesterday someone reported that after you left the base, you disappeared into the alleys of the slums . Nolan let me come to collect your body . It's a surprise to see you on the main street . Well, it looks like you have survived your first night in the dark alleys . What makes you so interested here?"
"Nothing, just mooching around," Hao Ren knew that Ulyanov was still suspicious of him, so he answered casually . "I have told you before; I can't always stay with you guys, I need to find a place to stay . Don't worry; whatever I do I'm not an enemy of Gray Fox . "
"Nolan couldn't care less . I'm just busy body here," Ulyanov said . "It's better not to come to this place . Many people here are no fans of Gray Fox . You'll get yourself into trouble . "
Hao Ren gestured with his hand as if saying he understood . "Tell me: is there any additional cost for solving the urban pollution with Nanomachine Swarm? Is the thing not self-sufficient?"
Hao Ren gestured with his hand as if saying he understood . "Tell me: is there any additional cost for solving the urban pollution with Nanomachine Swarm? Is the thing not self-sufficient?"
"The Nanomachine Swarm is indeed self-sufficient, but the control center is costly, and the bigger cost is these—" Ulyanov said, raising his hand pointing to the poor people from the slums . "The factories don't need healthy men to operate the machines . The city does not need the elderly . The mission of these slags is work in the factory until they are forty-five years old . The owners of the factories don't like strong and smart workers; it would be best if the workers are illiterate and no retirement needs . So there is no need to let them live for too long . As for the factory owners and warlords, they have their own ecological houses, isolated from the outside world . They have also said that there will also be a meadow, cheap and quickl to build, for the people to enjoy . "
Hao Ren listened on, wide-eyed . As an earthling, he could not understand this thinking . "Maintain this status quo? Isn't it a little too short-sighted?"
"Short-sighted? What is your long-term vision?" Ulyanov laughed hoarsely . "To improve the environment and To recreate a vibrant and sustainable society? I remember that many people had the same thinking decades ago . But it turned out that no one could live long enough accomplish these goals . Someone says that every regime in the world could only last for an average of four and a half years, no one will invest in business longer than this cycle . "
As Ulyanov finished, he patted Hao Ren's shoulder . "Short-sightedness is necessary because most people cannot live beyond what they could see . "
Hao Ren blurted out . "But you live long enough . . . "
Hao Ren blurted out . "But you live long enough . . . "
"Because I'm just alive," Ulyanov turned . "Since I the injury, I could no longer bleed but only electrolyte and nutrient medium . My goal is simple—to be alive . This kind of person would live long enough . "
Hao Ren was speechless . In a world of chaos, thinkers and enlighteners might be the first to die because they were using the energy for survival in other things, such as dreams . The MDT suddenly mumbled in his mind . "This is why grasses can transcend into immortals while fruits and vegetables have not the chance to even dream: they make wishes in the morning, but people stewed them in the afternoon . Who can still have dreams when they cannot even live long enough to see dreams come true?"
Let us give credit where credit is due; as bitchy as the MDT was; it did make a pretty good conclusion .
Hao Ren followed Ulyanov back to the Gray Fox base . While they were turning into a corner and nobody was looking, he reached into his dimensional pocket and quickly yanked out a silver-gray gadget . The tiny device looked like an inconspicuous metal toad, but it landed quietly on the ground and quickly slid into a dark corner . It was a beacon transmitter that Hao Ren had produced on-board factory on the Petrachelys in the morning . The beacon would automatically find the weakest spot to unfold itself and then transmit a powerful navigation signal into space . As long as Zorm was in the Plane of Dreams, the drone clusters would be able to pick up the signal and find it .
Even it was tens of billions of light years away .
But things would get more complicated if the distance were not purely physical . And it did seem so .
Even it was tens of billions of light years away .
But things would get more complicated if the distance were not purely physical . And it did seem so .
He had no problem contacting CARS and the drone clusters from the planet Zorm, which meant that the data link is stable . But the problem was that he could not trace the exact location where the signal came from . It was like hiding its IP address to stay anonymous . Meanwhile, CARS and the drone clusters were unable to resolve this anonymity unidirectionally . That was why Hao Ren had to plant an active beacon transmitter on planet Zorm . He had also considered that the beacon might fail, and when this happened, he would consider releasing a probe from here to see if it could navigate its way through space and reach the regular universe, and if so, at least that meant space was continuous . If not, he could figure out the extent of the distortion . It was one of the backup plans .
After leaving the factory district, Hao Ren looked back at the towering black buildings . "This place is depressing . "
"Maybe . At least people can still live on here . The factory is the only choice for most people, the wasteland outside is worse," Ulyanov seemed to be sighing, or maybe he was laughing silently . "The only hope for the 'slags' here is becoming cannon fodder for some mercenary group . As long as they can survive for a few weeks, they will be able to live like a normal human being; all their diseases would heal . You know, it is simple to cure their lung and blood diseases—as simple as a tube of Nanomachine Swarm and thirty-minute time . But this is the most precious resource of Black Street . There are limited rations . Everyone in slums is willing to trade for this treatment opportunity with all they have . So I'm still very curious about the reason for Khiton's treachery . When Nolan pulled him out of the ghetto, his lungs were almost gone; his blood had accumulated forty years of toxins and failed, inferior Nanomachines . A typical slug, without being selected as cannon fodder, Nolan gave him the opportunity to live yet he turned out to be a traitor . "
Hao Ren remembered Khiton's diary, which he had seen . He whispered . "Probably he was brainwashed or something . "
"The Rangers brainwashed him? Ulyanov laughed . "Yeah, maybe . He was simple-minded . "
The factories in Black Street operated day and night; the dense black smoke from the towering chimneys shrouded the entire city . When standing at a higher point in town, one could even see the haze descending slowly from the sky like a veil . The smoke left a coat of gray and black soot in the neighborhood . That was one of the things that gave Black Street its name . In the modern world of the Nanomachine Swarm, many heavy industries were still unable to get rid of traditional production methods due to technical limitations . In Black Street, large machinery and arms factories were the biggest industries . Hao Ren exited the crowded slum and saw the towering factory buildings lining the streets . There were giant reactor towers and pressure vessels in the urban areas . He could hear the roar of the machines coming from the nearby factories as he walked along the street . Meanwhile, people were hustling along the sidewalks on both sides of the road . Most of them were the poor, emotionless and dressed in shabby clothing . They had just finished their synthetic food, and they were now flocking like ants to the factory—the mechanical beast, which engulfed and kept them alive at the same time . Some people used rags to cover their faces to protect themselves from the dust in the air . But the dirty rags were not any cleaner than the air they breathed . The atmosphere was slowly contaminating and irreversibly destroying their lungs . They had to rely on the Nanomachine Swarm to prolong their lives after the age of 30 or 40 . After that, they would quickly die . Since the Nanomachine Swarm are still in use, why didnt anyone think of using these things to solve the pollution problem in the city? Hao Ren murmured to himself . A loud, low voice came from the side . Solve the pollution? People who thought this way had all died decades ago . Now it is an era where people only live day to day . Hao Ren turned his head and surprised to see Ulyanov behind him . Hey, when did you come here? This is where I come often . I know the slum very well, Ulyanov looked up at the factories not far away . Yesterday someone reported that after you left the base, you disappeared into the alleys of the slums . Nolan let me come to collect your body . Its a surprise to see you on the main street . Well, it looks like you have survived your first night in the dark alleys . What makes you so interested here? Nothing, just mooching around, Hao Ren knew that Ulyanov was still suspicious of him, so he answered casually . I have told you before; I cant always stay with you guys, I need to find a place to stay . Dont worry; whatever I do Im not an enemy of Gray Fox . Nolan couldnt care less . Im just busy body here, Ulyanov said . Its better not to come to this place . Many people here are no fans of Gray Fox . Youll get yourself into trouble . Hao Ren gestured with his hand as if saying he understood . Tell me: is there any additional cost for solving the urban pollution with Nanomachine Swarm? Is the thing not self-sufficient? The Nanomachine Swarm is indeed self-sufficient, but the control center is costly, and the bigger cost is these— Ulyanov said, raising his hand pointing to the poor people from the slums . The factories dont need healthy men to operate the machines . The city does not need the elderly . The mission of these slags is work in the factory until they are forty-five years old . The owners of the factories dont like strong and smart workers; it would be best if the workers are illiterate and no retirement needs . So there is no need to let them live for too long . As for the factory owners and warlords, they have their own ecological houses, isolated from the outside world . They have also said that there will also be a meadow, cheap and quickl to build, for the people to enjoy . Hao Ren listened on, wide-eyed . As an earthling, he could not understand this thinking . Maintain this status quo? Isnt it a little too short-sighted? Short-sighted? What is your long-term vision? Ulyanov laughed hoarsely . To improve the environment and To recreate a vibrant and sustainable society? I remember that many people had the same thinking decades ago . But it turned out that no one could live long enough accomplish these goals . Someone says that every regime in the world could only last for an average of four and a half years, no one will invest in business longer than this cycle . As Ulyanov finished, he patted Hao Rens shoulder . Short-sightedness is necessary because most people cannot live beyond what they could see . Hao Ren blurted out . But you live long enough . Because Im just alive, Ulyanov turned . Since I the injury, I could no longer bleed but only electrolyte and nutrient medium . My goal is simple—to be alive . This kind of person would live long enough . Hao Ren was speechless . In a world of chaos, thinkers and enlighteners might be the first to die because they were using the energy for survival in other things, such as dreams . The MDT suddenly mumbled in his mind . This is why grasses can transcend into immortals while fruits and vegetables have not the chance to even dream: they make wishes in the morning, but people stewed them in the afternoon . Who can still have dreams when they cannot even live long enough to see dreams come true? Let us give credit where credit is due; as bitchy as the MDT was; it did make a pretty good conclusion . Hao Ren followed Ulyanov back to the Gray Fox base . While they were turning into a corner and nobody was looking, he reached into his dimensional pocket and quickly yanked out a silver-gray gadget . The tiny device looked like an inconspicuous metal toad, but it landed quietly on the ground and quickly slid into a dark corner . It was a beacon transmitter that Hao Ren had produced on-board factory on the Petrachelys in the morning . The beacon would automatically find the weakest spot to unfold itself and then transmit a powerful navigation signal into space . As long as Zorm was in the Plane of Dreams, the drone clusters would be able to pick up the signal and find it . Even it was tens of billions of light years away . But things would get more complicated if the distance were not purely physical . And it did seem so . He had no problem contacting CARS and the drone clusters from the planet Zorm, which meant that the data link is stable . But the problem was that he could not trace the exact location where the signal came from . It was like hiding its IP address to stay anonymous . Meanwhile, CARS and the drone clusters were unable to resolve this anonymity unidirectionally . That was why Hao Ren had to plant an active beacon transmitter on planet Zorm . He had also considered that the beacon might fail, and when this happened, he would consider releasing a probe from here to see if it could navigate its way through space and reach the regular universe, and if so, at least that meant space was continuous . If not, he could figure out the extent of the distortion . It was one of the backup plans . After leaving the factory district, Hao Ren looked back at the towering black buildings . This place is depressing . Maybe . At least people can still live on here . The factory is the only choice for most people, the wasteland outside is worse, Ulyanov seemed to be sighing, or maybe he was laughing silently . The only hope for the slags here is becoming cannon fodder for some mercenary group . As long as they can survive for a few weeks, they will be able to live like a normal human being; all their diseases would heal . You know, it is simple to cure their lung and blood diseases—as simple as a tube of Nanomachine Swarm and thirty-minute time . But this is the most precious resource of Black Street . There are limited rations . Everyone in slums is willing to trade for this treatment opportunity with all they have . So Im still very curious about the reason for Khitons treachery . When Nolan pulled him out of the ghetto, his lungs were almost gone; his blood had accumulated forty years of toxins and failed, inferior Nanomachines . A typical slug, without being selected as cannon fodder, Nolan gave him the opportunity to live yet he turned out to be a traitor . Hao Ren remembered Khitons diary, which he had seen . He whispered . Probably he was brainwashed or something . The Rangers brainwashed him? Ulyanov laughed . Yeah, maybe . He was simple-minded .
Chapter end
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