Abyss Solo-Chapter 121 - : 073 Corner

Chapter 121: 073 Corner

Ding ding!

Yang Ming groggily opened his eyes, looking at the watch by his pillow in the morning light.

The watch face automatically projected a hologram, revealing a letter from Miss Windsor.

“Good morning, Ming, how did you sleep last night?”

Yang Ming rubbed the corners of his eyes, converting his hoarse voice into text.

“Not too bad. Did you encounter any trouble yesterday?”

He was about to go back to sleep after replying when the other side responded quickly.

“By trouble, do you mean my dad scolding me? Actually, it’s alright. He’s quite open-minded, just told me to be more careful. Things are chaotic outside. I heard there are many New Federation spies causing trouble.”

Lyu peeked into the chat box, waving secretly to Yang Ming like a thief.

“Boss, I can turn on Miss Windsor’s camera, there’s a surprise!”

Yang Ming frowned, “That’s invading someone’s privacy… let me just take a look.”

A small square appeared next to the chat box.

Windsor, sporting two dark circles, appeared in the square; her unadorned face showing minor blemishes, yet her features remained elegantly charming.

Was the surprise Windsor’s bare face?

That was quite good.

Yang Ming closed the cheat tool with satisfaction and continued chatting with Windsor, quickly regaining his spirits.

Before long, Windsor took the initiative to extend an invitation.

“Ming, can we go out tonight? A friend of mine is ill, and I’d like to visit her. If I go alone, my dad will assign bodyguards, which would attract too much attention. I’ve convinced him that if you accompany me, he’ll let the bodyguards keep their distance. And no, we didn’t have a fight.”

Yang Ming thought for a moment, “Is noon okay? I have to report for duty at the Palace in the afternoon.”

“Sure! But the place we’re going to might not be in the best condition, so be prepared.”

Yang Ming chuckled.

Not in the best condition?

In the capital of the grand Luofeng Empire, how bad could it possibly be?

Back when he graduated and was job hunting on Earth, he’d lived in a shared small flat in the city village, right next door to a hair salon with strange noises at night.

However, what Yang Ming didn’t expect was;

The place they were about to visit, in some ways, was not even as good as the city village he’d lived in.

…

After nine in the morning.

Yang Ming and Windsor met smoothly at the plaza of a large shopping mall.

Windsor’s outfit today was just as meticulously chosen.

She wore a turtleneck sweater paired with tight jeans and knight boots, her tall and graceful figure drawing many passersby to take photos.

As soon as Windsor saw Yang Ming, she immediately beamed with delight and, as if rehearsed many times, took the initiative to hook her arm around his.

“Thank you for being here with me.”

“It’s my duty,” Yang Ming replied with a smile, “Are you sure you don’t need me to drive?”

“The style of your car is too exaggerated, it’s been on the gossip headlines numerous times,” Windsor squinted with a smile, “We can just take a cab; it’s not far from here.”

Yang Ming glanced at the small bag hanging from her waist, which could only hold some cards and small items.

“Isn’t your friend sick? Shouldn’t we bring some gifts of comfort?” Yang Ming asked with concern.

Windsor gently shook her head, “Giving gifts would provoke reciprocation, which increases economic burden. Friendship should be simple and straightforward, not bothered by such trivial matters.”

Yang Ming glanced at Windsor, somewhat surprised.

For the first time, he noticed something in her beyond her beauty.

They took an autonomous taxi, heading towards a neighborhood called “The Third Happiness.”

Windsor intermittently took out an oval-shaped network terminal from her small bag, her manicured fingers swiftly typing, seemingly chatting with her friend.

Yang Ming observed the scenery outside, contemplating his plans for the evening.

Moth, signifying him as a moth fluttering towards the pinnacle of power in the Luofeng Empire.

Adopting this name was a reminder to himself, like “a moth to a flame,” to not be blinded by the illusion of power.

He had come to steer the planet.

The scenery outside gradually changed.

As the taxi moved away from the central district of Ilando City, the density of high-rises rapidly decreased.

The buildings, often glanced at from the edge of the Palace while gazing at the city’s skyline, now exhibited their aged and worn bodies up close.

Occasionally some construction sites were visible, yet progress seemed sluggish, with not much machinery at work inside.

Below the suspended roadways, there were similarly congested, long neglected ground roads, and Yang Ming also saw surface-running public transport.

——The vehicles on the road were more energy-efficient compared to the suspended cars, thus lowering the cost of travel.

“Dad says this country’s economy is like the blood left in an old man’s body, nearly drained by the Sovereign Country.”

Windsor sighed lightly.

Yang Ming nodded along without commenting.

The taxi finally descended toward the rooftop parking lot of an antiquated building.

Windsor spent an extra fee to keep it waiting in the parking lot for their return journey.

“It’s hard to hail a cab that goes directly back here,” Windsor softly explained, “There are license plate restrictions between districts, many plates aren’t allowed into the core district.”

“It really is quite crowded there.”

Yang Ming casually responded, glancing toward the direction of the Palace.

The towering buildings hid the Palace.

As if hiding a treasure.

“Do you mind coming to such a peripheral area?” Windsor asked.

Yang Ming chuckled, “Why would I mind?”

“Then come with me,” Windsor responded happily, secretly observing Yang Ming’s expression.

It was clear she had something on her mind.

Although Yang Ming sensed it, he played along without exposing it.

Windsor led Yang Ming through several elevators, from the top floor of the building all the way down to the very bottom, the B20 floor.

When the elevator door opened again, bursts of clamorous noise filled Yang Ming’s ears.

Outside was a narrow yet bustling marketplace.

At first glance, what most caught Yang Ming’s attention were two rows of dazzling advertisement signboards, alongside various vendors setting up stalls beneath them.

The environment here somewhat resembled a black market Yang Ming had visited twice, though the products were non-outlawed daily necessities, and the orderliness was evident, with plenty of patrolling officers visible.

In front of the elevator was a small puddle, which Windsor deftly hopped over as Yang Ming followed suit.

The marketplace stretched over two hundred meters, with elevators every twenty meters, a small portion of which led to the surface.

As they emerged from the underground section of the building, the corridors on each side gradually widened.

On both sides, orderly buildings carved into the rock walls appeared, densely packed with no discernible end in sight.

Ant nest.

Updat𝒆d fr𝑜m freewebnøvel.com.

The word strangely popped into Yang Ming’s mind.

He speculated that this was once an abandoned shelter, part of the underground complexes the Luofeng Empire built to withstand wartime crises.

It had ample lighting, a sound sewage, ventilation, and water purification system, and those living there weren’t homeless—though occasionally one could see some elderly without a home—what was prevalent, were white-collar workers hurrying along, students with backpacks, and a few formally dressed middle-aged citizens.

Clinics, supermarkets, fire stations, sanitation robots…

Everything a complete district should have was not lacking here.

While strolling, Yang Ming noticed a group of young people riding extravagantly styled hover bikes, gathered under an advertising signboard, speaking in exaggerated tones with meaningless embellishments.

This made Yang Ming reflect,

Street hoodlums truly were a fascinating urban species.

Yang Ming was a bit perplexed, “Windsor, how could your father possibly allow you to come here?”

“I’ve only been here twice, each time with seven or eight bodyguards secretly following, also secretly scanning around with a bunch of equipment. Though dad promised me he wouldn’t interfere with my freedom to make friends, it’s really hard for him to trust this place’s environment.”

Windsor was evidently a bit nervous, replying in a low voice,

“But don’t misunderstand. Although it’s underground, it’s a district with relatively good security, absolutely legal. The biggest reason people choose to live here is… the rent is significantly cheaper.”

Yang Ming chuckled.

His gaze lingered over the faces of some playful children, their eyes much brighter than those of the adults.

Windsor, holding onto his arm, whispered by his side,

“I met her online, actually, three years ago. Occasionally I’d come to her rented place, and she’d cook some specialty dishes for me, which I find quite nice.”

“What illness does she have?” Yang Ming gently inquired, “With today’s advanced medical conditions, we should be able to help her.”

“That’s what worries me the most,” Windsor looked towards the residential area ahead, “She always says she’s not sick, that her body is fine, but sometimes she can’t even get out of bed.”

“Don’t worry too much, we’ll find out when we ask.”

Yang Ming said softly, yet some unpleasant associations rose within him.

Windsor was the only daughter of the finance minister, a position he’d held for over six years.

She’d easily attract those with ulterior motives.

Yet when Windsor brought Yang Ming into an “embedded” residential building, took the elevator to the sixth floor, following the corridor laden with assorted shoes, racks, and miscellanies, reaching the door of Windsor’s friend’s home, and knocked on that security door…

Yang Ming was taken aback too.

This was a gray-haired old lady, her demeanor gentle yet slightly pale, with a thin and somewhat hunched frame. Upon seeing Windsor, the old lady became visibly animated.

Ding ding.

Yang Ming’s watch vibrated a few times, displaying this old lady’s information.

She was a former economics professor at Ilando University.

No wonder the finance minister allowed Windsor to come here.

“Windsor?” The old lady, full of surprise, stepped forward to hug Windsor, “How come you suddenly showed up here? Oh! You were just chatting with me saying you were going to study today.”

Windsor sighed, “I was worried about your health, couldn’t rest without checking on you.”

“That’s just an old person’s ailment,” the old lady lightly sighed, “There also happens to be a little girl here, a very adorable child, a newly moved-in neighbor. Let me introduce you two… and who might this be?”

“My boyfriend,” Windsor whispered, “Supposedly.”

Yang Ming laughed, “Nice to meet you.”

“Oh, do come in, do come in. What a handsome young man!”

Meanwhile, footsteps approached from the direction of the kitchen, and the “adorable little girl” as the old lady called her, stepped out with a light gait.

And when she saw Yang Ming, she first appeared dumbfounded, bewildered, then became extremely shocked, nearly spilling warm water from the cup in her hand towards Yang Ming.

“Mr. Ming! Y-you, how come you’re here!”

Hm?

Yang Ming raised a slight eyebrow.

026?