"Wow, save me—" Cries for help rose from within the city, some already hoarse, clearly showing that the warring sides hadn't spared a thought for the civilians within the city.
Some people cried out in the streets while the ground was littered with metal particles and chunks that had melted and then re-solidified; some areas even had pits where the ground had melted away.
'This is too horrific to behold.' Standing in a corner of the ruined building, Xie Lian watched the outside situation with a surge of emotion in his heart. He came from the extremely well-governed and prosperous Southern District, and this was his first time facing the front line of war directly.
"Huh, what's there to sigh about? This sort of thing has never changed in the Northern Second District. Various gangs fight each other, shopkeepers and transporters vie with each other in secret, and those without the Ability are just like ants on the ground, easily crushed without anyone caring," Red Hat said mockingly.
"Is there a way to change this?" Xie Lian couldn't help but ask.
"A way? If I were the boss of Lebyon, I'd certainly establish a stable order because all of this would be my property, my things, and naturally I'd have to protect them well. But right now it isn't mine, so I don't have the inclination to care,"
"Uh, isn't there a better way? Treating people like slaves is just too backward. Even some form of capitalism would be better than this," Xie Lian said, shaking his head.
"All this talk of 'isms'... You educated folks always overcomplicate things. It's a hassle. In my view, I provide them with food and a stable life; they ought to repay me, right? I can't just support a bunch of useless mouths for nothing. Otherwise, why would I help them?"
"That's logical, but it's too blunt and cruel. Can't you be a bit more compassionate?"
"Compassionate? Don't you find that laughable? Can compassion be eaten as food? Can it make the other side listen to reason?" Red Hat, having had his bluff called earlier in the afternoon by Tilan, had simply stopped pretending. He had realized that this group of people had their principles, and as long as he didn't truly offend them, speaking plainly wouldn't lead to any real conflict.
"The world is just . You're just not used to it because you've seen too little. I'm guessing you all came from the South, right? Only such a prosperous and stable environment could foster such thoughts," Red Hat remarked with a touch of disdain at that moment.
"Listen to me, each of you has considerable strength. If you could sneak into the enemy leader's side and take them out, both sides will erupt into chaos. That's when we seize the opportunity to clean up the mess. If I become the boss of Lebyon one day, you'll all reap the benefits," Red Hat tempted them with another proposition.
"I also think you must be joking. Big brother, with the thousands of people they have, and the mecha patrolling, aren't we Sequence 4's just going to be cannon fodder?" Xie Lian finally couldn't help but start arguing with Red Hat, he was usually calm and taciturn.
"I'm not joking. You don't understand my strength. Although I'm not much good in a fight, I have plenty of informants and connections in Lebyon. How else do you think both sides suddenly started fighting? Just cooperate with me, and I can get you into their headquarters,"
Turning to look at the man behind him, short in stature, wearing a gray jacket and reddish-brown pants, then recalling his small group of underlings in the underground passages, it was difficult for Xie Lian to believe that the person before him could be a formidable underground boss.
"Of course it's true." He tilted his head back once more, trying to make his sub-six-foot stature appear taller.