The Underclass - Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Galaxy walked silently down the street, the disassembled air compression gun stowed in her backpack. Right now, looking like any other corporate drone in District A hurrying through the bustling streets to earn a paycheck, she kept her head down and entered the hyper-rail station.

She easily passed the security checkpoint at the entrance, only breathing a slight sigh of relief once she boarded the train.

The Rat King's voice came through her earpiece, "Beautifully done, darling. The Surja Golf Course has been blown to pieces by us. Zoraï is hospitalized with severe injuries, and Karen has returned to the Viciriel Office. She probably won't want to come out for the next few days."

Her voice carried a laugh, triumphant and proud.

Galaxy listened absentmindedly, only replying after stepping off the hyper-rail. "I've arrived in the New District. Where to next?"

"Stay put. Your old friend will come pick you up," the Rat King instructed. "She'll take you to the rendezvous point."

The New District was a recently designated expansion zone created after District A's population swelled, meant to absorb the overflow. Everything here was just as advanced as District A, perhaps even more meticulously designed than some of District A's main cities.

Galaxy had just exited the platform when she saw a car driving toward her from a distance. It stopped precisely in front of her. The passenger window rolled down, revealing Caleb's serious face.

Away from relaxing places like the hot springs, Caleb reverted to the persona she presented when Galaxy first met her.

Once Galaxy got in, Caleb turned up the car's audio system and said in a businesslike tone, "Congratulations. You've made a massive name for yourself again."

Galaxy wanted to smoke but remembered she was in a car. Instead, she leaned back into the seat and asked lazily, "Spare me the compliments. What's the situation at the Viciriel Office now?"

Hearing this, Caleb didn't elaborate further, simply answering, "The defenses have actually relaxed. The security level is even lower than it was before."

Galaxy held up two fingers at her. "Two possibilities. First, she was spooked, and gaps appeared in the defenses. Second, it's intentional; she's telling us she wants to talk."

Caleb added, "Third possibility: it's intentional, inviting the prey into the trap. Who's to say the moment you go in, she won't just lock you down and slaughter you?"

Galaxy laughed instead. She stretched and said dismissively, "If she slaughters me, she slaughters me. At least I'll die knowing the truth."

The Black Water had been sent back to headquarters, but so far, no special properties had been discovered. They could only verify that it was highly enveloping and extremely polluting. Anything thrown into it would be devoured by the Black Water—not through conventional corrosive consumption, but sinking as if thrown into a swamp, slowly disappearing without a trace, while the volume and mass of the Black Water itself remained completely unchanged.

The drugs from Lucia Town were also still undergoing emergency analysis; their specific components and exact effects had yet to be determined.

Galaxy actually had some speculations about these drugs, but she hadn't shared them with anyone. The syringe she had injected into Fula had been thoroughly destroyed by her.

Caleb asked, "So you still intend to go?"

Galaxy nodded. "Of course."

Caleb replied, "Alright, you'll have a new identity soon."

She dropped Galaxy off in front of a hidden sewer entrance in the New District and bid her farewell.

Watching the car speed away, Galaxy opened the sewer grate. After jumping down, she found the Rat King already waiting. The two navigated the complex sewer system and quickly arrived at another of the Rat King's hideouts. This place was much simpler and cleaner than her residence in the main city of District A, and there were even a few small flowers on the table.

Fake flowers, of course. Fresh, real flowers were an expensive luxury.

Galaxy settled in here once again, spending her days listening to the Rat King relay news from the outside world.

Zoraï remained in the emergency room for a full day before she was stabilized. The news heavily reported the dual assassination attempts on the President and the Minister of Administration, causing an uproar everywhere. The public was baffled by the Federation government's inefficiency, leading to rampant conspiracy theories since the culprit hadn't been caught after so long.

Zoraï's daughter reportedly rushed to the hospital overnight and had not yet emerged.

An Hua, whom Galaxy had searched for so long, had thus reappeared in the public eye. The antiquated television broadcasted the day's news, showing An Hua, unable to hide her grief, walking inside surrounded by reporters.

The person she had once been desperate to kill was now right before her eyes, yet Galaxy felt absolutely no reaction.

Like a viper hiding in the dark, she merely took a few extra glances at the currently spotlight-stealing An Hua.

An Hua's relationship with her mother had never been that great, and her mother had more than one child. It was just that An Hua was the only one left standing on the main stage.

The sorrow was fake, and the anxiety was fake. Galaxy could now see through to her very core, viewing her true nature.

And on the third day, Galaxy finally received the new identity Caleb had promised.

Caleb's identity was far more formidable than Galaxy had imagined, and the identity she procured made getting close to Karen much easier than Galaxy had anticipated—

It was a clearance pass to the Viciriel Office and a serialized uniform for Karen's personal guard. Accompanying it, of course, was a vial of gene-altering fluid sufficient for her to temporarily bypass the high-intensity scans of the Viciriel Office.

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