144: Chapter 144 Hunting for Food in the Dark, A Cunning Rabbit with Three Burrows

Ling Ye took inventory of his remaining supplies: the last half-tube of nutrient paste, a small bottle of water, a multi-function knife, rope, a light source, a small amount of medicine, a metal box (containing the shattered black stone), and the few dozen credits remaining on his personal terminal.

The backpack itself also counted as a useful piece of equipment.

There were too few credits to purchase sufficient supplies at legitimate establishments.

He needed to find another way.

First, he needed to find a new, safer hiding spot.

Although the abandoned Warehouse district was remote, it was too open and had only a single exit; once blocked, it would be difficult to escape.

He needed a place with a more complex structure, multiple entrances/exits or escape routes, and one that was not easily noticed.

He recalled the memories of the original "Ling Ye," as well as his own observations from wandering around the city these past few days.

Soon, several potential locations emerged in his mind:

The city's underground pipe network System: As an established colonial city, Dawn City had a complex network of old-fashioned drainage, ventilation, and pipeline tunnels underground.

Some areas were in disrepair and rarely visited.

The advantage was that it was extremely hidden and connected everywhere.

The disadvantage was the harsh environment, potential for toxic gas, stagnant water, or unstable structures, as well as a lack of light and ventilation.

Unless absolutely necessary, it was not suitable as a long-term base.

Vacant apartments or shops for rent: In non-core urban areas, there were properties that had been vacant for a long time due to economic reasons and were waiting to be rented out.

If he could find one with lax security and old locks, he might be able to stay there temporarily.

The advantage was that the environment was relatively better.

The disadvantage was the risk of being discovered by landlords, agents, or a Neighbor, and it was unstable.

Hidden corners of large public facilities: Such as the rarely used book collection area of a library, the non-public Warehouse of a museum, or the idle container storage area of a freight hub.

These places usually had basic facilities and management blind spots.

The advantage was that sometimes he could mooch off their water, electricity, and network.

The disadvantage was that it required superb infiltration and concealment skills, and activities were restricted by opening hours.

Ling Ye weighed his options repeatedly and decided to prioritize finding vacant properties.

The underground pipe network would serve as a backup for emergency escape and transfer routes, while public facilities would serve as temporary resting spots and locations for gathering information.

He used his personal terminal to connect to a local housing rental information platform (browsing anonymously), filtering by keywords such as "low price," "long-term vacant," and "old city district."

Soon, he locked onto several properties for rent located near an old industrial community in the northwest corner of the city called "Rust Town."

The buildings there were dense, the population was highly transient, and management was relatively loose.

He noted down the addresses and decided to go and investigate at night.

Next was food and water.

He didn't have enough credits, so he needed to figure out a way to "acquire" them.

He thought of the community public food distribution points on the edge of the city.

In some low-income communities or during times of disaster, the Municipal Government or charitable organizations would set up temporary stations to distribute basic synthetic food and drinking water.

This required queuing and possibly registering his identity, but if it was during the resettlement phase after a large-scale evacuation, the management might not be too strict.

He could disguise himself as an evacuated resident or a wandering youth to try his luck.

Another way was "collecting" or "exchanging."

He remembered that there were some small, abandoned green spaces near "Rust Town," where he might be able to find some edible wild plants (which required extremely careful identification).

Alternatively, he could use his meager mechanical knowledge (from his courses and the original's memories) to help people repair small gadgets in exchange for food?

But this would require contact with others, increasing the risk of exposure.

Finally, there were the credits.

Long-term concealment required funds.

Working odd jobs was unrealistic and easily left records.

Perhaps... he could utilize his understanding of "abnormalities" and the Old Factory District, along with certain unique applications of his "Spiritual Sense," to try and earn information fees in the gray zone?

For example, providing filtered and disguised "inside information" to those interested in the "truth" who were willing to pay?

But this was like walking a tightrope; it was extremely dangerous and could currently only serve as a last resort.

With his thoughts clear, Ling Ye began to act.

He first ate the last half-tube of nutrient paste to replenish his strength.

Then, using the remaining time during the day, he performed restorative exercises and the nourishing of "Qi" inside the Warehouse, while further fine-tuning his "Star Visualization" to consolidate the insights he had gained last night.

After nightfall, he shouldered his nearly empty backpack and once again quietly left the Warehouse.

He first headed to a community public distribution point from his memory.

There was indeed a line of moderate length, mostly consisting of elderly people, homeless individuals, and residents with weary expressions who looked like they had been evacuated from near the lockdown zone.

The distribution point was maintained by Municipal Government personnel and volunteers; they only briefly checked identification (which many homeless people didn't have) and registered a name (which could be faked) before distributing a basic meal pack (two pieces of synthetic flatbread, a bag of nutrient paste, a bottle of water) and a thin blanket.

Ling Ye lowered the brim of his hat, blended into the crowd, and using a fake name he had already thought of along with the excuse of "evacuated from near home, unable to find relatives to stay with," he successfully received a meal pack and a blanket.

He did not linger and left immediately.

Next, he followed the address he had noted down and headed toward the vicinity of "Rust Town" to scout for vacant properties.

This area was even more dilapidated than he had imagined; many five or six-story old-fashioned apartment buildings had mottled exterior walls, broken windows, and narrow, dim streets.

He carefully avoided the surveillance on the streets and the occasional pedestrian, finding a first-floor shop located deep in an alley that had a "for rent" sign.

The signboard had long since fallen off, the rolling shutter door was rusted, and the side windows were boarded up with wooden planks, but the planks on one of the back windows seemed loose.

Ling Ye observed his surroundings, confirmed no one was there, and used his multi-function knife to carefully pry open the loose wooden planks before squeezing inside.

The interior was a mess and covered in dust, but the space was decent, with simple partitions, and it even had old-fashioned, still-connected electrical circuits and water pipes!

Although the water flowing from the faucet was rust-colored and most of the electric lights didn't work, this meant that basic living conditions were guaranteed!

He carefully checked every room and found no traces of recent human activity.

The back door was locked from the inside, but the key was hanging behind the door.

This was practically a temporary base tailor-made for him!

He quickly cleared out a relatively clean corner and spread out the blanket.

He also checked the water and electrical lines, confirming there were no serious risks of leaks or short circuits.

Then, he re-camouflaged the wooden planks on the back window to ensure nothing looked unusual from the outside.

With a relatively safe place to stay and an emergency food supply, Ling Ye's heart settled slightly.

He sat in the corner, slowly eating the rough synthetic flatbread with cold water, planning his next steps in his mind.

He needed to expand his food sources; he couldn't always rely on relief.

He also needed to find a way to acquire a small amount of credits for emergencies (such as buying medicine, batteries, etc.).

At the same time, he could not be completely cut off from the world.

He needed to continuously monitor the progress of the Old Factory District incident, the academy's situation, and the movements of people like Zhou Ming and Sun Li.

Perhaps he could try to collect some street rumors in a place like "Rust Town," where all kinds of people mixed, but in a very cautious manner?

Or, find local "information brokers" or "black market" channels and use some scraps of information he knew to trade for meager credits or useful intelligence?

But this required extreme caution; one wrong step could lead to total ruin.

He drank the last mouthful of water and carefully put away the packaging, leaving no trace behind.

Outside the window, the night in "Rust Town" was not peaceful; in the distance came faint sounds of music, arguments, and the roar of hovercar engines.

This was a corner that harbored filth and also hid countless secrets.

And he, this youth who carried the secret of another world and was forced into hiding, would begin his truly meaningful, danger-filled "undercover" life here.