149: Section 149

"Um..." Jing Yuan said, "It's about 4068."

Hearing 4068, the expressions of 4277 and 4079 changed.

"What... happened to him?"

Jing Yuan glanced at 4277 and said, "He has been locked up in the Law Enforcement Office this whole time. We need to decide how to handle him!"

"How are you going to handle him?" 4277 asked worriedly. She knew that as a Dust Citizen, he wouldn't survive after doing such a thing.

Jing Yuan looked at the two of them. "I want you two to go and talk some sense into him. If he's willing to change, I'll release him to continue being a Dust Citizen."

"Really?" 4277 instantly became happy upon hearing this.

"Really."

Nowadays, whether to release or kill was just a matter of a word from Jing Yuan.

"Don't worry! He will definitely change."

4277 spoke with absolute certainty.

Then, Jing Yuan took them into the Law Enforcement Office together.

In a narrow cell within the Law Enforcement Office, the skin-and-bones 4068 was curled up on the ground.

During this time, 4068 had been imprisoned. As he was a Dust Citizen, why would the guards treat him like a human? On the rare occasions they remembered him, throwing him a bug cake was already a great act of kindness.

"4068!"

4277 hurriedly stepped forward and called out. Although she knew 4068 had done something wrong, he was, after all, her companion since childhood.

"4068!" 4079 also walked over. Seeing 4068's appearance, he knew the man hadn't eaten in a long time.

4079 pulled a piece of bread from his clothes.

Ever since Mark and Jing Yuan started letting the Dust Citizens eat Upper Citizen food, bread would be distributed to them periodically.

This piece of bread was something 4079 had secretly saved from the morning, intending to have it as an extra snack later.

At this moment, he gave it to 4068 without hesitation.

The starving 4068 had eyes only for the bread. After he finished devouring it greedily, he finally looked at 4277, 4079, and Jing Yuan standing behind them.

"Why are you here?"

"4068, Lord Jing Yuan said that as long as you are willing to repent, he can let you out," 4277 said hurriedly. "Apologize to Lord Jing Yuan right now, kowtow to admit your mistake, and then promise him that you will never do it again!"

4068 grit his teeth; he knew he had no hope left.

Did this Jing Yuan want to humiliate him?

In an instant, many thoughts flashed through 4068's mind.

During his many days in this cell, he had figured out many things.

Staying alive was more important than anything.

Having realized this, 4068 immediately knelt down and kowtowed three times loudly.

The sound of the kowtows was so loud that it was clear he was using all his strength.

After finishing, he said, "Lord Jing Yuan, I was wrong! Please spare my life! I will definitely repent and reform! I won't commit the same mistake again!"

Seeing 4068 kowtow and admit his mistake so decisively, Jing Yuan actually felt a bit of regret.

Jing Yuan had read the story of "King Goujian of Yue."

Was such decisive ruthlessness because he had suffered enough in prison, or did he want to "endure hardships to plan for revenge"?

But Jing Yuan's word had already been given.

If he was going to release him, then so be it!

What could a mere Dust Citizen do? Even if he could awaken his potential in the future, he would still be far from matching himself.

"Fine!"

Jing Yuan used his authority to grant access and opened the cell.

4277 and 4079 entered the cell and helped 4068 out.

Jing Yuan looked at 4277 and said, "4277, you've helped me a lot, so I consider you a friend. I know he is your childhood friend, so I'm giving you face and letting him go once. If he makes a mistake again, I will kill him directly! Opportunities aren't always available!"

4277 nodded repeatedly. "I know! I will supervise his reform and guarantee he won't do it again!"

"Alright! Take him away!"

"Thank you!"

"Thank you!"

4277 and 4079 quickly expressed their gratitude to Jing Yuan and then left the Law Enforcement Office with 4068.

They came to the Lighthouse's Outer Ring platform and saw many people lined up for training.

4068 asked curiously, "What are they doing?"

4079 explained to him, "Lord Jing Yuan found the Ground People and obtained the 'Guiyuan Heart Method' from them. Once you learn it, you can become invisible to Phage Beasts. Everyone on the Lighthouse is learning it now."

"Invisible to Phage Beasts?" 4068 had also been to The Surface, so he naturally knew what that meant.

Hearing the last sentence, 4068 asked in confusion, "Everyone on the Lighthouse? Does that include us Dust Citizens?"

"Of course!" 4079 said as if it were obvious. "We were just training a moment ago. Do you want to go take a look?"

4277, who was beside them, said, "He hasn't eaten anything in there. Let's take him to get some food first!"

"No! I want to see!" 4068 still had a stubborn streak in him.

He broke free from their support, struggled to take two steps on his own, and then turned to look at his two friends.

In that moment, he almost didn't recognize them.

"Are you two... Upper Citizens now?"

The reason 4068 asked this was because 4277 and 4079 were wearing different clothes.

4277 was wearing the light blue uniform issued to her by the Research Department.

4079 was wearing the standard combat suit issued to him by the Wasteland Hunters.

Although these two uniforms were the lowest grade among Upper Citizens, they were still much better than the clothes of Dust Citizens.

Before the two could answer, 4068 filled in the blanks himself. "Did Jing Yuan arrange for you to become Upper Citizens?"

4068 indeed felt some regret in his heart.

Back then, Charles had promised him that if he killed either Mark or Jing Yuan, he would give him the status of an Upper Citizen.

He had to take such a huge risk, which led to him being trapped in prison. Not being killed was truly a stroke of luck.

Yet his two childhood friends, who were also Dust Citizens, had done nothing and somehow became Upper Citizens.

And now, only he remained a Dust Citizen.

"It's not like that," 4277 explained to him. "Lord Jing Yuan and City Lord Mark hope to eliminate the difference between Upper Citizens and Dust Citizens. They now allow Dust Citizens to eat Upper Citizen food, let Dust Citizens learn Upper Citizen knowledge, and do Upper Citizen work."

"I've now entered the Research Department to work, and 4079 joined the Wasteland Hunters as a reserve Team Member. We are just wearing the uniforms; our status is still that of Dust Citizens."

"But one day, there will no longer be a distinction between Upper Citizens and Dust Citizens on the Lighthouse!"

4068's face was pale, and his body was stiff.

So, I was wrong to choose Charles? But I didn't have a choice! I also did it to protect 4277... 4068 felt his reasoning becoming increasingly untenable.

From the current situation, it seemed 4277 didn't need his protection at all.

Chapter 153: Seeds of Darkness

4079 looked at 4277 and said, "Go back to the team and train! The physical training teacher doesn't come every day; you should cherish this opportunity! I'll take 4068 back."

"No! Let me take him!" 4277 said. "You are a reserve member of the Wasteland Hunters; you need to learn Returning to Origin even more than I do!"

As the two were deferring to each other, 4068 said impatiently, "Stop arguing, you two. I'm not going to die yet. You both go; this is a rare opportunity. Don't worry about me for now; I won't die anytime soon."

The two indeed felt a bit bad.

However, 4068 pushed them forward.

Thinking that the physical training was only for the morning and would be over in about an hour, the two of them returned to the team.

4068 just sat to the side and watched.

As 4079 returned to the team, a companion beside him asked while doing a horse stance, "4079, who was that person you were supporting just now?"

"Oh, a friend."

"Oh." The other person didn't care at first, but he glanced back and suddenly realized: "Is that 4068?"

"Yeah!"

"Didn't he... because of the assassination of Lord Jing Yuan... how is he still alive!"

"Lord Jing Yuan released him!" 4079 was somewhat unwilling to bring this up.