In the silent outskirts, amidst vast fields brimming with fruitful vegetable crops, two figures moved through the dense fields, connected by an iron chain.
Ye Sheng always maintained a certain distance from the boy leading the way ahead.
The boy claimed he would show evidence that the Nightmare Beast Forest did not infringe upon this area. They were now heading toward the boundless Nightmare Beast Forest.
It was commonly known that the area surrounding the Nightmare Beast Forest wasn’t particularly dangerous, and even mercenaries ventured into its depths to seek resources.
However, being “not dangerous” didn’t mean it was entirely safe. The Revival Nightmare Plant’s conspiracy was to make exploration seem secure, prompting all mobile cities to immediately move in the opposite direction upon noticing signs of the forest.
Nightmare Beast Seeds were peculiar and invisible to the naked eye, silently invading and parasitizing without warning.
Ye Sheng knew he shouldn’t blindly trust the other party and kept following him cautiously. Yet, the boy’s words were far too enticing for him to resist.
If the boy had already been parasitized by a Nightmare Beast Seed, his sole purpose would be to parasitize other living entities and their traces of life. If that were true, everything he was doing now would lack logic.
Only living humans acted illogically; Nightmare Beasts did not.
Ye Sheng lowered his head, gazing at the thriving vegetable field on the ground. It was a plot of tomato plants, each one laden with red fruits. There were hardly any green ones visible, and such abundance seemed almost unreal.
The Scorching Sun City wasn’t only about conquest; they also paused to cultivate and farm directly on the ground. Ye Sheng had followed Scorching Sun City for many years, witnessing several stops to plant crops, but he had never encountered such flourishing vegetables before.
Could this be a new variety?
“You’ve been staring at these things—is it because you’re hungry?” The boy ahead suddenly stopped in his tracks, and Ye Sheng halted as well, maintaining the distance dictated by the chain binding them together. “Wait a moment.”
Ye Sheng saw the boy crouch down and casually pick a tomato, so ripe it was almost glowing red, and toss it to him.
Ye Sheng instinctively caught it with both hands. Every piece of food was precious, and he wouldn’t let any fall to the ground.
“If you want to eat it, go ahead.” The boy blinked at him. Although the act of offering food could be seen as charity, the boy didn’t seem to expect gratitude or reverence from Ye Sheng. “If it’s just one or two, the farmers usually don’t mind. But if you want to eat a lot, it’s better to pay. There was once a mercenary like you who entered my city and ate over ten radishes—and paid for them.”
Ye Sheng’s eyes flickered slightly as he stared at the tomato in his hand. In the context of mobile cities, Tomatoes were considered a premium seasoning and fruit.
“Eat it,” the boy said without any hesitation or reluctance. “Tomatoes are cheap in the city. They’re easy to buy.”
Ye Sheng’s fingers paused momentarily as he frowned slightly, unable to quickly grasp the meaning behind the boy’s words. What did “easy to buy in the city” mean? Was he implying that all residents in this city were of higher status?
As he pondered, Ye Sheng saw the boy crouch down again to pick another tomato and take a bite directly.
The tomato had already been given to him. Regardless of the reason, Ye Sheng felt a bit reluctant to eat it. The tomato was round, plump, and vividly red—it looked incredibly cute.
He wasn’t unfamiliar with tomatoes, but he’d never had ones so fresh. Food was filtered layer by layer from the upper ranks, with the freshest and best-looking reserved for the city lord and high-ranking officials. Only then did it trickle down to subordinates. By the time it reached the gatekeepers, it was usually slightly decayed but still edible.
Even so, such food was considered a rare delicacy, only used occasionally to liven up their meals.
Ye Sheng bit into the tomato. The moment its juice-filled flesh entered his mouth, he could taste the stark difference from the tomatoes he’d had before. The sweet and sour flavor tingled his taste buds. Many of the nearly rotten tomatoes he had eaten would instantly gush with juice when bitten, but this one didn’t. Its unique, fresh taste spread through his mouth. Ye Sheng, for the first time, realized that tomatoes didn’t naturally have strange flavors. It was only now that he understood the distinct difference between the taste of fresh and spoiled food.
“You ate that so cleanly,” the boy remarked, glancing back. Only then did Ye Sheng realize that he had unknowingly devoured the entire tomato in one go. While he had savored each bite, he had eaten it rather quickly. Ye Sheng looked up upon hearing the boy’s comment and noticed the juice from the tomato dripping all over the boy’s hands.
The boy seemed somewhat troubled and stuck his tongue out to lick the juice off his fingers. Yet the juice kept dripping since he hadn’t finished the tomato. Frustrated, the boy stuffed the remaining half of the tomato into his mouth, his puffed-up cheeks looking oddly endearing. He shook his hands, clearly displeased with the sticky juice on them.
When Ye Sheng realized his own thoughts, his expression grew cold. He had, for a moment, thought of the boy in front of him as an ordinary child, not as the city lord capable of commanding those strange creatures at will.
“You’re eating so fast—are you hungry?” The young city lord bent down again and picked another tomato, tossing it to him.
Ye Sheng felt that the young city lord was probably trying to win him over with such gestures. However, Ye Sheng would never refuse; in the post-apocalyptic world, no one would reject food.
As they passed each vegetable field, the boy would give him some edible fruits, even tearing off a piece of lettuce for him at one point.
“Don’t eat too much,” he heard the boy say.
Ye Sheng understood clearly. Once he ate enough to regain his strength, his chances of escaping would increase. Perhaps the boy was wary of this. But his wariness was unnecessary—Ye Sheng’s life was already tightly bound by the “collar” created by that monstrous researcher.
“I’ll take you to the city for a proper meal later. If you fill up on lettuce now, how will you have room to eat then?”
However, what the boy said next made Ye Sheng feel as though he might be hallucinating from sheer joy at finally tasting such delicious vegetables after so long. Otherwise, how could he have heard the young city lord talk about letting him have a proper meal?
No…
Not right.
From the moment Ye Sheng was forcibly confined in the “Land of Hope”, he had suspected that, as war captives to Hope City, merely having enough food to keep them alive would already be a significant privilege. How could they possibly have proper meals?
Yet the reality was the opposite—their three daily meals were almost routinely provided and surprisingly delicious, so much so that Ye Sheng wondered if the upper ranks of the Scorching Sun City ate the same kind of food.
In the remnants of former civilization, mobile cities had long developed nutritional supplements that could sustain vital signs. Eating meals had become an act of leisure for the upper ranks and a matter of necessity for the lower ranks, who consumed leftover scraps stripped of nutrition that couldn’t be processed further.
But here, during his days as a captive, Ye Sheng had tasted dishes he never dared dream of before.
Initially, he thought these privileges were granted by the “Land of Hope”. But it turned out…
This sprawling, seemingly endless vegetable field was the true asset of this city lord.
Nevertheless…
As Ye Sheng walked ahead, he turned back slightly, looking at the towering skyscrapers of the bustling city visible in the distance. His emotions were deeply conflicted.
This place.
What kind of place is it?
Is it the remnants of pre-apocalypse civilization?
“Ye Sheng.” The boy’s crisp voice pulled Ye Sheng’s gaze back. However, when he noticed the nearby black Nightmare Beast Forest right before him, his pupils contracted sharply.
He had actually zoned out, stunned by the city—he had zoned out!
He hadn’t even noticed the approaching danger; he had been led by the boy right to the Nightmare Beast Forest.
Ye Sheng instinctively wanted to resist and subconsciously stepped back. The boy immediately moved the chains forward. Ye Sheng heard the boy’s urgent voice speaking to him.
“Don’t move, Ye Sheng. Calm down and take a good look. Look ahead!” The boy’s reminder made Ye Sheng notice the boy’s expression, which held a hint of anticipation.
Undeniably, Ye Sheng also found the boy’s eyes very bright. They were seemingly untouched by the hardships of the apocalypse, with overly clear eyes protected by those monsters. Ye Sheng didn’t want to see these eyes—they felt as though they were mocking those who struggled and crawled through the apocalypse.
Still, Ye Sheng obeyed the boy’s words and lowered his gaze to look forward. But at that very moment, Ye Sheng’s eyes widened in astonishment.
On this day, Ye Sheng felt his worldview was profoundly shaken.
Why could a life-symbolizing grassland truly exist, separated from the Nightmare Beast Forest by merely a line?
Grassland this close is bound to be parasitized by Nightmare Beast seeds, 100% guaranteed—why hasn’t it happened?
Ye Sheng’s mind swirled with thoughts like “How is this possible?”, “Unbelievable!”, “Am I dreaming?”, and “Am I already dead?”—strange and chaotic imaginings churned within him.
Meanwhile, He Fang turned back with some concern. He had already brought Ye Sheng from the edge of the Nightmare Beast Forest to near the city, yet Ye Sheng still had that lost and dazed look.
He Fang recalled how Min Zhizhou had quickly accepted reality back then.
Could it be the difference between domesticated and wild nature? Does one adapt differently than the other?
“Well, Ye Sheng, I know the idea that Nightmare Beast seeds cannot parasitize this city has shocked you, but can you pull yourself together for now?” He Fang felt that Ye Sheng was much harder to handle compared to Min Zhizhou. Back when Min Zhizhou had entered the city, he observed left and right, even asking questions, yet Ye Sheng couldn’t even utter a single word for ages.
Finally, He Fang noticed the focus gradually returning to Ye Sheng’s gaze. It seemed like Ye Sheng was snapping out of his chaotic thoughts.
Before Ye Sheng could plunge into another wave of shock, He Fang quickly pointed toward his city. “Look! This is my city—so many people, and lots of shops!”
And He Fang watched helplessly as Ye Sheng’s eyes widened once more. Although his expression didn’t change much, it unmistakably conveyed an overwhelming sense of astonishment, pushing him into another round of shock and contemplation.
He Fang: “…”
Does this collar have the ability to lower someone’s intelligence?
The sharp and decisive alpha wolf he had seen earlier, how did he turn into a silly husky?
He Fang, consciously tugging lightly on the chain, noticed that the other person still followed along. With a complicated look, his gaze returned to He Fang, sending a chill down He Fang’s spine as he met that look.
“I’m taking you to meet someone.” He Fang thought that perhaps Min Zhizhou and Ye Sheng might have more in common to talk about at a time like this.
Truthfully, He Fang felt utterly at a loss.
He didn’t know how to get to know someone. Being socially anxious, how could he possibly go out of his way to understand others? This current situation has thus become even more complicated.
In a typical game, game developers would employ various small quests to guide players in grasping a clear worldview, often presenting the desired concepts through CG scenes.
But “Ruins Without Restart” does not take the usual path. Its world is too open, and the result of this openness makes it difficult for players to gain a foothold in many aspects. He Fang wanted to understand Ye Sheng, one of the gatekeepers, and then use Ye Sheng as a means to learn about the other gatekeepers, eventually working out ways to increase the gatekeepers’ loyalty for the benefit of his city.
After all, He Fang couldn’t bear to see NPCs end up spending their entire lives locked up in a prison.
But how does one get to know another person?
He Fang was truly scratching his head in frustration, unable to figure it out.
Adding to it, Ye Sheng was such a reserved and taciturn person that He Fang was truly on the verge of going crazy.
“Stay here for a moment,” He Fang said as he casually tied the chain to a tree. Tying up Ye Sheng like this felt no different than tying up a dog, and He Fang couldn’t hold back his thoughts anymore. He really felt that the institute’s design wasn’t just torturing Ye Sheng’s personality on purpose, was it?
Ye Sheng watched the departing figure of the young He Fang, his gaze shifting to the chain.
This was an excellent opportunity to escape, but unfortunately, he could not touch the chain.
The moment he touched it, a violent current would instantly sever his consciousness. He had once tried to endure the electrical shocks, but he overheard the sneer of a passing researcher: “Don’t even think about it. Do you think the electricity is released at a fixed dosage? Zhu Yan isn’t that foolish. All electrical currents are adjusted to your maximum tolerance level and slightly increased. Don’t doubt it—if Zhu Yan designed it, it’ll work.”
The people in this city…
Were monsters.
The boy who had left earlier soon returned, carrying a steaming hot bag with three buns inside.
From a distance, the boy handed Ye Sheng the bag and said, “Eat this first. You’ve already eaten quite a bit of vegetables, so don’t waste this. If it’s not enough, come and ask me for more.”
Ye Sheng could feel the warmth of the buns in his hands—they were probably from a nearby vendor. Ye Sheng hadn’t eaten freshly made food in a very long time. As the soft bun entered his mouth, the slightly hot juice from the meat instantly filled his palate. The unique blend of dough and meat filling made Ye Sheng suddenly feel as though he was eating the most delicious thing in the world.
Suddenly, someone bumped into him from the side. Though the impact wasn’t heavy, in that instant, Ye Sheng felt as if he had hit cold, hard stone—there was none of the softness one would expect from a human collision. It was like being struck by a boulder. The intense pain caused his vision to darken momentarily before he managed to recover.
Ye Sheng didn’t dare move. He stuffed the last bun into his mouth in two bites.
He didn’t turn around, nor did he immediately look back to see the culprit behind the collision. Ever since he had entered this place, everything around him exuded hostility.
Ye Sheng’s expression turned cold. His somber eyes scanned the pedestrians walking along the road. He could feel immense pressure—each person’s aura told him unequivocally that he could not stand against them.
He had originally thought monsters were merely specially trained soldiers, likely the result of experiments involving forced physical enhancements through drugs. Such experiments had varying degrees of success, but the failure rate was higher, and the costs were enormous. Even in a place like Scorching Sun City, the resources to produce such powerful individuals were insufficient.
But now…
The entire city was full of them.
Ye Sheng’s eyes fixated on the people passing in front of him. Their faces seemed frozen in the same expression—cold and eerie, like pre-programmed automatons in motion. It sent chills down his spine.
For a fleeting moment, Ye Sheng even questioned whether these beings were truly alive. How could a living entity be this overwhelmingly powerful?
Suddenly, Ye Sheng felt a sense of danger. He instinctively stepped back, enduring a mild electric shock. However, had he not taken that step back, another person would have collided with him. The pain, as if struck by a boulder, was something he deeply feared.
Danger…
That was Ye Sheng’s only thought.
At that moment, a small ball bounced along the ground from a distance, coming closer. Ye Sheng looked up and saw a young child cautiously chasing after it.
The child was very young, only as tall as Ye Sheng’s thigh, innocent and adorable—a lively little being with a bit of chubbiness that made him exceptionally endearing.
Ye Sheng bent down, intending to stop the ball that was rolling in his direction. However, as soon as the ball touched his hand, a visceral sense of threat made him immediately pull his hand back, letting the ball roll past him. The ball bounced off the tree to which his chain was tied and returned to stop beside Ye Sheng.
Ye Sheng looked at the child, who was now staring back at him. Narrowing his eyes, Ye Sheng crouched down and tentatively pushed the ball. However…
The ball didn’t budge.
Ye Sheng felt his heart tighten. Indeed, his choice to avoid it earlier had been correct. This ball was terrifyingly heavy—a sphere, yet immovable by him.
Suddenly, a piercing gaze instantly made Ye Sheng alert. He noticed that the child, who had clearly been some distance away before, was now silently standing beside him. Ye Sheng’s pupils contracted as he stood there, frozen, unable to take any action.
“I heard from my dad that you’ve been especially disrespectful to the Creator?” The child’s pure gaze seemed just like that of any innocent child, but the words from his tender voice sent a chill down Ye Sheng’s heart. “Dad said the Creator has been kind to you, yet you remain ungrateful? Big brother, what does ungrateful mean?”
Ye Sheng’s fingers tightened. He was acutely aware that in this place, he wasn’t a match for anyone. Yet, there was nowhere for him to run.
He started to realize that the collisions with the two pedestrians earlier weren’t accidental—they had been deliberate.
In this dazzlingly bright city, Ye Sheng stood in place, yet felt an icy chill emanating from his very core.
“Ah, how annoying. Why does the Creator treat him so well? He still harbors malice toward the Creator even now.”
“Based on the institute’s information, this person’s mind resists assimilation. Unlike that garbage sorter, this person holds beliefs that don’t belong in this city.”
Malice. Malice. Malice was all that surrounded him, rushing toward him from every direction.
Ye Sheng stood frozen. Even though no one seemed to be looking directly at him or speaking to him, he could hear the overwhelming malice directed at him from every passerby. Beneath the city’s brilliant sunlight, his entire body felt ice-cold, and cold sweat poured from him.
Suddenly, he felt a heavy strike on his leg. Biting his lip, Ye Sheng quickly looked down to see the child who had never strayed far from him. The boy bent down, picked up the rebounding ball, and stared at Ye Sheng with innocent eyes, just like any ordinary child playing with a ball.
It was all too strange. Ye Sheng’s heightened senses, so sharp elsewhere, seemed to fail entirely in this city.
“Hey, big brother,” the child spoke, his voice slow and deliberate. “Don’t upset the Creator, okay?”
In that instant, Ye Sheng felt as if he were surrounded by an icy abyss.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps—a presence. This was the first time, apart from the young city lord, that he had been able to perceive someone’s presence in this city. Ye Sheng’s gaze immediately locked onto the source, sharp as a blade, as if to cut through the figure before him.
A man appeared in front of him. He was tall and well-built, his physique far stronger than those of the surrounding people. Yet somehow, he was also the weakest among them. In this city full of monsters, this man seemed completely out of place.
“Don’t bully others here,” the man said, lowering his head to address the child beside him. “The city lord wouldn’t like children who bully others.”
Ye Sheng’s expression grew complicated. This man, who seemed even weaker than Ye Sheng himself, was conversing with the child as equals. It was as if he, too, was part of this monstrous group. Could he be someone high-ranking in the city? Perhaps like the frail young city lord?
“You’re siding with him?” The child, still clutching the ball, asked Min Zhizhou.
“I’m not siding with him; the city lord is. Don’t bully him too much. He still has to be safely delivered to the city lord.” Min Zhizhou sighed, watching as the child reluctantly hugged his ball and walked away.
Min Zhizhou let out a deep breath of relief. They were finally gone. As expected, invoking the city lord’s name ensured that nearly everyone in this city complied. He wasn’t foolish—not in the least. How could he not see that everyone here had been ganging up on Ye Sheng?
When Min Zhizhou first arrived in the city, he vividly remembered the attitudes people held toward him. For a long time, he felt like a rat in the city—everyone wanted to chase him away. All of this gradually faded as the city lord began to value him and as his loyalty to the city lord increased.
“Don’t be too afraid. Although they bully people, they won’t actually harm you,” Min Zhizhou said, looking at Ye Sheng, who was chained to the tree. Min Zhizhou felt a peculiar mix of emotions. Perhaps he ought to thank his own lack of malicious intent in the past, or he might have ended up in Ye Sheng’s situation. “Hello, Ye Sheng, gatekeeper of Scorching Sun City. I’m Min Zhizhou, a former mercenary, now a resident of this city.”
Min Zhizhou observed the man standing before him—cold, aloof, with a personality that resisted submission. Or perhaps it was simply the nature of gatekeepers to be trained not to submit to those outside their cities.
Gatekeepers are a city’s most vital defense—a role that cannot fail. Their education, mindset, and abilities are fundamentally different from those of ordinary people. As long as the city remains standing, gatekeepers will always be its most steadfast shield.
Min Zhizhou thought that the city lord’s goodwill might ultimately be wasted on someone like Ye Sheng.
Yet, Min Zhizhou understood He Fang’s difficulties. If possible, he would have suggested that He Fang simply use gatekeepers as manpower wherever needed. But this city lord insisted on respecting everyone’s will. Could such respect truly be practical?
Forcing a gatekeeper into submission wasn’t impossible either. The best method was to destroy Scorching Sun City itself. With no city to protect, gatekeepers would lose their purpose and eventually defect.
But surely, destroying an entire city just for the sake of a few gatekeepers wasn’t an option.
“Go persuade him, I really can’t. I truly don’t know how to communicate with him—he seems to completely dislike listening to me!” Min Zhizhou recalled the panicked expression on the city lord’s face when he approached him for help, utterly helpless. “When you saw how great our city was, you decided to work hard right away, didn’t you? So why doesn’t he? Is there something wrong with his brain?”
Min Zhizhou found this almost laughable. He had truly begun following the city lord after witnessing the city lord’s miracles. Besides, he hadn’t had any city to belong to initially—his heart wasn’t tied to one place, and with both parents gone, he had no lingering attachments.
Clearly, Ye Sheng’s situation was completely different.
“You’re a mercenary.” The gatekeeper narrowed his eyes, clearly sizing Min Zhizhou up. Then he realized something. “You’re the mercenary who infiltrated Scorching Sun City and fed it false information?”
Min Zhizhou’s face stiffened.
He could barely maintain his composure.
And they wanted him to persuade Ye Sheng? How was he supposed to do that? The man already viewed him as an enemy; anything he said would likely be useless now.
Suddenly, Min Zhizhou felt an intense gaze burning into him from behind. Without turning around, he knew the city lord was probably hiding in some corner, eyes full of hopeful expectation for him to resolve the situation.
Min Zhizhou felt his temples throbbing. He’d only had a few peaceful days.
“This was self-preservation.” Min Zhizhou found it hard to maintain his smile. “Once Scorching Sun City approaches Hope City, given Scorching Sun City’s nature, what do you think will happen to the elderly, weak, and sick in Hope City?”
Ye Sheng finally frowned slightly. “Those who are incapable of labor should be used as fertilizer.”
Min Zhizhou rubbed his temples. Gatekeepers were trained by their cities according to the cities’ needs from a young age. Such a response wasn’t surprising to him.
“Unlike the city lord of Scorching Sun City, our city lord would never abandon a single life. The elderly are cared for and supported. Providing for them, offering education, and rebuilding Hope City have always been his goals. His vision is different from that of Scorching Sun City.” Min Zhizhou attempted to find a way to connect with Ye Sheng.
“That’s wishful thinking,” Ye Sheng said, his voice cold, steady, and unwavering.
“Even after seeing this city, you still think it’s wishful thinking?” Min Zhizhou opened his arms, motioning for Ye Sheng to take note of the city’s prosperity. “No threat from Nightmare Beast seeds. No endless running. No fear of clashing with other cities. You can have your own home, unlimited land, no need for reconnaissance teams, no need for fertilizer, no need to struggle to afford food. Do you still think this is wishful thinking?”
This wasn’t wishful thinking. This was reality.
A reality already laid out before Ye Sheng’s eyes—a dreamlike, indisputable reality.
Ye Sheng’s lips moved, but he couldn’t refute it. The overwhelming impact of the city had shattered his previous notions completely. This was a place he hadn’t even dared to imagine. It felt like…the beginning of a new land of hope.
Min Zhizhou noticed Ye Sheng’s hesitation. Realizing that the reality of the city had shaken him, Min Zhizhou pressed on: “For gatekeepers, protecting their city is paramount. But what exactly are you guarding—your city, or the lives within it? A city without life—does it still count as a city?”
“Ye Sheng.” Min Zhizhou lowered his hands and asked, “Do you think it’s Scorching Sun City that can protect more lives, or is it here?”
These words struck Ye Sheng with a deep sense of questioning and impact. Not long ago, he had given the young city lord an answer he believed to be correct: “When survival requires sacrifice, that sacrifice is inevitable.”
But now, the place where survival was genuinely possible, and easier, was clearly this unpredictable city.
So, should his previously steadfast thoughts lean towards the city governed by this young lord?
Min Zhizhou saw all of Ye Sheng’s silence and breathed a slight sigh of relief. As long as he was thinking, it meant there was room for discussion. As he turned back, he caught sight of the city lord hiding in a corner, tearfully watching their conversation. Clearly, the silent and stubborn Ye Sheng had completely baffled and frustrated him.
“Our city lord has shown you nothing but kindness so far, and now he’s in the corner, secretly observing our conversation. Trust me, he harbors no ill will.” Min Zhizhou understood that gatekeepers were a stubborn and inflexible group, but ultimately, humans were humans. With the progress of civilization, certain moral perspectives would inevitably take shape. “If possible, set aside your role as a gatekeeper and talk to the city lord.”
“What about you?” Ye Sheng suddenly asked.
“I’m just a mercenary. I only want to have enough to eat and live safely. I don’t intend to bear responsibility for the survival of humanity, nor do I plan to protect anyone. The city lord has realized my dream of comfort and stability. I’ve also seen the resolve and leadership he possesses as a city lord. I’m willing to pledge loyalty to him—nothing more, nothing less, as far as I’m concerned.”
If it weren’t for this, Min Zhizhou wouldn’t be clinging so contentedly to his job as a garbage sorter. Working at the recycling station every day felt like treasure hunting on Taobao. In the wooden shack he built himself, he piled up numerous items he had scavenged, and these “garbage” pieces were a source of happiness for him.
Min Zhizhou noticed that Ye Sheng’s attitude was no longer as sharp as before. Turning back, he signaled to He Fang, who finally slowly emerged from the corner.
“I’m not good at communicating with you, so if there’s anything, you can ask Min Zhizhou,” He Fang said, hesitatingly shuffling over to Min Zhizhou’s side. “Min Zhizhou is a very capable person, and now everyone respects him a lot. You can observe his work, ask him questions, live here for a while, and then think it over carefully to see if you’re willing to work for me.”
Min Zhizhou abruptly turned his head. Let him stay here? Why?
He Fang continued to chatter on: “If you decide to work for me, we’ll definitely sign a formal contract. However, because of your… uh, relatively weak capabilities, you won’t be able to get the same salary as those in the main city. But with your skills, you can earn much more than the average salary in Hope City. Of course, we highly value loyal employees, so if possible, I hope you can be loyal to me. Also, there’s no killing allowed here. We don’t need to use lives to test anything—Nightmare Beast seeds are not an issue for us.”
Ye Sheng listened carefully. The young city lord in front of him seemed like he was enviously tempting him to do something, but he wasn’t the slightest bit like a soul-corrupting devil. Instead, he resembled a clumsy, pleading youth.
Ye Sheng had been earnestly listening to what the young city lord was saying. He had also genuinely observed the city, just as the young lord wished. He did everything the young lord wanted him to do.
“City Lord.” For the first time, Ye Sheng addressed the youth formally. His eyes glanced briefly at Min Zhizhou. “You must have learned about us. Why are we so important to you that you would go to such lengths to persuade me?”
He Fang paused, looking at Min Zhizhou, then at Ye Sheng.
Why?
“Because everyone is important.” Because every NPC is important.
To He Fang, the intelligent NPCs of “Ruins Without Restart” were like a perfect virtual society where he could escape from the real world. It wasn’t just about being addicted to the game; it was also a kind of solace.
In his eyes, these vivid NPCs needed to be cherished just as much as real people. Facing these NPCs sometimes gave him the feeling that he was truly confronting reality.
In the game, he felt utterly normal.
He Fang wasn’t sure if his answer would satisfy the other party. After all, when doing reading comprehension exercises in language classes, the more you wrote, the more likely you were to hit the correct answer. But after much thought, He Fang could only provide this unembellished response.
His heart was filled with unease; he didn’t even know why he was so nervous facing an NPC.
Ye Sheng closed his eyes briefly and said, “I don’t need anyone to convince me. I’ve already seen what I need to see. Please take me back and give me some time to think.”
He Fang didn’t know what Ye Sheng needed time to think about, but he respected the NPC’s wishes and, as requested, sent Ye Sheng back to the “Land of Hope” to join the other gatekeepers.
He Fang would go to check on them every day, yet no matter how many times he looked, Ye Sheng’s loyalty value on the attribute list remained at zero.
Min Zhizhou told him that reclaiming a gatekeeper would probably be extremely difficult; he even shared methods to destroy a city. However, He Fang absolutely wouldn’t destroy Scorching Sun City for the sake of the gatekeepers.
It seemed that gatekeepers were inherently designed with a quiet and reserved personality. When they worked, they did so silently. Min Zhizhou explained that gatekeepers were naturally trained to obey. They didn’t need their own personality or independent thoughts, so overcoming this was something the gatekeepers had to do for themselves.
But He Fang couldn’t understand.
Overcome what?
Overcome thinking?
How could a living being not think? Even dreams during sleep are a form of thought.
Yet, surprisingly, there hadn’t been any incidents of gatekeepers escaping lately. The soldiers reported that the gatekeepers had been unusually quiet during this time, almost unnervingly so.
One day, when He Fang stealthily crept over to the “Land of Hope” again to see if the gatekeepers had come to any conclusions, he barely peeked his head out before Ye Sheng caught him.
He Fang looked at Ye Sheng with wide, eager eyes, and Ye Sheng stared back at him.
Ye Sheng spoke up, “City Lord, may I ask what you need us to do?”
“You’re willing to do it now?” He Fang was thoroughly confused.
“Yes,” Ye Sheng replied.
“Don’t lie to me—I have a lie detector,” He Fang immediately emphasized.
“I am willing to serve the City Lord,” Ye Sheng stated firmly and resolutely.
However, He Fang’s expression became exceedingly strange.
He glanced at the attribute panel displayed above Ye Sheng’s head.
Loyalty was still a glaringly bright “0”.
Could these people be trying to lull his mind into complacency before escaping? In the end, would they still choose Scorching Sun City? This was turning into quite a tricky situation.
