death of hope

Chapter 985 "Psionic Storm" (60) Metropolis
To avoid attracting attention, Ando parked his old Mazda minivan in a dirty, dark alley.

Clearly, even beggars dislike this alley.

The walls were covered in graffiti and spray paint, the ground was damp and greasy, and a genetically mutated rat was feasting next to an overturned trash can.

"Ugh! How dirty! How disgusting!"

Donya covered her mouth: "I said... do we really have to stop here...?"

"The senator is coming soon, and the cops in Shin-Sapporo are coming out in droves. There are plainclothes FBI agents everywhere on the streets. It's always better to be careful when you're out and about."

"Well said! No problem!" Paul gave a thumbs up; he always supported and approved of cautious strategies.

Donya looked out the car window with disgust: "What if rats, cockroaches, fleas or something get on the car and are taken back to the dorm?"

"Don't worry, this vehicle has undergone special three-proof modifications. It's so well-sealed that it can be used as a boat in water, and it's not afraid of police tear gas at all."

·
Donya covered her nose: "Uh, then... why can I also smell a stench..."

"Well, that's because..."

Ando Shuichi raised his hand holding the gearshift and pointed upwards:
"The sunroof wasn't closed."

"What the heck?! Wow! Hurry up!" Nikolai hurriedly reached out to press the skylight button:
"Don't let any cockroaches in! They're horrible!"

Takiya Rimi laughed and said, "Haha, our branch leader is fearless in the face of bullets, but afraid of some little bugs."

Nikolai flicked her forehead:

"Shut up, you little brat!"

·
Ando checked the rearview camera to make sure no one was around before removing the key and turning off the engine.
The group got out of the car, pinched their noses, and walked out of the dark alley. Suddenly, the view opened up before them.
Paul and his comrades were not unsophisticated; it was only because they had stayed in the base area for too long and lived a pastoral life of reclamation that they were shocked by the sights of the metropolis.

"Wow, this is the new Sapporo, it's rolling in money."

"Unlike our place, which is dirt poor."

"Amazing, it's exactly the same as what I saw on the travel channel."

As far as the eye could see, skyscrapers stood shoulder to shoulder, as if one had entered a land of giants.

The gleaming glass curtain wall stretches to the sky, and the pedestrians in the distance look like ants slowly moving in a canyon.

"This is much more impressive than our main city!" Donya rubbed her hands excitedly.
"In New Petersburg, five stories is considered a tall building... Wow... Look! That building... It's so tall! It's practically reaching into the clouds!"

"That's the New Sapporo Financial and Trade Center, 1300 meters high."

"High?! That's outrageous... If the elevator breaks down, climbing upstairs will be exhausting."

·
"Say less, and stop making a fool of yourself,"

Tristana, the Eldar, put a finger to her lips, made a shushing gesture to Donya, and then secretly glanced at Paul.
"It's like we're country bumpkins coming to the city. It's one thing for the two of us, but the eldest brother is losing face along with us."

"Indeed, it's eye-opening."

Paul made no attempt to conceal his feelings; he had always been that way—straightforward and direct.
"The skyscrapers are like the Tower of Babel, and I find them very impressive. They are all Terran humans. If the power of capital can make it happen, I believe the people of our base can do it too. It will happen sooner or later."

"Listen! Everyone should learn from this!" Nikolai clapped softly.

"As expected of the great hero Korchagin, his level of thought is truly high."

Paul shook his head and raised his hands in surrender: "Brother Nikolai, please don't flatter me or belittle me..."

After strolling around for half an hour, Paul felt bored:

"Now that we've seen the skyscrapers, how about we go check out some down-to-earth places?"

·
"I'll do it! I know the way! I'll be your tour guide!"

Rimi Takiya skipped and hopped to the front of the line, eagerly grabbing Paul's large hand, clearly having planned this all along.

Tonya, consumed by jealousy, grabbed his other hand forcefully like a dog guarding its food.

A comical scene unfolded; two beauties, one blonde and one brunette, sandwiched Pavel Korchagin between them.
This made him, this upright and honest man, seem like a playboy with women on both sides, or like the rope in a tug-of-war, his expression so awkward he was about to cry.

Ando Shuichi, Nikolai, and Twisted Fate followed behind, watching the two women wrestle like they were in a tug-of-war, trying hard to keep their faces from laughing.

After passing through Financial Street and turning a corner, everything went black:
"Huh?! How come it's already...night?!"

Takiya explained, "This is Akihabara. To create an atmosphere and boost sales, all the businesses have tacitly installed holographic dark screen camouflage projections."

In this way, the entire street became a 24/7 night market.

“So that’s how it is,” Paul said in the local dialect with a broken rolled “r” accent.