Who left their last words here?

Chapter 3 Can You See Me?
Smoke rises from beneath the blood-stained platform, where headless corpses lie scattered everywhere.

Bai Zhou solemnly raised three Furongwang cigarettes above his head, bowed three times to the bloody execution ground, and piously performed the ritual.

Then, three lit cigarettes were neatly stuck into the ground.

Before leaving, I really wanted to smoke a Furongwang cigarette!

As the smoke rose, the crimson characters shone even brighter.

Something has really changed! Bai Zhou stared intently at the line of characters in the middle of the blood pool.

Suddenly, the light reached its peak, and the scarlet characters in the center of the blood pool shattered with a crash.

The scattered fragments rushed towards the white boat.

Before Bai Zhou could dodge, his consciousness became hazy, and the scene before him shifted, displaying a series of images like a slideshow...

"Have one?"

As night fell in the city, two men in black robes, one fat and one thin, were slowly patrolling.

"The rules state that smoking is not allowed while working," the fat man in the black robe reminded them.

"you're right."

The thin man in the black robe stopped, found a dark corner, squatted down, and acted with righteous indignation.

"So I don't plan to work while smoking!"

A match struck the red moon, leaving a flickering light. A thin man in a black robe lit a cigarette, his eyes misty.
"Tell me, what is the meaning of life?"

The fat man in the black robe squatted down and lit a Furongwang cigarette, saying, "Just to be lazy and have a smoke."

The thin man in the black robe paused, then waved his hands repeatedly—

"You've misunderstood me, brother. I'm talking about our ultimate goal in this life."

"After joining the Blood Worship Cult, I always wondered, what is the purpose of human life?"

"Hmm." The fat man in the black robe nodded and said, "So I can slack off and have a smoke while on patrol."

As he spoke, he slowly raised the Furongwang cigarette and looked up at the red moon in the sky.

The flickering cigarette butt emitted a hazy wisp of smoke, as if offering incense as a sacrifice to itself.

At that moment, his movements coincided with those of the white boat offering incense.

……

—With a loud "bang," the screen shattered.

Bai Zhou looked up and saw that the scene before him had transformed back into the bloody public trial and execution ground, with blood dripping from the high platform.

At this moment, the fat, headless corpse in black robes on the execution ground suddenly stood up straight and gave Bai Zhou a thumbs up.

The scene was quite terrifying at one point.

“Smoking is bad for your health, young man! I remember you, the training corps leader who loves adventure stories.”

“You asked me about things outside the city during the lecture.”

Heaven knows how the headless black-robed figure made a sound; it sounded like it was coming from his navel.

"Don't try to uncover any more secrets about Night City. Just live a good life on Blue Star."

“I hope they will help you,” he said. “A new adventure begins.”

Something was thrown from the headless corpse in the distance, which Bai Zhou instinctively caught with his hand.

When Bai Zhou realized what had happened, his face turned pale as he looked at the soldier beside him, "Did you see that?"

"See what?"

"Headless corpse... He stood up!"

"Are you OK?"

The soldier frowned and subtly increased the distance between himself and the white boat.

"Damn it, I knew there weren't any normal people in Wancheng. I hope you didn't pass on the contamination to me!"

"The pollution in the Reflection Ruins is too severe; it can cause people to have mental abnormalities and hallucinations," the girl in the trench coat with a crow perched on her shoulder picked up the conversation, sighing.

"In the end, that place is not a place for normal people."

"Even you can't see it? But... sigh?" Bai Zhou turned his head and suddenly froze on the spot.

The high platform was littered with corpses, and there was only blood flowing everywhere. There were no headless corpses standing up, and no one spoke.

Everything that just happened seemed like an illusion.

But Bai Zhou knew that wasn't the case.

Bai Zhou lowered his head, opened his right hand, and three lollipops lay prominently in his palm.

The moment the refreshing milky scent entered Bai Zhou's nostrils, a message appeared in his mind.

【Al the Despicable Lollipop】

Smoking is harmful to your health, so grab a lollipop and quit!

[A gift from the spirit of a lazybones, capable of temporarily suppressing the user's corruption, stabilizing their mental state, and briefly allowing them to forget all negative desires.]

"Reason is the most precious treasure of intelligent beings, therefore God bestowed the apple lacquered with gold as a sign of the grace of wisdom."

...And what does this have to do with lollipops? Because it's apple-flavored.

"What's this?!"

Bai Zhou felt a sense of unease.

He had seen the two men in black robes before; they had been invited by the training corps to give a speech.

If those blood-written words were the fat man in black robes' last words, then were these three lollipops a gift from him for helping him fulfill those last words?

—If he fulfills his other last wishes, what will he gain?
Bai Zhou's gaze swept across the high platform.

The densely packed last words on the ground were far dimmer than the brightly lit last words from before, and none of them were things he could complete now.

[Ha, no one would have guessed that the Dead Sea Scrolls they were after were buried under the big tree in front of the Yongning Life Care Center on Dongxing Road... They'll never find it in their lifetime!]

Dongxing Road, Yongning Life Care Center!

Bai Zhou seemed lost in thought, his gaze lingering on the last words for a long time.

"What are you looking at?"

The older sister from the side leaned over and looked curiously at Bai Zhou's empty palm. "You can read palms?"

Bai Zhou blinked and looked down at the three lollipops in his hand.

She can't see either?
"...Yes, I know a little bit."

Bai Zhou nodded, clenching his fist without making a sound.

Feeling the distinct hardness of the material against his palms, his hands trembled slightly.

"Stop investigating everything about Night City..."

The fat man in the black robe's words echoed in his ears.

Bai Zhou suddenly felt that there was too much mystery surrounding Wancheng, and even though he had lived there for eighteen years, he still didn't understand it well enough.

Including oneself.

Without a doubt, the answers to these secrets may lie hidden in Wancheng, in what they call the "Reflection Ruins."

The fat man in black robes told Bai Zhou to live well on Blue Star, and he wanted to live well too...

But if he can't even figure out the fog surrounding him, how can he move forward?
"..."

Bai Zhou glanced at the soldiers beside him who were no longer paying attention to him, then turned to look at the officer standing on the high platform.

Cleaners in protective suits went up to clean, leaving white foam everywhere, and the smell of disinfectant mixed with the smell of blood lingered.

The girl in the trench coat who was standing in the crowd a moment ago has somehow returned to the platform and is standing with several officers.

Bai Zhou's gaze lingered on her the longest.

Whether they want to survive here or explore the many mysteries, the key undoubtedly lies with them.

Since that god-like girl could lead an army to shatter the city of Wan, it is only natural that she could lead people back to the Reflection Ruins Realm.

But the problem is,

Even the soldiers ignored him, and Bai Zhou couldn't think of any reason to approach these high-ranking officials from Blue Star.

"Welcome back to Earth, wanderers."

Once the bloodstains on the execution platform were gone, the cleaners left, and the major, sitting upright on the platform, spoke in a voice that echoed throughout the square.

“The criminals have been executed. Logically speaking, those who remain are victims who were trafficked and deceived by the Blood Worship Cult.”

"According to the 'Measures for the Management of Victims of Unlawful Associations,' I should release you back into society to start a new life after you have learned federal laws and common sense."

A new life? The sensitive words stirred up a great deal of excitement among the crowd.

Only Bai Zhou noticed something was wrong.

What do you mean by "...logically speaking"?

"—But that won't work."

Sure enough, the major's cold words were like a bucket of cold water being poured on him.

"The pollution of the Reflection Ruins will affect everyone equally."

"You have stayed in Night City for too long. In the real world, you are like terminally ill carriers of a Class A infectious disease, bringing disasters more terrible than the plague and cholera to others!"

"Therefore, I have to temporarily place you under control until the pollution drops below the safe threshold before you can return to society."

"This process may not be short, but please believe that the Federation will never abandon you!"

His words were forceful and his upright posture made him inexplicably convincing.

Of course, there were also some troublemakers who muttered under their breath.

"Our city is very clean, where would the pollution come from..."

But when the soldier beside him glared at him and swung his stun gun with great force, he immediately shut up and became a simple villager.

"But we often say that there is more than one path to the light of day; it just depends on whether you are willing to choose it."

The major added,

"Some people develop a high level of resistance to pollution after staying in the Reflection Ruins for too long."

"—This is exactly the kind of talent we need!"

Behind him, the people in white coats and masks had just packed the oil painting into a black box and carried it away, and now they were bringing up another large black box.

The black box was carefully opened, revealing a stiff, thick flexible tube dangling inside.

It resembles a blood vessel in the human body, with its walls full of folds, each fold covered with dark purple blood vessels, occasionally twitching in a rhythm similar to breathing.

A man in a white coat reported to the major:

"Black box F-1120, [Blood Thirst], stable condition, ready!"

"A black box!" Bai Zhou tensed up.

He had already discerned that these large black boxes with strange numbers contained mysterious items with special functions.

—Like the forbidden items of the city at night, even more terrifying!
The major randomly pointed to the audience, and it just so happened to be that grumbling troublemaker:

"You, yes, it's you, come up here!"

The ravenous soldiers immediately dragged the man onto the high platform and pressed his palm against his veins.

Sensing the approach of a living person, the blood vessels seemed to come alive, instantly wrapping around the person's hand.

The tube is wrapped and peristaltic, swallowing and sucking in large gulps.

"W-What is that?!" The man began to struggle.

"Just think of it as blood flowing back from the needle during the IV drip, it's nothing to worry about." The soldier controlling him said kindly.

"Relax, dizziness is normal, take a deep breath!"

"Ah!!!" The man's face turned deathly pale.

But gradually, the screams subsided, and his expressions became less and less varied, as if he had entered a mysterious state devoid of joy or sorrow.

Finally, he stood there quietly, his shoulders slumped, like a...walking corpse.

"This is a test."

The major's voice reached everyone's ears.

"Those who can touch it and still stand will have the opportunity to join us!"

The voice just fell,

The person collapsed to the ground with a thud and was carried away on a stretcher by medical staff who were already prepared.

"He...he...he's dead?" Everyone in Wancheng was in a panic. "Don't worry, he's just unconscious!" the major immediately reassured them.

"But unfortunately, he failed the test."

"It seems he has been deeply affected by the pollution. For the sake of everyone's future and his own, he will receive the best treatment in the hospital."

"—Until the pollution is removed and you are discharged from the hospital!"

"..."

Behind the major, an officer looked worried.
"Is it really okay to use a 'black box' to test for contamination levels? What if the Law Enforcement Bureau finds out...?"

"You know that the major comes from a prestigious family and has always pursued efficiency," Lieutenant Han said casually.

"【Blood Thirst】Only interested in people with mental disorders. The deeper the pollution, the more mentally disordered they become, and the more blood they will be sucked."

"Although there will be blood loss and temporary loss of emotions..."

The black cat she held in his arms twitched its whiskers slightly, and he continued speaking.

"But the researchers obtained valuable experimental data, and the public was sent directly to the hospital without having to go through any extra procedures."

"This is a win-win situation! What does the Court of Law know?"

"The major repeatedly emphasized that as long as the starting point is good, it is permissible to go over some of the rules and regulations."

"The complicated procedures mean that frontline staff are exposed to more pollution."

"The responsibility for the safety of all six departments of the Black Box Special Administration lies on the major's shoulders, not the Law Enforcement Department!"

Upon hearing this, the officers nodded in agreement.

"Lieutenant Han is right!"

"..." Only the girl in the trench coat seemed hesitant to speak.

Finally, she merely frowned, shook her head, and gave the major a cold look. "You're still the same, but..."

"Take care of yourself!"

……

The voices from the high platform were carried by the wind in fragments.

Below the stage, Bai Zhou blinked, his expression remaining unchanged.

When no one was looking, he looked down at his outstretched right hand, where three lollipops lay quietly in his palm.

It temporarily suppresses the user's pollution levels and stabilizes their mental state.

right now,

He understood what the fat man in the black robe meant when he said, "I hope they can help you."

……

One by one, the tense residents of the city lined up to climb the high platform where the execution had just taken place.

They were then carried away on stretchers in full view of everyone.

Before long, it was Bai Zhou's turn.

He clenched his fists and stepped onto the stage amidst the attention of the crowd.

The platform was wiped clean, with only the scarlet suicide note at the foot and the lingering smell of disinfectant in the air as evidence of what had just happened.

Bai Zhou looked at the blood vessels.

After drinking their fill of fresh blood, the veins bulged and turned from a stiff, dark purple to a thick, purplish-red.

He blinked and saw a line of dark red blood-red characters above the vein.

The blood-red words were dim and almost transparent, and could not be seen unless you looked closely.

I'm eating and eating and eating... I'm so hungry, so hungry!

Another last message.

Bai Zhou raised an eyebrow.

It's understandable for the deceased to leave a last message, but how come there's also a "last message" on a mysterious object?
Or is it that his understanding of the word "blood" is actually wrong?

but……

Bai Zhou had a flash of inspiration.

Are hunger and greed considered negative desires?
Lollipops can make the user forget all negative desires, right?

Even if there were lollipops, he wouldn't want to be sucked blood by this disgusting blood vessel; he always felt it was very dangerous...

So--

Bai Zhou lowered his eyes and reached inside.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he opened his tightly clenched palm to reveal the section of blood vessel.

There was a lollipop lying on top of it.

But only he can see it.

The veins throbbed as they rose, tightly enveloping Bai Zhou's palm, about to suckle—

Bai Zhou then shoved the [Al-Despicable Lollipop] into its mouth.

"?"

The blood vessel was immediately blocked.

Please eat, don't be shy... Bai Zhou muttered to himself.

The next second, the blood vessels in the choked area began to throb wildly.

At first glance, it looks like it's greedily sucking blood, but actually it's rolling around on the ground like it has indigestion.

Only Bai Zhou's expression remained unchanged.

"Ok?"

His eyebrows rose, and the major's gaze fell upon him from behind his sunglasses.

The crowd below the stage began to stir.

More and more eyes were drawn to Bai Zhou.

Under the spotlight

Bai Zhou let the blood vessels absorb him, his expression calm, almost like a sage!
"Could it be..." The crowd in the city grew increasingly noisy, and some acquaintances even recognized Bai Zhou.

"Roar!"

With a barely audible growl, the white boat loosened its grip as if its blood vessels had been electrocuted.

It shrank back, as if it had suddenly become listless, with only the characters above, in a very pale red, appearing a bit more vibrant.

With a "whoosh,"
The crowd from Wancheng below the stage erupted in cheers.

One by one, the heavily armed soldiers also looked over and stared.

Even the major was alarmed.

"Congratulations, you've passed!"

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed on the high platform.

Bai Zhou turned his head and saw the major and the girl in the trench coat walking towards him together.

Behind the two, a group of officers followed closely, and soldiers along the way stood at attention and saluted.

"not bad."

This trench coat-clad girl, who once seemed like a god or a demon, splitting stars and cleaving the moon in the night city, remained as concise as ever.

But her eyes held a hint of emotion.

She probably didn't expect that the first person to pass the test would be the boy she first met in Wancheng.

With two thuds of footsteps, the major arrived in front of Bai Zhou.

"You are the first person to pass the test, and perhaps the only one."

He stood on the steps, looking down at Bai Zhou without any attempt to conceal his gaze, and then smiled with satisfaction.

"You're a talented person, and I enjoy nurturing talent!"

"Make the best use of everything. You can go to the Black Box Maintenance Department." With that, he arranged Bai Zhou's destination without further ado.

"That place is the perfect stage for you."

"or……"

The major suddenly stopped speaking, staring intently at Bai Zhou with a gentle smile.
"You can also choose to refuse and not join us."

"..."

Bai Zhou didn't answer immediately, but turned to look behind him.

Below the platform, there were very few of his fellow villagers who had not been taken away.

They were looking at Bai Zhou with envy and shock, probably not expecting that Bai Zhou would be the one to stand out in the end.

That unremarkable poor child who grew up eating food from many families.

Turning his gaze away, Bai Zhou stood alone on the high platform.

At this moment, he thought of all the things that happened in Wancheng, as well as the mystery surrounding him.

Then, he looked at the smiling major and slowly shook his head:
"No, I choose to join."

"You should be proud of your choice."

The major's smile deepened, and he gently patted Bai Zhou's shoulder:

"Because we are fighting for the cause of all mankind, this work is extremely glorious!"

At that moment, Lieutenant Han handed over a disinfectant wipe, which the major casually took.

"Has Wancheng truly been completely destroyed?" Bai Zhou suddenly asked.

"What?" The major lowered his head and carefully wiped his hands with disinfectant wipes.

"What are your thoughts? Do you want to go home?"

"go home?"

Quietly surveying the group of officers, Bai Zhou carefully chose his words, "Do you think I still have a chance?"

"If you work hard enough in the organization, you may have a chance to enter the Reflection Ruins again."

The adjutant, Han, who was hugging the doll, took over the conversation.

"However, even if you go back there, you won't find anything familiar anymore."

"The city of Wancheng is now a ruin, and the coordinates are in disarray. Without new anchor points, we cannot pinpoint its location."

"And... what about this one?"

Bai Zhou looked at the girl in the trench coat and cautiously asked,
"Can you locate Wancheng?"

Without a doubt, she was the most resourceful person present and the one with the best chance of helping Bai Zhou unravel the mystery surrounding him.

"Who?"

But the major was taken aback.

"Who are you talking to?"

He followed Bai Zhou's gaze and frowned—

"Isn't there nothing there?"

"……Why?"

What is called……

Nothing at all?!
Bai Zhou stood there blankly, stunned.

Immediately, it felt as if a cold wind had blown by, and a chilling sensation ran down my spine.

—At this moment, not far away, the girl who had once torn the sky apart and seemingly shattered the blood moon,

He slowly turned his head.

Her slender figure stood there, seemingly real yet ethereal, her trench coat swaying with an air of dignified elegance, exuding a suffocatingly powerful pressure even without speaking.

The black crow perched on her shoulder spread its wings.

The shadow of outstretched wings fell onto Bai Zhou's face.

"Surprising."

She stared at Bai Zhou, her narrow, iridescent eyes narrowing, a slight smile playing at the corners of her lips.
"—So, you can see me?"

　Did someone anticipate that she didn't exist?
　　From the end of Chapter One to Chapter Three, many details are explained in between.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)