Civilization Paradise

Chapter 1 Mountain City Mountain

"cough~"

"Cough cough~"

In the dimly lit, cramped room, a weak, light cough could be heard from time to time.

A computer screen against the wall emitted a cool white light, illuminating the worn black keyboard and mouse on the desk.

In the corner of the room, on a black wooden bed, lay a slender figure.

Just then, the phone screen on the bedside table suddenly lit up, and the crisp sound of the alarm clock broke the silence.

The boy slowly opened his eyes, revealing deep pupils. He turned over, then reached out and turned off his phone alarm. He sat up wearily in bed, trying to catch his breath.

After a long while, he slowly got up, walked to the window, and drew back the gray curtains.

Bright sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the entire dim room.

Looking in through the window, one can see a boy with a 3/7 hairstyle, a thin build, delicate features, and pale, bloodless lips.

cough~
The boy coughed lightly, then walked to the old table, sat down, and looked at the computer screen.

The computer screen is currently running the most popular game, Black Star.

The boy opened the auction store and quickly scanned the rows of data.

Today, game prices not only didn't drop, but actually rose slightly as expected.

The boy then opened his backpack, preparing to sell the equipment, items, and game currency he had accumulated over the past few days.

cough~
At this point, the boy started coughing uncontrollably, and the coughing became more and more severe.

His face showed a look of great discomfort, as if he were about to cough up his lungs.

The boy quickly got up, walked to the side, picked up the cough medicine on the table, took a sip, and then picked up the bottle of immune-boosting medicine.

When he opened the medicine bottle, he found it was empty. He quickly opened the drawer to get a new one, but after searching, he discovered that this particular type was no longer available.

He was startled and quickly went to the bedside, his hands trembling as he picked up his phone and started operating it.

Hey~
Soon, a series of messages popped up.

"Dear Mr. Long Ming, your appointment at Shanchengshan First Central Hospital has been successfully registered. Please proceed as soon as possible."

"Dear Mr. Long Ming, your application for the Upper City Temporary Pass has been approved and is valid for 24 hours. Please proceed to the Upper City as soon as possible and leave before midnight on March 14, 120th year of the Era."

Long Ming breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the notification that his application had been approved.

He then immediately went to the simple clothes rack, picked up the gray coat and put it on, tied on the beige scarf, changed into a pair of white cloth shoes, and then opened the door and walked out into the long, narrow corridor.

Much of the plaster on the corridor walls has peeled off, revealing large areas of rough cement.

The corridor was piled with clutter, and rows of iron doors came into view. Twenty families lived on the entire seventh floor, making it extremely crowded.

Long Ming lowered his head and coughed lightly as he walked towards the stairs.

A few minutes later, Long Ming walked out of the old building.

Towering, blackened pigeon lofts came into view, blocking out the entire sky.

These buildings are densely and haphazardly distributed, creating a very oppressive feeling.

People unfamiliar with this place might even get lost.

Long Ming took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to cough, and slowly walked forward.

After a long while, Long Ming walked out of Yunhai, the famous central area in the East District.

While this so-called sea of ​​clouds may sound unique, it is actually a gathering place for the most impoverished people.

"Whoo~"

Long Ming let out a soft breath, stretched, and looked up into the distance. He could vaguely see a towering peak piercing the clouds.

That was where he was going. Then, Long Ming raised his hand and pulled his scarf up slightly before walking towards the nearby subway station.

Along the way, electronic screens on the walls of buildings display various commercial advertisements and news.

Two men, dressed in gray trench coats, carrying briefcases and looking tired, walked past Long Ming while talking.

"The company's profits have hit a new low this year."

"Yeah, I heard there are going to be layoffs."

"Sigh, when will this ever end?"

Long Ming paused briefly before continuing forward.

This world is called Blue Star, and its original civilization was highly advanced. However, an asteroid impact fifty years ago brought about a dramatic change.

That asteroid impact not only caused numerous deaths, but also spread pollutants carried by the asteroid over a wide area, severely damaging the ecosystem of Earth.

The water resources on Earth are also severely polluted, and even the ocean has turned gray. Long-term consumption of polluted water will erode the body, leading to various diseases and the decline of bodily functions.

In addition, the air became extremely polluted, and a large number of surface organisms became extinct.

Humanity faces the greatest crisis in history. In order to survive better, the survivors migrate to less polluted areas and build sheltered cities.

The three largest cities of refuge are Mountain City, Star Tower City, and City of Sin.

The city where Long Ming is located is Shancheng Mountain, one of the three protected cities.

A moment later, Long Ming arrived at the subway entrance. The ten escalators were full of passengers coming and going, and the flow of people was very dense.

The population of the entire mountain city is enormous, reaching an astonishing 2.3 million.

Long Ming followed the crowd down the escalator and quickly passed through security to reach the platform.

Swish!
A train, hundreds of meters long, sped by and came to a precise stop in front of Long Ming and the others.

Then, one carriage after another opened their doors.

Groups of passengers disembarked, and Long Ming and many other waiting passengers boarded the train.

The carriage was very crowded, with all the seats on both sides occupied.

Long Ming was squeezed and unable to move for a moment.

cough~
Long Ming couldn't help but raise his hand, cover his mouth, and cough a few times.

Upon hearing this, the passengers around him began to look at Long Ming differently and quickly moved aside.

Although Long Ming was already used to it, he still silently lowered his head.

Two hours later, a pleasant broadcast began.

"Dear passengers, the train is about to arrive at its final stop, Shangcheng Station. Passengers who wish to disembark, please prepare to proceed."

Long Ming slowly raised his head upon hearing the announcement. With a slight sway, the train arrived at its final stop.

A moment later, Long Ming walked out of the subway station and arrived at the base of the mountain in the city center.

He looked up and saw a colossal mountain peak. Elegant buildings stood atop the peak, and numerous steel platforms rose and fell around it from below. At the summit stood a massive mechanical pillar that pierced the mountain and reached towards the sky, its surface emitting a faint glow.

The entire mountain city is divided into three rings. The first ring is the top of the mountain, which is the city lord's office area, and only public officials are allowed to enter and exit.

The second ring road is located in the middle of the mountain. The entire central area extends around the mountain to form a huge platform, on which a bustling aerial city has been built. This area is collectively known as the Upper City, where elites, tycoons, and the wealthy reside.

The Third Ring Road is located on the plain at the foot of the mountain, where all the common people live, and this area is also known as the Lower City.

The upper town and the lower town were separated by high walls, with only a few designated entrances and exits, and checkpoints were set up.

Although the areas are separated, residents of the Lower Town can still enter the Upper Town. However, they need to apply in advance, and once approved, they can enter. It's important to note that they must leave before the expiration of their permitted time; otherwise, they may face fines or even detention.

(End of this chapter)