Life Dungeon Game

"them···"

Penny spoke softly.

“I know what you’re going to ask,” the young man at the front said slowly, lighting a cigarette and holding it between his fingers as he walked.

“You want to ask them why they are here. Every ‘gentleman’ and ‘madam’ who comes to this city has this question, but I didn’t expect that you wilderness wanderers would have this question as well.”

Then, without giving Penny a chance to respond, the young man continued, "Some of them were born here, and some came here because they couldn't make a living outside."

Some of them owed debts to conglomerates, and every penny of their wages was deducted by the conglomerates, making it impossible for them to survive outside.

Some are born without property, land, or houses; they have nothing at all. They don't even have the money to go to school and rely on odd jobs to make a living. Some work as waiters, while others do simple manual labor in factories.

Of course, these jobs don't bring in any income, and they can't even afford the cheapest rent. They either end up homeless on the streets or spend a pittance to stay here.

This floor is the cheapest, with weekly rent ranging from 5 to 18 federal dollars. If you can afford more, the building also has studios or apartments with kitchens, but the highest rent will not exceed 100 federal dollars per week. The cheapest houses in all of Dawn City are here.

Of course, you can't expect anything from the environment.

At least living here provides shelter from the wind and rain, and there's someone managing the place; it's better than sleeping on the streets.

Who manages this place?

Penny asked, puzzled.

"Gangs, all sorts of gangs, big and small, blond gangs, black-haired gangs, bald gangs, noodle gangs, you name it, they all have it. They each take charge of their own area, and they maintain the basic order here."

The young man put a cigarette in his mouth and said, "But there are also gangs fighting here. If you run into them, stay away."

At this point, the young man glanced back at the 'room' where the little girl who had been watching them was.

"That little girl, last time there was a gang shootout downstairs, her father was standing nearby and couldn't escape, he was hit and killed by a stray bullet. The three of them originally lived in a single room downstairs, but after her father died, they had to move upstairs. Her mother works several jobs every day, trying to move back and even send her to school."

The young man turned around and sighed, "There are many people like this on this floor. Some of them have succeeded and moved to other floors or even left Hope Building, but the vast majority of them have stayed here forever."

He looked up and suddenly realized that the girl in front of him had disappeared.

······

The little girl was struggling to bite into the dark starch stick when she suddenly heard hurried footsteps.

.

A dark-skinned girl appeared before the crack. She glanced at the little girl and handed her a bread still in its packaging.

The little girl blinked, gripped the starch stick in her hand, and looked at her with a mixture of suspicion and wariness.

Seeing the little girl's expression, Penny reached out and tore open the bread bag in her hand, took a small piece and ate it herself, then handed the bread back to her.

The little girl blinked again, rummaged around next to the mattress, found a silver glass bead, wiped it clean with her clothes, and handed it to Penny.

Penny glanced at the glass bead and nodded gently.

The little girl smiled, put the glass bead into Penny's hand, and then quickly took the bread from Penny's hand.

She carefully tore off a small piece of bread and put it in her mouth. Then, looking at the bread in her hand, she paused for a moment, carefully closed the bread bag, and stuffed it under the mattress.

When she looked up again, the girl who had been standing in front of the crack was gone.

······

Penny rejoined the group, and the young man didn't ask where she had gone. Instead, he led them into the next elevator.

Penny's bread was bought for them by He Ao before, and they ate most of it last night.

The remaining bread was distributed to everyone upon arrival for brunch, and she gave her own bread away.

The elevator continued to creak and groan as they ascended, eventually reaching the top floor.

The young man led them out of the elevator, where they were greeted by a spacious area.

One by one, the weak wilderness wanderers sat on the ground, while some of the stronger young wilderness wanderers were distributing food in an orderly manner.

Since Ronald's father's time, the camp has placed great emphasis on discipline and order, and these values ​​have been ingrained in the bones of the young people who grew up in the camp.

This made their food distribution very orderly, and there was no looting.

Of course, not every wilderness wanderer adapts to this order, but out of respect for Heo who rescued them, and for the loaded guns in the hands of those maintaining order, they did not show any non-cooperation.

"This area used to be the headquarters of a large gang in Hope Building. Boss Victor just dealt with them a couple of days ago, and now this area is vacant,"

The young man smiled and glanced at the orderly group of wilderness wanderers. "To be honest, you don't really seem like wilderness wanderers to me."

Then he waved and walked toward the elevator, saying, "We will deliver the food on time for the next two days. We hope you recover soon."

Penny's gaze swept over the surrounding wilderness wanderers again, when suddenly a surprised voice rang out from the crowd, "Penny? Linda?"

"Dark?"

Penny was taken aback.

Dak was the young man who, with a shovel in hand, led the homeless people in a rebellion against the foreman during a power outage. He saw Penny and excitedly walked over.

Dark and Penny were originally in the same hunter team and had a good relationship. He liked Penny's cousin, Linda.

The three met again, beaming with joy, and chatted as they walked.

Penny also shared her experiences in the wilderness with

Dak and Linda.

When they heard that He Ao had killed the Bitter Ape, brought its corpse back to the temporary camp, and dug out its heart, both of them were extremely excited.

As the discussion drew to a close, Penny looked at the densely packed group of wilderness wanderers and suddenly asked softly, "Has the chief said how to arrange things for everyone?"

“No,” Dark shook his head, “he only said to settle here temporarily.”

“We can go back to the wilderness,” Penny said softly, looking at the dense crowd. “With so many people, we might be able to rebuild a more magnificent camp.”

Upon hearing this, Dark fell silent.

After a long while, Dark gazed at the wilderness wanderers in the square and slowly said, "Actually, none of you want to go back to the wilderness."

He had worked in a factory and knew what people in factories were thinking.

"why?"

Linda asked softly from the side.

"Because there are no strange beasts here."

Penny answered for Dark, looking at him, "But the city doesn't welcome us."

Dak lowered his head and fell silent.

Apart from Penny, all the other wanderers in the wilderness here have expired visas and will be expelled from the city if they are found out.

Living in the city, they had to evade the FBI, the Morning City Police Department, and were not friendly to by gangs and thugs. Unable to find formal employment, they could only try to take jobs that did not require a social security number.

Dark had previously asked the Money Rat Gang if they had such a job.

Yes, but the prices are low, and the money they earn is only enough for them to live in the Hope Building.

They can only live like rats in the city.

Or one day, they might be taken away again by a factory like Kyle Manufacturing Company and become disposable labor.

Even so, they did not want to return to the wilderness, to that wilderness where they never knew whether dawn or death would come first.

Even a once-prosperous camp like Ronald's could be destroyed in a monster attack.

In the wilderness, camps or families are attacked, and each attack takes away many lives. Countless people become food for strange beasts or a breeding ground for their offspring.

In the city, one can survive.

Even if it means living a humble life like a rat, with a shortened lifespan.

The three of them fell silent at the same time.

Silent dark clouds blanketed the sky.

-

By the time He Ao arrived at the Hope Building, it was nearly evening.

The sky was shrouded in dark clouds, like night. He walked past the wanderers in the wilderness and finally saw a lonely figure in a corner.

Penny stood alone in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the dazzling city under the dark clouds and inky sky.

She stood there quietly.

He didn't even notice that his arm had been cut open by sharp scrap steel; faint, pale green blood oozed out from the long wound.

She seemed to hear footsteps behind her, and she turned around.

He looked at He Ao with a blank expression.

He stood beside her, gazing together at the magnificent city beneath the dark clouds.

"leader,"

Penny spoke softly, a tear sliding down her cheek, "Why must we either face the dangerous wilderness or live a lowly and fearful life in the city?"

She looked up at He Ao.

"Did we do something wrong? Are we destined to this fate just because we were born in the wilderness?"

She looked at He Ao, tears streaming down her face. She felt as if all her strength had been drained away, and she staggered to the ground. "Were we born wrong?"

He Ao crouched down, gently hugged her, and patted her back.

Penny looks a lot like Ronaldo when he was young.

He Ao stared into the void, as if speaking to the girl, yet also to himself.

"We are not at fault."

Next year on this day, I will soar to great heights, while others laugh at the busy scholars of the mortal world.

Good luck on the college entrance exam!

I've written too much, it'll be a little late.

Chapter 311 Changes in the City (Please add to your favorites, subscribe, and vote with monthly tickets)