Cthulhu America, I can see the kill line.

Serving soup, serving soup, serving soup...

The line of refugees coming to collect mutton soup stretched as far as the eye could see, winding like a weary gray snake slowly crawling along the snow-covered streets.

Kong Jiu wore a warm, smooth jade pendant around his neck, yet his heart felt light and empty, a lightness that stirred an indescribable sense of unease within him.

The streets as far as the eye could see were covered in frost and snow, but the scattered Gundam models stood out even more.

It seems that the number of people who have frozen to death outside the church district has increased since the city last came to collect the bodies.

No, perhaps so many people die every day, but it only seems like more because I wasn't here one day...

He subconsciously raised his hand to take off the jade pendant, to touch the heavy sorrow that should have belonged to him.

But as soon as his fingertips touched the jade surface, he curled them back.

He feared that once he took it off, his rationality would crumble. Recovery afterward would be too much trouble.

Kong Jiu could only turn his face away, abruptly pulling his gaze away from the rigid models and returning it to the living.

The blood bars on the heads of the living people were all bright red, and their faces were thin and sunken, with eye sockets as deep as holes.

The strong and robust black men were all emaciated from hunger.

Food is cheap in Amerigo Veterans, but that's for upper-middle-class people with stable jobs.

Food in Amerigo may be cheap, but that's only for upper-middle-class people with stable jobs.

Among the hundreds of refugees in the lower city, not a single one could be found to be a legitimate worker.

Many people who finish this bowl of mutton soup will not even have the chance to drink water again today.

The refugee column included Latino faces, Hispanic men, and degenerate white men reeking of the sweet smell of enhancement drugs.

The crowds stretched as far as the eye could see, like a gray, gloomy sea in a world blackened by snow.

Kong Jiu didn't want to watch any longer.

He whispered instructions to his assistant to watch the stall, then turned and pushed open the heavy wooden door of the Prophet's Church.

The church was also packed with people, but the refugees taken in by Sof showed more vitality on their faces. Although they were still haggard, they were not as lifeless as the people outside.

"Kong, you look much better than before I saw you."

When Su Fu saw him come in, he greeted him with a smile, his eyes showing his usual gentleness.

Kong Jiu didn't mention the jade pendant locking away his emotions; he simply twitched the corner of his mouth as a response.

"I heard that gangsters and churches came by yesterday?"

He moved closer to Suf and asked in a low voice.

This is what old Chad told him.

Last night, after old Chad handed over the military-grade enhancer, he said a few more things.

Old Chad's former subordinates told him that the cult had sent several low-ranking members to visit the mob.

"They made an excuse, saying something like, 'Your gang infiltrated the subspace and killed the cult's adopted son. Please hand over the murderer; there's still room for maneuver.'"

The gang members were indignant, accusing the cult of "learning the Japanese methods of fabricating charges."

"Fabricating accusations out of thin air, then demanding a person who doesn't even exist, and finally escalating it into a full-scale war—how come this cult has even adopted the strategies of the Japanese?"

But after Conju spoke of redeeming Tosman, old Chad clearly realized that the cultists might not be smart enough to resort to trickery.

However, Kong Jiu also realized that his actions had led the cult to mistakenly believe that the gang was behind it, which further worsened the relationship between the two.

Suf gave him a look, and the two of them retreated into the small meeting room of the church.

"It will all be over soon, Kong."

Su Fu's tone carried a hint of relief and lightness.

"Representatives from the Purple Light Cult came here claiming they were looking for a gangster who possessed psychic abilities and was skilled with guns, while the gang vehemently denied having armed psychic henchmen who launched an attack on the cult."

"Both sides have begun spreading pretexts for a decisive battle, and it is estimated that a major battle will break out within a week."

Su Fu realized that the two sides were like a powder keg tied together, each trying to find an excuse to rub against each other and could explode at any moment.

"Will the church district be affected?"

Su Fu nodded, his fingers unconsciously stroking the hem of his robe.

"Yes, but the higher-ups have also decided that once one side has completely collapsed and has no chance to recover, the Church of the Prophet will represent the Hills City leadership... to mediate."

Should they step in and mediate?

"Mediation?"

Kong Jiu blinked, wondering if he had misheard.

He couldn't help but ask, "Shouldn't the higher-ups take advantage of the cultists and gangs being locked in a fierce battle and wipe out these two evil forces in one fell swoop?"

Su Fu shook his head slightly, a bitter smile appearing on his lips.

"Kong, you still don't understand Hills City, nor do you understand the Lower City."

He raised his hand and pointed out the window.

The sky outside the window was stained grayish-yellow by the smoke of gunpowder, like a dirty old cloth.

"Churches and gangs are not products of this era."

"As long as Amerigo continues to extradite illegal immigrants as cheap labor."

"As long as the bigwigs still want to have enhancers to paralyze and cripple the lower classes."

"There will always be people with nowhere to go, unemployed people who have been laid off, and drug addicts who rely on stimulants to numb themselves in the lower city."

"And those who are broken in spirit and exhausted in body will eventually come together."

"Humans are herd animals, Kong. The Purple Light Cult has fallen, and the disillusioned psionicists will create a new cult."

"When the super gangs fall, the street thugs will gradually form associations, small gangs, and eventually, they will become the united gangs that are like battle groups now."

A complex light flashed in Su Fu's narrowed eyes, as if he were recalling something from a long time ago.

"This is not the first war in Lower City, Kong. I witnessed it when I was a young novice believer."

Kong Jiu's heart sank little by little, as if falling into an ice cave.

He knew that the upper-class men were supporting the gangsters.

He also thought that the upper-class gentlemen would worry that the lower city would get out of control and affect the upper city.

But after Su Fu's guidance, he realized that his idea was not even a case of worrying unnecessarily; it was ridiculously naive.

The upper-class gentlemen are never afraid of the lower-class people rioting, thus nurturing an uncontrollable worm.

On the contrary, they fear that the people in the lower city will not riot or fight amongst themselves, but will instead have a chance to catch their breath and think, and realize the source of all suffering!

Whether it's a cult or a gang, the white men are really happy when they fight to the death with other organizations in the city, even if it means getting bloodied and battered!

Kong Jiu suddenly raised his hand, ripped off the jade pendant from his chest, and slammed it onto the table with a "smack".

The brain instantly gained the ability to feel sadness.

The shock and despair that welled up in his heart felt like a hand gripping his heart, or a voice mocking his naivety in his ear.

"That's right. Without illegal immigrants feeding the wealthy at the bottom, how could Hills and his ilk appear so superior?"

The answer emerged in my mind.

Kong Jiu even gained an additional understanding of why this chaos occurred in winter, a season when the cold winds could cost the lives of displaced people.

No, I can't think about it anymore!

The brain can process these things smoothly, but reason is on the verge of collapse.

He staggered as he grabbed the jade pendant and put it back on his chest.

But the moment the jade pendant was connected, his gaze as he looked out the window suddenly sharpened.

The dark clouds in the sky seemed to transform into a steamer-like canopy, as if foreshadowing that everything was under someone's control.

What... did this cognitive correction do?

Could it be that everything is being controlled by something?

A deep sense of powerlessness spread through his heart, even as the jade pendant constantly tried to restore his rationality.