The city is still the same city, but the girl is no longer the same girl

Unlike the empty and cold streets of the front district, the roads of the middle district were bustling with activity.

Buses, trucks, and cars squeezed together, honking their horns incessantly, futilely expressing their dissatisfaction with the congested roads.

Electric bikes, tricycles, and motorcycles skillfully weaved through the roads and sidewalks, seeking any available gaps.

People clutched their raincoats tightly, hurrying along in the drizzle.

Vendors hawked various snacks on the roadside; the white smoke billowing from their wares mixed with the exhaust fumes of cars, casting a mysterious veil over the sky.

Riding her balance board, Kim Erise entered the scene, silently observing everything around her.

In the past, she had lived with her parents in a big city. Her favorite thing to do after school was to go to the overpass nearby and overlook the entire city, watching the endless flow of vehicles and people with great interest, the neon lights and huge billboards lighting up at dusk, and the glittering lights of the buildings like stars.

Many times, she would buy some skewers from the snack stalls to fill her stomach before dinner, but often she would become so engrossed in watching that she would miss the dinner time, and her family would scold her.

Her parents were very puzzled by the unique hobby of the red-haired girl, who could watch the bridge for hours without getting tired, and she herself could not offer any profound explanation, only answering simply that it was beautiful.

Perhaps it was because she was fond of the city’s strong human atmosphere, just like now, taking the role of an observer, quietly watching the people of various shapes and sizes, and the details of the streets and alleys.

Kim Erise always felt that such a prosperous and bustling street was the street that a city should truly have, rather than the quiet road of the front district, where you could count the number of people and vehicles on one hand.

Sometimes she even had the urge to move to the top floor of the tallest building in the most prosperous area of the middle district, so that she could appreciate a different kind of human landscape after getting tired of playing games or watching anime every day.

But she gave up because she couldn’t find a house that was spacious, bright, and clean enough.

Not to mention that the food in the middle district was a complete mess—although you could buy a large set meal of chicken chop rice for 10 Obsidian Coins on the delivery website and get free home delivery, the craftsmanship was rough, the taste was too heavy, and it was simply incomparable to the food in the high-end hotels of the front district. Sometimes there could even be a strand of hair or a dead fly.

To sacrifice her appetite for this beauty and to live in a crowded, narrow, and dirty shared apartment, wasn’t worth it, not at all.

For a moment, the scene before her overlapped with the city she lived in when she was a child, allowing the red-haired girl to see the carefree self of her childhood in a daze.

However, even if the city was still the same city, she was no longer the same person she was.

No matter where Kim Erise rode, the people in front of her would hurriedly dodge to both sides, as if two invisible zippers were following her, the former causing the crowd in front to automatically separate to both sides, and the latter would quickly close the crowd behind her, returning to the crowded walkway.

The red-haired girl felt like Moses crossing the Red Sea; wherever she went, the sea automatically parted, making way for a smooth road.

A young man wearing earphones was engrossed in scrolling through his phone, and then he suddenly felt himself being yanked hard, almost falling to the ground.

“What are you doing?”

The short video he was watching was abruptly interrupted, and he glared at his companion beside him: “Are you sick? Why are you pulling my clothes? I almost dropped my phone.”

His companion, however, glared back at him, his face ashen: “You were blocking a magical girl’s path.

If I hadn’t pulled you, either she would have kicked your head in, or the security forces would have invited you to tea tonight.

In short, don’t expect to see the sun tomorrow!”

The youth turned his head and saw the magical girl riding away on her balance board behind him, only then realizing that he had brushed with death, and cold sweat broke out.

He quickly thanked and apologized to his companion.

Kim Erise, who knew nothing about this, turned into a towering residential courtyard after passing another traffic light.

Which was the temporary shelter for the surviving members of the Community Party.

Anjete wasn’t there, guessing that she was stuck on the road—cars couldn’t be compared to people; if the road wasn’t cleared in advance, there was no chance of passing smoothly.

The red-haired girl, having put away her balance board, walked slowly into the hall and, unusually, used the stairs to climb up instead of jumping to the second floor directly.

She pressed the doorbell marked 202.

“Coming, coming—ah, it’s the esteemed Kim Erise!”

Opening the door, Zengman Yinying was wearing a thin nightgown and rubbing her eyes.

Upon seeing the person who had come, she called out joyfully:

“Quick, quick, quick, come in. This room is still a bit messy; please forgive me!”

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s messy or not; you’ll get a better house in a while,” she shrugged indifferently, her lollipop still in her mouth, and then stepped over a large pile of clutter on the ground and entered the small single room, which was estimated to be no more than fifty square meters.

“Also, there’s no need to be so humble, just call me normally, Doctor Zengman.”

“How can I do that? You’re my savior,” the doctor, running to the counter beside the bed, picked up two glasses and placed them on the folding table in the middle of the room, and then skillfully removed the box on the small stool.

“What would you like to drink? I’m sorry, I don’t have any good drinks to entertain you; I only have black tea and wine.”

“Then wine, I’ve never drunk alcohol before, so I’ll just taste it.”

Remembering the cup of tea mixed with a massive dose of anesthetic she had drunk last night, Kim Erise felt a chill down her spine and unhesitatingly eliminated the first option.

“Alrighty.” Zengman Yinying, with a face full of smiles, stepped over a few stacks of clothes on the ground and opened a small refrigerator next to the door, which was one of the few appliances in the small room.

The smell in here is really strong.

The red-haired girl didn’t know what she was smelling, but in short, there was a smell of mold, wood chips, sweat, burning, and even a faint smell of something rotten, whether it came from the toilet, a dead rat, or something else.

She’d bet she wouldn’t last a week living in there.

However, even this small and dilapidated room was a highly sought-after good place to live in the middle district, after all, the vast majority of humans lived in shared apartments of seven or eight square meters.

It was said that humans had given this type of segmented micro-single room a very apt nickname—a coffin.

“You should have received your colleagues yesterday, how is it?”

Although she wanted to sit on the stool very much, Kim Erise, who was still uncomfortable all over, had to continue standing.

“Quite good,” Zengman Yinying replied with a smile, pouring red wine into the two glasses.

“Although many people were injured, and some unfortunately suffered permanent disabilities, everyone’s emotions are very stable, and they’re very grateful that you saved them and preserved the last embers of the Community Party.”

“Mmm, this wine is not bad,” Kim Erise nodded, expressing her approval after taking a sip, and then looked at the other person, who looked tired. “You seem very tired?”

“Indeed,” the doctor, a bit embarrassed, adjusted her messy black short hair and bowed in apology.

“I’m sorry, I was busy treating the wounded and arranging housing yesterday, and only went to bed this morning. I barely woke up just now, so I’m sorry.”

“What’s there to apologize for? And bowing, what’s the point of bowing?” Kim Erise, after finishing the wine in her glass, licked her lips and picked up the wine bottle, pouring for herself.

“In short, I’m here today to recruit your comrades to build a future in Silver Shore City where magical girls and humans can live in harmony.”

“That’s great!” Zengman Yinying said joyfully, raising her glass of wine.

“Many of my comrades are discussing how to continue promoting the activities of the Community Party.

It would be even better if we could go to Silver Shore City with them.”

“That’s just right, since both sides want to be together, working together is probably not a problem,” The red-haired girl brought out the holographic screen on her earpiece, her fingers moving swiftly in the air, entering something.

“Let me see—ah, just right, the Li Sizhuang Hotel, two streets away from here, has enough vacancies.

I’ll book it, and you and your comrades can go there within an hour, and we’ll talk while we eat.”

“But, isn’t that in the front district?” The doctor, who had just brought the glass to her mouth, quickly put it down.

“I’ve fully understood the laws here in Chaska these past few days, and I also know that only magical girls and a very small number of human servants can enter the front district…”

“Aren’t you looking at a magical girl right now?” Looking at the other person with a smile, Kim Erise took another big gulp of wine and pulled out a gold-pink badge from the small white ball on her waist.

“If you get stopped, just take this thing out and tell them it’s approved by Kim Erise, and I guarantee they’ll let you in obediently.”

“Ah, but, won’t this cost you too much…”

“What’s that? Besides, since I’m going to hire you, wouldn’t I have to show some sincerity?

Otherwise, you won’t work with me without money, right? So let’s start with a delicious dinner.”

“Actually,” The doctor became serious for once, tightly grasping the glass in her hand,

“Our Community Party has only one goal, which is to make the world full of beauty, peace, equality, and justice.

The members have already made preparations to sacrifice themselves for the greater good.

They won’t work for money, nor do they need to strive for money.

As long as you are truly for the harmonious future of magical girls and humans, we don’t need any compensation and will become your helpers.”

“No, absolutely not,” The red-haired girl, resting her arms on the table, stared at the wine bottle that was half empty and answered in a low voice,

“Even if the other party is willing to help me voluntarily and without compensation, I must provide the corresponding remuneration. I will absolutely not allow the inner goodness, selflessness, and hope to be exploited again by others in vain.”

“Ah…”

The doctor wanted to argue further, but seeing Kim Erise’s state, her heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Did this immature magical girl have a similar past that she couldn’t bear to look back on?

Or was the truth far more cruel and desperate than it seemed?