Chapter 29 – Bloody Ferrara (1)
◎Ilya knows everything◎
“Are you sad?”
“What?”
Zhuang Qingyan observed Song Ke’s expression and asked again, “Are you sad?”
Song Ke shook her head. She and Jiang Rui, Tian Yi, and the others were always destined to be apart. She had been mentally prepared for it from the beginning.
Zhuang Qingyan ‘tsk tsk’ed’ and hinted, “I think… he’s quite sad.”
This “he” didn’t need to be explicitly mentioned; it naturally referred to Jiang Rui.
Song Ke slightly furrowed her brow, looking puzzled.
“He is an, an awakener. He can protect himself, no, no need to be sad.”
They were talking past each other; what they said was fundamentally different.
Zhuang Qingyan found it amusing in his mind, “Well, it’s good that you’re not sad. It’s just a pity… Fallen flowers have intentions, flowing water is heartless…”
Song Ke kicked the wheelchair, saying, “Don’t be so cryptic.”
Zhuang Qingyan hissed, “Song Keke, I’m warning you officially, we only have this one wheelchair!”
Song Ke stomped her foot, “Don’t call me Song Keke!”
Playfully returning to the base, there were already two military pickups parked at the entrance. Wu Juemin had given everyone just ten minutes to pack up, and they were set to depart on time.
Song Ke only had a backpack with her belongings, travelling light. She saw logistics personnel moving things around, there were several large and small suitcases. Worth noting, the people from Azure Phoenix military squad were just like her, empty-handed, walking in a carefree manner. She suddenly recalled the powerful mobile artillery she had seen near the formation point before, the ones used to bombard zombies. She quickly went to ask Zhuang Qingyan.
Zhuang Qingyan gave a concise answer, “Spatial abilities.”
The fact that the military possessed spatial containers wasn’t much of a secret, and Song Ke would know sooner or later.
Song Ke suddenly gained a new piece of knowledge and was greatly surprised. She bombarded him with questions, nearly leaving herself breathless. Zhuang Qingyan simply handed her the necklace he had obtained from Wu Yarou. After pondering for a while, she learned how to activate it with her mental power. She became completely absorbed in it, walking slowly and absentmindedly. She was still playing with it, opening and closing it repeatedly, even when they were about to board the vehicle.
Zhuang Qingyan: “…”
You must have too much mental power to spare, right?
Wu Juemin and An Qiwen were in the first pickup truck. Because Song Ke had delayed a bit while playing with the necklace, when she arrived, it was already full. So, she and Zhuang Qingyan turned towards the second truck.
The back compartment of the second truck was spacious. Someone had turned on the radio, and melodious songs occasionally played.
Song Ke unintentionally noticed that Maeda Jiu, sitting across from her, had a slight smile at the corner of his mouth. It was a rare and joyful expression. This was the first time she had seen Maeda Jiu smile. A tiny flame of curiosity ignited in her heart. She discreetly tugged at Zhuang Qingyan’s sleeve, urging him to look as well.
As the pleasant melody gradually came to an end, the person sitting next to the radio was about to switch the song. A young team member named Xiong Ping spoke up, “Hey, don’t change it. Vice Captain loves this song. It’s his goddess!”
“Pfft—! Whose goddess?” Ouyang Pei sprayed out a mouthful of water, realizing he was being too loud. He quickly lowered his voice, “No way, right? Someone like Vice Captain Maeda, who’s usually so stern and serious, actually chasing after a celebrity?”
Maeda Jiu’s esper ability was an air barrier. He was usually strict and reserved, rarely smiling or speaking much. He held a reputation in the team second only to Wu Juemin. Ouyang Pei couldn’t believe that someone as stiff as him, always looking like he was scolding others, would actually be a fan of a celebrity. And even claim that celebrity as his goddess?
“Who’s Vice Captain’s goddess?” Ouyang Pei suddenly seemed to uncover a great secret, his expression excited and eager.
“Do you guys know Lin Youyou? The sweetest songstress in Ferrara, the superstar who’s famous throughout Disrict C.”
“Ahh~ I’ve heard of her!” Wang Qiang joined in on the excitement, and the three of them huddled close together, murmuring to each other, “Isn’t she the one who sang ‘Thank You for Loving Me’? That song’s been a hit for so long, with over a billion views on the star network.”
“I thank you~ for your honeyed~ words! Sweet words, I thank you~ for your honey~ed lips! A sword in the belly~”
“Get lost, that’s not how it goes!”
“That’s not how it goes? That’s exactly how it goes! Let me sing it for you, so you can listen carefully.”
“I thank yooou~ for your honeyyy—!!!”
“Bang!”
Maeda Jiu’s fist struck the compartment wall, his voice sharp, “Shut up.”
His face darkened, and he said something very fast in his hometown’s dialect, sounding like he was cursing someone.
Wang Qiang’s face turned bright red, while Ouyang Pei and Xiong Ping beside him struggled not to burst into laughter. Their facial features twisted in an oddly pained manner, holding back their mirth with great effort.
Aside from this somewhat discordant little incident, the atmosphere in the compartment remained quite relaxed.
Song Ke saw several members of Azure Phoenix handing torn uniforms to a middle-aged man in a corner. She vaguely remembered him because An Qiwen, with his booming voice, had once exclaimed incredulously, “What? A grown man’s supernatural ability is actually embroidery?!”
It was said that he was an E-level awakener named Wu Xianghai. His ability was extremely rare – something like “stitching.” He could mend two different things together. Since Azure Phoenix military squad had a limited supply of uniforms and they were frequently damaged, they would seek him out whenever there was a tear. His repairs were so well done that the mended parts looked as good as new.
However, Wu Xianghai was small in stature, with sparse eyebrows and restless eyes that constantly darted around, as if he was plotting something. In Zhuang Qingyan’s words, he was described as “shifty-eyed and sneaky.” Though he indeed had a sharp tongue, the description was spot on. After encountering Wu Xianghai, Song Ke had to believe that a person’s awakened supernatural ability was truly entirely random.
On the horizon outside the window, the sun was slowly rising, and the two pickup trucks raced forward as if chasing after the afterglow of dawn. This was the most relaxed morning Song Ke had experienced since the apocalypse.
No zombies, no insect swarms, and no endless slaughter.
Her entire face was bathed in sunlight, and she silently exclaimed, ‘Let’s go, District C72!’
…
After three days and two nights of travel, Wu Juemin’s group safely arrived on the outskirts of Ferrara.
Song Ke eagerly stuck her head out of the window, feeling the cool breeze on her face, causing her shoulder-length black hair to flutter and fly.
At a distance, they could already catch a glimpse of a corner of Ferrara.
Massive neon signs floated in the air, and the dreamy Ferris wheel gleamed like a diamond ring. High-frequency searchlights, balloons, and ribbons all shimmered, while high-tech holographic billboards continually changed images. Steam-powered flower boats weaved between countless skyscrapers.
Ferrara truly lived up to its status as a C-level city, with its technological advancement vastly surpassing that of Hua City.
As the pickup trucks entered the city through the main road, the path was smooth and unobstructed. A wandering musician playing the guitar leaned against the city gate and upon seeing them, smiled brightly. He warmly sang while dancing around the vehicles, “Ferrara~ the free Ferrara, it’s the dream you linger in~”
Their exaggerated performance startled Song Ke, and she silently withdrew her head.
After a while, she whispered to Zhuang Qingyan, “Aren’t there safety checks here?”
After all, this was District C. Wasn’t this too lax? Even their District F had sentries stationed!
Zhuang Qingyan, also gazing outside, had the blurry lights reflecting on his profile, making his expression all the more intriguing.
“Ferrara prides itself on freedom and art, welcoming every traveler from afar.”
“However, while they may welcome you, it’s not guaranteed they’ll let you stay.”
Indeed, Ferrara’s security was indeed good. The city was bustling with constant foot traffic, but not a single zombie could be seen along the way. It was as if the apocalypse Song Ke and her group had experienced in Hua City was just an illusion.
The two pickup trucks eventually parked on the outskirts of the square. Going further into the inner streets was impossible due to their narrowness and heavy pedestrian traffic.
When Song Ke got out of the truck, dozens of cool motorbikes zoomed past her, creating a chaotic scene. The convoy had barely moved about ten meters when the intense music continued pounding in her eardrums.
Song Ke raised her head, and the surrounding streets were adorned with colorful lights, constantly flashing in a blingbling manner. She stared for a few seconds, only to find herself dazzled. Looking upwards, she saw towering skyscrapers that seemed to reach the clouds. Their steel and concrete exteriors emitted an intangible sense of pressure in the night. The whole city was enveloped in a light purple, dream-like haze.
As Wu Juemin and his team got off the truck and walked only a few steps, the time struck exactly eight o’clock. Suddenly, the massive clock high in the air of Ferrara chimed.
“Dang-dang-dang.”
After three chimes, everyone on the streets and within the skyscrapers stopped their actions and looked up.
Amidst numerous flower boats, between two towering towers, a giant searchlight projected a holographic image. A slender figure gradually emerged and became clearer. He had a brilliant and dazzling head of golden hair, a flawless face, and was dressed in a sharp, pure white suit. From an exterior perspective, he was beautiful and ethereal, so much so that it was difficult to determine his gender at first glance.
The man placed one hand in front of his chest and executed an incredibly graceful gentleman’s bow. “I’m pleased that new travelers have come to Ferrara today.”
His lustrous eyes surveyed the crowd, and a slight smile graced his lips. “Let’s welcome them to the true paradise!”
“Hm… let’s sing ‘Paradise’ once.”
Cheers, whistles, and deafening applause erupted. The atmosphere in the square was exceptionally fervent.
The man extended his right hand and casually gestured. The surroundings seemed to blur, and suddenly Song Ke saw countless flowers blooming, and heard the enchanting voices reminiscent of sea nymphs, and the super stereo sound lingered in everyone’s ears, completely immersing the city in a wave of music.
The crowd descended into madness, their eyes filled with obsession as they elevated the man to the highest pedestal of idolization, shouting their hearts out.
“Ilya! Ilya! Ilya!”
“Alright~ The carnival is over. Let me reveal a little secret: the Throne Race Competition is currently accepting registrations. Ilya has prepared generous rewards, so everyone must remember to participate~” Ilya playfully blinked, setting off another wave of cheers.
As the spotlight dimmed, the holographic projection vanished, and Ilya’s figure disappeared along with it. However, the impact he brought lingered for a long time. The citizens of Ferrara gazed towards the direction of the towers, only regretting that time passed too quickly.
Song Ke was left stunned. Who was this person, a superstar?
“Captain Wu, who is that?” someone from the logistics team couldn’t help but ask.
Wu Juemin stared in the direction where the man had disappeared for a few seconds before saying solemnly, “Ilya, the magistrate of District C72, the Lord of Ferrara.”
“Is he ve-very impressive?” Otherwise, why were so many people going crazy for him?
“It’s not ‘he,’ it’s ‘it’,” Zhuang Qingyan corrected, using a gender-neutral term in the common language of the Alliance.
“Ilya is an artificial intelligence.”
Song Ke: “!!!!”
…
District C72, Ferrara, the City of Art and Freedom, was also the sole city within the Alliance entirely governed by artificial intelligence.
The Lord of Ferrara was elected by its citizens.
Initially, Ilya was the most beloved virtual idol in Ferrara. However, in one of the city’s elections for Lord, for some unknown reason, Ilya’s name appeared in the final list of five candidates, alongside a group of insincere and calculating politicians, making it seem entirely out of place.
After all, it was merely a heap of data, even if it had a bit of popularity, could it really replace humans?
The competing candidates scoffed at this idea, considering Ilya the biggest joke of the year. Yet, they still ordered the error to be rectified quickly. However, the final voting results left everyone dumbfounded. Ilya was elected as the Lord with an astonishing 90% support rate.
The defeated politicians were initially in disbelief, then they cursed continuously, “Damn it, have all these artists in Ferrara gone crazy?”
It was too absurd! What a joke!!
How could a machine possibly govern a city?
But the reality turned out to be quite the opposite. After Ilya’s election, Ferrara flourished, and even the crime rate steadily decreased.
In Ferrara, everyone had heard a saying: “Ilya knows everything.”
No matter what you had done, you were under the surveillance of artificial intelligence.
**TN
honeyed words, a sword in the belly (idiom); fig. hypocritical and murderous
