Chapter 32.1 – Bloody Ferrara (4)
◎ Formation of V587! ◎
Throne Race Competition?
On the day they entered the city, Ilya mentioned this term, but at that time, everyone was more astonished by the identity of the artificial intelligence, so they didn’t pay much attention to it.
And what was the deal with “nourishment”?
The attitude of the citizens of Ferrara towards zombies was drastically different from the people Song Ke encountered in District F and District D. There was a hint of fanatical hunting in their approach.
Zhuang Qingyan leaned forward from his wheelchair, his slender fingers lifting up a poster covered in numerous footprints. He gazed at the words on it and slowly recited, “Smooth roads only make people mediocre. Only flames and thorns can temper the true crown of a king. Hm.”
“Throne Race Competition, hot registration ongoing, address on the back!” Xu Xing also leaned in with his little head.
“If you’re curious, you can go take a look,” Zhuang Qingyan said.
“Yeah,” Song Ke nodded. Once the awakener registration was sorted out, she would go check out this Throne Race Competition. But for now, the priority was to form their team at the commission center.
The group of them arrived at the Ferrara Special Affairs Commission Center again. In just a day, the damaged fountain pool at the entrance had already been repaired. Its surface was as good as new, and the efficiency was astonishing. It seemed that the substantial amount of money paid by Baldy and Crazy Chihori for compensation was not in vain.
As soon as Song Ke stepped into the hall, she saw a crowd gathered around the screen. A chorus of amazed voices kept coming, “It’s ‘Three Grandsons and One Grandpa’ again. How many B-rank commissions is this for them? They’re progressing so quickly; their points must be over a thousand soon, right?”
Song Ke paused her steps. That peculiar team name sounded somewhat familiar, didn’t it? Her gaze involuntarily turned towards the suspended screen in front of her, and as expected, as if replaying yesterday, a holographic projection once again flickered with a new announcement — “Congratulations to Team ‘Three Grandsons and One Grandpa’ for completing B-rank commission xxxx!”
On the overall points leaderboard, this team was also in the lead, sitting comfortably at first place with a score of 966.
The level of commission tasks not only came with corresponding Alliance currency rewards but also carried different point values. For instance, the simplest E-level task was worth 2 points, and the scale increased gradually: D-level was 10 points, C-level was 50 points, B-level was 200 points, and an A-level mission could earn as much as 1000 points. As for the rumored S-level missions, none had appeared so far, and it was said that there was no upper limit to their point rewards. The rapid ascent of the “Three Grandsons and One Grandpa” team, reaching 966 points so quickly, indicated that they had completed at least three or more B-level missions, showcasing their considerable strength and unparalleled popularity.
Their goal was also clear—to gain access to District B.
Cities ranked C and above within the Alliance had strict access regulations. Regular people who wanted to enter a non-residential District C had to apply for short-term entry permits. The reasons could be sightseeing, visiting relatives, official business trips, and more. Once a permit expired or if someone were still in the city without proper authorization, they would become “wanderers,” subject to pursuit by the Alliance’s Citizenship Enforcement Division.
Among the 50 District C areas, only District C72 was an exception. Ferrara, known for its emphasis on art and freedom, welcomed all travelers from afar.
Even for local residents of District C, changing their place of residence wasn’t an easy feat. The naturalization process between different cities was extremely stringent. District C inhabitants aiming for District B faced even greater challenges. Before the apocalypse, joining the Azure Phoenix might have been a shortcut, but with the collapse of order and the increasing awakening of abilities, new rules had been established. The Alliance had recently issued an official announcement that individuals with abilities could gain District B citizenship by accumulating points.
Of course, the required number of points was quite daunting. Transitioning from District C to District B required a whopping 500,000 points.
Song Ke harbored an unspoken desire. She wanted to go outside and explore. Throughout her life, she had hardly left F177 District, venturing only as far as Yue Mountain (E166 District) and Hua City (D99 District). After forming a team this time, she wanted to take on a B-level mission and test her skills. Even if she wasn’t as capable as the “Three Grandsons and One Grandpa” team, she could slowly accumulate points. Who knows, someday she might have the chance to visit District B.
With her dreams in mind, Song Ke approached the service window and said, “Hello, I want to, to form a team.”
A middle-aged woman in uniform inside pushed up her glasses, glanced at Song Ke briefly, and then shifted her gaze away. She paused for a second over Xu Xing’s fuzzy head, another second on Zhuang Qingyan’s legs, two seconds on his face, and finally returned to Song Ke.
A teenager around seventeen or eighteen, a well-behaved child, and… a disabled person in a wheelchair?
She had worked here for five or six years and considered herself to have sharp eyes, but this was the first time she couldn’t tell which two of these three were awakeners.
“Which of you is the captain?”
“Huh?”
“Regardless of who’s the captain, show me your awakener ID.”
“Huh??”
Song Ke was taken aback. Wasn’t it said that regular people could also form teams and take on missions? Why were they asking her for an awakener ID?
The staff member looked skeptical. “Team members can be regular people, but the team captain has to be an awakener. Without an awakener ID, how do you intend to take and complete missions? All terminals require identification.”
Song Ke exclaimed, “Huh?”
The staff member thought she was a rebellious teenager who had gone astray and tried to counsel her with a pained expression. “Young lady, I don’t think you’re an awakener, are you? Look at the three of you… sigh, taking on contracts is very dangerous. Don’t come to cause trouble, okay? Go on, take your brothers back home. Watch a concert of your favorite star, buy some pretty dresses, and live peacefully.”
“If my daughter acted like you, oh my, I’d be so frustrated.”
Song Ke remained silent.
What can I do? What else can I do? I just want to form a team, why is it so difficult?！
Song Ke was left speechless.
Her thoughts were in turmoil.
The entire world for Song Ke had turned dark.
…
By the fountain pool, Song Ke sat down dispiritedly. Her fair chin rested on the back of Zhuang Qingyan’s wheelchair, and her face wore an expression of utter disillusionment.
Zhuang Qingyan, rarely seeing her so listless, patted her head comfortingly. “Don’t be disheartened. There might be other ways. Maybe a ‘kind-hearted person’ will help us?”
Xu Xing squatted beside them, playing with the water. He stuck his finger in, and the water surface immediately froze. He pulled out a finger-shaped ice stick, looking like he had discovered a new land, and he enjoyed it immensely. Soon, all ten of his fingers were solidly frozen.
“Sister, why don’t you just directly register as an awakener?”
“Because I don’t have the money,” Song Ke answered wearily.
“Does it require a lot of money?” Xu Xing asked, puzzled.
“Yeah!” Song Ke nodded vigorously. “10,000 Alliance coins.”
Xu Xing shook his hand, and the ice stick fell with a tinkling sound, revealing his ten white and tender fingers. “Sister, I’ll transfer it to you directly.”
“It’s your, your money,” Song Ke refused. She couldn’t just spend someone else’s money, especially since Xu Xing was just a child.
“It’s okay, sister. Look, I have so much money.”
Xu Xing handed over his new terminal, and Song Ke caught sight of a long string of zeroes that seemed endless.
Alright, let’s correct that. Xu Xing was a “very wealthy” child.
Song Ke still shook her head.
But Xu Xing thought his idea was brilliant and pleaded softly, “Sister, just consider it a loan from me. You can give it back to me after you complete that commission, okay?”
“I want to register as an awakener too, sister~ Will you take me?” Not getting his way, he began to act cute.
Song Ke was worn down by his persistence. “Alright, I’ll ask you, you to lend me first.”
She lifted her chin from the back of the wheelchair, rummaged in her backpack, took out a piece of paper, and wrote a IOU carefully.
“Okay,” Xu Xing brightened up, “let’s go then.”
After saying this, he sneakily glanced at Zhuang Qingyan’s corner of the eye, like a proud little peacock, chin held high. “Hmph!”
Zhuang Qingyan smiled but remained silent.
A little foolish fish, easily caught on a hook, yet blissfully unaware. He’s kind-hearted at least; he shouldn’t spoil his good intentions.
With the support of the little local tyrant Xu Xing, things suddenly became simpler. Soon, Song Ke once again completed the process and obtained her awakener identification – a small needle-type terminal that could circulate in District C, with its jurisdiction located in the area of Ferrara.
Compared to Wu Yarou’s silver-white District B terminal, this one lagged behind in both appearance and functionality. It was like the difference between a basic model and a luxury limited edition. However, Song Ke couldn’t put it down; it was her official ID, marking an end to her days as a black householder.
The girl who was slacking off also told her that once the results of the awakener level were out, they would be synchronized and updated on the terminal. She wouldn’t need to make another trip.
Xu Xing took this opportunity to register as an awakener as well. According to his own account, he “accidentally” lost control of his ice power during the awakener review and nearly stabbed the auditors with ice shards, startling them quite a bit.
“He asked me to conjure a cup of water for him, so I did,” Xu Xing blinked innocently, his expression quite convincing.
