So-Called Karma 4

Lu Mingqiu had her suspicions, chief among them that the Church must have built a hidden base, its primary purpose human experimentation.

It wasn't as if she had no reason for this line of thinking—the Church's record of misdeeds stretched back a long way. Fresh ingredients spoiled quickly, and since the subjects' meals didn't need to be particularly good anyway, many experimental subjects didn't survive long. Compressed food was the best choice—more food if more survived, less if fewer.

The task of scouting out the situation could have been delegated to subordinates.

Although the Resistance didn't typically emphasize rank, Lu Mingqiu's position was important. Such running-around missions shouldn't have been hers to undertake.

Her time was better spent on overarching matters.

But she noticed Yan Xianchuan seemed dispirited, and there hadn't been any major events recently, so she decided to come personally and bring her along for the trip.

People who remain confined to the same environment for extended periods easily feel mental fatigue.

The journey from Lipeia to Walnut Town mostly wound through mountainous terrain. The road cut through forests, where most trees were pines and birches, with straight trunks and lush canopies like green umbrellas.

Autumn had arrived, and many leaves were showing hints of yellow.

The sky here was bluer, a very pale blue, with no clouds. Occasionally, migratory birds flew overhead in V-formations, silently passing by.

In the rattling car, accompanied by the forest-scented breeze, even time seemed to slow.

Lu Mingqiu had rented a Jeep with plenty of horsepower, but she didn't drive fast. After crossing another underpass, the speed bump caused an unavoidable jolt, shaking the occupants.

Such a carefree atmosphere was rare in Yan Xianchuan's memory. She secretly glanced at the driver again.

"Is there a flower on my face?" Lu Mingqiu suddenly said.

"No!" Yan Xianchuan refuted hastily, racking her brain for a distraction. "That box you mentioned—what did you pack in it?"

"A drone," Lu Mingqiu said. "But it's shaped like a bird, with a camera for eyes, so it's more covert."

"Once we reach the outskirts of Walnut Town, we'll need to find a place to hide the car and walk the rest."

Yan Xianchuan understood—driving would be too conspicuous and noisy.

They drove on, passing a few cars at first, but the closer they got to their destination, the quieter the road became. No villages, no signs of human life.

They were like lone explorers heading into the unknown. In the vast world, besides flowers, birds, fish, and insects, there were only the two of them.

Under these circumstances, a car suddenly appearing and driving straight toward Walnut Town would certainly draw attention. Abandoning the vehicle and proceeding on foot was the best option.

Lu Mingqiu studied the map, turned the steering wheel, and drove off the main road onto a side path. They went deeper until the car was hidden from the main road, then she turned off the engine.

Lu Mingqiu got out, opened the trunk, and took out a suitcase. From it, she retrieved a box. After scanning her fingerprint, the lid opened to reveal a sparrow lying inside.

Yan Xianchuan leaned in to look. The little drone looked just like a real sparrow, with brown-black downy feathers and shiny black round eyes.

When the switch was activated, it blinked, hopped out of the box, flapped its wings a few times, and landed on the lid. It tilted its head to look at the humans before it, then turned to preen its feathers. Finally, it chirped a few times, its voice crisp and exactly like that of a real, living sparrow.

Amazing.

"It has a certain level of intelligence and can mimic sparrow behavior," Lu Mingqiu said, taking a chip from the box. She reached behind her ear and swiped; the simulated skin peeled away, revealing two ports underneath.

She removed a green chip and inserted the black one, then placed the old chip in the small box.

The port was hidden again. Lu Mingqiu pulled up a floating screen and tapped at it. After a moment, the bird-shaped drone flapped its wings, lifted off, and flew ahead without looking back.

"Can it fly that far?" Yan Xianchuan looked up as the bird became a black dot.

"Of course not," Lu Mingqiu said with a slight smile. "Just a test."

Two minutes later, the sparrow flew back. Yan Xianchuan held out her hand, and it landed on her palm, pecking at her fingers with its tiny pointed beak.

Lu Mingqiu smiled at the scene. The command was executed accurately—good. She also reviewed the transmitted video, which was clear and stable—good.

The R&D department had come up with another new model, supposedly with upgraded intelligence to give it more bird-like traits, even able to pretend to forage and blend into flocks.

Since it was given to her, it must have passed testing without major issues, but Lu Mingqiu still cautiously tried it first.

"It's about six kilometers to Walnut Town from here, so we'll have to walk half the way," Lu Mingqiu said, glancing at the sparrow. She tapped the floating screen, and it flew from Yan Xianchuan's palm to perch on her shoulder. "We'll go through the woods."

The tiny bird claws gripping her clothes made Yan Xianchuan, who had been leaning crookedly against the car, immediately straighten up. She squared her shoulders, standing straighter than a level.

"Okay," she said, keeping her posture perfect and eyes forward, about to step into the woods.

"It's the other way," Lu Mingqiu said, unable to suppress a laugh.

Without so much as a blush, Yan Xianchuan turned around. She hadn't taken two steps before she picked up a long, straight stick and used it to push aside branches ahead of her.

"Do you really like small animals?" Lu Mingqiu asked.

Yan Xianchuan thought seriously for a moment. "Compared to humans, I do have more patience for animals. If a cat and a person were both drowning, I would definitely save the cat."

She rolled her eyes. "And you?"

Lu Mingqiu treated the question with equal seriousness. She thought for a while before answering: "If I could, I would save both. If I could only save one, I'd save whichever was closer."

"I thought you'd say you'd save the person," Yan Xianchuan said.

"Life has no hierarchy," Lu Mingqiu said softly, like a mountain breeze. "And I don't love humans that, that much."

"At least not as much as you imagine."

"But you joined the Resistance..." Yan Xianchuan was genuinely puzzled.

The Resistance was an organization that truly served the people, drawing its blade against the rulers to achieve social equality. All of its actions were aimed at eliminating the conglomerates, giving everyone the opportunity to develop and grow, to have the right to free choice.

Lu Mingqiu, who held such ideals, how could she not favor humans more?

"I'm a person who pursues ideals," Lu Mingqiu said only this, with no further explanation.

There was no path in the forest, only shrubs and weeds—some waist-high, some only ankle-deep. Walking was difficult.

But because it was rarely visited, there was abundant wildlife. Along the way, Yan Xianchuan spotted several squirrels, unfamiliar birds, and even a brown-black snake slithering lazily across the ground.

Yellow or white mushrooms grew at the bases of trees; some pushed up dead leaves, revealing half of a white stem, while others were glossy like egg yolks, and some were red like umbrellas. They grew in clusters or singly, visible every few steps.

"Can we eat these?" Yan Xianchuan pointed. "We could pick some on the way back."

Lu Mingqiu followed her gaze to a group of small, pure yellow mushrooms that looked like paint. She couldn't help but laugh. "These are poisonous—not edible."

"We could pick some if you want, but better to go somewhere else. Staying here too long isn't safe."

Yan Xianchuan nodded.

Three kilometers wasn't far, but forging a path where none existed took considerable time.

After climbing over a hill, Yan Xianchuan looked down and vaguely saw a small town, half hidden by another mountain. A few tall buildings; it wasn't large. "Is that it?"

Lu Mingqiu climbed up too. "Yes. We're close enough."

The little bird, which had been resting on Yan Xianchuan's shoulder, spread its wings and flew off toward the town.

Lu Mingqiu pulled up the floating screen and shared access with her companion so she could see the feed.

The mechanical bird flew fast, matching the speed of a real sparrow. The trees flashed by beneath it, and the video was clear. Both watched intently as they saw fields gone fallow and overgrown with weeds. Near or far, by rivers or in fields—no people anywhere.

Approaching the town, the sparrow slowed and landed on a utility pole, joining other birds. Its black eyes—actually cameras—zoomed in silently, bringing the scene closer.

The town still retained its pre-Great Cleansing architectural style. The buildings were low, only four or five stories, with most of the white paint peeling to reveal mottled gray concrete.

Oddly, the town was empty. No one was walking about.

The sparrow flapped its wings and flew into town.

The streets were deserted. A handcart stood alone by the roadside, its top rusted. Cars were parked one after another in spaces along the street, all covered in dust and mud.

The sparrow eyed the residential buildings—every single household had its curtains drawn, sealing the interiors completely.

If the town had been truly abandoned, there was no way all the curtains would be closed. That would be chaotic and disorderly.

There were still people in the town, and probably a good number of them.

So why didn't they go out, work the fields, or do anything? Why did they stay indoors?

Lu Mingqiu piloted the sparrow in a loop around the town. Everywhere she looked was the same: curtains drawn tight without a crack, and all kinds of shops—restaurants, supermarkets—had been vacant for a long time, their signs rusted and dusty, untouched and unused.

"That's strange," Yan Xianchuan muttered.

Just then, several people in white protective suits emerged from somewhere. Pushing carts, they entered a residential building. After a while, they came out, their carts empty.

The two went back, turned a corner, and suddenly vanished. Another two appeared, pushing carts, heading into a different building. Lu Mingqiu's gaze sharpened. She zoomed in, trying to see what was on the carts.

The boxes were rectangular with translucent lids. The image magnified until the two could clearly see the contents—they were meals. Lunch boxes.

The two entered, and a while later came out with empty carts—they were delivering food to the people inside.

As they pushed their carts away, the sparrow took off, pretending to pass by, recording the scene faithfully.

The two figures, still pushing their carts, walked straight toward a wall and disappeared into it as if melting.

Behind the wall lay another world.