More than ten years of survival instinct had made Brian Clark extremely vigilant in unfamiliar environments. He always kept a distance of about two meters from others—his optimal attack range—to ensure he could respond calmly to any sudden situation at any time. Navigating swiftly through the forest-like, chaotic piles of trash on the garbage planet was also a physical instinct for him, making him move through crowds like a swimming fish: calm and graceful. Moreover, compared to the people strolling leisurely around him, Brian Clark looked as if he were in a great hurry, but in reality, it was simply because every second on the garbage planet was precious—it could determine every bit of your harvest, or even your very survival!

Brian Clark was like a fierce carnivorous fish swimming among a group of slow, half-asleep fish, making him stand out and seem somewhat out of place.

Old Man once said that outside the garbage planet, people lived peaceful and happy lives. There were no countless, ever-present mutant creatures that could take your life at any moment, no daily scheduled storms, no need to search for food among the trash. They wore fine clothes, ate all kinds of delicious food, and lived leisurely, tranquil lives. They went to school and work every day, had many friends, and there were all sorts of mechas.

Brian Clark once asked Old Man longingly if that place was paradise, but Old Man said it was not. Brian Clark was puzzled—if that wasn’t paradise, what was? As a child, Brian Clark had imagined the outside world countless times in his mind, that mysterious place full of endless dreams.

Now, Brian Clark could finally come into contact with the world he had dreamed of so many times!

Brian Clark didn’t know what he was feeling inside. He walked on in a daze, not even sure where he was.

Brian Clark stared blankly at the ceiling, lost in thought.

By the end of the day, he couldn’t even remember how he got home. A strange emotion lingered in his heart, one he couldn’t quite explain. Everything that happened today would take time for him to process.

Logan Carter also didn’t say a word. His silence made it impossible to guess what calculations his brilliant mind was running at high speed.

The ceiling was unchanged as ever, and the night was as silent as always!

Fifth Section

Since then, Brian Clark truly began to experience the mysterious and fascinating world outside. Here, almost anything you could imagine could be found. Brian Clark quickly grew fond of this world, which, though virtual, felt real. He soon went from being timid at first to moving about with ease.

No one knew what Logan Carter was up to every day—he was always coming and going mysteriously, and once he logged onto the virtual net, he was nowhere to be found.

Brian Clark’s favorite place was a large district called Gutisda. Not only were all kinds of mechas sold here, but there were also many strange accessories and parts. Most importantly, it was a gathering place for many mecha enthusiasts. Every day, many people gathered here to discuss and exchange ideas—most of them were mecha engineers or seasoned veterans. The district administrator had even set up a medium-sized mecha database here, which had once made Brian Clark overjoyed.

Brian Clark loved the strong academic atmosphere here, and the people really liked this studious, inquisitive, and sincere boy, taking great care of him. It was under the guidance of these experts that Brian Clark realized how outdated his knowledge was. But thinking about it, it made sense—everything he knew had been taught by Old Man, who hadn’t had contact with the outside world for decades. It would be strange if knowledge from decades ago wasn’t outdated. Fortunately, Brian Clark’s foundation was extremely solid, and only now did he understand why Old Man had been so strict when teaching him the basics.

A good foundation made learning much more efficient for Brian Clark, and he absorbed new knowledge quickly, which made the uncles and grandpas here look at him with even more favor.

Today, as soon as Brian Clark got home, he climbed into Logan Carter’s cockpit and put on his combat helmet. Although Brian Clark really liked this virtual world, he was not addicted to it. He understood very well that, for him, the garbage planet was his real world. If he ever got lost in the virtual world, he could lose his life at any moment on the dangerous garbage planet! Every time Brian Clark went out, he was extremely cautious, fully alert, and focused.

As soon as he logged onto the virtual net, Brian Clark headed straight for the Gutisda district. But before he could even catch his breath, Logan Carter’s voice suddenly sounded in his mind: “Yezi, I’ll take you somewhere.”

Brian Clark was puzzled. Mu had been coming and going mysteriously these past few days, always disappearing—who knew what he was up to.

Brian Clark asked, “Where to?”

Logan Carter replied, “Just follow me and you’ll see!”

Following Logan Carter’s directions, turning here and there, Brian Clark finally arrived in front of a tall building, where people were coming and going, making the place very lively.

Curious, Brian Clark asked, “Mu, what is this place?”