Chapter 618: Crossing the Chaos Zone
by xennovel“Name?”
“Lu Xin.”
“Where are you from?”
“Qinggang.”
“What’s your position?”
“I’m the youngest supervisor in the Business Department of the West Branch at Qinggang Satellite City No. 2 Deep Business City.”
“Uh… where to?”
“Flame City.”
“What’s your business?”
“… Final payment collection and a visit to a friend.”
“…”
Arriving at the agent’s post in this Chaos Zone, Lu Xin realized things were not as he had imagined.
He had thought an agent was just someone who talked, collected money, and handed over the pass before letting you go.
But he hadn’t expected it to be on such a large scale.
In a rundown town, a freshly painted building stood against a wall, where a group of gunmen were busy issuing passes. Right beside the town was a tall, imposing checkpoint leading to a wide, smooth “Cargo Route.”
Pay up, get your pass, and you’re free to hit the road.
So he joined the queue, obediently paying, and answering questions as required.
“Final payment collection and a friend visit?”
Checking Lu Xin’s car was a middle-aged man wearing a tilted hat, cradling a gun and puffing on a cigarette — the very man Lu Xin had just saluted. His chest buttons were misaligned on purpose or not, giving him a distinctly off-kilter yet precise aura. While lazily asking Lu Xin various questions, he casually inspected the car.
Listening to Lu Xin’s answer, he couldn’t help but look mildly surprised.
He rarely heard such an explanation.
Without pressing further, he glanced at Lu Xin and asked, “Do you have any official credentials?”
“Official credentials?”
Lu Xin paused for a moment before shaking his head, “None.”
In Qinggang, he belonged to the Special Pollution Cleanup Department, which could count as an official role.
However, the matter of special pollution cleanup had never been publicly acknowledged. Thus, his identity was somewhat unofficial. Moreover, this outing was strictly personal, not an official task.
His title was still the youngest supervisor in the Business Department of the West Branch at Qinggang Satellite City No. 2 Deep Business City.
“No official credentials…”
The man shot another glance at him and said, “Then do you have any faith?”
“Faith?”
Lu Xin was momentarily taken aback, unsure how to answer.
He guessed the question alluded to something like the True Church.
In the Chaos Zone, factions were as diverse as could be, and now it seemed even religious affiliation was a form of identity.
But to be honest, his only interaction with the True Church’s believers had been brief and superficial. After a moment’s thought, he admitted frankly, “I don’t really have any faith…”
His response visibly surprised the man, who scrutinized Lu Xin once more.
After a long pause, he asked, “Do you know anyone here?”
“Well…”
Lu Xin almost wanted to say he did—after all, wasn’t the nearly two-meter-tall village chief considered an acquaintance?
Then again, what was his name again?
Seeing his hesitation, the man nodded as if he had his answer and flashed an odd smile.
He glanced at the record on his sheet then looked up at Lu Xin, saying, “You lack official background, faith, and even a single acquaintance here. And you didn’t even come with a convoy; you drove here alone?”
Lu Xin paused, then asked, “Is that illegal?”
“Not illegal, not illegal…”
Crooked Hat grinned broadly and said, “We welcome guys like you.”
He then lightly kicked Lu Xin’s modified off-road vehicle with both feet and added, “There’s nothing contraband inside, right?”
“Nothing, nothing.”
Lu Xin quickly denied it—he wasn’t that kind of guy.
Although his modified off-road had several hidden guns, in the wasteland guns weren’t classified as contraband, so his words rang true.
Judging from Lu Xin’s expression, the man seemed convinced he wasn’t lying.
Or perhaps he simply didn’t care.
After a short while, he stopped the inspection, raised his chin slightly, and stated, “Three thousand.”
Lu Xin was taken aback, “What?”
Crooked Hat laughed and blew a smoke ring, “A toll fee—three thousand.”
He then spread his hands, giving a slight shake, “Pay the fee, get your pass, and you’re on your way.”
“What the hell?”
Lu Xin’s head buzzed as he found it hard to believe, “Why is it only three thousand?”
“I’m alone…”
“And you aren’t carrying much cargo, nor are you here for business. Just one person and one car—and yet the toll is that high?”
“…”
“Exactly.”
Seeing Lu Xin’s anxious look, the man squinted his eyes in a smile, “Because you’re on your own, without official credentials, no affiliation to any faction, and you don’t know anyone here. That’s why I’m charging you just three thousand…”
“But next time, if you have any connections, come find me—you might get a discount…”
“…”
“You…”
Lu Xin caught the underlying meaning and felt a surge of anger, which he managed to suppress.
Keeping his tone calm, he tried to reason and said with a smile, “Aren’t you breaking your own rules?”
Since Flame City had regulations for agents issuing passes, Lu Xin believed there must be a set standard for toll fees. One person, one car—it shouldn’t cost so much to simply get on the road.
But facing his objection, the man’s face hardened, “What I say is what’s set.”
Lu Xin fell silent; he didn’t like unyielding conversations.
After a brief moment of contemplation, he stepped back, pulled out a cigarette, and called out, “Captain, cut me some slack…”
“I really don’t have that much cash…”
“…”
“Ha ha, driving a car like that and saying you’re broke?”
Crooked Hat chuckled twice at Lu Xin’s words, then glanced at his off-road vehicle and said, “Nice ride.”
“?”
Lu Xin clearly didn’t catch the compliment.
Crooked Hat sneered and pointed toward the distance, “See over there?”
Following his gaze, Lu Xin noticed a line of old, dilapidated cars piled against the wall.
Some had flat, shriveled tires, while others were nothing more than empty shells.
Crooked Hat remarked, “If you’re claiming you’re short on cash, we won’t make it hard on you.”
He added, “Leave that car here and pick one from over there that still runs. That will count as your toll fee.”
“…”
Lu Xin frowned slightly, retrieving the cigarette he’d handed over and placing it back in his mouth.
Then he took out the scalpel his friend from Central City had given him along with his antique lighter, and slowly lit it. Crooked Hat, clearly a connoisseur, couldn’t help but widen his eyes at the sight of the lighter.
“Captain, you’re really going too far…”
As he lit the cigarette, Lu Xin pondered slowly, “How can I lose my car just for a toll?”
At this, Crooked Hat sneered and shot Lu Xin a sideways glance, “What do you want to do?”
“I just want to stick to the rules…”
Lu Xin’s final hope shone in his voice as he continued.
“I’m all about the rules.”
Crooked Hat’s expression instantly darkened. He pulled his gun, aiming it coldly at Lu Xin, and sneered,
“I’m giving you your chance. If you stubbornly refuse to pay…”
“Tell me, where do you think those unwanted cars by the wall come from?”
“…”
Understanding the implication, Lu Xin looked at the gun without flinching.
His face turned resolute as he slowly replied, “If you insist on this, I’ll have no choice but to report you to your superiors…”
“?”
Crooked Hat’s expression grew momentarily puzzled.
After a brief pause, he laughed, glanced at Lu Xin, and suddenly called out, “Captain!”
On a small mound of stacked cargo not far away, a man wearing sunglasses—busy playing cards—peeked over.
Crooked Hat laughed, “Someone’s about to report me.”
Lu Xin looked up at him, “Boss, he’s charging me a three-thousand toll fee, or else he’ll confiscate my car.”
The man with sunglasses paused, glanced at Lu Xin, then turned to Crooked Hat, exhaling a puff as he spat out his cigarette, “Cut the crap. You know the rules. In a bit, get me two thousand.”
“Alright, alright, Captain.”
Crooked Hat bowed exaggeratedly before turning back to Lu Xin, “You heard that?”
“Because of your report, my three thousand turns into one thousand—and your toll fee jumps from three thousand to five thousand.”
“…”
As he finished speaking, his bloodshot, hungover eyes began to squint.
Rustle, rustle…
Several armed men, noticing the commotion, ambled over grinning. Some fiddled with their handguns while others rummaged around, picking up a wooden stick and even blowing on its rusted nail.
It was clear that the nail carried a hint of dark red powder, possibly dried blood.
In an instant, the atmosphere shifted; under the blazing sun, a sense of danger hung in the air.
“In that case…”
Lu Xin’s expression went blank as he bowed his head in deep thought.
Finally, he asked, “Is there any way I can avoid taking this route?”
He looked at Crooked Hat as though offering one last plea.
Already visibly impatient, Crooked Hat’s mouth twitched as though about to curse, but Lu Xin abruptly raised a hand, halting him.
“Enough, I understand.”
Pointing at his off-road, he said, “Let me go check if I can make a detour.”
Crooked Hat glanced at the vehicle, thinking Lu Xin was about to grab some money. With so many barricades around, there was no risk of him causing trouble. He nodded coolly, though the submachine gun at his chest tightened its grip, aimed at Lu Xin’s back.
Unfazed by the threat, Lu Xin calmly opened the car door and climbed in.
…
…
“Ha ha ha ha, the rules have gone out the window. What are you going to do now?”
From the back seat, his father’s voice—cold and tinged with schadenfreude—resounded, clearly enjoying Lu Xin’s plight.
“Rules are the crystallization of human wisdom. Follow them, and you can survive…”
Lu Xin sighed as he inserted the keys, his voice laced with puzzlement, “But how come they don’t value such a fine system?”
“When you can barely survive, taking a few extras isn’t too much…”
“So, isn’t it fair not to abide by rules that leave no room for survival?”
“…”
As he spoke, he suddenly started the car, shifted gears, and slammed on the accelerator.