Toot—!
The deafening whistle of the steam train echoed through the station. A heavy armored steam train rumbled over the tracks, slowly pulling into the platform of the Upper City District of Steam City, with a harsh metallic screech.
"Miss, we've arrived."
"Mm."
Chen Xing, who had been resting with her eyes closed for a long time, opened them and turned to look out the window. From this angle, she could take in the distinct Upper and Lower City Districts of Steam City. Outside the platform, the prosperity and bustling activity of the Upper City were visible to the naked eye. On the wide roads, many special steam cars drove, occasionally honking their horns to urge the vehicles ahead to move faster. On both sides of the road, brass buildings and various advertisements intertwined. This created a unique urban aesthetic, strangely reminiscent of a post-apocalyptic era.
However, what truly captured Chen Xing's gaze were the massive, crisscrossing steam pipes that looked like the city's veins, marking the boundary between Steam City's Upper and Lower City Districts. These pipes extended downwards along the terrain's slope, finally disappearing into the Lower City District of Steam City, known as 'Rust Iron Purgatory.'
Unlike the gleaming splendor of the Upper City, Chen Xing, relying on her exceptional vision, vaguely glimpsed the unique sights of that 'valley hell.' Dilapidated tin shacks huddled in the crevices and shadows formed by the tangled pipes. All around, mountains of metal scrap and various industrial waste piled up. Even without descending into the Lower City, Chen Xing could imagine the acrid smell of machine oil and rust mixed in the air.
And the harsh environment was only one aspect. Not far from these mountains of trash, several tiny figures clung to the outer walls of the pipes, diligently working. They were only secured by simple safety ropes, their bare arms tirelessly scraping off rust clinging to the giant steam pipes. Considering the height at which they were working, and the temperature of the steam, Chen Xing's brows subtly furrowed. This wasn't because she sympathized with these people so much, but simply because she found it somewhat absurd.
Given what she knew about Steam City's technological level, such basic pipe cleaning work could be entirely handled by automated machinery, efficiently and safely. Yet, the rulers of Steam City seemed utterly oblivious to this. They preferred to use the most primitive human labor rather than relatively inexpensive automated machinery. It was as if, to them, machines were far more valuable than people. This was undoubtedly ironic.
As a 'second-tier city' of the New Federation, Steam City might not compare to the 'Seven Floating Cities,' but it was still significantly more advanced than many other cities. Yet, in Chen Xing's eyes, this self-proclaimed 'city of progress' was filled with rigidity, conservatism, and nauseating decay.
"It seems the higher-ups here are far more corrupt than I imagined..."
Even with just a simple glance, the intelligent Chen Xing had roughly deduced the situation Steam City was facing. Because only those worms who feared change would cling tightly to their outdated 'power,' letting the lower classes struggle in the mud.
"Miss?"
Fox's reminder came from beside her. The old man, who was both her guardian and butler, had a gentle gaze but an undeniable reminder that their trip was for a family mission, not for sightseeing. Chen Xing returned to her senses and rose from her seat.
"Let's go, Uncle Fox." She looked straight out the window at the bustling prosperity of Steam City's Upper City, her voice carrying a hint of coolness. "Some people might have stayed too long in this place far from the Floating Cities, to the point where they've probably forgotten that the Blazing Sun Family's patience isn't infinite."
Fox bowed and replied, "Yes, Miss. After all, even the best steel embryo needs to be tempered by fire to remove impurities."
"Although they are just impurities, using them to pave the way for Miss is undoubtedly a good use for them." As he spoke, his gaze fell on a pair of ordinary-looking sunglasses Chen Xing had placed by the train window. Chen Xing had worn these sunglasses almost constantly since the very first day she appeared in the Blazing Sun Family, practically inseparable from them.
Noticing Fox's gaze, Chen Xing asked, "What is it, Uncle Fox?"
Fox chose not to hide his curiosity and directly voiced what was on his mind. "Miss, there's actually something I've always wanted to ask."
"Even though you rarely wear these sunglasses on a daily basis, why do you always keep them with you? Do they hold some special meaning to you?"
Hearing this, Chen Xing paused. Then she picked up the sunglasses from the window, her fingertips gently caressing the slightly cool frame. A fleeting, hard-to-catch memory flickered in her eyes. After a moment, she averted her gaze, her voice calm but laden with heavy meaning.
"Uncle Fox, have you ever had the experience of trying to catch up, no matter how hard you tried, but always remaining far behind?"
Fox shook his head. His nature was relatively peaceful, and he rarely challenged things that seemed impossible to achieve. Seeing his reaction, Chen Xing was not surprised.
"But I have." Chen Xing looked down at the sunglasses in her hand, as if recalling something. "Uncle Fox, it's actually a very fortunate thing to have someone always walking ahead of you."
"Because that way, you won't be lost, and you won't lose your direction. You just need to try your best to catch up to him, and then find a way to surpass him."
"But longing is also the farthest distance from understanding."
"Because longing will make you only see his back, solely focused on surpassing him, while overlooking some very precious things..."
"Overlooking what?"
"Overlooking several precious opportunities to understand him."
At this, Chen Xing raised the sunglasses in her hand and said seriously, "And their existence reminds me constantly that some opportunities, once missed, can never be found again."
"I will never allow myself to have such regrets again."
"Even if this regret... is already almost irreparable."
Fox nodded silently. Although he did not know the details of the past events Chen Xing spoke of, he could discern a near-obsessive determination in her slightly wistful tone. It was clear that the Blazing Sun Family's 'Demon Blade,' who always presented herself as 'strong,' also had her own vulnerable side. It was just that outsiders simply couldn't see it.
Chen Xing evidently had no intention of dwelling further on this topic. She immediately put away her sunglasses and said, "Let's go, Uncle Fox. It's time to meet the 'big shots' here." With that, Chen Xing stepped out of the first-class cabin first, her black cloak tracing a sharp arc behind her. Fox followed closely, carrying a simple satchel. Their figures quickly disappeared into the thin steam mist at the station exit.
As for their first stop, it was the Steam City branch of the Star Emissary Association. Because, as per custom, high-ranking Star Emissaries arriving in a new city needed to report to the local Star Emissary Association first. Only by doing so could many unnecessary misunderstandings and troubles be avoided.
What Chen Xing did not expect, however, was that today happened to be the day the Steam Branch was selecting its Fifth Squad Captain. And here, she would unexpectedly encounter someone she had once thought she would never see again.
As for whether she could seize that fleeting opportunity this time... that remained to be seen.