On the enormous floating screen, a virtual news anchor generated by Link Entity was broadcasting the news.
"The current date is January 26, 2417, 7:00 AM. Clear skies. Perfect weather for overtime."
"Yesterday, Barcelona remained peaceful and tranquil. Number of criminal incidents: zero."
Of course, this virtual anchor was not merely someone wearing a digital avatar. It was a genuine character controlled entirely by AI.
"Teacher Vill-V—"
"Teacher Vill-V..."
"Mmm~"
Vill-V's voice still carried the languor of someone who had just woken up. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, then smiled reassuringly at Bronya, who was looking at her with concern. "I'm fine, See... Oh, it's Bronya. I'm just a little sleepy."
"Trackers, go buy me a bottle of MOCCA."
A moment later, Trackers "purchased" a steaming bottle of espresso from a roadside vending machine for zero money, gripped it, and delivered it into Vill-V's hand.
"Thanks, Bronya~"
"You're welcome. Trackers did all the work."
"Beep beep." Trackers displayed a smiling face.
"Odin, you should learn from it. You follow us around like a butler, yet you're not even as considerate as a robot. All you know how to do is rip people's hearts out."
Pardo returned from a round of "reconnaissance" in the surrounding area. Looking visibly dejected, she reported in a disappointed tone, "Sigh, Vill-V, I didn't find any suspicious targets."
Compared with the backward, desolate Second District ravaged by Honkai Beasts from the Seven-Day Tide, and the bloody, terrifying Engraving District densely packed with gangs, the Time District at the very heart of Barcelona seemed completely out of place in Dusk City.
You could not even spot a single cyberpsycho on the streets. Before one could suffer an episode, their psychiatric status certificate would already flash red, and a passing sanitation robot would promptly fork them out of the area.
As a scout, Pardo was still perfectly competent—assuming she was not using reconnaissance as an excuse to search the surrounding area for potential "merchandise."
Professional treasure appraiser Pardo would never overlook any hidden treasure... unless there really was nothing here at all.
Compared with the chaotic Engraving District, this place was simply too clean. Even pedestrians did not carry wallets. Everything valuable they owned was stored in online banks.
"Maybe you could learn from Bronya how to become an internet thief, Pardo. Around here, only hackers can strike it rich."
"Uh, Pardo, I was just mentioning it! Don't actually start pestering Bronya to discuss some master cyber-thief plan!"
"Bronya, don't let your eyes light up just because Pardo tempted you!"
Watching the two suddenly band together, Vill-V could not help pressing her fingers to her temples.
These two little girls, barely past ten years old, still gave Mama Vill-V no peace of mind. Vill-V had no desire to raise an entire pack of troublesome little brats.
Mm. Hua was still the easiest one to take care of.
...
"Our company has always been committed to the ecological development of this city. We can responsibly assure every viewer in front of the screen that the Seven-Day Beast Tide has already been eliminated by our company's new model of drones. This city is completely safe."
Here, an electronic canopy bathed the entire district in brilliant sunshine.
Magnetic flywheel hovercars traveled back and forth along the roads under the regulation of intelligent traffic robots. Between the buildings, people wearing rocket packs could be seen laughing and chatting as they visited friends together. The parks were lush with greenery, and an elderly couple sat on a bench feeding energy blocks to mechanical cats.
Of all these sights, however, the thing that drew Vill-V and the others' attention most was the advertising from Heliopolis Life Sciences.
As a pharmaceutical company, Heliopolis Life Sciences naturally could not remain silent and unobtrusive like some government institution.
Of course, advertisements alone would never have attracted Vill-V and the others' attention.
But these advertisements were projected directly into their faces as three-dimensional holograms. It was impossible not to notice them.
"Science Cures Everything."
"Heliopolis Life Sciences proudly presents its newest anti-aging product, featuring an exclusive formula and natural extracts..."
"Heliopolis Life Sciences, your most trusted name in home healthcare."
"Our company proudly introduces the new 'Seven-Day Tide' Safe Tourism Program, allowing visitors to observe our company's management of the Seven-Day Tide from up close."
After yet another barrage of unavoidable holographic advertisements smacked her in the face, Vill-V grumbled irritably, "Damn it. I bet people get into traffic accidents because of these ads every single day... Pardo, watch out!"
Sensing something, Vill-V grabbed Pardo, who had been leading the group from the front.
Pardo looked confused. "Huh? What's wrong?"
Whoosh!
Everyone saw an advertisement suddenly pop up directly in front of the driver of a magnetic hovercar as it was turning. The driver jerked the steering wheel toward them and crashed straight into a ventilation pipe in front of Pardo.
The ventilation pipe carried high-pressure gas. The moment the hovercar crashed into it, it exploded, blasting everything nearby to pieces.
Fortunately, Vill-V had pulled Pardo back from a distance well in advance. Otherwise, Pardo would have been caught in the explosion too.
Having narrowly escaped disaster, Pardo patted her little chest with lingering fear. "Phew. Good thing you warned me, Vill-V. I knew you were my lucky boss. But Vill-V, how did you know there was going to be a traffic accident up ahead?"
Vill-V scratched the back of her head and speculated somewhat uncertainly, "Hmm... a beautiful girl's sixth sense?"
"A beautiful girl's sixth sense is amazing!" Pardo wanted that ability too. "But I probably don't count as a beautiful girl, do I? Sigh, I'm so jealous that Vill-V was born so pretty."
When it came to flattery, Pardo was first-rate.
Vill-V rubbed Pardo's little head. "Don't sell yourself short. You're already very cute, Pardo~"
Odin stared meaningfully at Vill-V for a long while.
"I didn't expect Heliopolis Life Sciences to be so diligent about placing advertisements. We barely saw any in the Engraving District or Second District."
Watching Heliopolis Life Sciences's emergency response team arrive to perform first aid, Hua wore a thoughtful expression.
Bronya projected a diagram displaying the equity relationships between the companies and explained, "That's because the 'advertisements' Heliopolis Life Sciences places in the Engraving District and Second District aren't really advertisements at all. They're things like high-price offers to purchase human organs and recruitment notices for human experimentation. Heliopolis Life Sciences outsources all of that to media companies."
"Just like mercenaries, many people here will even kill for that money. That's also one of the reasons gangs are so widespread."
...
Only people equipped with brain-interface chips who had passed a series of tests and agreements were permitted to enter the Time District. Vill-V and the others naturally had none, but with Bronya's help, that was not much of a problem.
The bigger problem was Odin. He was currently on Heliopolis Life Sciences's red-list wanted registry, and he even had one of Heliopolis Life Sciences's military-grade special-class brain-interface chips installed in his body.
Yet judging by how completely unconcerned he looked, he clearly did not care in the slightest about attracting Heliopolis Life Sciences's attention toward Vill-V and the others.
If they simply let him be, Vill-V's group would undoubtedly be greeted by the highest level of firepower Heliopolis Life Sciences possessed.
As it happened, some "company" managers enjoyed playing "hunts" on public roads.
They would drive sports cars while chasing "prey." The prey could be machines, wild beasts, or even... people who had lost their proof of identity.
Right before Vill-V and the others, several sports cars came roaring toward them from the distance in pursuit of their prey.