Chapter 14: The Independent City Within the Great Wall

Neo Aonan.

There were so many things here that felt familiar to Luo Yan—
Towering skyscrapers, congested traffic, salesmen gripping briefcases as they rushed by, fashionably dressed young women turning heads on the street, uniformed students lingering in front of newsstands, middle-aged couples playing with their dogs in neighborhood parks, and even an old man napping contentedly in a rattan rocking chair by the roadside…

Yet despite all of these comforting sights, she couldn’t trick herself into thinking this was the world she once knew.

Because there were always things—quietly but unmistakably present—that reminded her just how different this world really was.

Armed security patrols forming up at intervals.
Sleek, silver-white service robots stationed at intersections.
Drones circling overhead, quietly scanning the streets with sensors and cameras.

Each of these things drove home the point:
This wasn’t home. Not really.

And then came the biggest shock of all.

Neo Aonan was a city enclosed by a colossal alloy wall.

The wall was nearly sixty meters high—about the height of a 20-story building. From where she sat, it looked less like a wall and more like a chain of silver-gray mountains ringing the city.

“Big Sister Luo Yan, are you staring at Big Gray?”
Inside the car, Lu Xiaona tilted her head, catching Luo Yan’s gaze out the window.

Maybe it was because she was genuinely grateful to Luo Yan for saving her life—or maybe she was just incredibly curious about this mysterious powerhouse from far away—but Lu Xiaona had been talking nonstop the entire ride, energetic and cheerful like a professional tour guide.

Every time Luo Yan so much as glanced at something, she’d start explaining it in detail.

Luo Yan couldn’t help but appreciate it.

She was still at the “just landed” stage when it came to understanding this world, and she really needed someone to give her a crash course.

“…Big Gray?” she echoed, caught off guard.

“Oh! I forgot you’re not from Neo Aonan,” Lu Xiaona said with a grin. “The official name is the Isolation Wall, but most people call it the Big Gray Wall. I’m lazier—I just call it Big Gray.”

She laughed. “Kind of sounds like a dog’s name, doesn’t it? Actually, that’s the point! We treat it like a giant watchdog. There are all kinds of dangers outside the city—Hemolysis patients, mutated beasts like Corpse Hounds and Iron-Toothed Tigers, armed terrorist groups, criminal syndicates… even pirates if you go out to the coastal zones.”

“So Big Gray’s like our most loyal guardian. With it standing there, people feel safer.”

“I see…”
Luo Yan nodded, though her mind was already brimming with questions.

Lu Xiaona had casually listed off a string of apocalyptic-sounding threats—
And yet, Luo Yan had encountered none of them on her journey here.

Well, okay—there was that skirmish with Mr. Z’s group.
But mutated beasts? Hemolysis patients? Terrorists? Pirates?

She hadn’t seen a single one.

In fact, she’d barely even seen normal wildlife along the way.

Why was that? Did I just happen to take a safe route? Or am I really just that lucky…?

She opened her mouth to ask, then stopped herself.

As curious as she was about Hemolysis, the Isolation Wall, and these mutated beasts, it was probably better not to ask too many questions.

From Lu Xiaona’s tone, these things were clearly common knowledge to locals.

If she asked too much too fast, it might raise suspicion.

Anyway, she was planning to stay in Neo Aonan for a while.
She’d find answers eventually.

Lu Xiaona’s “spare house” was only about ten minutes from the hospital.

Despite being labeled “vacant,” it turned out to be a detached villa in a high-end residential district.

A well-maintained garden framed the entrance, filled with neatly trimmed hedges and perfectly arranged flowers. Clearly someone was taking care of it.

Inside, the villa was tastefully decorated in a clean, modern style. All the essential furniture was in place, but there were almost no signs of it being lived in.

It seemed to be more of an investment property than a residence.

“This place is close to my school,” Lu Xiaona said cheerfully. “I originally bought it as a party venue, but never got around to using it. Now it’s perfect for you! Ugh—it feels so good to stretch out. I thought I was gonna suffocate in the car!”

She dropped her bag the moment they walked in, flopped onto the sofa, and rolled around with zero restraint—clearly not treating Luo Yan like a guest.

Luo Yan glanced around, taking it all in. She smiled and asked casually,
“Are you attending an ability-user school? Come to think of it, I’ve never received formal ability training myself.”

“Yup—wait, what?”
Lu Xiaona bolted upright, stunned. “You’ve never had formal training?”

Luo Yan nodded. “Nope.”
That much was absolutely true.
Before coming to this world, she’d never even heard of “abilities,” let alone trained in them. Even now, her understanding was pretty shallow.

To her, “abilities” mostly seemed like upgraded strength, speed, and reflexes—more physical enhancement than supernatural power.

It wasn’t “magical” enough.
She wasn’t expecting full-on force fields, but couldn’t she at least shoot a Bilibili-style railgun?

“…So how did you learn to fight like that?”
Lu Xiaona’s expression was full of awe. “You made it to the Awakening level without formal training? You even beat Mr. Z!”

“I had… alternative learning channels,” Luo Yan replied.

Lu Xiaona’s eyes lit up in understanding.

“No wonder. I was wondering how it made sense…”

She could still vividly remember that jaw-dropping display of speed and foresight during the fight. Luo Yan’s moves were so sharp and fluid they were practically inhuman.
Even the elite students at the ability school might not be able to match that.
There was no way she was self-taught—at least not entirely.

Even though Luo Yan had said “alternative channels,” Lu Xiaona’s mind was already buzzing with interpretations and assumptions.

Luo Yan could tell exactly what was happening.

She’s making up her own explanation. Works for me.

She smiled to herself and added,
“Because my training wasn’t very systematic… I’ve always hoped I could find a way to fill in the gaps and learn about abilities properly.”

Lu Xiaona’s eyes sparkled.
“Big Sister—you don’t mean you want to enroll at my school, do you!?”

“I meant studying at your school’s library,” Luo Yan corrected gently.

“…Aw, alright then.”

Lu Xiaona blinked, looking a little disappointed.
Honestly, she’d been excited at the idea.

Just Luo Yan’s looks and figure alone would’ve been enough to send the schoolboys into a frenzy—never mind her crazy strength. If she really did enroll, the daily school gossip would reach whole new levels of drama.

But, oh well.

“No problem,” she said. “Our ability school’s library isn’t open to the public, but that’s a small matter. When do you want to go?”

Luo Yan thought for a moment. “Are you free tomorrow?”

“Yup—I’ve got school tomorrow anyway. I’ll take you with me! But you’ll have to wake up early…”

“That’s fine,” Luo Yan said with a small smile.

Truthfully, if it were up to her, she’d have gone tonight. But that would’ve seemed too eager—and possibly made the other girl suspicious.