Chapter Thirty-Five: The Land Beyond the World

Chapter Thirty-Five: "The Land Beyond"

Midnight Mary was a well-known underground bar among the youth of Hyde Castle, nestled in a shadowy alley near the slums—a place infamous as a gathering ground for criminals. The residents here were a motley crew: the unemployed, addicts, thugs, vagrants, and prostitutes. The area, fraught with danger, was given the notorious name "The Land Beyond," yet paradoxically, it had won the admiration of young people.

Getting into Midnight Mary was no simple feat. One needed to be accompanied by a member or have a guarantor, or possess an internal invitation ticket.

With a screech, a blue taxi stopped at the edge of the Land Beyond. The driver promptly ushered a young couple out of the car, refusing to drive any further; the rest of the journey would have to be walked.

Resigned, the pair paid the fare and stepped out, immediately sensing a feeling of being watched—as if thousands of unseen eyes lurked, observing their every move.

Judging by their appearances, they were about twenty years old, dressed in a style that bordered on eccentric, their arms, necks, and chests adorned with tattoos. The man wore a black leather vest and jeans; the woman, a bra under a white shirt and hot pants, her long legs exposed, her figure bold and striking.

"Master, is it really necessary for us to dress like this?" asked Xia Zhen.

Shen Hua smiled mysteriously. "Unless you want to start a fight right away, just do as I say. I know Hyde Castle better than you."

Seeing no other option, Xia Zhen followed Shen Hua, and as they walked, the number of people on the street multiplied. These people fell into two groups: some, like them, were here to seek pleasure; others were locals, none of whom looked friendly. Even the children had shifty eyes, staring at the pair as though they were prey. Xia Zhen felt distinctly uncomfortable.

"Relax," Shen Hua whispered, holding him close, her breath tickling his ear. "People here aren't friendly, but as long as you don't provoke them, you'll be fine. Compared to the outside world, these people are actually more disciplined."

The gesture was overly intimate, leaving Xia Zhen uneasy, Shen Hua's breath on his face stirring a strange restlessness—though she acted oblivious.

Shen Hua had never been to Midnight Mary either, so she was forced to ask for directions.

They entered a general store, Xia Zhen trailing behind. He quickly realized the place was genuinely a general store, selling everything from cigarettes and condoms to motorcycles and cars. The shop was vast—at least a thousand square meters—clearly not your average corner store.

"Boss, a pack of Bright Way," Shen Hua said, handing over a hundred-dollar bill and two Midnight Mary bar invitation tickets to a middle-aged man behind the counter, who was watching TV, his left hand propping up his cheek. His hair was a wild mess, a scar ran from eyebrow to eye, giving him an intimidating air—perhaps a hidden master?

He accepted the money, glanced swiftly at the tickets, then, keeping his posture unchanged, opened a cabinet with practiced ease and tossed a red-and-black pack of cigarettes onto the counter.

"Go straight, turn at C-2, cross the stone bridge, left for a hundred meters, then right, straight to the end, enter at Old Wei's. They're watching closely these days—too many cases lately. Those punks are playing with fire. Take my advice and turn back." As he handed the cigarettes to Shen Hua, the man spoke in what sounded like a coded warning, then resumed watching TV.

Xia Zhen glanced at the screen—a live broadcast of a boxing match between a human fighter with mechanical limbs and a mechanical boxer, both locked in a fierce battle. This was a common Federation sport: the "Transcendent Blood King Championship," now in its hundredth edition, typically dominated by mechanical fighters. Recently, however, a few exceptional humans had claimed the title, making the competition more exciting.

It was said that many conglomerates and corporate powers participated in this event; nearly every mechanical boxer was backed by them, while human fighters occasionally had individual sponsors. The prize money was astronomical—often exceeding a hundred million—making it a dream for many slum kids.

"Thanks," Shen Hua said, picking up the cigarettes and leading Xia Zhen out.

Xia Zhen glanced back at the "General Store," marveling inwardly at the world beneath the surface—a realm he could scarcely imagine.

Shen Hua lit a cigarette with practiced ease, prompting Xia Zhen to cough.

"Kid, if you came here alone, you'd never even reach the bar’s door," Shen Hua teased, pulling Xia Zhen’s face toward her and blowing smoke at him.

"Ugh—Master, I never knew you were such a smoker," Xia Zhen protested, covering his nose and mouth.

Shen Hua just smiled, cigarette between her fingers, leading the way. At the end of the path, they found dozens of branching roads forming a fan shape; C-2 was to the right.

"What happens if we take the wrong path?" Xia Zhen wondered, noticing a few punk-dressed youths heading into B-3.

Shen Hua glanced at them. "Who knows? The other entrances are traps. What happens to those who wander in, I can't say. In the end, the Land Beyond will swallow them."

Xia Zhen shook his head and sighed, making no effort to warn the others. He was no savior, nor did he harbor any desire to rescue the masses. His purpose here was simply to uncover the truth behind the missing girl, to do what was within his power. The Land Beyond was not a place he could hope to fix—not even the Federation could manage that.

Entering the C-2 path, they found it narrow, lined with hidden cameras, as if surveillance began the moment they stepped inside.

"Don't look around. Stay close," Shen Hua commanded, her words transmitted directly to Xia Zhen through her mental power, bypassing the need for speech.

Xia Zhen stopped glancing about, following her lead, turning left and right as instructed by the store owner, finally arriving at another general store.

"Is Old Wei here?" Shen Hua asked.

"Coming," answered a burly man, even more imposing than the previous storekeeper, emerging from the back. He looked like a butcher—bald, his forehead gleaming, apron stained black and red, as if from slaughtering pigs, Xia Zhen mused.

Shen Hua handed him a Bright Way cigarette. Old Wei, apparently recognizing the code, sized up Shen Hua and Xia Zhen, then nodded. "It’s not safe inside. Old Qian and I don’t usually recommend anyone go in. But since you persuaded Old Qian, you must be a VIP with an invitation. That makes things easier. Follow me."

Old Wei's height was impressive; he had to duck to pass through the door, easily over 190 centimeters. This store was strictly not a store—it was a secret passage.

They wound through the corridor, twisting and turning, until Old Wei opened an iron door and gestured them onward.

"Welcome to Midnight Mary!" Old Wei beckoned them forward. Xia Zhen, already astonished by the series of changes, was nonetheless stunned anew when he stepped through the iron door and found himself before a grand, castle-like bar.

The atmosphere was palpable; bats even circled overhead. Yet Xia Zhen sensed the castle facade was an illusion—not quite a hologram, but a blend of technology, psychic force, and mysterious power.

Shen Hua’s expression grew serious. "These followers of the Blood Clan have managed to build such a base—unbelievable. It feels almost like the Eternal Night City. Xia Zhen, I suspect a true Blood Clan member may be stationed here. During this operation, you must heed my instructions and do not act rashly. Your power may allow you to surpass your level, but facing a real Blood Clan is still extremely dangerous."

"Master, wasn’t there a Federation agreement forbidding the Blood Clan from leaving Eternal Night City?" Xia Zhen asked, as they walked slowly, scrutinizing their surroundings.

Shen Hua sighed. "That was ten years ago. With the shifting balance between humanity and the Blood Clan, the agreement is nearly impossible to uphold. The terms do specify that high-level Blood Clan are absolutely forbidden from leaving the city, but as for the lower and mid-level ones, unless the Federation wants an all-out war, they turn a blind eye. If these Blood Clan die at the hands of humans, their kin won’t make a fuss. In reality, both sides treat each other as prey."

So the truth was far more complex; clearly, the Federation held no advantage over the Blood Clan, otherwise the latter would not dare flout the agreement.

The white-haired man from yesterday, after his transformation, gave off a hint of Blood Clan aura, but Shen Hua had said he was merely a servant—not a true Blood Clan.

Now, Xia Zhen noticed that the path here had been almost empty, just the two of them. Now, however, from behind each iron door, young men and women emerged—some smartly dressed, others in outlandish costumes, some radiant with youth, others alluring and seductive. All were of similar age to Xia Zhen and Shen Hua, some even younger.

The iron doors resembled portals, delivering those with invitation tickets to the castle-bar’s threshold.

At the edge of Xia Zhen’s vision, music and vibrations grew steadily louder, and above the entrance, a huge luminous projection sign—"Midnight Mary"—flashed brilliantly.

Following the other youths, Xia Zhen and Shen Hua entered the bar. There were no more checks or barriers; everyone here had been vetted and possessed the necessary credentials.

The tumultuous music struck like a storm, engulfing Xia Zhen, shaking his psychic power, unsettling his spirit.

Shen Hua pulled him close, comforting him at his ear. "Steady your mind, block out external sensations."

Xia Zhen hurried to follow her instructions, soon regaining calm, the noise fading from his consciousness. Clearly, the ambiance here was not mere music—it carried a hypnotic psychic force.

The crowd was enormous—thousands, perhaps—caught in the frenzy led by the DJ. Shen Hua swept Xia Zhen into the revelry; without her, he might have been exposed almost instantly.