Chapter 19 – Garbage Processing Yard (5)

The accident happened that night after Adam and Diego's conversation.

That afternoon, Zhang Xun saw that it was getting late, so he took Adam out of the Garbage Processing Yard and walked back to the Lab along their daily fixed route. It was already a considerable distance, but Zhang Xun chose the most secluded but also very tortuous route every time, trying to avoid Adam from being seen by others.

But today, when they reached the first fork in the road, Adam suddenly stopped and pointed to another fork between the crooked houses, "What is that place?"

In the distance was a brightly colored baroque-style high-rise building, filled with circles of neon lights along the retro dome, which had just lit up in the afterglow of the setting sun. Around it, there was also row upon row of large and small, like some kind of dilapidated version of old London, which was decorated with bizarre lights and neon to give a surreal sense of splendour. Several staggered spotlights danced back and forth in the increasingly dim night sky, accompanied by distant noises and mixed music.

"That's the entertainment centre of Lost Paradise—the Fourth District's city." Zhang Xun saw the curious light in Adam's eyes and hesitated a little, "Are you interested in that place?"

"The entertainment centre? Like a club, a gathering place with bars and food stalls along the street?"

"Pretty much. Today is Friday and the offices, factories and shops all clos early so everyone gathers there."

"Ah-Xun." Adam looked at him with sudden puppy dog eyes, "Can I go take a look?"

Adam had become curious about human entertainment, which was a good thing...but...would it be too dangerous?

"No." Zhang Xun then ruthlessly refused.

However, Adam didn't give up easily and showed an even more animated and pitiful expression that he learned from who knows where... "I can dress up in disguise and not many people have seen me, have they? I heard Diego say it's fun there and it could further help me understand human beings."

Zhang Xun tsk'd irritably, "Why did this manager always talk so much..."

Adam didn't tell Zhang Xun that he also learned how to act pitiful from Diego...

"Your mechanic looks like a master who has a sharp mouth but a soft heart, and is susceptible to persuasion but not force. You just need to blink your big eyes and squeeze out some tears to pretend to be pitiful, I can guarantee that there's nothing he won't agree to." These were Diego's words to him, "As for how to be pitiful, just look at Shrek's puss in boots. No need to thank me."

Adam's data valley of course stored that old but classic animation and since Diego mentioned it, he transferred the video from his memory hard drive and played back in my head at 1000x speed then practised for a while in front of a broken mirror. Now was the time to put it into practice.

"Please!" He creased up his brows, and he was obviously taller than Zhang Xun, but insisted on making a pitiful look from the bottom up. Although it was funny, Zhang Xun actually found it a bit... cute...

"What are you doing?..." Zhang Xun's mouth twitched.

"I'm begging you." Adam changed his gaze. "Does this make it harder for you to reject me?"

"...It makes me want to hit you..."

"How can that be? Want part makes you want to hit me?"

"...all of it..."

"Ah-Xun, it's hard for me to improve with your vague feedback. Did you do the same when training Pan?" Adam stood up straight, showing a somewhat disappointed expression as he complained.

"Okay, don't make trouble. Come back with me."

Adam continued to silently follow behind Zhang Xun, but when Zhang Xun turned around he saw Adam's face looked calm and obedient, but the downcast eyelashes and the drooping corners of his mouth somehow revealed a hint of... grievance and loss?

Zhang Xun paused in his footsteps and cursed in a low voice.

Adam had been doing so well recently, maybe it was time to reward him...

Half an hour later, two men in Venetian masks, black suits and top hats sneakily appeared at the entrance to the Fourth District. The biggest club in the Fourth District had a frenzied masquerade as usual on Friday night and a lot of people were wearing masks so the two of them weren't very conspicuous in the crowd of people coming from all directions.

Zhang Xun wore the mask of the Phantom of the Opera, a three-piece black suit, a bow tie and even a walking stick. Adam, on the other hand, wore a red feather mask that covered the upper half of his face and was tightly wrapped in one of Zhang Xun's old suits which was too small and the high-necked shirt just about covered the collar. They were jostled by the crowds and passed under the ornate "London Bridge" made of colourful neon lights, which was the gate of the Fourth District, which indicated that they had entered the city that never sleeps.

Of the top ten districts, the Fourth was known for its out-of-the-ordinary entertainment and madness. Especially every Friday night when the patrol officers in this area would be very busy. In the early days of Lost Paradise, the Friday bash was born out of a desperate pre-apocalyptic indulgence, an attempt to numb the fear with a frenzy of drinking. But over the generations, that fear of destruction had faded into pure pleasure once a week. But the recent bombing had rekindled that fear and the two recent Friday bashes became even more outrageous. In addition to drinking and having fun, watching adult entertainment and spending money in casinos, the number of people picking quarrels and provoking trouble had multiplied. In almost all the narrow alleys that weren't illuminated by light, crime was flourishing with transactions that weren't allowed on the bright side.

But at least under the lights, there was singing and dancing and a party that was bigger than ever roared out.

This was the first time Adam had seen so many people since he was downloaded. It was also the first time he walked among this group of people, that he once controlled, as a human.

Beneath the mask, his grey-blue eyes flashed with excitement. He was busy integrating everything he saw, smelled and felt into his previous knowledge, constantly finding contradictions and reconciliations. He watched a group of young men dressed in flamboyant feathers and sequins, more delicate than the ordinary women of the world, frolic past; he also watched a group of men in heavy boots and leather jackets with beer bottles in their hands as they whistled at the group of flamboyant men. He also saw street vendors selling fruits, vegetables and homemade gadgets. And those dark shadows who were far away from the crowd, smoking quietly in dimly lit places.

Colourful rays of light flashed on different faces, masks and eyes, with various expressions and various scents. It turned out that having senses was such an intense experience that all the knowledge that was previously stored suddenly seemed to be thawed from the refrigerator and became more and more fresh.

Zhang Xun could feel the excitement and curiosity bursting out of Adam. Zhang Xun liked Adam's straightforward emotional expression, as if he didn't even try to hide it.

"This is completely different from the ordinary world." Adam leaned into Zhang Xun's ear and shouted loudly, but his voice was still suppressed by the noise around him.

Of course it wasn't the same... Zhang Xun had seen what the ordinary world looked like through the insects he put on the hunting group. Those driverless cars flying in the sky, simple geometric buildings that shine in the sun, suspended screens, spotless streets and Eden's eyes everywhere... Lost Paradise and the outside world were like different planets, or different times in history.

Zhang Xun saw that there was a skewer stall on the roadside, so he bought four skewers and handed two to Adam. Adam first smelled it carefully. It seemed to smell good and then he poked the whole thing in his mouth...

"Stop! Do you want to pierce your brain?..." Zhang Xun quickly grabbed his wrist and then bit off a piece of mutton from the skewer in his hand, "Eat it like this."

Adam blinked his eyes and learned the way to eat it, but he didn't expect him to eat it so fast and he ate it clean in an instant, he even licked the grease on his fingers, "No wonder so many cultural groups have such things as kebabs, it's delicious."

"Do you want more?"

"Yes!"

The two of them swept through all the food stores while strolling. Zhang Xun didn't eat much, he was full after visiting a few places. Now he was staring at Adam who had a crepe roll in his left hand and three candied haws in his right hand. This wasn't counting the more than ten stalls he had eaten at before... With his appetite, would the Lab be able to afford it?... Zhang Xun started to worry.

"Diego said, there is a place called Dionysus." Adam said while chewing strawberry candied haws, "Are we going there?"

Dionysus, the largest club in the Fourth District, the place where the masquerade party was being held. Half of the people who had come to the Fourth District tonight wanted to get in, but probably less than a third of them would be able to squeeze in in the end.

"I'm afraid we won't be able to get in." Zhang Xun deliberately tried to make the place sound unappealing. "And there's nothing interesting in there, it's just drinking and dancing, squashed in with a group of people and the smell of sweat is everywhere."

"But Diego said it was fun."

"Do you believe him or me?"

"Ah-Xun, of course I believe you, but according to your personality, I think the information you provide also has a certain degree of cognitive bias." Adam said solemnly.

Zhang Xun rolled his eyes, "I can't get in even if I wanted to."

"Huh? Ah-Xun?"

A hand suddenly fell on Zhang Xun's shoulder, Zhang Xun was startled and when he turned around, he saw James' surprised face.

Zhang Xun was shocked, "You recognized me?"

James grinned and laughed with white teeth, "Just because no one else can recognize you you think I can't recognize you? What's going on? When I told you to come you turned me down, so why did you come here secretly?" After speaking, his eyes fell on the masked Adam, "Who's this?"

"His name is Ben and he is a newly-passed mechanic." Zhang Xun said quickly without waiting for Adam to speak.

"Ah..." James glanced at Adam strangely, then at Zhang Xun, then showed a wicked smile, leaned close to Zhang Xun's ear and nudged Zhang Xun with his elbow, "Are you seeing someone? After so many years you're finally in love?"

"Don't talk nonsense, I just brought him out to see the world..."

"You, bring someone to see the world? Please, in the whole of Lost Paradise there's barely anyone who has been here as little as you." James gave Adam a friendly smile and he pointed to the people behind him who waved at them, "So, where are you going next? Would you like to come with us? We're going to Dionysus, I heard that today's performance is very popular."

Zhang Xun cursed inwardly.

"We don't..."

"Okay!" This time it turned out to be Adam rushing to say, "We were just about to go!"

"That's great! Let's go!" James said, hugging Zhang Xun's shoulder boldly. Zhang Xun could only stumble in the direction of Dionysus, following the other's footsteps.

"Let's not go!" Zhang Xun was still struggling.

James said flatly, "No! Every time I invite you, you find an excuse not to come. If you turned me down again this time, I will never help you take the bugs out again!"

Zhang Xun turned his head and glared at Adam, who was clearly grinning behind him. He couldn't believe that this brat was plotting against him..

But Adam blinked his blue eyes innocently and shrugged his shoulders in a clumsy way, as if to express that he had done nothing.