City of Time: Falling into the kill zone at the start

Chapter 017 The Resurrected: There's Only One Path

"So, it's right here."

The next day, at 20 o'clock.

It was still the same long table on both sides.

Yu and Lu Chen both returned to their 'own' seats.

Lu Chen's face was smudged with dirt, but he wasn't wearing his mining uniform. He had only rolled up his left sleeve, revealing the [Timer] on his arm.

【00:65:00:18:35】

Yu, meanwhile, leaned back lazily on the sofa, looking at Lu Chen with great interest.

"It was right here that you filled the last [1 hour and 12 minutes] gap by selling information."

"I also gained an extra 18 minutes."

"Yeah?"

Lu Chen nodded slightly, pulled down his sleeve, and covered the timer on his left arm.

"Yes."

"Nine messages sold for the price of [1 hour and 30 minutes]."

As he spoke, Lu Chen lowered his head, slightly embarrassed, and gently pulled down his shirt, which was obviously missing a section.

Then, she let out a long, weary sigh and gently massaged her sore arms.

Lu Chen wasn't sure if the work at the mine was really too strenuous, or if his body was just too 'weak'.

After working at the mine for two consecutive days, Lu Chen felt physically and mentally exhausted.

In addition, today, Lu Chen only ate a slice of black bread before going to work in the morning.

Exhaustion and hunger made Lu Chen feel dizzy.

"Since you have extra time, why not eat a slice of dark bread after work?"

Seeing that Lu Chen was in a daze, Yu asked softly.

Then she looked at Lu Chen's crop top, which had a section missing: "And a mask."

"It only takes 10 minutes."

"Even if you buy masks and eat black bread, your time will still be more than 65 days."

"Why bother saving those 14 minutes?"

As she spoke, Yu looked at Lu Chen with increasing amusement, and her gaze seemed to brighten slightly.

Upon hearing this, Lu Chen let out a long sigh and shook his head wearily.

"risk."

"A mere 18 minutes of leeway is already very limited."

"If I spend another 14 minutes buying a mask and eating black bread, then my margin for error will only be 4 minutes."

"Completing your test and gaining the opportunity to scaveng—or at least information about scavenging—is my only chance to survive in the City of Time."

"In order to seize this opportunity, I must minimize the risks and increase the margin for error as much as possible."

"Compared to this opportunity, and the serious consequences of losing it, eating one less slice of dark bread or tearing one shirt are all worth the price."

Lu Chen's words, though tinged with exhaustion, still carried a firm resolve.

Across from her, Yu's gaze toward Lu Chen finally carried undisguised admiration.

"I sold my mining clothes and helmet."

"Are you so sure you don't need to go back to the mine?"

The slightly teasing remark made Lu Chen take a deep breath and slowly shake his head.

"Mines and factories are parasites."

"For those who have recovered from illness—especially those who are in debt—scavenging is the only way to survive."

"If I can't get the opportunity to scavenge or information about scavenging from you, even if I go back to the mine, it will only be a slow death."

...

"Or, I should say it this way."

"The loss of 5 hours and 30 minutes caused by buying and selling mining clothes and helmets is also the price I am willing to pay for scavenging."

"Even further—I'm willing to give up my only 65 days for scavenging."

"That is, everything I own."

Lu Chen spoke these words with unwavering conviction, his expression resolute.

Before going into hibernation, Lu Chen was already a late-stage cancer patient.

In order to preserve his last hope of survival, Lu Chen resolutely became a volunteer for the hibernation experiment in 2025, when the relevant technology and experience were not yet mature.

Lu Chen's will to survive, which had been 'frozen' in the hibernation pod for over three hundred years, had not diminished in the slightest.

After being cured of cancer and given a second chance at life, Lu Chen's desire for life became even stronger.

—To survive, Lu Chen was willing to give up everything he owned except his life.

In the City of Time, Lu Chen possesses only 65 days.

Sensing the intense will to survive that was almost overflowing in Lu Chen's words, Yu was briefly stunned, but couldn't help but be slightly moved.

However, he quickly regained his composure and cast a playful glance at Lu Chen sitting opposite him.

"Recovery burdened with debt."

"You already know that not all those who have recovered are burdened with debt."

This time, Lu Chen did not nod in agreement, but instead pursed his lips with slight hesitation.

"Just a guess."

"In my memory, people in the old days did not all choose to hibernate because they were terminally ill and thus devoted themselves to medical experiments."

"There are also many elderly wealthy and powerful people who choose to go into hibernation when they are on the verge of death in pursuit of immortality."

"Once they emerge from hibernation, they will most likely be free of debt, or their debt will not be too heavy."

"—Before going into hibernation, they might also 'take' some of their wealth with them in the hibernation pod."

"As long as their hibernation pods contain wealth recognized by the City of Time, they will not only be exempt from debt after they are revived, but will also become 'Time Tycoons'."

As Lu Chen spoke eloquently, Yu's eyes grew even brighter.

Finally, under Lu Chen's astonished gaze, she gently raised her hand and pushed the hoodie on her head back.

He then opened his trench coat, turned up the collar, and removed the dark brown leather face mask from his face.

The next moment, a flawless—even sickly pale—beautiful face appeared in Lu Chen's sight.

In an instant, Lu Chen was stunned into standing still by that stunningly beautiful face.

It wasn't until another soft whisper came from those slightly parted red lips that Lu Chen snapped out of his daze.

"Go on."

Seeing the intriguing smile on Yu's face, Lu Chen felt inexplicably embarrassed.

She quickly turned her head away, shifting her gaze from that alluring face, and then coughed lightly, somewhat embarrassed.

Then, he said in a tense voice, "And then there's yesterday, the scavenger's reaction."

"—He was very disappointed."

"He originally had high expectations, but those who recovered were burdened with debt, and those expectations were dashed."

"Therefore, I speculate that not all those who have recovered are burdened with bank debt."

"The scavengers are taking a gamble by scavenging hibernation pods from outside the city."

"I'm betting that the hibernation pod I brought back contains an elderly, wealthy, and powerful person, not a medical experiment like me."

...

"Only in this way can we explain why the scavengers are still willing to retrieve hibernation pods from outside the city."

"If the resurrected individuals we find are all burdened with bank debts and cannot bring any income to the scavengers, then the scavengers will certainly not be willing to pick up the hibernation pods from outside the city anymore."

"The only reasonable explanation for why they are still willing to retrieve the hibernation pods is that it is profitable to do so."

"And this 'profit' obviously does not come from medical experimental subjects like me and Zhao Jie."

"If it's not a medical experiment, then it can only be something else—a different kind of survivor."