Chapter 3

Chapter 3: District 10 slum

Most people have heard from enemy to friend or from friend to enemy but not enemy to a friend to enemy. So how does this complicated equation exist between Zi Han and Yi Chen?

It’s simple, at seventeen they fought in an alley and also at seventeen they became friends but the moment they reached their twenties they had a major falling out that involved the entire Onyx federation.

So when Zi Han heard the word friend he could barely contain himself. To fully understand the unusual sequence of events one would need to go back ten years in time.

Ten years ago...

A few planets over the capital star was a small planet named RK 288739204 or commonly known as Saarilia with a gorgeous sky capital city that attracted a bunch of interplanetary tourists.

The city itself was one of the few symbols of the Onyx federation’s wealth with majestic architecture adapted from old earth and modified to better suit the needs of this era.

Unfortunately, where there is a high tourism rate it comes with suppression and exploitation of the local population. With the increase in the cost of living, the local population was left on the surface as part of the city was elevated to the sky further separating the rich from the poor.

.....

As a result of this, it meant there was a significant increase in slums in the surface city. One such slum was district ten which was considered better when compared with other districts.

In the time square stall owners were bustling about preparing for another day of business while employees of sky city were rushing to the transport station to go to work. But among the white-collar workers and store owners, there was an unusual figure sitting by a bench with a red and black hooded jacket covering his face.

From the hem of the hoodie, a few fluffy black strands of hair could be seen flattering with the chilly breeze. His skinny figure alone could tell you that this person was no older than eighteen.

His eyes were focused on the screen in front of him which he was constantly refreshing while biting his lips. It seemed like he was waiting for an important message. Luckily he didn’t have to wait for long.

With a ding sound, the screen flashed as a notification screen popped up. A subtle smile appeared on his face as he got up. On his screen was an address. Biting his fingernail he looked up and his features hidden under the hood were exposed to the world.

His skin was as smooth as porcelain with little baby fat tempting one to squeeze it just to see if water comes out. Fox eyes, sword eyebrows, high cheekbones, kissable full lips, he had it all and tied together it produced this handsome young man that could have grannies trying to set him up with their granddaughters.

With those pair of smiling eyes, he looked so approachable and sometimes he would attract unnecessary attention which is why he was hiding his face under the hoodie. Putting on his face mask he arrived at the platform for the hover bus slowly approaching from the east. Two stops later he reached a relatively affluent neighbourhood that housed a few middle-class families which in district 10 would be considered rich.

After a few turns and twists, he reached a small black gate. Looking up he saw the number written in gold characters. After much deliberation, he pressed the light screen and two seconds later there was a buzzing sound with the gate opening a crack.

Zi Han habitually glanced over his shoulder before walking in. Inside the small cottage was a group of people leisurely seated on the couches watching some interplanetary news. From the looks of it, they weren’t watching seriously as they were cracking jokes and making a raucous.

What attracted Zi Han’s attention though was the conspicuous blue vials on the coffee table. It drew his attention so much that his gaze lingered there for a second.

“Ah... it’s Little Han, he actually came,” said one of the boys lying on the two-seater couch. He tossed a stress ball in his hand towards Zi Han with a sarcastic smile.

Zi Han’s gaze finally shifted from the blue vials as he stretched his hand and caught the ball. Taking off his face mask he revealed an enchanting smile that could tempt the most conventional of people. Tossing the stress ball back at him he said, “Why wouldn’t I?”

A girl with long chestnut hair patted the seat next to her inviting him over. Looking at the skirt that barely did a good job at hiding her panties he hesitated for a moment but he didn’t want to offend these people.

If they caused trouble his mother might find out what he has been up to which meant he would be sent to his early grave. Zi Han sat next to her and she placed her hand on his thigh while pulling back his hoodie.

“Let this big sister see your handsome face little Han... Wah, no wonder Dage has been pursuing your mother for so long. If I weren’t into handsome fresh meat like you I wouldn’t mind eating some cougar meat,” she said as she reached out to touch his face.

The entire room broke into laughter as the boy tossing the stress ball in the air said, “Ah sister Shen what in this world wouldn’t you fuck? Don’t believe her fresh meat nonsense... she would push down anything that moves aaaaahhhhhh..... be merciful.” The cries of agony at the end were because the one they called sister Shen had pulled a gun out of who knows were and aimed it at his temple.

“Keep talking I dare you,” she said as blue bars on the side barrel of the gun flashed. She looked like she would seriously pull the trigger at any moment. If it weren’t for the fact that their boss showed up she might have killed him.

Zi Han just watched this little show with an indifferent gaze. What hadn’t he seen in district ten? Violence was an everyday occurrence which is also why he was here. His mother’s face caused trouble in the entire surface city that she had already been attacked twice by some jealous wives who thought his mother was flirting with their husbands.

Their apartment was broken into thrice already by people sent to disfigure his mother’s face. Worried that the next intrusion will end up in either his mother or him dead he decided to get a gun to protect them.

The only problem was that it was easier to buy a person than it was to get a gun of any kind in Saarilia. And even if one manages to find a seller the price was equivalent to him selling his spine to the back alley organ traders in the neighbourhood. This was why he had to come to district ten’s notorious drug dealer who also happened to be pursuing his mother.

The man was ten years younger than his mother but he had been so smitten that he would follow her home every chance he got.