Chapter 2: The FallThe history of the Qingcao Street Orphanage is as long as the existence of the Fourth Ring.The orphanage covers an area half the size of an elementary school. In front, there is a garden-style courtyard; in the back, a small fitness area; and in the middle, two buildings—one main and one auxiliary. Originally, the auxiliary building served as the administrative office.Time passed, and a century of changes unfolded.Today, the orphanage no longer bustles with its former liveliness.The auxiliary building has been abandoned. The top two floors of the four-story main building have also been turned into storage rooms. The garden in front, neglected due to a lack of caretakers, was cleared and converted into a vegetable patch.Only the fitness area in the back still serves its purpose. Children need space to move, and the elderly enjoy basking in the sun there.At night, under the Crimson Moon's radiation, the entire orphanage is shrouded in a crimson haze.In a bedroom on the second floor, Shan Xiaoxi is still dreaming of days gone by. In her dream, the moon of that world emits a soft white light, and people have written countless works praising its beauty.Amidst the silence of heaven and earth, dawn arrives. Night and day alternate.Under the morning sun, the old four-story main building reveals its true appearance: bluish-gray stone walls covered with mottled, inexplicable marks everywhere.An ancient alarm clock rings precisely on time.Awakened from her pleasant dream, Shan Xiaoxi opens her eyes in confusion, seemingly still longing for the white moonlight from her dream.Pulling back the curtains, clear sunlight spills into the room, heralding a new day.Still in her pajamas, Shan Xiaoxi first waters the azaleas on the windowsill.Sunlight, flowers—though there is no birdsong, it is still a good start.Today is the last day of Shan Xiaoxi’s internship. She has worked tirelessly at Miracle Gallery for over two years, all for this day of becoming a full-time employee.In her previous life, Shan Xiaoxi was a celebrity stylist, excelling in color coordination and style mixing. In this life, studying comprehensive painting, she applied her understanding of color to her artwork. Her professors repeatedly praised her paintings for their distinctive personal style.In her third year of university, she was recommended by her school for an internship at Miracle Gallery due to her outstanding grades. At the time, that spot was fiercely contested among her peers. It was only because her professor held her in high regard that she managed to secure it.Starting her internship at Miracle Gallery in her third year of university, and adding two more months after graduation, Shan Xiaoxi has given too much to the gallery. Over two years, she sold thirty-four paintings, with a total transaction value exceeding six million. This achievement surpasses that of most senior employees at the gallery, earning her frequent praise from the gallery manager.Thus, Shan Xiaoxi is highly confident about transitioning from intern to full-time employee today.Miracle Gallery is the most famous chain gallery in City No. 13, with its headquarters located in the Second Ring. New full-time employees at Miracle Gallery must undergo a month of training at the Second Ring headquarters. This is precisely what Shan Xiaoxi aims for.Legend has it that at the center of every city built by humans lies an extraterrestrial meteorite. These meteorites emit another form of radiation that can counteract the Red Moon radiation. It was only after discovering these extraterrestrial meteorites that humans were able to build cities and survive.In other words, without these extraterrestrial meteorites, humanity might have perished long ago.City No. 13 also has an extraterrestrial meteorite at its center. People built six ring districts around the meteorite.The first ring is the location of the government and the meteorite. The second ring consists of elite residential areas and technology parks. The third ring is home to university campuses and commercial districts. The fourth ring is the civilian area and factory zones. The fifth ring is a military-controlled area. The sixth ring serves as a buffer zone.It is said that nights in the first and second rings are almost free of Red Moon radiation, where streets remain brightly lit and bustling with people after dark.Shan Xiaoxi has only lived in the third and fourth rings, occasionally catching news about the fifth and sixth rings in the newspapers. For ordinary people, the first and second rings exist only in rumors and celebrity gossip.The fourth ring is geographically divided into eight districts: North District One, North District Two, North District Three, South District One, South District Two, South District Three, West District, and East District. The three northern districts and three southern districts are factory zones, while the West and East Districts are residential areas.Each district has a transfer station connecting to the third ring.Every morning, Shan Xiaoxi arrives at the East District transfer station before six o'clock to queue.The transfer station is built with an alloy frame structure, divided into three levels. The top level is the VIP lane, the bottom level is dedicated to freight transport, and the middle level is the normal lane.Because she arrives early, the line isn't very long, and it's soon Shan Xiaoxi's turn. She takes out her temporary access pass and hands it to the guard nearby for inspection.During university, Shan Xiaoxi held a temporary student access pass; now she carries a temporary work access pass. These passes are issued by the government using the latest technological methods, making them nearly impossible to counterfeit.The guard is experienced and, after a brief glance, allows Shan Xiaoxi to pass.After security checks comes disinfection.For over two years now, despite the daily routine disinfection procedure, Shan Xiaoxi has never adapted to the side effects of the disinfectant gas. After exiting the disinfection chamber, she always needs a few minutes at the ventilation opening to recover. Because of this, she usually doesn't dare to eat a full breakfast.Beyond the disinfection chamber is the platform, where she queues to wait for the transfer vehicle.The transfer vehicle runs every half hour, accommodating fifty people per trip. The entire journey takes ten minutes. Shan Xiaoxi purchases a monthly pass, which costs about one-tenth of her internship salary—not exactly cheap.Shan Xiaoxi sits in her usual spot, gazing out the window throughout the ride.After more than two years and over seven hundred trips witnessing the scenery outside the window, Shan Xiaoxi still cannot understand why it looks this way.In the same city, between adjacent rings, what separates them—truly separates them—is a bottomless abyss. Yes, an abyss.It is said these abysses are not natural but human-made.The people of this city, to prevent those from the outer rings from entering the inner rings, deliberately dug a pit so deep its bottom cannot be seen. This pit encircles the inner rings. It is deep enough and wide enough, like an abyss from hell, impossible to cross.People jokingly say: the inner three rings and the outer three rings, the upper class and the lower class. The lower class forever dreams of becoming the upper class.After passing through the transfer station, it feels like entering another world—people often describe the difference between the fourth and third rings this way. Yet Shan Xiaoxi always wants to follow up with a question: "Is the sun in the third ring warmer than in the fourth ring?"The zoning of the third ring is much more complex than that of the fourth ring.Miracle Gallery is located in a small alley within the New Ginza shopping district. Unlike the bustling main streets, its entrance is somewhat quiet and mysterious.A miniature castle-style building, its exterior walls covered in natural-colored mosaics, combines modern design with rustic textures, exuding the artistic aura of a gallery everywhere.The gallery opened for business at nine-thirty, and it was just past eight now.Shan Xiaoxi was always the first to arrive at the gallery. Other colleagues usually came around nine.She first went to the workroom to retrieve the paintings she had packed yesterday, then contacted the courier to let them know they could come pick up the shipment early. This painting had been sold the day before yesterday, adding over a hundred thousand to Shan Xiaoxi’s sales performance.While waiting for the courier, Shan Xiaoxi picked up cleaning tools to tidy up. She knew well that as a newcomer, it was important to be diligent and proactive.Hearing the sound of a vehicle pulling up outside, Shan Xiaoxi thought the courier had arrived and hurried over to open the door, but it wasn’t the courier outside.Three months ago, a new intern had joined the gallery named Jiang Yiyi. She was a local from the Third Ring, and to this day, she hadn’t sold a single painting.Outside were Jiang Yiyi and a stylishly dressed young woman Shan Xiaoxi didn’t recognize.Shan Xiaoxi was a little surprised. Jiang Yiyi usually didn’t arrive until around ten.Seeing Shan Xiaoxi already there, Jiang Yiyi and her friend couldn’t hide their surprise either. However, they pretended to pass by her casually before turning to whisper quietly in a corner as if no one else was around.“Is this the person you mentioned? She doesn’t look like much, and what she’s wearing looks familiar.”“It’s a classic piece from D brand released ten years ago.”“Can someone from the Fourth Ring afford D brand?”“Charity donations.”Every year, the Inner Three Rings held charity donation events, and the donated money and goods were distributed to the Outer Three Rings. While these donations were supposed to be given freely to those in need, some of the higher-quality clothing ended up being sold on the black market.Jiang Yiyi guessed correctly. The D brand vintage suit Shan Xiaoxi wore was a donated item she had bought on the Fourth Ring’s black market. After all, working in the Third Ring, Shan Xiaoxi couldn’t dress too shabbily. Unable to afford expensive original formal wear, she could only buy secondhand.“She’s an orphan and still lives in a welfare home. How could she possibly afford luxury goods?”“Poor people like her should just stay quietly in the Fourth Ring. Why come to the Third Ring to pollute our view?”“Shh, keep your voice down. You’re helping me today—”With only three people in the gallery, even though Jiang Yiyi and her friend lowered their voices, Shan Xiaoxi could hear them clearly.It wasn’t the first time she had been looked down upon for her background. She had long learned not to dwell on such trivial matters. Pretending not to notice Jiang Yiyi and her friend’s behavior, Shan Xiaoxi focused on her own tasks.Jiang Yiyi took a key and led her friend into the exhibition room.Shan Xiaoxi watched this out of the corner of her eye and walked over to glance at the closed door of the exhibition room.This was Exhibition Room Three. The artworks inside were priced between one million and three million. Even the cheapest piece here was more expensive than the most expensive painting Shan Xiaoxi had ever sold.A sense of unease stirred quietly within Shan Xiaoxi.After about ten minutes, Jiang Yiyi and her friend came out. Jiang Yiyi was now holding a painting.Only one painting. At most, it was worth three million, still not enough to surpass Shan Xiaoxi’s sales performance of over six million.Shan Xiaoxi’s tense heart relaxed slightly.The flow of time that day seemed to slow down. Without customers, the gallery work was so idle it felt like mushrooms could grow.Shan Xiaoxi didn’t want to stay idle and busied herself with trivial tasks. Finally, as closing time approached, the closer it got, the more anxious Shan Xiaoxi felt.Why hasn't the manager called her in for a talk yet? Should she just take the initiative and go ask the manager directly? The temporary pass expires today—maybe she could use that as an excuse?Shan Xiaoxi was torn with indecision when Jiang Yiyi found her with a strange look in her eyes. "The manager wants to see you. He's waiting in his office."Shan Xiaoxi took a deep breath, straightened her clothes, and pushed open the door to the manager's office. At that moment, an inexplicable sense of foreboding washed over her.She couldn't remember how she left the manager's office or what she said inside. The manager's words kept replaying in her mind on a loop.She had worked herself to the bone, often groveling before clients, sometimes even sacrificing her dignity. For two years, she had devoted herself wholeheartedly to the gallery, only to be told she was being let go.Why?Because Shan Xiaoxi had sold over six million in two years, while Jiang Yiyi had sold over one million in just three months. With only one permanent position available, the gallery chose the more promising Jiang Yiyi.The manager hadn't spelled it out explicitly, but Shan Xiaoxi understood. The difference between her and Jiang Yiyi wasn't just about numbers—it was about social circles.Jiang Yiyi's friends could afford to buy paintings worth over a million, while Shan Xiaoxi hadn't encountered such wealthy clients in her two years at the gallery. It was a circle she could never enter in her lifetime.Shan Xiaoxi had sold thirty-four paintings, yet it couldn't compare to someone else's single sale.Dazed and disoriented.She couldn't recall how she left the gallery or how she made it through security at the transit station.By the time her senses returned, she was already seated on the shuttle, habitually gazing out the window. The abyss of hell still gaped wide, devouring everything, including hope.Fear enveloped Shan Xiaoxi, pulling her back to reality.Her expired temporary pass was confiscated at the exit.Standing at the exit, she turned back blankly and stared.The gate leading to the Third Ring was closed.She had failed. Two years of effort had vanished like a bubble.As an intern, she hadn't even received commissions. Aside from the meager monthly internship stipend, Shan Xiaoxi had practically worked for the gallery for free.Yet, money wasn't what Shan Xiaoxi cared about most. What she truly wanted was the chance to enter the Second Ring. Now, she couldn't even get into the Third Ring, let alone the Second.Two years… two years… two whole years…The streets of the Fourth Ring were filthy, the pedestrians looked defeated, and even the sky was a dull gray.Between the Third and Fourth Rings lay an abyss, as if they were two entirely different worlds.Without realizing it, Shan Xiaoxi found herself at the market, standing in front of a stall selling beef tripe noodles. She stood there blankly, only snapping back to reality when the stall owner called out to her several times.Vincent loved beef tripe noodles. Shan Xiaoxi had promised to treat everyone to some today.But today, she had lost her job. She could no longer work at Miracle Gallery, couldn't sell his paintings there anymore, and couldn't help him organize exhibitions.She couldn't keep her promise to Vincent.Still, even without a job, she could afford the beef tripe noodles. Urged by the stall owner, Shan Xiaoxi bought five portions.Carrying the noodles, she crossed the alloy bridge. She walked slowly, still unsure how to face Vincent.The grocery district was unusually noisy today, with police tape cordoning off the area and many onlookers leaning over the barrier, craning their necks to see. Police officers and people in gray uniforms moved about.Shan Xiaoxi belatedly realized something had happened.Like everyone else, she was stopped outside the barrier and could only try to peer inside by tiptoeing.The scene had been roughly handled.Bodies—whether human, animal, or monster—lay side by side on the ground, all covered with white sheets. Only scattered pieces of flesh and bloodstains remained, a shocking sight.A few human bodies could be identified because their hands and feet were exposed outside the sheets.One body stood out even more: not only were its hands and feet visible, but its clothes and pants were stained with colorful substances resembling paint. The corners of its garments, soaked in various hues, stood out starkly against the white sheets.The beef intestine noodles in Shan Xiaoxi’s hand fell to the ground.On this day when hope had already been lost, despair arrived as well.

The Fashion Rookie and The Mysterious Gentleman