What a nuisance, not only having to bring this burden, but also running into bandits.
Gu Ya thought coldly.
Wei Ping had absolutely no combat experience, like a flower in a greenhouse, crying at the slightest trouble.
If it were Ye Ying, she could defeat twenty bandits, let alone fifty or a hundred.
Just then, a faint sobbing sound came from behind the driver's seat.
Wei Ping was crying again.
Gu Ya closed his eyes, trying to calm his irritation, and said coldly, "Don't worry, with me here, no one can harm you."
Wei Ping didn't respond, her crying even louder.
Annoyed, Gu Ya put on his headphones and started listening to music.
Guided by the starlight and the navigation system, they flew for about an hour.
In the dark expanse, a pinpoint of light suddenly appeared on the horizon.
Gradually, the light grew larger, revealing the outlines of skyscrapers.
Though small, their shapes were discernible from the bright, dazzling lights.
Undoubtedly, Xianxia City had arrived!
Gu Ya's calm mood finally had a hint of happiness; this mission was now half complete.
At night, Xianxia City was ablaze with lights, like a pearl in the darkness.
But as Gu Ya approached, this pearl gradually expanded into an exquisite piece of jewelry, shimmering with all sorts of colors.
Continuing closer, the city's outer walls were beyond his sight.
Only then did Gu Ya grasp the grandeur of Xianxia City.
It was so much larger than Wuhe City!
Gu Ya estimated its horizontal width alone was over 100 kilometers, and its total area was more than 20,000 square kilometers.
A truly super-large city.
Xianxia City had no concept of upper or lower districts; all residents lived on the surface.
Countless skyscrapers stood like pillars supporting the sky, reaching for the heavens.
The closer to the city center, the taller the buildings.
At the heart of the city stood an unparalleled colossal structure, appearing like six mountains rising from the earth.
Five slightly shorter buildings surrounded a single, tallest, tower-like structure.
Those five slightly shorter buildings were also significantly taller than the surrounding high-rises.
Undoubtedly, this was the heart of the Xianxia Kingdom.
On the aerial streets, a continuous flow of hovering vehicles formed colorful rainbow bridges, rushing to various destinations and converging.
Beneath these countless rainbow bridges lay shops and residential buildings, twinkling with lights.
People in peculiar attire walked the streets; anyone amidst them would surely be swept up by the noisy and lively atmosphere.
Gu Ya passed through a giant identity verification gate and piloted his mecha onto a designated mecha flight path.
Various mechas zipped past Gu Ya.
Of course, Gu Ya also saw many mecha motorcycles of his own invention.
They hurried along, their destinations unknown.
The city center was like a giant glowing light bulb and a booming sound system,
while the outskirts were relatively quiet and peaceful, with some low-rise houses situated there. With fewer lights, they were likely residential areas.
Navigating this city without the navigation system would make it impossible to tell where to fly.
Flight indicator signs were abundant along the streets,
and occasional security mechas and traffic mechas maintained order.
Gu Ya passed a checkpoint, hovering in mid-air. A traffic mecha took a photo, confirmed his identity, and then let him proceed.
The central area of Xianxia City, overall, felt much more crowded and prosperous than Wuhe City,
but the surrounding areas were comparatively more underdeveloped.
Gu Ya flew slowly for an hour according to the navigation system before reaching his destination: Xianxia City's 157th Mecha Research Institute.
This was a formal department, and it was past midnight. No one was in the institute; the building was dark, and the surroundings were silent.
Gu Ya parked his mecha on the institute's landing pad and turned to Wei Ping, saying, "We're here."
Wei Ping had maintained her position, sitting with her knees hugged to her chest, her head bowed.
Awakened by Gu Ya, she wearily and dejectedly got up with difficulty and followed him out of the mecha.
The night in Xianxia City was incredibly cold, even colder than in Wuhe City.
Wei Ping wrapped herself tightly in her outer clothing and followed Gu Ya into the institute building.
Gu Ya presented his identification and delivery manifest to the night shift staff. He was told to return after 10 AM for inspection and to find his own accommodation for the night.
It was past three in the morning, and Gu Ya was unfamiliar with the area. Where was he supposed to find lodging?
Enduring hunger and fatigue, Gu Ya and Wei Ping returned to the mecha and found a decent-looking hotel using their communication wristbands.
Another half-hour of trouble, including a few minutes' delay due to an accident between two mechas, before they finally reached their destination.
Gu Ya parked the mecha on the landing pad outside the hotel. As soon as they got out, they were surrounded by a group of children.
"Brother! Buy some flowers!" shouted a boy of twelve or thirteen, the leader, with a thin, dirty face.
"Big Brother, buy some perfume for your girlfriend!"
"Big brother, buy a pack of cigarettes to help us out," asked a little girl of six or seven pitiably.
Gu Ya calmly pushed away the ragged children, reasoning that anyone selling goods at this hour must be directed by adults.
If he revealed his wealth, he might attract the attention of those behind them.
Wei Ping, however, took out her wallet and bought two bottles of cheap perfume, giving them some assistance.
"Just ignore them," Gu Ya said impatiently.
Wei Ping replied dismissively, "What's wrong with helping the poor?"
A group of children crowded around Wei Ping. After receiving the money, they squeezed past the two and scattered.
Arriving at the hotel, Gu Ya intended to book two rooms, as far apart as possible!
But Wei Ping surprisingly rummaged through her pockets, finally sighing, "Oh no! My wallet and ID card are gone."
No need to guess, her wallet and documents were stolen by those children.
Gu Ya showed a helpless and impatient expression and said, "Book two rooms with mine."
The hotel attendant, thinking he was being clever, smiled and said, "Sorry, we cannot open rooms without an ID card."
Gu Ya stared at the attendant, wanting to argue with him.
The attendant, however, smiled and winked at Gu Ya, implying he understood and there was no need to say more.
Fine, you win, Gu Ya thought resentfully, and booked one room.
This was Gu Ya's first time staying in a hotel with a girl, and it wasn't Ye Ying!
Gu Ya thought with frustration, why did they have to bring Wei Ping! She was just a burden.
As the two walked into the room, they found only one double bed.
Gu Ya thought irritably, wanting to curse, but he suppressed his anger and said coldly, "You rest. I'll go find something to eat. Do you need anything?"
Wei Ping silently shook her head and slumped onto the bed.
Gu Ya was truly annoyed, but considering she was just a young girl who had just experienced a near-death situation and had her wallet and documents stolen, her low mood was understandable.
"It's fine that the money is lost. You can get new ID and bank cards made when we return to Wuhe City," Gu Ya comforted her coldly.
Wei Ping lowered her head, her body beginning to tremble.
She started crying again, tears splashing onto the back of her fair hand.
Gu Ya sighed helplessly, his tone softening considerably, "It's okay. After you sleep, you'll realize none of this matters. You can overcome it."
Wei Ping slowly raised her head, her eyes red like ripe wild berries, tears welling up as she said, "Can you... can you let me have some quiet?"
Trying to be kind and comforting me backfired? Gu Ya stormed out of the room angrily.
As dawn approached, Gu Ya returned to the hotel after a satisfying meal.
Wei Ping lay on the bed with her back to Gu Ya, sleeping soundly.
Looking at her slender figure and recalling the day's frustrating events, Gu Ya had no sleepiness at all.
Even more miserable was the fact that there was only one large double bed.
Although they could sleep on opposite sides without issue,
such things could not be done.
Gu Ya angrily moved the two single sofas to the door, pushed them together, and lay down with his feet facing the door.
Then, tilting his head, he fell into a deep sleep.
He didn't know how long he slept,
when Gu Ya heard some very discordant sounds, as if someone was rummaging through his bag, rustling noises.
At first, Gu Ya thought he was dreaming, but it sounded increasingly wrong.
He lifted his heavy head, struggled to open his eyes, and looked back, groggily asking, "What are you doing?"