The air inside the bus grew thin and desolate. As passengers rose to leave one by one, the once-crowded space rapidly emptied out, like an aquarium drained of water, leaving behind only the damp, cold walls.
Lin Xiao stood up from her seat, pinching that off-white card with a hint of green. The texture was strange; it felt light as a feather in her hand, giving the impression that it would shatter with the slightest force.
"The quality of this card is just too poor," Wang Ruofei complained from beside her, carefully stowing away her own card. "I'm afraid I'll snap it in half if I'm not careful."
Although no one had forbidden loud conversation, they both unconsciously lowered their voices. The surroundings were left with only the rustle of fabric and the soft patter of footsteps, like a cloud of dust rising from the road, quickly dissipating into the heavy air.
Lin Xiao tugged at Wang Ruofei's arm, signaling her to get off the bus quickly.
As soon as they stepped out the door, a rich, distinct scent of raw earth assailed them, aggressively drilling into their nostrils and lungs. Wang Ruofei couldn't help but wrinkle her nose, waving her hand in front of her face.
Wherever they looked, there were trees.
Thick trunks and lush foliage were densely interwoven, resembling countless rigid spider webs that completely obscured the sky and their field of vision. For the new humans born after the Cataclysm, such an excessive natural landscape often signified danger.
The roads of the park were hidden in deep green shadows, with only a few signposts standing at the intersections, barely maintaining a sense of order for this artificial zone.
This level of greenery was extremely rare in the Outer City. The Cataclysm had destroyed the surface ecosystem; the variety of surviving plants had plummeted, and they were prone to mutation. Although Lin Xiao had never left the city, she had seen photos of the outside on the school intranet—most of those plants grew however they pleased, exuding a savage, manic energy.
In contrast, while vegetation within the city was sparse, at least its appearance was somewhat normal. The further one went from human habitation, the more likely one was to encounter those twisted, bizarre, and difficult-to-clear weeds and trees.
Like in the suburbs.
And the greenery of the Nesta Park had clearly exceeded some threshold. It was so lush it felt oppressive, hardly something that could be called beautiful.
Lin Xiao and Wang Ruofei walked side by side along the tree-lined road, neither speaking.
Lin Xiao didn't know when it started, but a faint sense of incongruity began to rise in her heart. The feeling was weak but stubborn, like a grain of fine sand stuck in flesh; whenever she tried to ignore it, a sharp sting would flare up. But no matter how hard she tried to recall, she couldn't figure out where this sense of familiarity came from.
Is my memory getting worse lately?
Lin Xiao raised a hand to pinch the space between her eyebrows.
"Are you feeling unwell?" Wang Ruofei stopped and looked at her with concern.
"Maybe I slept too long on the bus," Lin Xiao said, frowning. "I've been feeling a bit dizzy since a while ago."
"Then let's just buy some daily necessities and go straight back to the dorm. You need a good sleep." Wang Ruofei's tone was natural; she had clearly accepted the fact that they were to stay at Nesta Park. "Anyway, it's the first day, and no one has assigned us any other work."
When they reached a fork in the road, Wang Ruofei took the initiative to bend down and check the nearby signpost. She quickly found the information they needed: the sign on the left read, "Convenience Store, turn right after 300 meters."
Lin Xiao followed her gaze. The sign looked quite old, covered in a layer of dust, swaying unsteadily whenever the wind blew.
Wang Ruofei reached out to straighten the sign, suddenly letting out a soft "Huh?" She then reached out to wipe the face of the sign.