"Whoa! So! So... so much trash! Wait! Stelle! What are you doing!"
March had just started to marvel at the mountain range of garbage before them, but before the words could fully leave her mouth, Stelle's eyes began to glow with a golden light as she prepared to dive headfirst into the junk pile!
Luckily, March grabbed her in time. Otherwise, she might have really gone in to rummage through the garbage!
"Hey! Isn't your XP trash cans?! There aren't any mysterious treasure chests in there, so what are you getting so excited about!" March yelled at the out-of-control Stelle.
"Oh, right."
At March's reminder, the light in Stelle's eyes instantly dimmed with disappointment.
"That's right... Garbage without the decoration of a trash can is, in the end, just garbage. It's not the garbage I love, it's the trash can! What I love is that feeling of bewildered excitement the moment you first lift the lid!"
Seeing Stelle's look of profound enlightenment, March helplessly wiped the sweat from her brow.
Looks like she managed to fool herself again...
"March, Stelle, stop messing around. Something isn't right here."
Wende's expression was grim. Beside him, Jingliu had, at some point, moved to the rear flank of the group, the ice sword in her hand emitting a soul-chilling glint.
"Indeed... it's a little too quiet."
Tingyun chuckled softly, a folding fan having appeared in her delicate hand.
"Right."
Stelle was no longer fooling around either. She took out her lance and moved to the very front of the team.
In an instant, the border between the Old District and the Scrapyard was filled with a suppressive atmosphere.
Bzzzz...
In the sky, a drone's electronic eye swiveled, silently observing the group below.
"Looks like a fierce battle is unavoidable. I wish them good luck."
Back at the orphanage in the Old District, Veyl stood on the rooftop, her eyes glowing red as she murmured to herself, a beautiful smile gracing her red lips.
"Ghehehehe! You city dogs actually dare to enter the Scrapyard? What, tired of the easy life in the Neon Metropolis? Or perhaps... you were driven to desperation by those monsters and have come to seek refuge with us!"
A harsh laugh, like a rusty bearing being forced to turn, echoed from ahead of them. Then, several figures emerged from the buildings on the Old District's side, their scarlet eyes locked onto the Trailblazing team.
"Ew! What are those things!"
Looking at the appearance of the group ahead, March hid behind Wende in disgust, making no effort to lower her voice.
"Oh? Ghehehe! As expected of a little girl from the city, you're quite the looker. A pity your eyes aren't so good, and as for that mouth of yours..."
One of the "people" slowly pulled back its burlap hood, revealing a horrifying face.
Electronic eyes of mismatched sizes were crammed into sockets that were already too small, as if placed there at random. A metal jaw was caked with dark green residue of unknown origin. Two long, metallic arms dangled to the ground, their metal claws sharpened to a gleam and glowing with a faint green light. Its emaciated abdomen looked as if it contained no organs, and a metal container connected to its back was constantly supplying its body with a green liquid.
The figure's appearance couldn't just be called hideous; it could barely be called human!
"You are the [Scavengers], correct?" Himeko asked, her brow furrowed as she looked at the figures.
"Oh? You don't know of the [Scavengers]? Looks like you're upper-crust city dogs! Come on, then! I haven't tried out your cybernetics yet! They must be high-grade! Hahahaha!!!"
As if triggered by something, the lead Scavenger waved its monstrous metal claws and lunged viciously at the group.
Clang!
Dan Heng, his face cold, raised Cloud-Piercer and thrust.
The sharp tip of the spear instantly bypassed the Scavenger's metal claws and stabbed swiftly toward its torso!
KENG!
A loud clang of metal on metal rang out. The Scavenger was sent flying backward, but Dan Heng's brow only furrowed deeper.
"Ghehehe! Looks like we've run into a tough one, boys! Get them!"
The leader propped himself up from the ground with some difficulty. He looked at the large hole in his chest, where broken wires still sparked faintly. Enraged, he immediately commanded the others.
"Get them! I'm going to eat them! All of you, get them! You useless trash!"
The Scavenger, heavily wounded by Dan Heng's single blow, continued to roar madly, completely failing to notice the other Scavengers gradually closing in around him.
A rusty claw silently appeared behind him as he continued to curse... and then...
CRACK!
"Gaaahhh! What are you doing! A mutiny! Ahhh!"
"..."
Wende silently moved between March and Stelle, then covered both their eyes.
"Huh? What's happening?" March asked, still curious.
"Emmmm, I'm not a child anymore, you know," Stelle grumbled quietly at Wende.
"I'm afraid you two won't be able to sleep tonight," Wende said in a low voice, watching the gruesome scene of dismemberment unfold.
"But... we can still hear it..."
"You're still not allowed to look."
"Okay..."
A few minutes later, the screaming stopped, and Wende removed his hands from their eyes.
The moment her vision returned, March curiously looked toward where the sounds had come from, only to see her face fill with disappointment.
"Hmph... that's it? How boring!"
She stuck her tongue out playfully at Wende, completely unfazed.
"Uh... what is that puddle of green stuff?"
Stelle asked curiously, looking at the green liquid on the empty patch of ground.
"Good children don't need to know. Let's go."
Wende gently patted Stelle's head, smiling as she winced in mock pain, and then walked to the front of the group.
"You know, they aren't really children anymore," Dan Heng said, walking beside Wende with a hint of resignation.
"Can't be helped. Not while I'm here."
Wende shrugged and gave a casual smile.
"Sigh... it seems things have gotten troublesome again. Punklorde... doesn't seem to have ever been a peaceful place."
Himeko, who had witnessed the entire scene, thought to herself with a developing headache.
They hadn't even entered the Scrapyard, and they had already been taught a harsh lesson. This was a clear sign... that the Express crew was about to step into a land with no morals, no rules, and no order.