Chapter 304: Dust and Ashes
I woke up before the alarm could scream, the low hum of the city outside Sector 47 already in my ears as I pushed myself out of bed, the band Alexis gave me snapping lightly against my wrist when I rolled my shoulders.
A reminder.
The morning was dull, the clouds resembling sheets of icy ash spread across the sky as I stepped into the corridor. Sienna’s vacant cup rested on the kitchen counter, a tea bag bobbing in the chilled water. Evelyn had put up a note on the fridge, reminding everyone to buy groceries. I walked past them, the sound of the ventilation system syncing with the beat in my mind as I fastened my coat and secured my boots.
Today was the day we hunted him.
The man with no name.
The bus into Sector 47 felt longer than usual, the weight of the city pressing down with every passing block, each station a reminder of how sprawling everything was. Each sector wasn’t just a street or two; they were entire cities layered atop each other, microcosms of chaos, people living and dying in concrete mazes while neon lights flickered promises that never delivered.
I got off three stops before the border, deciding to walk the last few blocks. The streets were busy with early traffic, people spilling out of apartment towers, the morning market vendors dragging crates of bruised vegetables and blackened fish into place, the smell of old oil and smoke curling through the damp air.
As I turned a corner, approaching the official entryway into Sector 47, a patrol officer stepped forward, one hand resting on the hilt of his baton.
"Hold up," he said, scanning me up and down with tired eyes, the scanner in his other hand humming quietly as he aimed it at my chest. "ID."
I pulled out one of my many ID cards, flipping it open so he could see the government-issued emblem, the designation: Reynard Vale, Detective (B-Rank).
Huh? I’m S-rank now...Should I update it? There isn’t much benefits, besides unwanted attention.