1 Chapter 1: Romantic Encounters in Dream City (Part 1)_1

Sky Scar trudged along the road in solitude. His handsome face was void of emotion at this point, his black hair was a bit disheveled, and his face was dusted with grime from someplace unknown, making him appear somewhat comical. His uniform was still crisp, or else, he would feel as if he had returned to the slums when he looked at himself now.

His heart felt cold. Every time he thought about what he had just gone through, he could not help but sigh in pity. "Poor me, why does such a thing happen to me? My, my first love has ended just like this." He wanted to cry out - I am so pathetic!

On this brightly lit road, he walked aimlessly. His previously animated body now felt numb. He lost all sense and had no clue where he was going. Suddenly, he stumbled on something underfoot, and fell to the ground. His uniform was smudged with dust. Sky Scar could not help but curse aloud, "Great, when it rains, it pours. Today must be my bad luck day." He racked his brain trying to remember what day of the week it was, making a mental note never to go out on this day again.

He picked himself up and was about to head back to the academy when he was suddenly dazzled by a burst of blinding light. A figure blocked his path. Subconsciously, he looked up and was confronted by a woman with a thick layer of makeup on her face. The heavy fragrance from her powder irritated his nostrils. A peculiar feeling arose in him. Was this the kind of lady of the night that those well-off young masters spoke about? His pocket was much cleaner than his face, not a single coin in sight. It would be better not to entertain such thoughts. And besides, this woman who seemed rather attractive might just be hiding her age Beneath all that makeup. He me coldly, "What do you want? Move aside."

This woman was clearly startled. The icy tone of his voice made her heart quiver. She couldn't understand why such coldness would come from this young man, especially with his seemingly angry and reserved eyes, as if seeing through the falseness of the world. She looked at Sky Scar somewhat strangely, but quickly returned to normal. With an unnatural smile that caused the thick layer of makeup hiding her age to slightly slide off, she struck a provocative pose, speaking in what she thought was a seductive tone, "Sir, would you like to come to our nightclub? You can get everything you want there."

The provocative sounds irritated Sky Scar. Being broke really is a miserable thing! He suddenly noticed that the woman's eyes were fixated on his left chest. He knew what was there - the emblem of the Academy of Zhongting.

A few hundred years ago, mankind had already stepped out of Earth. Using various technologies, they occupied a number of planets where humans could survive. These planets were referred to as Administrative Stars. Of course, Earth remained the headquarters of humankind, where the original Galactic Federation Council made up of various countries was located. The planet Sky Scar lived on was called Planet Zhongting, one of the numerous Administrative Stars and an important transit star in the Galaxy Union. Compared to ordinary Administrative Stars, this place was naturally much busier.

Sky Scar originally lived in Ningding City on Planet Zhongting. Five years ago, he was brought by his most respected teacher from there to the City of Zhongting to join the Academy of Zhongting. Now, he was about to graduate, but was suffering from the pain of heartbreak.

As the largest comprehensive academy in Planet Zhongting, the Academy of Zhongting was generally only entered by the children of the rich. It was located within the capital, the City of Zhongting. Sky Scar thought that the woman in front of him must have taken him for a customer studded with a top-notch human emblem. Sadly, he was not the kind of rich man she imagined. If she knew that he had just stepped out of the slums, and was recruited into the Academy of Zhongting because of his outstanding flying skills, her attitude would be completely different. At this moment, his heart was filled with hatred, it felt as if everything in the world was an object of his resentment. He cursed quietly in his heartmoney, such a terrible thingbut without money, life was utterly unbearable!

He forcefully lifted his head, looking past the woman's body towards the sky. Streaks of sparkling lights flashed across the night, those were flying cars, the most common mode of transportation in the Galaxy Union, aside from the various types of aerospace ships and warships used to travel between planets. It was not just on Planet Zhongting, flying cars were commonly used as a means of transport throughout the Galaxy Union. There were many types of flying cars, but they were beyond the understanding of a young man like Sky Scar from the slums, because they were toys for the rich. He only knew that in the parking lot of the Academy of Zhongting, all sorts of expensive flying cars were the tools that those wealthy young masters used to boast about. In addition, he also knew that his flying skill was already able to reach the speed of a regular flying car. That was the only thing he could take pride in. He would often tell himself, the body is the best flying car. Of course, this was his only comforting thought. The truly high-end flying cars had a speed of almost a thousand kilometers per second, which was three or four times the sonic speed. Moreover, riding in a flying car was a pleasure, while flying using Cosmic Energy was hard labor. At least, the safety of a flying car was much better than bodily flight.

His gaze slowly dropped from the altitude, looking at the dazzling neon lights that had left him mesmerized earlier. It was a giant neon sign spanning almost a hundred square meters. Among the many illuminations, the most eye-catching was obviously the three golden characters in the center - Dream City.

"Sir, how about it? Come on in and have some fun. You look like something's bothering you. Here, you can let loose in any way you want," subtly suggested the woman, her gaze smoldering seductively.

Sky Scar looked down at his silver uniform. He wouldn't be truthful if he said he wasn't the slightest bit tempted. After all, his lack of exposure to the outside society made him parched in the face of temptation, and his heartbreak felt a tad lighter. He bitterly chuckled, "Let loose? No, I don't need to let loose. I need an anesthetic. I've heard of this thing called alcohol. Supposedly, it can numb someone to the core. Do you have any here?"

A tempting laughter echoed, "Of course, we have all sorts of fine wines to cater to your wishes. We've had many young folks like you come here to drown their sorrows. No matter what you wish to drink, we can cater to your needs. Here, you are our god, our master. We treat every guest as if they were a deity."

He motioned for the woman to stop speaking, set his jaw and decided he would just go in and get some of that 'wine' to drink first, no matter what, even if it meant getting beaten up. Usually, he was rather timid, but the sharp sting of heartbreak had emboldened him. He put on a brave front and said, "No more talking, lead the way. I want the quickest numbing and of course, the finest wine."

At this point, Sky Scar was indifferent to consequences. His heart still ached. Four years of love wasn't easy to get over. Had he known people had been maimed for running a tab in Dream City, he wouldn't have been so emboldened.

The woman smirked inwardly and stepped aside. Her skirt, as short as it could be, radiated a lascivious glow. Sky Scar's gaze flickered with greed, and he daringly grabbed her thigh. The woman just giggled – far from resisting, she even pressed against his body. Flushing with excitement and his heart racing, he wondered if his "first time" would come to an end here. He hoped they wouldn't ask for payment first. With a fluttering heart, he followed the woman's sensual lead into the Dream City.

All the noise, the splendor, it made no impression on Sky Scar. He just knew that the curvaceous woman had led him to a table for two and left. His mind lingered on the intoxicating sensation from earlier, but soon his attention was caught by the scantily-clad beauties nearby. There were so many of them, each captivating in her way, that merely casting a glance around made him dizzy.

Before he could even ask, a crystal glass appeared on the metallic table in front of him. The atmosphere around him was sultry, as if it could melt everything away. But deep down, Sky Scar was as cold as the crystal glass itself. Though his senses were numbed amidst the surrounding revelry, the pain in his heart remained.

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