Nine months later.

  July 4, 2195, Saturday, before dusk.

  Utopia, New Testament Civilization, Vietnam.

  Saigon City (medium-sized city, fifth-order classical machine civilization reserve).

  ..

  Northern City Slums, Mos Poor University.

  Student dormitory area, North Canal, riverside.

  ..

  Two characters:

  A 20-year-old aloof and melancholy girl with red hair and red clothes, Yeiiee.

  Yeiiee is an eleventh-pocket outer disciple of the Beggar Sisterhood.

  There are eleven pockets on her clothes.

  A 17-year-old cute and charming girl with white hair and white clothes, Witiivi.

  Witiivi is a ninth-pocket inner disciple of the Beggar Sisterhood.

  There are nine pockets on her clothes.

  The number of pockets on their clothes represents how many years they have been members of the Beggar Sisterhood.

  ..

  The two girls leaned against the rocks by the river.

  They held hands and snuggled together.

  They looked across the canal at the ruins of the old city, that apocalyptic and decadent landscape.

  In the sunset, the tall building ruins overgrown with weeds and wild grass exuded dark aesthetics.

  ..

  This old city ruin was a medium-sized city with millions of people in the Pre-Society era.

  In the late 21st century, machine intelligence replaced industrial mass production, and human cities gradually collapsed.

  In 2100 AD, the mysterious organization Prophet Nest established Utopia.

  Utopia had no government, no laws, no taxes, and free land...

  Humans flocked into Utopia, accelerating the collapse of Pre-Society, and large numbers of cities became ruins.

  ..

  Yeiiee:

  "I want to participate in the Beggar Sisterhood's outer elder trial.

  I'm already an eleventh-pocket outer disciple, just qualified enough."

  ..

  Witiivi:

  "Where is the trial held?"

  ..

  Yeiiee:

  "Amani Chaos Region, Barbaric Wilderness with Laws, Steam Plains."

  ..

  Witiivi:

  "I was born in the Golden Triangle of the Amani Chaos Region.

  I know the Barbaric Wilderness with Laws and Steam Plains.

  That's a very dangerous place, a banished land.

  What's the format of the outer elder trial?"

  ..

  Yeiiee:

  "This year marks the nine-yearly war to reshuffle warlords in the Steam Plains.

  Major and minor warlords will fight to redraw their territories.

  The three-yearly gang ranking war in the Steam Plains is also happening this year.

  All desperate bandit gangs will come out to fight.

  Including: roaming horse bandits, car gangs, mechanical gangs..

  Ranking is determined by victory or defeat, with territories allocated accordingly.

  The outer elder trial requires participating in one of these wars and winning.

  Or successfully crossing the entire land war zone of the Steam Plains."

  ..

  Witiivi:

  "Wow, it's dangerous but also kind of interesting.

  Do you have the confidence to pass the outer elder trial?"

  ..

  Yeiiee:

  "Of course I'm confident.

  I wouldn't dare to participate in the elder trial without confidence.

  I'm already a Fourth-dan MechWarrior, considered a genius MechWarrior among girls.

  If I wear exoskeletons, equip enough thermal weapons.

  And set up a multi-layer defense ring of machine insects.

  I'll be confident to form a team to cross the land war zone of the Steam Plains.

  I just don't have money to rent exoskeletons, thermal weapons, and machine insects."

  ..

  Witiivi:

  "Whoa, you're actually a Fourth-dan MechWarrior? You really are a genius among girls.

  You're so poor.

  Where did you get the money to train as a Fourth-dan MechWarrior?"

  ..

  Yeiiee:

  "Not my own money, of course.

  It's my adoptive father's money."

  ..

  Witiivi:

  "Whoa! I knew you had an adoptive father.

  But I didn't know he was so good to you?

  MechWarrior is a rich person's profession.

  Poor people can't afford it at all.

  Training to become a Fourth-dan MechWarrior burns through a lot of money."

  ..

  Yeiiee:

  "I've been encounter him since I was a kid.

  I studied the pattern of his visits to the mech arcade.

  I'd go and encounter him every time, making him pay for my training.

  The happiest thing in my life is clinging to such an adoptive father."

  ..

  Witiivi:

  "Why can't I cling to such a good adoptive father?"

  ..

  Yeiiee:

  "Now that we're in love together, he's also your adoptive father."

  ..

  Witiivi:

  "True, he is also my adoptive father.

  Tell me about our adoptive father.

  I want to know why he's so good to you."

  ..

  Yeiiee:

  "In his eyes, I might not be anything special.

  He probably just gave charity a little to me.

  But in my eyes, I wouldn't be alive today without him.

  He's the most important person in my life."

  。。

  。。