"So many people?" Nick asked.
Wyntor nodded. "We used to have our servants also live in the upper layer, but father decided to give up these ten spaces after seeing how much trouble one of his Zephyx Extractors had to find a spot."
Nick knew that the Melfions were insanely influential, but once more, he had been shocked by their power.
Wyntor's father was so rich and powerful that he had dedicated over a billion credits just so that his servants didn't have to travel so far to work.
Such a mindset was unimaginable for Nick.
Nick still felt nervous whenever he spent over a thousand credits on anything.
Wyntor and Nick talked for a while longer and planned out everything for the meeting in three days.
The next two days, Nick prepared for his trip.
And then, it was time to go.
At about eight a.m., Nick and Wyntor walked out of Dark Dream and traveled towards the huge structure in the middle of the city.
The gigantic pyramid-like structure had become so normal for Nick, but today, it seemed more imposing and impressive than on other days.
Nick had never been in there.
Today would be his first time going into the Inner City.
As the two of them approached the huge structure, Nick saw several guards.
Four of them were standing by the entrance, and over ten more were stationed on different buildings around the entrance.
Naturally, these people were the force of the city, the Extractors that the Manufacturers had to dedicate to the city.
None of the guards reacted as the two of them approached.
A moment later, Wyntor took out an emblem and just held it up.
Nick became nervous and just kept walking.
And then…
Nothing.
Nobody was stopping them.
The doors opened, and the two of them had just walked in.
"There's a scanner," Wyntor said.
"A scanner?" Nick asked.
"There are scanners in the entrance that scan us. They saw my emblem and your uniform and let us through. The guards only react when the scanners tell them something's wrong."
"Oh," Nick uttered before looking forward.
The doors had already opened, and Nick saw…
Another door.
The next moment, the door behind them closed, and Wyntor stopped walking.
WRRRRRRR!
Then, a loud sound came out of the walls, and blue liquid started to rain on them.
"Cleansing Liquid?" Nick asked in shock.
Wyntor nodded.
The hall they were in was around ten meters long and four meters wide, and yet, all of it was being doused in Cleansing Liquid!
That was insane!
Some seconds later, the Cleansing Liquid stopped appearing and was siphoned into the ground.
Then, Nick felt several strong gusts of wind.
A minute later, the wind stopped, and the sound coming from the walls also quietened.
Nick's nose moved a bit as he smelled something he had never smelled before.
What was this smell?
It was so… strange.
But also comforting?
Wyntor noticed Nick's reaction.
"It's plants and trees," he said.
Nick's eyes widened. "That's how trees smell?"
Wyntor nodded.
Nick had heard of trees, but he had never seen one in his life.
The image of trees Nick had in his mind was unpleasant and terrifying.
Huge hard and brown pillars that rose from the ground and were also alive?!
That sounded like some Specter or some kind of monster from a horror story.
And outside the city, they were apparently everywhere!
Wasn't that like some kind of army of huge teeth from some huge monster?!
Also, since they were alive, they might even move!
Nick just imagined a huge pillar of metal bending and moving to look closer at him.
Additionally, since when did plants smell so nice?
The plants that grew on the metallic walls of buildings didn't smell nice at all!
The next moment, the big door in front of them opened, and Nick could finally see the Inner City.
Green!
There was so much green!
It was like everything was covered with veggie cubes!
The streets were made of stone, which was formed into many identical shapes instead of metal.
It looked so fancy and beautiful but also unsafe.
Nick craved the strength and certainty of steel.
Stones didn't seem safe.
However, only parts of the street were covered in stone.
The others were made of… ground?
A couple of parts in the Dregs and the Outer City are made of actual ground, but that ground was hard and resistant, while this ground looked green.
But then, Nick noticed that the ground wasn't actually green.
It was just that the ground was covered in many little green hairs that swayed gently in an artificial breeze.
Nick was immediately reminded of the hairy mold he once ate off a wall when he was younger.
Was this mold?
Why would anyone cover the ground in mold?!
That's disgusting!
However, a moment later, Nick saw something even stranger.
It was a big brown pillar that had a big "umbrella" of green growths.
The growths were moving in the wind, and Nick started to feel nervous.
Was that a tree?!
And were these weird green things the leaves Nick had heard about?!
Yet, before Nick could say anything, he noticed something else.
Water!
So much water!
There was some kind of long and wide stream of water!
It was over five meters wide and very deep, and the water constantly moved in one direction.
That was when Nick realized how rich everyone in here was.
So much clean water!
Just being here!
Without being used!
This was insane!
Wyntor looked at Nick with an amused expression as Nick just kept looking around in horror.
It was like Nick had entered some kind of horrifying and alien world!
"You'll get used to it," Wyntor said.
"What?" Nick asked as he looked at Wyntor.
"Come," Wyntor said, gesturing with his head towards one of the grassy fields.
Nick awkwardly followed Wyntor.
Wyntor stepped onto the grass and sat down with a smile.
Then, he gestured to the grass beside him.
"Come, touch it."