The moment the process began, Jing Shu activated the Rubik's Cube Space's unique ability. Xiao Hei immediately began explaining beside her, his voice low and hurried because he didn't want to waste even a second.
The man conducting the verification, who had looked exhausted just moments ago with his shoulders slumped, suddenly went blank. His expression became mechanical.
"As long as you can present a hundred pounds of food or resources of equivalent value, you're able to become a citizen of Austin and enjoy full rights. Even if you're a fugitive, you don't have to worry about pursuit from the outside world. But Austin has recently placed a huge bounty on a group of Asian people.
So, any Asian-looking individuals must be sent to the Review Department. Only after the department confirms you aren't on the wanted list will you be issued a pass and allowed to change your identity at the Data Center. Still, because of that bounty, most people just hand over every Asian they find to claim the reward."
Jing Shu's expression shifted slightly in realization. The official's voice was flat, echoing in the quiet lobby. The slavers were clearly panicking now.
"Maybe we should back out?" Monk rubbed his head, his hand trembling slightly. He still had trauma from the last time they got caught the moment they stepped in, no questions asked.
Yang Yang shook his head. "No, someone is off. Look at his attitude: it's totally different from before. He is way too easy to talk to."
Jing Shu asked calmly, "So if we want to become citizens of Austin, what should we do next?"
Before Xiao Hei could translate, the man nodded lazily as if half-asleep. "Alright, I will have John take you all to the Review Department."
That's practically walking into a trap. The Review Department was notorious for what it did to Asian detainees. The team stood in the sterile lobby, wondering if they're going to have to wipe out the entire department.
"If anything goes wrong, I can take out everyone within my line of sight in three seconds," Zhen Nantan muttered. He rubbed his heavy metal wristband, the light reflecting off the polished surface.
Wait a minute; why was this guy so obedient?
Every word Jing Shu said seemed to go straight through to his brain. Those who had climbed out of the mountains with her didn't doubt her anymore; her authority had already become unshakable. But for those who had hadn't witnessed her power before, especially Monk, the whole thing was unnerving.
Zhen Nantan remained silent. Each word he spoke was so rare it felt precious. That's what confidence looked like: the kind of confidence that came from knowing he could escape any situation.
They passed through strict inspections and buzzing scanners. The hidden weapons embedded in their bodies went unnoticed by the sensors, but all their visible firearms were confiscated at the security checkpoint. John eyed Ling Ling. Her pale, sickly complexion had recovered into a healthy glow after the trek. To foreigners who couldn't tell faces apart, her curves were all that mattered.
"Another batch of walking corpses," John thought with a smirk. He led them through the heavy doors toward the Review Department, then left quickly afterward. He wasn't about to hang around with these sewer rats.
The Review Department was basically a medieval prison dressed up in modern clothes. Rusted iron bars stood alongside high-resolution monitors. The men in uniform were its wardens; they possessed far more authority, overseeing both Austin's patrol and security. Screams and wails echoed from the dark corridors, sending chills through the stale air.
"Hey, boys, look alive! More Asians just came in!" one of the guards hollered. He grinned wickedly, his teeth yellowed. "I bet they're the ones on the bounty list. Let's rough them up until they can't talk, then send them upstairs."
Monk took a step forward. His muscles bulged so hard they nearly ripped his thin shirt. But Jing Shu raised a hand and sighed. "Five of them, huh. That's a bit tricky. Still, I guess it's the perfect time to test the Cube Space's true power."
Before the Cube Space had upgraded, hypnotizing two people at once had already been difficult for her. But she had kept pushing herself for months, training through the excruciating pain in her skull. Now that the Cube Space had evolved, every one of her abilities had leveled up.
The Cube Space was a construct beyond six-dimensional space. The fifth dimension corresponded to speed, something like an electrical wave or ultrasound. Before, she hadn't fully understood the concept. But after the Cube's enlightenment, it all clicked into place.
When her brainwaves matched a target's frequency, she could induce hypnosis. When she tuned them to guide another's thoughts, she could implant suggestions directly into their consciousness. That's how she could communicate across languages. And when her own waves synchronized perfectly with those around her, she became invisible: completely undetectable to the human eye.
Every person had unique brainwave signatures, shaped by their consciousness and willpower. The stronger the mind, the harder it was to influence. So controlling five people at once was the perfect test of her newly upgraded space.
"Sir, we're not the people you're looking for," Jing Shu said softly. Her voice seemed to vibrate in the room. "we're here to become citizens of Austin. Please issue us our passes."
A strange stillness fell over the guards. She had spoken in Chinese, yet the man, who used English, somehow understood her perfectly. His eyes turned glassy, reflecting the glow of the overhead lights.
"Then record your fingerprints, iris, and facial data. Roxie, take them to registration."
"Rofe, what are you saying? These are Asians, we're supposed to... oh, wait, you're right. I will take them now." Roxie, a young woman with a sharp ponytail, also stared blankly ahead. She led the group toward the clicking fingerprint scanners.
With each additional person she controlled, sweat beaded more heavily on Jing Shu's forehead. Five targets was her absolute limit for now, but she was satisfied with the results.
The once-noisy Review Department fell eerily silent. One by one, its occupants became hollow-eyed and dazed, like sleepwalkers in the dim light. Guided by Jing Shu's invisible hand, the team passed every inspection and received their physical travel passes. They were now officially citizens of Austin.
The bizarre sight made her teammates' scalps prickle with unease. If she ever turned this power on them, they wondered what they would become.
Xiao Hei whispered, "Chinese Gu techniques are seriously profound."
See? Jing Shu didn't even have to say anything anymore. Someone always filled in the blanks for her. Perfect.
Zhen Nantan, however, looked intrigued as he watched the guards. "Try it on me next time."
Jing Shu had tested it before: on Tank, Snake Spirit, and Ling Ling. Ling Ling's mental strength made her almost immune to the effect, while Tank fell under almost instantly. If she ever tried using it on Zhen Nantan, though, she doubted she would succeed.
With the passes secured, they finally stepped into the legendary Austin Castle. The air inside was filtered and cool. Jing Shu had achieved in ten minutes what Yang Yang couldn't pull off in ten days. Even he had to admit it: she is a total badass.
To finalize their citizenship, each person had to hand over a hundred pounds of grain or equivalent resources. Yang Yang had already prepared for that with heavy sacks. They carried in bag after bag before entering the softly glowing Data Center.
There, they could finally rewrite their records freely. With Jing Shu leading the way, the whole process went as smoothly as drinking water. They submitted their old data, registered their new identities, and each received a randomized verification code: the digital key that allowed every Austin citizen to move freely inside the massive castle.
===
Hey darlings~ ✧.ヾ(｡>﹏<｡)ﾉﾞ
I finally made a Discord server! Sorry if it looks a bit messy or awkward, I've never actually made one before lol.
The main reason I made it is… I just really wanna interact with you all! Maybe I just wanna share updates about my life, something funny I found, or my little thoughts/impressions on the chapter I'm currently translating (aka tiny spoilers wkwkwk) ヾ(≧▽≦*)o And a bunch of other stuff too~
I mean, I can't really do that on Webnovel, right? And AO3 is kinda similar…
Also, since I started uploading on AO3 after hitting the project limit on Webnovel, I kinda ended up with two separate "reader groups" (you know what I mean, right? >w<). So I thought, why not bring everyone together in one cozy place? Plus, it's easier to chat about translations or Webnovel stuff in general.
I'd be super happy if you joined 🥺
75sprU6DdD
See you there~ ✧*.