Editing City Series:Volume3a Chapter 9 (section)

===Part 1===

Taking Chatham Road north from Tsim Sha Tsui for twenty minutes on foot brought one to the eastern Hung Hom region of the Kowloon Peninsula.

If the shopping districts such as Tsim Sha Tsui were Hong Kong’s face, then this manufacturing district was the city’s body.

It was filled with factories and high-class residential areas for the nouveau riche who kept Hong Kong’s economy running.

Unlike the shopping districts, the region was filled with bright Lives that lacked any heat.

Or it normally did.

“Wow.”

Ma Tau Wai Road cut east to west through Hung Hom. Akira ran east down it with Gunmal and she could not help but voice her opinion of the odd Lives surrounding the streets of Hung Hom.

They were Lives of alarm.

The fifth alarm ringing throughout Hong Kong was transforming the streets of Hung Hom.

Having subconsciously noticed, the people were trying to flee that region.

Cars flooded the roads and the sidewalks were even more crowded than usual. Everyone was moving west, away from Hung Hom and away from the Kowloon Peninsula as a whole.

Their voices were all filled with doubts and unease.

Akira found it hard to breathe under the auditory pressure of their Lives.

…''This is harsh.

“Don’t you think it’s that alarm’s fault? Yeah, I can feel it tingling from my brain down to my toes.”

“You sound like that makes you happy.”

Akira avoided the people while replying to Gunmal’s comment. Everyone on the sidewalk carried large bags and a lot of them had children with them. The two ran as well as they could without getting in the people’s way.

“Akira, it would definitely be faster if you flew.”

“But what about you? You don’t know where the thermal power station is, right?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll ask a police officer to show me the way.”

…''And where are you going to find that police officer?

“There’s one right in front of- Hey, don’t ignore my clever joke.”

“Shut up.”

They continued running.

“There aren’t any people on the sidewalks anymore. Is it because only the roads are clogged up?”

“Hm. I guess you could say manpower won out over civilization.”

“That is ''not'' what it means. …Oh, we take a left at this signal.

They turned left at the intersection.

They left the show windows and lights of Ma Tau Wai Road and entered a residential street that looked a lot more like a shopping district.

There was a lot of green.

A church came into view on their left. It was the Holy Carpenter Church that the area was well known for. The church had an Anglican and Victorian style and the plaza out front was surrounded by green and filled with…

“People.”

Akira heard quiet Lives ringing from the church.

“So they’re seeking salvation from god, are they? Maybe if they pray, they’ll get to go to heaven even if they still die. …Oh, wait. Heaven was destroyed.”

“That’s inappropriate.”

She warned Gunmal while looking up into the night sky.

The destroyed heaven was up there.

It itself was not visible, but she could faintly see its Live. One spot in the sky glowed faintly as if more stars were gathered there than elsewhere. That was likely the chapter title page that acted as an entrance to heaven.

“Restoring heaven, hm?”

She faced forward again and saw a land bridge.

Once they crossed that, they would arrive at the thermal power station.

…''We need to hurry.

As soon as she thought that, she heard a mighty blast of a six-tone horn from behind. An engine rumbled in the background.

She looked back while running and saw Kouga riding a motorcycle with…

“Akira! Gunmal!”

It was Rin.

She wore body armor over her usual suit and held a shotgun.

The motorcycle decelerated to match Akira and Gunmal’s speed.

Kouga looked to the two of them in the eye and smiled bitterly.

“Honestly, those clogged streets didn’t make it easy. They really need to work on the traffic control around here. What are the cops doing these days?”

“You’re one of those cops, you know?” said Rin. “I see Gunmal is here, too. You’re a normal civilian, so you didn’t have to come.”

“Oh, c’mon. As a normal civilian, I’ve gotta enjoy all the events the city has to offer.”

“…I’d call you an abnormal civilian,” added Akira.

“Well, I am cooler than average and smarter than the standard.”

“Don’t forget far more special than normal,” cut in Rin while facing forward.

Her eyes were fixed on the thermal power station visible in the darkness.

“Our opponent is probably in there.”

“And we’re all that showed up? This’ll probably make them cry.”

After his joking comment, Gunmal looked to Rin.

Akira noticed where he was looking and realized his gaze had suddenly grown a lot calmer and colder than a moment before.

…''Is something the matter with Rin?

Gunmal may have heard her question because he spoke.

“Why are you prepared to die?”

“!?”

Akira gasped and Kouga slowed the motorcycle.

Just as they all focused on Rin, she responded.

“Hurry. The enemy is over there.”

Her calm voice contained no emotion, but Akira could see her Live. What she saw there was far too unstable to call an emotion.