Xuyi County camp, morning.

Administrator Sun Kai was doing his rounds with two assistants — checking sanitation, resolving minor disputes, reminding companies their taxes were due.

"Sun Administrator — lunch drinks later?" Firewheel Trading's owner Ding Jikai spotted him, produced a pack of Yellow Crane Tower cigarettes, and extended one.

He then, with visible reluctance, pulled out two more for the assistants.

Sun Kai took it, lit up, drew a long breath. "Little damp. Flavor's off."

"Having any at all is a luxury. Getting this pack took real effort. Everything's been irradiated except the tobacco crops, apparently." Ding Jikai lit his own, inhaled deeply, let the smoke out slowly. "Imagine if tobacco got the Activity treatment. That would be something worth smoking."

Sun Kai blew a ring. "Smoking kills."

"But it's healthy." Ding Jikai and both assistants said it simultaneously.

Laughter, all around. Four men smoking in the morning.

Halfway through his cigarette, Sun Kai said: "Old Ding — when are you planning to move?"

"Waiting on your word. The moment the new Xinyi City administrator takes the position, I'll be there paying my respects. Sun Administrator, we've known each other long enough — give me the straight answer. Is it Colonel Chen? The Dragon Slayer?"

Sun Kai nodded without hesitation. "Barring something unexpected, it's Chen Kun. New Hefei connection is confirmed. His status there was standing committee member and deputy commander, Colonel rank. Command leadership values his individual combat capability. Having him anchor Xinyi City makes the whole zone safer for whoever settles there."

"That's exactly my thinking. I wouldn't be planning this early if it weren't for Colonel Chen going in. Xinyi City sits between Luoma Lake to the south and Linyi City to the north — two radiation center zones pressing it from both directions. Serious danger zone."

"Fortune favors the bold, as they say. Iron people and jin people don't get stronger by playing it safe." Sun Kai exhaled. "I genuinely don't know what tomorrow looks like. Jin beasts keep getting stronger. I'll be honest — I don't feel confident about the future."

One of the…