Glitch Mode ≫̸̘͖̣̞͈͕̒́͋ͅͅ Zhong Chenle

≫̸̘͖̣̞͈͕̒́͋ͅͅ 12

The decent was suffocating.

The middle and top layer had fresh, cycled air pumping through the streets, allowing for greenery to survive and people to breathe with ease.

But as they began their gradual descent down, the air turned thick- dense with fumes and pollution cycled in from the upper two levels.

And the further they moved down, the more the city twisted into something unrecognisable.

There were no flying cars down here, the streets far too narrow. No, instead, what whizzed around were people on hoverboards, flying scooters or run down motorbike- however, these vehicles were scarce.

The neon lights and holograms that brought the city to life were now flickering, some broken entirely, but the colourful lights turned harsh and garish as it mixed with the pallid white lamps that hung off of buildings.

Alleyways stretched into darkness however, concealing secrets and stories Siyeon was more than happy not to discover.

The rain that had been a mild drizzle above had now turned heavier, pouring in thick sheets and turning the cracked pavement it rivers of filth.

Siyeon's nose crinkled, the air smelt like burnt wires, damp concrete, and something more acrid- like rusting metal mixed with rotting food and decay.

As their boots collided with the puddles underfoot, ripples of neon undulated around them.
Electrical scraps littered the ground. Tangled cords and broken panels that sparked occasionally were remnants of discarded technology.

Above them, tangled clusters of wires stretched like veins through the streets, connecting to poles and the low hanging cords swayed in the wind.

A bitter wind swept around Siyeon, her arms instinctively wrapping around her body as a shiver ran through her.

She squinted, glaring down the pathway towards the figures emerging from the steam that hissed from rusted vents.

Her eyes widened at the liveliness of the streets.
People huddled in groups, some were haggling from vendors, some walked in the shadows, their postures pulled in as they avoided the light.

But something wasn't right, they were different, almost changed.

Human, but altered.

Her eyes took in her surroundings. A woman sat hunched against a wall, playing with a mechanical eye before shoving back into the empty socket- it swirled around in her eye before adjusting itself, its pupil dilating and contracting before she began to project a flashing hologram in front of her.

A man walked past, his steel leg creaking and cracking as exposed wires stuck out, fluid leaking down the metal.
Others had metal grafts on flesh, mechanical hands, steel jaws.

And everyone lingering in the street was staring.

Siyeon felt the weight of their gazes. They spoke in harsh whispers as they followed their every step, their eyes tracking their movements in meticulous scrutiny.

Chenle stepped closer to Mark, lowering his voice. "They know we don't belong here."

Marks eyes scanned the area as they ventured deeper in the level and his jaw clenched. "We stick out too much."

Siyeon walked with caution, sticking close to the others. A frown settled on her face as she glanced at their damp clothes. Their weapons, their clean faces and their lack of mechanical accessories- it was all too obvious.

"We need disguises," she muttered, and the group stopped. "We look like targets."

Renjun nodded, his eyes scanning the rows of stalls that lined the streets.

Some were selling rusted spare parts, some sold vials filled with glowing substances, some were selling trays of steaming meat that did not look familiar to her, and others had displayed clothing.

Her head gestured to a stall that had cloaks displayed and the group made to approach the stand.

A hunched figure watched them carefully as they sifted through the tattered cloaks. Siyeon ran her fingers over the materials, some were course, others surprisingly sticky- which she wiped off on her leg- before she landed on one that looked comfortable and warm but well worn-in.

Draping it over her shoulders, she pulled the hood over her head. The others followed suit, each finding similar black cloaks that swallowed their silhouettes and making it easy for them to blend in.

Mark adjusted his hood, glancing towards Siyeon. "Better?"

At the sound of his voice, a man with a mechanical arm, standing by a stall selling fried vermin, glanced at them but he didn't linger.

Siyeon exhaled and nodded. "Better."

The group paid for their cloaks and joined the sea of people walking the streets.

They all kept a close eye on Mark as he scouted the area and after a few minutes, he looked over his shoulder to the group and gestured with his head towards an alleyway.

Without drawing attention, they all huddled into the narrow space between buildings. The walls were slick with moisture as steam curled around their feet from an unseen vent, the swirls of steam drifting out into the street.

Jaemin was the first to speak. "Alright, so we known Winter is down here somewhere. We just need to figure out where. Any ideas?"

"How do we even start looking?" Chenle asked, his voice laced with a mixture of frustration and fear. "We don't know anything about this level, let alone city."

A silence washed over them as they thought, the only sound rain and a hiss from the vent near them.

Siyeon glanced between each members face, stopping at Jisungs as his gaze lifted. His eyes followed the endless cords above- how they snaked through the city like veins, pulsing with dim, unpredictable power.

"... the relay station."

Jeno's brows furrowed. "Huh?"

Jisung gestured upwards, his eyes trained on the wires. "The relay station. They've got to have one down here, it's the only way to keep the power running," he turned to look at the group. "If we can find it, Haechan and I can access the local grid. We can use it to find something on Winter. Maybe there'll be information about whatever this Black Ma thing is too."

Siyeon's lips formed a gentle downward curve in contemplation- a sense of pride washing through her as she watched the younger boy strive in his field.

Mark thought on it, his fingers rubbing at his chin before looking to the boy. "You think it'll have data?"

Jisung smirked. "Every system keeps logs, even the illegal ones."

Siyeon's gaze drifted to the street, to the people passing and to the rain that poured around them. Her eyes zoning in on the wires that stretched and disappeared down the street.
"So, we follow the wires."

Each of their eyes locked onto the cables that led deeper into the city.

And with a few reassuring glances, they moved.