The Base

"Plan?" Hao Ren turned to look at Ulyanov or more accurately, the helmet that covered his face. "I haven't thought about it. I'll take things as they come. Maybe I'll find a place to settle down after all of this is over."

Ulyanov cleared his throat and asked in a whisper, "Where did you learn your fighting skills?"

He thought that Hao Ren was just a wealthy, retarded civilian who lacked a sense of survival in the wasteland. But after witnessing his fighting skills, he began to have a keen interest in Hao Ren's background. Without biochemical re-engineering and electronic aids, it was rare to gain combat strength more potent than that of regular soldiers, even in the Lawless District. Feeling Ulyanov's curious eyes behind the full-face mask, Hao Ren tilted his head slightly. "I used to fight on the battlefield, but don't ask why."

"Mercenary?" Ulyanov sized him up. "You don't smell like the regular forces."