Diogenes presented a gray toolbox, roughly 40 x 25 cm, embossed with a large, iridescent reddish-black logo.a fusion of the letters 'O' and 'S' that shimmered as it caught the light. A sturdy handle sat atop its frame.
"As I told you before, everything made of data eventually tries to return to its source," Diogenes began. "In simple terms, data fragment is the contents of the battery to move objects.The problem is, the data fragment in these objects isn't truly 'stored'; it's tethered by its case. Over time, that case weakens, worn down by the field vibrations of the World Tree, which constantly 'pulls' data fragments back home.and this only applies to mechanical objects"
He leaned in closer. "That is where we come in. We scavengers tear apart the wreckage to absorb the lingering fragments before they can return to the source, then we compress them into crystals."
Diogenes flipped the toolbox open. The bottom compartment was neatly packed with various mechanical tools Kai didn't recognize. On the other side, three devices were laid out separately, as if intentionally curated.
Kai's gaze fixed on one of them.
Diogenes sighed. "Since you can't remember a single useful thing, I'll explain it all.gloves. Wear them to protect your hands from scrapes and wounds while dismantling scrap. They're made of thick, reinforced material."
"Now, not every piece of junk contains data fragments. This device serves as a detector to find which wreckage still holds fragments and which is just hollow metal," Diogenes explained, picking up a small tube-like object with a multi-colored tip.
With a quick flick, he extended the device until it was as long as his arm. "This is called a Fragment Scanner. It will vibrate, shiver and the tip will glow when it gets close to a data fragment."
Setting the scanner down, Diogenes picked up a white, pistol-shaped device with a square muzzle and a charging bar in the center.
"This is the Compressor, the heart of the entire scavenging process."
Diogenes pulled the trigger. The device vibrated with a low, hissing hum.
"The Compressor sucks the residual fragments from the scrap and crushes them into crystal form. You see this? This is the indicator for how much data you've absorbed. Only once it's completely full will the Compressor eject a crystal," he said, pointing to the bar on the device.
"Usually, the bar fills up after you've dismantled and absorbed fragments from several pieces of scrap. So, you have to keep searching, dismantling, and absorbing until you earn a single crystal. That is the essence of scavenging. Oh, and one more thing: usually, you'll only get the low-quality crystals like the one I gave you yesterday. Or, if you're lucky, you might find medium-quality crystals when you absorb higher-grade fragments."
Kai nodded slowly, trying to etch every function into his memory. He was still hesitant, but at least he knew where to start.
Afterward, Diogenes taught Kai how to use the tools in the bottom compartment: a hammer, pliers, and a small wrench with worn-down teeth. Kai felt clumsy at first, the hammer felt heavy, the pliers were stiff, and the metallic clicks of locking parts sounded too loud in the cramped room. Diogenes corrected him only when necessary, steadying Kai's wrist, adjusting his angles, and letting him try again until his movements became more fluid.
Once finished, Diogenes gathered the tools one by one, returning them to their slots. He snapped the toolbox shut and shoved it against Kai's chest.
"Now, this is yours," he said curtly.
Kai took the toolbox, a sudden, strange sensation washing over him. He felt as though he should be learning the secrets of this world, not getting trapped among gears and junk.
Hmph, for some reason, this feeling is familiar, Kai thought to himself.
Struck by a sudden thought, Kai turned to Diogenes. "Diogenes, how do other people get crystals?"
Diogenes, who was about to stand up, stopped and glanced at Kai.
"Well, for those in the Upper Districts and Industrial Hubs, they just buy them from various shops scattered across their sectors. Besides, they have jobs that provide them with decent medium-grade crystals. But there are also people in Sectors 9 and 10 who hunt Data Monsters to harvest fragments from them. Fragments from monsters are usually high-quality and more stable; they're the main suppliers for those shops."
"As for the poor souls in the Deep Web, they can get them for free in certain places.at the cost of their bodies slowly 'glitching' out, losing color or worse," Diogenes explained.
Standing up, Diogenes walked toward a steel locker in the corner of the workshop. Once opened, rows of food cans and water bottles appeared, neatly arranged. Diogenes grabbed two cans of food and two bottles of water, tossing one of each to Kai. After closing the locker, Diogenes opened his own tool-box and stowed his rations inside.
"That's for your lunch," he said.
Following Diogenes' lead, Kai opened his tool-box and stored his meal as well.
"With this, you fool, you can harvest even more data crystals," Diogenes added with a smirk.
Hearing that, Kai suddenly felt a chill.
Wait a minute. As someone who is 'sick' and has lost their memory, shouldn't I be taken care of? I've lost my memory, so why am I the one forced to help this old man scavenge for data fragments? Feeling a sudden spark of enlightenment, Kai spoke up:
"Ehm, Diogenes, shouldn't you be nursing me back to health so I can recover my memory, instead of making me do your work?"
Diogenes, already prepared to leave, turned and shot Kai a look of pure disdain before snorting.
"Even an old piece of junk like me works to support himself. You're young and you expect better treatment? Don't be spoiled. Even if you've lost your memory, it doesn't change much about who you are. Yes, that's just how it is. Besides, even though I have plenty of spare data crystals, I still need to use them as batteries for my gear."
Kai furrowed his brow, clearly unsatisfied with that answer.
"But… aren't sick people usually looked after?"
Seeing Kai remain stubborn, Diogenes reopened the steel locker and tossed another can of food at him.
"A 'sick' person needs to eat a lot," Diogenes smirked, emphasizing the word sick.
"Dammit," Kai cursed, but he accepted the extra ration nonetheless.
"Heh, fine. If you're smart enough to secure a lot of data crystals, you can rest in proportion to the value of the crystals themselves. A minimum of three low-quality ones, and you can rest for a day."
Kai snorted and replied, "I'll get five high-quality crystals!"
"Ha ha, that's the spirit," Diogenes laugh.
Diogenes then gestured for them to head out, and Kai followed immediately, tightening his grip on his tool-box. Outside, the vista of towering trash mountains greeted them.
Kai took a deep breath, then followed Diogenes deeper into the sea of wreckage. They navigated the same narrow paths Kai remembered from before.
They kept walking until the path finally ended.
"I'm warning you, the scrap containing data fragments must be sought within those trash heaps, because anything near the path has usually been picked clean by other scavengers."
Kai nodded, realizing he and Diogenes weren't the only ones in this scavenging world. Kai then opened his tool-box, took out the fragment scanner, and extended it. Suddenly, his eyes caught sight of it: a colossal black wall towering like the edge of the world. From below, the wall seemed bottomless; from above, it pierced through the clouds, as if separating the heavens from the world below while standing guard over them.