Underground City 02, the massive metropolis located in what was once Shanghai.
Eight young people—four couples—had sneaked to the surface through the ventilation ducts.
The lead couple was particularly "eye-catching." The guy sported a mohawk dyed fluorescent green, a skull earring in his left ear, and a cursive tattoo on his neck that read "Indifferent to Life and Death." The girl had pink-and-purple-streaked pigtails, a rhinestone stud in her nostril, a lip ring, and fishnet stockings. A mess of keychains jingled at her waist, and she wore studded, thick-soled platform shoes.
The other three couples had a similar style—dyed hair, shaved heads, and tattoos. The beams of their flashlights revealed unhealed needle marks on their arms, and the air was thick with the sour stench of sweat mixed with cheap perfume.
"The air up here is so fresh! So much more breathable than down below."
