Further in, in the northern and eastern districts, lay the core of the territory. The northern district was home to the territory’s main research institutions, headed by the Academy of Sciences, with dozens of other research bodies radiating outward from it. The eastern district housed the territory’s precision manufacturing industry, led by four major companies, with hundreds of firms producing large volumes of high-tech goods for export.

Ordinary people were allowed to look around the outer reaches of those two zones. But to get inside, one either needed a high-priced identity or a pass.

As for the final southern district, it was Hope City’s famous “rich area.” In that district one could hardly see any building taller than three stories, only rows upon rows of small villas of every kind. Although said to be part of the city, the southern district was in fact not open to ordinary people at all. To get in, one either needed more than five million trade points, or had to be a core member of the territory.

The information Su Mo had received likewise contained virtually nothing about the southern district.

“Wow, Hope City is so much more prosperous than Qingguo Territory. There are so many tall buildings!”

Even before entering the western district, just on its outer edge, Huang Xiaojuan could not help exclaiming in amazement.

The outskirts of Hope City, the outskirts of a top-ten city, were far beyond what little Qingguo Territory could match, and could not even be compared with Mulberry Field Town. Walking the wide, clean streets, one saw people everywhere dressed in bright colors, their skin rosy and full, their spirits high. Many vehicles also drove in orderly fashion according to traffic rules, making everything seem well organized. Compared with the bustling crowds outside, coming here felt like returning to Earth. Everything felt familiar and welcoming.

After a while they reached the drop-off point. It was already noon. With Huang Xiaojuan beside him, Su Mo did not rush to order the harvester. Instead he strolled the western district, tasting the city’s local customs and atmosphere.

“Promotion! Freshly baked bread, only one yuan for a whole loaf!”

“The latest portable electric vehicle, the best way to get to and from work, take one home for just thirty trade points!”

“For rent! Large one-bedroom apartment in Minghua Community, West C District, only three hundred trade points a month! First come, first served!”

“Hey buddy, looking for a job? I know some high-paying openings I can introduce you to. Just need a small agency fee.”

There were many people on the street, and even more advertisements along the way. Hearing those familiar cries, Huang Xiaojuan quickened her pace, while Su Mo was thoroughly enjoying himself.

In a sense, Hope City today had indeed fulfilled the vision he once held. Prosperous, safe, and stable. Chinese, white, black, brown-eyed, blue-eyed, all sorts of pedestrians came and went on the streets. On the matter of inclusivity, Hope City had done well. There had been no outrageous acts of discrimination.

Su Mo also observed a strong cultural fusion in the shop signs lining the streets. An Indian curry brand had adapted its product and folded it into jianbing, creating a new food called “curry rice wrap.” Long queues formed outside the shop, and business was booming. Handmade goods combined Japanese and German craftsmanship; their small stalls by the roadside drew attention with meticulous work, changing the old impression of them as mere “little workshops.” Even roadside real estate agents could switch among three or four different accents to push their listings.

The two strolled along, looking this way and that, then found a decent-looking restaurant and settled the problem of lunch.

“Xiaojuan, why don’t you wander around here for a bit? I need to order something for the shop.”

Su Mo led Huang Xiaojuan to a large shopping mall, opened the game panel, and transferred a hundred points over with a smile.

Small commodities were thriving in Hope City as well.

There were hundreds of little shops selling all kinds of goods on this street. Given Huang Xiaojuan’s personality, she could probably shop there several times without getting tired of it.

Indeed.

“Wow, Brother Zong, where did you get so much money?”

“Don’t worry about me. Hope City is safe. You don’t think I’ll get lost, do you?”

Seeing the soaring balance in her account, Huang Xiaojuan could not stop smiling. After exchanging a few polite words, she could no longer resist going inside.

Only when Huang Xiaojuan’s figure disappeared into the market did Su Mo withdraw his gaze and return to the side of the street.

“Hey buddy, new here? Want me to introduce you to Hope City?” Seeing Su Mo looking around, a tall, thin man immediately walked over.

“I need to go to Baoyu Heavy Industry. How do I get there?” Su Mo had already fixed his destination before coming.

Manufacturing in Tian Yuan Territory was currently divided into three levels.

First were low-level OEM manufacturers, whose shop codes varied and were basically named according to the owner’s preference. Factories of that type were generally privately owned and relied mainly on manual labor, rarely using machine assistance. They could manufacture products with low precision requirements according to blueprints.

Second was intermediate OEM manufacturing. Those shops were usually named after towns within the territory. For example, Baoyu Heavy Industry was a factory that Baoyu County, one of the territory’s counties, had set up in Hope City. Its main responsibility was to send workers from the county here for further training, then bring the advanced technology back to the county for secondary development. Those factories had completely broken free of the limits of low-end handwork and now possessed a variety of production instruments with considerable technological content, enough to produce some products of relatively low technological content.

Third was advanced OEM manufacturing. At that level, there were three names in Tian Yuan Territory: Hope Heavy Industry, Tian Yuan Heavy Industry, and Tech Precision Industry, which was not open to the public. The first two were funded by Hope City and Tian Yuan City, while the latter was backed by the Academy of Sciences. All three factories boasted top-notch technology, possessed large numbers of precision instruments, and employed highly skilled workers. But their prices were also quite high, more than five times those of the county-owned factories!

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