What is an abandoned district? It's a no-man's-land!
As numerous factories shut down and unemployment rose, the original residents gradually moved away or disappeared, while a large number of outsiders flooded in. This area became the territory of various gangs, who fought over the turf.
The government essentially gave up on public services, various infrastructures ceased to be maintained, and the residents were left largely to their own devices. Police scarcely stepped into this area for law enforcement, and order was mainly maintained through gang self-governance.
The Shi Family also used gang-like methods to seize this territory, deploying a group of Sorcerers to eliminate and expel local gangs. After establishing a foothold and integrating one district, they went on to annex two adjacent districts.
