"This is the place," the black man said to Wen Yu, then turned to leave. "I wonāt guide you any further, Sir."
Wen Yu shrugged, simultaneously activating Darkness. The power of Darkness instantly enveloped the entire house, conducting a thorough inspection.
There were no bombs or anything of the kind, only one person inside. It didnāt look like a trap.
Once the check was complete, Wen Yu pulled open the door and walked into the house.
Yang Hong was a young man, not yet thirty. From his appearance, he seemed to be of mixed race, with a significant portion of Asian heritage.
Seeing Wen Yu enter, Yang Hong rose, bowed respectfully, and gestured towards the sofa, inviting Wen Yu to sit.
Wen Yu didnāt stand on ceremony and slumped onto the sofa. Flashing a faint smile at Yang Hong, he skipped any useless introductions and asked directly, "Iām here to ask you about matters concerning the Dreamland. Donāt tell me you know nothing about it!"
Yang Hong offered Wen Yu a faint smile while deftly changing the subject. "Isnāt Cathay known as the Country of Etiquette? Itās unexpected for Lord Sequence Number 2 to be so direct. Under normal circumstances, shouldnāt we exchange pleasantries, share a meal and drinks, and deepen our rapport first?"
Wen Yu chuckled in spite of himself. "Youāre not wrong, but Iām in a hurry right now."
"Understood. Then allow me, Sir, to briefly give you an overview of the information concerning the unknown Dreamland. In fact, Iāve experienced everything youāre going through now."
Yang Hong recounted everything that had happened to him, sending Wen Yu into deep thought.
Speaking of Yang Hong, he was quite an interesting individual. His experiences in the post-apocalyptic world were nothing short of legendary.
He had been pursuing his masterās degree in New York, continuing his studies. If the apocalypse hadnāt struck, he would undoubtedly have become an elite.
However, the apocalypse had destroyed what should have been a brilliant future for him.
When the apocalypse first began, Yang Hong initially grew stronger in New York before making his way back to his hometown, Las Vegas.
Yang Hong didnāt elaborate on what happened during that journey, and Wen Yu didnāt press for details. Still, one could imagine the countless stories behind his transformation from an ordinary person into the most powerful expert in Sin City.
Upon returning to Las Vegas, Yang Hong discovered all his family members had perished in the apocalypse. Despondent, he lived a numb, aimless life in this old house. Then, the Dreamland incursions began.
Yang Hongās Dreamland experiences differed from Wen Yuās, but they always involved scenes he was most reluctant to face. Each scene would end with the sound of a catās meow.
"I also believe this Dreamland is the work of a mutant beast. Moreover, there was a large number of deaths among the soldiers in the barracks during that period!"
"The deaths in the military are indeed connected to the Dreamland, and Iāve investigated it."
Hearing Yang Hongās words, Wen Yu immediately focused. "And then? What was the result?"
"I forgot..."
After these three simple words, Yang Hong took a leisurely sip of water, completely ignoring the veins throbbing on Wen Yuās forehead.
"Iām not lying! Iām sure I found the answer. After all, Iāve been here a long time, and I have a large group of subordinates. Even a carpet search would have turned up some clues."
"But for some reason, Iāve forgotten the truth. Itās highly probable this is the result of a negotiation I had with that unknown entity. This means I once knew the truth but, for certain reasons, chose not to remember it. So, I donāt know the truth now, nor do I wish to. However, I suspect a mutant cat is behind all this, and... it means no harm."
After listening to everything Yang Hong said, Wen Yu nodded with a smile. Suddenly, a uniquely shaped pistol materialized in his right hand.
"Palpitation, my exclusive weapon. My current physical fitness is 2,000 points, so the impact of a Palpitation bullet is equivalent to that. At this distance, one pull of the trigger will be enough to kill you."
Wen Yu delivered the threat in a calm, matter-of-fact tone.
"Now, Iāll give you thirty seconds. Your āI forgotā really annoyed me."
Yang Hong, in turn, glanced at Palpitation in Wen Yuās hand, then at Wen Yuās calm eyes, before speaking again.
"Everything I just said is true. And I believe your threat is also genuine. However, I donāt feel any fear or trepidation right now. Itās quite strange, because all humans fear death, myself included."
"Therefore, I have a hypothesis."
"The truth about this Dreamland might be more important than my own life."
"This is my intuition, and I trust it. So, Iām sorry, but as I said, I forgot."
BANG!
Palpitation fired. The bullet grazed Yang Hongās ear, drawing a streak of blood, then instantly pierced the wall behind him and vanished into the distance.
Yang Hong, though only grazed by a superficial wound, was overwhelmed by the Soul Strike. He foamed at the mouth and instantly collapsed.
"My patience isnāt limitless. You have one more chance."
Yang Hong, retching, chuckled bitterly and shook his head. "Now, Iām absolutely certain the truth is more important than my life."
Seeing Yang Hongās stubborn yet resolute expression, Wen Yu sighed softly. "Then let me help you remember..."
Sometime later, Wen Yu emerged from Yang Hongās room, his expression grim.
Outside, Yang Hongās subordinates, all professionists, were gathered. Armed and glaring furiously at Wen Yu, they looked ready to attack at any moment to "avenge" their boss.
"Go in and give him a healing potion. The flesh wounds are minor, and heāll recover from the Soul Impact in a few days!"
With that, Wen Yu glanced back at the room, sighed deeply, and remarked, "Heās a tough one, indeed. Alas, the lead has gone cold again!"
Just moments ago, under Wen Yuās harsh interrogation, Yang Hongās mental state had nearly shattered.
The agony of a Soul Strike was definitely not something an ordinary person could endure, especially given the vast difference in their physical fitness.
However, Yang Hong only repeated one phraseā"I forgot."
He genuinely seemed to have forgotten and showed no intention of trying to remember.
Faced with such obstinacy, Wen Yu felt helpless. After pondering for a long time, he finally decided to let Yang Hong off and returned to the Red Stone Hotel.