The Decaying Dream of America: I Assemble Corpses and Confront Madness

All around, the "Viper Gang henchmen" grinned and surrounded him, their gun barrels and machetes reflecting a cold glint in the dim light.

In addition to the smell of formaldehyde and rust, the air was also filled with the thick, malicious stench of sweat emanating from these living people.

Reason told him that he had nowhere to escape, and that resistance would only hasten his death.

But Arthur's words of trust and sacrifice, "Go get the data! Leave the rest to me!" still echo in my ears.

Lin Zheng stood stiffly, raising his hands in a submissive gesture, but his mind was racing.

My body and mind have reached their limits; any further and I might just go insane.

Lin Zheng's gaze swept over Martinez's ferocious face, over the eyes of the excited and bloodthirsty "Viper Gang henchmen," and finally settled on the flesh-and-blood production line below the control panel.

He recalled the neatly cut and stacked "flesh and blood" materials deep inside the workshop, and the inhuman "hunger" that permeated the entire base.

That primal emptiness that devours everything now gathered in the control room, staring greedily at him, at his body, at his fear.

He closed his eyes.

If he surrenders, then all the pain he has witnessed and silently annihilated will be meaningless.

On the verge of death, an unprecedented resolve welled up from the depths of his heart.

If he cannot choose how to live, he can choose how to die!

Martinez looked at him with a sinister smile, having already seen through his hesitation and struggle.

"Give up, kid."

Martinez growled, his index finger on the trigger loosening slightly; in his view, the other side had already surrendered.

Lin Zheng's body moved almost simultaneously.

It wasn't resistance, but... a resolute self-sacrifice.

Lin Zheng gripped the scalpel tightly, and without hesitation, the sharp blade sliced ​​through his left palm.

Blood gushed out, spreading rapidly along the palm lines, staining "Sam's finger bones" red.

An indescribable, both cold and hot, force surged into his body from his finger bones, climbed up his blood vessels, and rushed straight to his brain.

Haha, is it crazy? I'm enjoying it now!

He gritted his teeth and let out a painful groan as Sam's fear and despair before his death flashed through his mind once again.

The pain only made him clench Sam's knuckles tighter, blood dripping onto the metal grille, a few drops of crimson blood splashing down and falling into the dark, slowly flowing torrent of flesh and blood on the production line below.

An invisible, pure spiritual shockwave erupted instantly, centered on Lin Zheng.

It wasn't a sound, nor a shockwave, but it pierced directly into the minds of all the "Viper Gang's henchmen."

This shock spread with incredible speed, like a plague, penetrating deep into the consciousness of everyone in the factory.

At this moment, Lin Zheng became a resonator, amplifying Sam's, and the countless dismembered and harvested victims on the flesh-and-blood production line below, their extreme fear, resentment, and struggle before death, a thousand times over, and pouring them into the minds of every living person.

"No!"

The closest "Viper Gang henchman" let out a bloodcurdling scream. His eyes instantly turned bloodshot, filled with red veins, his pupils dilated, and his face contorted in extreme terror.

He witnessed the most terrifying sight of his life. The gun in his hand fell to the ground with a clatter. Then he clutched his head, his fingernails digging deep into his scalp, frantically tearing at his hair until his scalp was ripped off.

Then, a chain reaction broke out.

All of the "Viper Gang's henchmen" were simultaneously going mad with agonizing pain.

They let out a series of heart-wrenching howls, as they were possessed by countless vengeful spirits at the same time.

Some people stared wide-eyed, their eyes reflecting indescribable visions of terror. The next second, they pounced on their former sworn brother, extending their beastly claws to tear at his throat.

Some were completely consumed by fear, waving their weapons at the air, hysterically cursing non-existent enemies, before shooting themselves in the head.

Their reason was completely shattered at that moment, turning into fragments.

What seemed like a long time actually turned into a hellish scene in just a few seconds.

Martinez roared, as if a whisper from the abyss echoed in his ears. He slammed his fist into the wall with all his might, the pain of his broken finger bones briefly bringing back some of his sanity.

He struggled against this invisible force, angrily wanting to raise his shotgun to kill Lin Zheng, only to find that the "Viper Gang henchmen" beside him, who had previously obeyed orders, had gone mad and was beyond redemption.

Two gang members, driven to madness, actually pointed their weapons at him.

The thousands of painful, lingering dreams released by Lin Zheng completely overwhelmed the others, making it impossible to distinguish friend from foe, leaving only an indiscriminate, instinctive desire for destruction.

At this moment, all they want is to destroy others or destroy themselves.

Martinez was focused on dealing with his underlings' frenzied attacks and had no energy left to pay attention to Lin Zheng and Arthur.

Lin Zheng is now personally bearing the lingering remnants of all the awakened dreams.

He saw Sam's dying eyes, the twisted souls of the dismembered nameless people in agony, and an endless hunger surging from the depths of their flesh, trying to devour everything.

His mental world was expanding, tearing apart, and reorganizing, filled with fragmented screams and whispers, and the pain of the entire world was concentrated in his consciousness.

A violent headache struck, tearing at my vision. Everything before my eyes became blurry and distorted. The starry night painted by Van Gogh appeared strangely high in my mind.

But he did not fall.

His strong will to survive became his final anchor.

After a brief period of madness, Arthur quickly regained his senses and, taking advantage of the fleeting chaos, used his last bit of strength to break free from the encirclement of the chaotic "Viper Gang's henchmen."

Although the former police detective moved slowly, his movements were imbued with an unwavering tenacity.

He was panting heavily, swaying from side to side as he struggled to stay upright. His wounds were covered in blood, but he didn't even care. He walked slowly and resolutely toward Lin Zheng.

Arthur's gaze was fixed on Lin Zheng, his eyes flashing with complex emotions—shock, worry, and finally, a strong command.

He rushed to Lin Zheng's side and grabbed his shoulder, but his body swayed due to weakness.

"Hey kid, what are you standing there for? Run!"

Arthur's voice was like a thunderclap, pulling Lin Zheng back from the brink of madness by half a step.

Lin Zheng's mind was still buzzing, but Arthur's touch and that roar made him feel the weight of reality again.

He shook his head, trying to forcefully expel the chaotic illusions.

He and Arthur leaned on each other as they turned and walked out of the control room, which had descended into utter madness.

Behind him, the brutal fighting, chaotic wails, and piercing screams mingled together, forming a chilling symphony of flesh and blood that echoed deep within the factory.

Martinez's furious roar came from behind, but he was trapped in the encirclement of the crazed "Viper Gang" and could only watch helplessly as Lin Zheng and Arthur disappeared into the dark corridor, unable to catch up.

Lin Zheng and Arthur supported each other as they stumbled forward.

The air was thick with the stench of fish and rust, mixed with the faint, increasingly distant sounds.

The sounds seemed to be swallowed up by something, gradually dissipating into the darkness.

Arthur's body trembled from time to time as he gripped the revolver and led the way, his hands shaking.

Lin Zheng followed closely behind, leaning forward, each step feeling like he was walking on cotton, swaying unsteadily.

He had to keep his eyes fixed on Arthur's broad back, using the old detective's unwavering determination to resist the madness that had just spiraled out of control within him.

In the narrow, damp passage, the roar of pipes and the sound of dripping water echoed continuously.

Whenever I pass by those abandoned flesh-processing tanks, that all-consuming "hunger" surges back into my heart.

Their minds were in turmoil; they had no idea how many winding pipes they had traversed or how many dead ends piled with waste materials they had avoided.

Finally, a faint ray of light, carrying the scent of dust and sea breeze, appeared at the end of the passage ahead.

They quickened their pace, rushing out of the factory's side gate in pursuit of the light.

The afterglow of the setting sun was like splattered blood, turning the abandoned industrial area outside into an eerie orange-red.

Fresh air rushed into my lungs, carrying the salty smell of the sea, and also a long-lost scent of living people.

Lin Zheng gasped for breath greedily, the sharp pain in his chest reminding him that what had just happened was not an illusion.

This battle is far from over.