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

The villa's restaurant appeared exceptionally spacious and bright in the soft morning light, with the air filled with the mixed aroma of coffee and toast, a stark contrast to the gloom of the previous day.

Lin Zheng sat at one end of the long table, his fingers unconsciously tapping the rim of a ceramic cup, making a soft sound.

Emilia sat beside him, looking somewhat pale, with a hint of unease in her eyes.

Jessica Wong and Kevin Lee sat facing each other, occasionally whispering to each other, appearing very cautious.

Because Emilia's mother returned early.

"Oh my goodness, Emilia, you're back so early!"

A slightly surprised yet elegant voice came from the restaurant entrance; the voice arrived before the person.

Lin Zheng looked up and a lady in a silk morning robe came into view. Her face was well-maintained, her makeup was exquisite, and her every move exuded a refined nobility.

That was Emilia's mother. She walked towards the long table with a perfect smile on her face, but her eyes lingered for a fleeting moment when they met Lin Zheng's gaze.

"Mom," Emilia called softly, her body slightly stiff.

"Honey, did you have fun with your friends last night?" Her voice was warm and gentle, with just the right amount of concern.

Emilia’s mother sat down and gestured for the servants to pour tea. Her movements were meticulous, as if every gesture had been carefully rehearsed.

"These must be Emilia's friends, right? They're very promising young people." She smiled and nodded to Jessica and Kevin.

"Yes, ma'am, I am Jessica Wong." Jessica immediately straightened her back, her voice clearly ingratiating.

"Kevin Lee," Kevin quickly replied, trying to appear neither humble nor arrogant.

"Oh, Wang and Li, these two surnames, you must be of Chinese descent." Emilia's mother took a sip of her red tea.

"That country across the strait is quite remarkable now. Its development prospects are so promising that even we need to make some strategic plans there."

"And this gentleman?" she asked.

Emilia was about to start introducing them when Lin Zheng stopped her with a look in his eyes.

"My surname is Lin, madam," he replied calmly, looking directly at her with neither servility nor arrogance.

"Mr. Lin, it's a pleasure to meet you." She maintained her perfect smile but didn't press further; Lin Zheng's surname was enough for her to make a judgment.

Breakfast proceeded in an eerie harmony, with the crisp clinking of cutlery against plates serving as the only background music.

Lin Zheng chewed the food in his mouth, but it tasted like nothing at all.

He noticed that Emilia's mother never initiated any further conversation with him, but her gaze would occasionally fall on him out of the corner of her eye.

There was no malice or hostility in her gaze, but rather a cold scrutiny as she assessed a product.

At the dinner table, Emilia's mother suddenly turned to Jessica and Kevin, her tone tinged with admiration: "I heard that the Wang family has recently made a breakthrough in the field of new energy. That's truly remarkable."

Jessica was instantly flattered, her cheeks flushing slightly: "Yes, ma'am, that's been our family's long-standing effort."

"And the Li family's innovation in fintech is also impressive," she added to Kevin.

Kevin also looked pleased: "We hope to inject new vitality into the financial market of Kingsport."

As Lin Zheng watched this scene, it was as if he were witnessing a meticulously choreographed social drama, where everyone was given a precise role and lines.

Emilia's mother smiled, subtly elevating Jessica and Kevin's status, creating a stark contrast with Lin Zheng's "nameless and faceless" identity.

This is a sophisticated, silent display of power, subtly defining the hierarchy and social status of those present.

Breakfast, seemingly ended peacefully thanks to Emilia's mother's impeccable social skills.

Lin Zheng felt a heavy sense of powerlessness. He was not unaware of the rules of the upper class, but this was the first time he had felt the oppression of these rules so directly.

He recalled those rotting corpses, those "nightmare fuel" abandoned by society; their suffering was tangible and bloody.

Here, however, pain is wrapped in silk and champagne, becoming elegant and invisible.

When Jessica and Kevin tactfully suggested going for a walk in the garden, Emilia's mother simply smiled and did not try to stop them.

Her gaze returned to Lin Zheng, and the scrutinizing look became even more pronounced, causing the thin layer of pretense in her eyes to dissipate.

Lin Zheng, Emilia's mother, and Emilia, who was trying to refute but hesitated to speak, were all frozen at the dining table by an invisible force.

Emilia's mother picked up her teacup and gently blew on the steam, her manicured nails reflecting the light off the cup.

"Mr. Lin." She parted her lips slightly, her tone gentle yet resolute.

"I think we should have an open and honest discussion about some things."

She put down her teacup, interlaced her fingers, and looked at Lin Zheng's face.

Lin Zheng felt a tightness in his throat; he knew the real "trial" was only just beginning.

"Amelia is a good girl. She is innocent, kind, and full of beautiful dreams about life. Everything about her is arranged in a very orderly and exquisite way."

The lady's words sounded more like she was admiring a work of art.

"I understand her curiosity about the world and have always supported it."

As she spoke, she looked at Emilia with a menacing gaze.

Emilia's face was pale, her lips trembled slightly, but she ultimately did not utter a sound.

"But some things, Mr. Lin, are not only good."

She withdrew her gaze and looked at Lin Zheng again.

"The Vincent family is one of the oldest families in New Emerald Dream City. We bear the family's glory and its responsibilities."

Lin Zheng realized that this was not a dialogue between individuals, but an unequal negotiation between two different worlds through a spokesperson.

"Emilia's future has been filled with high hopes since the moment she was born," she said softly.

"She will be shouldering the fate of her entire family. Marrying into another equally excellent family, forming a powerful alliance, is not a willful act, but a sacred contract."

Emilia's mother spoke gently, each word carrying just the right amount of warmth; it was like an iron glove wrapped in velvet, each touch heavy with weight.

"Feelings, Mr. Lin, are a beautiful thing, but they are too fragile and too subjective."

She continued casually.

"It crumbles in the face of real responsibility and interests. Personally, I value Emilia's choices and freedom very much, but she was never born to be free."

The lady picked up her black tea and took a small sip.

"This is her responsibility, and it is also where her value lies, just like this cup of black tea has a value that people can savor."

Lin Zheng felt a surge of anger rising in his chest, but he had nowhere to vent it.

He wanted to refute, to question, but his words seemed pale and powerless in the face of her gentleness and rationality.

She represents a large and robust system, not an individual.

"Mr. Lin, we are all civilized people, and I hope you can understand."

Her tone was calm, with a condescending "understanding."

"What Emilia needs is a partner of equal social standing who can share the future of the family with her, rather than making the entire family bear risks that they shouldn't have to bear."

Emilia stood up abruptly, tears welling in her eyes: "Mom, how could you say that?" Her voice trembled with anger and grievance.

Emilia's mother simply glanced at her calmly, her eyes showing no reproach, only the bewilderment of a superior towards a subordinate.

"Darling, I know you're young and easily influenced by momentary impulses."

"But I need you to understand that the true workings of this world are far more complex and cruel than you imagine."

"Every choice you make affects the interests of countless people and maintains the stability of the family."

Lin Zheng looked at Emilia, whose anger deflated rapidly like a punctured balloon in front of her mother's calm eyes.

She slumped back into her chair, her lips pressed tightly together, tears welling in her eyes, but she offered no further rebuttal.

"Mr. Lin, I won't force you to break up." Emilia's mother's tone returned to that perfect, impeccable tolerance.

"Amelia is an adult; she has her own judgment."

"but."

Her voice paused slightly, and that invisible pressure gathered once more.

"I will make sure you don't cause her any unnecessary trouble."

"At the same time, please recognize reality: a person's 'value' will ultimately determine his position in this society."

She drank the last sip of black tea, and a small amount of tea dripped to the corner of her mouth, looking like blood, which she wiped away with a soft silk handkerchief.

"I also hope you can understand that in this country, everyone who cannot create value will be eliminated. This is the attitude towards non-performing assets, and we are no exception."

As she spoke, she slowly rose, gracefully walked to the window, and looked out at the neatly manicured garden.

"I hope you have fun, Mr. Lin. After all, dreams... always come to an end, don't they?"