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

Lin Zheng pushed open the apartment door.

Smith and Sam stood outside the door, each carrying a dozen beers and snacks, with bright smiles on their faces.

"Hey, Lin! We've been following this scent!" Smith sniffed dramatically.

"Hopefully I'm not too late!" Sam laughed, handing a beer to Lin Zheng.

Inside the room, the aroma of home-cooked dishes still wafted warmly, the rich flavor of beef, the sweetness of carrots, and the fragrance of spices intertwining to create a unique and comforting allure.

"Perfect timing, the dishes have just been served." Lin Zheng smiled and ushered them into the house.

On the dining table, Lin Zheng had laid out a steaming bowl of carrot stewed beef and rice.

"You guys eat first, I'll make some sweet and sour cabbage and scrambled eggs."

Lin Zheng immediately started cooking and heated the oil in the wok. He was quite fast at stir-frying, and the most troublesome part of cooking was preparing the ingredients. He could serve the food very quickly.

"Stop it! Just smelling this aroma makes me want to eat three bowls of rice."

Smith and Sam sat down first and began to eat heartily.

"My God, Lin! This tastes heaven!" Smith's eyes widened instantly after taking a bite of the stewed beef.

Sam buried his head in his food and mumbled, "This is way better than all that garbage outside!"

Lin Zheng, Smith, and Sam chatted while cooking, and the dish was ready in just a few minutes.

The three men ate and chatted, sharing their recent experiences.

Smith complained that the quality of the girls lately was poor, and that they were always trying to rip him off.

Sam then recounts how harsh the new overseer at the docks was, and how the dockworkers secretly relaxed under immense pressure, finding even the slightest chance to catch their breath incredibly precious.

Lin Zheng listened, occasionally chiming in, but mostly he quietly added food and poured beer for them.

He listened to those familiar complaints and also spoke his own mind. Everyone dispelled their fatigue and resentment through their banter and jokes.

"Hey Lin," Smith put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and said with a serious expression, "with your skills, you could open a Chinese restaurant and make money. How about I invest in you?"

"No way, if you're talking about setting up a mutton soup stall and hiring two people to watch it, that's fine. But if you're really opening a Chinese restaurant, I'd have to cook every day, and then what about my studies?" Lin Zheng waved his hand with a smile.

"Exactly," Sam agreed. "Or how about this, Smith and I could just move in with you."

Smith's eyes lit up: "Yes! We can split the rent and enjoy your cooking every day!"

Lin Zheng was taken aback, not expecting them to make this suggestion.

He looked at the two men in front of him, who were being fed his home-cooked meals, and saw a simple, contented happiness on their faces.

"You really want to move here?" Lin Zheng asked with a smile.

"Of course!" Smith and Sam said in unison.

"Alright then," he said slowly. "We can split the rent and utilities, but..." He trailed off, leaving the question unanswered.

"We won't charge you extra for meals."

"No problem!" Smith cheered like a child.

"It's settled then! I'll move in first. I was too lazy to clean up that messy old room, so I'll just buy a new one when I get here." Smith excitedly slapped the table.

"I'll start packing tomorrow. I'll move in when this week's rent expires."

Sam grinned, stuffing mouthfuls of food into his mouth, and mumbled something under his breath.

They chatted for a while longer until night fell and the city's neon lights flickered outside the window.

Smith and Sam then bid farewell and left, satisfied.

The door closed, and the room fell silent again.

Lin Zheng stood alone by the dining table, looking at the mess of cups and plates, but he didn't feel the usual fatigue.

A long-lost warmth spread through my heart.

He began to clear the dishes, and the lingering aroma of the food in the air gradually faded.

As he listened to the sound of running water and wiped the table, he pondered what he should buy at the supermarket tomorrow.

Apartment life in the future may no longer be as lonely as it used to be.

Just as he was putting the last bowl into the colander, there was a soft knock on the door.

A hint of doubt crossed Lin Zheng's mind.

He walked to the door and looked out through the peephole.

Standing outside the door was his university classmate, the Japanese exchange student.

He wore a perfectly pressed white shirt and dark trousers, gold-rimmed glasses, and his hair was neatly combed.

Lin Zheng opened the door, leaving only a small gap enough for the two to talk.

"Lin-san," the Japanese classmate said in his usual polite and distant tone, "I'm so sorry to bother you so late."

"What's the matter, Yamaguchi-kun?" Lin Zheng asked directly.

Upon hearing this, Yuji Yamaguchi's smile became somewhat stiff, and he habitually adjusted his glasses.

"It's nothing serious. I just passed by Lin Sang's door and smelled a fragrance." He paused, then changed the subject, "Also, I vaguely overheard your conversation with the housekeeper."

Lin Zheng didn't reply, but just looked at him calmly.

"I bet Lin-san has reached some kind of... special agreement with the housing manager, right?" Yamaguchi Yuji's tone carried a hint of eager curiosity.

Lin Zheng merely frowned, a hint of displeasure rising in his heart.

"Just say what you want to say, Yamaguchi-kun," Lin Zheng said impatiently.

"Mr. Lin, as you know, the apartment has strict rules and regulations."

"Unauthorized alteration of apartment facilities, such as smoke detectors, is a breach of contract."

As Yamaguchi Yuji spoke, he leaned closer, lowered his voice, and the threat in his tone became increasingly obvious.

"If I report this to the housing management office, or to a higher level of management..."

He paused deliberately, looking at Lin Zheng with that "you know what I mean" look.

"This might cause Lin Sang a lot of trouble, and it could even affect your residency status in the United States."

Lin Zheng listened to him with a frown; the threat in the other man's words was palpable. His first thought wasn't about the potential negative consequences for himself, but rather, "Those damn Japanese are trying to bully me!"

He had seen too many instances of oppression using rules and power, but this was the first time he had ever encountered a Japanese person daring to defy him.

Lin Zheng's face showed no fear whatsoever, not even a ripple of emotion, but his fists were clenched tightly.

"What do you want to know?" he asked in a cold voice.

Yuji Yamaguchi seemed surprised by Lin Zheng's reaction; the panic and compromise he had expected did not materialize.

But he quickly adjusted his mindset, feeling that he had the upper hand, while Lin Zheng was just trying to appear calm and collected.

"It's very simple." Yuji Yamaguchi adjusted his glasses, a smug smile playing on his lips. "Tell me the 'agreement' you reached between yourselves, in its entirety."

"I'm also interested in being able to freely overstep the rules and get free food." His eyes scoured Lin Zheng, carrying a naked sense of predation.

Lin Zheng stepped outside, pressing his body forward and forcing the other person to retreat. Compared to his height and build, the other person looked like a little chick retreating.

"There's no agreement," he said dismissively. "Don't even think about threatening me; I'm not buying it."

Yuji Yamaguchi's face turned from blue to purple and then back again. His body unconsciously showed fear, but his expression revealed anger.

Heh, just a paper tiger, trying to act all real here.

Yuji Yamaguchi never expected Lin Zheng to be so "out of touch with reality".

"Lin Sang, you're playing with fire." His voice turned sharp, the veneer of politeness completely torn away. "You think your little tricks can fool anyone? Don't forget, my identity, my family—they're not people you can easily mess with!"

He puffed out his chest, trying to suppress Lin Zheng with a false sense of superiority.

"You're welcome to report it," Lin Zheng said calmly, without a trace of warmth. "You'll bear the consequences yourself. Don't say you weren't warned."

In America, a Japanese man was showing off his family and social standing to a Chinese person. Who the hell do you think you are? I didn't hit you because you were taught by a sage, have a strict family tradition, and are well-mannered.

He didn't give Yamaguchi Yuji a chance to speak and simply closed the door.

With a "bang," the door shut out Yuji Yamaguchi's distorted, incredulous face.

He knew that Yuji Yamaguchi would not give up easily; all the Japanese who got entangled with him were like that.

The next morning.

As soon as Lin Zheng came out of the apartment, he heard a quarrel coming from the direction of the housing management office at the end of the corridor.

It's Yuji Yamaguchi, and also the redneck Bob Ray.

Looking from afar, Lin Zheng saw that Yamaguchi Yuji was very agitated and speaking rapidly.

Bob Ray's face turned bright red, and he waved his arms every now and then.

Meanwhile, the tall and serious-looking Black building manager stood with his arms crossed, watching everything with a blank expression.

He was dressed in a neat uniform, his wary eyes scanning everyone present, as if assessing how things were going to go.

It seems that Yuji Yamaguchi has discovered Lin Zheng.

He shouted, "Lin Sang! You've come at the perfect time! Tell this gentleman what good deeds you've done!"

Lin Zheng slowly walked over and stood a few steps away from them.

He watched the farce unfold calmly.

Yuji Yamaguchi became even more smug as he saw Lin Zheng approaching.

He turned to the Black building manager and began to accuse him in an extremely exaggerated tone.

"Sir! Their collusion is obvious."

He pointed at Bob Ray, then at Lin Zheng, spitting as he spoke.

"That property manager! He tolerated this tenant breaking the apartment rules just for a few 'foreign meals'! They want to remove the smoke alarm in his room."

Yuji Yamaguchi's voice grew increasingly shrill.

"I am a nobleman from Tokyo! My family has a history of over a hundred years in Japan!" He suddenly raised his voice, with a twisted sense of superiority. "The education I received from childhood taught me that lowly people like farmers could never understand the spirit of contracts; they must have done something shady!"

His gaze swept dismissively over Bob Ray's shabby work clothes.

"And this Lin Sang, he's just a country bumpkin from a backward country. He has no idea what civilization or rules are!"

Bob Ray was so angry that his face turned ashen when Yuji Yamaguchi pointed his finger at him and called him a "peasant".

He took a sudden step forward, his massive frame exuding an aura of oppression, and growled, "Say that again, you fucking idiot!"

The Black building manager immediately reached out and stopped the enraged Bob Ray, preventing the conflict from escalating further.

The black building manager's gaze swept across Yamaguchi Yuji's face and landed on Lin Zheng.

"Mr. Lin." The black building manager's tone was calm and indifferent, revealing no emotion. "Mr. Yuji Yamaguchi says that you removed the smoke detector in the apartment without authorization and had an improper 'deal' with Mr. Bob. Please explain."

Lin Zheng's gaze turned to Yamaguchi Yuji.

Yuji Yamaguchi's thin face was filled with a sickly excitement and an unconcealable smugness.

"Yamaguchi-kun, what exactly did you see and hear?" Lin Zheng's voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear.

Yuji Yamaguchi snorted coldly and said disdainfully, "I saw you sneaking around in the room doing something, and I overheard your...secrets with the room manager."

"Alright, I'll tell you then." Lin Zheng spread his hands, indicating that he had nothing to hide. "I was just making dinner that day, and there was a bit too much smoke, so the smoke alarm went off. Mr. Bob came to check and found everything was normal."

"He saw that my dinner was very plentiful, so we exchanged dinners in a friendly manner, and as a gesture of good neighborliness, I invited him to try some of my hometown dishes."

Lin Zheng turned his gaze back to the black room manager, his tone sincere and frank.

"Regarding the smoke alarm, Mr. Bob was just offering a friendly reminder, saying that if there were similar situations in the future, we could notify him in advance and he would assist with the inspection. There was no removal or unauthorized alteration of the alarm during this period."

"I'd like to ask you, Mr. Yamaguchi," Lin Zheng's eyes were like knives, piercing directly at Yamaguchi Yuji, "You keep saying we have an 'agreement,' a 'deal,' where is the evidence? Did you personally witness us dismantling the alarm? Did you record any of our illegal agreements?"

Yuji Yamaguchi's smile froze on his face.

"I...I..." he stammered, unable to speak, his pale face flushed red with guilt.

"Or are you making wild guesses based on your personal likes and dislikes, or even wantonly slandering others?" Lin Zheng pressed on.

"This is blatant slander!" Bob Raimi Yamaguchi Yuji, realizing his mistake and seizing the opportunity, roared, "I've served everyone for so many years, and you dare to accuse me of being greedy for petty gains and neglecting my duties? Who do you think you are?!"

The Black building manager frowned slightly upon seeing this.

He looked at the emotionally distraught Yuji Yamaguchi, the enraged Bob Ray, and the composed Lin Zheng.

The black building manager's gaze fell on Yamaguchi Yuji again, a hint of disdain in his eyes.

He said coldly, "Mr. Yuji Yamaguchi, your accusations lack factual basis. As the building manager, Mr. Bob has an obligation to assist residents in resolving issues. If Mr. Lin did not remove or damage the alarm, he did not violate any apartment regulations."

"As for the so-called 'illegal transactions' and 'improper dealings,' that's utter nonsense."

The Black building manager's tone left no room for argument. He turned to Bob Ray and Lin Zheng and said, "Gentlemen, please remain vigilant. Hopefully, this kind of unwarranted harassment won't happen again."

Ha, if the Dongxia people are the ones being ostracized, then the Japanese are nothing more than dogs raised by the Americans. How dare they force him to confront Bob?

After saying that, he turned and left.

Bob Ray glared at the pale-faced Yuji Yamaguchi, snorted heavily, and turned to leave with the black building manager.

Bob could tell from his interactions with Lin Zheng that although Lin Zheng was worldly and sophisticated, he also had a heroic spirit. So as long as he and Lao Hei left, Lin Zheng would handle the rest of the matter on his own.

Only Lin Zheng and Yamaguchi Yuji remained in the hallway.

Yuji Yamaguchi stood there, his body trembling slightly with anger and humiliation.

His gold-rimmed glasses wobbled precariously on his face, unable to conceal the surging resentment in his eyes.

He stared at Lin Zheng with a cursed look, his teeth clenched, making a "clucking" sound.

"Lin Sang..." he spoke hoarsely, his voice filled with deep-seated resentment, "Do you think you can do whatever you want just because that redneck old farmer is helping you?"

"This matter is not over."

He tried to verbally attack again, and to torture him with his eyes.

Lin Zheng took a step forward and swung his right fist out without any hesitation.

He didn't hesitate, nor did he make any fancy moves; it was just a direct strike.

"Bang!"

The fist slammed solidly into Yamaguchi Yuji's nose, producing a dull thud that made your teeth ache.

The gold-rimmed glasses flew off instantly and shattered on the ground.

Yuji Yamaguchi let out a short scream as his body fell backward uncontrollably, crashing heavily against the wall before sliding to the ground.

Blood gushed from his nose like a fountain, instantly staining his white shirt red.

Lin Zheng did not stop.

He stepped forward, grabbed Yamaguchi Yuji by the collar, and half-dragged him up.

Another fist rained down on Yamaguchi Yuji's face, chest, and abdomen.

Yuji Yamaguchi was powerless to fight back and could only let out painful groans and sobs, his body swaying in Lin Zheng's hands like a rag doll.

Lin Zheng's fists were filled with the power of venting his anger, and each strike was accompanied by a "bang" and a "smack," which sounded particularly jarring in the narrow stairwell.

He looked at his Japanese neighbor lying on the ground, his nose collapsed and blood oozing from the corner of his mouth.

That distorted face was filled with terror and resentment.

"Is the dog still barking?"