The only thing that puzzled Cheng Ming a bit was that technically the front passenger seat should be where the bodyguard sits, but now Bai Lingqiu sat there with a stern face, while the relatively safer back seat was given to the personal bodyguard.
"Not too bad," Cheng Ming said lightly. "It’s just that the air is a bit dry, and I always feel my lips are very dry."
"The Hexi Corridor truly can’t compare to your Jiangnan water towns," Miss Shadow smiled. "The resources here are barren, and mysterious entities are everywhere, not to mention that as soon as a living person steps on this land, a deadly storm follows closely... This place is truly awful."
Cheng Ming did not deny it—from any angle, this was indeed a terribly awful place.
"Though the Giant’s Hill has regained peace, considering that we have brought too many first-timers into the no-man’s land here, for safety, we chose another route," Miss Shadow said. "It’s estimated to take three days to reach Nanhua Town... For everyone, these three days can also be considered another round of selection."
"Only those with strength can endure these three days?" Cheng Ming asked.
"Strength, and also good luck," Miss Shadow said. "Or rather, luck is inherently a part of strength."
Cheng Ming didn’t continue the conversation but instead looked up at the sunroof.
From this angle, the moon was just visible. For some unknown reason, the moon in the desert always seemed larger and rounder, like a jade plate close enough to reach out and grab.
"Do you want to rest for a while? It’s almost midnight," Miss Shadow asked. "According to the sandstorm observation station in Dragon City, the death storm that was chasing us has dissipated. The next storm won’t form for at least twelve hours, so this is a rare window of safety."
"Hmm." Cheng Ming nodded, reclining the seat slightly and resting his head on the seatback.
Sitting next to him, Miss Shadow pulled out an eye mask from her backpack and put it on.
In contrast, Bai Lingqiu, sitting in the front passenger seat, showed no intention of resting, still fully focused on the screen on the front passenger control panel.
Compared to the head of the hunting group sitting next to him, this peculiar personal bodyguard appeared very relaxed with every movement.
Cheng Ming found it strange, but it was impossible for him to take the initiative to ask about it. He shifted slightly to find a more comfortable position and then closed his eyes.
The excellent suspension system of the vehicle filtered out more than ninety percent of the bumps from speeding, and just as Cheng Ming closed his eyes, a strong drowsiness overwhelmed him, quickly invading his mind.
He felt his consciousness swiftly descending, as if falling into a bottomless well, sinking further and further...
Gradually, everything around him turned from black to dark red. Cheng Ming strained to open his eyes and found himself standing at a somewhat familiar intersection, surrounded by vehicles and bustling crowds. The traffic lights appeared to be malfunctioning, with all three lights showing red. A traffic officer with a blurred face stood not far away, struggling to direct traffic.
Cheng Ming felt his memory become very hazy, unable to recall what he had just been doing, but the familiar sense of the intersection made him follow the crowd unconsciously in one direction.
Everything he saw had a strange red hue, whether it be the sky, streets, buildings, or people. This red was unlike the view through red-tinted glasses; it was as if the air itself had spread out paint, tinting everything it touched in similar shades.
Yet Cheng Ming felt nothing odd, as if the world was meant to be red.
After crossing another intersection, Cheng Ming stopped walking.
He turned to look at a very familiar building on the right side of the intersection, suddenly remembering where he was—this was Kuaiji’s largest oncology hospital, and he would cross this intersection almost every weekend, step over that crosswalk, and enter the vine-covered old stone archway.
Cheng Ming’s mother lived in this hospital.
A tremor appeared in Cheng Ming’s heart, and he quickened his pace towards the hospital.
But as he walked, an indescribable fear began to spread in his heart.
He realized that the pedestrians on the street had blurred features like the traffic officer’s face. Even those he brushed past, he couldn’t see their faces clearly.
He suddenly found he couldn’t remember which ward his mother was in, and in the next instant, he realized he couldn’t even recall what his mother looked like.
Like a bucket of ice water poured from head to toe, Cheng Ming stood frozen, his spine chilling.
Why? Why can’t I remember?
What has happened here?
Why can’t I see anyone’s face?
Cheng Ming’s pupils suddenly contracted, and his heartbeat skipped a beat—he suddenly realized that everything around appearing dark red was extremely abnormal!
"Mysterious entity?!"
This was Cheng Ming’s first reaction.
A mysterious entity had invaded this area! That’s why everything in sight appeared this way, why the features of the passerby were unclear!
Yet, none of those passersby seemed to notice anything...
No, I didn’t notice anything either until now I’m just waking up... and it’s possible that I’m the only one on this street in a state of awareness!
Cheng Ming’s first instinct was to report it to the research institute, but when he reached for his pocket, he found his phone was gone, vanished without him knowing it, and even the Hunter wristband on his wrist was unresponsive.
Looking up at the blood-red sky, Cheng Ming couldn’t help but feel a sense of retreat.
He was very clear that a mysterious entity capable of affecting an entire area, regardless of type, was absolutely beyond his ability to deal with. His most sensible option now was to quickly escape this area and then find some usable communication device to report this to the research institute.
But soon, Cheng Ming shifted his gaze to the inpatient building of the hospital.
Cheng Ming didn’t know how the research institute would handle this mysterious entity, but he had heard that when an area was completely "polluted" by a mysterious entity, the figures in power might deem the area beyond salvation, choosing bombing or something similar to eliminate the entire polluted area along with the mysterious entity...
If he chose to leave now...
Cheng Ming swallowed hard.
Maybe there’s still time... Maybe he could still manage to take his mother away...
If he could get his mother out of here, then how the powers that be planned to deal with this area would be no concern of his.
Cheng Ming made up his mind, quickly crossed the road, and ran to the gatehouse of the hospital.
He stopped again, suddenly realizing that he couldn’t remember which ward his mother stayed in and completely forgot her appearance.
Now he could be sure that all these memories were distorted by the mysterious entity, just like everything he saw being red.
Luckily, he still remembered his own name.
He remembered the gatekeeper, an old man he used to share cigarettes with and talk to about his mother’s condition.
Cheng Ming rushed to the gatehouse, grabbed the edge of the window, and shouted at the old man sitting inside, "Sir! Do you remember me? I’m Cheng Ming! Hunter Cheng Ming! The one who used to chat with you a lot!"
However, the old man sitting inside was like he didn’t hear him at all, still engrossed in playing with his phone.