Am I really hallucinating?

Chapter 748 "A Guide to Tourism in Dadu"

Doctor, oh no, sir. Are you going to play the role of a visitor seeking my advice on the customs and culture of the capital? I've said before, what I'm telling you is based on what I've actually seen and heard. It's not as simple as it seems to you; its complexities have been hidden, and it's not mixed with my imagination.

Yes...yes...I only need to tell you, no further explanation is needed.

Okay, let me think. Let me go into a little more detail this time.

……

One day, the world seemed to change completely.

The weather has returned to normal, and rain is no longer something to worry about or be wary of. Many things that used to seem to require attention have gradually faded from public view.

The people of Dadu, who originally considered themselves the center of the world, were suddenly surprised to discover that there were other cities in the world besides Dadu.

To be precise, there are even other countries and other histories.

The history is quite ordinary, and most people seem to be familiar with it by now, or even know it by default. But reading it again this time brings a strange sense of novelty.

Many scholars suddenly felt they had more free time, and they became less clear about what they were originally researching, so they all focused their attention on this area.

For a time, a trend of archaeological excavation and historical research arose in Dadu.

The world has changed; no, it should be said that the world was always meant to be this way.

This sudden return to normalcy made many people uneasy, but as time went by, things gradually calmed down.

Most of them remain the same: prosperous and vast.

I've heard some people say that this shouldn't be a city, but rather a real country, so that it can connect with the outside world and reintegrate into the global community. This has sparked considerable controversy.

It's only been two years, but there are already very few people who remember what the capital city looked like originally.

Some tourists from outside the country have set foot on this vast land, hoping to witness the customs and culture of this once little-known mega-city.

The sudden "return" of the capital to the world has caused considerable confusion in many international relations, but these are not issues that tourists are concerned about.

Tourists come here for a variety of reasons.

A group of tourists were die-hard fans of the Monastery Band, a top-tier band that has long since transcended the metropolis and become a global phenomenon. They came to the hometown of the Monastery Band members to buy metropolitan-exclusive albums and merchandise.

Many people dream of having a magical encounter with that stunningly beautiful bandleader and violinist. Her songs from the past two years, mostly filled with anticipation, memories, and a wistful longing, have moved countless people to tears late at night.

Historians, who loved to travel and study the history of Dadu (Beijing), and even those from other places, were no different from tourists in this land. They wandered around, hoping to extract even the smallest piece of news from the voices of various people. Among them, a dark golden statue of an unfamiliar young man standing in the central district of Dadu aroused the curiosity of many historians.

Whose sculpture is this?
When asked, none of them knew the answer.

I don't know, but many people in the capital respect him greatly, a respect that comes from the bottom of their hearts. According to Mr. Lu Chongming, the young Minister of Foreign Affairs of the capital, he has made tremendous contributions to the capital and to society today.

But when asked who this legendary figure was, Mr. Lu Chongming seemed to say something, but in the end, no one remembered.

This sculpture was created by a renowned designer in the field of form. Although not tall, he possessed a keen eye. This designer lived in a residence directly opposite Central Park, where the sculpture is located. According to him, this was so he could keep a close eye on the sculpture's condition and make timely repairs.

It is said that the security situation in Dadu (Beijing) was very bad for a period of time. Although it has improved greatly now, I heard that some places are still not very good.

Gangs are an important part of the public security ecosystem in the capital, dominating a significant portion of poorly governed areas and substituting for government functions. Historically, they once enjoyed a period of great power, leading to numerous shameful and disgraceful incidents.

However, some gangs, in general, remain positive.

For example, there was a super gang called Jiang Hui, which at its peak was practically a local tyrant. However, the people in the areas it once influenced had a very high opinion of it, and even the Dadu government personally wrote it into part of Dadu culture.

With the improvement of public security in most areas, Jiang Hui has also dutifully returned to its duties and begun a transformation. Recently, the former boss, Mr. Jiang Qiang, stepped down and retired, planning to travel the world with his wife for another honeymoon. Jiang Hui's operations have been taken over by his second daughter, with the rest of his children assisting. This new boss, though young, is said to have killed many people at a young age, sounding like a born gangster. In reality, despite his limited education, he is refined and articulate, and many who have met him are impressed.

Many tourists interested in the history of the Tokyo underworld come to search for the story of Jiang Hui, hoping to meet this legendary woman. However, some of those who act like thugs inevitably disappear without a trace.

Even if Jiang Hui transforms itself, it will still be the same Jiang Hui.

There is another strange and interesting story about Dadu.

The supernatural atmosphere in the capital is quite strong, with a huge number of urban legends and countless related forums. In some places, people can tell a dozen different urban legends at once.

Among them, the legend of the bald-headed fishing robot that frequently appears in a bay in Dadu seems to be quite famous in the area. Residents consider seeing the fishing robot an auspicious omen, and receiving fish from it is even more fortunate.

As a result, the related neighborhood culture surrounding fishing robots has spread widely, attracting many enthusiasts. In addition, there's the urban legend of the "White Girl," which can be seen almost anywhere in the capital and has recently expanded beyond. This legend tells the story of a mysterious girl with an extremely low profile, so subtle that she's hard to spot even when standing next to you, fueling the fantasies of many romance enthusiasts.

Among them is a legend that is widely circulated in the capital, and many people in the capital, even if they cannot provide evidence, deeply trust it.

Most things have a negative side.

What is normally displayed to the outside world is the capital, but by chance, some people may be able to enter a mysterious realm. It is no different from the capital, but it contains real supernatural phenomena, or rather, all the supernatural legends passed down by word of mouth actually exist in that realm.

That is Li Dadu.

Within the capital city, there is a mysterious door that presents an endless series of nested rings. If you find it and step inside, you will see countless strange worlds.

Of course, this statement seems a bit far-fetched, too far-fetched, and hard to believe.

...Haha, I'm not alluding to medicine...Sir, what? I'm sorry, please let me continue.

In the folk customs of Dadu, there is also a kind of office culture.

This also stems from the chaotic period in the past of the capital. Offices were also a means of alternative security measures. The Metropolitan Police Department and the former High Law Enforcement Agency, which has now been reorganized into the government, used to transfer all kinds of matters, large and small, to various offices to reduce the pressure.

Some well-known firms still maintain close ties with the authorities and enjoy a prestigious reputation; they are practically jack-of-all-trades, able to solve many problems as long as the money is right. Recently, however, some firms have been shut down due to scandals, making their survival increasingly difficult; only a few exceptional firms have managed to survive.

If you are interested, you may wish to visit the "Zero One Office" located at No. 102 Xiding Road, Xixi Keke Street.

The firm has a small staff, mostly consisting of a female manager, but it has a long history of helping the capital city government solve its problems.

This woman doesn't mind visitors coming to tour the place. When she has free time, she'll brew some excellent coffee for them and randomly select an interesting story from her life to tell them. The condition is that they might have to accept a somewhat explicit analysis. Of course, many tourists enjoy this, which has earned the firm and the woman a number of secret fans.

In the woman's stories, she often conjures up a whimsical man nicknamed "Mr. Illusion" as her partner. Many speculate that he is her ideal man, and that his sharp mind provides her with much assistance.

However, something is still strange: despite the widespread fame of Zero One Agency, the urban legends of Shishikoko Street are updated quite frequently.

Among them, the mysterious golden perfect toast, the shoe vengeful spirit that can change at will, and the dark crawling blanket monster are simply the epitome of all the bad things that have happened in the streets of Xixi Koko.

It seemed that no matter what went wrong on Xixi Keke Street, the blame could always be placed on these three immortals.

As a result, some people pasted pictures of these three figures on their doors, venerating them as door gods. They thought this would deter thieves and prevent them from easily making intrusions.

As for the effects, they are said to be quite good.

……

Yes, this is Dadu, a wondrous city.

What? There's something else we've mentioned before but haven't talked about?

Oh right, I almost forgot too.

The religious beliefs of Dadu (Beijing) are also quite valuable for research. In Dadu mythology, the world is described as a towering tree, which is both the world and the supreme god of mythology. The name of the supreme god is... um...

In short, churches have been built in most parts of the country, and interested tourists can often go to attend services.

Among them, the church on Xixikoko Street is the most luxurious and imposing, and is considered iconic. It is said to have been made from... um? Toast again? That's what the residents of Xixikoko say?

Oh, the people of the capital are so witty and humorous!

Here's another interesting anecdote: a few months ago, a famous painter revisited Sishikoko. She picked up her brush and painted in the church, and it's said that she was inspired and divinely inspired. The person in that painting looks exactly like the nameless statue in the center of the city, and he in the painting looks like a god descended to earth.

Yes, that's right. The painting was called the Oracle, announcing to the capital that he had returned.

Right, why did I forget? It must be because I've been having too many strange hallucinations lately, even you, Doctor, seem to be just a hallucination of my own making.

Haha, how could that be...

Who is he? Who exactly is He?
Yes, I should know his name, because he's back, so naturally we'll remember it...

That's right, his name is—

Zheng Fan.

(End of this chapter)