You're my wife, don't doubt it!

Just as Zhang Zhengkai was about to speak, Shen Jie continued her aggressive questioning: "How did you end up working for the organization? How could the organization trust someone like you? And why should Xiao Yao and I trust you? What is your true intention in being here?"

“Alright,” Xiao Yao said, “Let them answer one question at a time. Old Zhang, will someone who falls into a coma be trapped in this dream forever? Like a vegetable? Are you planning to sink the whole world into a dream? Is this the dictator’s button?”

“Of course not,” Zhang Zhengkai shook his head and said, “I talked to him about this issue. If he’s not lying to me, the victim will basically wake up from his dream in about a month.”

"Oh?" Xiao Yao turned his head and raised an eyebrow.

“After waking up, this person will completely lose his love for Shen Jie, to the point that he will instinctively hate her when he sees her or hears her name,” Zhang Zhengkai explained.

“Oh my god?” Shen Jie said.

"Children aren't allowed to swear." Xiao Yao slapped Shen Jie's head hard.

"You've got some nerve!" Shen Jie reached up and touched her head.

"You're incredibly malicious," Xiao Yao commented. "Going through all that trouble just to hypnotize everyone who likes Shen Jie? In the end, you'll be the only one left who likes Shen Jie?"

"Zhang Zhengkai, let me tell you!" Shen Jie roared, "Even if all the men in the world—"

"Hey, hey, hey, don't say such hurtful things."

“He’s gone mad,” Zhang Zhengkai said sadly. “Or to put it another way, you could say I’m the one who’s gone mad. I don’t know why he, or rather, I, would go to such lengths—after we went into the adult store together that day, I made up my mind never to like you again.”

Shen Jie: "..."

"Cough cough cough," Xiao Yao coughed, "Old Zhang, isn't what you said a bit... ambiguous?"

“I’m not working for your organization,” Zhang Zhengkai said. “I’m doing this to save myself and to get you out of your narcolepsy. You may not like to hear this, but Father Yu did say that the one who tied the knot must untie it. Who else but me can wake up a narcolepsy patient without injury to the greatest extent possible, no, with the highest probability?”

"Awakening without injury?"

"Perhaps improper handling could cause some harm to the soul, but I don't really know the specifics."

"But why did you decide to help?" Xiao Yao pointed out, "Wouldn't it be more in your interest to let me sleep for a month, wake up and never like Shen Jie again?"

Speaking of which, how many days have I been trapped in this dream? Xiao Yao counted the days in his mind, but his mind was a blur, and he could hardly recall the specific dates.

“I must face him, destroy him, no, subdue him, and become my own true master,” Zhang Zhengkai said, bowing his head to the lower left with a somber expression. “If I can’t do it, then let myself stay in this dream for a month, at least I can be free for the rest of my life.”

“You…you,” Xiao Yao asked Zhang Zhengkai, “how did you suddenly come to this realization? Did Father Yu preach the Gospel of Christ to you?”

“To hell with the gospel, I don’t believe in that stuff,” Zhang Zhengkai said with a sad laugh. “The one who changed me was you, Xiao Yao.”

"Me?" Xiao Yao was slightly taken aback.

"Dog, slap him," Shen Jie ordered.

"What?"

“I told you to slap him,” Shen Jie repeated.

"Oh." Xiao Yao raised his hand and gave Zhang Zhengkai a light slap on the face.

"Oh dear, what are you doing now—we're here," Zhang Zhengkai said, covering his cheek.

Xiao Yao looked up and gasped.

Standing before me was a massive slaughterhouse building.

This is the source of the Blood River, Xiao Yao thought.

Oh dear... I still can't finish writing, there's just too much information.

Chapter 394

2023-11-29

Xiao Yao looked up and gasped.

Standing before me was a massive slaughterhouse building.

This is the source of the Blood River, Xiao Yao thought.

The slaughterhouse was located in a desolate area, devoid of any life, flowers, trees, or vegetation, with only a gloomy swamp emanating a putrid stench.

A blood-red river flows out of the slaughterhouse's sewers, its waters filled with the aura of death weathered by time—that is the Blood River.

The slaughterhouse buildings soared into the clouds—dark and gloomy if there were clouds over this enormous underground cavern.

It resembled a giant tomb, filled with the aura of death and the power of evil.

The building's exterior walls were constructed of rough, gray stone, riddled with cracks and dark red bloodstains, like marks of misfortune and death. Above the gate was a solemn inscription, the red lettering standing out against the dark background, appearing both malevolent and imposing.

As for what was written or what language it was, none of the three could recognize it.

A dilapidated stone-paved road lay in front of the gate, broken and uneven, with many footprints of varying depths.

It seems that many people have lingered here, filled with fear and unease.

The entire area was completely silent, with no sign of any living creature.

Only a gentle breeze rippled across the blood-red river, producing mournful sobs.

This place is practically a death terminal, a place of nothing but death and slaughter.

Xiao Yao stood outside the slaughterhouse, squatted down, gently placed Xiao Shenjie on the ground, gripped the long sword at his waist, stood up again, and prepared to push open the heavy iron gate.

“Wait a minute,” Shen Jie reached to the upper left and grabbed Xiao Yao’s wrist. “I don’t trust him.”

Xiao Shenjie glanced at Zhang Zhengkai, who gave a wry smile. Xiao Yao also glanced at Zhang Zhengkai and returned an awkward smile.

"You're really direct," Xiao Yao thought.

“Well,” Xiao Yao thought for a moment and said, “Kai Zi, would you please walk in front… no, wait for us outside… no, that’s not right either… uh…”

"You idiot!" Xiao Shenjie stomped her foot hard.

"Hey," Xiao Yao said in a low voice, "Don't you care about my reputation in public? What do you suggest we do then?"

……

……

Upon entering the slaughterhouse, Xiao Yao was immediately enveloped by an even more pungent, fishy stench.

The air was thick with the stench of blood, as if every breath was filled with the scent of death.

His eyes gradually adjusted to the light in the darkness, and the surrounding scenery slowly came into view.

In the slaughterhouse hall, rows of bloody slaughtering tools were displayed.

The knife was sharp and gleaming, exuding an endless ferocity and coldness.

Piles of looted animal carcasses lay in the corner, their bodies a dark yellowish-black color, emitting a putrid stench.

Some rats scurried around, scrambling for scraps of flesh and blood left on the ground.

and many more.

"I hope it really is just an animal carcass," Xiao Yao thought.

Because Xiao Yao could vaguely make out the shapes of some people among those body parts.

He hoped he was wrong.

The walls of the slaughterhouse were covered in blood, suggesting that countless lives had been brutally slaughtered here. Some animals hung on the walls… let's just say animal heads; some were rotten and deformed, while others retained horrifying expressions.

The stench of blood in the air seemed to emanate from these mutilated corpses.

Xiao Yao continued to look around uncomfortably, then inadvertently looked up and gasped.

He then realized that his head was covered with... bullfrog legs?

Those pale, white legs, along with their buttocks, were strung together by gleaming hooks and hung in a square formation from the high ceiling of the slaughterhouse.

Xiao Yao lowered his head.

He suddenly remembered asking Hua Ang last semester, "Bullfrogs are so delicious, why don't you eat them?"

Hua Ang told himself that the look of a bullfrog leg after it has been skinned but not yet cooked is just like the lower half of a human body.

At the time, Xiao Yao mocked Hua Ang for being "thirteen points," but in that instant, he immediately understood what Hua Ang meant.

And he could only force himself to believe that the legs on his head really did belong to a bullfrog.

Anyway, the light was dim enough that it was impossible to see clearly.

However, Xiao Yao vaguely realized that he might be able to say goodbye to bullfrogs in this lifetime.

That's certainly not the most important thing right now.

Xiao Yao knew that his escape route was blocked.

Unbeknownst to Xiao Yao, a group of butchers had quietly appeared behind him.

Their eyes were cloudy and their gaze was dull, but the sharp knives and axes in their hands gleamed with a cunning and cruel light as they stared at Xiao Yao as if he were a lamb to the slaughter.

Xiao Yao sighed softly and said, "There are still some minor monsters. It's really troublesome."

As he spoke, he beckoned to the butchers: "Since the process still needs to be followed—please come together, I'm in a hurry."

The butchers exchanged glances, obeyed without question, and roared as they raised their knives to slash at Xiao Yao.

Xiao Yao raised his hand and touched his cheekbone near his ear; it still hurt.

……