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

Inside the core server room of Finch's fictional reality, the pungent smell of ozone from high-energy radiation was overwhelming. The odor was so strong it felt like it could burn one's nasal cavity, mixed with unknown, ionizing particles, indicating that enormous energy was surging chaotically within this space.

The air was thick with the indescribable stench of molten metal and burnt flesh. Every breath felt like swallowing poison, a dull, stinging pain shooting through the lungs. The entire server room trembled violently, emitting a teeth-grinding hum, and countless pipes and cables creaked under the pressure.

Lena Kaplan's fingertips trembled, sticky with sweat, the "Special Core Node Explosive" in her hand cold and heavy. The outer shell of the explosive felt rough to the touch, but inside lay a destructive power capable of tearing apart the fictional world Finch had painstakingly built. Her heart pounded like a war drum, each pulse echoing clearly in her ears.

The indicator lights on the explosive casing flashed a precise countdown. From the cold red numbers, Lina could almost see her taut nerves throbbing. The countdown synchronized perfectly with the numbers coming through the "Shadow" headset, down to the second, making her feel an invisible pressure crashing down on her like a mountain.

Her eyes, blurred by tears, remained resolute, her gaze piercing through the mist to focus on the final task before her. Her fingers steadily embedded the explosives into the groove of the core node, her movements slow yet meticulous, as if performing some sacred ritual, each action carrying the hopes and future of the entire team.

Each node was once a logical fulcrum of Finch's fictional reality, supporting the entire world's operation like intricate gears. Now, they are the fatal flaw of this dream, a time bomb about to explode, awaiting their end.

The "Illusion Guardians" inside the server room grew increasingly violent. They were no longer merely blurry shapes, but presented a more distorted and grotesque reality. Their bodies were composed of intertwined data and flesh, blurring and deforming in space like monsters stripped of their skin, each movement accompanied by a nauseating sound of bones grinding together.

The guards broke through the shattered energy barrier, the translucent blue barrier now completely broken, fragments dissipating in the air with a crackling sound of electricity. Each step was accompanied by the grating sound of rotting flesh rubbing against metal, their compound eyes flashing crimson, revealing pure killing intent.

Chaotic crackling electricity crackled around them, each pulse accompanied by sparks of overflowing energy, and the air was thick with the smell of burning. These guardians were trying to hinder Lina's final act, frantically rushing towards the only opening, desperately trying to stop the inevitable end.

Arthur Morgan's body became the last line of defense. He staggered towards Lena, each step exhausting the last of his strength. His gaze was as firm as iron, showing no sign of retreat, and he stood firm at the most dangerous front even though he was seriously injured.

His old trench coat was soaked in blood, dark red bloodstains spreading in patches, almost covering his entire left shoulder. The excruciating pain from being shot in the shoulder made his face pale, cold sweat sliding down his forehead, but his jaw was clenched, and he could only let out a beast-like growl.

"Arthur's Revolver" spat fire, the blue-white muzzle flame standing out starkly in the dim light, the air thick with the smell of gunpowder. The lead bullet pierced the illusions of the guards with astonishing speed, leaving momentary holes in their twisted bodies.

The illusionary guardians' bodies only briefly disintegrated before reforming from the distorted air, as if they were immortal. Their numbers didn't decrease but increased, as if the entire fictional world was concentrating its remaining life force on these guards for a final counterattack.

Arthur gritted his teeth, a knife-like pain shooting through his lungs, each breath feeling like it was tearing his chest apart. He swung the gun handle like an old farmer harvesting wheat, his movements seemingly clumsy yet incredibly powerful, each strike an attempt to crush the enemy before him, buying Lina even a second of time.

His left hand was almost unable to lift, but his right arm was as strong as steel, each shot carrying a resolute force. Sweat and blood mingled, blurring his vision, but he knew this was the final battle, with no way to retreat.

"Shadow's" voice came urgently into the earpiece: "The detonation sequence is ready, Isabella, complete the final implantation! Finch's defenses have reached their limit, Lin Zheng's signal is fluctuating wildly, we must synchronize!"

Lina adjusted the last explosive charge. She could feel a slight vibration from her fingertips—the sound of the intricate components inside the explosive working. She clearly sensed that time was running out; each passing second felt like sand in an hourglass, urging her to speed up.

Her gaze passed over Arthur's shoulder, looking deep into the core server room. There, energy beams clashed, and data flowed like a raging river—the most central and vulnerable part of the entire virtual reality. It was the center of the virtual reality where Lin Zheng's spiritual body resided, and the ultimate goal of all their efforts.

Deep within Lin Zheng's mental world, a chaotic torrent of information mingled with fragmented memories. These memory fragments, like sharp blades, constantly sliced ​​through his consciousness, each carrying the past, the future, and the unknown, making him feel that his spiritual body could be torn apart at any moment.

The fragments of illusion he had collected were now being absorbed by this overloaded "mind bomb." The bomb gleamed eerily in the darkness, expanding in size and increasing in energy with each absorbed fragment, as if it were nurturing a primordial power capable of overturning everything.

The ancient imprint at the core of the "Mind Bomb" emits a cold light; it is not power, but pure will. Like a blood moon, it floats deep within consciousness, radiating a silent yet powerful light, as if it has long since transcended the constraints of all dimensions, becoming a law that reigns supreme over everything.

Lin Zheng abandoned all self-protection, letting his consciousness be torn apart. Pain surged like waves, assaulting his senses one after another. He felt his soul being forged in flames and tempered in icy cold, every cell in his body screaming at the limit of collapse.

He forged this ultimate weapon from his obsession with "who I am," all his pain and insights. It is not just a bomb, but the crystallization of his life's many times of being lost and found, struggling and transcending, and his last trump card in his fight against Finch.

The target is the core of Finch's hidden "monitoring room" within the fictional reality, the very foundation of Finch's mental connection. Through that room, Finch controls the birth and death of all illusions. Now, Lin Zheng is about to use his own existence to completely sever the umbilical cord that binds the lies.

He was determined to perish there, taking Finch's spirit and will with him, even if the price was the annihilation of his own consciousness. This was his destiny, and the path he had chosen for his end, without the slightest hesitation.

Finch's mocking laughter echoed deep within his consciousness, sharp and cold, carrying the arrogance of a victor. Each syllable scraped against Lin Zheng's nerves like a knife. He felt Finch's consciousness gradually eroding him, a kind of infiltration and assimilation more terrifying than any physical attack, threatening to reduce him to nothingness.

Lin Zheng felt his spiritual body about to be torn apart, becoming part of the illusion and assimilated. He could almost see himself dissolving into countless specks of light, being swallowed by Finch's vast consciousness, becoming part of his "utopian fantasy," never to be free again.

However, Arthur's roar pierced through the thick fog, carrying the smell of rust, a yearning for life and a struggle against death, shaking the most vulnerable part of Lin Zheng's consciousness. That sound was like a sharp knife, cleaving open the deepest fears of Lin Zheng's mind, igniting a faint spark.

"Lin Zheng! Hold on! We're waiting for you to come back!" Arthur's voice was not just a call, but also a re-projection of the anchor of the real world into Lin Zheng's chaotic spirit, allowing him to see that faint hope and grasp the last bit of life.

The ancient mark was reactivated, filtering out all noise and leaving only the cold command. The patterns on the mark began to emit an even more dazzling light, like stars exploding within his body. It was no longer a passive force, but an active guide for Lin Zheng's consciousness.

Lin Zheng's consciousness coalesced into a sharp edge, transcending reason, emotion, and the boundaries between "self" and "non-self." He was no longer the self trapped in falsehood, but transformed into a pure blade, pointing directly at Finch's core.

He felt himself engaged in a final tug-of-war with Finch's consciousness, like two opposing tides colliding and erupting in the endless darkness. It was a battle between souls, a life-or-death tug-of-war, where the slightest misstep would lead to utter destruction.

Once he loses his balance, he will be doomed, swallowed up into nothingness, leaving no trace of his existence. But at this moment, Lin Zheng's heart is surprisingly calm, with only that decisive strike remaining, as if all hope and despair have been condensed in this instant.

Lena placed her finger on the detonator, her gaze fixed on the countdown screen. Each flashing number felt like a hammer blow to her heart. She took a deep breath; the acrid smell of ozone in the air made her want to vomit, but she bit her tongue hard to stay conscious.

"Shadow's" voice boomed through the headset, this time carrying an unquestionable command and final authorization: "Detonate! Now! Concentrate all forces, ensure a successful strike!"

She pressed down hard with her fingertips, feeling the electric current travel from her fingertips throughout her body; that numb current felt like the prelude to the apocalypse. Activating the detonator meant that she had personally torn Finch's world apart, and at the same time, she bore all the consequences.

Almost simultaneously, deep within Lin Zheng's mental world, the "mental nuclear bomb" exploded. It wasn't a physical explosion, but a collapse at the level of consciousness, a subversion of rules, and the disintegration of all illusions; the entire mental world seemed to be torn open with a huge rift.

An indescribable energy wave instantly spread out, carrying all of Lin Zheng's struggling and resisting will, and engulfed Finch's "monitoring room." It was not light, but pure annihilation, completely dismantling the very foundation that sustained Finch's existence, leaving not a trace.

Professor Finch let out a beast-like howl, surpassing all human limits, a sound that tore through all dimensions, emanating from the depths of fictional reality. This sound was not merely pain, but a desperate roar of despair at the loss of all power. (The latest updated chapters of "Rotten Dreams of America: I Assemble Corpses to Face Madness" are available on the "Renren Bookstore" APP, with over a million books all free to read. Access the APP's official website to read the latest chapters without any issues.)

Lina felt the entire core server room shudder violently, as if struck by a giant hammer. The ground shook violently, and the metal structure on the ceiling groaned. The massive shockwave even penetrated the energy shield of Lina's custom combat suit, causing her internal organs excruciating pain.

The deafening explosion instantly drowned out all the alarms and tearing sounds. The shockwave ripped eardrums, plunging the world into a deathly silence, with only the flickering flames visible. The entire server room was engulfed in billowing smoke and flames.

Lina's custom-made combat suit's energy shield barely withstood the impact at the last moment, its surface force field shield flickering violently, nearly collapsing. Otherwise, Lina would probably have been reduced to nothing along with the collapse of the server room.

She saw the physical structure of the "Experiment Building" in Finch's illusion begin to collapse at an accelerated rate, the walls shattering like glass to reveal the chaotic void behind it. The scene of collapse was not merely the destruction of a building, but the complete disintegration of a once indestructible world of lies.

The cables emitted dazzling arcs of electricity, like thousands of wildly dancing snakes. The equipment screamed and exploded under overload, flames shooting into the sky, turning the entire computer room into a hellish furnace. The place that once represented the pinnacle of technology has now become a post-apocalyptic ruin.

In his mental world, Lin Zheng felt everything Finch had constructed crumble before his eyes, collapsing at a speed beyond imagination. The illusions, rules, and logic that had once trapped him were now turning to dust and vanishing into nothingness before his very eyes.

Finch's mental connection was violently severed, his roots with this fictional world were completely severed, and the spiritual energy upon which he depended for survival dried up. His "utopian dream" plan failed completely at this moment, vanishing like a bubble, with no possibility of reconstruction.

Lin Zheng's consciousness was "jumped" out of the chaos by a powerful force. He felt dizzy, as if he were falling from a height of ten thousand meters. It was a strong sense of rejection that forcibly pulled him back from the quagmire of imagination to reality, back to his original body.

Arthur's body jolted violently. The moment the "specially made core node explosive" detonated, it jolted his wounds, and the excruciating pain almost made him faint. He vaguely saw the light erupting in Lin Zheng's mental world; it was a non-material light, yet it brought an extreme shock.

And the scene of the illusion collapsing, which entered his mind through some strange connection he sensed. It was not an ordinary explosion, but a deconstruction that transcended technology, an annihilation of the soul, which made him feel a sense of awe.

The shockwave struck, throwing Arthur to the ground with tremendous force. The dull pain nearly made him lose consciousness. Blood gushed from the wound on his shoulder, staining the ground red. His consciousness began to blur, and only a distant buzzing could be heard in his ears.

He struggled to lift his head, barely opening his blurry eyes, and saw Lina pressing the detonator, her eyes filled with an indescribable determination. In that moment, he knew it was all over, their mission was complete, and everything they had sacrificed had been worthwhile.

"He did it...we won." Arthur whispered weakly but with relief, before falling into a semi-conscious state. A satisfied smile curved his lips; despite the excruciating pain throughout his body, his heart was filled with a sense of relief and a peaceful victory.

The shockwave from the explosion swept through the "Experiment Building" in Finch's fantasy world, leaving behind a scene of utter devastation. The once magnificent building was now nothing but twisted steel bars and charred concrete, as if it had been devoured by a giant beast.

The air was thick with the acrid smell of rain mixed with the stench of broken rubble, creating a suffocating atmosphere. The sky hung low, covered with dark clouds, as if the whole world was mourning this immense disaster, or perhaps foreshadowing an even greater storm to come.

The team members quickly entered the ruins to conduct an initial assessment and gather clues. The ruins were littered with scorch marks left by energy overload and collapsed building debris; every detail was fraught with danger and uncertainty.

Lina gasped for breath, her gaze sweeping over the shattered server wreckage, countless data cables scattered like dying tentacles. A flash caught her attention; the faint light stood out starkly in the darkness, as if drawing her gaze.

It was a fragment of data, wrapped in digital code, that didn't belong to this experiment. It flickered faintly on the broken screen, like a dying firefly, but quickly disappeared into the chaotic code; if Lina hadn't been so observant, she would have missed it.

The fragment seemed to contain some unusual information; a series of obscure symbols and incomplete diagrams flashed across the shattered screen, revealing an ominous premonition. A thought struck Lina; her intuition told her this was no ordinary matter.

"Lina!" A frantic voice rang out; it was the team's medic, reminding her to prioritize Arthur's injuries. Life comes first, that was the team's ironclad rule.

Lena didn't have time to examine it closely; she could only hastily jot down the characteristics and approximate location of the data fragments, believing that someone within the company might be able to decipher these anomalies. She glanced deeply in that direction, then rushed towards Arthur to heal her comrade.

The other team members had begun to provide emergency hemostasis and bandaging for Arthur. His old trench coat was mangled with blood and gore at the shoulder, but a tired yet satisfied smile graced his face, as if to tell everyone that his efforts had been worthwhile.

Ava Sterling's voice came through the encrypted communication, calm yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Congratulations, mission successful. You have exceeded expectations, and Professor Finch's fictional reality has been completely shattered."

"But company reinforcements will arrive soon; their detectors have already detected the collapse of the Finch energy source. You must evacuate immediately; this is your only window of opportunity!" Her voice carried an unquestionable command, and she spoke rapidly, as if afraid they would be even a second too slow.

The distant sirens rose and fell, like the call of death, signaling that danger had only just begun. The wailing sirens drew closer, like a giant net tightening, enveloping them. The company would not allow them to escape unscathed; they were determined to reclaim their "legacy."

Lina felt a real, Cthulhu-like silence around her, more oppressive than the clamor of the illusion. This silence was not stillness, but a suffocating stillness, containing immense unknown and terror, making her heart clench.

She looked towards the trembling rubble, where Lin Zheng was coughing violently, barely managing to open his eyes. His body was weaker than ever before, as if all his strength had been drained away; every cell was screaming with exhaustion and emptiness, and even the simplest act of breathing had become difficult.

However, he clearly sensed that Professor Finch's presence had completely vanished; the once omnipresent and ever-present mental pressure was now gone. He knew that Finch was truly dead, along with all his lies and ambitions.

The real world around him, with its bizarre and indescribable urban ruins and distorted landscapes, was clearer and more painful than ever before. As if a thin mist had been lifted, the world was revealed to him in its most primal and cruel form.

Twisted energy ripples filled the air, and the unnatural growths and structures inexplicable by human logic in the ruins were now clearly visible, each detail carrying an ominous revelation, like sharp knives piercing the depths of his soul.

That ancient and obscure mark has become clearer, as if it has merged with Lin Zheng's soul and become a new organ for him. It is no longer a simple source of power, but a completely new ability of perception, allowing him to glimpse the underlying logic of the world.

He sensed the true workings of the world, pulsating within his consciousness like the veins of flesh and blood. Those invisible laws, those patterns hidden beneath reality, revealed their true nature to him in a clear yet terrifying way.

This was not a victory, but the beginning of a far deeper nightmare. Lin Zheng knew that Finch's destruction was only the first step; the real enemy and a broader truth were just opening their cold doors to him, waiting for him to face an unimaginable future.

Isabella Rossi witnessed it all from the remote monitoring room. Her room was surrounded by several holographic screens, displaying crash data from the Finch Core system and a real-time map of Lena's team's evacuation. Her fingertips lightly traced the cold keyboard.

She witnessed the collapse of Finch's illusion, heard his wails, the sound reaching her ears through the encrypted channel, shaking her to her core. She saw his utter destruction, a mentor who had once held her destiny in his hands, now vanishing into flames and nothingness.

Her gaze was complex, a mixture of emotions welling up within her for having personally sent her former mentor to hell. There was a hint of revenge. There was the joy of victory, but more than that, there was an indescribable emptiness and confusion, as well as a deep questioning of one's own actions.

The screen flashed warnings of the company's reinforcements arriving; countless red dots were rapidly approaching Lina's team's extraction point, and time was running out. Her fingers tapped unconsciously on the keyboard as she pondered her next move; her loyalty was teetering on the brink.

Isabella began to ponder her next move. Her loyalty had wavered in the face of the collapsing order, and Finch's failure showed her that the company was not invincible. The ideals she once held dear had now shattered into pieces amidst Finch's screams.

She saw the dark side of humanity in Finch's "Utopia," while Lin Zheng displayed a will that transcended human limits and a possibility she had never seen before. She was weighing her options, pondering whether there were other paths she could choose.

The dogmas she once firmly believed in were now crumbling, and new options were emerging in her mind. Finch's destruction seemed to have torn apart the prison within her heart, revealing a wider, more cruel, yet more real world. Her stance was undergoing an unprecedented and profound shift.