The sky was overcast, and a thin mist could be seen in the distance. A cold wind rustled through the trees on both sides of the road.
On the highway, a black sedan was driving smoothly.
Hu Jiu, wearing a black trench coat, sat in the passenger seat, holding a book in his hands—"Mastering Minor Languages from Beginner to Expert".
With his current abilities, he could easily unlock new skills and languages for himself.
A white moth, blown about by the wind, landed on the rearview mirror.
Hu Jiu glanced at the moth and said, "The fog seems to be getting thicker."
The driver was a middle-aged man with short, dark brown hair, and a hint of doubt flickered in his eyes.
"There shouldn't be this much fog at this time of year!"
Despite his doubts, he didn't take it too seriously; it was just unusual weather.
The car drove for a while longer, then took a side road and turned into a city shrouded in thick fog.
"We've finally made it into the Glory City. Thank you so much, Mike," Hu Jiu said gently.
Mike slammed on the brakes and waved his hand. "Don't be so polite. Don't tell anyone I brought you in."
Hu Jiu gave an OK sign. "Don't worry, I understand."
Following the trail of Geheluos, he discovered this city hidden in the fog.
Forcibly breaking in by force only revealed a desolate and dilapidated ruin.
Mike was invited to the city for some special reason, and Hu Jiu hitched a ride with him.
Although this was against the rules—invitees shouldn't bring strangers in— Hu Jiu used her financial power, and Mike gave in.
If Mike were to turn back at this point, he would be shocked to find that the fork in the road he came from... had disappeared.
After they parted ways, Hu Jiu wandered around the city discreetly.
It's hard to imagine that such a city could stand on the US-Canada border.
No, perhaps this city doesn't exist in the real world; in reality, this place is only shrouded in mist and ruins.
On the surface, the Glory City appears orderly, with residents of different nationalities and skin colors living together in harmony.
Everyone wore a standard smile, was well-dressed, and behaved in a proper manner.
When the green light came on, a group of pedestrians, as if marching at attention, took identical steps as they crossed the pedestrian crossing.
Everything seemed so harmonious, and there was no sign of any uncivilized behavior.
It was so harmonious that it felt somewhat fake, discordant, and even oppressive.
It's like creating a false impression of prosperity and beauty when you know the leaders are coming to inspect.
Hu Jiu walked for a long time. The road was very clean, without a speck of dust or dirt, but he still didn't see any restaurants, hotels, or entertainment venues.
It seems that apart from basic urban infrastructure, there are only residential areas, factories, and... a church.
A strange statue stands atop the church.
Hu Jiu glanced at it a few more times, then disappeared from the spot.
"Sinner!"
A chain hung down from the center of the ceiling, suspending Mike upside down.
An angel surrounded by Holy Light, whose face was obscured and who held a long sword, stabbed countless holes in Mike's body.
Blood continued to seep from the wound, flowing over the chest, abdomen, neck, and head, finally pooling on the scalp and dripping down.
A devout believer holds a golden cup to catch the dripping blood.
The golden cup was filled with blood, which trickled down its sides and splashed onto the ground.
An angel stood in front, whispering something.
Mike was not only in physical pain, but also seemed to have suffered a severe mental blow. He couldn't help but wail, but no one came to his rescue.
The next second, he suddenly woke up, his back was soaked with cold sweat, and the whites of his eyes were bloodshot.
"Oh, my dear Mike, what's wrong with you?"
His wife turned on the bedside lamp and asked softly.
Mike frowned and rubbed his temples. "I had a nightmare."
"Perhaps it wasn't a nightmare, but some kind of warning to you." His wife still spoke softly, but after saying this, she turned her head and went back to sleep, her concern and inquiry seeming to be just a routine.
Mike sighed; his wife wasn't like this before.
Their child is young and successful, working for a large corporation.
The company offers excellent benefits, including a free apartment in Glory City for each employee, as well as well-paid jobs for their immediate family members.
Mike and his wife were invited to this strange city.
Although they had never heard of the city, they could find a large company called "Rongguang" online, and trusting their child, they set off without hesitation following the navigation.
Mike was a few days late for his wife because he had some chores to take care of.
But in just a few days, my wife seemed like a completely different person!
She is polite and elegant, always maintaining a proper demeanor, even when resting at home, she dresses very formally;
She was gentle and polite, treating Mike as if he were a guest;
She strives for perfection, holds herself to high standards and has strict requirements; the rules in her home are comparable to those in a prison.
She seemed to have lost her flaws and become a perfect person in the worldly sense;
She had also lost her humanity, becoming like a dull, numb, exquisite doll.
When Mike does something "unconventional" at home, such as leaving shoes lying around, not wearing a shirt, or picking snacks out of his nose, his wife will stare at him with a reproachful look until he changes.
Mike used to always complain about his wife's various minor ailments, but when those ailments actually disappeared, he became afraid and desperately wanted to recapture that familiar feeling.
However, no matter what he tried, his wife did not change at all.
Worse still, it wasn't just his wife; Mike discovered that his neighbors and even everyone in the city were like machines cut from the same mold.
The civilized, harmonious, and Glory City did not make Mike feel comfortable; instead, it made him feel terrified!
"Something's not right here. I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning!" Mike made up his mind.
He wouldn't be like the clueless protagonist in a horror movie, who, despite sensing something was wrong, insists on staying and courting death.
I spent a sleepless night.
The next day, Mike, sporting dark circles under his eyes, didn't even have time to pack his things before he was about to leave with his wife.
"Our family, children, career, and faith are all here, why should we leave?" his wife asked coldly.
Mike initially intended to forcibly take her away, but then suddenly realized that the child was there too, and he had to take the child with him!
He called his son, who said he was at work and told Mike he could come to Glory Enterprises ' factory to find him.
Mike hesitated for a moment, but his wife eagerly pulled him along, and they immediately set off for the factory.