The Land of Oblivion

  The quiet black night is actually not quiet, at least for those who live in the black night, life has just begun.

  Zhang Haiyang walked lazily on the main street, the strong wind still blowing, leaves occasionally hitting his body, then turning a corner and continuing to rush forward. It was already two o'clock in the middle of the night, and in four hours, the dawn would illuminate this city. But before the darkness retreated, this long period of time was enough for many things to happen.

  "Hey brother, want to have some fun?"

  A stunningly beautiful woman emerged from behind a huge "Tingmei" billboard, with a hint of sensuality in her eyes.

  Zhang Haiyang's nostrils flared slightly, and a rare smile appeared on his face, but there was no ripple in his eyes. He sized up the woman with silken, alluring eyes, who was also sizing him up, squeezing her exposed chest into a distorted shape as much as possible, her flirtatious smile occasionally turning into a cold sneer. This was an exchange between hunter and prey, a fleeting equality.

  "How much?"

  Zhang Haiyang spoke up, and the woman let out a sigh of relief, immediately rewrapping her frozen chest in her autumn clothes.

  "Eighty for a quickie, one hundred twenty for all night, full service extra. And by the way, I'm Lily."

  Lily said with a flirtatious glance, her hand also stretched into Zhang Haiyang's pocket to search, and then she was stunned. The smile on Zhang Haiyang's face became more lewd, he gently pulled out the small hand, hugged her waist and walked towards the small alley by the road.

  "Then go for the whole set!"

  "Take it easy for a bit, I'm afraid you'll exhaust yourself."

  The howling gale swept away the laughter in the alley, and no one knew what would happen.

  Lily's room was slightly different from the others on the street, with a wall of mirrors and a barre. At this moment, Zhang Haiyang was sitting on the bed opposite the mirror, calmly gazing at Lily as she took off her clothes one by one, her full figure making her ordinary face look exceptionally attractive. From Zhang Haiyang's position, both Lily's front and back were in plain sight, and few men could resist such temptation.

  "Why don't you take it off? Oh, do you want me to help..."

  Lily walked forward and was about to touch Zhang Haiyang's button, but he pushed her away with a mocking expression in his eyes.

  "Tell them to come in, I'm busy and don't have time to play with you for long."

  "What...what are you talking about?"

  Lily had never been so terrified, she saw the man in front of her move, but the next moment he was still in place, while she herself fell out of the door with a thud. It wasn't until after a while that Lily felt the pain all over her body and heard the sound of shattered glass rubbing against her. The scream echoed far away, but was instantly swallowed up by the raging wind.

  Lily's world was a sea of crimson, and in that flowing deep red, a pair of eyes taunted her.

  "I don't like nonsense, you need to remember this."

  Three slender young men jumped in and surrounded Zhang Haiyang in a fan shape.

  "Are you tired of living? You dare to move against me? Today, if it's not made clear, don't think about standing up and leaving!"

  The young man in the lead looked no more than twenty years old, with a soft mustache on his mouth, but he had a fierce glint in his eyes, and at first glance, it was clear that he had been mixed up in society for many years. The other two people were much younger, their hands shaking as they held the steel pipes.

  Zhang Haiyang stood up, stretched his neck and then he moved.

  The loud scream caught Zhang Haiyang off guard, and he kicked the young man in the throat with one foot. The scream suddenly turned into a cough.

  "Now, what do you want me to say?"

  Zhang Haiyang squatted down and asked calmly, the three would-be criminals on the ground were terrified. The glass door that was shattered into pieces kept colliding in the strong wind, and a faint cry came from the darkness.

  Against all expectations, Lily was struggling to get up, trembling but determined in the howling wind and faint light that seeped through the door. The sound of her feet scraping against the shattered glass made one's heart skip a beat, she bit her teeth trying not to make any noise. Her disheveled hair danced wildly, and even her ordinary face seemed sacred like a goddess.

  Zhang Haiyang was momentarily distracted, and his cold face also softened, as if he had thought of someone.

  "Big brother, big brother, we were wrong, and we won't dare again..."

  The young man's words were cut off before he could finish, as Zhang Haiyang punched him unconscious, then wiped the bloodstains from his body and stood up calmly to look at the few people.

  "Robbery! Hand over all your money!"

  "Huh?"

  Two young people who had not yet fainted were still unable to react for a moment, they were clearly unaccustomed to the role reversal.

  Zhang Haiyang shook his head, and just as he was about to take action, the two young men immediately understood, wailing as they took out all the money on their bodies, not leaving a single game coin behind. Zhang Haiyang inadvertently revealed a smile, but it disappeared in an instant.

  "What's this guy's name?"

  "Big Brother Wang."

  Zhang Haiyang kicked the still pretending to be unconscious Big Brother Wang, a cold smile flashing across his mouth. He knew how powerful that punch was earlier, and this Big Brother Wang was just scared out of his wits, it was somewhat beneath someone with such a renowned name as Big Brother Wang. But what use is a famous name to a thug?

  In the distance, there was a sound of police sirens, Zhang Haiyang tilted his head and listened intently until the police car drove away.

  Zhang Haiyang glanced at the money in his hand, less than a thousand, but enough. He was about to leave when Lily opened her arms and blocked the door, her eyes fixed on him without blinking.

  "Take me with you, or kill me."

  Zhang Haiyang stared at the girl in front of him, the ice on his face gradually melting, and the softest part of his heart beating for a moment. A shadow flashed before his eyes, with similar eyes and expression.

  "Put on your clothes and let's go now."

  Three ruffians crouched on the ground, not daring to move until their voices faded away in the alley before they crawled to the door and peeked out.

  "Damn it, don't fall into my hands, sooner or later you'll know what I'm capable of!"

  Big Brother Wang mumbled that his nasal bone was broken, blood clots were blocking, and his mouth was full of stinky breath. Two subordinates rushed over to wipe his face, but ended up being beaten by him mercilessly.

  Zhang Haiyang walked ahead with big strides, while Lily followed behind him, carrying all her valuable belongings on her back, tears falling continuously, but she refused to fall a single step behind.

  Dawn has arrived, and the old people who exercise in the morning and the sanitation workers have appeared in the Haitian Villa Garden. The gatekeeper is drowsily looking in an unknown direction. The autumn morning is cold and desolate, and most of the residents in the villa area have not yet woken up. The twinkling lights are the nannies preparing breakfast.

  This is just an ordinary morning, but for some people, it's the beginning of a nightmare.

  Zhang Haiyang pushed open the door to the balcony, and a gentle, refreshing sea breeze rushed in, completely erasing the turmoil of last night. He took a deep breath, pulled out a cigarette and was about to light it when he suddenly hesitated, feeling subconsciously that he shouldn't be smoking as it was bad for his health. He was only confused for a moment before lighting the cigarette, taking a beautiful drag, but then violently coughing up. His body's reaction was like that of a first-time smoker, and he felt dizzy and unsteady on his feet.

  "This... where is this? Am I dead?"

  A voice came from inside the bedroom, Zhang Haiyang turned around, his pupils contracted again, perhaps due to the cigarette, his heart was racing violently, and a name was on the tip of his tongue, but no matter what he couldn't say it out loud.

  Two lines of tears, quietly falling down.

  "This is the land of forgetfulness, this is my land of forgetfulness."

  In the bedroom, on the luxurious big bed, Lily was lazily leaning against the pillow, her hair scattered over her arms, and the enticing collarbone under her suspenders sleepwear was faintly visible. The blanket casually covered her chest, but couldn't conceal her full figure. Through the window, the sunlight gently stroked everything in the room, and Lily's hair was covered with a layer of golden light, and beneath her calm expression flowed a firm determination towards the unknown.

  Lily was also looking out, and at this moment, Zhang Haiyang was standing in the sunlight, which seemed to be radiating from his body, dazzlingly sacred, making people feel a surge of reverence. Her heart began to beat faster, and there was a crack in the hardest part of her heart, surrounded by inexplicable emotions, leaving her speechless. The man turned around again to face the sea, distant and unreachable. But in the instant he turned around, Lily saw a glimmer of light, like a tear drop.

  "The land of oblivion is my own land of oblivion!"

  Zhang Haiyang thought silently, with tears streaming down his face.