The morning breeze blows through the wilderness of Las Vegas, and the Haloxylon ammodendron bushes tremble like shy beauties.
White light shined through the window on a slightly bruised face on the bed in the bedroom on the second floor. Dean stood up straight and stretched out comfortably. The joints of his spine and lumbar vertebrae were crackling like firecrackers.
He looked at the system.
80/100.
Last night, he and Paquet were sparring from eight o'clock to twelve o'clock. His fighting proficiency improved surprisingly by nearly 50 points, far exceeding the results of his solo training in the past few days.
Practical training is much more efficient!
"It's a shame that guy was so cruel to his nephew!"
Thinking of last night's nightmare experience, a trace of fear appeared on Dean's face.
Compared to boxing, Pacquiao obviously prefers wrestling, so under his "teaching by words and deeds", Dean has seen "a little" wrestling techniques, such as single-leg wrestling, double-leg wrestling, back wrestling, neck wrestling, and cross wrestling. Solid, naked twist...
Paquet's teaching method is simple and crude, with little nonsense throughout the process. He only gives one or two words of guidance at key points. The rest of the time is non-stop, knocking Dean down in various ways and repeatedly bringing him to the ground.
According to him,
"When you are knocked down a thousand or ten thousand times, you will naturally understand how to defend yourself and how to knock down the enemy."
Dean had been ravaged hundreds of times, and the front lawn was covered with his wailing figure, and every part of his body was sore.
His face, especially his ears, quickly became congested and swollen after being in close contact with the ground many times.
But with the support of his iron man talent, Dean endured the whole process tenaciously and received rare praise from Paques.
It's a pity that Dean was a little confused and failed to absorb and understand many wrestling techniques. He would only spread his feet and lower his body center of gravity nervously from time to time.
…
This morning.
Thanks to his uncle's post-race massage and the strong recovery power of his Ironman talent, Dean was full of energy and energy, and his insomnia problems quietly disappeared.
Except for some superficial injuries that have not recovered, his condition is perfect!
"It's better to be in pain for a while than to be killed by gangsters and criminals in the future. Come back tonight and practice with Paquet again, and try to improve your fighting level!"
Having made up his mind, Dean put on a black hooded jacket, sweatpants, and sneakers that covered his whole body. He went down to the kitchen on the first floor and baked a few slices of bread, fried eight eggs, and six slices of bacon.
Half of it was for himself and the other half was left to his uncle who was still sleeping soundly on the sofa in the hall. When he got to school, Dean had to buy some bread to eat.
Because after gaining the Ironman talent, his food intake increased a lot.
…
Dean took a deep look at this rough and haggard face.
"Bye! Paqui!"
Putting on his equipment, he opened the door and rode to school, accompanied by the chirping of birds in the treetops on both sides of the road!
…
Shortly after.
Dean and Rust met at the school gate. He was keenly aware of the strange looks in the eyes of the surrounding students, with a touch of fear.
Everyone avoided them like the plague, loudly discussing nicknames such as Master Herring, Biochemical Gas Expert, etc.
A black girl wearing hot pants and a vest fanned the air in front of her nose in disgust, as if to expel some stench.
Even Bob Low looked frightened when he saw the two of them, and he didn't dare to approach them and threaten them like he did before.
Therefore, the location where the two of them were located formed a strange no man's land.
"Man, your new hair style is so cool... It's a pity that our reputation in school is ruined now." Rust, who was also wearing a black hooded jacket
He pretended to sigh, but his immature face showed a hint of dismay, proud of yesterday's performance, "I'm afraid it will be difficult to make friends in the future."
"So what, it's better to be feared than to be bullied!"
"That makes sense, look at our new equipment."
Rust pointed to a tough and domineering black Ford F-150 in the parking lot, but it only had two seats.
"Grace's car, but she is too busy with work and seldom drives it. It is equipped with a flashlight, baseball bat, mask, lunch and dinner. If you are going to explore the sewers, you must be fully prepared!"
Dean clicked his tongue in surprise, "How did you tell your mother?"
"We're going camping! She's very busy at work and doesn't have time to come to school to confirm."
"So you can drive?" Unlike most men, Dean doesn't like cars very much, but he has already passed the driver's license test.
"Who doesn't have a driver's license? It's just that Grace has never bought me a car!" Rust patted his bulging schoolbag again and said, "I spent a lot of money to buy out that department store. The canned herrings in the supermarket are enough for ‘weapons and ammunition’!”
"By the way, I have asked the teacher for leave for you!"
The more Dean looks at Rust, the more satisfied he becomes. He is really a considerate "Jingle Cat".
…
"Haha, the detective duo attack!"
Rust shouted something fiercely to himself, and carefully drove straight south along the road, the terrain gradually descending.
"Relax, buddy. I personally think your driving skills are very good. If you drive slower... you will be no worse than a professional racing driver."
Dean reassured, holding back a laugh.
Rust, who is short and has a tender face, is sitting in the driver's seat of a pickup truck, giving him a funny feeling of a kid driving a big car.
"Sit tight and watch my performance!"
…
The F-150 drove into a remote and quiet countryside, surrounded by weeds and an endless expanse of deserted sandy land. It was dotted with signboards and windmills. Occasionally, a few rabbits, bighorn sheep and other wild animals could be seen wandering in the grass, shrubs and water. Eating and playing in the mooring room.
It has a unique sense of wilderness fun.
…
Almost half an hour later, the car drove in from a yellow sandy area on the left side of the road... A small muddy ditch passed through the waist-deep elephant grass. Plastic, clothes, umbrellas and other household waste around it increased visibly. .
The car stopped behind a low mountain of garbage.
Not far away stands a circular drainage pipe with a diameter of several meters. Looking at it, it is dark and has no end, and a small river gully originates from it.
The two got out of the car, hid near the garbage mountain and observed patiently for a while. They confirmed that there were no illegal transactions going on nearby and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Relax, buddy," Dean put on a black mask, holding a baseball bat in one hand and a flashlight in the other. "I'll be in front of you in everything! Just follow the instructions later."
He walked over immediately.
Rust took a deep breath and followed closely!
Upon entering the drainage pipe, darkness hit us, followed by an unusual chill.
Although the sun was shining brightly outside, the temperature in the waterway suddenly dropped several degrees, making it pleasant and cool.
Dean suddenly felt that in a few months, it would be an excellent choice to come in to escape the heat in the midsummer scorching heat of more than 40 degrees.
There is always a faint musty smell lingering in the nose.
But it was nothing compared to the canned herring they experienced yesterday.
"This place is a bit like a bridge. It's cleaner than I thought. Living in it doesn't seem that bad."
The two men bent over and stood on the left side of the passage, shining their flashlights into the center.
A trickle of water flowed along the moss-covered ditch. The water was turbid but not filled with feces and urine as Dean had imagined, and the smell was not too strong.
The slightly higher platforms on both sides can be seen everywhere with discarded plastic bags, toys, clothes and pants full of holes...but there are no bulky pieces of garbage that are too clumsy. Weeds and hole-growing fungi emerge from the cracks in the walls on both sides. It adds a touch of green to this dark and humid environment.
…
They continued to move forward along the current, and Dean occasionally took out a marker and drew a number on the wall as a sign to avoid getting lost.
Based on intuition, I chose a few forks in the road. After walking for about five minutes, the sunlight behind me gradually disappeared. Outside the light of the flashlight, the environment was so dark that I couldn't see my fingers.
The narrow space, dead silence, and dull air also made the two of them feel depressed.
"what is this?"
Rust pointed to a rubber-like object in the corner that resembled a human body.
"The deflated doll," Dean said with a half-smile.
"What's the use of such a big doll?"
"You'll find out when you get a girlfriend."
Chi Chi! Suddenly there were two strange screams!
Rust was startled, his hand shook, and he shined a flashlight, illuminating a large black-haired mouse with reflective eyes next to the doll.
It was not afraid of people at all, and even stood up with its fat body on the spot and looked at the two sewer guests for five seconds, chirping.
It dragged a slender tail into the darkness.
"God, what did these guys eat to grow up? They are bigger than the cats in the pet shop." Rust gripped the baseball bat tightly and took a few deep breaths with a look of shock on his face.
"Living in the sewer, what else can you eat besides garbage? It seems that you like it very much. Why don't I catch one for you and keep it as a pet!" Dean joked,
"Shut up! If you scare me again, I will immediately backtrack and drive away, leaving you alone in the car!" Rust glared at his companion in anger, but saw Dean suddenly walk to the left of the fork ahead and squat down. The body was looking at a small object on the ground.
"syringe?"
Dean turned his eyes to the front and said, "I feel like I'm about to find something."
…
Dean's hunch was right, and he walked along the left passage for less than two minutes.
They entered a more open corridor. On the left side of the corridor, someone hung up a rope. A pile of colorful shirts and vests were hung on the rope to form a private "room".
A hazy yellow light shone from the room.
"anyone there?"
Dean greeted him as gently as possible,
The wall of clothes was separated, and a man wearing a pair of black shorts came out and kicked out a battery under his feet.
Thirty to forty years old.
Thick black hair and a full beard that had not been taken care of for too long were stuck in clumps.
His skin was pale, with two rows of ribs protruding from his chest, and he was extremely thin.
The protruding cheekbones make the eyes look big, and the whites of the eyes are bloodshot, making the whole person look a little haggard.
"Hey! You two, this is Alex's territory. You are not allowed to break in without permission..." He persuaded in a hoarse voice, but when his red eyes swept across the two people's tightly wrapped bodies, With his body and the shiny silver baseball bat in his hand, he took a step back and raised his left hand like a thin bamboo pole to his chest.
"Alex has no money, and all his money is spent on enjoyment. There is no treasure worth your troubles to rob! If you need it, just take whatever you need, and don't hurt me!"
Dean noticed a large patch of brown, rough skin that looked like tree bark on the other person's arm.
"Relax." Dean handed the baseball bat to Rust and spread his hands to show that he meant no harm.
Rust was behind him lighting him.
"I'm coming in to find someone, Mona, do you know him?"
Dean didn't wait for the other party to answer and kept talking like a machine gun.
"A girl, about eighteen years old, with black hair and black eyes, about 5 feet 6 inches tall and of medium build."
"Yes, she has a nice smile. She likes to wear an old-fashioned cowboy hat."
"Do you have any impression of her?" Dean didn't give the addict any time to think. "You know she lives there, right? Does he have any acquaintances? Tell me!"
"stop!"
Alex grinned,
"You're lucky. I've met her. She's an impressive good girl, a 'rat man' who lives in other channels. But I won't tell you the news in vain. Let's trade under the witness of God. !”
…
Gulu gulu——
The dim yellow light of a simple desk lamp illuminated Alex on the dirt-stained wooden lounge chair.
He was wolfing down a piece of pizza, biting it down with his yellowed rotten teeth. He took a second bite before the food could be swallowed. This caused his mouth to be filled with food and his cheeks to bulge high. He was so crazy that he almost Swallow it with your tongue.
Dean next to him frowned. In his previous life, he had rarely seen such hungry people in China.
Unless you are seriously ill, you will not be unable to afford food if you deliver takeaways for a few days.
Rust looked sad.
The rose shrimp sashimi pizza that Grace had carefully made to share with her good friends was ruined by an addict!
"...Hmm...rose shrimp from the Gulf of Alaska...high quality and expensive...the last time I ate it was three years ago? You two...well...must be messengers sent by God." Alex felt his stomach was full of oil and water. Wiping the tears of emotion from the corner of his eyes, he slowed down his eating speed.
"How long has it been since you last eaten?" Dean asked,
"Five days? A week? The charity kitchen in the city is not open, so a 'rat man' like me has to go hungry."
"You keep mentioning rat men, what do you mean?" Rust asked,
"People who live like rats in dark sewers, like me." After Alex had eaten his fill, a satisfied smile appeared on his dirty face, and his attitude became friendly.
"Then how did you become a ratman?"
"I have no money, I can't afford the high cost of living here," Alex pointed at the ceiling and said with a hint of self-deprecation,
"You are so poor, how can you still afford this thing?" Dean threw the syringe he picked up before at his feet, thinking that there must be something hateful about pitiful people.
The other party shook his head disapprovingly,
"I've quit it..." He stretched out his arm to show the scars and scabs on it. "A year ago these were terrible pinpricks, but now they have all healed. I have defeated the demon. But I have woken up. It was a little late, and there was a big problem with my immunity. The scars can never be completely eliminated.”
Seeing that the two of them were silent, Alex fell back on the wicker chair, pulled the pizza comfortably, and said,
"Whether you believe it or not, I was once a rich man with millions of dollars in my bank card. I was extremely rich. I stayed in different hotels in Vegas every day, and I tried them all with white girls, black girls, and yellow-skinned girls. But I came here not only for enjoyment, I worked hard to find business opportunities... and strived to turn millions into tens of millions. Who knew that I entered the casino in a daze and was tricked by a group of bastards... overnight, all my wealth was gone Ninety percent."
Alex turned to Rust and sighed,
"Do you understand that feeling? I would rather die than live. I need some comfort, so--"
His withered face showed a tired old look,
"I didn't expect to go from one abyss to another."
"But now, I'm trying to crawl out."
Dean sighed, showing a hint of sympathy and intolerance. Reflect on whether you were too harsh on this poor man before?
Leave him some money?
But Dean suddenly remembered his uncle's warning not to be gullible. This guy must have other requirements to win their sympathy.
What's more, that thing hasn't lasted more than ten years, how can you quit it?
"Okay, man, I don't have time for your inspirational stories. Now, tell me about Mona right now!"
"Listen to me a few more words. You are very much like my nephew who I haven't seen for ten years. I want to impart some life experience to you so that you will not be dazzled by the lights and feasting of Las Vegas."
His face was confused and his eyes were sincere,
"That's enough, don't challenge my patience!"
Dean swung his baseball bat and warned sternly,
"What a violent young man. Do you dare to be so tough when facing gangsters?"
Alex muttered.
Dean's eyelids twitched.
"The place you are looking for is so wrong. Mona lives in the sewers of the South District dozens of miles away. I have talked to her many times. Because she looks exactly like my daughter. My poor girl doesn't know that her old father is there. Las Vegas is suffering, and I can’t bear to hurt her..."
"Southern District? The area is too big." Rust rolled his eyes, interrupting his divergent thinking, "There are at least hundreds of manhole covers over there, and the sewers stretch for dozens of miles. Where do we start?"
"Sorry, I can't help." Alex shaved his teeth, "I haven't personally visited Mona's home."
Dean took Rust's backpack and touched the can of herring.
"Are you sure you won't think about it again?"
"Hey! I swear to God I didn't tell any lies! After eating your delicious food, I really don't want to lie to you! Besides, is Mona the girlfriend of any of you? There is always a price to pay for chasing girls, don't keep thinking about it Go ahead and get a bargain!"
"What kind of girlfriend!" Rust blushed. When he thought of what the female liar had done, he couldn't help but feel sorry for his friend. "She cheated my brother of two thousand dollars! She even played with his feelings! She is a bad person. An absolute fraudster.”
"This is impossible!"
Alex suddenly seemed to be offended, a strange blush appeared on his sickly pale cheeks, and his bulging eyes stared at the two of them,
"Although Mona comes from a poor family, she is optimistic, cheerful, enthusiastic, and kinder than most girls on the ground. She will never cheat for money."
"Do you know her very well?" Dean glanced at him and motioned for him to continue.
"When she was thirteen, her parents died of illness due to drinking unclean sewer water, and she began to live alone. She was very strong and worked hard to move to the ground. She never discriminated against , despise us rat people. Every time her salary is paid, she will buy a lot of food to share with everyone."
"If she's going to swindle you out of two thousand dollars, then we guys deserve to go to hell!"
"I took my brother's money one day and disappeared the next day. Is this a coincidence?" Rust couldn't help but ask, "How do you want us to believe it? Look at yourself, what kind of group are the rat people? Drug addicts , mentally ill, disabled people...daydreamers who dream of getting rich overnight! And Mona is an 'actor'!"
"I said, I'm trying to get rid of that devil!" Alex's voice was as weak as a candle in the wind, but it revealed a firmness. His skinny body circled around the two of them.
"Most of us dress indecently, stay in the dark sewers all day long, and have little contact with the ground. But do you understand? Poor people with tragic pasts can better understand the suffering of others."
Alex spitted and screamed at the top of his lungs,
"I would rather pick up trash than steal, rob or cheat! Although we are poor, we have more conscience than the capitalists who run casinos and hotels and the gangsters who sell 'herbal medicine' to school children!"
Rust suddenly choked up.
The other party's confident look made him begin to doubt himself a little bit.
"But the fact is that Mona took my money and hid, and even gave up her job in the theater to avoid responsibility."
Dean looked at Alex, and for some reason, a deep, unrealistic expectation arose in his heart.
"If she's not a liar, why is she hiding?"
"How long have you and Mona been together?"
"More than three months."
"Isn't that enough for you to see clearly who she is?" In the dark sewer, Alex, a reformed drug addict, stared into Dean's eyes, "Ask your heart, Mona is lying. You? If so, why didn’t you go to the police?”
"There is no evidence, I am an Asian, Cop will not care."
"Excuse! If you love her, you should believe her!"
Dean swallowed and slapped his forehead with a sad expression.
Dean.
Mona.
Dean.
Mona.
Those sweet memories of love began to roll over in my mind again.
affect his judgment.
He glanced at the system. After listening to Alex's long speech, the investigation progress increased from zero to ten percent, but the clues were still very vague.
"She took your money and disappeared, it must not have been voluntarily...or..." Alex continued,
"Or what?" Dean asked,
Alex suddenly turned around impatiently a few times and changed the topic, "Forget it, I will help you inquire about Mona's whereabouts from other sewer residents. But everyone lives too far apart, so it will take some time... Half a month later, Meet outside the drain and remember to bring some food.”
"That's too long..." Dean took a deep breath. The system only gave him seven days.
"We can't wait any longer. Let's go to the South District one by one to dig up the manhole covers. I'm a little tired. If you don't mind, how about letting me rest quietly?"
