According to the plan, Dean would drive east through Arizona into Salt Lake City, Utah, then turn onto the I-80 Interstate Highway and follow Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois. route and finally arrived at the destination of Indiana.
The journey is close to 2,800 kilometers, and with a short rest along the way, it is estimated to take three days.
It’s only a four-hour flight, but nine years ago, Dean’s parents took a self-driving trip along this long path, so Dean has to walk it again to collect some clues for a long-term event that has been put on hold in the system – bloodline (Chapter 109) ):
Event Difficulty: Undetermined
Progress (0/100)
Deadline: No deadline
Reward: Undetermined (accumulates gradually)
Punishment: None…
…
From early morning to afternoon, after six and a half hours of non-stop driving, Dean successfully passed through the cool Arizona and arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Get off the car and take a break.
Salt Lake City is sunny, warm and dry. It is not as hot as Las Vegas, but it is close to July and the temperature is not low.
Dean bought a burger on the street and rested against the car door to satisfy his hunger, looking around at the surrounding scenery comfortably——
The city is surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, the Colorado Plateau and the Great Salt Lake. As far as the eye can see, the city is full of greenery, you can take a deep breath of fresh air, and the natural environment is very good.
The streets in the city are wide and neat. Because today is the weekend, there are almost no cars on the road. Instead, there are many men wearing short-sleeved white shirts, black trousers and ties riding bicycles leisurely, and women wearing conservative long skirts. Then take a walk on the street.
They are not ordinary people——
Utah is the stronghold of Mormonism, and Salt Lake City is the holy land of Mormonism. More than half of the residents here are Mormons.
According to the Book of Mormon, believers must abide by a lot of rules and regulations: the Ten Commandments of Moses, the Proverbs of Wisdom, and even some weird regulations that must discriminate against black brothers, regard black people as descendants of Cain, polluted blood, and believers who marry black people will be executed .
In addition, to this day, polygamy within the church has not been completely eliminated, and many disputes have arisen from this.
The classic Sherlock Holmes collection "A Study in Scarlet" was born with this background.
…
The male and female believers noticed Dean, an unfamiliar Asian face on the street, and smiled and nodded in greeting.
Dean got countless "hellos" after just half an hour. For the first time, he didn't get a blank look. Well, the people here are quite friendly.
"Hi."
A girl with a clear and sweet voice called him. A blond girl in her twenties wearing a conservative and tight long skirt walked from the street waving. Her white-toothed smile was full of the friendly temperament of an American big girl. , people can’t help but feel good about it,
"Thunder Monkey? Queen? I'm a Mormon missionary, Susie." The girl directly sent a very non-standard greeting in Cantonese and Hokkien.
"Dean Lu." Dean replied with a forced smile,
"Is this your first time in Salt Lake City?"
"Um."
Susie's smile became even brighter and she spoke directly, "Please allow me to take you to visit various attractions in Salt Lake City...the state government building, which is more luxurious than the Capitol Hill, and the boundless Great Salt Lake..."
"Sorry, I didn't plan to hire a tour guide."
"You misunderstood. I don't charge money, but I hope that when you travel, you can visit churches with me and read the Book of Mormon... That's it. After the girls here become adults, they must preach at their own expense for ten years. Eight months.”
The girl held her hands on her chest, and the afternoon sun cast a pious and holy light on her beautiful face.
"But please believe me, you will not regret it. God's faith will make you sunny, happy, and happy..."
Dean smiled and shook his head.
"Thank you for your kindness, but I suddenly remembered that I don't have time." He swallowed the remaining half of the burger in one gulp, his cheeks puffed up like a squirrel, "I have to get to Wyoming before dark. Let’s talk about it next time when we have time.”
"Please accept my number...contact me next time." The girl's big eyes sparkled with sincerity and purity, like a cute little deer.
boom!
The car door closed heavily.
"What did you say? I can't hear you clearly." Dean waved his hand through the car window, stepped on the accelerator and sped away.
"Don't leave, please leave your contact information, please!"
"goodbye!"
Dean stared at the beautiful missionary girl with an unwilling face in the rearview mirror, turned the steering wheel, and set off towards the I-80 interstate highway passing through Salt Lake City.
"What about polygamy? Don't try to trick me into believing in religion."
He stayed away from all religious beliefs.
…
Dean was worried that he would be inexplicably brainwashed to preach again, so he did not dare to stop in Utah. He followed the I-80 highway without stopping and entered the vicinity of Evanston in southwest Wyoming. According to the map, he found a remote rural town. Stopped the car.
The time came to seven o'clock in the evening, the night fell, and the sky was dark like a monster's open mouth.
Most of the commercial buildings in the town have been closed, and there are no people on the streets. Except for the bars, which are still brightly lit, only a few hotels are open.
Guided by a vague sense of intimacy, Dean turned up the collar of his trench coat and walked into a hotel restaurant called Daddy Mc's in the center of the town that was still open.
Two cars were parked outside the hotel, a red Ford pickup truck and a pure white Chevrolet.
A white-haired but energetic old man at the front desk immediately greeted loudly,
"Guests who have come from afar, welcome to our store. Are you tired after a long day of traveling? Why not spend the night at Old Mike's house? Old Mike guarantees that you will enjoy home-like service, hot water, comfortable rooms, and Wyoming's special delicacies Everything.”
Hungry Dean nodded and looked around. Although the hotel was not big and the decoration was old, it was well-equipped. The floors, walls, tables and lampshades were all in warm colors, making it feel very warm.
And there were not many customers. It was already dinner time, but there were only two tables of customers in the restaurant on the first floor opposite.
"Okay, a single room, three steaks..."
"I suggest you have a piece of Wyoming's Rocky Mountain oysters... Everything I've tried says they are good, and they are particularly nourishing, especially for a strong young man like you." The white beard on Old Mike's face trembled, and his eyes twinkled. With a sincere light and an expression of no regrets.
"Rocky Mountain oysters?" Dean raised his eyebrows. The Rocky Mountains are located inland. Is there any place to produce oysters?
But when traveling, it’s also good to try some local specialties.
"Then add another oyster."
"Oysters are best paired with red wine..." Old Mike continued to sell hard. "It's a small, remote place like this, as long as you are over eighteen years old."
"I don't want to drink. Let's have a bottle of grape juice."
"Great young man, you made a wise choice. Accommodation, steak, oysters, drinks, and tips, the total is seventy dollars." Old Mike accepted the money, his wrinkles stretched out, and his eyes were so warm that he seemed to be seeing a relative who had been away for a long time. . "Please wait a moment in the restaurant, the food will be here soon."
…
After Dean paid the money, he left the front desk and walked to the side restaurant. He immediately noticed the dazzling array of decorative photo frames hanging on the wall. There were many family photos framed in the photo frames, with his father, mother, and children standing in a circle smiling.
The date is outlined in black pen in the center of the photo, along with a few lines of brief description.
"In March 1981, Lily, Johnny, and I experienced the sensation of an oral explosion at Daddy's. Thank God, I will always remember this moment."
"In July 1980, Apu, Lisa, Kathy, and Wyoming had a dry and cold climate, but Mike Daddy kept us warm as spring and full of firepower."
Dean looked at the photos on the wall one by one and found that there were even photos of family reunions from 10 years ago in 1971. This McDaddy's is still a time-honored brand.
"Sorry, little brother, can you come here?" When Dean walked to the north corner of the restaurant, a middle-aged man who was dining stopped him. The middle-aged man was wearing a shirt and woolen vest, with black hair and a rectangular face. Wearing a pair of thick tortoiseshell glasses, he looked elegant.
Next to him, there was a woman with blond curly hair who still had charm, with her hands folded across her chest and her head lowered proudly. Next to him, a blond girl who looked about eighteen or nineteen years old, with a petite figure, a sweet and well-behaved appearance, was stuttering. with green salad.
"I'm Leo Bernard from Los Angeles, and this is my wife Camille and my daughter Julie."
The man explained and held out his hand.
Dean shook his hand, smiled, and accepted the invitation to sit at the dining table.
"Dean, from Las Vegas."
"Can you do me a favor and see if Julie looks better in that outfit?" The man handed Dean a photo, and his wife also turned her eyes, her face full of anticipation like a contestant waiting for the judges to score,
"Sorry, you three, I have no sense of fashion. I can only talk about my feelings." Dean glanced at the girl in the red dress who was messing with the salad with a stinking face, and then looked at the girl in the blue dress at hand. photo, "Well, the red dress, with tulle sleeves and bows, just suits Julie's appearance, making her look...well, more delicate and sweet."
When my daughter heard this, the corners of her mouth curled up uncontrollably.
"Haha, look!" The husband looked at his wife with a proud look on his face, "I said Julie is more suitable in red!"
"You win, you cheapskate!" The wife rolled her eyes at her husband charmingly, held up her chin and looked at Dean with a charming smile.
"Are you visiting Wyoming?"
"Yes, I heard that the Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park here have great views and are worth a visit. Are you and your family too?" Dean was talking nonsense.
The man's eyes lit up, he raised his eyes on the bridge of his nose, and pretended to be reserved, saying,
"We are preparing to send Julie to college in West Lafayette, Indiana."
He and his wife boasted endlessly that the family was driving to the Philosophy Department of Purdue University in Indiana to apply for their daughter's admission to college.
"Congratulations, Purdue University is ranked well in the United States. Your daughter has a bright future." Dean complimented, Leo smiled from ear to ear, Camille trembled, and her chest trembled, while Zhu Li snorted softly, raised her chin arrogantly and proudly, revealing her slender white neck...
"Your food has arrived." At this time, Old Mike smiled and pushed the dining cart closer.
"Wow... three steaks, young people have a good appetite." Leo touched his beer belly with a look of wonder and envy on his face.
"Asian Detective, after eating so much in one night, you're not afraid of overstuffing yourself?" Julie supported her chin with her hands and couldn't help teasing this peer, who was wearing a large black windbreaker and a deerstalker hat,
"I didn't eat much during the day, so I have a bigger appetite now." Dean smiled and opened the grape juice and poured a glass for each of Leo's family.
"Let's raise a toast to today's fate."
The four of them had a drink.
While sipping his drink, Dean noticed that at the table opposite, a tall man in denim overalls, medium-long hair, and a "sharp chin" stood up and nodded friendly.
He left the table and went directly out of the hotel door.
Under the unnoticed light, the man shrugged his nose like a dog, got into his Ford pickup truck with excitement in his eyes, and drove away.
…
"Wait a minute, Daddy Mc," Dean glanced at a strange dish besides the three steaks. It looked like meat slices coated in flour and fried to a crispy brown, dotted with salt and pepper. “How come you serve me a fried tenderloin when I clearly ordered Rocky Mountain oysters?”
"You're right, these are Rocky Mountain oysters..." Dad said meaningfully, "You'll know after you taste them."
Dean raised his eyebrows, inserted a piece with a knife and put it into his mouth. Suddenly his nose moved, and his powerful perception took effect instantly.
"Why do these oysters have a strange smell?"
"Man, I suggest you dip it in some chili sauce..." Leo said with a brave expression on his face, "It can effectively remove the strange smell."
"OK."
"Shall I give you a taste?" Julie stuck out her pink tongue and licked her lips, then carefully stretched out the knife, but was stopped by Camille, who turned pale.
And Dean had already put the dish into his mouth.
As soon as you chew it, the thick and fresh juice, the natural tang, the mellow aroma of grapes and the spiciness of chili sauce blend together.
It was like a bomb was thrown into the mouth. In an instant, a powerful impact went straight to his mind and broke open the Tianling Gai.
"Woh...um...hiss...ah..."
Dean screamed strangely again and again, his whole body was shaking and feeling warm, a row of sweat beads appeared on his forehead, and two tears soaked in the corners of his eyes.
"It's so hard to dig, this thing is definitely not an oyster!"
"Rocky Mountain oysters, also called Montana tenderloin, cowboy's caviar, rubbed nuts, and beef jerky." Old Mike smiled flatteringly, "Peel off the skin from the eggs of a young bull, slice them and fry them! Usually only every During festivals, cowboys can eat this supreme delicacy and draw the strength of the bull from it to become strong.”
"So, you're in luck, man, as of today, you're officially a Wyoming cowboy."
"Pfft! This guy ate a cow's egg!" Julie pointed at Dean and was overjoyed.
And Dean's face became darker and darker. It was obviously a dark dish but he made up a name that was misleading.
But let alone the unique taste, the more you chew it, the more addictive it becomes.
"A piece is for eating, and a plate is for eating,"
He simply picked up Rocky oysters and started chewing them.
"Take it easy, man," Leo said with a solemn expression, "Be careful of overdoing it at a young age!"
…
Dinner was spent in such a pleasant atmosphere.
"meet tomorrow!"
After having enough wine and food, Leo's family said goodbye to Dean happily and returned to their room on the second floor.
And Dean sat in a daze in the restaurant, his cheeks flushed, and a stream of heat could not stop flowing from his lower abdomen.
Grape juice, add steak, add pure dark cuisine Rocky Mountain oysters.
Infinite power.
"Hey, buddy, if you really can't stand it, don't hold it back?" At this time, Mike came up very considerately and rolled his eyes, "How about I find a considerate lady to help you calm down the fire? The price is negotiable. .”
Dean's eyelids twitched. Are you having so much fun in the countryside?
"One link within another, and one-stop service?"
"Then do you need it?" The boss's enthusiastic smile was shrewd and obscene, "Fifty dollars will let you unleash all your passion!"
"unnecessary."
Dean took a deep breath, suppressed his turbulent mood, and thought about flying out for a while at night to vent his energy and desires.
"Seriously, old Mike, how long has your store been open?"
"In eighteen years, I plan to develop it into a century-old store and pass it on to future generations." Old Mike pulled up a chair and sat next to him, "What's the matter, do you want to find a job?"
"NO, I want to know if there was a couple staying in the hotel 9 years ago, in July 1972. The man was an Asian like me, named Guangming Lu, and the woman was called Lena Lu, an Indian. ..." Dean asked casually with the attitude of giving it a try.
"Sorry, I'm old," the old man rubbed his temples in distress, "My brain is not working well and I can't remember."
"What now?" Dean magically grabbed two dollars' worth of knives from the void and stuffed them into his withered palms.
"I remember!" The old man clapped his hands excitedly and stood up, quietly stuffing the money into his pocket. "If the couples who stay here are a good match, I usually take a photo of them as a souvenir! I'll go find them. Look, July 1972…”
…
The old man turned around and left, and within five minutes he brought back a framed photo.
In the photo, the man has a Chinese-character face and a tall and burly figure. The woman is hugging his arm, tall, beautiful, and heroic.
Their facial features are somewhat similar to Dean's.
There is a sentence written under the photo:
July 16, 1972, Guangming Lu, Lena Lu.
Dean, my boy, don't ever try Rocky Mountain Oysters at Mac's unless you have a girlfriend with you, and by the way, our next stop is Hawkins, Indiana to visit Jane Seymour.
"It's too late for you." Dean hugged the photo and smiled, "But Hawkins happens to be the end of this trip, so I'll ask Jane about it then."
The system was shaken.
The progress of the Mist Journey, an unknown event that had been put on hold for several months with no progress, jumped from zero percent to one percent.
"I'm sorry, man, it's been so many years and I can't do anything else except this photo." Old Mike said regretfully,
"It doesn't matter, just sell me the photos."
(End of chapter)
