Final Civilization

Chapter 46: Outside the Police Station

A major piece of news exploded at Tianzhou International today.

Right at the end of the workday, employees on several floors saw the group's Chairwoman, Yan Jing, walking downstairs hand-in-hand with a man and her daughter, Yan Duoduo. It was the first time anyone had seen such a scene.

Yan Jing had always been a focal point of heated discussion within the group. This stemmed not only from her legendary entrepreneurial journey and her decisive, swift management style but also because she consistently presented herself as a beautiful, aloof single mother.

Even more striking was her consistently indifferent attitude towards all external gossip, like an unassailable solitary peak. This had only further shrouded her in an aura of mystery in everyone's minds.

That woman residing on the 46th floor, like a flower on a high mountain, had long become an enduring topic of conversation for employees during their breaks.

And now, such a woman—both righteous and bewitching, utterly elusive—had actually walked out of Tianzhou Tower side-by-side with a young lawyer today, looking just like a family of three. The key point was that the man was just a very young lawyer. The sheer disparity in their statuses instantly ignited discussions in the employee chat groups.

"Attorney Han, what's going on between you and Yan Jing?"

"Did Attorney Han win over Chairwoman Yan of Tianzhou??!"

"Wow!!"

Back in his apartment, Han Ming calmly responded to the fervent discussion in the business team group chat at Fang Tiancheng Law Firm, saying he had just helped pick up the child and that everything else was pure fabrication.After replying, he paid no further attention to the discussions. After finishing dinner, he worked out for a while, then took an early shower, preparing to enter that dream once again.

「Anticipation Explodes! Top-Tier Girl Group GIQUEEN to Make a Grand Appearance in Jinghai! Shen Siwei's Personal Topic Views Break One Billion! She Will Appear at a High-End Luxury Event in Jinghai.」

Before falling asleep, Han Ming meticulously browsed various super-topics related to Shen Siwei, continuously observing characteristic details from pictures and videos, storing them in his memory.

Then, turning off his phone, Han Ming entered the dream once more.

...

*Kong, kong, kong.*

The disorienting spatial sound waves gradually faded and died away. Han Ming opened his eyes, sitting in the interrogation chair. His gaze fell upon the policeman in the shadows ahead, his expression utterly calm.

"You're saying the world is about to be destroyed, you were chosen as a Wallfacer to save humanity, strange events have appeared around you, you can live forever, and you can command the entire world's wealth?"

"The world really is going to be destroyed. Believe me, I am the savior!"

Han Ming said with great seriousness.

Hearing this, the policeman's voice deepened, "Is there something wrong with your mind?"

Han Ming shook his head, "Listen, the dream gave me very clear forewarnings. This world is about to be destroyed. You need to let me access more archive materials. I'll tell you the reason why."

"Dream?"

The policeman said angrily, "Nonsense! After all this, you're talking about a dream!?"

"A dream could also be real, couldn't it?"

After Han Ming uttered these words firmly, his gaze immediately swept around the room.

The chaotic noise buzzed sharply for an instant. Countless glances swept over him, then quickly looked away.

Subconscious self-examination!

He had guessed correctly.

...

The policeman slapped the case report registration book shut and reprimanded sharply, "Get out of here! Don't cause trouble at the police station for no reason. Coming to report a case just because you had a dream? Let me tell you, if it weren't almost the New Year, detaining you for a few days for this wouldn't be unjust!"

"Thank you, officer."

Han Ming stood up. He had tested the subconscious self-examination; these people would trigger a protective mechanism through certain keywords.

And the more he lied, the more flawless the lie, the less attention he would attract.

So, his previous act of playing dumb was essentially also a method, though comparatively, it would leave some loopholes he couldn't explain away.

He walked towards the back, continuously noting various details along the way. This time, the text on the commendation banners was completely gone and blurred. The chaotic human figures flickered in and out within the shadows.

Han Ming's gaze locked onto that faintly glowing door, his heart sinking slightly.

He had just tested it briefly, but the policeman showed no reaction.

Logically, the password for this Memory Palace should also exist within the memory, including the subconscious. He needed to find the correct method to open it.

If he focused on that door too much without the password, it would also alert the subconscious.

Han Ming knew there was no chance this time, so he quickly shifted his gaze and walked towards the main entrance of the police station.

Stepping outside, the sunlight was intense, a wave of early summer air hitting his face.

Han Ming looked up at the sunlight filtering through his fingers and murmured,

"The subconscious says it's near the New Year, but outside it's weather from June or July. Clearly wrong."

Lowering his hand, that flash of red appeared in his vision again, the skirt hem hanging like flames, swaying slightly when the wind passed.

The lazy afternoon sun shone on the asphalt road of the 1990s town, the surface softened slightly by the heat.

The woman stood there as if she had been waiting for a long time.

It was no longer a pure red dress; this time, the details had become much more complete.

She wore a red floral-print dress, standing in the shadow of the old locust tree opposite the police station.

Afternoon light filtered through the gaps in the locust leaves, casting dappled spots of light on her.

Her hair was tied into a ponytail with a simple rubber band, a few strands stuck to her fair neck with sweat. Seeing Han Ming walk out, she visibly relaxed, then immediately pressed her lips together. Those eyes that had always looked at him gently in the dream were now filled with anger. She turned around and walked away without looking back.

This time, Han Ming did not chase after her urgently like last time, asking "Who are you?" or "Do we know each other?" Instead, he maintained a distance of about ten steps, following behind her.

She walked quickly, the floral skirt hem lifting in small arcs with her steps. The two of them, one in front and one behind, crossed the street in front of the police station. The owner of a hardware store by the roadside was splashing water at the entrance to cool it down. As the water droplets sprayed up, they refracted tiny rainbows. She nimbly sidestepped to avoid them without slowing down.

A sign made of cardboard reading "Ice Pop Wholesale" hung at the entrance of a grocery store. Several children were gathered around the ice cream freezer making selections. The memories gradually became clearer. As the woman passed, one little girl with pigtails looked up at her, then at Han Ming behind her, her eyes filled with curiosity.

Han Ming observed the surroundings all along the way, analyzing all the information he could see.

The woman turned a street corner, the hustle and bustle of the town center gradually falling behind. She entered a small path leading out of town. Tall poplar trees lined both sides, their leaves rustling in the early summer breeze. The sunlight was cut into pieces by the branches and leaves, scattering shifting spots of light on the ground. The red floral dress brightened and dimmed within these light spots, like a butterfly flitting through the woods.

The path gradually narrowed, the poplar trees replaced by denser scrubland.

The sound of gurgling water came from the distance—a small river. The riverbank had large stretches of smooth pebbles, scorching hot under the summer sun, requiring one to hop quickly if walking barefoot.

Then, she turned onto a trail leading to the riverside. The vegetation here was even lusher. Wild roses grew rampant along the path, their pink and white flowers blooming fervently. Thorns occasionally caught on her skirt, forcing her to stop and carefully disentangle it.

Han Ming almost stepped forward to help, but his hand, having just lifted, lowered again. He was afraid of breaking this delicate balance.

The sound of water grew clearer. The air was filled with moist vapor and the unique sweet, earthy scent of river mud. Passing through the final stretch of shrubs, the riverbank suddenly appeared before them.

Finally, the woman stopped by the riverside and turned around. That breathtakingly beautiful face was flushed a faint pink from walking. The gaze she directed at Han Ming carried a complex emotion.

"Do you think going to the police station is fun?"

The woman's voice was clearer than in any of the previous encounters. The detailed dreamscape along the way had already made it completely impossible for Han Ming to distinguish whether this was a dream or reality.

It was as if he had truly returned to a beautiful small town in the 1990s.

"No."

He took two steps forward, stopping about five steps away from her. This distance allowed clear conversation without making her feel pressured.

Han Ming's gaze quickly scanned over the woman, comparing her with the information in his memory.

The more he observed, the more astonished he became in his heart.

The woman before him was absolutely, without a doubt, the same as that female celebrity, Shen Siwei.

Although Shen Siwei wore a very avant-garde Korean-style makeup, combined with her hairstyle, clothing, and overall aura, an ordinary person might not easily recognize it.

But for Han Ming...

He could almost judge it with a single glance!