No Man's Land was even larger than HuMing had anticipated---or rather, the road leading to it was far longer than he'd imagined.
The muddy path where the driver's car broke down was merely the journey's beginning.
Clearly, the driver had failed to mention this detail.
HuMing had the distinct feeling he'd been played.
Walking through the thick mud in his boots, HuMing glanced at his watch. He had been walking for nearly an hour before finally coming across an abandoned bus stop.
Stopping to examine the faded bus schedule, he realized it had been out of service for a long time.
It seemed there had once been a bus route from the city to No Man's Land, but it had long since been discontinued.
Looking ahead, HuMing spotted a figure in the distance---a middle-aged woman.
The woman noticed his presence and immediately turned around, hurrying away as though terrified of him.
Seeing this, a flicker of helplessness crossed HuMing's long-tense face.
He had walked for an hour without seeing another soul.
Now that he finally encountered someone, they ran off at the sight of him!
It was a bit frustrating, to say the least.
Would things have gone differently if he had kept his original appearance?
Touching his ordinary-looking face, HuMing couldn't help but recall something HuMin had once said to him.
But he shook his head, brushing aside the unnecessary thoughts.
Carrying his suitcase, he continued forward. At last, in the distance, he spotted a somewhat rundown inn.
The sign above the entrance hung crookedly, suggesting it hadn't been tended to in ages. The area around it was overgrown with wild grass, giving the place an air of abandonment.
Yet, the lights inside were on, so HuMing pushed the door open and walked in.
To his surprise, as soon as he entered, he saw a frail-looking man handing a wad of cash to the boss at the front desk.
Both of them seemed startled by HuMing's sudden arrival.
The boss, however, quickly recovered and flashed a friendly smile.
"Sir, are you here to stay the night?"
As he spoke, the boss handed a key to the thin man, who glanced briefly at HuMing before heading upstairs with the key in hand.
The inn's interior was plain, even shabbier than the average guesthouse. By the entrance, the only decoration was a potted lucky plant.
Carrying his suitcase, HuMing approached the front desk.
"Boss, how far is it to WuYuan Town?"
WuYuan Town was the name of the No Man's Land.
"Oh, you're already at the outskirts of WuYuan Town, It's just another two kilometers to the main district. But you're new around here, aren't you? Must be from out of town."
"Just visiting a friend." HuMing took a wad of cash from his pocket and placed it on the desk.
The boss's eyes widened, almost popping out of their sockets, before he hurriedly stashed the money away and fetched a key from the highest hook behind him.
"Here's your key, sir. Let me know if you'd like anything to eat---I'll bring it right up for you."
Taking the key, HuMing headed upstairs.
On the staircase, he crossed paths with a janitor in white overalls who passed by with his head down, not revealing his face. HuMing merely gave him a cursory glance before continuing.
Opening the door to his room, he found it surprisingly clean and well-furnished. The sheets were spotless, without a speck of dust---an unexpected contrast to the inn's dilapidated exterior.
This was likely the inn's highest standard of accommodation, and HuMing wasn't about to complain.
Setting down his suitcase, he walked to the window and looked out.
There wasn't much to see---just dense forest blocking the view in every direction.
He sat down on the bed and took out his phone to check for messages.
His phone was basic, with only a few contacts---mostly HuMin and some miscellaneous task notifications.
HuMin had sent him a message, complaining about why he hadn't invited her along on his trip.
Without replying, HuMing quietly turned off his phone and headed into the bathroom.
Steam rose as hot water poured over his body, loosening his muscles.
He stared at his blurry reflection in the mirror, unable to distinguish which one was the real him.
When he wiped the mirror clean, his body was revealed, covered in scars---marks from the countless missions he had undertaken.
Some people called scars badges of honor, but to HuMing, they were proof of his survival---time and time again.
Closing his eyes, he let the hot water cascade over him.
"After this, maybe it's time for a break."
But he knew better than to entertain such notions. Emotions were a liability, and in his line of work, indulging them could be fatal.
Turning off the water, he grabbed a towel to dry himself.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
The boss's voice followed: "Sir, I've brought you something to eat!"
HuMing dressed and opened the door to find the boss grinning obsequiously. His gaze darted briefly past HuMing, as though checking the room, before returning to meet his eyes.
On the tray he held was a plate of chicken rice and a glass-bottled soda.
This, apparently, was the food he had mentioned.
Taking the tray, HuMing was about to close the door when the boss stopped him with a hand.
"Sir, since you're not from around here, I thought I'd give you a bit of advice about WuYuan Town. If you go in unprepared, people might not take kindly to you."
HuMing loosened his grip on the door, and the boss stepped inside.
"Feel free to eat while I talk. Ask me anything you're curious about."
With a chuckle, the boss began his spiel, but HuMing interrupted with a question.
"Of course! I've lived in WuYuan Town my whole life!"
"Then, do you know about the Couple's Case?"
At the mention of those three words, the boss's face darkened. Lowering his voice, he replied with a grave expression:
"Sir, you can talk about that here with me, but don't bring it up in town. If you do, you'll be asking for trouble!"
Judging by the boss's expression, the "Couple's Case" seemed to be a topic that the townsfolk dared not mention.
"The Couple's Case caused a huge uproar back then, sparking fear throughout the town. Nowadays, everyone avoids mentioning it, hoping it'll fade away and be forgotten."