HLM -Chapter 1262 Ghost Town

The car sped along the road, and the deeper they drove into Tahiti Town, the more dilapidated and aged it became.

Hani felt a pang of nostalgia and said, “How long has it been since I last came here? Feels like a century.”

Wang Bo patted his shoulder. “Things change, people change, life moves on. Often, when you suddenly look back, the road behind you feels completely unfamiliar.”

Charlie laughed. “Alright, guys, enough with the poetry and philosophy. Tahiti Town was already on the list for cancellation two years ago. Isn’t its decay to be expected?”

Hani sighed. “Expected, yes. But it’s so different from what I remember.”

As they entered the town, the difference became even more pronounced.

Vines crawled over the walls of the small buildings lining the streets. Due to the season, the vines had turned a grayish green. The autumn wind blew, spreading a sense of desolation.

Most houses had been abandoned—walls mottled, windows broken. In some places, empty lots appeared where entire houses had been removed.

They drove around the main street, but didn’t see a single pedestrian. Only a convenience store and a restaurant were still open.

The last time Wang Bo had visited this area, it was to see Hani and persuade him to move to Sunset Town. Back then, Tahiti Town was a pleasant rural town—peaceful, lively, with cafes, fast food shops, florists, supermarkets, and even a cinema.

In the distance, he remembered seeing farms and ranches, with cows and sheep lazily sprawled across the grasslands.

Now, all those shops had closed, and the farms had gone bankrupt.

The recent locust plague had also hit Tahiti Town, worsening the state of the farms. Green grass was scarce; what remained were either withered wild plants or bare patches gnawed down by locusts.

Within the town, some old buildings were scattered here and there. Under Hani’s guidance, Wang Bo inspected them one by one.

Captain Barry’s House, the Summer Banquet, the Easter Market, the Labor Day Market, the London Stables, Cooper’s Trading, Belfirst Trading, and Juley Grain Trading, among others.

What surprised him was that, compared to the surrounding buildings, these structures were relatively well-maintained, as if someone cleaned them regularly. Though the glass was dirty, there wasn’t much dust inside.

Wang Bo wanted to find whoever was cleaning them, but Hani shook his head. “You won’t find them here. I’ll tell you later who’s taking care of these places.”

After wandering for a while, they got back into the car and continued. When passing a two-story building, Wang Bo signaled for Uncle Bing to stop.

This had been Hani’s rental while working in town. The group got out, and Wang Bo looked at the entrance, shaking his head. “The door’s locked.”

Uncle Bing peeked through the window. “No one lives here. Furniture and appliances are gone. Ants and cockroaches roam the floor, and there are rat holes in the corners.”

Hani said, “Yes. Mrs. Finch moved out long ago. I should thank her—she tolerated me even when my temper was at its worst.”

Wang Bo still remembered the landlady and asked, “Did Mrs. Finch have a thing for you?”

Hani laughed. “Maybe, but when she was young, she liked women.”

Wang Bo was surprised. “She’s a lesbian? Then why do you call her ‘Mrs. Finch’?”

Hani nodded. “Right. ‘Mrs. Finch’ was a teasing nickname given by everyone. Over time, it became a formal way to refer to her.”

After inspecting the house inside and out, Hani directed them to the convenience store.

Inside, two old men were slouched over the counter watching TV. At the sound of the door, they didn’t turn around. Only one muttered in a dry voice, “Take what you want yourself.”

Hani walked over and patted the counter. “Old Kaft, look who’s here.”

The old man’s head shot up in surprise. Seeing Hani, he exclaimed, “My God, Inspector! You’re back? I swear I haven’t evaded taxes—it’s just that the town has no taxes left!”

Wang Bo laughed. Hani’s iron-fisted reputation had clearly left a deep impression on the local merchants.

Hani grabbed a beer. “Buy me one, and I’ll pretend I never saw this.”

The other old man also turned, his expression mirroring Kaft’s: wide-eyed, mouth agape.

“Inspector, am I seeing a ghost? Did you really say that?”

“You mean he’s dead? Doesn’t feel like it.”

Hani chuckled. “I’ll live longer than you. Don’t worry, I’m doing just fine.”

Kaft was astonished. “You actually say things like that? That’s not the inspector I knew.”

Hani shrugged. “We all change. The things we remember eventually change too.”

Charlie nudged Wang Bo and whispered, “Looks like today’s hitting Hani hard. How did he turn into a philosopher?”

Wang Bo regretted bringing Hani along. Clearly, this guy was nostalgic, still attached to Tahiti Town.

No wonder he had never remarried, Wang Bo thought. Perhaps the old man still couldn’t forget his late wife.

Standing at the doorway, gazing at the ruined town, Wang Bo now understood why Mayor Robert had been so critical of him five years ago.

Tahiti Town relied too heavily on Highway 8. When the route changed, the town’s decline was inevitable.

Having been a mayor himself, Wang Bo could understand the feeling—watching something you treasure decay step by step is unbearable.

Still, Tahiti Town’s decline was also due to its weak infrastructure. Sunset Town had only been developing for five or six years, yet even with the highway diverted, the townspeople could survive there just fine.

Both old men recognized him. “The Chinese man with Hani—that must be Mayor Wang from Sunset Town, right?”

Wang Bo smiled. “I know what you’re thinking—you want to smash me with beer bottles, right?”

“No, a kitchen knife will do!” Kaft snapped.

The other old man was more rational. “It’s not his fault—it’s the government’s decision.”

Wang Bo asked, “When did the town become like this?”

Kaft lit a cigarette and slowly said, “When did it turn into this? I can’t remember exactly. Step by step, over the past three or four years, people moved away every week, and eventually it became like this.”

“Then why didn’t you leave? What’s the point of staying?”

The other old man smiled. “Where would we go? This is our home. We’ve lived here seventy years, born and raised here. Where else could we move?”

“Besides, we live off pensions anyway. Staying here or elsewhere makes no difference. Here, we know everything, and Kaft’s convenience store keeps us supplied—nothing’s missing.”

Kaft asked, “Why are you here?”