Volume 1—Ouroboros and Black Iris Chapter 35: The Edge of Hell and the Abyss of the Revolving Lantern
I am in prison, but I am a person who pursues freedom and do not need much luxury, but at least I can dominate my lifestyle as I wish.
There was a smell of musty smell and blood in the air. I closed my eyes and did not fall asleep, but meditated alone. I had no need to open my eyes, because there was only darkness and silence waiting for me. In this space, I had no idea of time. I don’t know how long it would take. Although I was no longer sleepy, I could only maintain it in this way to prevent the loss of too much energy. This loneliness and loneliness, which is even more unforgettable than the coldest day of the severe winter, made me feel like I was in purgatory. But that was only for those who had just stepped into this, and I could not feel cold and hunger when I was used to it, but for today, I had to keep a little more strength.
"Click—"
The heavy iron door opened, and the thick wall that separated all sounds and light disappeared. In front of me was another iron fence. I saw the outside world.
It was blue, and the sky was blue, as if stained with blood, with a smell of blood and a faint smell of blood coming. I don’t know where I am, but I know that this is hell. What is there in this darkness? What is there? Is it a paradise for humans or hell? I don’t know these, so there is no need to think about it. All I have to do is stay here for a week, because I know that someone will take me away after the time comes.
But when I watched those people come in, I never came back, nor would anyone come again. For a week here, they would bring food or wine to others outside. These wines are free, as long as you want them. However, the wine is not attractive to me. Although there is wine, I am not interested in wine. My interest in wine lies in the kind of potion that can help me recover my physical strength and improve my survivability. This thing is not attractive to me. Moreover, I am not interested in wine, so staying in this place for a week is not long and it will be over soon. Someone will take me away next. Before that, I need to maintain my physical strength. As for what to do in the future - whether to live or die, how long I have lived forever, these have nothing to do with me, but only with time.
A week later, someone would come here to take me away! This time, they did not take me back to the prison, but sent me directly to an abandoned warehouse outside the prison. The architectural style here is similar to the style of ancient China. It looks a bit old, but it can still be seen that it was originally in modern buildings, but after some time, it became even more dilapidated. But even this did not affect its aesthetic effect. Because there are no street lights and lights here, only a dark world and a darkness. There seems to be only one road to go here. There are some weeds around, and occasionally some birds are crowing. After living in such a place for a long time, I still feel a little uncomfortable. People here are caught from outside and brought in, so I don’t have any good feelings for them.
And I don't like eating the food they give because that's a torture for me. But here, these people care very much about me and send me some food every day. And those foods are very delicious to me and are much better than the dishes in any country.
After staying here for a long time, I made some changes. At the beginning, I felt grateful to them. But gradually, these people no longer had any contact with me and no longer brought me food and wine. They would just walk around for a while and had nothing to do.
After living in this place for a long time, I began to become a little numb and lonely. Especially when it was late at night, staying alone in the darkness made me feel even more lonely and lonely.
In this warehouse, at the beginning, I could only occasionally hear the sound of a few people being released and walking around, the shouts and conversations in their mouths; but after a long time, it became a dead silence and loneliness. Whenever I could think of the house I used to live in, my family - I don’t know how they are now. Although I miss them very much, I have no way to realize this wish.
People here did not come in from outside and could not take them away. For them, this was like their own home, and they could come and go freely. However, I was a prisoner after all. For prisoners, I had lived in this cold, dark and suffocating prison for too long, so I became so lonely and desperate. In this case, even if someone came to take me away, it would not be possible to change anything. Even if there is so much food and various items now, it does not guarantee that a person will not starve or freeze to death here.
I began to wonder if there was any special reason here: if there was no such thing, how could these people come to this warehouse? Did they be caught from outside?
But soon I realized that I had no interest in this issue at all. This warehouse had been used by people, and they no longer wanted to use it anymore. So there was no use value here. This place was just a cage, not a paradise. The people here actually didn't know that they were locked up in this prison. They only knew that they were brought in, but no one had ever asked them what was going on. Just like those two jailers, although they were very familiar with this place, they didn't know what happened here. And now I no longer have curiosity.
The people here also spent the day very peacefully. Not long after, some people appeared in the warehouse. But I was not very interested in spending the day with them in the warehouse.
"How are you? I know you miss us very much. I miss you very much. Please come here and take us to a place!"
"Why? Why is it me again..."
"Don't ask. Let's go!"
There are no one here, they are taken away like that. I don’t know their names, nor do I want to know. After staying here for a long time, I don’t know how these people got out of this prison!
In this iron cage, how many people can be detained here? What am I doing there? Do I want to sleep? Or is I thinking? Maybe there are both! Maybe not...
What should I do...
Can I save myself?
This is no longer important.
I don't know who should ask such a question, and I should ask myself more.
Are you going to die?
This is the last thought that flashed through my mind. The last perception left in my mind was the inexplicable dizziness and the sound of footsteps in the distance that suddenly sounded in my ears. It was so distant and empty, as if I could hear the sound at the end. I had no means of resisting, so I could only let my consciousness close and fall slowly...
It is said that when a person dies, his life will be traced back in his brain, commonly known as the revolving lantern. I think that at this time I am undergoing the last review of life and the last memories. I feel like I am floating in the air, and the power of gentleness is supported by him, so gentle that it seems that I am sinking in the water. This tenderness somehow reminds Ling Yun of his mother's arms, that selfless tenderness without purpose...
"Be careful."
This is what my mother said most often in my memory, and because of this, my mother always looks at me with loving and doting eyes. Similarly, she always smiles. Whether it is painful or heartbroken, she always smiles at the end. However, this memory is not short, but not long. My mother passed away when I was about ten years old because of a physical illness. That incident shattered my spirit and body like a bolt from the blue. Looking at my mother's gradually cold body, I was powerless. I chose to kneel on the ground silently. I lowered my head, not daring to look at my mother's already cold body again, and I was unwilling to accept the fact that I saw. I just clenched my fists and tried my best to vent my emotions.
After a long time, my emotions stabilized a little. Although I was reluctant, I still raised my head and looked at my mother. I was shocked. At this moment, my mother's face was still a bright smile. For my mother, even if death came, she still did not change her smile. She still followed her own beliefs, smiled, and came to the end. I suddenly remembered all the teachings of my mother, as if
She was still living in his mind. The woman with a gentle and kind smile was clearly within reach at this moment, but she was far away. I held back my tears, looked at my mother's smile, and murmured in a hoarse voice:
"Your smile has changed me, the past has been changed, the world has become colorful, and I deeply feel the happiness of being born to you."
When I fell into extreme sadness again due to these memories, the whole world suddenly turned pale and empty. My mother disappeared, the hospital bed disappeared, and even the whole room disappeared. Only the original white.
Are you going to die?
no!
A voice said this.
......
Abandoned warehouse in a remote area
In the picture, a man fell to the ground, his body stained with blood. His eyes were wide open, as if he had not died yet. There was a mess around, with corpses and broken objects everywhere. It seemed that there had been a fierce battle here, and it was likely a tragic massacre.
Next, the picture switches to another angle: a man is sitting in a chair with a gun in his hand. He looks very calm, but a closer look reveals that he is pale and breathing rapidly. Apparently, he is performing some kind of ritual, begging the gods to bless him without harm.
Then, the picture turned to the man who fell to the ground. At this time, blood began to flow out of his head and his body began to become cold. Finally, he stopped breathing and completely lost signs of life. The whole picture was filled with an atmosphere of horror and sadness, making people feel as if they were in the real world.
Chapter completed!