Verak could only lie in the cell due to his injury, so he patiently read "Equality" written by Keating from beginning to end. The content of the new version of "Equality" surprised him.
He thought that what Keating added was just some superficial and irrelevant opinions, but in fact the new content was much more useful than he imagined.
Among them, Keating provided more powerful arguments for the super-era theory proposed by Chris and Francis, added a more profound view on the current world structure and system shortcomings, and finally gave a broader outlook on the future of diversity and equality.
This last point coincides with Verak's thoughts.
The reason why he dared to write a book was that he felt that the future pointed to by this book should not be decided by one person. Everyone has the right to dream about the future in their mind, and he is certainly qualified.
As for whether the future he imagined is correct and whether it can lead everyone, it is not important. What is important is that if everyone does this, the right one will always appear. As long as it appears, everything will be worth it.
"You wrote so well..." Verak didn't finish it until the evening. After finishing it, he looked at Keating with admiration, "This book has become thicker."
"I just added my feelings and thoughts sincerely. In my opinion, this book is very good and contains huge energy such as subversion and awakening. Its only shortcoming, and the most fatal shortcoming, is that it is not enough
Correct. This lack of accuracy does not mean that the direction it pursues is wrong. On the contrary, I think its direction is undoubtedly correct, and the greatest value of this book is precisely in determining the direction. What it lacks in correctness is this.
What comes after direction?" Keating asked.
Incorrect and insufficiently correct.
Verak seemed to understand.
"Like one hundred and thirty-seven thousand nine hundred and forty-four plus five hundred and fifty-one thousand one hundred and sixty-seven equals what it is." Keating gave an example. "The theory of equality knows that its answer is about seven hundred thousand.
But this is far from enough. If you really want to subvert the existing world and create a new world, you must count it to single digits. Because the world you pursue must be a precise answer rather than a rough or possibility. No one
Ability to succeed when pursuing 'probably' and 'maybe'."
"Isn't the theory of equality enough?" This was beyond Verak's cognition.
He regards "The Theory of Equality" as truth and belief, and so do the people in the Equality Society. They firmly believe that "The Theory of Equality" is correct enough, and as long as they follow it, the world will become correct.
But Keating's words shattered his crude thoughts.
"People have been living 'roughly' for thousands of years. After so many dynasties, they are still living 'roughly'." Keating said, "If you want to change completely, I think you must start from
A fundamental change, which is the equality mentioned in the book, is also a shift from 'approximately' to 'precise'."
Verak suddenly felt a strong sense of frustration. Born in a slum, his knowledge was still too shallow.
Seeing that Verak was confused, with frustration and loss in his eyes, Keating added: "This is just my personal opinion. You still have a long, long way to go. Rather than subverting a country or changing a system, it should be more important.
It's better to figure out the precise answer, otherwise sooner or later it will go back again. For example, the Ravel Dynasty and the current Bressy Republic were both civilian revolutions that overthrew the old government, but their essence has not changed, and the fundamental problem has not changed.
It has been solved before, so we keep overturning it and overthrowing it again.”
"I understand." Verak let out a long breath. There is a long way to go in the future.
It is not that simple to change the world. Keating, who was once a close friend of King Ravel, knows this very well: "The Theory of Equality, to put it bluntly, the unfinished content represents the dilemma of idealists. It has already
It is excellent enough, but due to the limitations of the times, it is superficial and cannot be used as the final truth. The final accurate answer is inevitable. The content I added is just to add to the general direction. Because I don’t know either, so
There is no way to change the value of this book."
"I probably understand." Verak thought over Keating's words again and again.
Keating was knowledgeable and a close friend of King Louis Ravel. He witnessed the Ravel dynasty overthrowing the old dynasty and then watched the Ravel dynasty be overthrown by the government of the Republic of Bressey, so he was an eyewitness to this experience.
He has insights far beyond those of others.
Verak was very convinced of Keating.
"I see that you are a little discouraged, but it's not necessary. What I said is just to point out that you haven't done enough, but you are right, and all your efforts are meaningful." Keating encouraged.
"What I am discouraged about is not enough." Verak smiled bitterly, with sadness in his eyes, "Too many people have died and too many things have happened. I thought I was about to succeed, but I realized that this was just the beginning of a long journey.
Countless people will inevitably die for it in the future..."
Keating understands.
"I thought that the theory of equality was the truth, and I thought that the end seen from the theory of equality was the end of the world..." Verak sighed, "My knowledge is shallow, and I have never thought of what you said before. I
I’m thinking, if this is really the case, none of us have thought of it, and then as you described, we have made huge efforts to overthrow Bresci and re-establish the government, so what..."
"It takes time, young man. You are still too young. I am twenty-nine years older than you. It is normal to know more." Keating understood what Verak meant. Verak was not only thinking about the future of equality.
There is also his own problem. He does not have the ability to think like himself, so he can only blindly believe in "The Theory of Equality" and move forward. This makes him feel more frightened, "And I can only guarantee that my opinion is more
Well, someone will definitely come up with a more profound and correct opinion than what I said."
Verak reported Chris's age, so in Keating's eyes he was twenty-nine years older than him. In fact, Verak was two years older than Chris, and Keating should be two years older than him.
Seventeen years old.
"Maybe." Verak thought about how he could have the same ability as Keating and be able to conduct more rational analysis from a higher perspective.
"Then... have you decided how to write Chapter 10?" Keating asked with a smile.
Half an hour ago, Verak would have sworn that he knew, then picked up a pen and wrote down the future he expected, and then considered how to realize his imagination step by step.
But now he has so many mixed feelings that he can't bring it up. Keating has already put forward a broader point of view, and it doesn't make much sense for him to stick to the previous question.
"Not yet...just wait..." Verak shook his head and closed the notebook.
Footsteps came from outside, and the footsteps were very fast. Before they could react, there was the sound of unlocking the door. The two of them turned their heads in unison and saw the prison guard responsible for delivering meals coming.
The prison guard who helped Verak a lot during this period also thought that he would not survive the day and thought that life would return to its former peace.
"When the cafeteria asked me to deliver two meals to cell 208, I specifically told them that one meal should be enough now." The prison guard smiled and stood in front of Verak and shared his experience just now, "
Later, they re-read the list and confirmed that there was no mistake in the two meals."
"Thank you." Verak also didn't expect that he would be able to meet his benefactor again. "Without you, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to persevere. It's just that I am imprisoned here and there is really no way to repay you..."
"'I have been working in this prison for so many years, and I have been marginalized. I can only deliver meals. No one has ever taken me seriously. Your 'thank you' is the greatest reward for me." The prison guard first took a lunch box.
He gave it to Keating, and then opened another one for Verak, "What happened? Not only did the deputy warden not torture you today, but he emphasized on providing you with nutritious meals every day."
Verak was also surprised that his food had improved. He took the richer food in surprise and explained vaguely: "My people are doing something outside, and Lecter doesn't dare to act rashly against me now."
"Action? You mean..." the prison guard lowered his voice and asked.
Verak realized that the prison guard thought he was talking about a prison robbery, and quickly said: "No, no, no, to put it simply, I have a certain value again, and they can't let me die now, so they help me treat my wounds and arrange nutritious meals.
"
"So that's it... Anyway, it's okay. You guys can eat first. I'm going to deliver meals to my colleagues on duty." The prison guard still had something to do, so he said goodbye to Verak and left.
"This prison guard may be a breakthrough point," Keating said after the prison guard left.
"Well, if necessary, we can deepen our contact." Verak felt the same way. After speaking, he lowered his head and looked at the food in the lunch box, "The food is really good. Has your food changed?"
"No." Keating showed his lunch box, which was still mashed potatoes mixed with impurities.
Verak threw an egg to Keating: "I have two eggs here."
Keating caught it and looked at the boiled egg: "I haven't eaten eggs in a year and a half..."
"I... half a month." Verak and Keating looked at each other and smiled, peeling off the egg shell in unison, and swallowed the egg cleanly in several mouthfuls.
After sweeping away the other food one after another, Verak leaned against the wall and sat idle.
He could clearly feel that his strength was gradually coming back, and his body was slowly recovering after walking away from hell, like ice melting bit by bit.
"I have to recover as soon as possible and stand up as soon as possible." Verak said.
"There's no rush, you can't rush this kind of thing. If you really want to escape from prison, it won't take more than a few days." Keating had already taken "Equality" back from Verak and was reading it with great interest.
"Lying down gives me a feeling of sitting still and waiting to die." Verak tried to move his legs, but he couldn't use them, and whenever he tried to move, he would feel excruciating pain.
Keating glanced at Verak's struggle: "The purpose of lying patiently now is to stand up better. If you feel that you can't calm down, it can just temper your character."
"I'm quite curious about this. How did you manage to live here with a peaceful mind for two years?" Verak hoped that Keating could help him.
"Same as you, I want to live and have freedom." Keating replied, "Being impatient will only make you farther and farther away from the goal, but dormant calmly will allow you to discover more details and work more accurately and skillfully.
Seize the opportunity.”
"It makes sense." Verak did not fully agree with this conservative tactic. After all, his and Keating's situations were different. Keating would have no problem staying here for two years, but he didn't have time. He needed to be bolder and decisive.
Only in a short period of time can miracles be created.
Not long after the prison guard took away the lunch box, it was time to take a bath. Verak was injured and could not touch the water, so Keating went to the bathroom to take a bath with the help of the prison guard.
While Keating was taking a bath, Verak felt the need to urinate. He called another prison guard who was responsible for taking care of daily life to help him into the bathroom. Then he followed Keating's example and let the prison guard hold him up from behind, and he did the rest.
Do.
Verak is still not used to being helped to the toilet, but it can be foreseen that he will have to be on par with Keating in terms of living conditions for a considerable period of time in the future.
"Oh my God! Come and take a look!"
When Verak returned to the cell to rest, a cry of surprise suddenly came from outside the door.
Verak looked up and saw a prisoner at the door of the cell with wide eyes pointing at him and yelling. Soon, the door of cell 208 was filled with prisoners who had just returned from work.
"Isn't he dead?! Didn't Old Nick say he was dead?!"
"Logically speaking, he is indeed dead. Everyone saw with their own eyes that he didn't come back at noon..."
"Then who is lying inside now? It can't be a ghost, right?!"
"Drive, drive, let me see, my God, why is this kid so lucky!"
"Weir, I am the one who won the bet! He is still alive. Today you will sleep on the floor and I will sleep on the bed!"
Listening to the shouting outside, Verak's eyes scanned every prisoner who appeared in front of the cell door in turn: "Good evening, everyone."
"Go back to your cells! Hurry!"
As soon as Verak said hello to all the prisoners, the prison guards outside ran over and beat the prisoners with sticks to disperse them and took them back to their respective cells.
But the prisoners passing by behind him would still look at Verak one after another, and then spread the big news everywhere.
The news that Verak survived the eleventh day spread throughout the entire underground level in an instant, and Verak, who had become a thing of the past, once again became a topic of conversation for everyone.
"Chris! You're still fucking alive! How did you survive?! How is this possible?!" Ross, the musician next door, was more excited than anyone else. Even through a wall, Verak felt like he was
His voice was harsh, "Tell me quickly!"
"There's nothing to talk about. In short, Lecter won't touch me again in a short time." Verak replied loudly.
"Is he no longer interested in you? Then you shouldn't be able to stay in cell 208..." Ross kept asking questions.
It was difficult for Verak to explain the reason to Ross, and even if he could explain it clearly to Ross, it would be troublesome to spread the word, so he simply passed the blame to Lecter: "I don't know either, or you can ask Lecter."