"I asked him, isn't he looking for death?" Ross didn't hear that Verak didn't want to talk to him for the time being, and kept asking, "Then you and Keating are both unable to move now, who will take care of you?
?”
"Prison guard."
"Prison guard? I can barely understand that the prison guard takes care of Keating, but if you were in the same status as Keating, why did Lecter treat you like that before? Isn't he allowed to feed you well?"
"My status has just improved." Verak explained using Ross's rhetoric, "otherwise, I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to see me today."
While talking, Keating was carried back by the prison guard after washing up.
"How did you improve? Did something happen outside again? Tell me, Chris." Ross didn't notice the prison guard coming in next door and was still yelling.
The prison guard put Keating on the bed, locked the door and shouted at Ross in the next cell: "Quiet! Don't ask if there are cells in cell 208!"
Ross was silent.
Verak smiled helplessly, looked at Keating, and came up with an idea: "I think it's inconvenient for you to be carried all the time. On the one hand, you need help, and on the other hand, you are not feeling well. If you can have a wheelchair,
It will save a lot of trouble.”
Keating wiped his hair with the towel hanging on the side: "If you can only stay in this cell and can't even leave the underground floor, then the wheelchair is not of much significance. On the contrary, it will take up some space."
"When the plan is implemented, I will help you apply for a wheelchair." Verak promised.
"Take care of yourself first." Keating said with a smile.
Verak put his hands behind his head: "Mr. Keating, I thought about it, but I still can't say how long I will stay here. I don't know when my injury will recover. I can't just wait, I have to stay as long as possible."
Learn something.”
Keating guessed that Verak wanted him to be a teacher, but he didn't say it outright at the first time.
"My knowledge is too shallow. I didn't measure the world with my feet like the author of Crusoe, nor did I spread my mind to discover subversive things like the author of The Origin of Species." Verak tilted his head and faced Keating, with a pious look on his face.
, "You are knowledgeable and I want to learn from you."
"Study what?" Keating asked calmly.
"Dunman, I want to learn from your opinions, the logical thinking behind them, and your knowledge." In Verak's view, in addition to knowing the secret of gold, Keating himself is also a huge wealth. Over the years, Keating has accumulated
The wisdom gained from his experience, being in a high position and seeing the ups and downs, etc., are all things he can learn from.
Keating's smile grew stronger: "I can teach you all these, so what good rewards can I get?"
"I promise you freedom." Verak believed that he had no advantages at all, so the only thing he could give Keating was the freedom we would fight for in the future.
"Okay." Keating agreed happily, "Actually, you have given me a lot of things. Maybe it's because of your youth, or maybe it's because of your faith. Your perseverance is stronger than mine. This breaks the
It has given me a peaceful life and made me feel younger."
"Then let's learn from each other." Verak grinned.
——
September 25
Verak began to learn many things from Keating, mastering the Dunman language, understanding the world structure, and understanding the differences between the Bressi Empire and the United Dunman States. After two days of study, he gradually felt that his world had been opened up.
When he saw "The Theory of Equality" two months ago, Verak also felt that the world had been opened up, and he still feels that way now. However, Keating emphasized to him that if he could always keep an open mind, the world would open up infinitely.
If you open it, he will understand more and more.
"So in your opinion, there are only five countries that can be called great powers today, and the world will maintain this pattern for a long time to come?" Verak asked.
"Yes, only the three countries of Wellland, Bash, and Bresi are strong enough now, but soon, the Pruman Empire and the United States of Dunman will also enter the ranks of powerful countries." Keating said about his story.
view.
"You said that the Pluman Empire is hiding its power and biding its time, while the United States of Dunman is falling into civil war. The United States of Dunman better understands that after the civil war is over, the economy will develop rapidly due to its geographical advantages and resource advantages. What about the Pluman Empire? From hiding its power and biding its time to officially becoming
A powerful country must need a chance." Verak asked.
Keating shook his head: "I don't know. A new era has begun, and the international situation is changing rapidly. The situation before I was imprisoned must be very different from what it is now. After analyzing the original situation, the final conclusion must be drawn.
Don’t keep your heels.”
"Yes..." Verak regretted that he had not paid too much attention to this. Although he had always maintained a good habit of reading newspapers, he was not very sensitive to the international situation and news from other countries.
"It's almost lunch time, so let's stop here." Keating took a sip of water and moistened his throat, "I will continue teaching you Dunman in the afternoon."
"Okay, thank you." Verak said his thanks and sat down against the wall, feeling the condition of his body. After two days of rest, his body had recovered, but there was still some time before he could walk. There was no time now.
While waiting for others, he tried his best to stabilize his mood and not be in a hurry, but he was still a little dissatisfied with the speed of his recovery. "Today is the opening day of the World Expo."
Keating put down the cup: "In 1429, I went to Welland to see the first Universal Exhibition. It was indeed a grand event."
"I originally planned to take a look, but I didn't expect to be caught so early." Verak was very curious about how grand and exciting the World Expo, which the government attaches great importance to, will be. "Before, I went to the Mona Pavilion that had not yet been built.
I looked at it and found it very beautiful and artistic.”
"Mona Hall?"
"It's the hall where Bressy held the World Expo." Verak organized his words to describe the spectacular scene he saw. "The whole hall covers a large area and has built many large and small semicircular exhibition halls. Each exhibition hall has
The top of the arc is made of glass. From a distance, the reflected light is very bright..."
After listening to Verak's description for a while, Keating talked about something he didn't take the initiative to mention: "Starting from today, in the next few months, the second and most critical node you mentioned will appear at any time, right?
?”
"Um……"
"What do you think?"
"I don't think much about it. I just hope that they can succeed. In that case, not only will they have the right to change Bressi, but we will also be saved and no longer have to survive in this dark corner." Verak said, "But
When you think about things, you can't just look at the good side. No matter how unwilling I am to face it, I have to admit that they will probably fail."
Keating continued: "If they fail, your life will be in danger. But once we know they have failed, it will be too late for us to think about jailbreak, so everything we do must be done before the outcome is finalized."
It will be done when the time comes.”
Verak said "Yeah" and nodded slowly: "In other words, no matter what, we have to escape before they succeed or fail."
"How do you feel physically?"
"The recovery is good, but it is not enough." When talking about his body, Verak's expression became even heavier. His body was the foundation of the plan. As the core of the prison escape plan, he needed to contact and solve all aspects.
You must stand up as soon as possible.
"How about preparing a wheelchair," Keating joked.
Verak knew it was a joke, but he still explained the reason why he did not use a wheelchair: "Next we need to understand the terrain and plot an escape route, and we also need to contact the prisoners for cooperation. If I was also in a wheelchair, the two of us would still have to be escorted by the prison guards.
If you are taking care of me, it will be difficult for you to free your hands and feet to do these things. You can only wait for me to get better and push you in a legitimate manner without the need for prison guards to interfere with our daily life."
"As I said again, you can't rush your body. Your injuries are too serious. If you try to do something forcefully, it will probably be counterproductive." Keating warned again, "And it's not like you can't do anything now.
The plan cannot be launched immediately, but I am still learning a lot of useful things.”
"Understood, teacher." Verak had already changed his address to Keating.
Since Keating became Verak's teacher, the relationship between the two has become even tighter. Sometimes they are teacher and student, and sometimes their relationship looks more like father and son.
However, Verak thought again and again and still did not tell his biggest secret, that is, he was not Chris, but a puppet. He already trusted Keating enough, but his replacement of Chris would be very important to equality. For the sake of the future,
If nothing unexpected happened, I decided to keep it a secret until the day when the prison escape was really successful, and then I would tell Keating.
After all, if you really want to talk about it, Keating has never told him about the whereabouts of the gold. They both have their own secrets.
——
September 30
Five days have passed since the opening of the World Expo, and Lecter has not come to see Verak. Verak's life has remained the same as before. He knows that this means that the situation in Lezein is still stable.
Stability represents two possibilities.
In the first case, if the Equality Association really believes the government's rhetoric and gives up the armed struggle, then the only thing waiting for the Equality Association will be failure, and only a few months will be left for Verac.
The second type is that the Equality Council assesses the situation, ostensibly trusts the government, and abandons the opening ceremony, the day that attracts the most attention, to make the government think that the situation has eased, and then take the opportunity to make a big fuss about the World Expo.
In the case of the former, Verak can only hope that he can escape from prison successfully, find a way to contact Boyin and others, and try to reverse the situation. In the case of the latter, Verak can survive regardless of whether his escape fails.
After breakfast that day, Keating was planning to continue giving lectures to Verak and teach the young man what he knew. However, he saw Verak sitting up and trying to stand up with his hands on the wall.
Keating did not dissuade Verak from sitting down. Seeing the determination in Verak's eyes, Keating could only subconsciously say "slow down."
During this week's rest time, Verak did some rehabilitation training, but he has not yet stood up rashly.
It's not that Verak has been thinking about standing up for a long time, it's just that he felt in good physical condition after eating today, so he wanted to give it a try. Even if it doesn't work, he can understand how far he is from actually getting down to the ground.
"Hmm..." Verak groaned. When he tried to stand up, his aching and weak legs bent and trembled unsatisfactorily.
Keating felt his breathing become heavier for no reason.
"Huh...huh..." Verak's legs were bent like a squatting horse, his whole back pressed against the wall, and his hands grabbed everything around him. This stalemate lasted for less than half a minute, and his forehead
It was covered with sweat beads.
"Is it still possible?" Keating thought there was no need to stand up so forcefully.
"It's... not bad..." Verak gritted his teeth, not knowing whether he was enduring the pain or holding back his strength, "I've been lying down for a week... Even if I can't get up... I still have to move my muscles..."
Keating recalled what Verak had said: "The doctor said it will take at least half a month for you to be able to get off the ground?"
"...Hmm." Verak's whole body tensed up and he tried his best to stand up straight, "Or...a month..."
Seeing the curvature of Verak's legs slowly changing, Keating couldn't help but sigh: "You really like to break other people's perceptions."
"Haha..." Verak laughed miserably and straightened his legs. He then relaxed for a few minutes and slowly moved against the wall.
"Okay, that's enough, lie down." Keating finally couldn't help but persuaded, "If you continue like this, it will exceed your load anyway and cause more harm to your body."
"Well..." Verak slowly squatted down against the wall, stretched out his hands and lay on the bed, "Huh... it feels so good to stand up..."
As soon as he finished speaking, Verak realized that he had said the wrong thing.
"I'm sorry, teacher, I..."
"It's okay." Keating didn't care about Verak's unintentional words, "On the contrary, seeing you not admitting defeat and trying your best to stand up inspired me. Although I didn't stand up myself, I can feel the same.
Your joy.”
Verak sat up and wiped his sweat: "If you can go out, your legs may be cured."
"The development of medicine is also advancing by leaps and bounds. Maybe it can be done." Keating is equally optimistic.
"Definitely." Verak said.
Keating changed the subject: "Looking at you, you'll be able to go out and do some activities in two or three days."
"I know the time you mentioned is already very optimistic, but I still can't wait two or three days. Tomorrow at the latest, I have to stand up and go see Lecter and convince him to let us go for a walk." Verak said softly.
Massaging both legs, "By the way, I can help you get a wheelchair."
"Okay." Keating told Verak not to worry more than ten times. It can be seen that Verak was very modest in other matters, but he was stubborn on this matter, so he did not continue to insist on his own point of view and let it happen.
"I'll try again after I calm down for a while. I feel like I have hope of walking without holding on to the wall today." Verak calmed down his rapid breathing, "Now let's continue listening to your lecture."
Keatingna Verak's strong will was useless. He smiled and said: "Today, I will tell you the main reason why, in my opinion, the Ravel dynasty was overthrown by the government of the Bresci Republic."