The sky was gray, and the ancient castle stood silently amid the patter of rain.
Trees and weeds grew wildly, ivy covered the cold stone walls, and fine greenery spread in the gaps. If it weren't for the bursts of light shining through the stone windows, this castle would have seemed abandoned many years ago.
Lost.
Compared to the castle itself, the name of the castle has long since disappeared over the years. It is said that the birth of the castle can be traced back to before the Wrath of the Scorched Earth, but no one can verify whether the story is true or false.
Many years later, this unknown old castle had a new owner and a new name. People nearby often called it Daisy Castle because the owner of the castle planted large tracts of daisies in this messy greenery.
, they formed a sea of white and yellow flowers around the castle. Whenever the breeze blows, the sea of flowers will play bursts of music.
That sea of flowers left a deep impression on Dudel. He had lived in the gloomy steel jungle of Oath City Opos for a long time, and he had not seen that beautiful natural scenery for a long time.
After walking up the dusty stairs, Dudel soon met the owner of the castle in the big library of the castle.
Based on Dudel's understanding of the owner of the castle, he was already an old man. But at first glance, Dudel didn't think he was old. Instead, he read endless emotions in those bright eyes.
vitality.
The owner of the castle wore casual pajamas and welcomed Dudel's arrival with a smile. This kind gesture surprised Dudel. He still remembered the rumors about the owner of the castle.
People say that he is a lonely and strange guy. Although he has such a vast territory, he never takes care of it. There are no servants in the magnificent castle. He is the only one living here.
Dudel never believed the second half of the rumor, but on the way here, he could observe that the castle was covered with dust, and some places were even sprinkled with rainwater. Only when the owner of the castle moved around frequently
Only in places can you feel a little bit of the breath of life, such as this large library filled with countless books.
Dudel felt that this was not only the castle owner's big library, the castle owner also worked and lived here.
Not far away, you can see the castle owner's desk, with a typewriter on it and manuscripts piled aside. There is a blanket in the corner, pillows and a shotgun next to it.
Noticing the shotgun, Dudel raised his eyebrows slightly. He remembered an interview with the owner of the castle in a newspaper a long time ago. The reporter asked him how to ensure his personal safety when he lived alone in this empty castle far away from the city.
The owner of the castle smiled and said that he would carry a shotgun with him, and uninvited guests would be fed the shot.
At the time, Dudel only thought it was a joke by the castle owner. It seemed that what he said was true. Thinking of the castle owner's experience when he was young, Dudel thought it was reasonable.
"Mr. Dudel?" The owner of the castle glanced at Dudel, then at his watch, "You are very punctual."
The owner of the castle is very concerned about time, and Dudel knows this.
Taking a deep breath, Dudel tried to relieve his tension, and then he spoke.
"Hello……"
As soon as he opened his mouth, Dudel became nervous again, and he suddenly realized that he didn't know how to address the other person.
Yes, another big reason why the other person is regarded as a lonely weirdo is that no one has known his real name for so many years. At least that is the case for the public.
"Just call me a blue jay."
The castle owner smiled. He knew what Dudel was hesitating about. This situation had happened many times and the castle owner had long been accustomed to it.
Dudle swallowed and said cautiously, "Blue Jay?"
Dudel did his homework when he came. He knew what a blue jay was. It was a beautiful bird with a lavender blue color.
The owner of the castle once mentioned in an interview that there are very few blue animals in the animal world, and the blue jay is one of them. Its feather color is so special and beautiful... The owner of the castle likes this rare and unique nature.
"Otherwise? What you are interviewing now is an author. Is there any problem in calling me by my pen name?"
The blue jay looked at Dudel with a smile, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes stacked together.
Dudel gradually adapted to the conversation with the blue jay and smiled to himself, "Sorry, this interview is very important to me, and I am also your loyal reader..."
"It's okay, it's okay."
The blue jay waved his hand, stood up from the sofa, picked up the wine bottle and poured a glass of wine for Dudel and himself, and the two clinked their glasses gently.
"Don't be so nervous, just relax and just treat it like an afternoon chat." The blue jay said and patted Dudel on the shoulder.
Dudel looked at this mysterious and solitary author with a complicated mood. The pressure of work, the excitement of seeing his true appearance, the contrast between rumors and reality... Dudel adjusted his mentality and entered into working mode.
"Mr. Blue Jay, I am here to interview you on behalf of the "Grey Fog, Industry and Delicious Shrimp Crackers" radio program."
"I know, I'm listening to your show, and I quite like it," the blue jay praised. "Looking at it, I can be considered a fan of yours, Mr. Dudle."
The blue jay's kindness made Dudel feel panicked for a while, and then he relaxed completely and murmured, "There is always a deviation between rumors and reality."
"Just like fantasy and reality, the deviation is the stage for us creators."
The blue jay sat back in his seat, crossed his feet, and stretched out his furry thighs from his pajamas. He didn't care about his image, "Please hurry up, Mr. Dudle, I have something to deal with later."
"Okay, okay."
Dudel took out the notepad he had prepared in advance, which already listed several questions that Dudel wanted to ask. He asked the blue jays one by one in sequence.
"There is a woman who appears in all your works, a woman with flaming opal eyes. I want to know why this is? Does she have some symbolic meaning?"
After Dudel finished speaking, he hurriedly added, "I know many people have asked you this question, and you have not answered it. If you don't want to answer, we can skip this question."
"It's okay, I can answer this question," the blue jay explained. "One of the reasons why I accepted your interview is that it's time to talk to you about this."
Dudel was stunned. It took him dozens of seconds to understand the meaning behind the Blue Jay's words, and he became uncontrollably excited.
The woman with flaming opal eyes.
There is such a character in all Blue Jay's works. She does not participate in the main line of the plot, just like an abrupt shadow that shuttles through the text on the page.
It is everywhere and exists forever.
Some critics once criticized this meaningless character, but as Blue Jay created one amazing work after another, the woman with fire opal eyes gradually became a kind of spiritual totem and became the symbol of Blue Jay's works.
logo.
Later, there was even a joke that how to judge whether a work was written by a blue jay is just to see if there is a woman with flaming opal eyes in the book.
As time goes by, the past criticisms no longer exist, and everyone wants to know what the Fire Opal woman actually represents.
In the past few decades, countless people have interviewed this lonely weirdo and tried to learn a thing or two about the woman from him, but the blue jay has always kept silent, no matter how valuable the other party's promise is, or whether
It was a personal threat, and he didn't care.
Until today.
"I'm sorry, I'm a little rude... It can be said that I have read your books since I was in school. I am curious about her and it has been in my heart for a long time."
Dudel apologized profusely. As a radio host who talked at midnight, he felt that his social skills were quite good, but in front of the blue jays, he often behaved ugly.
The blue jay smiled and waved his hand, "It's okay."
"So who is she?"
Dudle picked up his pen and notepad and listened carefully to the Blue Jay's next words.
People have many speculations about the woman with fire opal eyes, the most credible of which is that some people believe that she is the woman that the blue jay dreamed of when he was young.
Judging from the outside world's knowledge, Blue Jay has never been married, and this is still the case until he is fifty-nine years old. The more Blue Jay is like this, the more convincing this guess is.
"It's still a secret that cannot be told."
The Blue Jay raised his finger and put it in front of his lips, "But what I want to tell you is that my new book will explain everything about her."
"Your new book? You mean new book!"
Dudel almost lost his breath again. It had been ten years since Blue Jay's last book was published. People thought that Blue Jay would never write another book. After all, he already had enough fame and reputation.
With massive wealth, the blue jay's life should now only consist of enjoyment.
"That's right, I've been planning this new book for ten years... no, far more than ten years. What I can tell you is that this will be a... um..."
Blue Jay himself didn't know how to describe the content of this book. After hesitating for a while, he decided on the type of the new book.
"It will be an autobiographical fantasy.
All the secrets you care about will be answered in this book."
Dudel's breathing became rapid. He didn't understand what autobiographical fantasy was, but he knew the importance of the news. "This is big news. Is this an exclusive report?"
"Of course not," the Blue Jay raised an eyebrow at Dudle, "I wrote to every newspaper about this, and you just happened to ask."
Hearing this, Dudel was a little disappointed, but his disappointment was quickly covered up by his excitement.
Duder pressed, "So when will your new book be released?"
The blue jay explained seriously, "It should take some time. I have finished writing the first half of the story, and I still haven't finished the second half. When I sort it out, maybe it can be divided into two parts and published."
Dudel asked again, "What's the title of the new book?"
A helpless smile appeared on the blue jay's face. He shook his head and responded, "I'm sorry about that. I haven't thought of a name for it myself."
"Is there no other information that can be revealed besides this?" Dudel asked reluctantly.
"No more. I want to give this work as a surprise to my readers. Too many words will only make this surprise eclipse."
Dudel expressed his understanding, and then he sighed, "For readers like me, it is the greatest comfort that you can have new works coming out."
"Then please wait patiently. I think it won't disappoint you."
Blue Jay was very confident about his new book and promised Dudel.
The two continued to talk for a while, until the blue jay stood up, ending the interview.
"Okay, it's time to end, Mr. Dudle, I have something to do next."
"Okay, but I still want to ask..."
Dudel glanced at the notepad. There were still a few questions he had not asked. He looked up at the blue jay. The blue jay's expression suddenly became serious. The previous kindness was gone. He stared directly at Dudel.
, his eyes were filled with an unquestionable look.
"The time has come, Mr. Dudle."
The blue jay raised his wrist and tapped the case of his watch.
Blue jays are very punctual people. Dudel knew this, but the various information he learned from the blue jays made him completely forget about this.
"Hug...I'm sorry, I'm really embarrassed."
Dudel stood up, bowed and apologized. The blue jay had no intention of being polite to Dudel, but just used his eyes to indicate that it was time for him to leave.
Not long ago, the two of them were chatting happily, but now they have become extremely strange and somewhat hostile.
At this time, Dudel realized that the rumors were not unreasonable. In some aspects, the blue jay was really a weird person.
Picking up his things, Dudel said hello a few more times and left in a hurry. The blue jay stood there until Dudel's footsteps gradually faded away and dissipated in the castle.
move.
Walking to the blanket where he slept, the blue jay picked up the shotgun. After making sure that the shotgun was filled with ammunition, he dragged the shotgun with one hand and held the wine glass with the other. He walked swaying in his slippers in the quiet corridor.
Walking down the spiral stone staircase towards the cellar of the stone castle, the blue jay took a sip of wine, placed the wine glass casually on the ground, picked up the candlestick on the ledge, and used the faint firelight to illuminate the invading darkness.
The surrounding temperature gradually dropped, and with the breathing of the blue jay, bursts of white mist emerged, and the cold air was still filled with a little blood, as if the depths of darkness led to some slaughterhouse with corpses strewn on the ground.
Not long after, a mottled iron door stood in front of Blue Jay. He put the shotgun in the corner, took out a bunch of keys from his waist that he never left, and unlocked several lock cylinders. The simple iron door slowly opened.
, the clotted blood became even more intense.
The blue jay had become accustomed to the smell and walked in calmly, closing the iron gate behind him.
The faint firelight illuminated the dark cellar, which was another workshop of Blue Jay, an ulterior workshop.
The walls are covered with all kinds of notes, cut-out newspapers, black and white photos, and some pages torn from books...
The blue jay's eyes swept across the wall on the other side, which was covered with photos related to blue jays.
If someone carefully studies the content, he will find that the blue jay was once a sailor and a train conductor. Not only can the blue jay use most firearms, but he also has some knowledge in fighting and swordsmanship.
In fact, these experiences of Blue Jay are not a secret. Readers who pay more attention to him all know the past of Blue Jay's wonderful life.
For a long time, for Blue Jay, the author was just his side job. His real occupation was a wandering adventurer. But what people don't understand is that today's world has been explored by humans, and adventurers
Having withdrawn from the stage of history, what are the blue jays chasing now?
The blue jay's hand brushed the edge of the table, the ancient book was opened, and the scrawled handwriting filled the blank space of the page. All the information was integrated and summarized in thick notes.
There was the sound of heavy breathing from the depths of the darkness, followed closely by the sound of iron chains rubbing against the ground, as if something was being restrained in a cage.
The blue jay didn't pay attention to that. He picked up his notes and lightly brushed the dark words with his fingertips. Words that should not be known to the world came out of his mouth one after another, like a spell being told.
"The secret source and the devil, the condenser and the devil..."
Blue Jay actually no longer needs notes. He has spent his whole life investigating the extraordinary world. During the long excavation, these secret knowledge have been engraved into his memory like a steel seal.
On the last page of the note, there is a bookmark. It is said to be a bookmark, but it is actually a ticket. According to the time marked on it, this ticket originated from a train thirty-three years ago.
Thirty-three years have passed, and this ticket has been carefully collected by the blue jay. Except for the yellowing of the paper, there is no damage at all, and there are very few creases.
The blue jay looked deeply at the ticket that changed his life, until the restlessness coming from the darkness interrupted his thoughts. Displeasure flashed in his eyes, and he picked up the shotgun and walked towards the depths of the darkness.
"Blue Jay...Blue Jay..."
Seductive moans came from the darkness, and the woman called the blue jay affectionately, as if she was his long-lost lover.
The blue jay stood in front of the cage and stared at the woman imprisoned inside. Most of her body was hidden in the turbid darkness, and her exposed skin was smooth and white.
She noticed the arrival of the blue jay, and climbed to the edge of the cage with her hands on the ground. In the dim light, she could see that iron nails had been driven into the woman's joints. These long nails had been there for many years, and there were dried blood.
It solidified into a dark stain, mixed with the rough rust.
The blue jay stared at the woman in the cage. She did not feel any pain due to her physical injuries. Instead, she looked at the blue jay with a confused look, sticking out her tongue and licking the corners of her mouth seductively.
"This is of no use to me. You should have known this many years ago." The blue jay said in a cold tone.
The woman did not speak, but just gave a moaning smile. The Blue Jay was not surprised by this. The woman rarely answered his questions and did not care about her own predicament. As for the temptation of the Blue Jay,
From the perception of this group, this is more like the hunting instinct of animals.
"I'm so hungry, blue jay. I can smell the scent of living people. Did you bring me new food?"
The woman stretched her hands out of the cage, twisted her waist to her heart's content, and showed herself to the blue jay.
"No, I asked him to leave," the blue jay shook his head, "and I think there is no need to do this in the future."
The woman didn't understand what the blue jay said, "Isn't it necessary?"
She felt something was wrong, but when she thought about it carefully, the deep hunger in the woman's mind made her extremely painful.
The woman has been suffering like this for many years. Ever since she sneaked into the Daisy Castle and prepared to hunt the soul of the blue jay, but was counterattacked and imprisoned, the woman has lost her freedom and has only relied on the charity of the blue jay from time to time.
to date.
Everyone has an ulterior side, and so does the Blue Jay. Those who broke into his castle without permission and had evil intentions towards him eventually died in the hands of the Blue Jay, and were then handed over to women to continue.
with her miserable life.
This can be regarded as a kind of transaction between the blue jay and the woman, a kind of mutual benefit and symbiosis, but starting from today, the blue jay feels that it is time to end this abnormal relationship.
"I remember what you said, you...as a devil, you remember the breath of your creator, right?"
The Blue Jay said, taking out an envelope and hovering it over the woman's head.
"So can you confirm its authenticity?"
The woman stared blankly at the envelope. She could sense the power hidden under the paper, an extremely familiar and frightening power. Even if there was only a faint breath, it was enough to prove its authenticity.
"What can I get?" The woman asked the blue jay, trying to maintain her rationality and resist the feeling of hunger.
"You will be free."
The blue jay still had that cold attitude.
"You don't have to worry that I will break my promise. I bring you food for the soul, and you provide me with clues to the extraordinary world. We have been working together for decades. I think there should be a certain degree of trust between us."
The woman hesitated, then she showed a charming smile and put her face in front of the cage.
She affirmed, "It's her, it's her strength."
The woman knew what the blue jay was going to do, and she continued.
"Should I congratulate you? Blue Jay, after so many years of hard work, you finally found her trace."
The blue jay's cold expression lasted for a few seconds, and then a maniacal smile bloomed from his face, and he grinned silently.
"It's time you released me, Blue Jay, you won't break your promise."
The woman begged, her eyes pitiful and pitiful.
The blue jay felt that few men could refuse such a woman, and then he thought, maybe this is the power of the devil. Even after so many years, the woman is still young and charming, and he has changed from a majestic young man to an old guy.
.
"No..." The Blue Jay shook his head, and before the woman could angrily reprimand him, the Blue Jay stretched out his hand and gently raised the woman's face, "We have been together for so many years, haven't we?"
The cold eyes were full of warmth, and the woman was in a daze. It was the first time in so many years that she read such emotions in the eyes of this freak.
"If I release you, you will no longer be mine."
The blue jay smiled at the woman and approached the cage. He held the shotgun in one hand and opened his pajamas with the other hand. His muscles held up his old body. Together with the scars, under the dim light, he looked like an ancient man.
Bronze statue.
"Close your eyes and raise your head."
The blue jay lowered his body, as if he wanted to kiss the woman, and the voice reached the woman's ears. The woman hesitated for a while, and she repeatedly confirmed the blue jay's intention. Only sincerity showed in her old eyes.
The woman scoffed softly, "I thought you were different, Blue Jay."
"No way, human beings are animals with emotions. No matter how rational a person is, they will inevitably have feelings for a person who stays with them day and night... The same is true for you, right? Even if you are a devil, at least you were once a human being. You
Don’t you have any feelings for me at all?”
The blue jay lifted the woman's chin and said, "Close your eyes."
The woman smiled and closed her eyes. She guessed that maybe the years had corrupted the blue jay's will, or maybe it was the joy of achieving his goal that made him relax his vigilance. After being tortured by the blue jay for so many years, the woman has been looking for revenge.
Opportunity, the opportunity was right in front of her now.
She cooperated and pretended to kiss him, but she had already thought about the next attack. She was a demon after all, and the blue jay was just an old guy. If it weren't for the restrictions of the cage and spikes, she would have killed him by herself.
easy.
As the woman thought this, the roaring gunshot shattered all her thoughts.
The blue jay put down the shotgun, and the woman's body lay across the cage. The entire head exploded into a blur of flesh and blood, evenly spread in the darkness.
Looking at the dead body, the blue jay raised his shotgun again and fired at the belly of the body, cutting the body into half.
"you're free……"
The Blue Jay said coldly, he wanted to say something else, such as telling the woman's name, so that the farewell would be more ceremonial, but then the Blue Jay realized that he did not know the woman's name.
It's not that the woman is hiding anything from herself, it's just that the Blue Jay has never asked about it. In her memory, the woman seems to have mentioned her name several times, but the Blue Jay has never cared about it.
The blue jay pulled the body bag and spent some time packing up the woman's body. It was troublesome to put the pieces of meat together, but the blue jay was not at ease unless these demons were cut into pieces.
Ever since he came into contact with this extraordinary world, the Blue Jay has been extremely vigilant. This world is filled with evil demons and those who wield extraordinary power. He is just an ordinary person who accidentally caught a glimpse of the shadow of the world.
You can never be too vigilant.
Carrying the body bag, the blue jay walked through the deep and dark underground corridor. Both sides of the corridor were lined with sealed iron doors. Mottled blood stains were everywhere, and the disgusting blood filled the air.
Blue Jay thought about cleaning up these things, but he was the only one in Daisy Fortress, and it was too troublesome to clean up after all, so he simply let it go on.
The buzzing of mosquitoes and flies could be heard in my ears. As the blue jay moved forward, he glanced at the iron gates and muttered the numbers in them in a low voice.
Finally he came to the depths of the underground, where the weak firelight could only illuminate the blue jay's feet, and beyond the stairs was an unfathomable darkness.
As the owner of Daisy Castle, the Blue Jay was shocked when he first discovered that the castle had such a huge underground space. He thought it would be left alone forever, but soon the Blue Jay removed it.
Used it perfectly.
"the last one."
The blue jay counted and threw the body bag on his shoulder into the darkness. A few seconds later, the sound of falling was heard.
Blue Jay wanted to leave directly, but he thought of the characters in his novels. Each murderer would return to the place where the crime occurred and enjoy his work.
With this thought in mind, the blue jay dropped the candle in his hand.
The firelight jumped a few times in the darkness, and the flickering light outlined a ferocious and twisted shadow in the darkness, and the mountain of body bags could be vaguely seen.
The blue jay smiled unconsciously, turned and left, and the iron door slowly closed, blocking all light, making this place forever forgotten.
Walking out of Daisy Castle, the Blue Jay had already changed his clothes. He looked like he was going on a trip, dragging his suitcase in his hand.
The blue jay stayed beside the sea of daisies, and the breeze blew by, bringing with it the rich fragrance of flowers.
The sweet smell seemed to turn the air into honey. The blue jay had not been so happy for a long time. He remembered that the last time he was in such a mood was thirty-three years ago, on that never-ending train.
.
The blue jay took out the envelope and poured out a brand new ticket. This ticket was a little strange. It marked the time of travel but not the location of the journey. The name of the train was also unpredictable.
The dark words were intertwined, and the blue jay whispered.
"Happy Garden..."
In a trance, the blue jay heard the sound of the whistle coming from afar, and the train rumbled in. It had no starting station and no ending station, only the endless track.