Delphinium originally thought that the float vehicle would be parked at the foot of a certain mountain or in front of a certain cemetery.
But in the end, it placed Russell and Delphinium in front of a cyber church.
"Alice's ashes are stored here."
Russell said with some nostalgia: "When I was in school, I often came here to work. You can also see if an elder who has a good relationship with me is here...if he is, you can also say hello."
The melodious hymn sounded faintly. As Russell pushed the heavy red wooden door open, the sound of the hymn suddenly became louder.
Compared with the previous small church, this church is much larger. There are more than a dozen boys and girls wearing blindfolds and chanting hymns, and there are seven "prayer devices" hanging empty.
In the air, no one uses it.
And the delphinium smelled that strange smell again.
It's as sweet and sour as lemon peel or plum, and at the same time mixed with a slightly bitter taste, like burning chestnut shells, like the smell of pine forests after rain, and vaguely... like
Formaldehyde smells like gasoline.
It doesn't smell good, but it makes people feel refreshed and solemn.
Delphinium finally asked Russell the question she had been curious about for a long time.
Russell can really give a clear answer:
"What do you mean by this smell? This should be the incense commonly used in all cyber churches...the main raw materials are frankincense and powdered medicine."
"...Is this what frankincense smells like?"
Delphinium was a little surprised: "I thought..."
"Do you think frankincense smells like milk?"
Russell couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth slightly, and he explained: "That's because before frankincense solidifies, it is a white liquid like milk. But it is actually a species of the olive family, called 'Frankincense tree'
Resin. Its main aroma is a slightly sour woody aroma. The final medicine is also the resin of another olive tree.
"In all cyber churches, incense made from these two spices will be burned. Didn't you find that Wuming also has this kind of fragrance? It should be that he often lazily coils himself in the church, and the smell is all over his body.
It tastes good.”
"...I won't lie on someone's body every day like you do. How do I know what he smells like?"
Delphinium murmured in a low voice with some disgust: "I don't care about that either..."
At this moment, an old man suddenly seemed to have seen Russell and walked straight over.
She then raised her head and looked over.
The old man with short white hair was wearing a double-breasted white high-collar windbreaker. The buttons on his body were not black, but silver - to be precise, they were made of metal. Each button was engraved with
A rune. From top to bottom, there are ten buckled ones in total and two hidden ones.
On the buttons on his chest, three of them had slender silver tags hanging on them.
The hanging tag was only as thick as a mini lipstick and looked like an earring. It swayed and made a tinkling metal collision sound as it walked. Only when it was turned over occasionally could the Delphinium see the words engraved on it.
A line of words.
The first one has "Fearless Darkness" written on it, the second one has "Fearless Pain" written on it, and the third one has "Fearless Farewell" written on it.
The old man wore heavy boots and walked very slowly. There was a majestic expression on his old face full of grooves, which did not weaken into "kindness" because of his old age. The sharp ear feathers behind his ears revealed his
The spirit relative should be some kind of bird, and his sharp and firm eyes reveal the habits of a carnivore.
"Long time no see, my child. I hope you are doing well."
The old man's tone is old, gentle and low. It reminds people of quiet stone sculptures, or an inkstone standing quietly on the table.
As he spoke, he walked slowly. His pace did not speed up or slow down at all, but Russell slowly walked towards him, and his pace became faster and faster.
The old man slowly spread his arms and held Russell firmly and forcefully in his arms.
That tight, thick, solid hug made Russell bury his head deeply into the old man's shoulder, breathing in the rich scent of incense on his body.
The old man didn't say a word, but hugged Russell quietly. His eyes didn't even shift in the slightest, and he didn't even look at Delphinium, who was standing next to Russell. It was as if Delphinium and Russell were two completely unrelated people.
At this time, Delphinium observed the old man's fingers. They were extremely rough and even had many small scars and calluses.
It should be a pair of hands belonging to a skilled worker.
"I've lost my composure...Mr. Bishop."
After about five or six seconds, Russell slowly let go of his embrace: "Long time no see, I miss you a little."
The old man immediately released him and took two equal steps back.
When his boots hit the ground, they didn't actually make much noise. But Delphinium seemed to hear a thunderous roar in his ears - if there were thousands of such old people standing at attention at the same time, their boots would make a loud noise.
What kind of sound?
Delphinium had never seen such a scene, but she seemed to hear such a roar, a sound like a waterfall hitting the earth.
"But no matter what, you will eventually leave us, like a baby bird leaving its nest.
"We will also leave this world, just like Alice left you. The dead will not come back, but the living will move on."
The old man replied calmly: "To survive in this world, you must adapt to separation. You must learn to say goodbye to us and then continue walking."
His voice was slow but loud, like the kind of voice that would sound on the radio.
"I know……"
Russell replied softly, and even bowed slightly when nodding: "It's just that I'm a little out of control, Lord Bishop."
This was the first time Delphinium saw Russell like this, and he seemed to be a restrained and polite young man.
At this moment, Delphinium suddenly realized that Russell seemed to be indeed a young man.
He was even one day away from reaching his twenty-seventh year.
"You should not lose control of your emotions. You should prioritize maintaining a calm posture in public."
The old man's face was still serious, without any expression.
"I have heard about your deeds and heard a lot. You became a hero and saved many people. I also heard that you saved Hua Mingshu's daughter. You did a good job and you will make Alice
Proud of you.
"But you love to show off too much, Russell. Justice never needs to announce itself. Truth and justice are self-evident. Be careful of arrogance and impetuosity, and be yourself."
"Yes, Lord Bishop." Russell nodded respectfully.
"——But, since you have been admired by people, you must set an example. When things happen, you must be calm and calm. Think twice before you act. Do not reveal your feelings, as that will allow you to be taken advantage of, and you are worth it.
Being used. People rely on you and follow you, and you cannot let people down. You are a leader, and you are destined to be the leader."
The old man's words were still unhurried, but the name he mentioned made Delphinium slightly widen his eyes: "You are Wendy and Alice's child. You are the continuation of their lives and the proof of their existence."
.
"You will surpass them. You will inherit them. You will surpass them. You have what it takes."
"yes."
Russell still nodded in response.
The old man was silent for a while. He seemed to be thinking about something or looking at something.
He stepped forward and patted Russell hard on the shoulder.
"You're fat."
The old bishop whispered: "But it's still hard on you, son.
“Well done.”
The moment he said these words.
Delphinium clearly saw that Russell's eyes were moist for a moment.