Gray and black clouds rolled together like an inverted funnel in the sky. After a brief period of peace, bursts of thunder sounded, and then heavy rain came, washing away the rusty city.
The weather in Old Dunling is always so gloomy and changeable. Few people can predict the direction of the weather. A large amount of emissions from the Furnace Pillar may lead to a heavy rain.
Rain streaked across the icy armor, falling to the ground with a splash, and lightning flashed across it, drawing out the same gray-black figures one after another.
Heavily armed rioters guarded important intersections and blocked the downtown area. Black umbrellas filled the streets. The cleanup agencies took over the downtown area, cleaning up and hunting down the remaining monsters.
The sun was gone, the sky was gloomy, and the iron whale was wandering above the lower city. Rays of light cast one after another, illuminating the desolate and decaying land, guiding them in the direction.
Lorenzo and the others stayed under the eaves at the corner of the street to avoid the heavy rain. They were neither close nor far from the lower city. The building that originally divided it completely collapsed under the violent attack of the rioters. Behind the ruins were
A desolate world.
Prosperity and ruin were closely connected, until this day, the barrier between them collapsed. They were on the inside of the ruins, and the lower city was on the outside of the ruins.
There are people holding black umbrellas everywhere here, inspecting the damage and rescuing the injured, and some people are going back and forth with Geiger counters to measure the intensity of the erosion.
Lorenzo and the others were not seriously injured and had no obvious injuries. In this emergency situation, they were left aside and they hid under the eaves to take shelter from the rain as if they were forced to stand still.
Sa Liang Xi and Rhodes were chatting and laughing. Probably because Sa Liang Xi saved Rhode's life, Rhodes began to regard her as a top customer. No matter how strange the question was, he answered it very patiently.
Eve and Kestrel are not here. They are assisting others in controlling the lower city area. By the way, they explain the situation at that time and tell the detailed process of the incident.
Shao Liangye leaned aside. He may be still thinking about what [Forget River] is, or he may be in a daze. He looked at the heavy rain curtain and stared at this strange city.
"It's so cold...it's going to be winter again."
Lorenzo was holding a cigarette and squatting aside with a decadent look on his face, like an idle gangster.
Winter is coming, God’s birthday is not far away, and then comes the new year... How many years is this in Old Dunling? The eighth year, or the ninth year?
Lorenzo also couldn't remember clearly. Everything passed by too fast, making people feel that time was so short.
Think about it, for such a long time, there are only a few sentences on the paper, let alone those who failed to leave a mark.
Throwing the cigarette butt into the rain, Mars stumbled and stayed in the footsteps of another person. Lorenzo raised his head and saw a tired Kestrel looking behind him. Eve was holding a black umbrella and saying something to the others.
.
"Control has been restored in the Lower City. After the rioters entered, the remaining demons pose no threat. The only trouble now is how to clean them all out in this complex environment."
Kestrel told Lorenzo about the current situation.
"We will be responsible for the report and so on. You can go back to the Perpetual Pump first."
"Does this count as overtime for you?" Lorenzo teased.
"Oh, probably not," Kestrel sighed, "it should be considered normal work."
"Didn't you say that Adren is here too? We seem to have found traces of him." Kestrel only remembered this and said again.
Lorenzo stood up suddenly, with a vigilant look on his face, and asked.
"what happened?"
It had been expected for a long time, but with two terrifying monsters wandering around the old Dunling, Lorenzo had to be wary and felt even more pressure.
"In the industrial area, after the erosion broke out in Xiacheng District, the same high-intensity erosion also broke out in the industrial area near the Machinery Yard. However, it is an abandoned area and is usually only used when testing weapons, so no one exists there, Geiger
Counter coverage is not very broad either.
The Mechanical Institute first observed the continuous explosions, and then the ensuing erosion, as if there were some monsters fighting inside. They waited until everything calmed down before going to investigate."
Kestrel only knew this, and he signaled Lorenzo to find Arthur Merlin and the others.
"Anyway, you should be able to know the details after you return to the Perpetual Pump."
"Then you don't need me here?"
Lorenzo pointed to the lower city behind the ruins, and beams of light fell one after another. It was like a construction site, very busy.
"Mr. Holmes is indeed omnipotent, but he can't rely on you for everything."
Eve came from behind and grabbed the kestrel.
"Leave this place to us."
After saying that, Eve took Kestrel back to the blockade area. They were equipped with weapons, and it seemed that the next matter would not be easy.
Lorenzo breathed in the cold water vapor, looked to the side, and happened to look at Shao Liangye.
"That sounds bad," he said.
"It's not that bad. At least it proves that your antimemetic weapon is actually useful, right?" Lorenzo smiled, "Actually, I had such an idea a long time ago."
"What?"
"I suspect you are a bunch of liars."
Shao Liangye looked puzzled, wondering why Lorenzo thought so.
"Antimeme, a piece of absolutely self-sealed information. This thing sounds like a black box and is difficult to falsify. Who knows whether what you Jiuxia people say is true or false? What carrier are you shouting about? Maybe
Is it really just an ordinary entity?"
"You sound like a person who is in desperate need of a sense of security." Shao Liangye said.
"This is called professionalism. Experts always have to raise some questions, but things like antimemes are really wonderful."
Lorenzo said as he took out the black cube, which he carried with him.
Seeing the black cube, Shao Liangye's expression became serious for a moment. The black cube itself had no magic power, but the meaning it contained made Shao Liangye treat it with awe like a god.
But now it is such a sacred and awe-inspiring entity, and Lorenzo is playing with it casually in his hands. If he were not afraid of breaking it, he would probably throw it away.
"You...treat it like this?" Shao Liangye felt his heart trembling.
"Otherwise? Take a shower, change clothes, and then kneel down to pick it up?"
Lorenzo threw the black cube up and caught it steadily. He observed the black cube. It was also an absolute black box. You can never falsify it until the necessary moment arrives.
"Relax, stranger, this is just a 'tool'."
Lorenzo put away the black cube with a smile, and then shouted to the two people who were whispering.
"Hey, stop chatting and get ready to leave."
Hearing Lorenzo's cry, Rhodes raised his head, his eyes revealing the joy of being rescued. He really couldn't resist Sa Liangxi. She was like a newborn child, asking endless questions, and she was the rescuer.
If you risk your own life, you can't say no to anything.
"Let's go."
Lorenzo picked up the umbrella placed in the corner, opened it, and walked into the rain.
Several people picked up umbrellas and followed Lorenzo. The group walked on the wet streets in the hazy rain and fog.
They were supposed to return by the Iron Snake, but Lorenzo suddenly wanted to take a walk. He stayed in the dark underground for a long time. Sometimes he also longed for fresh air... although the air in Old Dunling was not that good either.
But after all, they were still under the cover of the sky, and no one else said anything. Sa Liangxi looked around in surprise. The tall buildings only left silhouettes one after another in the rain curtain. The iron whales wandered low in the sky, and the people on the streets also
Holding an umbrella, people come and go.
The black umbrellas blocked the faces of several people, and coupled with the hazy rain and fog, no one noticed these strangers who came from afar, and these strangers also observed this strange city.
After twists and turns, Lorenzo thought about the remaining work and what happened just now. It seemed that the placement of the antimemetic weapon would have to be postponed for a short period of time.
Then he stopped in front of a tavern.
As if by some strange mistake, Lorenzo came here in a roundabout way. Judging from the time, he was not in a hurry. Kestrel and Eve were involved in many matters. He turned around and suddenly said to Shao Liangye and Sa Liangxi.
"By the way, guests who have come from afar, it seems we haven't entertained you much yet, right?"
Shao Liangye couldn't figure out what Lorenzo was going to do. He didn't know whether it was due to cultural differences or personality. During the time they were together, he kept trying to understand Lorenzo, but he ended up being funny every time.
Rhodes was also puzzled. He just wanted to return to the Eternal Pump and get off work. He didn't understand why he, a translator, had to suffer such a fate.
As long as Sa Liangxi's Western language was just a little better, Rhodes wouldn't be needed here. But think about it, he would be unemployed. This dilemma made him very painful.
"entertain?"
Sa Liangxi's Western pronunciation this time was very standard. He paid attention to the correct accent of each word, and then nodded vigorously.
…
"Sir, you look like you're having a bad time."
Hercule wiped his wine glass and said to the drunkard lying on the bar.
The drunkard ignored him and just made a grunting sound. His hands were grasping randomly. After a while, he said.
"I'm fine! I can still drink!"
Hercule smiled bitterly. The location of the new store is a bit remote, so there are usually few customers, but as time goes by, there will be some regular customers. This drunkard is one of them. You will see him here basically every night.
.
In fact, he is the only one.
Over time, Hercule got used to it and knew how to deal with it. Just leave him alone. He would usually wake up before closing the shop, then leave drunkenly with an apologetic look on his face.
He had a pretty good attitude, and Hercule didn't resent the fact that he was giving money to himself. Correspondingly, sometimes he was quite understanding. After all, life was so bad, and everyone had things to worry about.
"Oh, this is life."
Hercule continued to clean the glass, and the tavern was filled with soft female voices.
Since returning from Nalo in Gaul, he may have witnessed the deepest darkness and cruelty. Hercule felt that he loved life more and more. The last time he felt this way was when he was fished out of the sea.
.
Life is wonderful, so wonderful.
Hercule doesn't know how long he can continue with this mentality, but he has figured out the pattern. He just waits until he feels bored again to go on an adventure... The premise is that the intensity should not be too exciting, otherwise Hercule
Kerry was really afraid that his heart wouldn't be able to bear it.
"No demons, no monsters, no hell holmer..."
"Yo! Hercule!"
The door of the tavern was kicked open, and the cold wind and rain rushed in, driving away the comfortable warmth. The drunkard lying on the bar felt the cold and shivered.
"Hey, it seems there are still not many customers. Are you going to go bankrupt?"
Lorenzo put his umbrella next to the door and led a few people to the bar.
"Lorenzo, you..."
The arrival of this guy tore Hercule's dream into pieces, and also laughed at his business. Hercule wanted to scold Lorenzo, but then he saw the man standing next to Lorenzo.
Xian Liangxi, Shao Liangye.
Their faces were so unfamiliar, with the air of a foreign land.
"Nine...Nine Xia people?"
Hercule pointed at the two of them and looked at Lorenzo in astonishment.
"uh-huh."
"Thank you so much! I'm treating you today!"
Hercule was so excited that he climbed over the bar and walked back and forth around Sa Liangxi and Shao Liangye, as if he was looking at a handicraft.
"Jiuxia people... living Jiuxia people!"
Sa Liangxi's expression was a little awkward, meeting another person who was even more enthusiastic than himself, even to the point of being a bit perverted in his enthusiasm.
"You are indeed my good friend, Lorenzo."
Just now he wanted to tell him to get lost, but in the blink of an eye Hercule became friends with Lorenzo again.
He turned back to the bar, his hands and feet were very nimble, he quickly mixed the wine, and chatted with the two strangers.
To be precise, it was one. Shao Liangye had an indifferent look on his face and did not give any favor to Hercule. Sa Liangxi responded awkwardly. Rhodes on the side saw this and couldn't help but smile. This kind of evil people have their own evil people.
Grinding feeling.
Hercule was a greedy mouse, eager for the secrets of the world. He felt that he knew enough and it was time to stop. But now that the mysterious Jiuxia was in front of him, the peace of the beautiful life was easily forgotten by him.
Forgot to forget.
Lorenzo smiled evilly, he still knew Hercule very well and played with him casually, but he was also listening to the conversation between the two, and he was also quite curious about Lorenzo Jiuxia.
I picked up the wine glass and was about to take a sip when another drunken voice sounded, which was a bit familiar.
"Boss, wine..."
"Gungungun, we're closed today!"
Interrupted by the drunkard, Hercule immediately wanted to drive him away. Anyway, there was only one guest left, but at this moment Lorenzo shouted in surprise.
I saw him lift up the drunkard, force him to raise his head to look at himself, and shout with joy.
"Buscaro!"
Hearing Lorenzo's cry, the voice seemed to come from a nightmare, Buscaro woke up immediately.
He blinked hard, and Buscaro found himself still in the tavern, whispering.
"Is it a dream?"
Thinking about it, he hadn't seen the murderer for several months. He was probably dead, but this guy couldn't live even if he was dead. He always came to him in his dreams.
At this time, two wine glasses were passed over. Buscaro instinctively caught one of them, and then touched it with the other, making a crisp sound.
He thought of something and raised his head.
"Hey! Long time no see!"
Looking at Lorenzo, Buscaro was mostly awake from his drunkenness. Perhaps it was the cold wind lingering in the room that made him shiver a few more times.