"Ah...the real peace that I haven't seen for a long time."
The shrike was lying on the hospital bed, wrapped in a big quilt.
Old Dunling has entered winter. Due to heavy rains and low temperatures, steam pipes have continued to have problems, and heating everywhere has begun to become unstable. Even Black Mountain Hospital cannot keep warm.
In order to prevent himself from freezing to death, he could only twist himself into a ball and fall asleep on the bed.
As a participant in the war, Shrike's holidays were always after the war, but as usual, even when he was resting, he had to stay in the Lower City and hang out with those foreigners.
Now the Lower City has become a ruins. The cruel torrent has bulldozed all the forces and conspiracies, leaving only ruins and stinking mud.
In the face of this majestic power, everything human seems extremely small, and is completely wiped out without any resistance.
Lower town was destroyed.
Naturally, there was no need for Shrike to return, so he simply rested in peace at the Black Mountain Hospital.
As for the lower city area, there were scavengers working on it. They dug up the muddy ground and dragged out the devoured corpses. Some of the survivors were organized together and built temporary residences near the countryside.
Everything is going on in an orderly manner, but there is also disorder and chaos.
The reverberations of the heavy rain are still haunting the city. Under such a disaster, many functions of Old Dunling have not yet been restored. In addition to the damage in various places, there have been various commotions recently. The patrolmen have stepped up their patrols, but they still cannot stop the crime.
happened.
For this reason, the purge agency once again dispatched rioters, who were walking on the streets, like heavy stones weighing on people's hearts, pushing their restless hearts into cold water again.
Shrike breathed a big sigh of relief. He was probably used to a busy life. Such tranquility actually made him feel a little uncomfortable. Thinking about it carefully, he had been lying like this decadently for several days. Although he was recovering from his injuries, there was no one there.
Come and disturb yourself and tell me if there is anything you need to deal with next...
This feeling is like being disconnected from the life they are familiar with. They no longer need the shrike.
Shrike was in a strange mood. It is reasonable to say that such a holiday should be a joy, but after staying for a long time, he felt that his body bones were getting rusty.
Sometimes he would wonder, not only himself, but also other people. What do everyone want, is a peaceful life, or the excitement between life and death?
At this time, there was a knock on the door, and someone pushed the door open.
"You look pretty good."
Lan Jade brought some fruit and came to visit the patient.
"It's okay, just a little cold."
As he spoke, Shrike tried his best to wrap up the quilt tightly and tied himself up tightly.
"Is the wound okay?" Seeing his appearance, Lan Jade asked with concern.
"Fortunately, I'm fine. The main thing is to observe the effects of a period of erosion. The doctors have been unwilling to let me go."
The shrike stood up and sat up, muttering.
These doctors cared deeply about Shrike, and it seemed that they knew that an outstanding employee like Shrike could not just die, so he enjoyed all-round care in the past few days.
"It is estimated that he will be discharged from the hospital in a few days."
Shrike looked out the window and said in a daze.
"I may have been idle for too long, and the longer I stay here, the more panicked I become."
Lan Jade smiled, and then said, "Does this count as your hard work?"
"Probably, but the active hard work life is not bad, at least it is much better than the passive unlucky guy like Kestrel."
The shrike joked about the kestrel.
Sometimes it is indeed like this. People's happiness comes from contrast. Every time the shrike feels very bad, he thinks about the kestrel and feels that everything is reasonable and he becomes happy.
"Don't be impatient, you will have to work hard later." Lan Jade said again.
Shrike raised his head and looked at her, he asked.
"What's wrong?"
"Gawain died in the line of duty, and you also know it." Lan Jade said.
"Um."
Shrike's eyes looked a little dim. This heavy rain took away too many lives. Even the Knight Commander was not spared this time. This was the first time in the history of the purification agency that it suffered such a heavy blow.
"Now that the knight captains are constantly dying, the purge agency needs a new batch of knight captains to fill the vacancies in this part."
"Um?"
Shrike raised his brows, not sure what this matter had to do with him. Then he realized something and seemed a little uneasy.
"not……"
"Yes, you are probably going to be promoted, Shrike, congratulations."
Lan Jade smiled and clapped her hands.
"No, no, this is just your guess, right?"
Shrike waved his hand quickly. He had never thought about this matter. Now that he talks about it, he still feels that it is very far away.
"No, this is very possible. The command force needs to be replenished, which must be selected from high-ranking knights, but you have also seen these high-ranking knights currently in service."
Lan Jade silently recited her familiar list in her heart.
There are actually many high-ranking knights in the purge agency, but most of them are working in other positions. People like Shrike Kestrel are often directly transferred, so they are active on the front line.
"Whether it's in terms of qualifications or achievements, you guys who have been through life and death are the first candidates.
Who else could you choose? Kestrel?"
Speaking of this, Lan Jade couldn't help laughing.
"It's not that I don't trust Kestrel, it's just that something feels wrong about letting him hold such a position."
Shrike also showed a helpless smile. When he thought about the future knight commanders who had no sense of seriousness and were full of bad words and complaints, he felt that it was very unreliable for Kestrel to become the knight commander.
From the looks of it, it seems like I'm really going to be promoted.
"Is there anything else? There shouldn't be any worse news."
"No, there is another party. Do you want to come?" Lan Jade said.
"reunion?"
"Well, the invitation came from Oscar Wilde. He said, 'Throw a celebration party for you heroes.'"
Lan Jade said as she took out an invitation letter. Although it was said to be an invitation from Oscar, the address was the Stuart home. It seemed that Oscar had successfully relied on the Stuart home.
"Ah...is that so? Has the time been set?"
"Not yet, but it looks like the Stuart family will send someone to pick you up."
Shrike couldn't help but sigh after hearing this.
"What a wealthy family."
The shrike leaned against the wall, hugged the quilt in front of him, stretched it out hard, and almost spread his body on the bed.
He looked at the ceiling, and the room gradually fell into silence, leaving only his and Lan Jade's heartbeat and breathing.
Shrike felt that he thought a lot, but it seemed that he didn't think about anything. His brain was simply empty, spending a boring and peaceful time.
"It's good to be alive, Blue Jade."
Shrike sighed.
…
"Promotion...salary increase...retirement..."
Kestrel was nestled on the sofa, sleeping deeply, mumbling in his sleep from time to time.
Probably due to various emotions, Lorenzo finally did not let him sleep in his room, but retaliated by letting Kestrel sleep on the sofa in the living room. Anyway, this guy wouldn't mind too much.
The kestrel leaned against the fireplace, like a big dog sleeping on a blanket in winter, sleeping in a terrible posture, assuming various postures that Lorenzo could hardly imitate.
Lorenzo sighed. If nothing else happened, with Kestrel's character, he would stay here for several days until he found a place to live.
"It looks like you have company."
Eve sat aside, looking at the sleeping kestrel, and said maliciously.
"If possible, I prefer to live alone." Lorenzo responded.
"Really?" Eve said, "I thought you would like a lively life."
Lorenzo hesitated for a few seconds, and then said uncertainly.
"Who knows? In fact, just now, when neither you nor Kestrel came, I was thinking that living alone seemed a bit boring. It was too deserted. I even thought about recruiting some roommates."
Lorenzo did not hide anything this time, but told it truthfully.
During these few days of rest, I wake up alone and go to bed alone every day... Even though he lives in such a prosperous old Dunling, the distance between Lorenzo and others has become very far.
"You're just not used to it."
"Habit?"
"Yes, fighting and killing only occupy a small part of life. For most people, there is simply no such day in their lives," Eve said, "Mediocrity is what most people want. normal."
"Is that so... maybe."
Lorenzo moved his injured arm, feeling the pain on it.
"I'm still learning, learning how to be more like a human being, how to live a normal life."
Looking back on his life, Lorenzo only felt that it was strange and abnormal, a demonic meat grinder with an expressionless face, and finally became like this.
In this case, Lorenzo could often understand his fear. He was used to the life of a demonic meat grinder. For ordinary people, the most ordinary life seemed to Lorenzo to be a mess. He knows the unknown, and now he is going deep into the unknown to learn and adapt.
"Perhaps what is missed can be made up for."
Lorenzo said something that Eve couldn't understand. This was the original meeting with Zuo Zhen. Lorenzo felt painful for the things he missed, but looking at it this way, if the demon could be eradicated, he might still have a chance to redeem himself. .
"But there must be something wrong with you, right?"
Lorenzo changed the subject and pointed directly at Eve.
This sudden question caught Eve off guard. She looked slightly panicked, but when she saw Lorenzo's mean eyes, she knew that she couldn't hide for long, so she simply admitted it frankly.
"There is indeed something."
"What?"
"I think I'm going to be promoted."
"Oh ah?"
Lorenzo exclaimed, stood up and looked at Eve, at a loss.
"Promoted? So quickly? How long have you been employed?"
"Who knows?"
Eve waved her hands, looking proud.
"Think about it, a newcomer has only been in the job for so long and has such a rich resume, but I am still a natural ranger... Now that there is a shortage of manpower, it seems that I will be promoted to a high-ranking knight."
Eve's resume is indeed good. She has experienced many battles, large and small, and she has also demonstrated sufficient abilities. She has become more and more calm in the hellish battlefield, and her natural advantage as a ranger allows her to penetrate deep into the enemy.
Army, cut seven in and seven out.
Thinking of this, Lorenzo's expression changed subtly. He recalled that the girl who shivered in the face of the demon could now chase the demon and kill him. Lorenzo couldn't help but sigh at the weirdness of this world.
"Actually, it's mainly because of Arthur, right?"
Lorenzo hits the nail on the head.
Eve was silent for a while and let out bursts of evil laughter.
"Then should I wish Miss Phoenix good luck in her career?" Lorenzo also laughed.
"This is natural. I will be the one to fall in love later..."
The two of them laughed, and Eve patted Lorenzo vigorously on the shoulder.
"Work hard and I'll get your share later!"
"Then I can only thank the boss in advance for his appreciation."
After laughing, Eve took a long breath, and then said enthusiastically.
"It's time to retire that bitch Arthur!"
"That's right! From now on, the purification mechanism will be your world!"
The two sang and harmonized, and Kestrel was caught in the middle, feeling that they were noisy.
In the dream, the kestrel is sitting next to a calm river. The river is full of stupid and big fish. He can easily catch a large group of them with a swing of his rod. The fish pile up next to him, as if they have never been used.
Worry about eating and drinking.
After an unknown amount of time, the office fell into calm again. Neither Lorenzo nor Eve said anything. They didn't seem to know what to talk about, but they didn't feel embarrassed and just enjoyed the calm.
"I remembered something I talked about with Oscar before."
In the calm, Lorenzo suddenly said.
"how?"
"I like his books very much and have read a lot, but in many of the stories, one plot follows the other. The characters are so busy that they can't breathe, and I can't breathe either..."
Lorenzo recalled.
"I like those characters very much. Rather than fighting and killing, I would rather see their ordinary daily lives, but that guy Oscar never writes about these things."
"And after that?"
"After?" Lorenzo laughed, "Then I put the nail sword on his neck, and this guy got scared very quickly."
"But even so, he still didn't want to write, but this time he told me the reason why he didn't write."
"What is it?"
"It's nothing, just boring."
Lorenzo enjoyed the peace, almost melting into the sofa like the kestrel.
"Ordinaryness is the normal state of most people. There are no thrilling stories or twists and turns. It's just very precious ordinaryness and boredom."
"It does sound quite boring."
Eve agreed. She also felt that there was nothing to do, so she lay down with Lorenzo.
"But I like this very much. Although it is boring, no one will die and no one will be injured. Everyone is like ordinary people, living an ordinary life and dying an ordinary life."
Lorenzo stared at the fireworks in the fireplace. The flames burned quietly, making his restless mind fall into peace. Even the furious beasts would probably sleep peacefully here.
"so good……"
Lorenzo sighed, and then a hairy thigh stretched out from the other side and kicked Lorenzo in the face.
Kestrel stretched out his body comfortably and slept on the carpet from the sofa. His sleeping position was terrible.
Lorenzo stood up expressionlessly, thinking about whether there were any free beds in Montenegro Hospital.