The old caretaker of the cemetery didn't like this kind of snowy day - not only because the cold weather would make his already overburdened joints ache, but also because this kind of snowy day always reminded him of something long ago.
things.
Some not-so-good things.
For example, the rebellion fifty years ago, the freeze disaster thirty years ago, the collapse of Nancheng District seventeen years ago... There is nothing good about such heavy snow.
The old man rubbed his hands and looked back at the cemetery, which was also covered with snow.
The boundaries of the cemetery path are blurred by snow, and only footprints on the white ground outline the route to the morgue and the caretaker's cabin. The gas lamp has been extinguished, and the dark light pole stands on the snow like a dead tree trunk.
It was quite lonely going up there.
Several steam cars were parked in the open space in the cemetery, completely covered with snow. The guards in black were laboriously clearing the snow from the cars and trying to clear a path in the snow for the cars.
The accessible road - it looks quite awkward.
They need to finish the job before the snow freezes solid and the roads become more difficult to clear.
A howling wind blew nearby, and there was gray smoke in the wind. Agatha's figure came out of the wind and smoke. The young gatekeeper came to the old gatekeeper: "Half of the people today
We will withdraw, leaving only two teams to help you guard the cemetery."
"They can all evacuate, and I can have some peace and quiet." The old guard raised his eyelids and glanced at the gatekeeper. "It's a waste to keep so many people here."
"It's not a waste of manpower - you don't have to worry about me not having enough people."
"I don't have time to worry about you," the old guard muttered, and then he mentioned it inadvertently, "You sent an elite team out in the middle of the night last night. Did something happen in the city?"
Agatha looked at the old man: "Are you still concerned about things outside the cemetery?"
"I'm just asking. It's up to you whether you say it or not." The old guard shrugged.
"...There's something going on on Hearth Street. A fight broke out between high-level transcendent beings. There was quite a commotion. The patrolling guards rushed over but missed," Agatha said slowly. "Now we can only determine the two sides fighting.
One of the parties is the Annihilation Cult - they died miserably, and one of them died in a strange manner, which is not consistent with any known supernatural power."
The old guard's eyebrows twitched obviously, and his tone became more serious: "Fireplace Street?"
"...Don't worry, no innocent citizens were injured," Agatha seemed to know what the old man was worried about. "But judging from the reports from the team, there are more than one weird clues over there. I may have to go and see the situation myself."
The old guard said nothing, just nodded slightly, but the look in his eyes had become serious.
Agatha is a young gatekeeper, but no matter how young she is, her status as a "gatekeeper" was obtained through rigorous training and difficult tests. As the highest spokesperson of the church in the city-state, her actions themselves indicate the priority of the situation.
.
The situation that happened on Hearth Street was probably not as calm as her attitude showed at the moment - nor was it just a battle between extraordinary beings. An elite team of defenders went to investigate, but in the end the gatekeeper
Go and deal with it yourself, this matter is no big deal.
But that is something outside the cemetery, and it is not something that he, the "gravekeeper" who has retreated to the second line, should pay attention to.
Let the young gatekeepers and guardians take care of it.
After a lot of effort, the guards finally cleared away the snow and started the steam core of the car. The two dark gray steam cars drove out of the cemetery and soon disappeared in the small road leading to the block.
On the road.
The old guard watched the two cars leave, shook his head, and prepared to return to the cemetery.
But just when he was about to turn around, he suddenly saw a familiar little figure appearing at the end of the path out of the corner of his eye.
A little girl wearing a thick coat was walking towards the cemetery with some difficulty.
The old guard immediately stopped. He watched the little figure approaching here, but the expression on his face seemed a little angry. At this moment, the little figure also saw the old man standing at the entrance of the cemetery——
She stopped by the roadside, raised her face, waved her arms happily, and then continued walking towards the old man.
Finally, she walked to the ruts left by the two steam cars when they left. Her steps finally relaxed a little. She bent down and patted the snowflakes on the hem of her clothes and trousers. She came to the entrance of the cemetery and smiled.
Looking at the old man with a serious and even angry face in front of him.
"Grandpa Guard, I'm here again!" Annie happily greeted the old guard.
Today she put on a thick white coat, long white boots, and a white woolen hat on her head. She seemed to be melting into this snow-covered city.
"You still go out in this kind of weather and come to this kind of place!" The old guard glared and said in a very stern tone, "You will make the family worried."
"I told my mother that I would go back soon today," Annie smiled, her face a little red from the cold. "School is on holiday. I was going to play with my friends, but they didn't want to go out, so I came.
Looking for you!"
"...Staying at home like your friends is better than running to the cemetery in heavy snow and road closures," the old man said in a cold tone, "The cemetery is not open today because there is too much snow inside.
You go home."
However, the girl didn't seem to hear her. She just glanced behind the old man and then raised her face expectantly: "My dad..."
"I didn't come," the old man said bluntly. "With such bad weather, even if there is a plan to send the spirit, it will be postponed."
Anne was stunned for a moment, but she was not disappointed. She pursed her lips and said, "Then... I'll ask again when the weather gets better... He will always come, right?"
The old guard stared quietly into the child's eyes. For a short moment or two, he even regretted that he should not have made the promise to the child six years ago that "your father will come back here."
In the final analysis, my heart at that time... was still a little softer.
After being silent for an unknown amount of time, the old man finally opened his mouth: "...Perhaps, you can hear news from him one day in the future."
This is his greatest euphemism.
A twelve-year-old child should have understood this long ago.
Annie blinked, a smile appeared on her face, then she reached into her small bag and took out a package of something and handed it to the old man in front of her.
"Biscuits again?" The old guard raised his eyebrows.
"It's ginger tea powder. I made it with my mother, and it also contains herbs that can dispel colds and warm the stomach!" Annie said proudly, and stuffed the thing into the old man's hands without any explanation. "You always guard the cemetery alone.
It's snowing again now, it must be very cold at night, right?"
The old man looked at the things in his hands.
He doesn't need this - the potion supply issued by the church to the cemetery guards is ten times more effective than this thing. His seemingly thin guard's hut is actually full of protective spells and special materials, not to mention it can withstand the cold wind.
, even if the cemetery really gets out of control, the small house can withstand external impacts like a steel fortress.
"Thank you," he accepted Anne's gift. Perhaps it had been too long since he had smiled, and the curve of his mouth was a little stiff. "This is very useful to me."
Then, his expression turned cold again.
"I've collected the things. You should go home quickly and try not to go out for the next two days."
"Why?"
"...it's not safe in the city recently," the old guard said seriously. He thought of what Agatha had just mentioned to him and the extraordinary incident that happened on Hearth Street last night. "Go back and tell your mother that you should go out less often in the near future."
, if you find something wrong, go to the nearest church or the sheriff for help - Anne, this is a very serious matter, do you remember?"
Annie seemed to be calmed down by the old man's sudden and stern tone. She was startled for a moment before nodding hastily: "Remember...remember."
"Okay, let's go home," the old man breathed out, and gave the eviction order, "While the weather is still there..."
He raised his head and stopped abruptly in the second half of his sentence.
An extraordinarily tall and burly figure appeared near the cemetery gate at some point, raising his head and looking here - the figure was wearing a long black windbreaker, a wide-brimmed hat, his face was covered with bandages, and everything on his body was covered with bandages.
The details are hidden in the clothes, hats and bandages.
There is another person next to this burly figure. She is a petite lady wearing a dark purple luxurious dress. Her blond hair is like a waterfall. She wears a soft hat and a veil on her face. Her appearance cannot be seen clearly, but she exudes an elegance.
And a mysterious temperament.
But almost all of the old guard's attention was focused on that tall and burly figure - he was staring in that direction, his eyeballs seemed to be anchored by an invisible force and it was difficult to move, and slight noises began to make noise in his mind.
Subtle jitters and shifts began to appear at the edge of the field of vision, which was obviously a sign that the mind was suffering from mild pollution and interference.
The experienced old guard instantly realized what had happened - it was the "visitor".
Because I have been in contact with this unspeakable guest many times, and once fell into a crazy state under the influence of incense, I have established a certain connection with him!
But this was only a preliminary and almost harmless contact, so the old guard was not nearly incapacitated as before.
He could still move - so he reached out and pulled Annie behind him.