Why it never ends

Chapter 57 Proof of Friendship

"The old couple's original plan was to imprison the dozens of people until they got sick, and then release them together—but the astonishing smell in the basement alerted the neighbors in advance, and the public security police quickly discovered the place. At that time, the old couple was dying in the apartment. They had reached the end of their chelation and were powerless to resist.

"Until then, the authorities realized that the chelation disease had quietly spread in Askia. The Askia government immediately activated the highest level of defense filing, and finally found that they had lost contact with the habitable place. So they The cavalry was sent to the adjacent wilderness and habitable places as fast as possible-not only to inform the danger here, but also to seek rescue.

"At the same time, the entire Askia—the five districts—are all sealed off.

"Every household took out spare anti-epidemic sprays and sprayed them on people and furniture-this batch of sprays was left by AHgAs. They said that this strong fragrance can cause disgust to a certain extent. "

"...Is it really possible?" Hesta asked.

Liz shook her head, "Actually, no, the chelate has a very sensitive sense of smell, but they don't have any preference or dislike for the smell - the real purpose of these sprays is to protect the undiscovered mercury needles in the crowd.

"Do you remember the trap I told you just now? After a head-on encounter with a chelate, most mercury needles will awaken at once, and without cover, they are easily partially chelated due to their own special smell Therefore, Mercury Needle uses the excuse of 'spray can cause chelation aversion' as an excuse to let people actively take these interference measures when they find signs of chelation disease.

“We did everything according to the chelation disease manual. At first, we put white ribbons on the door to indicate that no one in the family felt symptoms of the disease;

"After a few days, we put on a yellow ribbon, indicating that some members of the family showed laziness and depression, and they may be suspected patients of chelation disease;
"After half a month, we put on the black ribbon again, indicating that some members of our family have shown signs of chelation in their arms."

Liz talked about her past with a calm expression, as if she was telling a story about a stranger.

In Askia's final days, she and her family quietly waited for Mercury's rescue.

However, they didn't know at that time that all the horses and cavalry who sent out the information were intercepted and killed by chelate on the way south - those infected people who fled hastily before the closure of the city had already become ill at this time, and had already died in the four fields. Loitering for a long time.

The whole of Askia died slowly in waiting.As more and more people fell ill, the city turned into a terrible hell. The chelates not only took pleasure in killing civilians, but they also fought fiercely with each other.

Liz's family moved into their own cellar early, and they could often hear the faint and dull crashing sound from the ground, which was the chelates playing in the city.

Although food and water are stored in the dark cellar, they cannot stop the erosion of chelation disease.

The first person to have limb mutations was the grandmother.She has been calmly directing everyone to deal with this disaster. After realizing that she might be recruited, she immediately quarantined herself, but depression and despair have already fallen on everyone's heads, and no one can be spared .

Grandma told them that after discovering that someone has pincers, they must not be relentless-either let that person commit suicide, or other people will work together to solve the threat.

As long as it lasts long enough, until the mercury needle arrives, everything will be over.

Afterwards, the grandmother cut her own carotid artery with a sickle.

After many tears, the father and brother dragged the grandmother's body to a storage room in the cellar, away from the vents.

Then came Liz's mother, who, after a farewell she'll never forget, followed in her grandmother's footsteps.

Then, bad luck came again... In extreme desperation, Liz avoided the crowd and locked herself in the storage room where her grandmother was.

In that dark underground chamber, she stayed with her grandmother's decomposing corpse for another three days.

When the door was opened again, all the corpses in the dark cellar had disappeared—they were all moved out of the ground and buried together.

All Askia is a dead city.

"It's just as my grandmother said," Liz said softly. "The mercury needle is here, and it's over."

Hesta stretched out his hand and gently pressed the back of Liz's cold hand.

"When I first came to the base, I used to have nightmares, and now I don't have any more. But sometimes I also think, if someone had been looking after the old couple and their children that year, if everyone could pay more attention On people who are still alive, or, Askia did not take into account the death penalty ban in the third district, but insisted on our own laws... Is it true that things will not go to the last step."

Liz's clasped hands gradually clenched, and the bent knuckle bones turned white.

"Is it... the whole of Askia can also avoid that kind of tragic ending.

"After all, there were accidental infections before in Askia. Everyone reported it early, arranged for patients to live in places for treatment, checked and isolated all close contacts...all survived."

The wind from the woods blew over their bodies, messing up their hair, and the sound of the woods rubbing against each other was like real ocean waves.

Liz looked at Hesta: "Before Ms. Morley said that I was too obsessed with the punishment itself, maybe it was true. When dealing with these things, I always inevitably bring my personal emotions... That's why I think, I am not suitable to be this assistant officer. Especially..."

Liz looked down at her hands, "I'm afraid I'll hurt you again, like this time... I lost my sense of proportion."

"this is not your fault--"

"However, I don't want you to go to extremes, and it's not all for this reason." Liz adjusted her breathing, trying to restore her voice to be stable again, she whispered, "Sean is a more cunning opponent than expected, you It's really easy to lose money if you confront him head-on right now. If necessary, I can also help you after I am relieved of the position of 'assistant officer'—"

Before Liz finished speaking, Hesta shook her head.

"Have you ever heard a sentence like this?" The so-called revenge must not only punish him, but also make sure that I am not punished after punishing him. If the avenger himself is punished, it cannot be regarded as revenge. If The avenger doesn't let the perpetrator know who's taking revenge, and that's not revenge either.'”

"...Who said this?"

"Edgar," Hesta said, sitting on the bench, shaking her feet leisurely, "he wrote it in "A Barrel of Monteya."

Liz laughed again at the name Edgar—she should have guessed it earlier.

"So...you already have your own plan."

"Yeah." Hesta nodded, "It may not be so extreme, but I must come in person."

"Then... I wish you the best of luck."

Hesta hesitated for a moment, "If in the future, you are no longer my assistant officer...we can still be friends, right?"

Liz smiled slightly.

"My grandmother used to say, give, take, tell a secret, ask a question, eat together—these are the five proofs of friendship," Liz said. "We're already friends."

She held out her hand to Hesta, who, looking at her, took it firmly.

(End of this chapter)