Embers of Embers

Chapter 110 Difficulties
In the quiet space, countless bookshelves surrounded the huge round table. Lorenzo sat on one side, and Arthur and Merlin sat on the other far side. The distance between them seemed to be unreachable.
The nostrils are full of stale smells, telling about the long time here, like the silent singing of a bard, pouring out words.
Lorenzo slowly leaned back in his chair, feeling a little surprised and a little shocked.
Alchemy is a word that has almost disappeared in the long river of history. It is the most secret wisdom of the old era. Every alchemist clings to his own knowledge and records it in the cursed parchment with a complex code book. Therefore, no one could understand them after they died, so the glorious alchemy gradually died out due to the changes of the times and the stubbornness of the alchemists.
Nowadays, this technology is only vaguely mentioned in some folk legends, and there are not many people in the world who really understand it.
But now a living alchemist is sitting in front of him, and he is also the technical director of the eternal pump.
Lorenzo had already put away his contempt and looked solemn. He knew the value of an alchemist very well.
"In other words, the person who really wants to see me...is you?"
Merlin nodded, his voice hoarse.
"To be precise, it's for your inference. Joey has repeated your thoughts, and we think this is a possibility."
Possibility, this is what Lorenzo and Joey were talking about when they were in 121A Cork Street.
According to Joey, a demon has been committing crimes in Old Dunling during this period, and judging from the trajectory of its actions, it can be clearly determined that the demon retains its sanity.
The Geiger counter cannot detect the demon's actions. Just like Lorenzo, as long as the secret blood calms down, it will not be corrosive to any demon. In other words, the demon that keeps moving may be a hunter. Devil.
Lorenzo and Joey both thought of this at the time. This was no small matter. Lorenzo’s strength alone could tell the overall combat effectiveness of the witcher, and after Lancelot’s pursuit, everyone judged that The demon was dead, but subsequent reports from the scavenger troops showed that they did not find the demon's body in the steam well.
So is there a possibility that it is the demon hunter who has been carrying out the killing? Only the demon hunter can escape from the surveillance of the Peeper system, and only the demon hunter can withstand so many attacks without dying, even in the steam He didn't die in the well, he just calmed down the secret blood and left from another place.
The appearance of an unknown demon hunter in Old Dunling, combined with the news of the new Pope of the Evangelical Church and the rebuilding of the Demon Hunting Order, is simply chilling.
"It's just a possibility."
Lorenzo said with certainty.
"That thing is not a demon hunter, at least not a demon hunter in the sequence of the Demon Hunt Order."
"Do you have any internal method of judging identity?"
Arthur asked slowly.
"It's not a method of judgment, but the demon hunters are basically dead. Even if there are survivors, they will hide honestly instead of doing any damn revenge killings."
Lorenzo said frankly that he thought he was the last witcher after the night of Advent, but obviously he was not the only one who was so lucky.
"What's more, if it is really a demon hunter, he will not do such torture. Within the cult, we have many methods to torture heretics. If you just want a person to feel pain, there is no need to do that."
The Demon Hunting Order has never been a glorious and sacred place. In order to achieve its desired goal, the deep dungeon is filled with people's corpses.
Arthur was silent. He did not continue to ask Lorenzo questions about the witcher. He also knew very well that Lorenzo would not tell anything related to the Night of Holy Advent.
"So if it's not a demon hunter, is it possible that it's someone who can control demonization to a certain extent?"
The silent Merlin spoke, and Lorenzo's eyes turned to him with a slightly cold expression.
"It's basically impossible. Demon hunters are essentially a group of people who can freely control demonization. But in order to achieve this level, the Evangelical Church has conducted hundreds of years of experiments to stabilize the secret blood, not to mention implanting binding Silver Bolt and Alchemy Matrix and other technologies.”
Some people say that the strength of a country can be inferred from a sharp weapon. This principle is no exception when it comes to Lorenzo. Just the secrets revealed by the demon hunter at this moment are like the deep blue sea. A small thing can make a big difference. , the deep bottom of the evangelical church cannot be seen at all.
"But there are exceptions."
Lorenzo said again.
For a moment, he suddenly thought of a person, the desperado who had fought all his life to survive.
Lorenzo was rarely impressed by a person, and Sabo was one of them. It was difficult for him to remember his appearance, but the blood-stained mask always appeared in his mind, along with the venomous words, as if they were cursing. Same as the whole world.
"I have won everything in life, but just a little bit, just a little bit..."
Lorenzo couldn't help but shudder.
That deformed dwarf possesses a willpower beyond ordinary people's imagination. In order to survive, even the inferior secret blood cannot completely swallow it.
Even if it is a secret blood ritual originating from the Demon Hunting Order, many people will not be able to withstand it, but Sabo can survive, but after all, he cannot resist the erosion, and it is only a matter of time before he loses his mind.
"Perhaps... a degraded witcher?"
Lorenzo thought about it, and he felt that it would be faster to use such words to describe it.
"What do you mean?"
Arthur asked, while Merlin on the side spoke slowly.
"You mean, it can also calm the demonization, just like controlling the secret blood?"
"It's impossible to completely control it. Even the Order can't do it. I think it can be controlled to a certain extent, but it will definitely be much worse than the Demon Hunter, such as stability, overall strength, etc."
"Then it seems that someone is secretly trying to copy the secret blood technology of the Demon Hunting Order."
"This is obvious. Even your purification agency has made such an attempt, right?"
Lorenzo thought of Eve. He didn't know where the weak secret blood in Eve's body came from at first, but when he realized that Arthur was the Duke of Phoenix, everything was explained clearly. A long time ago, Eve also entered the secret center of the purification agency, but she had forgotten it.
The secrets of the Purification Agency are not much less than those of the Demon Hunting Order. It is even said that because he does not understand the whole situation of the Purification Agency, Lorenzo feels a sense of crisis at the moment. Maybe a group of original sin armors will break in the next second. , I studied the frozen section myself.
At this point, the atmosphere became silent. In fact, Lorenzo said this on purpose, also to test whether Eve's secret blood is really related to the purification mechanism. Judging from the two silent people, the situation is basically the same as Lorenzo's. Zuo guessed pretty much.
No wonder your father loves you so much. It turns out you were a monster before.
Lorenzo whispered in his heart, and suddenly wanted to laugh. Eve was like this, and Seleu was like this. He found that the people he got along with were basically not normal people. Is this an attraction between freaks?
But these things just passed through his mind, and he didn't dare to say them out. After all, Arthur had tried to kill him more than once.
"Alchemy...maybe alchemy can fill that gap."
Merlin's hoarse voice sounded again, interrupting the train running in Lorenzo's mind.
"alchemy?"
Lorenzo didn't really understand this almost lost technology. He was positioned as a warrior and a guard in the Demon Hunting Order. He was the hand holding the sword, and the hand holding the sword didn't need to know how the sword was made. of.
"The recent events are not just about demons being active..."
"Merlin."
Arthur suddenly interrupted Merlin's words with a deep voice. The young but sickly face turned towards Arthur and he spoke slowly.
"There is no need to hide anything. I believe in Mr. Holmes's character."
"Are you sure you know the behavior of this lunatic? I have a thick copy of his black history here. If it is sent to Su Alan Hall, according to Yin Erweg's law, he will stay in prison until his death. Of course, the premise is He can live to be two hundred years old.”
Arthur was worried about Lorenzo and felt a strong sense of hostility.
Lorenzo on the other hand didn't care at all, but the way he looked at Merlin changed slightly, as if he had a little sympathy for the same kind of people. After all, there are not many people who are so discerning nowadays.
"Changing the topic, Mr. Holmes, can I ask you a few questions?"
Merlin looked at Lorenzo again. This seemed to be the first time the two of them had looked directly at each other. Merlin's somewhat hollow eyes were reflected in his gray-blue eyes. Lorenzo suddenly felt an unspeakable feeling of discomfort. Merlin's eyes were as empty as those of a dead person, as if the soul under this body was no longer there, and now he was just a walking corpse.
"what do you wish to ask."
Lorenzo swallowed and sat upright.
"Mr. Holmes, are you aware of the train problem?"
Lorenzo was taken aback for a moment, as if he didn't expect such a rotten problem.
"Are you saying that a train is rumbling towards you, with five people on one side and one person on the other? Should one person or five people be sacrificed, right?"
Merlin nodded.
"Then what are you going to do?"
Lorenzo was silent for a moment, then leaned forward slightly, like a beast preparing to hunt.
"In fact, this question is essentially about whether we have the power to sacrifice the interests of a small number of people to safeguard the interests of the majority."
Eyes sharpened.
"Just like the purification agency, just like the Demon Hunting Order, in order to fight against the demons, do we have to sacrifice a small number of people to protect more people?"
Merlin smiled and nodded.
"go on."
"If it were my choice, of course it would be to kill one person and save five."
Lorenzo replied directly without thinking too much.
"Why did you make this decision? Is it just because you can save more people?"
Merlin asked, leaning his head, rarely interested.
"The lesser of two evils."
Lorenzo answered simply. Time seemed to be flying by. The hall of the round table began to collapse, and finally returned to the desolate [gap]. The man smiled at Lorenzo.
This is the truth he taught Lorenzo, and it is also the truth he insists on. Sometimes Lorenzo feels that he is so similar to him, so similar that Lorenzo is like his shadow.
The lesser of two evils.
Merlin savored these words, but at this moment Lorenzo on the opposite side broke away from his thoughts and asked.
"Is this your question? It's a bit too simple."
"Indeed, many people just talk about it, but in reality they will make different choices. Of course, some people are afraid of making choices... to be precise, they are afraid of the 'sin' they will bear after making a choice."
"Don't tell me, there are six unlucky guys tied to the railroad tracks right now, waiting for me to make a decision, right? This is too funny."
Lorenzo's old face darkened. There must be lunatics in this purification agency.
"How could it be, Mr. Holmes? We will not do such an inhumane thing, but because we cannot actually prove it, I hope you will be serious enough and make a decision that comes from your heart."
Merlin clasped his hands together, looking serious.
Lorenzo also answered seriously.
"Then this is my decision, the lesser of two evils."
Merlin didn't speak anymore, but seemed to be deep in thought. After a long time, Lorenzo asked again.
"So that's your problem? There's really nothing new to be honest."
A smile slowly appeared on Merlin's dead face, and he looked at Lorenzo.
"Mr. Holmes, do you think I'd be that boring? That's not the whole problem."
"That means there is a second problem?"
Lorenzo chuckled. He is a determined person. His body is a cage, and he is locked up with the demon. He must always be firm and strong. Only in this way can he suppress the demon's will and fight. Only In this way, the name of this body is Lorenzo Holmes, not some damn John Watson or some other damn name.
He's Lorenzo Holmes, always has been.
At some point, the conversation became tense. Merlin breathed lightly and then spoke slowly.
"second question."
"Suppose five people are tied to a railroad track, and there is only one railroad track."
Merlin added.
In Lorenzo's eyes, he was already in that structured world. Five unlucky guys were tied to the railroad tracks, and a steam train came slowly with its melodious whistle.
"There's no fork in the road. It's just you and one other person standing by the track. There are only two ways to stop the train from running over you."
Lorenzo seemed to be aware of some crisis, and then the world was constructed in Merlin's words, and a person appeared beside Lorenzo.
Its appearance changes rapidly. It can be Eve, Seleu, or this disgusting Arthur. It can be anyone among all living beings.
"Two ways, push the person next to you onto the tracks. The train will run over him first and then stop, so the five people are saved."
Merlin smiled like a fox.
"or……"
"I'll go up and sacrifice myself to help everyone, right?"
Lorenzo said.
　Thanks to the love warrior Wilde (I like this kind of ID with its own memes) for the reward. Every penny you give will become my rent to prevent me from freezing to death in the cold winter in the Northeast. I also thank you for the previous reward. Brother, subscribed
　
(End of this chapter)