Embers of Embers

Chapter 221 Father and Daughter
"One is the Gospel that established the Evangelical Church, and the other is the Book of Revelation that established the Demon Hunting Order."
In the study, Arthur looked down at the words on the paper. This was the information he learned from Lorenzo, but in the end he was just a demon hunter. Although he belonged to the Metanzo faction, he was just a guard. The security guards and the more confidential parts were unknown to the witcher, but at least it allowed Arthur to see the framework of all these mysteries.
In the brief whisper, Arthur's eyes were solemn, staring at the word.
north.
What's in the north?Vikings, sea of ​​ice, cold wind, eternal night and extreme day...
In the eyes of ordinary people, this is all the north has, a restricted area of ​​life, and only those who are not afraid of death are willing to risk going there.
But from Arthur's perspective, he certainly knew what was in the north, those ascetic monks called the Keepers, but he didn't expect that there would be related to the origin of the Evangelical Church.
After pondering for a long time, he decided to give up thinking about their connection with the secret keepers. After all, once the secret keepers were involved, it would become extremely complicated. The last time the purification agency came into contact with those mysterious secret keepers was years ago, when Merlin He went to the north in person, but the Keeper did not see him. The unlucky alchemist almost froze to death on the ice field.
He had a headache and rubbed his temples, looking extremely distressed.
"Well, a book. To be honest, it's too easy to hide a book in such a vast land."
Since the death of Lawrence, the first task of the Purge Agency is to search for the whereabouts of "Revelation", but so far they have found nothing. In addition, with the passage of time, the mission from Feileng Cui, Cardinal Miguel fled... All these seem to point to "Apocalypse", this book that no one has ever seen with their own eyes, has become the center of the vortex.
"You look like you need a break."
Lan Jade came over from the side and brought tea to Arthur.
After Lawrence first appeared, everyone realized the terrifying single combat capabilities of the demon hunters. They themselves were strategic weapons that could walk on their own. It couldn't be easier to assassinate some important targets. After that, Arthur Bodyguards were added to all important people.
Although he still seems a little powerless against the witcher, he can at least feel a little bit safer. This time, Lan Jade is responsible for protecting Arthur, but compared to protecting Arthur, Lan Jade's function at the moment is more like a nanny.
"Oh! You are so sweet!"
Arthur said and took the tea.
Although Lan Jade said she cared about Arthur, her expression was extremely indifferent. In her words, according to her career plan, she should have killed a certain rich man and bask in it on the beach with his inheritance. The sun, instead, is here to serve Arthur.
"Well, time flies when you have a lady by your side."
Arthur glanced at the time. It was almost time for Eve to come back from get off work.
"I think every minute seems long." Lan Jade said unceremoniously, which made Arthur a little embarrassed.
"Stop it, you make me look like an annoying boss."
"Isn't it?" Unlike others, Lan Feicui was abducted into the car by Arthur halfway. If he didn't work for him, Lan Feicui would be sent to prison.
"Do you still need someone to protect you? After all, who are you... Captain Yin Erweg!"
Lan Jade went on to say that she didn't show any restraint in front of Arthur, but she kept her mouth shut, and the tasks that Arthur entrusted to her could still be executed efficiently.
Captain Inlvig, as a product of the Ranger Program, Arthur is considered a degraded version of a demon hunter in terms of physical fitness. Although he is not as powerful as a demon hunter, he is still an outstanding group among mortals. At that time, Lan Jade was thinking, if there is really a crisis, will she protect Arthur, or will Arthur protect herself?
"I've found a casual job for you. Now Kestrel and the others are still working overtime to search? And you just need to be by my side."
Blue Jade looked disgusted, which made Arthur feel even more uncomfortable.
"Following you? Feeling the male hormones of your old age?"
Arthur was extremely embarrassed. He never thought that Lan Jade could be so venomous.
"Okay, okay, I have to admit that I have another purpose in letting you come."
Arthur, who has always been strong, is rarely weak, as if he wants something from Lan Jade.
"What's the matter?" Lan Jade didn't expect that Arthur really needed her for something. She had been sarcastic and sarcastic to Arthur before, and she was very disrespectful to this boss. The purpose was to get out of this lunatic's paradise as soon as possible.
"You look a lot like Eve."
Arthur put the files away, and it looked like today's work could end here.
He manages the purification agency, an absolutely violent organization. With a single order, he can mobilize countless heavy firepower for long-range bombardment. Arthur is too powerful, but even such a person is not omnipotent. For example, for someone like him A rebellious daughter.
Arthur felt a headache when he thought of this.
"Wait a minute..."
Hearing this, Lan Jade's eyes became even worse.
"It's not what you think, I mean your... personalities are very similar."
Arthur's words were hesitant, as if he was thinking about how to explain this to Lan Jade.
"She's like an adult with childish qualities, and you're similar to her, but without those childish qualities."
"It's like never being beaten by society, right?"
Lan Jade said accurately.
"Yeah... almost." Arthur actually nodded in confirmation, and then he sighed.
"Nearly all of the Phoenix family are dead, and she and I are the only ones left. The cleanup agency is still a high-risk department. When I die, she will be alone... Eve will not understand this. She wants to know who she is. But sometimes the truth puts her in danger."
Arthur's expression looked very depressed. As a martial noble, too many people from the Phoenix family died in the Glorious War. Just like Eve's brothers, they all sacrificed their lives when the war was about to end. , Arthur lost all his children at that time.
"Like Lorenzo?" Lan Jade asked.
The cause of everything seemed to be Lorenzo. The appearance of that guy got everyone into trouble, but Arthur shook his head. It was rare that he did not blame Lorenzo.
"It's not his fault. Just like Merlin said, Eve relied on the connection between the demon and the darkness to survive. But equally, that connection has long existed. My years of hard work have only been It's just a delay, even if Lorenzo doesn't appear, there may be another person, another thing, that brings her back into the embrace of darkness."
Arthur was very sad.
"I'm worried about her, just like she thinks I'm overly doting. Without it, maybe she would have been caught by the darkness earlier."
Lan Jade felt the worry on Arthur's body. It came from the distress of a father, not the person in charge of the purification agency.
"It would be great if my father was like you." Lan Jade said lightly, that memory was heavy and light at the same time.
"He is a good man, but war can easily change people, no matter how strong the will will be, it will be broken under the fire of the head." Arthur said.
Lan Jade looked a little surprised, as if she didn't expect Arthur to know about her father. She said with some annoyance, "It's Shrike, right? I only told him."
During the operation in Ender Town, the two of them were besieged by demons, and when they were about to die, they talked to each other, or read the will. It was at that time that Blue Jade confided the unknown past to Shrike.
"It's not the Shrike, do you really think that the Purification Agency won't investigate your past?"
The corners of Arthur's mouth lifted slightly, showing no signs of stability.
"Although the clean-up agency will accept those who have the ability, the background check will still be more or less limited."
Lan Jade was silent. She killed her father with her own hands and thought she had done the right thing. After so long, she didn't know whether it was right or wrong, so she just gave a brief reply.
"That was my mistake."
"People will always make mistakes. Some mistakes can be saved, but some mistakes are irreparable." Arthur said slowly.
People always do wrong things, but some wrong things keep chasing you like a shadow, always reminding you of the pain and making you alert.
"I don't want Eve to be my mistake." Since Arthur's wife died, the only warmth he had given to her.
"Actually, you can tell her." Lan Jade seemed to know these secrets. Although she didn't join the purification agency very early, she had vaguely heard about those things.
"How to tell her?" Arthur looked distressed. "Tell her that it was because of her that her mother died? It shouldn't be like this, Blue Jade."
Arthur usually doesn't smoke, but at this time he couldn't help but take out a pack of cigarettes from the drawer. It looked very old, and even the cigarette paper was a little wrinkled and yellow.
"I haven't smoked since her death... very little to be precise. It's only at times like this that I can't help but have one."
Arthur lit the tobacco from who knows how many years ago, and the pungent smell rose, but he smoked it without caring.
"Eve is a little naive, childish, and has a strange sense of justice... In fact, these sound stupid, but sometimes this damn world is like this, and upright people are laughed at."
Arthur spoke slowly, perhaps because the work these days had really made him tired, he seemed to be pouring out his worries for so long.
"Only the cunning ones live longer."
He sighed, "But... it shouldn't be like this. The world shouldn't be like this, but sometimes I also think it's stupid for Eve to want to be a police detective and punish evil and promote good."
Arthur's words are full of contradictions and self-deprecation.
"When I thought about this, I suddenly realized this. I was so scared. I stayed in the dark for too long, and I became like this."
He looked at Lan Jade, his tone full of helplessness and fear.
"I have also been 'corrupted' by demons, and my thoughts have become so dirty. The so-called 'punishing evil and promoting good' has become stupid in my eyes. It shouldn't be like this, I shouldn't be like this. "
For some reason, Arthur suddenly thought of Lorenzo. That lunatic always talked bad words, but sometimes those bad words had some strange philosophy.
"I've become like this, a boring adult."
Arthur laughed when he thought of this. If Lorenzo hadn't always taken Eve on adventures, he would still like this detective. No matter how critical the situation was, he could tell bad jokes to liven up the atmosphere, so that even if he was going to Death became less oppressive.
Lan Jade on the side said calmly.
"When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes into you."
"It's more than just staring, Blue Jade, we are already in the abyss. Under the mortal skin, the flesh and blood heart has become as hard as iron stone."
The cigarette was extinguished, perhaps because it was damp due to long-term storage, and it could not be completely lit. Arthur threw it on the ground and crushed it with his feet.
"But Eve can't. She can't go into the abyss. She is a good child. Whether she is innocent or childish, it all belongs to her. She cannot let those dirty ghosts get involved."
"You are like a towering tree, blocking all the wind and rain. She grows up safely under your protection... But what if the tree collapses one day?" Lan Jade asked.
These words were like cold rain, extinguishing Arthur's newly ignited anger. The old guy slumped in his chair, his expression dejected.
"Yeah, what if I die? People will die all the time. Who can take care of her if I die?"
Arthur murmured to himself that the person who commands thousands of troops is essentially just an ordinary person, an ordinary old guy.
"My family, friends, and familiar people are all dead. They died in the Glorious War, or were buried under the claws of demons... The only few people who can be considered acquaintances are also Merlin's kind. Those The alchemist is the true heart of stone, having no desires and desires, only longing for the truth.”
I don’t know how many times I sighed tonight, Arthur said slowly.
"Well, it's been a long time since I've vented my emotions like this. The older I get, the more I feel like this. Many things are hard to explain."
He looked at Lan Jade and then said, "Then please help me?"
"I don't know how to help you." Lan Jade never accepted such a commission to deal with family disputes?
"You two have very similar personalities. Just chat with her more. Eve doesn't have many friends. After all, sometimes identity can become a bondage."
Lan Jade continued to be silent, her expression seemed a little helpless, then Arthur continued.
"Calculate your performance and bonus."
Lan Jade became even more silent, and said after a long time, "Will she understand you?"
Arthur didn't want Eve to know that. He didn't dare to think about what would happen if Eve knew the truth. She was a somewhat innocent and childlike girl. The cruel truth might turn her into the same heart of stone. There is no shortage of her in the world. Such a flower, but to Arthur it was the only one.
"Yes, Eve will understand, it's just a matter of time." Arthur looked extremely confident, and he looked at Lan Jade.
"Don't you understand your father too?"
Lan Jade was startled. She didn't know how to answer. A strange sense of sadness overflowed from the iron stone, as if everything had returned to that snowy night, when the man fell drunkenly on the snow, and her mother begged, but Silent myself again.
"Perhaps," she replied.
(End of this chapter)