Embers of Embers

Chapter 681 The boring life
"Ah...the real peace that I haven't seen for a long time."
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 continue to have problems, and heating everywhere begins 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 every holiday was after the war, but as usual, even if he had a rest, he would 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 ruined.
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 survivors were organized together and established 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 the 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. They strolled on the streets, like heavy stones weighing on people's hearts, plunging 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 to visit the patient.
"It's okay, it's just a little cold."
The shrike said and worked hard to wrap the quilt tightly and tie 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 were very concerned about Shrike. 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. The longer I stay here, the more panic I get."
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 much better than the passive hapless guy Kestrel."
The Shrike joked about the kestrel.
Sometimes it is indeed like this. People's happiness comes from contrast. Every time 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 happened?"
"Gawain died in the line of duty, you also know it." Lan Jade said.
"Ah."
Shrike's eyes looked a bit 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 commanders are constantly dying, the purification agency needs a new batch of knight commanders to fill the vacancies in this part."
"Ok?"
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 hastily, he had never thought about this aspect, and now speaking of it, he still felt 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 work 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 No. 1 choices.
Who else but you?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 wry smile. When he thought of the subsequent 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."
The 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, and stretched it out hard, almost spreading his body on the bed.
He looked at the ceiling, and the room gradually fell into silence, leaving only his and Lan Jade's heartbeats and breathing.
Shrike felt that he had thought a lot, but it seemed as if he was not thinking about anything. His mind 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 stood close to the fireplace, like a big dog sleeping on a blanket in winter, in a terrible position, in 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.
"Looks like you have company."
Eve sat aside, looking at the sleeping Kestrel, and said maliciously.
"If possible, I still 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 spoke uncertainly himself.
"Who knows? In fact, just now, when you and Kestrel didn't come, 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 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.
"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. He was a demonic meat grinder with an expressionless face, and finally turned into 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 was 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 topic 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 soon? How long have you been employed?"
"Who knows?"
Eve waved her hand with a proud look.
"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 ranger advantage allows her to penetrate deep into the enemy. Army, cut seven in and seven out.
Thinking of this, Lorenzo's expression changed subtly. Thinking about the girl who shivered in front of the monster back then, but now she could chase the monster and kill him, Lorenzo couldn't help but sigh at the weirdness of this world.
"Actually, it's mainly because of Arthur, right?"
Lorenzo hit 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. When I become one later..."
The two laughed, and Eve patted Lorenzo's shoulder vigorously.
"Do it well, and you'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 in harmony, and Kestrel was caught in the middle, feeling that they were noisy.
In the dream, the kestrel was sitting next to a calm river. The river was full of stupid and big fish. He could easily catch a large group of fish with a swing of his rod. The fish piled up beside him, as if they would never be 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 of them, but in many 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 want to see their ordinary daily lives, but that guy Oscar never writes these things."
"Then?"
"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 and, like Kestrel, almost melted into the sofa.
"Ordinaryness is the normal state of most people. There are no thrilling stories or tortuous experiences. It's just very precious ordinaryness and boredom."
"It does sound quite boring."
Eve agreed, feeling that there was nothing else 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 ordinarily and dying ordinarily."
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 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.
(End of this chapter)