Iron Power And Sorcerer

Iron Power And Sorcerer Chapter 340

2021-08-01

Chapter 340 Ordinary Person and Devil

Jiangbei Province, Xiaolu City.

Dawn Furnace is famous for two things, one is the faience and the other is the infamous "stone mountain prison".

Stone Mountain Prison is a debtor's prison for the indebted bankrupt and the tax delinquent poor.

Unless relatives and friends are willing to lend a helping hand, there are only two outcomes for the unfortunate person locked up in the stone mountain prison: either die of illness in a dark and crowded cell, or die in the day after day hard labor. shoot.

After the military government took over the city of Xiaolu, the stone mountain prison was also requisitioned, and it was no longer limited to the collection of debtors.

The identities of the new prisoners include [deserter], [Red Rose supporter], [public official who refused to swear allegiance], etc. They have two characteristics in common: first, they are regarded as criminals and enemies by the military government; second, the military government does not care if they live or die.

In October alone, nearly a hundred deserters and deserters were sent to Stone Mountain Prison; in November, that number rose to two hundred.

The already overcrowded stone mountain prison was overwhelmed by the influx of new prisoners, and the junta's solution to the problem was simple - not enough prison space? Wouldn't that make room for it?
So after the winter, the main job of the warden at Stone Mountain Prison is to execute the prisoners who were imprisoned in the prison last month, so as to make room for the prisoners who were imprisoned in the prison next month.

In theory anyway—that is, acknowledging the validity of the decree issued by the military government—the "deserters," "enemies," and "traitors" imprisoned in stone mountain prisons have all been sentenced to death.

On the first day of every week, inmates at Stone Mountain Prison wait in utter terror for their guards to be called. If you are named, you will be hanged on the gallows. If you are not named, you can live for another seven days, and then the next time you will be named.

Pierre Girardnovich Mitchell can't remember how long he's been locked up, a week? two weeks? a month?

Anyway, in this worldly hell like the Stone Mountain Prison, time has no meaning.

Pierre was ill, very ill.

In stone mountain prison, everyone gets sick, it's weird not to get sick.

There is no need to say more about what to eat, drink, and live, just go to the toilet.

The buckets of feces and urine can only be emptied every other day, and it only takes one day to fill them. More than sixty people crammed into a space that could only accommodate twenty people eating, drinking, shit and pissing, and the filthy cell was a breeding ground for the plague.

Fortunate to have a kind old fogey looking after Pierre.

Old fogey bribe the jailer so that everyday all can get hot rocks to warm Pierre. Pierre's throat was too swollen to eat bread, so old fogey chewed sour brown bread—the only food the prison gave to prisoners—and fed it to Pierre in warm water.

Old fogey, a native of Xiaofurnace, was imprisoned in stone mountain prison because of a huge debt.

Old fogey said to Pierre: "Now I think that being deceived may also be the Lord's grace to me, at least no one wants me to die until the money is repaid. What could be more terrifying than waiting to die? That devil is torturing you on purpose."

...

That devil is what old fogey called the new warden.

For the prisoners, the "roll call" every Monday is the hardest.

When the warden walked into the dungeon with the roster, the prisoners absolutely silenced, and the air seemed to be frozen solid.

The warden would stand in the middle of the corridor, slowly spread out the roster, and place names one after the other, repeating each name three times.

The prisoners listened ashen-faced, not even venturing out.

The prisoners whose names were named were either weeping, or fainting, and there were also a lot of people who completely collapsed. They will never leave the cell on their own initiative, nor will the warden and guards take the initiative to enter the cell and capture almost insane prisoners.

The guard just tells the other prisoners "he, or one of you to take his place" and has the guards have matchlock guns ready.

The words of "that demon" were by no means a pale, empty threat, but an objective description of what happened next. Therefore, most of the named prisoners were forced out of their cells by other prisoners.

As for the prisoners whose names are not named, although they will have a brief period of happiness and joy, these emotions will be swallowed up in an instant.

Because they understand that there will be next time, next time, next time... As long as they are still in stone mountain prison, there will be a bad luck that will come to them. By that time, they too were dragged out of their cells by others, and abandoned by others like garbage.

Suffering from brutal mental torture, some prisoners have become insane, and even some would rather commit blasphemous crimes such as suicide than continue to live.

Whether the warden did it on purpose, Pierre didn't know, but the demon was clearly satisfied with the effect.

 …

"Yes, he is torturing us." Pierre replied hoarsely to old fogey: "[Old saying] The sinner has been punished."

"What?"Old fogey didn't know why:"What did you say?"

"It's an old saying, meaning he took tormenting us as punishment for sinners—that demon himself He said what he said in front of us and the guards. Oh, he probably thought no one could understand."

Pierre seemed to be smiling, but the anger in his eyes was filled with anger. The resentment made old fogey want to fight a cold war: "We are sinners? What crimes have we committed? To be treated like this? What does he think he is? Judgement angel? The beast..."

Old fogey's attention was not on what the demon said, he asked in surprise: "Old language? What the master said? Can you say it?"

Pierre smiled indifferently.

Old fogey was overjoyed: "Then...then you are also a master? Hey! I knew you must have a background!"

Pierre laughed at himself: "If I were a master , are you still waiting here to rot?"

"Hey!" Old fogey protested with a long tone, and said happily: "Good horses also have time to pull carts!"

Through the small window of the dungeon, Pierre could see the gallows at the other end of the prison, where the frozen corpses were always hanging.

Crows hovered in flocks over the gallows, like a flowing black cloud.

"Any horse will die." Pierre's throat was very difficult to deal with, making it difficult for him to speak: "Here, sooner or later."

old fogey comforted Pierre and said, "Don't worry, I haven't had you in so many roll calls, and I won't have you next time."

"It doesn't matter what you said, Old Master." Pierre smiled bitterly.

"I'm not talking nonsense!" old fogey said seriously: "I really don't think there would be you."

Pierre was a little tired, he leaned his back The fence, trying to change into a comfortable sitting position, intends to take a nap.

There was not enough space in the cells for everyone to lie down, so the prisoners had to sit with their legs curled up to rest and sleep.

Old fogey saw that Pierre didn't want to speak, so he didn't speak again, and closed his eyes and dozed off.

After a while, Pierre's weak voice came into old fogey's ears: "Old Master?"

"What's up?"

Pi El wrapped his coat tightly, and the stone used to keep him warm was long gone: "I, I may not be able to survive, and I will die sooner or later if I don't get hanged."

old fogey one One hand stretched out to Pierre's forehead, and the other hand was on his forehead: "Hey, what are you talking about? Your fever has subsided! In a few days, in a few days, you will be a great guy again."

The high fever made Pierre unable to exert himself, he pulled up his sleeves with difficulty, and without answering the old fogey's words, each minding their own business went down and said: "Old Master, you see, there is a Armband, sterling silver, given to me by my father on my twelfth birthday..."

old fogey pressed Pierre's sleeve, blushing and embarrassed: "That ...that...that already not in there..."

"That's it?" Pierre wondered.

Old fogey licked his lips and hummed: "armband."

Pierre touched it in disbelief, reconfirmed it several times, and then realized The armband is really not on my arm.

Afraid to look at Pierre, old fogey coughed and explained coyly: "It's not stealing, I didn't steal you. Your silver armband...I'll stuff it with the jailer. The stones you use to warm your body...and the bread we eat are all bought from those armbands...otherwise, how could the snake-like jailers be so kind? Do you think so?"

Pierre was stunned for a moment, then touched his earlobe in shock: "Then my earrings..."

"It's also stuffed with the jailer."

" The one with the hair tied?"

"Also."

"And..."

"Both." old fogey was very sorry: "Both. What's the matter."

"This...you...when did you..."

"Some days, when you fell asleep."

Pierre dumbfounded, suddenly, sitting up straight as if he had just woken up from a dream, he quickly took off his boots and groped in them frantically.

"Hey." Pierre stopped, sighed helplessly, and put on his boots again: "The armband or something...I can't keep it anyway...Thank you, Old Master. It's a bribe. Well, the bribe is good."

Old fogey heard that Pierre was not angry, and hurriedly helped Pierre put on his boots: "Hey, I knew you could figure it out. , but it's not very hungry! It's better than a piece of bread in prison! Don't worry, I'll try to get it back for you."

"It's okay." Pierre leaned back wearily. On the fence, the "vigorous" exercise just now made his face a little red: "I planned to give it to you anyway."

"Huh?"

"I count. Forget my inheritance." Pierre laughed at himself: "Except for the gold and silver on him, this coat is all."

The coat on Pierre patted's body: "Although it is dirty It's a bit too much, but the material is good. After I die, you can wear it, don't waste it."

"Don't be silly."

"I have something to do too. Please."

"You say it, you say it."

Pierre coughed in pain, his cheeks showing a strange red. After he stopped coughing, he straightened his back and said to old fogey seriously, "I'm Dussack, you should know?"

"Of course." old fogey scratched the sparse Hair: "You Dussas...still quite obvious."

"After death, I want a Dussac funeral, not a Paratus funeral." Pierre tightened Then he added: "It's not that I despise the Palatine...but...I just want...to be buried in the ground as a Dussack..."

"I can understand you, Don't worry, don't worry, I don't want to be buried indiscriminately after I die." Old fogey vaguely felt the weight of Pierre's words, and unconsciously became formal.

But he scratched his hair again and asked angrily: "But what is the funeral of the Dusa?"

"This." Pierre was stunned "I, I can't say a few words."

old fogey was lost in thought.

After being silent for a long time, Pierre suddenly clapped his legs and laughed: "That's fine! It doesn't matter! Where can't people be buried in red soil? What can I pick and choose?"

He grabbed the railing and struggled to his feet.

old fogey looked at Pierre with concern.

Pierre looked through the window to the gallows in the distance, gnashing teeth muttering to himself: "I am Dussack, I will never die on the gallows, never!"

Old fogey took Pierre and sat down: "Don't worry, I'm sure you won't be called by your name. No one will call you when the devil calls you."

Pierre grinned and sat back down again.

"It would be nice if I had a pen and paper." Pierre curled up, muttered: "If there is a pen and paper, I would like to ask you to pass on a few letters."

"Can you still write?" old fogey was surprised.

"Of course."

"Can you teach me? I want to know how to write my name. The parish priest taught me once, but I never did. I forgot in a few days."

"That's not simple. What's your name?"

old fogey swallowed: "My name is..."

At this moment, "ga zhi" sounded, and the door of the dungeon opened.

A stinking dungeon, even the jailers don't want to stay long. So there are only a few cases in which the cell door will open. For example, lunch is served every day, three unstoppable inspections in the morning, noon and evening, toilet flushing time once every two days, and... roll call.

But the time is obviously not right for any of the above.

The dungeon was silent for a moment, and one by one the prisoners stood up.

Old fogey and Pierre's "seat" is in the corner of the cell, so they can't see what's going on in the hallway. But there's nothing wrong with that intense suffocation.

The temperature of the air dropped suddenly. I don't know if it was because of the cold wind blowing into the dungeon, or because of a human illusion.

“Dah”

“Dah”

“Dah”

The sound of the heel of the boot hitting the ground.

This way of walking, where every step is like hitting a nail with the heel of a boot, Pierre can't get it wrong.

Old fogey and Pierre were stunned. They saw the same answer in each other's eyes - roll call.

But it's not Monday!

The two stood up, supporting each other, but there were people in front of them, and Pierre and old fogey in the corner still couldn't see anything clearly.

The call was made, all the prisoners understood, and the call was made.

On Pierre's left, a prisoner who is normally not to be trifled with has been brow beaded with sweat. The vicious prisoner shivered and saluted, wiping away sweat, and reciting prayers incessantly.

In front of Pierre, another prisoner tugged at the sleeves of the two men beside him, and said frantically: "I already know the law of the devil's name! I know it all! I have figured it out. Not me this time, not next time..."

And more prisoners just stood silent and stiff.

The sound of the heels hitting the ground is gone, followed by the sound of the roster being spread out.

All prisoners subconsciously swallowed.

The devil made a soft "um" sound, as if hesitating. Immediately, the devil slowly uttered the slightly tongue-in-cheek name:
"Pierre Girardnovich Mitchell—Sir."

The old fogey changed his face and covered his body. She looked at the youngster beside her tremblingly. old fogey saw youngster sit down slowly, "he's scared" - this was the first thought that jumped into old fogey's mind.

Next, old fogey sees youngster take off his boots - which is completely out of old fogey's expectations.

“What is he going to do?” old fogey wondered.

Then old fogey saw the youngster rip apart the boot and pull out a saber.

A saber?

A saber?

It's not so much a knife as a blade without a handle, but it is indeed a sharp blade with a faint cold light.

The saliva in the old fogey's mouth was all gone, and the heart slammed into his chest like a hammer. Every cold hair on his body stood up from top to bottom. He wanted to speak, to stop him, but his body was stiff and unable to move even a little bit.

Several other prisoners also saw the blade in Pierre's hand, and they were equally shocked, neither speaking nor moving.

"Mr. Pierre Girardnovich Mitchell," the demon repeated.

Pierre put his boots back on, stood up, complied: "Here."

"Please get out of the cell."

Old fogey felt like he was just In the blink of an eye, the blade disappeared from Pierre's hands.

Pierre took off his coat and handed it to old fogey, then walked towards the cell door with his head held high.

The prisoners made way for Pierre, who walked steadily forward, as if strolling on the veranda of Mitchell Manor.

Never before has anyone gone to death so calmly after being named, the prisoners looked towards Pierre with a look of awe and pity.

Old fogey also stared at the youngster's back. He wanted to shout and go with him, but he couldn't make a sound or take a step.

Pierre walked to the door of the cell, and the demon motioned for the jailer to open the door for him.

Pierre slowly took a deep breath, his body was very weak, his strength and flexibility were far less than before, so he had no second chance, he had to be patient and decisive.

The devil looked Pierre up and down, nodded.

Then the demon showed a never-before-seen smile, turned around, looked towards the left hand, and asked humbly, "Your Excellency, is that this gentleman?"

Pierre subconsciously followed. Looking at the devil's eyes, he saw a middle-aged soldier in the uniform of a school officer.

And the middle-aged soldier was looking towards another soldier in a captain's uniform with inquiring eyes: "Is it him?"

Pierre seemed to be struck by lightning , he was trembling, stiff, cold hairs stood up like the old fogey just now, and the sharp blade hidden in the palm of his hand almost fell to the ground.

And the captain ignored the Colonel at all, he strode to Pierre's side and hugged Pierre tightly.

"It looks right."

"That's good." The demon agreed with a smile, and the smile was almost flattering. He bowed his head and said, "That's good."

At this moment, Pierre suddenly realized that the demon Not a demon at all, a demon is just an ordinary person who can be seen everywhere.

A sadistic ordinary person who can be seen everywhere, can't wait to be sadistic, bent over flatteringly to the uniform of the colonel, given a little pathetic power.

"Let's go." The officer wrinkled his nose. Apparently, the stench of the cell made him uncomfortable.

"Let's go." The captain held Pierre tightly: "You father, Vasya, Kaman priest...and your mother, Scarlett...we are all waiting for you."

Pierre's throat is blocked and his chest is stuffy. He looked back towards the cell and saw numb, envy, resentment, pain, and twisted faces.

He bit his tongue so hard that he didn't even realize the blood was coming out of it.

The colonel covered his nose and walked out of the dungeon, and the captain was also urging Pierre: "Let's go."

Pierre stared at the face of the "ordinary person", stubbornly Hold the blade in your hand.

The "ordinary person" smiled at Pierre.

The captain also noticed Pierre's strangeness, and asked with concern: "What's wrong?"

"I..." Pierre was in extreme pain, as long as there was a spark, he would Insert the sharp blade fiercely into the chest cavity of the "ordinary person": "I...you...can you take one more person? Just one, just one..."

The school officer heard this, Looking back, slightly frowned: "Also deserters?"

"No, no, debtors."

The captain asked simply: "How much is owed?"

The school official smiled and waved his hand, "ordinary person" reopened the roster, and asked politely: "Excuse me, what's that debtor's name?"

Pierre was stunned because he Found out that he didn't know old fogey's name from beginning to end.

"Vogart! My name is Voigt!" old fogey rushed to the fence, shouting with tears in his eyes, "I only owe twenty-three silver shields and a chip!"

[Supplementary update chapter 2]
[My donkey sauce is going to dry the grinding plate today...? ]