Longmen Memoirs

Chapter 23 Sewer access

The city's sewer system intersected here, and industrial equipment abandoned underground crawled on the thin, turbid water. After climbing up from the ladder well, they appeared in this tunnel about ten meters wide.

They are probably the corridors left by the construction of cities in the past, otherwise you would not see rusty engineering equipment.

The water flow is forward and the flow speed is gentle, so it is not on the circulating tributary of the artificial river.

Chen Mo was carrying Seria and Ifrit on his back. His long boots stepped into the water, submerging his whole calf. The light of the flashlight shone on the water. As the dim water moved, you could see the surging dust and particles. Silt.

They were probably the only visitors here in the past few decades.

"I thought it would be the city's sewage channel, a circulation channel connecting the artificial river." Chen Mo said.

"That's almost it. Our current location should be above the artificial river channel. The location of the Rhine Underground Research Institute is 20 meters above the surface. Judging from the height of the ladder shaft just now, we are now in an abandoned construction channel, because It's close to the sewer system, so it's penetrated by water flow."

Ceria answered.

"You seem to know a lot about this."

"It's just speculation. I have seen the engineering drawings of the underground facilities inside the institute. I had originally considered introducing Ifrit into the water storage network below after the experiment went out of control. The water flow can effectively suppress her out-of-control spells."

"It also allows you to move the experimental site secretly."

"Yes."

"So this is not the first experiment." Chen Mo asked.

"Including outdoor venues. In fact, this experiment started a long time ago. Each experiment made the child's condition worse and worse. Rheinland Life doesn't care about this. In fact, you have to understand that a company like Rheinland Life Organization, their research has already touched certain bottom lines, and it does not only refer to the political forces involved." Seria's voice was low: "If it is not controlled, the ensuing disasters will trigger a series of other crises. .”

"You don't seem optimistic about their prospects."

"The evolution of all things is an unshakable natural law." She answered.

"I seem to have heard this sentence somewhere." Chen Mo thought for a while: "By the way, the doctor I told you about also had the same view as you. She believed that the existence of all things has its own existence. I think you can definitely talk about exploring the rules."

"Really?" Ceria smiled. After a few seconds, she asked again: "Are you serious about what you just said?"

"Ok?"

"I'm talking about your proposal, and the experience you said happened to you, the same experience as that child."

"You didn't accept it, did you?"

"Because what you said made me feel like you were joking." Ceria replied. "But I didn't refuse. Your identity makes it difficult for me to trust you. I don't even know what your purpose is. But to put it another way, you saved me and Ifrit. I really haven't considered leaving Rhine." If you want to convince me to help you with where you’re going after life, you’d better be practical and not joking.”

She leaned behind Chen Mo and leaned against his ear. The hot breath of her breath hit Chen Mo's ear. They maintained an extremely intimate posture, but they still had doubts about each other.

"Teach you something. If you want to maintain influence over your subordinates, you must always use your own ideas to push them. When talking about cooperation or invitations with others, it is best to give some practical bargaining chips, even if you can't give them now. Those things should also show confidence and certainty as much as possible.”

"I may not be suitable to be a leader, Ms. Seria." Chen Mo replied.

"No one is born a leader." Seria retorted: "But in my opinion, you really don't have the talent in this area."

"Ha, thank you. Based on our current identities, we should be enemies. At least you are still a member of Rhine Life, and I am an intruder."

"But what I want to know is that you, or the Sakaz people you are talking about, are really looking for a way to cure Originium disease and have found clues." She said: "I don't really believe Sakaz People have this ability, but it cannot be denied that they are indeed superior, and they have their own unique insights into the study of Origin Stones."

"So you want to know more, right?" Chen Mo asked. He turned his head and the back of his head touched the side of Seria's face.

"Feel sorry……"

"It's okay." Her voice sounded from behind. In the quiet and dark corridor, as her steps passed through the turbulence of the accumulated water, the ripples spread under the not bright light source.

"I don't believe what you said. It's just that for that child, I may indeed need some help. At least compared to my aimless search, one thing you said is right. I can rely on myself alone without any politics." The influence of power【}{

"what can you give me?"

Chen Mo didn't answer immediately.

"I'm not sure." Chen Mo thought for two seconds: "I'm not sure what I can give you. Ms. Ceria, how much do you know about the civil war in Kazdaele?"

"Which side do you belong to?" Ceria asked directly.

"I belong to the weaker side, at least it seems that way now. I am a member of the Tower of Babel, directly under the command of Her Highness Theresia, the legitimate successor to the throne of Sakaz."

"But you're not Sakaz."

"The child in my arms is Sakaz, but she is now living in your Rhineland." Chen Mo asked back: "The Tower of Babel does not value identity. They gather under the same banner. Your Highness is willing to accept the infected, but she must first Dealing with the war between the Sakaz."

"so?"

"So in the future I will have to face a civil war between Sakaz."

"You want me to join you in the fight for the Tower of Babel?" she asked.

"No, in fact, my position in the Tower of Babel is very special. You don't need to join the Tower of Babel. I can still share their research results with you. Of course, I can also promise to use the power of the Tower of Babel to assist you. And this kid.”

"The premise is that you can win the war." Ceria sighed and asked: "Then your current identity..."

"Employee of Black Steel International, member of the BPRS team."

"Black Steel." Ceria was silent for a moment: "It seems like you don't plan to stay at Black Steel."

"Because the war in Kazdare has not started yet." Chen Mo replied.

"It's really interesting. An operator of Black Steel International participated in the battle between the Sakaz people, and now he is trying to invite the security director of Rhine Life." Seria chuckled: "How much identity do you have? "

"A lot. In fact, I still have some involvement with Longmen. If nothing else, there may be a hidden past in Yan Country that I don't know about."

Chen Mo hugged Ifrit tightly in his arms and leaned over the collapsed concrete pillar in front of him. Ceria buried her head next to his junior. After crossing the cement pillar, there was another dark passage ahead, which was no longer filled with water.

"What makes you extend this invitation to me?"

"I said I was joking, do you believe it?" Chen Mo said, "If you refuse, I will tell you that I was joking."

"What if I accept?"

"Then everything I said can be true." Chen Mo said: "Including me being an operator of Black Steel, including the past I told you, and also including what I promised you. Do you want to take a gamble? ?”

Ceria lowered her eyes.

"How many of your words are true?"

"A few ten minutes ago, we were still enemies, Ms. Seria, but now I am carrying you on my back, with my original mission goal, trying to find a way out in the dark underground of the city."

Chen Mo stopped and a light source lit up in front of him. It was faint but not enough to be ignored by others.

"We can be enemies, we can be friends, or we can never have any intersection after leaving here. No one can tell what will happen in the future, but there are many choices for what will happen in the future." Chen Mo said: "One thing I can do I assure you that I did have the same experience as this child, and when I woke up again, I had appeared in Colombia, but I am not sure whether what happened to me was also related to Rhine Life related."

Chapter 24 Wise People

On a certain section of the artificial river bank, the rusty and heavy iron fence of the water outlet pipe was slowly pushed open.

Ceria leaned against the wall and looked at the back of the man in front of her as he pushed away the iron fence. Ifrit leaned slantedly in Ceria's arms. He walked over again and hugged the two of them out one by one.

Outside, there are soft river beaches, sparse reeds, and sewage flowing out of pipes. The stars in the city are dim, the night is gloomy, and the fire in the distance illuminates the sky. That is the direction of the Rhein Institute of Life. In the night wind, there is a vague sound of fire and fire engines in the distance. Police car siren.

The arms exposed after the flames burned away were missing the twisted black scales and interlaced scars, and the memory of a few minutes ago seemed like an illusion.

What a strange guy, Ceria couldn't help but think, but she didn't say anything, she just raised her arms and hugged Chen Mo's neck.

But fortunately, Chen Mo didn't do anything after he put her down. The heavy knife was inserted into the soft sand beside him. Chen Mo rubbed his sore neck and sat on the ground.

To be honest, it was not too difficult for him to carry two people on his back for such a long way in the dark and rugged sewer channel, but that was only if he had experienced a series of battles and changes before that.

Even he felt that too many things had happened in these short two hours and he needed to take a breather.

"We're out."

Chen Mo looked around and turned off the light on his shoulder. In the astigmatism of the city, Seria's face became a little blurry.

"It seems so." Ceria replied in a low voice, turned to look at Ifrit who was leaning next to her, and then looked up at Chen Mo.

She suddenly clenched her right fist and rushed towards Chen Mo without any warning. There was no white light on her fist, but Chen Mo seemed to have known that she would do this.

Her fist failed to land on Chen Mo, and Chen Mo grabbed her wrist with his hand, but the force of her lunge still pressed Chen Mo, who was sitting on the ground, onto the sand.

At the same time, Ceria made a fist with her left hand and slammed it down.

Chen Mo turned his head and smashed his fist into the sand next to his head. The sand splashed on the side of Chen Mo's face. She wanted to pull out the fist that was smashed into the sand, but Chen Mo's left hand tightly grasped her left wrist.

Seria looked down at Chen Mo condescendingly, her silver-gray hair hanging down. She half-bent her body, straddling Chen Mo's waist, and her hands were crossed and held by Chen Mo.

This action brought them so close that they could almost feel the heat of each other's breath.

"I don't understand." Chen Mo looked directly into those orange eyes.

"You know very well." Ceria replied coldly.

"I thought that although we couldn't be friends, we hadn't reached this point yet."

"I can't possibly hand her over to you!" Seria's voice was almost cold. "Unless you can step over my body, why should I believe you are an intruder?"

"But I have made it very clear. As of now, there is no need for me to take the child away again." Chen Mo explained. "I am not your enemy, Ms. Seria."

"Then, you easily got rid of me after I let my guard down." Seria sneered: "Stop your tricks, I know very well how you people behave."

"So, do you think I should ask now, how did you find out?" Chen Mo calmly raised his head and looked at Seria. He suddenly released his hand holding Seria's wrist: "Look at your adventure story. Too much, Ms. Seria."

Ceria paused for a few seconds and slowly released her clenched fists.

"Sorry..." she said, but there was not much apology in her words.

"I can understand." Chen Mo replied, looking back at the heavy knife inserted at his side: "If I were you, I would pull out this knife as soon as possible."

"I'm not used to this type of weapon."

"Spell?"

"With my current situation, it is difficult to support the consumption of spells." She breathed lightly. "Maybe I fell down the moment I activated the technique."

"In other words, you still have some strength left."

She didn't answer, just looked at Chen Mo.

"...It's not the worst yet."

Chen Mo didn't ask what the worst-case scenario was. He looked at Ceria who was sitting on top of him. Ceria seemed to have noticed their strange situation. She coughed lightly and wanted to say something.

"No need to explain, I can understand."

Chen Mo opened his mouth to interrupt the slightly awkward atmosphere. Ceria held her hands and stepped back a little. Chen Mo straightened up and looked at the red scars on the exposed calf under the other party's coat with traces of flames.

As if to change the subject, Chen Mo looked away and looked at Ifrit behind Ceria.

"That child... Ifrit, how long will it take for her to wake up."

"It's unclear. In the past, it took several days. The experiment put a huge load on her body. Falling into sleep is a subconscious protection mechanism of her body."

"So, this situation is not normal."

"Of course it's not normal." Ceria tilted her head and her cold eyes softened: "But for this child, maybe it's not a bad thing."

"Then you are going to contact the people at Rhine Life and take her back?"

"Rhine Life knows the child's condition best. So far, there is no better way. If you follow me, I'm afraid it will only get worse." Ceria's voice became lower, with some self-blame: "He... Someone will take good care of her, even though I don’t like that person.”

"After all, it's better than watching her in person, right?"

"You don't understand my relationship with this child." Ceria shook her head.

"But I can see that she is very important to you." Chen Mo said: "It is better to say that you feel that you owe her something. If I am not wrong, her current situation has a lot to do with you. "

Ceria's unclenched fist suddenly clenched. She stared at Chen Mo's calm face, and suddenly remembered what this man had just said about a similar experience that happened to him and Ifrit.

The clenched hands slowly opened.

"It's none of your business."

"In this case, it's time for me to leave." Chen Mo stood up, pulled out the long knife stuck in the ground, and walked along the river beach. After a few steps, he suddenly stopped.

He turned around and looked at the two people who stayed where they were.

"Every child understands that the mistakes made in the past can no longer be undone, Ms. Seria, but you can still make up for it."

"If you really decide to leave your life on the Rhine and have no idea where to go, you might as well go to Black Steel International and find a man named Sfeldt." Chen Mo said, "How many of the things I told you I can’t decide whether it’s true or false, but you can tell the difference yourself.”

Seria did not answer. Chen Mo turned around and walked away gradually. Two seconds later, her voice sounded from behind.

"If it comes to that, I will consider it."

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