Gun of Ashes

Of course, there’s more of a remembrance of the past.

That’s how people are, many seemingly important memories get covered in dust over time, and only when you encounter something or see something, do they suddenly come rushing back to you, like a tide of recollection washes over the shore, unveiling that almost unfamiliar past before your eyes.

The street youth from Florence had turned into his current form, with forbidden blood flowing through his veins, wielding steel and flame.

”You’re still young; the Lower City District is not a place for you.”

”Then where can I go?” Em said.

His voice carried a slight tremor; Lorenzo knew this child was trying to restrain his fear. But hearing his answer, Lorenzo was slightly moved. He realized he had said too much. If Em had somewhere to go back to, he wouldn’t be in the Lower City District, nor would he be here.

Silence, Lorenzo felt he had talked enough nonsense. He needed to catch up with that group of people now.

Lorenzo walked in the darkness, with the scent of iron and blood lingering in the air. It was so distinct in the dark that Lorenzo followed the trail forward and then found the body left by Ban’er.

Another one.

Lorenzo had watched the whole process from the side; he knew this guy had also injected the hallucinogen. It seemed that among the people transporting goods, someone knew the specific nature of these hallucinogens and killed him here.

But just as he was examining the corpse, a fierce burst of air surged from the passage ahead, the scalding steam knocking the two of them down. The high temperatures scorched them, but fortunately, it wasn’t too lethal, and they weren’t blistered.

Em quickly scrambled up from the ground, panting. This kind of thing happened often in the underground, once a steam pipe burst. Luckily, he was far from the explosion point, and the gas that hit him had already cooled down considerably.

Lorenzo swiftly rose and charged toward the source ahead. In the dark, Em could vaguely make out Lorenzo’s figure and hear his rapidly departing footsteps. He suddenly felt very afraid; he knew only Lorenzo could get him out of the darkness. Despite the fear, he started running wildly in the dark, closely following Lorenzo’s footsteps.

The Secret Blood was stirring; Lorenzo was like a speeding wolf, skimming through the hot gas and piercing into the darkness.

...

The time had approached the afternoon, with the gloomy rain clouds revealing a resplendent deep red behind them. Many foreign travelers stopped in their tracks, marveling at this magnificent scene.

Flames had stained the entire sky red; its first sight was indeed overwhelming, but after seeing it enough times, it became normal. Some joked that it was an easy way to tell how long someone had been in Old Dunling.

”What… What’s that!”

A foreign traveler seemed to have seen something, shouting in shock. Following his voice, people looked to the sky. A steel whale had emerged from the clouds, its height unusually dropped, and it glided over the city.

It was like a scene from mythology, the giant whale slicing through the crimson rain clouds, tearing the canvas of the sky, slightly revealing a corner of the blazing sun behind it.

The War Airship was moving, but this time its altitude was very low. Older people were quite familiar with this; during the Radiant War, this was how the Aerial Cavalry made their entrance. The War Airship would fire a barrage from high altitude, and after scorching the ground with flames, it would dive, and the Aerial Cavalry would descend from the sky.

People didn’t understand what the War Airship’s descent meant, but suddenly the rapid sound of hooves echoed at the end of the street, and the mounted police galloped past the street, fully armed.

They stopped at a square, where many mounted police came rushing in from elsewhere, gathering as if preparing to attack a certain location.

Eve was among them, looking up at the iron giant whale swimming overhead, suddenly feeling a surreal sensation.

Sheriff Donas looked at the assembled mounted police. Most of them had confused expressions, not knowing what this sudden gathering was for.

But, following Sheriff Donas’s speech, they understood the upcoming actions.

Pres clutched the gun in his arms tightly. According to Sheriff Donas, they were to raid a hallucinogen smuggling operation. Because the Mission was visiting, the Old Dunling officials planned to use this opportunity to directly handle the rampant hallucinogen problem. Under the forceful crackdown, most had vanished, but a small portion stubbornly remained.

To eradicate these, only a few people knew about this raid. The mounted police would charge all the way, and the Forbidden Guard stationed nearby would provide them with some assistance. With such a sudden raid, the other party would not have time to retreat.

After encouraging the mounted police, Donas was ready to move, but before leaving, he couldn’t help but look at the girl among the mounted police, Eve.

The rampant hallucinogen issue had long troubled the Suyalan Hall, until one day, this new policeman brought intelligence about smuggled hallucinogens. Donas didn’t know where Eve got the information from, but verification from multiple sources proved the accuracy of it.

”Let’s go!”

The mounted police moved toward the Lower City District.

...

”Do we really need to do this?”

Someone questioned Ban’er’s recent behavior, unsure why he wanted to cut off the route. He sealed the iron doors and blew up the pipes, making the way in and out blocked and filled with deadly hot gas.

The ones left behind couldn’t get out, and they couldn’t get in.

”Knowing too much is not a good thing.”

Ban’er didn’t want to explain to these ignorant people anymore. He wasn’t sure how long it would take for the hallucinogens to take effect, and he didn’t want the demons to rush out before he even had time to leave.

The end of the road was inside an old building. They climbed out of the tunnel, breathing in the fresh air with force.

Opening the window, one could see the cityscape. Beyond a distinct dividing line, on the other side, was the Lower City District.

It was rare; this route led to the edge of the West City District and Lower City District. They discovered the place by accident. They were planning to dig a tunnel leading to the Lower City District to transport goods, but they unexpectedly stumbled into the worker’s passage and accidentally entered the Furnace Pillar’s system.

The people receiving inside had been waiting for a long time. They took the goods, and the carriage was waiting downstairs, ready to leave at any moment.

”Is everything handled?”

Ende asked.

He was the receiver, and they had prepared for a long time for these special goods.

”As you said, everything is handled.” Ban’er replied.

Only the core members knew about the particularity of this batch of hallucinogens. He was honored to be one of the core.

”Good, I’ll leave with the goods first... you cannot leave yet.”

Ende glanced at the goods being loaded onto the carriage, and then he spoke to Ban’er.

Ban’er was stunned; then he seemed to realize something and his expression turned a bit grim and angry.

”The mounted police are on their way. I need you to hold them off,” Ende continued.

”So this means I am being abandoned?”

Ban’er asked calmly, suppressing his anger.

”Yes,” Ende said straightforwardly, without any cover. ”I don’t know who leaked the information, but that’s how it is. The mounted police are arriving soon. They suddenly assembled without giving anyone time to react.”

Ende lit a cigarette, calmly puffing away. They were still busy transporting the goods; Ende still had time to chat with Ban’er.

”I...I can’t accept this!”

Ban’er suddenly felt a sense of life’s absurdity. He had just abandoned those left behind, just to confuse the sight, and now they were abandoned for the same ridiculous reason.

He knew he had no right to say anything, but he still felt a great sense of irony.

”You must accept this; it is our mission for the sake of a great ideal.” Ende spoke extremely calmly.

”You should know this, right, Ban’er, you took the oath.”

Ban’er was speechless. Yes, he was a man bound by the oath. The sorrowful heart struggled and eventually gave up seeking survival.

”Alright, I understand. Look after her for me.”

”I will, we’re all brethren.”

The cigarette burnt out, and the goods were all loaded. Ende didn’t take anyone with him. He came alone, and he would leave alone.

”Aren’t you taking these?”

Ban’er saw some hallucinogens left behind, placed in a corner of the room. Ende didn’t mind, speaking without turning back.

”They are for you.”