Gun of Ashes

”Nikola, the evacuation of the Death Row has begun, someone will come to pick you up soon.”

Merlin’s voice came through the communicator, interspersed with the noise of electricity, making it sound very faint.

Nikola didn’t respond. He sat behind the desk, head lowered, smoking, lost in thought.

He had been like this for a long time; the ashtray on the desk was filled with cigarette butts, still faintly glowing, with ash scattered around, showing no intention of tidying up.

Raising his head slightly, Nikola’s complexion was pale. Having stayed underground for so long, he resembled a corpse in eternal sleep.

”Where are you, Merlin?”

Nikola asked. After a long pause, a hoarse voice returned from the other end.

”On the surface, at the Mechanical Institute. I just handed the ’Flame Holder’ to Lorenzo.”

”Flame Holder? So he decided on that name?”

”Yes.”

Nikola took a deep drag of his cigarette. Already thin, he appeared even more aged within the swirling smoke.

”What’s wrong, Nikola?” Merlin asked.

”Thinking, pondering. After all, soon I’ll have to hide in the Death Row. When I come out, Old Dunling, the Purification Mechanism... even you might be part of the ruins.”

Nikola discarded the cigarette butt, his gaze melancholy.

”Merlin, do you think all of this is right?”

”What are you trying to say?”

”The Death Row, do you really think such a sanctuary is meaningful?” Nikola said, ”Rather than surviving by chance, I’d prefer to be with you all.”

”But someone needs to preserve the knowledge, Nikola.”

”Then why not you?” Nikola retorted.

”You know, such entanglements have no outcome, Nikola. We all need to make choices.”

”Of course, I know.”

Nikola slowly stood up; on his desk lay an oddly shaped key and a handgun.

He picked up the gun, tucked it into his waist, then took the key and put it away.

”I’ve made my choice too, Merlin. I still doubt the Death Row.”

”What do you doubt?”

”I don’t know, but like intuition, I always feel something’s off.”

Nikola said, glancing down beneath his feet; beneath layers of steel and earth was the Furnace Pillar, and further below was the Death Row itself.

”Don’t do anything foolish.”

After a brief pause, Merlin said this.

Nikola smiled, responding,

”I won’t. I’ll live well, teacher, after all, I’m carrying your knowledge.”

”I’m sorry, I always felt I should say goodbye to you personally,” Merlin said.

”It’s okay, don’t think too badly. Who knows, maybe we’ll meet again.”

Nikola said, picking up the communicator. Just before pushing the door open, he asked Merlin one last thing.

”By the way... teacher, is your greed satisfied?”

The madness and greed for truth in alchemists constantly drove these frantic individuals forward, taking it by any means possible.

”Perhaps.”

Merlin answered.

Hearing this, Nikola seemed relieved, saying softly.

”That’s good.”

The communication ended, and Nikola pushed open the door and came out. He stretched his body vigorously, as if preparing for something intense.

”Teacher, you taught me, if you have doubts, you must act.”

Nikola whispered.

”Has anyone really seen the Death Row?” He chuckled, ”Anyway, I’m on the list, no need for them to pick me up, I’ll go myself.”

Nikola said, heading towards the depths of the Perpetual Motion Pump.

The structure of Old Dunling is like a towering tree, with the Furnace Pillar as its root deeply embedded underground, using complex pipelines and steel to firmly support the buildings above ground. Deep below lies the starting point of the city’s energy, like a god’s creation, the furnace boils day and night, drawing and expelling the Thames River’s water, releasing power continuously, like a rising giant whale, ejecting steam.

Nikola stood before the heavy mechanical valve, taking a deep breath, as if about to make a serious decision. After a long pause, he looked up again, saying to the technician beside him, ”I’m ready.”

The technician, seeing this, had nothing more to say. They picked up safety equipment and dressed Nikola.

This protective clothing was made to combat Roger, processed with Anti-Meme and a bit of Holy Silver. Nikola felt like he was wearing a heavy armor, then strapped on the heavy oxygen tank, put on the connected breathing mask, completely isolating himself from the outside world, seeing only through transparent lenses.

”Are you sure you want to do this?” the technician couldn’t help but ask.

”Don’t worry, it’s just a routine check,” Nikola said, his voice becoming deepened. ”But this time, I’ll conduct the inspection myself.”

The technician couldn’t persuade him otherwise, as by regulations, Nikola wasn’t doing anything wrong. Checking the operational status of the Furnace Pillar was within his authority.

They could only step aside, and after waiting a few seconds, the heavy mechanical valve slowly opened.

Nikola gazed at the crimson world beyond the gate, even through the protective clothing, he could still feel the air’s heat, as if a great dragon was exhaling its fiery breath.

Picking up the safety rope, Nikola stepped into the crimson world.

The Furnace Pillar is the power core of the Old Dunling system, home to the world’s largest furnace, whose flames have never extinguished since their ignition. To manage such powerful flames, the Perpetual Motion Pump has implemented numerous safety designs, isolating the Furnace Pillar, sealing it off with multiple barriers.