Deep Sea Embers

The old caretaker of the cemetery doesn't like this kind of day when the snow keeps falling-not only because the cold weather makes his overwhelmed joints ache, but also because this kind of snow always reminds him of things that happened long ago. things.

Some not-so-good things.

For example, the rebellion fifty years ago, the frost disaster thirty years ago, the collapse of Nancheng District seventeen years ago... There is always nothing good to happen when there is such a heavy snowfall.

The old man rubbed his hands and looked back at the cemetery that was also covered in snow.

The boundaries of the cemetery trails are blurred by the snow, and only footprints on the white ground outline the route to the morgue and the guard’s cabin. The gas lamps have been extinguished, and the dark lampposts stand on the snow like dead tree trunks. It looked rather lonely.

Several steam cars were parked in the open space of the cemetery, and they were completely covered by snow. The guards in black were struggling to clear the snow on the car bodies, and tried to clear a road in the snow that could be used by the vehicles. From the road that passes—it looks rather embarrassing.

They have to do this before the snow freezes and the road becomes more difficult to clean.

A howling wind blew nearby, and gray smoke came in the wind for a moment. Agatha's figure came out from the wind and smoke. The young gatekeeper came to the old guard: "Half the people today We will withdraw, leaving only two teams to help you guard the cemetery."

"They can all evacuate, and I can be quieter." The old guard raised his eyelids and glanced at the gatekeeper. "It's a waste to stay here with so many people."

"It's not a waste of manpower—and you don't have to worry about me being short-handed."

"I haven't had enough time to worry about you," the old guard muttered, and then he seemed to mention it inadvertently, "You sent an elite team out in the middle of the night yesterday. Did something happen in the city?"

Agatha looked at the old man: "Are you still concerned about things outside the cemetery?"

"I'll just ask, it's optional if you say it or not." The old guard shrugged.

"...Something happened on Hearth Street. A battle broke out between high-level transcendents. There was a lot of movement. The patrolling guards rushed over but missed," Agatha said slowly, "Now we can only determine the two sides of the fight One of them is the Annihilation Cultists—they died terribly, and one of them died in a strange manner, which does not conform to any known extraordinary power."

The old guard's eyebrows visibly twitched, and his tone became more serious: "Firepipe Street?"

"...Don't worry, no innocent citizens were injured," Agatha seemed to know what the old man was worried about. "However, judging from the team's report, there are more than one weird clues over there. I may have to go and see the situation myself."

The old guard didn't say anything, just nodded slightly, but his eyes had become serious.

Agatha is a young gatekeeper, but no matter how young she is, her status as a "gatekeeper" was obtained through rigorous training and difficult tests. As the highest spokesperson of the church in the city-state, her actions clearly indicate the importance of the situation .

The situation that happened on Hearth Street was probably not as calm and peaceful as her attitude at the moment showed—it was definitely not as simple as a battle between superhumans. An elite squad of Guardians went to investigate, only to have the Gatekeepers deal with it himself, no small matter.

But that's something outside the cemetery, and it's not what he, the "gravekeeper" who has retired to the second line, should pay attention to.

Let the young gatekeepers and defenders handle it.

After a lot of work, the guards finally cleared away the snow and activated the steam core of the car. The two dark gray steam cars drove out of the cemetery and quickly disappeared into the small road leading to the block. on the way.

The old guard watched the two cars leave, shook his head, and prepared to return to the cemetery.

But just when he was about to turn around, out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly saw a familiar little figure appearing at the end of the path.

A little girl in a thick coat was walking towards the cemetery with some difficulty.

The old guard immediately stopped his movements. He watched the little figure approaching, but the expression on his face seemed to be a little angry, and the little figure also saw the old man standing at the gate of the cemetery at this moment—— She stopped by the side of the road, raised her face, waved her arms happily, and then continued to walk towards the old man.

Finally, she walked to the ruts made by the two steam cars when they left, and her footsteps finally became a little easier. She bent down and patted the snowflakes on the hem of her clothes and trousers, and came to the gate of the cemetery, smiling. Looking at the serious, even angry old man in front of him.

"Grandpa Warden, here I come again!" Annie greeted the old warden happily.

Today she put on a white thick coat and the same white long boots, together with the same white wool cap on her head, she seemed to be melting into this snow-covered city.

"You still go out in this kind of weather, and come to this kind of place!" The old guard narrowed his eyes, and his tone was very severe, "You will make the family worry."

"I told my mother that I will go back soon today," Annie smiled, her face flushed from the cold, "The school is on holiday, I was going to find friends to play with, but they didn't want to go out, so I came I'm looking for you!"

"...Staying at home like your friends is better than going to the cemetery when the road is blocked by heavy snow," the old man said coldly, "The cemetery is closed today because there is too much snow inside. You go home."

However, the girl didn't seem to hear it, she just poked her head and glanced behind the old man, then raised her face expectantly: "My father, he..."

"I didn't come," the old man said bluntly. "With such bad weather, even if there is a plan to send the soul, it will be postponed."

Annie was stunned for a while, but she wasn't very disappointed. She pursed her lips: "Then... I'll ask again when the weather clears up... He will always come, right?"

The old guard looked into the child's eyes quietly. For a short second or two, he even regretted that he should not have made the promise "your father will come back here" to the child six years ago. In the final analysis, my heart at that time... was still a little soft.

After being silent for an unknown amount of time, the old man finally opened his mouth: "...Maybe, one day in the future, you will be able to hear from him."

This is his biggest euphemism.

A twelve-year-old child should have understood this a long time ago.

Annie blinked, a smile appeared on her face, and then she reached out and took out a bag in her small bag, took out a bag and handed it to the old man in front of her.

"Biscuits again?" The old guard raised his eyebrows.

"It's ginger tea powder. I helped my mother make it together. It also contains herbs to dispel the cold and warm the stomach!" Annie said proudly, and stuffed the things into the old man's hands without any explanation. "You always guard the cemetery alone. Now that it’s snowing again, it must be cold at night, right?”

The old man looked at the things in his hand.

He doesn’t need this—the potion supplies that the church sends to the cemetery guards are ten times more effective than this thing, and his seemingly flimsy guard’s hut is actually full of protective spells and special materials, let alone resist the cold wind However, even if the cemetery really got out of control, the hut could withstand external shocks like a steel fortress.

"Thank you," he accepted Annie's gift, perhaps because he hadn't smiled for a long time, the corners of his mouth were a little stiff, "This is very useful to me."

Then, his expression turned cold again.

"I've accepted the things, you go home quickly, and try not to go out these two days."

"Why?"

"...it's not safe in the city recently," the old guard said seriously. He thought of what Agatha had just mentioned to him, and the extraordinary incident that happened on the Hearth Street last night. "Go back and tell your mother to reduce going out in the near future." , if you find something amiss, seek help from the nearest church or sheriff—Anne, this is serious business, do you remember?"

Annie seemed to be overwhelmed by the old man's sudden stern tone, she was taken aback for a moment before hurriedly nodding: "Remember...remember."

"Okay, let's go home then," the old man exhaled, and issued the order to evict the guests, "while the sky is still..."

He raised his head, and the second half of the sentence stopped abruptly.

An exceptionally tall and burly figure appeared near the gate of the cemetery at some point, looking up to this side—the figure was wearing a long black trench coat, a wide-brimmed top hat, his face was covered with bandages, and his entire body Details are hidden in the hood and bandages.

And there is another person beside this burly figure, that is a petite lady wearing a deep purple luxurious long dress, with blond hair like a waterfall, wearing a soft hat, and a veil on her face, her appearance is not clear, but she exudes a kind of elegance And mysterious temperament.

But almost all the attention of the old guard was on that tall and burly figure—he was staring at that direction, his eyeballs seemed to be anchored by an invisible force, and it was difficult to move, and a slight noise began to roar in his mind, Subtle jitters and shifts also began to appear at the edge of the field of vision, which was obviously a sign of mild pollution and disturbance of the mind.

The experienced old guard instantly realized what had happened—it was the "visitor".

Because I have been in contact with this indescribable guest many times, and have fallen into a state of madness under the influence of incense, I have established a certain connection with him!

But it was only a tentative and mostly harmless connection, so the old warden wasn't as nearly incapacitated as he had been before.

He was still able to move—so he reached out and pulled Annie behind him.

"Son, don't look over there."