The world controlled by dice [Western Fantasy]

Wednesday, July 7rd, at four in the morning.

Sirius woke up from the dream.For the first time, he realized that the word waking up from a dream could be used to describe both his current situation and his emotions.

It was rather eerie to go from the barren, glowing Mirror of Fisher to an oasis in the mist of the Everlands where the real world was still night.

Qin Duo was beside him, and he had already woken up.Before leaving the dreamland, Siles went to Qinduo's dreamland bubble and told him the information he had obtained from Antinam.

...Qin Duo was caught off guard and changed his mentality from worry to shock.

In the darkness, they chatted one after another.

"...It feels like the world has changed." Qin Duo was still a little dazed.

"Well, I feel the same way." Sirius whispered.

Qin Duo turned over.In the cramped tent, he huddled beside him, then reached out and took Sirius' hand.He kissed Sirius' finger, and then asked, "Antinam has fallen into a deep sleep?"

"Yes. After he gave me the power, he planned to fall into a deep sleep." Siles replied, "We need to do the next thing."

Qin Duo murmured in a low voice: "I believe in you."

Siles smiled, and he said: "Antinam told me a lot of things. However, there are still many details that need to be asked back to the glass ball. In addition, we have to plan the future arrangements."

"Making you truly a god?" Cindo said.

"This is only a part of it." Siles thought so, and told Qindo, "Maybe the 'shadow' matter can be resolved by the way."

Qin Duo nodded.This action made him rub Sires' shoulder, and his slightly long hair touched Sires' neck.So Siles reached out and brushed his hair back.

"... Is it too long?" Qin Duo muttered.

"It's okay. Let's tie it later." Siles said, he thought of an interesting topic, "Antinam's human incarnation seems to have long hair like yours."

Qin Duo was a little surprised, he said: "Maybe it was passed down to Lygardia, and then passed down to the Praia family." He thought for a while, "Oh, I seem to be a generation behind you. After all, Antinam Is your 'mother'."

Siles laughed, he said: "The relationship between gods cannot be defined by the blood of humans."

"But I am willing to be your believer." Qin Duo whispered, "I love you."

In the dim light of early morning, Sires vaguely saw Qindo's emerald green eyes.They are about to embark on this final journey and need to complete this final plan.But at this moment, it was just this warm and quiet companionship that gave Siles an unforgettable touch.

He whispered softly, "I love you."

They didn't get up, it was too early; but they didn't go back to sleep either.In any case, it is difficult for them to fall asleep after receiving so much information.Numerous chaotic information wandered back and forth in their brains.

Through the fabric of the tent, the night is slowly replaced by the sun.They seemed to watch a silent sunrise.

After six o'clock, the place where they camped gradually started to make noise.At seven o'clock Alfonso came and called them to breakfast.So they got up and washed, and then went to have breakfast.

Although the breakfast is not very rich, the scene of sitting in a circle with their companions and eating breakfast together still makes them feel like returning to the world.

"Good morning, Professor, Mr. Cindo." Alfonso said casually, "Maybe we can leave here in the morning. I found that the people on Angus' side are much calmer...Why do you look at me like this? I?"

For some reason, the folklorist felt that there was a...very subtle meaning in the eyes of Siles and Qindo.

"...It's nothing, Alfonso. I hope we can leave in the morning." Siles still said flatly.

Of course, he couldn't say it because he and Qindo had learned so much information beyond imagination that they even felt a little strange when faced with the real situation.

Alfonso looked at him suspiciously, then at Cendo.

Qin Duo coughed softly and complained, "The temperature here is too low at night."

"...This is a desert area." Alfonso finally felt that the two of them were normal. "Anyway, we can leave later. But, about the graves in the central area of ​​the tribe..."

Siles was looking around at the moment: simple houses, scattered tents, withered wasteland, small lakes, turbulent fog... and this group of listless people.

He finally regained a sense of familiarity, and slowly focused on things in reality.

No matter how many complicated and inconceivable information Antinam uttered in the dream, they still need to live in this real world and try to solve the problems that have plagued Fisher's world for thousands of years.

Alfonso's question made Siles completely withdraw his attention.

He said: "Don't worry, Alfonso. I already know how to solve this. But we need to get out of here first."

Alfonso was taken aback for a moment, and asked a little suspiciously, "Really?"

"Yes. I need to go back to Lamifa City, find the Church of the Past, and inquire about a ceremony from them." Siles said, "It is specially used to deal with this situation-these, left by the old gods Mark of."

Alfonso couldn't believe it, because he didn't know what kind of ceremony it was going to be.But Siles' usual calm tone made him a little relieved."As long as it works out," he said.

Siles nodded, his eyes swept across the crowd present, and he paused suddenly.He asked, "Where are the three?"

"...Those three people from the Dreyson family?" Angus Case was eating bread beside them, and after swallowing the dry bread with great difficulty, he replied, "It's in the tent. They put Locked up by himself.

"I was woken up by them in the early hours of yesterday. They seemed to be struggling and crying in the tent, insisting on leaving the tent and going to the tribe... That scene was a bit weird.

"However, because of your instructions yesterday, none of us paid attention to them, and we didn't dare to open the tent. The sound lasted for about half an hour to an hour, and then slowly stopped.

"Until now, we have not opened their tents."

Siles frowned slightly.

Qin Duo said in a timely manner: "Shall we go and see now?"

Siles nodded and said, "Let's go."

The four of them went to the tent where the three Dreysons were.Along the way, Siles observed the people present and realized that their mental state had indeed improved a lot, and some of them were even laughing at each other.

The explorer who impulsively broke into the range of the aboriginal tribe yesterday afternoon, after treating the wound and resting all night, now his expression and demeanor are much more normal.He is now eating his breakfast quietly with his head down.

On the whole, this scene reassured Siles a little.

However, when they try to leave here later, Siles may need to make a judgment on each of these people... a spiritual judgment and a will judgment.

Soon, they came to the tent.There was something rather eerie and uneasy about the silence in the tent.Angus took out the key to unlock it.

As the tent zipper gradually opened, Siles also felt a little nervous.However, the three sleeping people still let him breathe a sigh of relief.

These three members of the Dreyson family seem to have no problem.Alfonso woke them up loudly, and they slowly woke up, showing a confused but also scared expression.

"What happened in the early hours?" Sirius asked.

Adolf Dreyson, the old man, replied in a hoarse, trembling voice: "We felt... that we should go to sleep in the village instead of staying in the tent.

"It's as if there's something in there... infiltrating our blood, telling us to hurry over there... that's something terrible that our will can't refuse."

The few people who were listening could not help but frown.

Enid Dreyson maintained a pale, weary, numb expression.Without saying a word, she got up suddenly at a certain moment and wanted to run out of the tent, but was stopped by Angus.

She sat back heavily in the tent again, her whole body seemed to be on the verge of collapse.She held her head and murmured fragmentary, unsettling words under her breath.

"...Enid is the one who suffered the most among us." Derek told his wife's situation in a rather calm tone, "In the early morning, she was the first to be unable to bear this torture and wanted to leave the tent. .

"Then we were caught by her emotions too, and we inevitably had that restless, hopeless mood. Then we tried desperately to get out of the tent, and luckily, we were stopped."

There was a slight, unknowing, demanding and accusing of his wife in his tone.Of course, he knew it wasn't Enid's fault, but the emotion couldn't be eased for a while.

The three people in the tent sat there in silence, without saying a word.

"...We are going to leave soon." Siles said suddenly, "So, you need to make a decision: leave with us, or stay here."

He tilted his head to look at Angus, and said in a low voice, "Lock the tent again."

Angus nodded.

A moment later, they were back in the crowd again.

Alfonso said a little apprehensively: "Are we really going to keep them here?"

"No, we have to take them away." Siles said, "That's what they wanted before."

"Then you..." Alfonso hesitated for a moment, then reacted, "Is it to make them firmer in their determination?"

"It can also be said to make them realize the reality. After spending a night here, their pollution seems to be deeper." Siles said, "... Anyway, we have to leave as soon as possible."

Angus nodded, glanced at the time, and said, "It's eight o'clock... shall we leave at nine o'clock?"

"Of course," said Siles.

Cinder said, rather sincerely, "Hopefully we can have a nice lunch at a normal post."

They all laughed a little, and were a little cheered up by it.

Angus Case went to tell his companions about the arrangement.

Alfonso seemed to be remembering something.The morning sun poured down.Despite the unsettling mist and the eerie nature of the place, the sunlight did give one a pleasant feeling.

After a while, Alfonso said: "It seems that we are here to verify the reliability of the 'Reincarnation' ritual."

Siles smiled too.

They came here and learned some information—aside from the dream conversation between Siles and Antinam—but it cannot be said that they gained too much.

"...However, we saved a lot of people by mistake." Siles said, "This is a good harvest."

For example, Angus Keyes and his companions, and the three members of the Dreyson family.

Alfonso nodded too, sighing, "It's a good thing after all."

"After this, are you planning to go back to Ramifa City?" Siles asked.

Alfonso thought for a moment, and then said: "Of course. There seems to be nothing worth nostalgic about in the Land of No Ashes. Why don't you go back to Lamifa City to do research. I think, with the development plan of the Blighted Wasteland, Folklorists like me can learn a lot of new topics.”

"New papers," Sirius pointed out.

"...Oh, professor, I know you haven't written your thesis yet." Alfonso shrugged, "Don't worry, although it's the end of July, you still have five months to go."

Siles: "..."

Being suddenly reminded of this incident made him feel a little bad.

Qin Duo laughed sullenly. He leaned on Siles and said in a low voice: "Your loyal teaching assistant can't do anything about the thesis."

Siles shook his head helplessly and couldn't help sighing.

Soon, it was nearly nine o'clock, and they were about to set off.

But just before setting off, Siles noticed a problem.He suddenly found that before he knew it, people from the always silent village had come out and stood not far from them in groups.

The group was ragged and bony, staring at all of them silently with empty, numb eyes.

In Angus's team, some people who were not in a good state of mind immediately slowed down their packing speed.Some people even moved a little closer to the tribe unconsciously.

At this time, Siles began to make judgments one by one.

Their condition is therefore better.Angus yelled for them to speed up.

The three members of the Dreyson family also left the tent.Siles stared at their backs.For a moment, Sirius felt their figures shake, as if they wanted to join the group of people uncontrollably.

But in the end, they held back.The facial expressions of the three people were distorted, and they walked in front of Siles almost in pain.

Enid Dreyson said depressingly, slowly: "We... intend to... leave. Thank you... sir. Thank you."

After saying these two sentences, she couldn't help but began to take a deep breath.All three of them stood there stiffly, with their backs to the tribe, as if there were some threads on their bodies that were going to pull them there, but they held back and were trying to break free.

Only they can do this, no one else can.Siles gave each of them a verdict, which seemed to make them feel a little better.

"Good luck," said Siles.He didn't say anything more.

Soon, people packed up their things.More and more tribal aborigines appeared not far from them, a huge area, giving people a very heavy sense of oppression.

There was an uneasy premonition in Siles' heart, and he urged people to hurry up.

Angus' fellow explorers were obviously a little flustered.They tossed and scattered, and some suspected newspaper scraps were blown on the faces of the tribal residents by the wind.A resident reached for the newspaper and let out a nervous scream.

Suddenly, they rushed out of the range they had set for themselves, and ran towards Siles.There might be hundreds of people in the huge crowd over there, but there are only a dozen or so people on Siles' side.

Siles was startled, and immediately said, "Go east!"

They had to approach the fog so quickly that they hardly cared about thinking about what was going on.The crowd that suddenly went mad was like a hungry wolf chasing its prey.

The explorer who broke into the territory of the tribe yesterday, as if he hadn't recovered, moved a little slowly and landed on the edge, so he was surrounded by the residents, and soon the whole person was submerged in it.

His short scream was only half a sound, and then it was completely silent.

"...Damn it!" Angus cursed in a low voice, "What are they crazy about!"

When they approached the fog, the residents slowly stopped.They still stared silently at these people with cold, empty eyes, especially the three members of the Dreyson family.However, the latter still turned his back to them, trembling without saying a word.

Out of the crowd came an older man wearing only modest clothing.He stared at these people and said a word, but no one understood.

...except Siles.

Siles' eyes moved slightly, he stared at the elderly man, and did not show that he could understand the words.Alfonso was talking nervously, and Siles replied, "Don't worry. Keep going back, into the mist."

Hundreds of tribal aborigines almost surrounded them, but when they retreated into the mist little by little, the group of people did not stop them.Finally, when the gray-black mist covered their field of vision, those terrifying and empty gazes disappeared.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, as if that gaze was more terrifying than the mist.

Some explorers who didn't have time to use the "self-reappearance" ritual, or didn't have time to drink the potion, are making final preparations in a hurry at this time.People were breathing in panic, and there was a feeling of getting away with it.

"...What did he just say?" Qin Duo asked Siles in a low voice suspiciously.

"He said this is not where we should be," replied Siles.

Qin Duo was taken aback for a moment, and then said strangely: "So... he doesn't seem to have any malicious intentions?"

While they were talking, a panicked figure rushed into their fog.People shouted to confirm the identity of this person, only to realize that this was the explorer who had just been submerged by the aborigines.

He also escaped unexpectedly, and did not suffer any harm.

"...the people living in that oasis are painful redeemers and self-exiles." Siles whispered, "like the three members of the Dreyson family.

"They seem to abide by certain rules and live a peaceful and isolated life, but they also seem to know that they can't get out of this rigid, monotonous cage that binds them all their lives."

Qin Duo was silent for a moment, and then said: "They are the gravekeepers of the corpse of 'Shadow'."

Siles wanted to say something, but finally sighed."[The Nameless Fire] will bury this place," he said.

As for the future fate of these prisoners, that will also be the path they need to find themselves.In this world, everyone is like this.The gods of fate do their best to ensure this.

Soon, people calmed down.They set off on, advancing silently.Occasionally, they exchange a word or two with each other to ensure their respective mental states.Under the leadership of Siles, they walked through the fog almost unimpeded.

Of course, in order not to stand out from the crowd, Siles would occasionally make a slight detour without compromising safety.

After more than two hours, they came out of the fog.

Many explorers cried out in amazement when they beheld the land, illuminated by the bright and fiery summer sun, unlike the gray-black mist.

One by one they came and thanked Sirius, and then they fell on the ground and kissed the ground, crying and laughing.

Siles also heaved a sigh of relief, he took off [Akamala's spectacle frame], and couldn't help feeling a little bit happy.Although they are still in the withered wasteland and the mist is only a short distance away, they have already left the gloomy oasis.

It was almost noon.Alfonso had wanted to take them to the nearby village, but Angus Keyes knew more.

He identified the direction, and then said that there is a small post station about one or two kilometers away from here, where he can drink a sip of clean water and eat good meals.

So after resting in place for a while, they set off for the small inn.The explorers were laughing and making noise in the necessary tavern of the post station, so that the scattered explorers here cast a surprised look at them.

A few explorers couldn't control their complacent and relaxed emotions, showing off their strange experience of entering the fog and getting out of the fog.This naturally aroused the curiosity of others.

Perhaps, a new story will spread in the Never Emberlands.

Siles noticed this, but he knew it was inevitable, so he didn't pay attention at all.

Adolf Dreyson came to thank Siles, and the three of them looked much normal now, except for their pale faces.Of course, they are still worried and don't know how to live in the future.

Of course they didn't dare to return to Lamifa City, but if they stayed in the Land of No Embers, some accidents seemed to be prone to happen.Adolf said that he planned to go to the strange country west of the Never Embers with two other people.

Qin Duo said playfully: "So, you plan to abandon your wife and grandson?"

"Are they...are they still alive? Those killers, they set off at the beginning of July." Adolf smiled wryly, and after a moment of silence, he said, "We have no time to wait and find them."

He almost frankly, and it can be said to be cold, made such a decision.Siles and Qindo didn't say anything, and after that, they were about to part ways.

Siles and Qindo sat in the corner of the tavern.Not far away, Alfonso, Angus and the explorers were sitting together, some were playing cards, some were drinking, and some were chatting.The three members of the Dreyson family also sat low-key not far away.

I'm afraid this tavern hasn't been this lively for a long time.

After Adolf walked away, Cindo asked Siles in a low voice: "Where is Hurd?"

"Nothing has changed," said Siles.He shifted his perspective to the No. [-] puppet.

Hurd put the No. [-] doll in the pocket of his coat. Through the fabric of the coat, the No. [-] doll could only vaguely see the situation outside.They still seem to be marching, as usual.

After watching for a while, Siles turned his perspective back to the main body.

He said: "Just now Adolf said that those killers set off in early July. They might go to the sea north at first, but they might pass by Hurd. They updated the information and kept up with Hurd and his party. The footsteps of ... this will probably take a while."

Qin Duo nodded in agreement, he thought for a while, and then said, "Maybe it's just these few days."

"That's true." Siles said, "Anyway, we have to go back to Lamifa City first, ask the Church of the Past about the ceremony of [Unknown Fire]... and then burn the body of 'Shadow'. This may require your action, Gyndo."

"No problem," Ginto replied. "The canoe is quite convenient. It's just that I'm a little troubled at the thought of being away from you for at least two more days."

"We can meet in a dream," said Siles.

Qin Duo thought for a while, then sighed, and could only say, "Something is better than nothing." He paused, and then said, "However, you still can't enter the dreamland every day?"

"It doesn't seem to work." Siles shook his head, "Perhaps after becoming a god."

"...Akamala's requirements are really strict." Qin Duo grumbled.

Siles laughed.

They were talking when Alfonso came up suddenly, a little drunk.He smiled and said, "I've changed my mind. I'm afraid I have to separate from you temporarily."

"What's the matter?" Sirius asked, he caught a glimpse of Angus looking this way with a smile, and realized a possibility.

Alfonso said: "I plan to go to the west of the Never Embers. It is also a place I have been to before, and I have left a lot of good memories, but I haven't been there for a long time in recent years.

"Angus invited me to join his adventure party, or at least go and see it. I realized that the Everlands were bound to be chaotic and fun after the 'reincarnation' ritual, and I wanted to be a part of it Go in instead of watching in Ramifa."

Siles understood, it seemed that after experiencing the past year, his old friend had gradually gotten used to such an exciting and dangerous life.

If he really wanted him to return to Lamifa City immediately and return to the ordinary and rigid schedule, then he would not be used to it.

Alfonso sat across from them, looked at Qindo, and teased a little narrowly: "Mr. Qindo, sometimes I admire you for being able to stay in Lamifa City. It's completely different."

Qin Duo raised her eyebrows, and there was a kind of "what do you know" in her eyes.But he thought that Alfonso, a middle-aged man, was still a loner, so he didn't bother to say anything.

Alfonso was startled, and looked at Qindo suspiciously, feeling that he seemed to be despised invisibly.

Siles commented in a timely manner: "Qindo's life has indeed changed. Now he has to approve homework for students and reply some business documents. He is quite busy."

Qin Duo: "..."

His beloved god must be relying on him to love him so much, so he said that on purpose, right?

Qin Duo muttered something in a low voice, and then said: "Professor Noel, don't laugh at my busyness. When you are so busy that you need me to take over the class, you will regret laughing at me at this time."

"Hmm... Teacher Qin Duo, don't laugh at my busyness. When you can't finish your homework and documents and need my help someday, you will regret laughing at me at this time." Siles is quite serious say.

Alfonso laughed so hard across from them that he was almost sober.

Qin Duo was speechless, tilted his head and leaned on Sirius' shoulder, and admitted that he couldn't say anything about Sirius—after all, when they met in the land of no embers, it was obvious that Sirius couldn't say anything. his.

After a while, Alfonso finished laughing. He stared at his two friends with a smile, and said, "...be careful."

Both Siles and Qindo were startled.

"...I think you have other things to do." Alfonso looked out the window at the wasteland of the Eternal Land, and the sultry summer heat seemed to indicate an impending storm, "I believe you , but you do need to pay attention to safety.”

Siles was silent for a moment, then said: "We will, Alfonso. Thank you."

Alfonso nodded and said, "If there is anything you need from me, feel free to contact me... Oh, but it may be difficult for us to contact each other in the future. This is indeed a problem."

Siles hesitated for a moment.He looked at the laughing scene of the explorers not far away, confirmed that no one was paying attention to his situation, and said, "There is something I need to tell you."

Alfonso looked at him in bewilderment.

"Mr. Ghost." Siles whispered, "I heard you are curious about his identity?"

Alfonso was dazed for a moment, then his eyes gradually widened.He looked at Sirius in disbelief, then slammed the table.The sound of the damage to the table caused the explorers on the side to look at it blankly.

"What did I say...!" Alfonso said loudly in shock, before realizing that his voice was a little too loud.

He turned around, shrugged his shoulders towards the explorer, spread his hands again, and said with a smile: "There are always some things to be surprised about."

The explorers looked at them curiously, but they didn't cast too much curiosity.Soon, the scene returned to normal.

Alfonso looked at Siles again, and he whispered, "I said why such a helper suddenly appeared and selflessly provided us with a solution. It turned out to be you."

He sighed, not only a kind of surprise that was caught off guard, but also a sigh of hindsight.

"I think it's necessary for me to mention this to you in person, rather than in a dream." Siles explained, "In addition, your mental state some time ago also made me feel that I can talk to you a little later. mention it."

Alfonso nodded and said, "If you had told me about this two days earlier, I would have thought you were crazy, or I was crazy."

Siles laughed.

Alfonso thought for a moment, then laughed again: "Your acting skills are really good. I heard a companion... Oh, you should know him, Herman Grove. Do you know him?"

"Indeed." Siles nodded, "He is my student."

Alfonso opened his mouth, and it seemed that he had sighed in another sense.Siles felt that the word "prophet" was almost on his lips, but he still didn't say it in the end.

"...A magical fate." In the end, Alfonso said this.

Siles was slightly taken aback.

Alfonso continued: "When I heard Herman mention the man he saw in his dream, I doubted many possible candidates, even inhuman things. But I never thought it was you .

"You've made this identity completely disconnected from who you really are, which is pretty good acting. I thought you were almost ready for the stage—speaking of which, you're trying to adapt your novel into a play ?"

Alfonso was obviously curious about Mr. Ghost's identity and power, but he didn't ask. He knew that some information in this world was dangerous in itself.

So he just teased Siles as a friend, and mentioned the theater thing.

Siles smiled, and said, "You think too highly of me, Alfonso. Just because no one will associate the ghost of the dream with me."

Alfonso didn't quite agree, he said: "You see, your students didn't recognize you, which shows that your performance was quite successful." He thought for a while and then said, "In this way, after Can we connect in the dream?"

"Yes." Sirius said, "I'll come to you later."

"...oh, that sounds like a subtle horror story," murmured Alfonso, laughing again, "but it's a very convenient solution."

Siles agrees with this.

Alfonso seemed to have a lot to say, but the explorers were calling him to play cards loudly.So Alfonso said, "Then we'll talk later, Professor."

He was about to leave, but after a moment's thought, he added: "Thank you for inventing Noel's card."

Afterwards, he laughed and went to the explorer's side to play cards.

Siles: "..."

There is no need to say this sentence.

Qin Duo couldn't help laughing again, he said: "I remember that many toys sold in Geisha are also quite popular with children."

Siles sighed helplessly, and said, "That's a toy idea from my hometown."

But when he said this, he was suddenly taken aback.

He thought of a question that he had always neglected—the fate card was invented by Mr. Xia, but Mr. Xia...Mr. Xia?

Antinam invented the fate card?

Siles has a subtle sense of doubt about this, mainly because of the image of Antinam, which doesn't seem to match this kind of board game...

So, who actually invented Destiny Solitaire?

At this moment, Professor Siles Noel began to doubt himself - literally "doubt himself".

Qin Duo was about to say something, but noticed the change in Siles' expression, and asked, "What did you think of?"

"...Fate Card, Mr. Xia." Siles said slowly.

Qin Duo blinked his eyes, and understood the meaning of Siles in an instant. He burst out laughing, and said: "Now you can accept people's praise for Destiny Cards without any need to explain the meaning of Destiny Cards." It's different from Noel's poker."

Siles: "..."

Think positively, He Jiayin.he said to himself.On the bright side, Destiny Solitaire deconstructs the majesty of the old gods—yes, he might be able to use it to write a thesis, such as how secular culture and street literature dispel the influence of gods on literature.

but……

……never mind.

He looked at the situation of the explorers again, and said, "Let's go back to the hotel first, I'm afraid they will continue to play for a while."

They had already inquired, and this small inn was not considered prosperous, but the hot water supply in the hotel was fairly complete—in other words, they could finally take a shower, thank God.

Summer adventures in the Neverland sometimes make Sirius suspect that his cleanliness will one day increase.

Qin Duo naturally understands