Heartbreaker

As soon as I stepped into the border of the Twilight Empire, I received a letter from Chichikov and found the hotel where he was staying.I led the horse and strolled on the side of a wide and straight road leading directly to the king's city, looking around indifferently at the streets lined with shops and the bustling crowd.

Under the dark blue sky stands a cluster of gray-white minarets, like fingers towering into the sky, surrounded by clouds and mist, and the solemn twilight gives off a sense of precipitation of the years.

The buildings in the old country only retain part of the steeple churches and dome castles, while all the residential buildings have been overturned and rebuilt, painted with bright paint, and the gates of every house are more or less painted with centipedes and snakes. There is still the whole stripped snakeskin hanging, which is worthy of being a model of barbarians.

The streets are full of Mogul civilians with silk scarves wrapped around their heads, while the nobles ride in carriages and wear capes and top hats with centipede and ouroboros headdresses. Many clothing styles also refer to the popular styles of the Wanjiang Empire.Both sides of the path around the woods are full of plane trees, which shade the sun. Many green parks have been built by the lake for people to enjoy. You can also hear the chirping of birds and the innocent laughter of children.

I walked quickly on the street, with weird reptile turbans floating in front of my eyes, and the conversations and laughter of those Mogol people with strong accents ringing in my ears, I just felt uncomfortable, as if I had fallen into a dark atmosphere Thick snake nest.

"How did you become like this?"

I walked into the hotel room and took off my pitch-black hood. Chichikov was stunned for a moment before opening his mouth to ask.Hungry, I sat down to the table and had a goose served, a plate of honey-glazed ham, a large loaf of rye bread, and a large bottle of sherbet.

Fruit dew was the first to be served, and I took a few mouthfuls to quench my thirst, "It's a small price to pay for curing Luo."

Chichikov stared at me for a while, his expression changed, and he frowned and said, "Satan, you actually spent ten years of your life just to save a weak undead? And there will be sequelae after saving it."

"Yeah." The roast goose was brought up right away, I tore at a goose leg, and mumbled, "He's blind, and he's probably even more stupid than before."

As if responding to my words, as soon as Luo entered the hotel, he fumbled around the furnishings slowly and almost bumped into a maid.I sat at the table with Chichikov and watched him, seeing that he finally found our seat, and sat down contentedly...

"Satan..." The pipe fell from the corner of Chichikov's mouth, and the old man rarely showed annoyed face, "Didn't the necromancer allow you to change to another undead? What are you doing? I thought you had reached the point It's time to be more sensible! You don't want to take revenge?"

Luo was taken aback by the old man's hoarse voice, and listened carefully to our conversation.Although he couldn't see, he moved aside when Chichikov stared at him.

I was silent for a while, and said, "Luo, come to my place."

He stepped forward as he said, and I stretched out my arms, hugged him on my lap, and held him in my arms.Seeing this scene, Chichikov was immediately filled with dislike for me, and started smoking his pipe in dissatisfaction.

I stroked Luo's hair, "If I don't, he will be destroyed."

"Destroy it, destroy it, anyway, he is just a dead man."

"I don't agree." I quietly stared at the light-yellow tapestry hanging, and smiled self-deprecatingly, "And I figured it out, whether the undead is him or not, it might make no difference to the result. I don't need him to do too much , It’s enough for him to stay by my side.”

The old man squinted at me for a while, then said coldly, "You are too greedy, Lemon. You will lose everything in the end, don't blame me for not reminding you."

I sneered and said, "It doesn't matter, whether it is life or death, I will bear it alone. You just remember to run when the time comes."

"Lemon, you are not alone, I will accompany you." Luo said seriously.

I pulled out a smile, and put my forehead against Luo's, "Did you hear that? My undead said he wanted to be with me."

At this point, Chichikov also understood that it would be useless to talk too much, so he just took out a wanted list from his bosom.

It depicts an arrogant and domineering red-haired boy with a ferocious crocodile smile, a blunt knife on his shoulder, and a murderous look.

"Yo." I twitched the corners of my mouth with a half-smile, "It's pretty like a painting."

"You have long been a serious criminal wanted by the Twilight Empire." Chichikov said, "But you grew up in the Desolate Bone Swamp to look like you are in your twenties, and it was a blessing in disguise. I guess no one would think that you are a red-haired boy 'Lymon Bone Spur,' but we should disguise it, just in case."

I picked up a strand of long hair and said casually, "Dye my hair?"

"Hair dyeing is a must." Chichikov said, "Also, you can't call yourself 'Lemon Bone Spur'...you need to change your name."

I munch on the rest of the roast goose nonchalantly.Chichikov sat at the table silently, and suddenly said to me, "Lemon, there is one more thing I have to tell you."

As he spoke, he picked up the wanted list for "Lemon Bone Spur" on the table, and turned it over to the back.

A short poem with clear and handsome handwriting appeared impressively.

"Dear Lemon,

you have grown up.

hair like fire, lips like roses,

The face is like the first snow, and the eyes are like the stars.

countless sleepless nights,

You have kept me waiting too long.

I want you.

I'll let you know soon.

I,

to you……

killer

Eliot de Stewart"

"..."

I almost threw up.Gou Dongshi’s short poems are as usual as always, and each one is more powerful than the last, which is very unappetizing. It seems that he intends to make me sick to death.

"The whole city, no, it should be the entire Twilight Empire. As long as it belongs to your wanted list, this poem is printed on the back." The old man's tone showed a terrifying calmness, "At first I wondered what he was talking about , I didn’t understand until I saw you like this... Heh, why is your 15-year-old portrait printed on the wanted list, but the poem reveals that you are 25 years old..."

"Eliot wants you to know that even if no one can recognize the real 'Lemon Bone Spur', he can still recognize you."

"He knows you very well. Everything about you, every change, every emotion, every choice...all fall into his eyes."

****

That night, we stayed at the hotel.After Chichikov dyed my hair, the whole room smelled of pungent herbs.I opened the window to breathe, and gazed at the gentle night sky.The moonlight is like a pouring clear spring, and the crystal light covers the roof and spire.

I took out the dagger hidden in my waist, and slid my fingers over the slightly astringent blade, watching the blade reflect the cold silver light against the moonlight.

I secretly sneered, this is probably the weapon I used to assassinate the Dog Emperor.The bone cutting knife was destroyed in Vulture City, and the blunt knife that had been with me for a long time was shattered all over the ground. The tired blade dissipated overflowing murderous aura, as if weeping blood, as if it was foretelling my end.

"Lemon, you have to hurry tomorrow, don't you want to rest?"

Luo whispered behind me.I responded, and sat on the bed in a numb manner, staring at the wall without moving.Luo walked up to me, stroking my long hair dyed black, stroking and confirming with his fingertips along the contours of my face little by little.

I hugged him tightly and pressed my face against his warm belly.

"Lemon..."

"Call me 'Lenny' from now on. Lenny Koffer, my new name," I said. "Besides, don't talk. Let me hold you for a while."

He obediently agreed, put his arms around my shoulders, and rested his chin lightly on the top of my head.We hugged like this for a while in the dark, Luo untied my clothes, and we lay down on the bed.Not interested in doing anything, I hugged his warm body into my arms and kissed his lips.

The strong smell of hair dye permeates all around us.My eyes hurt, but I couldn't sleep.I thought about those little white pills that I hadn't been able to sleep on for so long after being with Ro.But now the anguish of insomnia has come back, trapping me in the quiet dark night again, and I can only recall those shameful and hateful past events.

Time passed by every minute and every second, and I heard my gradually heavy heartbeat, and suddenly let out a sneer. Fifteen-year-old Lemon Bone Spur never loses sleep over revenge killings, and now the 15-year-old is a pussy.

"Lenny, actually, I've dreamed about you."

Luo suddenly spoke, which surprised me. I thought he was already fast asleep.My undead poked its head out of my arms, and looked at me gently with dark eyes, "You were exactly the same back then as you are now."

I simply couldn't fall asleep, I propped my head up, closed my eyes and asked, "When?"

"When you and Eminem were imprisoned in the prison of Vulture City." Luo said, "I dreamed of you many times."

I got a little interested, "What kind of dream?"

"It's like a dream of hell." Luo said softly, "The earth is made of fiery lava, and blood-like magma flows on it... The sky is blood-colored, and black mist is shrouded in the bare tree branches..."

I lifted one eyelid and said casually, "What about me? Am I tied to a cross?"

He stared blankly, and I knew I was right.It's pretty good, being able to predict a certain situation as expected, even makes me feel a little bit more at ease.

"You and I, we are both on the cross." Luo said, "We are... making | love."

"..." I grinned the corners of my mouth with a half-smile, and yawned, "It's really like something I would do. Before I die, I have a good time, and I die without regret. Then what?"

"Then..." Luo Weiwei closed his eyes, and said, "Our whole bodies turned into sharp blades, peeled off each other's skin, blood and flesh melted together..."

"Just when we were about to become one, a scalding fireball fell from the sky, burning everything..."

"Dragon roars on the mountaintop at the end of the sky."

I caressed his back, looked at the gauze above my head with my dry eyes, and didn't know how to answer for a while.In the dead silence, Luo continued, "This nightmare has haunted me for a long time. It was as real as a revelation, and I had no clue, so I had to ask the mage for help."

The contents of Jeremy the Mouse's deathbed confessions came to mind.

[Some people say that my brother is from the summit of the ember of soul...]

"I told the mage about the dream, and she performed the divination of the Arcana cards for us." Luo looked up at me, with a childish and joyful smile on his lips, "The last two key cards are 'lover' and ' World'. Lymon, said the mage, as long as we are together, the end will usher in the fullness of all."

"It's Lenny." I rubbed his hair and said lightly, "Besides, I don't believe in divination."

Luo's eyebrows showed a bit of disappointment, and he whispered, "Then... do you feel better now? Walking in the dark, with thorn bushes under your feet, I don't know whether the road or the cliff is ahead, and you may be smashed to pieces in the blink of an eye... "

He looked up at me, "Can you see the 'light' of the road now, Lenny?"

"Well, I can see it."

Although I don't know what he is talking about, but seeing his expectant eyes, I still said quietly, "I see, the light the size of a firefly is spinning and jumping above the abyss, singing a beautiful song, just for me A song sung alone..."

Luo Dao, "Do you still want to hear it now?"

I stared at him, "I want to hear you sing." I said I like white clouds, but when it is dark and gloomy, I still feel sorry for its tears; I said I like flowers, but when it withers, I still feel sorry for it. would kiss its battered remains...'"

"That's why... no matter what you become, I still like you..."

"Sing it to me."

He smiled and hummed softly for me the song of the undead that belonged to him and also belonged to me.The silver-white moonlight is plated on the floor of the house, like a white blanket of frost, dispelling the dead darkness.I leaned over and kissed Luo's forehead, and fell into a sleepy sleep amidst his peaceful singing.

A good night's dream.

****

The next day, we set off for Wangcheng.Along the way, the humming of the bronze bell beat my ears like a drum, and the city gate was even more tightly surrounded.

I saw several open carriages, the men were chatting outside, and the women inside were eating pastries and fruits, in a leisurely manner.Not only that, there was a lot of noise all around, and there were even small vendors hawking outside the city gate, with candy and all kinds of exquisite handicrafts in the back basket.

I looked up in the glare of the sun, and immediately understood why Chichikov said "diving into the ground is impossible".

On the city wall of the Twilight Empire's royal city, countless blinking metal eyes were inlaid, patrolling the surroundings non-stop.Those brass-colored eyes are like living things, and the glass-colored pupils seem to contain some kind of mysterious emotion. The artificial eyelids also have dense welds left during processing.I looked up at them, and suddenly I was swept by one of the eyes, and I suddenly got goosebumps, as if a bug had crawled up my back.

They are like real eyes, even colder than real eyes.

Chichikov shook his head and said, "I don't know what drives those eyes, they can patrol around without sleep. In the sky and on the ground, as long as they are moving creatures, they are all in their eyes... In this case, we are It is impossible to bypass the city wall and sneak into the king's city."

My spine is tingling from those sinister metal eyes, Satan, I fucking hate the feeling of being watched.

"Moreover, for some reason recently, the emperor issued an order to limit the number of people entering the city to no more than 200 per day. Inspections must be carried out before entering the gate, and the control mechanism is even stricter." The old man took out two tin plaques from the package and gave them One for me, "This one needs to be ordered in advance. I got it at the gate of the city ten days ago, and I can only enter today."

"So that's how it is." I sneered, "That bastard knows we're coming to take his head, and he's capable."

Chichikov paused for a moment while he was smoking his pipe, and seemed to think of something, and squatted under the tree to enjoy the shade in a gloomy mood.I tied the horse to a tree by the side of the road and observed the surrounding environment.

On both sides of the city gate, several monks in white robes were distributing signs, with solemn faces and a leather bracelet around their wrists.Popolo once said that he was a monk of the church, and his black robe was like thick ink.I frowned at the spotless white robes of these monks, wondering when the church would start changing from black to white.

"Strictly speaking, these people wearing white monk uniforms are not monks." Chichikov said, "I have inquired, and they are actually members of the church's affiliated organizations, and they rarely participate in public services such as worship and mass. The real responsibilities are unclear."

At this time, the bell tower in the distance suddenly heard deafening bells again, and the tail wings of the white dove drew a few pure white light lines in the blue sky.The piercing sound of metal impact spread layer by layer like water waves. Even though the rhythm reached me was incomplete, I still recognized its symbolic meaning.

"The Church of the Twilight Empire has a new bishop?" I asked Chichikov, "When did this happen?"

"About two months ago, the old bishop died of illness. The new bishop took office fifteen days ago. Today is the last day of celebration." The old man shook his head.

When I mentioned the church, I frowned, and suddenly thought of a question, "By the way, where is that crazy monk?"

When I arrived at the hotel yesterday, I was disturbed, and this morning I was in such a hurry that I forgot to ask Chichikov about Popolo's whereabouts.

A secret smile appeared on the old man's wrinkled face, "You will know later."