Deep Sea Embers

Chapter 176
The sky turned gloomy at some point, thick and thick clouds covered the city-state one after another, and the slightly salty sea breeze blew across the streets, as if it wanted to pour cold air into people's bones.

The old captain Lawrence walked out of the church gate, shrunk his neck in the cold wind blowing in front of him, looked up at the sky, and began to mutter and complain about the bad weather: "Damn, bad luck, it's finally over During the observation period, I have to walk home for half an hour against this wind..."

On the streets of Church Square, pedestrians are hurrying, it seems that a rain is about to fall at any time, everyone is thinking about the uncollected clothes at home, or the windows that have not been closed, but the old captain thinks of himself first. That grumpy wife—he has been "isolated and observed" in the church for many days, and he hasn't even sent a message in the middle, so he won't have to suffer a love affair with his head covered his face and even his nose and face swollen?

Lawrence rubbed his arms and hands, sighed, and prepared to walk towards the cold wind ahead, but just as he took two steps, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a church guard running towards him in a hurry. In some places, stood the young psychiatrist who was in charge of providing psychological counseling... It seemed to be called Heidi or Haili.

"No way..." Lawrence murmured subconsciously, and then he saw the church guards approaching him, first saluted politely, and then stretched out his hand solemnly to block his way: "Sorry, Lawrence Captain, you have just received an urgent notice that you cannot leave for the time being..."

"Isn't the observation period already over?" Lawrence felt something the moment he saw the other party appear, but at this moment he couldn't help but slump, "You have to have a suitable reason."

"It's inconvenient to tell you the specifics, but..." The young church guard seemed a little embarrassed, but finally said in a businesslike manner, "It's a direct order from the judge—the situation has changed, and everyone who has been in contact with the Lost Country Ordinary people are going to stay in the church."

The corner of Lawrence's mouth trembled. He knew that he had to obey the order when he heard the words "Lost Country", but the emergence of a bad mood was uncontrollable. The old captain frowned: "Okay , extension, I understand - but who will explain it to my wife? I'm connected..."

"Sorry to bother you," said the old captain before Heidi's voice came from the side, "Do you have any concerns?"

Lawrence turned his head and glanced at Heidi—he had also dealt with this young lady psychiatrist during the days of being isolated and observed in the church, and he knew that although she looked young, she was indeed a reliable " Expert", and indeed helped himself and the crew to resolve a lot of nervous and angry emotions, so his face eased a little: "I have been away from home for too long, and my wife is not a gentle person-I ended the last order Shipping bills are for vacation, so you can’t be quarantined in the church for the first half of the vacation, and recuperate in bed for the second half of the vacation..."

"...Indeed, no one wants to encounter such a thing," Heidi sighed, and said empathetically, then took out a medicine packaged in a glass tube from the medicine box she carried with her, and handed it to the old captain, saying , "But things are more complicated now, it's best to follow the instructions of the cathedral first—don't worry, someone from your family will contact you."

"What is this?" Lawrence took the medicine tube, looked at the liquid in it suspiciously, and then looked at Heidi suspiciously-there are always some strange things in the medicine box of this psychiatrist, which makes people feel uncomfortable. Strange nervous.

"Soothe the nerves, soothe the mind, and at the same time strengthen the mental protection to a certain extent," Heidi said casually, "preparing for the next stage of isolation and observation."

"...Damn it, it really can't be accommodated..." Lawrence felt a toothache when he heard "the next stage of isolation", and then pulled out the stopper of the medicine tube, drank the salty and bitter medicine inside, and put the glass Return it to a psychiatrist.

The effect of the potion appeared quickly. The old captain shivered in the cold wind, his eyes changed a few times, and then he calmed down quickly, letting out a long and complicated sigh.

"Do you need me to take you back?" Heidi asked softly, observing the old captain's expression.

"...No, I know the way." Lawrence was a little downcast, but soon shook his head in relief, "Oh, it's good to go back and stay. It's nice to have someone to chat with. At least a few trainee monks can talk. interesting……"

He turned around in the cold wind, and walked towards the church gate alone. Two guards were already waiting there, ready to take the old captain back to the isolated observation place.

But just as he was about to walk through the door, Heidi's voice sounded: "Mr. Lawrence, as a psychiatrist, I still seriously advise you—it's almost time to retire. Mental health is bad."

Lawrence didn't speak, but waved his hand from a distance to indicate that he had heard it, and then his figure slowly disappeared into the towering and solemn gate.

Only Heidi, who was carrying a medicine box, and a guardian soldier in a long black windbreaker were left on the square.

The guard looked at the old captain with a hint of respect in his eyes.

Then the guard turned his head and looked at the psychiatrist beside him: "Miss Heidi, do you know what happened?"

Heidi rolled her eyes: "You are from the church, and you don't even know. How could I, an 'outside consultant' sent by the city hall, know?"

"But you and the judge..."

"She didn't tell me anything, and I haven't even seen her since yesterday," Heidi shook her head, and then looked at the guardian warrior in front of her curiously, "But I heard that she suddenly A lot of investigation missions were issued? There was even a team of civilian priests who went to the city hall this morning to borrow files..."

"Yeah, a lot of investigation tasks," the guard sighed, "seconded files, visited the community, checked a lot of old accounts, and went to the port to set up a card to monitor twelve french fries sellers..."

Heidi: "...?"

"So now even we are guessing what's going on," the guard sighed, looking up at the dark cloudy sky, "tsk, what the hell weather."

……

Morris sat upright at the desk, his fingers gently stroking the rough edges of a heavy tome, his mood calmed down little by little, until he could even hear his own heartbeat clearly.

He lowered his head, slowly opened the "Rahem Canon" in front of him, skillfully opened the chapters about mind protection and wisdom identification, and silently recited the above admonitions in his heart.

After completing the most basic self-suggestion and mental strengthening, he stood up, lit the candles and incense on the table next to him in order, and dripped the extracted essential oil into three of the candles.

In the sudden rising flames, he stared at the mirror in front of the ritual altar, looked at his own reflection in the mirror, with a somewhat self-deprecating smile on his face.

"It's really old... Fortunately, I can still accurately execute the details of these rituals."

The crackling sound of the candle gradually faded away, and the smoke rising from the incense slowly condensed above the mirror to form a lingering cloud. The cloud blocked the old man's sight, making it impossible for him to see his own shadow in the mirror clearly. At this point, the protection of the mind and the blessings from the God of Wisdom Rahmu are complete.

"I have been away from you for 11 years...you are still willing to take care of me," Morris couldn't help sighing softly when he saw the ceremony was completed so smoothly, "Do you still have any expectations for me..."

The room was still quiet. Of course, the God of Wisdom would not just show up, but Morris was still listening attentively. He seemed to have heard the instructions of the gods in the silence, and his face gradually calmed down. He opened a drawer at hand .

A string of bracelets made of colorful stones lay quietly in the drawer, and there were twelve stones in total.

Morris hesitated, picked up the bracelet and put it on.

At this moment, he felt a burst of clarity in his mind, as if a curtain that had been covering for many years was suddenly removed, and then he took another look at the layer of smoke that was still condensed in front of the mirror, and finally made up his mind to push the door and leave the room.

Heidi wasn't at home, and the empty mansion seemed extraordinarily quiet.

The bedroom of himself and his wife is not far to the left, the door is ajar at the moment, and the inside is groggy and silent.

Morris touched the stone bracelet on his wrist. He didn't dare to look at the half-hidden door. Instead, he quickly walked through the corridor as if escaping, then passed through the living room, walked out of the door, and started the engine parked in the courtyard. The car in the car drove towards the direction of the city.

At the same time, a white pigeon was flying over the low, old buildings in the lower city.

Where no one was paying attention, the white dove passed through the second-floor window of Duncan's Antique Store, and a moment later, a cluster of dark green flames flashed behind the window.

Duncan stepped out of the flames, glanced at the bad weather outside, and then at the clock hanging on the wall not far away—it was a little while before Nina came home from school.

He came to the first floor, opened the store door, moved a chair, and sat at the door like this, staring at the street in front of him calmly, thinking quietly.

(End of this chapter)