Deep Sea Embers

Take a trip?

Nina was stunned for a moment, and then she understood what was going on.

Thinking about the whole incident, thinking about the behavior of herself and Shirley before and after the appearance of the strange thing that looked like "living steel", she felt that it was normal for these knowledge guards to be vigilant—anything involved In the event of an extraordinary invasion, all people and objects that may be contaminated must be included in the scope of investigation to the greatest extent. This is the iron law of the guards.

When she was on the ship, Fanna often mentioned her daily work as a judge, which also included many rules of the guards, and according to what Uncle Duncan usually said—it was these strict to almost harsh "rules" that ensured It has ensured the survival of the city-states in this deep sea age, and ensured that most ordinary people can still spend a relatively stable life in this dangerous world.

So she nodded, and calmly tugged Shirley's arm next to her to prevent the latter from uttering any vulgar words, and then looked at the knowledge guard in front of her: "Okay...but we never go back If so, the family will be worried.”

"Just to confirm whether you have suffered from mental pollution or subconscious hints," the knowledge guard seemed relieved, and explained patiently, "This is a necessary investigation and protection process. If there is no pollution, it will soon let you You left."

Then he paused, and added: "After we arrive at the academy, we must first register your basic information, and someone will contact your family members. Don't worry about that."

"Oh, let's go," Nina laughed, then turned to look at Shirley again, "Are you okay?"

"Is there any other problem," Shirley muttered, "I'm looking forward to it..."

Nina heard from the other party's tone that she was waiting to see the fun and even a little gloating. She knew what this guy was expecting, but she didn't say much, but turned her attention to the guy who had almost stopped moving. On the "clump" on the ground, I couldn't help but asked curiously: "Do you know what this is?"

"Some kind of anomalous individual that invaded the real world, but it's inconvenient to tell the specifics," the knowledge guard said in a business-like tone. "If it is determined to be an event that can be made public after evaluation, the academy will announce it to the outside world."

"Oh..." Nina let out a long voice, and turned around to leave here with the guards, but before she left, she couldn't help but stop, and looked back at the pile of strangely shaped "clumps" "One glance.

The latter has gradually come to rest, even the last twitches and tremors have stopped, and a rock-like texture is slowly spreading on the completely solidified iron-gray skin.

...

At 99 Crown Street, in the "mysterious mansion" with towering spires and lush gardens, Duncan and Lucrezia were chatting about many things that happened in Frost some time ago, and Morris curiously talked to Clockwork not far away. The puppet Luni communicated, and seemed to be interested in the latter's driving method, while Fanna didn't stay in the living room—it was her daytime prayer time, and Lucrezia dedicated to this devout storm saint A "prayer room" was prepared.

"...When I left, order has been restored in Frost City, but it will take a lot of effort to clean up the pollution left by those 'elements'," Duncan said to Lucrezia. "It is said that Tirian's overtime arrangement has been scheduled for the next quarter..."

"I have been free and easy as a pirate in the Cold Sea for half a century, and now I finally have to make up for the debts I owed during the lazy period," Lucrecia said with emotion, "By the way, you have been to the place farther north in the Frost?" Is it near the frozen sea?"

"That's not true," Duncan shook his head, "I only heard that there is a boundless ice field, and the ice spreads all the way to the depths of the thick fog on the border. Makes me care."

"It is said that in the frozen seas of the frosty north, there are even buried relics left by the explorers of the dark age and the old city-state era in some ice layers. Some people have tried to walk through those ice layers to explore the dense fog, but in the end Swallowed by the sudden extreme cold... In contrast, I think the warm southern waters are more suitable as a breakthrough to challenge the 'border'..."

"If I have the chance, I really want to see that border... Don't worry, I know the danger of that thick fog, but I'm just curious..."

"Anyway, you just don't rush into that thick fog again."

The "father and daughter" who had been reunited for a long time chatted one after another, talking about what happened in the recent period, talking about many incredible phenomena on the boundless sea, talking about the thick fog on the border and those dangerous areas far away from the civilized world .

Their conversations didn't always go on, and Lucrezia wasn't one for chatting, but it was incredible how long they'd been talking like this.

But suddenly, Duncan stopped.

He seemed to "hear" something, his brows were slightly frowned, and after a short period of concentrated perception, he turned his gaze to a certain direction outside the window.

Lucrezia immediately noticed her father's strangeness: "What happened?"

"Nina is calling me." Duncan turned his head with a strange expression, and glanced at Lucrezia, "...How do I get to the neighborhood college?"

"Neighborhood Academy?" Lucrezia was stunned for a moment, "What are you doing at the Neighborhood Academy?"

"Find people."

Lucrezia: "...?"

...

"Name?"

"Nina." Nina hesitated, but did not say her current "surname".

The registrar on the opposite side of the table didn't pay much attention to this, but continued to record routinely: "Age?"

"17 years old."

"Profession?"

"Still in high school..."

"Are you a native of Qingfeng Harbor?"

"It's from Puland, who came to Qingfeng Harbor for tourism, and temporarily stayed at... a relative's house."

The registrar recorded the basic information one by one, and when he heard a series of honest answers from the girl opposite, he raised his head with a smile, and calmed down gently: "Don't be nervous, girl, it's just some routine registration, you I didn’t do anything bad, but I was accidentally involved in extraordinary events, these registrations are for your protection—don’t be afraid.”

"I'm not afraid," Nina said obediently, and then looked at the registrar opposite with some embarrassment, "Just don't be afraid later."

"Me? Why should I be afraid?" The registrar froze for a moment, and waved his hands dumbfounded. He only thought that this was the casual nonsense of a young girl with little experience in the world, and he didn't take it seriously. "Hey, you If only that companion could be so educated."

Nina was stunned, and listened to the movement in the next room, and as expected, she heard some *vulgar language* that was very characteristic of Shirley.

But it doesn’t sound like swearing, but just self-releasing swear words, similar to casually adding some words with a lot of mother when talking with people-in Shirley’s own words, they are all “mood particles”.

So Nina relaxed a little, and smiled with an embarrassed expression: "She is already in a relatively restrained situation."

"It's okay. We have seen all kinds of people in our position, especially those who have been in contact with extraordinary powers. It is normal for people to be mentally unstable or even mess up. We are all used to it," the registrar waved his hand nonchalantly. "It's just a little surprising, she looks like such a well-behaved girl..."

Nina recalled Shirley in front of Uncle Duncan, and thought that the registrar's first impression was actually correct from a certain point of view...

After a while, she asked curiously, "When can we go back?"

The registrar wearing the clergyman's blouse of the Institute of Truth turned his head and glanced at the incense and quietly burning candles on the table next to him.

"Wait until the incense burns out and the candle goes out naturally. If all the catalysts don't respond, then you can leave."

"Oh," Nina nodded, and after a few minutes of silence, she asked again, "Where's that 'thing' that appeared at the market earlier? Has it been caught?"

"Sorry, no comment," the registrar shook his head, and then reminded, "I suggest you not to continue to pay attention to it, and try to avoid recalling it, because some 'foreign objects' that invade the real world will be in the minds of witnesses. Although we have not found that you and your companions are contaminated by this pollution, frequent recall and excess curiosity may still lead to bad effects."

"Oh." Nina nodded again, and then finally calmed down, as if patiently waiting for the moment when the incense burnt out and the "inspection" ended.

The young registrar sitting opposite her calmly breathed a sigh of relief. While arranging the form that had just been recorded, he adjusted his sitting posture and pulled his hand out of a hidden space under the table.

There was a small device in his hand that looked like a pocket watch.

With the cover of the desktop, he pressed the cover of the device. After the "cover" was opened softly, what was exposed below was not the pointer and the dial, but a surface like mercury - the layer of "mercury" was slightly undulating, Like some kind of living thing.

He cautiously tilted the layer of "mercury" towards the girl across the table, carefully observing the changes on the silver-white liquid surface.

This girl named Nina looks sane, speaks clearly, and is even well-educated, but this does not dispel the concerns of professional priests—because in many cases, people who have already suffered from spiritual pollution can also recover in a short period of time. Maintaining this "clear mind" appearance, if not carefully checked, will easily lead to the hidden leakage of pollution.

According to the report of the field team, the girl and her companions approached the patrolling knowledge guards in the few seconds before the "invading thing" appeared, and there were many unreasonable actions during the incident. There is no doubt that careful inspection is required everywhere.

However, the surface of the mercury liquid did not reflect any abnormal shadows at all.

The "registrar" frowned, and moved the device closer to his eyes, carefully observing the subtle changes in the ups and downs of the liquid level.

Suddenly, he seemed to really see something in the slightly rippling mercury liquid——

It was a golden brilliance.

That is the gathering flame.

That is some kind of mysterious and vast power, the knowledge lost in ancient times, the light and heat of the ancient stalwart, the power of everything in the world...

The roar sounded in his mind, the storm-like knowledge was impacting the boundaries of reason, the thirst for truth seemed to seize the mind, the mortal soul yearned for the gravity of the sun, he suddenly widened his eyes, staring at the coming come——

A hand suddenly stretched out from the side, blocking his eyes.

"It's okay, don't look at it blindly," a deep and majestic voice came into your ears, "You still look at it if you feel something is wrong, why are you all so wrong in the Institute of Truth?"

(Give up the fantasy, I'm sure it's positive...but don't worry, everyone, I feel that the state is okay, and I won't stop updating.)