Deep Sea Embers

The long dusk is over and night has fallen.

The electric light was turned on, dispelling the darkness in the room. Taran El stood in front of the window, frowning and staring at the streets outside the window - the light of the gas lamps illuminated the streets, and occasionally the knowledge guards patrolling the night could be seen with vigilance. The dog appeared near the intersection. Other than that, the whole city seemed to have died in the night, empty and silent.

After an unknown amount of time, he looked away from the window, looked at the stacks of information and books on his desk, and sighed imperceptibly.

He organized these things before the sun set. Next, it was time to pack them and send them to the college's great library - there is a new office there, blessed by the God of Wisdom and with many divine blessings. , where he can study and read safely.

But the scholars who are qualified to get a "safe room" in the college's large library are destined to be only a few. For the vast majority of people, when the sun goes down, "reading" becomes a taboo, for safety reasons , during this night, all books must be sealed until the next sunrise - this is also part of the "night ban" just issued by the Government Affairs Office.

At the same time, teaching activities in various schools must also be stopped - young students do not have enough strength and experience to deal with the monsters chasing from the spiritual world and the deep sea, which is too dangerous.

Of course, some people think that the situation in Qingfeng Port is not that bad, because the luminous geometry next to the city-state has a power similar to that of the sun. Within its "sunlight" coverage, people may still be able to live and conduct research in a normal way - —But this is just a conjecture after all. People have never tested the power of that luminous geometric body in such a long night, and they cannot determine where its protection limit is. Naturally, they cannot take risks.

As far as Taran El knows, there are already a group of scholars conducting tests in this area near the luminous geometry. They are fully armed and protected by equally heavily armed guards. They will be at different times and in different locations. Try "night reading" to confirm the protective effect of "sunlight".

But even Taran Ayre didn't know how long the test would last or how many times it would need to be verified.

The door opened, and the young apprentice Joshua walked into the room. He was pushing a trolley. He was a little dazed after seeing the teacher: "...You haven't gone to the big library yet?"

"I'll go with the next group of people," Taran El said casually, raising his finger to point to the things on the table, "The things have been sorted out, just take these on the table with you, and leave the others here... …I’ll be back after daybreak.”

"Okay, teacher." Joshua agreed honestly, and began to silently bundle and package the organized books and materials on the table, and carry them to the trolley. He lowered his head the whole time, as if to avoid seeing The text on the information seems to be to avoid seeing the teacher's eyes.

"After you finish cleaning up here, you can go home with the others," Taran looked at his young apprentice and suddenly said casually, "You are on vacation."

"Can I go to the big library with you?" Joshua hesitated for a moment, then raised his head, "I... still have an unfinished paper."

"Are you starting to make progress now?" Taran raised his eyebrows and said in a deliberately condescending tone, "Don't you usually clamor for a vacation all day long?"

Joshua pursed his lips, seeming a little embarrassed: "I..."

"Okay, just kidding," Taran laughed and shook his head slightly, "Go home and don't think about your thesis - the 'safe rooms' in the big library are not that safe either. An experienced scholar like me knows how to carry out research carefully with the cooperation of protective measures, but young people like you can't... Even if the safe house blocks the entities of those evil spirits, the gibbering coming from the book It will also make you delirious.

"Go on vacation, have a good rest and recharge your batteries. We will have long days later... Then you won't have such a comfortable vacation."

After listening to the teacher's words, Joshua just nodded slowly, and then he hesitated for a while before boldly asking: "Will innocence really shine in the future?"

"...Yes," Taran looked into the apprentice's eyes and said with a very serious expression, "Do you remember? You and I calculated the setting speed of the sun together, and it fell below the sea level on time according to our calculations. ——It will also rise according to our calculation results in the future, but it will take a while.”

The tense expression on the young man's face seemed to finally relax a little. He silently packed up the remaining things, said goodbye to the teacher respectfully, and then pushed the cart out of the room.

Taran Eyre watched Joshua's leaving figure. After a while, he suddenly turned towards the window and said, "How long are you going to watch over there?"

The air near the window was suddenly slightly distorted, and the figure of Ted Leal, the keeper of the truth, emerged out of thin air: "I just don't want to disturb the communication between you and my apprentice."

"...You still dare to use 'Miracle' to rush forward?" Taran glanced at the Keeper of the Truth, "Have you forgotten about the subspace butterfly swim last time?"

Ted's expression suddenly twisted, and then he suppressed the trembling in the corners of his eyes: "Of course I have confirmed that it is safe... Do you have such a big resentment?"

Taran didn't say anything, but silently raised his middle finger.

The corner of Ted's mouth twitched, and then turned into a sly smile.

"Shouldn't you be taking your guards to protect the city at night?" Taran asked casually, "Why do you still have time to come to my place to join in the fun?"

"I finally don't have to face the random essays put together by a bunch of rookies. I'm in a good mood now, so I came to talk to you - is this a good reason?"

Taran didn't say anything, just looked at the truth keeper in front of him silently.

"...Okay, I'm here to personally escort the second group of scholars, including you, to the Great Library," Ted shrugged. "There is a squadron of knowledge guards already on standby downstairs, waiting for others to prepare. Okay, just come with me."

"As for this? The Keeper of the Truth will personally escort you?" Taran frowned, "It's only about ten minutes' drive from here to the Great Library. I'll just drive there myself..."

"In the city-state of Moko, two scholars disappeared out of thin air on their way to the library for refuge - the night swallowed them up," Ted interrupted, and the secret keeper's expression gradually became serious, "The night has become more... What we know is more dangerous, and the 'knowledge' in your head...is especially sweet to 'them'."

Taran El was startled, then silently turned around and walked towards the low cabinet beside him.

"What are you going to do?" Ted asked curiously.

"Take my revolver, as well as my dagger and amulet for self-defense."

…

The sound of turning pages resounded in the room. Morrisby scribbled on the records he had written before in a thick notebook, stopping to think and adjust his thoughts from time to time.

His large notebook is filled with dense written records and abstract symbols, as well as many dazzling diagrams outlining the appearance of the world.

He is completing one of his most important studies - trying to construct a "model" that can explain the entire world, from the beginning of the Great Annihilation to the beginning of the Deep Sea Age, to the current status of this "sanctuary" and its possible future.

This research had been in progress for a long time, and it was not until the end of the world that he saw the possibility of its completion.

Not far from Morris's desk sat Shirley, who was dozing off, and Agou, who was looking at the information attentively.

After an unknown amount of time, a low and vague whisper suddenly appeared in Morris's ear.

And as this murmur sounded, a cold air flow suddenly filled the entire cabin! The room seemed to suddenly turn into an ice cave, and the coldness condensed on the roof as if it had substance, turning into streaks of white mist falling downwards. Invisible shadows gradually seeped out of the white mist, and a tentacle was stretched out in the direction of Morris. …

Morris didn't even raise his head. He continued writing in his notebook and said casually: "Type it down."

Before he finished speaking, Agou beside him suddenly turned into a whirlwind composed of broken bones and black smoke - bone fragments and black mist roared across the roof, and in the blink of an eye, the twisted thing chasing knowledge was swept away Eat and wipe clean.

The next second, Agou's figure returned to its original shape and fell back to the floor.

Shirley woke up with a start: "Ah...ah?! What happened?!"

"Another shadow that comes after knowledge," Agou muttered casually, turning to look at Shirley, "...just go on sleeping, I'm not here for you."

Shirley thought for a while and nodded: "Oh."

She simply crawled next to Ah Gou, half-lying down leaning against Ah Gou, and snored softly the next second.

Morris stopped what he was doing, raised his head and glanced at Shirley helplessly. After sighing, he lowered his head again and solemnly left the last footnote on this page of notes.

And the moment he wrote the last letter, a strange voice suddenly came into his ears——

"Excellent research...you have lingered before the last door of truth."

Morris was startled for a moment and looked up suddenly in the direction of the sound.

A figure wearing a shabby white robe was sitting quietly next to him, with a gentle smile, looking at the notes and materials spread out on the table.

The muscles all over his body tensed up, and Morris reached for the revolver under the desk in the blink of an eye. Agou on the side also reacted immediately and stood up instantly - Shirley fell to the ground with an ouch, and then he saw that The uninvited guest who appeared in the room immediately opened her eyes wide, and a bone spur popped out from behind her like a sharp arrow, as if it was going to stab the figure of the uninvited guest in the next second——

However, the figure in the shabby white robe just sat there quietly, seemingly unaware of the sudden rise of vigilance and hostility around him, still immersed in Morris' manuscript.

After two or three seconds, he slowly raised his head with a gentle smile on his face: "I want to talk to your captain."