Endless Debt

Thick fog mixed with ashes from the abandoned land poured out from the scar across the earth, like a group of whales taking a breath, and was thrown high into the sky, intertwined with the thick clouds. Together, it turned into a gray mist covering almost half of the city. Moist water vapor condensed between the gray mist and cumulus clouds. They became heavy until they were captured by gravity and turned into light rain falling.

The slightly cold rain hit Boluogo's face, making his slightly tired expression more energetic. He stood on the top of the building, looking at the steel forest that was still expanding outwards, feeling a sense of trance over the years. It creeps into my mind that in less than a hundred years, everything has changed beyond recognition.

The afterglow of the setting sun was dimmed by the cumulus mist, and the entire sky seemed to be on fire, exuding the color of fireworks. Along the stacked buildings, there was a pitch-black skyline that almost held up the sky and the earth and submerged into the sea of ​​clouds. Towers rise from the ground.

If you forget that it is your own company, Boluogo feels that Kenshi is still a good architectural wonder. In this city, it is like a towering giant. Compared with it, the towering buildings in the city are like dwarfs. It's the ants surrounding its feet.

Today is a rare rest day. Bologo can finally be freed from the day-to-day work. Now the Great Rift is like his second home, and every rusty corridor is extremely familiar.

After breathing in the fresh air, Boluogo returned home. The room was filled with all kinds of sundries as before, most of which were piled up movie and video tapes, books and some records and audio tapes.

Palmer finally convinced Burlogo to allow him to partially transform the public space of the living room. The originally blank wall was covered with various posters, some of which were movie promotional posters, and some of which were rock albums. Band posters, a few of which are autographed, I don’t know how Palmer got them.

Bursts of snoring came from the sofa. Palmer lay on the sofa and slept for who knows how long. Next to him was a novel with a bookmark, and not far away there was a novel covered with crumbs and jam. plate.

Since renovating the living room, Palmer seems to have regarded the living room as part of his bedroom. You can usually see him curled up on the sofa during holidays.

Burlogo put the plate in the kitchen sink, and then returned to his room. The sound of pushing the door woke up Palmer, who sleepily saw Burlogo's back entering the room.

Sitting in front of his desk, Boluogo paused for a while, then took out his diary from the cabinet on the side. After thinking about it, he took out a heavy book from it.

There are not many pieces of furniture in Boluogo's room, and this cabinet is one of them. There are very few things in it, but they are all extremely important things to Boluogo.

Inside are Adele's diary and necklace, the half-knitted sweater, and a theater ticket. Nowadays, this ticket is considered a rarity in Opos, and it seems to have a high value in the secondary market. , in addition to these, there have been more collections here recently.

A twelve-sided dice, and the book that Boluoge had just taken out.

For Boluogo, this book was unexpectedly heavy. Turning any page seemed to consume all his energy. When the pages were completely unfolded, there was a blood-stained page inside.

This was one of Irwin's relics, and in the mad narrative, during the last embrace, he quietly folded the page and stuffed it into Bologg's pocket.

It was at the expense of this secret that Irwin persuaded Borogo to buy time for him so that he could meet his muse.

"Brogo, I think I've discovered a secret."

Boluogo has read this line many times, every late night.

"If the devil is really higher than us, then why do they have so-called human nature? This is undoubtedly a kind of degradation of themselves, but why do they do this just to make it easier to seduce us?

This isn't quite right, just like how you would imitate a wild dog by crawling on the ground and yelling at it in order to please it?

No, the most you can do is pity it and throw it a few bones. No matter how much you pity it, you can't fully empathize with it. After all, we are different from the beginning.

So why did the devil become like this? Why do they also suffer from the effects of their original sin? Just like Asmodeus does, just like everyone does. "

The shocking words continued on the page, writing the terrible truth deduced by Irwin.

“I can feel it, I can feel it from Asmodeus.

If we say that the devil's coldness and evilness are the optimization for themselves, and human nature is just the part that cannot be completely abandoned in the optimization..."

From the written words, Boluogo could feel Irwin's tone at that time. He was as excited as if he had discovered a new world. If there was a stone, he would definitely carve his name on it.

"Just like a joke, do you think devils can really be influenced and become humane? I think this is impossible. They are like superior predators to humans. They will not be humane...unless they are... Be human from the beginning.

So what kind of things can be human? "

The text ends here. This is the last mystery Irwin gave to Bologo. As for the answer, Bologo already had a premonition.

Boluogo folded the paper again, stuffed it back into the pages, closed the heavy book, then opened his diary and wrote.

"Three months have passed since the reality-shattering incident. During this period, it has been calm and nothing happened. The peaceful days should be joyful, but I often feel uneasy in this tranquility and often wake up at night.

The world is changing. I don’t have exact evidence to prove all this, but I can feel that it is becoming something I am unfamiliar with. "

Bologo looked at the book again and continued writing.

"The only good thing recently is the release of Irwin's new book. Publishers called it the Blue Jay's swan song. At that time, readers didn't understand what was going on and just thought it was Irwin's final book. .

The sales of the new book were very good, and they were all sold out on the day of release. Immediately afterwards, an emergency printing was announced... Judging from the royalties, Irwin will become a famous rich man.

The response to the content was also great. Readers did not expect that the new book would be connected with "Night Hunter" in this way, nor did they expect that Blue Jay would write such an ending and such a romance for the protagonist, himself. ending.

Readers are accustomed to Blue Jay's cruel and cold narrative, and they never expected that this iron-like author would become so soft in his last work.

The author walks into his own story, and there is nothing more romantic than this. "

Burlogo's eyes flashed with sad emotions, "Shortly after the release of the new book, the official announced the death of the blue jay, also known as Irvin. At first, readers only thought it was a marketing campaign to coordinate with the new book, until it was about Irvin's commemoration. When the event occurs, readers realize that this is no joke and he is really dead.

During this period, many conspiracy theories emerged. Some people stubbornly believed that this was just a book-closing event disguised as death. Others began to believe deeply in the stories written in the book. They firmly believed that Irwin was really alive. I fell into that world by mistake and walked into the story. "

Boluogo heard the noise coming from the living room. It must be that Palmer woke up. Palmer read Irwin's new book over and over again. At that time, Palmer didn't feel anything. But when everything was really over, it started again. When he saw this new book and looked back on this long adventure, even Palmer, a big-hearted guy, couldn't help but feel melancholy.

“Speaking of which, selling new books is not easy either.

After the Shattered Reality ended, the Bureau of Order sealed off the Daisy Castle. Except for the ether that had not completely dispersed, there was no abnormality in the entire area. Irwin also disappeared completely after the Shattered Reality. He seemed to have really entered the story.

The Bureau of Order reviewed the manuscript of the new book. Fortunately, Irwin changed the story thoroughly, so it was released without any deletions. "

Boluogo narrowed his eyes, as if thinking about some kind of problem.

"Actually, I have never been able to figure out whether what we experience in the narrative is real or illusory. If it is real, why is there nothing left except the manuscript? If it is illusory...this thing is Why can I take you out of the narrative?"

Boluogo stopped writing and raised his head. He saw a long sword hanging on the wall. It had a very special shape. It did not have any hand guard. The hilt was directly connected to the sword body. The blade was dark and long and narrow. Like a slender spike.

Resentment, this deadly weapon was actually taken out of the narrative, as if it was Irwin's last gift to himself.

Bologg took off the Grudge Bite, and now its blade is hidden in a special scabbard, which Aimu made for himself. Bologg was trying to find a time to thank her.

Slowly pulling out the sword blade, the dark sword body came into view. After Bailey's test, this weapon was classified as a contract object, but strangely, it did not have any side effects, as if Irwin had already done it for him. Having endured it, the effect of the resentment bite is also very simple. It is extremely sharp and has a certain ability to corrode the ether. In other words, this thing can split the flow of ether.

Placing his resentment across his knees, Bologger closed his eyes and thought. He remembered a passage that was mentioned repeatedly in Irwin's new book.

"I have recalled the sixteen hours I spent with you for thirty-three years."

For Irwin, Bologg still has many unsolved mysteries. For example, what exactly did he experience on the train thirty-three years ago?

Burlogo could guess that Irwin met her muse, and she gave him encouragement and gave him the courage to continue living, which gave him the desire to create.

As Irwin said in the narrative, he never grew old. The moment he left the train, he imprisoned himself in his memories, and time could not defeat him.

Irving spent his whole life just to see her again, show her his achievements, and tell her that she was not wrong about the person back then.

"You're really stubborn."

Bologg murmured that he could only guess this about those sixteen hours. As for more details, Irwin did not mention them even in the new book.

Palmer discussed this with Burlogo, and they both decided that there was no need to discuss the matter.

Irwin dedicated his story to everyone, but he hid the best part, the sixteen hours that changed his life.

It was a secret that belonged to Irwin alone. He was like the greedy monster in the story, guarding his gold in the muddy swamp.

The wanton speculations of others gave him the disgusting feeling of a voyeur. Bologger was unwilling to blaspheme the sanctity of Irwin, even if that sanctity was related to the devil, and even if no one except the devil would remember those sixteen hours.

nothing.

Just know that it was a good time.

A faint singing voice came from the living room, and the singing voice sang.

"Son, you have to bear this."

Palmer knocked on the door, then pushed the door fully open, and the singing became clearer.

Boluogo remembered this song. When dancing with Asmode, Irwin hummed it softly. Palmer actually remembered it and found this song among the records. Even Burlogo had to admire Palmer's patience and ear.

The song continued.

"You have to live with this, no matter how long it takes."

Palmer noticed the diary that Burlogo was writing, and then saw Irwin's new book. He sat down on Burlogo's bed and joked, "Are you doing reading comprehension on his book?"

"Just flipping through it casually," Boluogo said, "It's up to you, have you figured out the problem?"

After the end of Reality Shattered, Palmer has been troubled by a question, that is, what is Irwin's wish? This cunning author has deceived them too many times. Even in the end, Palmer still doubts Irwin's purpose. I always feel it's not that simple.

But Irwin had disappeared and entered the story. No one could give Palmer the answer anymore. After the new book was released, he read it over and over again, trying to find clues in the story to know about Irwin. Wen's true wish.

"No, I still can't figure it out."

Palmer lay down, rumpling the sheets that Burlogo had made.

"In order to see his muse again, in order to realize his own self-worth, in order to... to grapple with the devil. I don't understand what Irvin is thinking, it's too complicated."

Palmer raised his head and looked at Boluogo, "I give up. Tell me the answer. You guy must have guessed it."

Burlogo closed his diary and turned his chair around, "Irwin is a noble man, he will never lie... Do you remember the first time we asked him what his wish was? How did you answer that?"

"Eternal life, for eternal life."

Palmer sat up straight, "You said he wanted to live forever, but he has already..."

Bologg shook his head and explained to Palmer Irwin's true wish, a wish that had already been fulfilled by him.

“All creations are intended to leave deep or shallow traces in this world.

Irwin has written himself into the story, and he in the book will always be alive and full of vitality, which will transcend his own destiny, even if Irwin is old or dead by then. "

Borrogo picked up the new book and turned to Palmer, happily saying to him.

“Behold, Palmer, the storyteller is now part of the story, and he will live forever in his story.

Let it shine brightly and never be forgotten. "

As he spoke, Bologo put the new book in his arms, gently caressed the cover of the book, and brushed the gilded title with his fingertips. Bologg liked this poetic title.

He read softly.

"Poetry has no end."