The Mysterious World Under Steampunk

Unlike Dio Browno, who has been bored in the academy all year round doing research and knows nothing about the outside world, Diego, who was born as a low-level commoner, wanders among people of all walks of life all the year round. Far from being comparable to a pure scholar like Dior.

It didn't take much time for Diego to see that Leo was definitely not a simple scholar, his strong body exuded a sturdy aura, and the unique temperament of the other party, he was only in Mo It has been seen on the adventurers and slave catchers who have gone deep into the wasteland all year round on the Sang Continent, and all of those people have blood on their hands without exception.

"Tell me honestly, are the relics you found the relics of the Wakhanha civilization?" While Diego was observing Leo, Dior Browno ignored the fact that he was assassinated, but was very concerned about another matter, asked anxiously.

"It's not clear yet." Diego said truthfully: "An adventure team funded by the Gude family brought back some stone tablets of ancient ruins from the wilderness forest. The rubbing patterns I gave you came from those stone tablets. To confirm whether it is the remains of the Wakhanha civilization, the only way is to go deep into the wasteland."

"I really want to go to the Mosang Continent soon." Hearing what Diego said, Dio Browno, who was completely immersed in the ancient civilization, couldn't hold back the longing in his heart, and muttered.

"Don't worry, you will be able to set foot on the land of Mozambique in a month at most." Diego comforted his old friend, then took out a bottle of wine and three glasses from the wine cabinet, poured them separately, and followed suit As if nothing had happened, he asked tentatively: "When did you accept a student? It wasn't mentioned in the correspondence with me before."

"Haha! You would never have guessed that Leo was my student on the way here." Dio made no secret of his admiration for Leo. He pulled Leo to Diego and said, "Thank you very much. Arrange for me to be on that smuggling train, otherwise, I would never have met him.” As he spoke, he introduced: “Leo Dodd, he is my new student, he has a deep knowledge of Gamore language. Accomplishments."

"Gamore language?" Diego was taken aback when he heard the words. He knew very well that his old friend, although he looked like a good old man with no personality, was actually very proud and had very strict requirements on students. As a result, there are only a handful of people who have really become Dior's students over the years, and there has never been a student who can be so respected by Dior.

Dio's attitude also aroused Diego's curiosity, and he couldn't help but ask, "How does it compare to you?"

Dio Browno thought for a while, and said: "I am not as familiar with the basic radicals as he is, and I am slightly better at the Turing radicals."

"Teacher, what you said is too exaggerated!" Leo shook his head and said, "I still have a lot of basic radicals that I haven't mastered yet. As for the Turing radicals, I'm just getting started."

"You don't have to be so humble, what you lack is just some accumulation of knowledge." Dio Browno patted Leo's arm, and then said to his friend Diego, "You must not have imagined that my student is still Someone else's student."

Diego could see that his friend seemed to respect Leo's other teacher very much, so he couldn't help but ask, "Who is that person?"

"Old Rembrandt." Dior Browno didn't make a fool of himself and said his name directly.

Diego was startled and confirmed, "That Rembrandt?"

Dior Browno laughed and said, "Which Rembrandt could there be in this world except that Rembrandt Mister."

After getting the confirmed response, Diego looked at Leo with a slightly different look.

It's no wonder that Diego's mentality will change so much. After all, Rembrandt's identity as an old man is there. He is not only a master in the academic world, but also has extremely deep connections in various countries. Anyone who is close to him They are definitely big figures who should not be underestimated.

It's just that what makes Diego feel strange is that he has never heard that the old man Rembrandt accepted a student named Leo Dodd, but he knows his friend very well, if he is not sure that Leo Dodd is If the old man Rembrandt's student is the student, the other party will not tell this matter.

Just when Diego was puzzled by Leo's identity, Leo's attention was on an oil painting on the wall.

I saw that this oil painting depicts the ruins of an ancient civilization buried in dust. The whole picture is very realistic, and the painter's painting skills are also very good. Even a person like Leo who doesn't know how to appreciate art can see this painting You will involuntarily immerse yourself in the artistic conception contained in this painting, and feel the painter's nostalgia, sorrow and despair for the ruins of this civilization.

Dio Browno noticed Leo's gaze, so he took the initiative to introduce: "This is Francisco's painting "The End of Civilization", which is an unpublished painting, although his paintings are too realistic, people will feel that they are It’s uncomfortable and not liked by the public, but I have to admit that his paintings are definitely masters.” Then, he added, saying: “Francisco is most famous not for his words, but for his book The unfinished absurd novel "The End."

"What's in that book?" Leo asked with interest.

"He created a magical place in the book. He called that place the end of civilization. After all civilizations disappear, the buildings representing the characteristics of civilization will be piled up to form the tomb of civilization." He is highly praised by Francisco’s painting master, saying: “Although some ideas in the book are absurd and ridiculous, the ruins of civilization piled up at the end that Francisco describes in the book are very good. Ancient civilizations have very profound attainments, and they can casually fabricate a new civilization that has never existed based on their knowledge of ancient civilizations. Even when I read a lot of times, I thought that the civilizations in the books had really existed.”

"It's a pity that he died too early, at the age of twenty-seven." The topic of Francisco also aroused Diego's interest, and he also admired this man very much, saying: "The content of his paintings Most of them are the civilizations in his paintings. The civilization buildings in the paintings have provided me with a lot of inspiration. Unfortunately, the prices of Francisco’s paintings have been rising in recent decades, and they have become popular collections of wealthy businessmen and nobles. You may not be able to buy it." As he spoke, he said proudly: "I found this painting on the black market, because the boss didn't know the goods, and thought it was an imitator's painting, so I only used it for less than fifty dollars. Gold Francia was bought."

Among the two who were discussing Francisco's paintings enthusiastically, Leo calmly listened to the two introductions to the master painter, but his heart was already in an uproar, because from the paintings in front of him and the so-called absurd novel he hadn't seen Looking at it, this Francisco has obviously been to the place where the world ends, and the place he arrived is likely to be the Land of Ashes, the tomb of countless civilizations.

Leo showed interest and asked, "Can you tell me about this Francisco's life?"

Diego had collected Francisco's information in detail, so he naturally became the best introducer.

"Francisco is a native of America, his mother is a native of Mosang, and his father is an adventurer from the Kingdom of Maris. He was born as a slave. Francisco's master is a good person. Not only did he allow Francesco to study with his children, After discovering that Francesco had extraordinary painting talent, he hired a professional painter to teach Francesco painting, and later gave Francesco the status of a free citizen, and even married his daughter to him."

While talking, Diego pointed to a rural sketch under the oil painting, and said: "Although Francisco was born in a humble background, he was very lucky. He didn't suffer much, and even lived better than other ordinary people. Moreover, he lived a carefree life and had a happy family, so most of his early paintings were based on relaxed themes, joyful pictures, and brightly colored countryside or family portraits. However, a slave riot suddenly swept across his state, and he His wife and children all died in the riots, and he couldn’t bear the blow, so he went crazy.”

Dio Browno also took Diego's words and said: "After that, he recuperated in the local mental hospital for three years, and during these three years, he became an expert in ancient civilizations, and his painting style also changed. Realistic, decadent and even weird. With this unique style of painting, he became one of the few recognized painting masters in the world in just two years. However, when his career reached its peak, he suddenly appeared in the committed suicide by the grave of his own wife and children."

Diego seemed to think of something, and said: "Actually, there is no public opinion on whether he is really dead, because according to the medical records at the time, he still had signs of life, but it was very weak and there was no possibility of treatment. , after the death appraisal was made that night, his body mysteriously disappeared, and it was rumored that it was stolen by his followers."

"A believer? Does a painter still have believers?" Leo asked puzzled.

Diego explained: "When he was in the mental hospital, he created a secret church called the end of eternity. Not only the patients in the mental hospital became his believers, but even the doctors and nurses joined his church. But After his death, this church disappeared very quickly, and it is not known if it still exists now."

Dio Browno suggested: "If you are interested in Francisco, you should go to his former residence in Megaliga, where there are a lot of objects related to him, as well as his diary."

"If I have a chance, I will go and have a look." Leo has already confirmed that this Francisco has been to the ashes of the abandoned city and seen the end of all civilizations. Perhaps in his diary, he can find something related The secret of the ruined city.

At this time, there was a knock on the door suddenly, and then a waiter in the clubhouse opened the door, looked at Diego, and said, "Mr. Diego, the guest in room 707 wants to see you .”

After hearing this, Diego said calmly, "I'll be there right away, and you can go to the wine cellar to get a bottle of Golden Mountain Lion and send it to Room 707."

"Yes." The waiter stepped back in response.

"I still have something to do, so I won't greet you." Diego turned to Dio Browno and said, "You will be staying here during this time, and we can leave when the ocean-going freighter from the Gude Chamber of Commerce arrives in five days. Yes. In addition, some academic salons will be held here in the evening, if you are bored, you can go to participate."

"Okay, go get busy!" Dior Browno responded casually, and suddenly he thought of something again, and asked, "By the way, I need your Gude Chamber of Commerce to help you with something."

"What's the matter?" Diego asked.

Dio Browno asked Leo, "Is there any ship going to the Kingdom of England recently?"

"Going to the Kingdom of England?" Diego was stunned for a moment, and soon realized that Dio was asking for Leo, so he thought about it and said, "There is no ship going directly to the Kingdom of England. However, there is a boat tomorrow. The cargo ship going to Venaya Port, now Venaya Port is in the control area of ​​the Kingdom of England, the French Empire and the United Kingdom, where there are ocean liners going to various continents and countries.”

"What do you think?" Dio Browno turned to look at Leo.

Leo didn't think about it, so he made a decision: "Then trouble Mr. Diego, help me arrange it, and I will take that boat to Venaya Port tomorrow."

"It's easy." Although Diego was surprised that Leo wasn't traveling with Dio Browno, he didn't ask too much. After all, this matter is also a good thing for him. A Leo Dodd of unknown origin may cause some unnecessary troubles on the way to Mozambique.

After Diego left, Dio Browno immediately walked to the bookcase in the room, quickly pulled out a dozen tomes related to ancient civilizations from the bookcase, put them on the table, and said to Leo: "You will be leaving tomorrow, so I can just take advantage of this to teach you more knowledge and language of ancient civilizations."

"I don't think it's a good time to study now. Have you forgotten the Wakanha killer?" Leo said seriously: "This time their assassination failed, so what about the next time? I think it's better to go to Lyon Let's investigate this matter..."

"No need, what can you investigate alone." Dior Browno said indifferently: "This matter should be handed over to the Goode Chamber of Commerce. They have a lot of influence in the Port of Lyon and investigate the killer. This kind of thing should be more suitable than you, an outsider."

Leo thought for a while, and didn't insist anymore, walked to the table, took the book Dio handed him, flipped through it, and listened to the other party's explanation.

At the same time, Dibia came outside Room 707, knocked on the door, and after hearing the response from inside, he opened the door and walked in. When he saw Spike Goode sitting on the sofa, he immediately went up.

"Boss, you are here!"

"Yeah." Spike nodded and said, "Has Professor Browno been settled?"

"Yes, it has been settled."

Spike asked again: "What's the matter with the killer?"

Dibia immediately explained in detail what he knew.

"Wakanha's killer?" Spike was stunned for a moment, and soon thought of what the family was going on, and said with a gloomy face, "Damn it, I knew this order would bring me big trouble!"