"It's like being in ...... That's how his partner is, and he took the commission to deliver something. But she trusted them too much and didn't open the box to check it halfway through. When it arrived, the box that was supposed to contain cash was opened, but it was a man's severed hand. ”

"Yes, the box was replaced, by the so-called own people. ”

There were no windows in the small dark room, and the dull dampness left me breathless.

Is it an envoy or a hostage? is it a family member, or is it a policeman? where does the money in the box go? what is the money as a deposit, or a ransom?

My mind deduced quickly, and the gears of my mind clicked.

"But...... Anyway, she's dead, you know. ”

I don't quite understand.

It was as if the gears had broken somewhere, and my mind was blank.

Madame stared into my eyes, still with indescribable pity in her eyes.

To a certain extent, Mr.'s partner died of trust and loyalty. And my trust and loyalty were used as a test chip. I can more or less understand the tired gaze that my husband looked at me before leaving.

At least, he didn't want me to die because of it.

And I still don't realize that Lady Nebula's indifference is more than that. To death, I didn't understand either.

Because I simply won't have a chance to understand.

Afterward, I vaguely remember what she said, but I didn't listen. After a long time, I didn't remember it.

I know that when I subconsciously avoid or forget something, it's my brain that protects itself. But only now, I realized, I still had an irrepressible desire to remember what Lady Nebula had said to me that day.

Since then, it has been a long time without a dull time.

Calm may be the appearance of turmoil, and the real danger is always quietly whitewashed by the beautiful peace.

And I just lived quietly under this subtle cover, not asking, not listening, not thinking.

The people at the bar came and went, went and came.

The familiar slowly disappears, and the strange becomes familiar.

Friends become memories, friends become enemies, and naturally enemies become friends.

It's a cold dawn again.

It's not so much a change as a disaster—at least for me.

He dismissed all the staff at the bar and arranged where all his men went. He briefly explained a few words, did not say anything in particular, and hid everything in that soft smile as usual.

Some wept, some smiled bitterly, and I was the only one who stared at everything with a blank face.

Because I don't understand.

It's not like I didn't find anything.

Two days ago, the people in the store were talking about something, and they were packing their own things. During the day, Mr. himself cleaned every corner related to him.

In the end, I was the only one left. My husband took my hand, put the small folding fan in the palm of my hand, inserted a new bank card into the crack of the fan, and pushed my relaxed fingers.

"The password is on the fan. I won't come back, you can go too, and find a life that suits you better. ”

Why?

Why?

Why?

Some words come to the lips, but they habitually want to speak and stop. Inexplicable fear is about to come out.

I stood there in a daze, watching him neatly dressed and carrying a simple suitcase. He wore the original black tunic with a gentleman's hat and a white, light scarf around his neck.

It was given to him with the money I had saved, and I had never seen him wear it before this day.

He fastened the lenses of his sunglasses, waved his hand, and left the main entrance without looking back, accompanied by the darkness of the night. I was the only one standing in the doorway.

Where to go? I live here, I've always lived here.

I'm not going anywhere, I'm just waiting here.

On the first day, I turned on the fan. There is still nothing on the front and back, a white expanse.

The next day, the store was closed and no one came. It's as if everyone has already discussed it behind my back. I was alone and turned on all the lights in the store.

On the third day, when I was checking the electric switch, I walked through the cellar to my husband's room. The door there was open, and there was nothing but simple furniture.

On the fourth day, the bar went without power. When it was time to pay the electricity bill, but I was never responsible for that, and I didn't know what to do. I spent the whole day in the dark with the doors and windows closed.

On the fifth day, there was still endless darkness. I lit a candle on the bar over the side of the medicine cabinet. Looking at the vast firelight, I suddenly realized something. The fan was unfolded and roasted on the fire, and some words appeared: 贰三武柒拾壹.

Day 6. My eyes are used to the dark. I clean with ease. Walking to the east bar, I suddenly stopped and looked at the neat drawer in the dark.

Two three Wu Qi pick one.

Two, three, five, seventy-one?

I stood on the stool and felt for the third cabinet in the second row. Pull it open, and inside are red bean-like seeds.

I jumped down again and pulled open the seventh cabinet in the fifth row, which contained some yellow-white wax blocks.

I shook my head. There are only eight rows of drawers in this Chinese medicine cabinet.

Wait a minute.

23，57，11。

I climbed up on the stool again and pulled open the first drawer in the first row.

The smell of ginseng came to the face.

The walls hummed, and the slight tremor nearly caused me to fall off my stool.

I stepped back on the floor and stepped back to the bar. The sound of the wall rattled, and the cabinet receded before spreading out on both sides, revealing a deep passageway.

I took the candle and tiptoed inside.

After walking for a long time, I didn't see the end. It wasn't until a pungent breath hit my face that I realized I had walked outside. The air was not fresh, and it was dark at night, and nothing could be seen.

But my memory still tells me that this was the original street.

The street where we met.

Sir was supposed to go back from here that day, and I happened to be on this path.

My throat was sore, and I couldn't make any sound.

I don't know if there are tears in my eyes, I just feel the fire in my hands become hazy.

The wax dripped on my hands, and I felt a biting coldness.

It was at this time that I finally realized one thing.

He's not coming back.

On the seventh day, in the darkness, the light appeared. Although, to me, it was clearly a darkness that broke the expectations of the light.

There was a group of people trying to break into Mr.'s bar. I was asleep on the couch in the store when I heard a sharp knock on the door. The iron sheet trembled, the rhythm was fast and tight, and there were many hands.

Soon, it became the sound of hard objects banging - the sound of various things breaking the safety door.

The comers are not good.

There's enough time to escape, but I'm never going to do that. But I don't want to be caught by them, it's not worth it. I guessed that they weren't the police, but people who had a dispute with Mr. Wang's forces. There must be an irreconcilable contradiction between them.

I swear to live and die with here. Here is everything for the gentleman, which is everything for me.

Taking advantage of the crowd's knocking on the door, I spilled all the liquor on the floor. Alcohol volatilizes into the air, choking people's minds. I've blown out the candle, leaving only a match.

I chose the most extreme way.

The fire is raging, scorching and burning.

In the sea of fire, familiar screams and wails were endless. The pool had long since been drained, and I had long since turned off the fire system, pressed the safety button, and blocked all the doors and windows when they broke in.

As a result, the bar quickly turns into a hot hell.

Even though, I don't want to die.

I knew I could get out of here through that mysterious passage. My husband must have calculated that I would stay, so he set the password of the bank card in the hope that I could find a way out for myself at the last moment.

But I might be going to let him down.

I leaned my back against the row of cabinets, and the back of the handle of the drawer hurt a little. But compared to the pain of the oncoming heatwave, the sensation was almost negligible.

What's the point of living like this, rather than letting the filthy people trample on this place, I should die with them myself.

The firelight illuminates the interior, and I haven't seen such a dazzling home in many days. After a long time of being alone in the dark, I suddenly saw everything that was familiar to me, and I felt a little nostalgic.

It's all going to end.

There was a woman rushing to this side, it was the husband's accountant. I saw her with a sarcastic smile. Sure enough, there's more than one ghost inside, I said lightly.

She slapped me hard, but quickly pushed me away and jumped to pull the medicine cabinet drawer.

The wall slowly worked, and I laughed even more presumptuously. The accountant looked at me with contempt in his eyes like insects.

"He's just taking pity on you, don't get carried away, you monster. ”

"Well, I know. ”

I said with great pride.

The moment the door opened, the explosion was so sudden and so natural.

In a completely confined space, the flame should naturally extinguish after it has consumed the oxygen in the room. But when there is a large influx of fresh oxygen, an explosion occurs.

Simple physics knowledge, Mr. must not have taught her.

The shockwave burst through the bar, and I saw the woman engulfed in flames, and then my strength slammed into the edge of the table.

Red, gold, black, white, all sorts of colors shimmered in my eyes.

Remorse, not entirely absent.

If only you hadn't grabbed my outstretched hand at that time.

If only I hadn't been here at the time.

If only I hadn't spoken at the time.

If I die, it will be fine.

I close my eyes and use myself as fuel to offer the last thing to my home, just like a flower that turns into spring mud.

I thought, I'm going to die.

Even if I'm just a gray bird.

Someone held out a hand.

I opened my eyes and saw a little boy. I've never met him.

Did he come with the group? I don't know.

I'm dying.

The tongue of fire kissed me, but pierced through his skin. The little boy's round face was covered with a black blindfold. Strangely, I thought, is this my dying hallucination?

"You're going to die. He said in a childish voice.

"But you don't want to die. He added.

I didn't have the strength to nod.

He's right.

I just, I just had to die.

I'm not afraid of death, I'm just afraid that there is no hope of living.

The boy seemed to be able to hear me.

He pulled me up, which should have been difficult. But he did, and I stood up and felt light. It's as if it's my soul he's pulling up with those little hands.

Maybe I'll look back and see my own charcoal-like shell. Ah, I don't want to.

Even if I'm just a gray bird.

But thank you for teaching me to flap my wings.

I finally know what freedom looks like.

- Gloom "Darkness" · Fin -