Late at night, Lower Avalon, Docklands.

In the thick of the night, the old man stood in the shadows, smoking his pipe in silence.

This debt collector, who was once famous in the lower city and had kept many people awake at night, Ghost Hand, was now sitting on a broken wooden box, waiting quietly.

Finally, in the silence of the waves, a fishy-smelling fishing boat stopped at the edge of this small pier.

A broken wooden plank was placed on the shore, and a steady stream of fish and crabs were brought ashore by dark-skinned fishermen.

The ghost hand stood silently on the shore, letting the precious cargo pass by. First the fish and shrimp were used to cover the outermost parts, and then the spirits, blades, silks and ceramics hidden in the depths of the cabin.

"That's all for this time?"

He took the manifest from the boatman's hand, looked at it twice, and frowned: "Who else is the person who picks up the goods halfway?"

The boatman hesitated for a moment and whispered: "In Wales, someone got on board through our channel. It seemed like a big deal, and we didn't dare to ask more. ”

"Didn't you say that the goods were important this time?" Ghost Hand's eyes narrowed, causing the boatman's expression to begin to panic: "We told it, but he insisted on getting on the boat, and he still said ...... He also said......"

"What else is he saying?"

The ghost hand took off the pipe from the corner of his mouth, and a gloomy expression appeared on his old face.

"I said, I know you. ”

A voice sounded in the cabin behind him: "- And he brought me here." ”

Ghost Hand's body suddenly stiffened, and his muscles tensed, as if he were facing a great enemy.

He didn't feel the breath of a man in the cabin behind him, but there was someone, standing in the shadows, like a ghost...... Look at yourself from beginning to end.

Moreover, the sound is familiar!

"Who's where?"

He looked back stiffly, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

The sound of leather boots on the deck was heard, and in the shadows of the cabin, someone stepped on the pedals and walked ashore into the moonlight.

His face was hidden in the shadows beneath the wide-brimmed hat, but he could be seen faintly as if he were smiling.

The ghost hand was stunned, and the killing intent in his eyes dissipated. He took a step back and took a deep breath, full of astonishment and amazement.

"Sir?" he stepped forward, recognizing the visitor's face.

"What's the matter, you don't know me?"

The visitor took off his hat, and the wrinkles on his face were full of weather, but his eyes were sharp, like torches:

"After so many years of being here, I thought everything had changed. But seeing that you are still so sluggish, I suddenly have a sense of relief. ”

"First...... Sheng, is it really you?"

The ghost leaned forward and stared at the face carefully, as if looking at an unrealistic hallucination. But when he was sure that the returnee in front of him was not his imagination, he couldn't help laughing, as if he had encountered something wonderful in the world.

"Welcome back, sir. ”

He strode forward and hugged the man vigorously: "You can never imagine how long I've been waiting for this day. ”

"I'm sorry, I had something to do, so I came back late. ”

The man known as the 'shaman' hugged his long-lost friend and looked up with emotion into the distance.

In the distance, the moonlight shone in the sky, sprinkling a silvery glow. The towering city built on the mountain casts a huge black shadow, the sharp and hideous edges and corners of the black shadow, stinging people's eyes.

That's Avalon.

"—I'm back, old man. ”

The shaman smiled and whispered.

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Amid the sound of the waves, the docks were silent.

The shaman took out two copper pipes from his pocket and gave one to the ghost hand: "One?"

The ghost hand smiled, took it, poured a cigar from the copper tube, put it under his nose and sniffed, and his brows couldn't help but wrinkle:

"To be honest, after all these years, your taste has not gone up. ”

"You've always been so merciless. ”

The shaman laughed, lit his cigar, took a deep breath, and exhaled an ethereal smoke.

"After all these years, I've almost forgotten what this place looks like. ”

He turned his head, looked at the chaotic dock area, and shook his head slowly, "It's a pity...... Even if it has changed so much. The smell of mud in my bones is still the same as always. ”

Ghosthand shrugged, "This is Avalon, sir. ”

"yes, this is Avalon. ”

The shaman snapped his fingers and asked, "How's it going?" You know I need to lift my spirits."

Ghost Hand tilted his head in thought, then shook his head.

"If there's bad news, I'm afraid it's all over the place. ”

He was blunt: "Truth be told, you have been forgotten by this city, sir. There are no more rules in Avalon.

Ever since the mysterious professor appeared, the place had been getting more and more chaotic.

Tianzhu dealers who sell banned drugs, mafias who collect protection money, Asgardian soldiers who have nowhere to go after the disarmament of the motherland, rat clubs who do dirty work for some nobles, sea snakes who smuggle silk and spices......

Thanks to the 'professor' who provided them with a guide to crime, more and more people now find this bowl of rice easy to serve and live a good life in exchange for other people's lives. ”

"It's okay, they'll know......"

The shaman sighed, as if lamenting the arrangement of fate: "-I have returned, and the long good days have passed. ”

Ghost Hand's eyes lit up, "Are you going to ......"

The shaman raised his hand and blocked the ghost's next words: "Change the subject, old friend, and say something that makes people happy." What happened to the Oriental kid I asked you to find?"

"The child's location has been found. He was at the Royal Academy of Music. The trader doesn't want us to touch him, and if you're not there, we can't turn the other cheek. ”

"It doesn't matter, we'll just wait and see. ”

"I'm afraid the situation doesn't allow us to stay on the sidelines. ”

A chill flashed in Ghost Hand's eyes: "Last night, overnight, the matter of that little ghost has spread throughout Avalon.

Now all the bosses of the Lower City know that he has one thing in his hand that will allow him to find his way to the 'Shadow of Avalon' and obtain the treasure left behind by King Arthur. ”

“...... Treasure?"

The shaman was stunned: "Who would think that the Mad King would leave a treasure?"

"Lustful people will, and legend has it that you left to find a clue to the Shadow of Avalon. Now, a lot of people are frantically looking for him.

The professor has already spoken, that little ghost, he is bound to win. ”

"It's funny. ”

The shaman understood what he meant, and couldn't help but want to laugh: "There are always people who feel that there are treasures, artifacts, fingers made of gold, legendary musical scores and hidden classics in this world, which can help them to ascend to the sky in one step...... It's a pity that the reality is so cruel that it will always shatter their dreams.

- You know, the East is not only silk, porcelain and spices...... There are even more terrifying monsters out there. ”

"You mean the kid?"

"You won't forget, will you?"

The shaman lowered his eyes, as if recalling: "The last Oriental who was favored by Hermes, how much trouble did he make?"

Ghost Hand's expression changed, as if he remembered something, and subconsciously pressed his right hand, where there seemed to be a lingering phantom pain.

"So, leave the young people's business to the young people. We greedy old men have more important things to do. ”

The shaman threw the cigar into the mud beneath his feet, and watched it snort in the mud, and his eyes deepened:

"Look at the clean, spotless city I cleaned up in the past, but now it's a muddy pond, full of stench and the smell of rotting corpses.

Someone has to stand up and get back the rules that have been forgotten. Let the lost hungry dogs know who is their leader.

Who is the original owner of this muddy pond......"

"As you wish, sir. ”

The ghost hand responded softly, but the emaciated figure suddenly changed.

Because the old eyes lit up, as if reflecting the light of the sun.

In this emaciated old shell, something is slowly waking up, burning vigorously. It was something that made him younger, colder, and crazy again.

Re-transformed into the beast that walked in the dark, grinding its teeth and sucking blood, waiting for the real hunt.

Staring at the dark city, the ghost hand cracked his mouth and laughed heartily:

"- The ones who forget the rules will know who is the real master here. ”

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Also late at night, at the Royal Academy of Music, in the silence of the basement.

The shrill sound of a piano like a piece of iron grinding against each other danced in the silence, like a screaming soul wandering. It's just that the sound that was supposed to be like a tsunami is now a little fragmented.

In front of the old piano, Ye Qingxuan could almost be said to be playing music with difficulty, but behind him, someone interrupted his performance mercilessly.

"Wrong again! Are you tired of your rhythm?"

Xia Er held a slender bamboo whip in his hand and knocked it on the back of Ye Qingxuan's hand, his eyes were cold: Rhythm! Pay attention to the rhythm! Do you think that the faster you play, the more rhythmic it will be?

Ye Qingxuan looked at his already numb hands and sighed: "Senior brother......"

"Shut up, the waste is not qualified to speak, hurry up and practice!"

Charles immersed himself in the role of the devil coach, and excitedly waved the bamboo whip: "Or I'll make you look good! cry, scream! No one will save you......"

"No, I mean ......"

Before he could finish speaking, Charles struck him on the shoulder with a fierce expression: "You have weak forehand, weak backhand, loose fingering, slow rhythm, and no decent movements! Just because you want to play the piano too? Have your sweet dreams! Practice quickly, or you will be punished until tomorrow morning." ”

"You're done listening to me......"

"Don't ask for mercy! There is no weakness here, this is a cruel classroom! A place for students to exchange blood and tears for lessons!"

“...... The teacher is behind you. ”

"Even if it's the teacher...... What?"

Charles didn't finish his sentence before he froze.

In awkward silence, he stiffened his head and saw Abraham behind him, expressionless. Abraham stared at his disciple with exasperation in his eyes.

"Uh......"

Xia Er's rampant expression collapsed, and he glanced back at Ye Qingxuan one last time, with tears: "Why didn't you say it earlier?"

"I said it a long time ago. ”

Ye Qingxuan shrugged: "You don't give me a chance." ”

In the frightened silence of Charles, Abraham finally spoke, his voice devoid of joy and anger: "Cruel classroom?

"I, I'm ......" Charles wanted to cry without tears, "I taught myself." ”

"You taught yourself very well, I asked you to guide Ye Zi to practice, and you realized so many truths, which really made me feel a lot. ”

He took the small bamboo whip that Charles had turned out of nowhere, and struck him on the head: "Now, go to the punishment station." ”

He paused, squeezing a few words out between his teeth: "Stand until tomorrow morning." ”

With tears in his eyes, Charles silently leaned against the corner, with the Anglo Encyclopedia on his head, and began to stand in pain......

After dealing with Charles, Abraham sighed and looked at Ye Qingxuan: "You have only started learning notes for less than a month, and I think it's too early to start learning the performance of multiple notes."

Notes, phrases, sections, and movements should always be gradual.

The performance of a section consisting of bars is already a 'rhythmic' technique. ”

"It's always right to learn early. ”

Ye Qingxuan laughed, and played the piano in front of him with a little skill: "Didn't you say it, teacher?, the rules of playing are always the same, but they just use multiple notes at the same time...... Besides, I found a good 'etude'. ”

"Black Friday?"

At the mention of this, Abraham could not help but sigh.