The ever-spreading fear made Serpukhov stand a little eerie.

Soldiers in gas masks cut off the entrance from the station to the tunnel from both sides, blocking the road leading to the ring metro line.

The entire subway station seemed to have a premonition that disaster was coming, and it was painful.

The guards escorted Hunter and Homer through the hall like high-ranking officers, and every resident of Serpukhov Station struggled to catch a glimpse of them.

Do the residents know what is happening and their fate?

Thinking of this, Homer kept looking at the ground - he didn't want to remember the faces of these people.

Hunt would not tell him where the next stop would go, Homer had already guessed that the next target was the Polis metropolis - a real city with thousands of inhabitants, the capital of the entire metro system, made up of 4 stations and connected by many tunnels.

Although the metro system has now split into dozens of rival feudal kingdoms, Polis remains a scientific base and cultural refuge, a holy place that no one dares to desecrate.

No one, except old Homer, the somewhat insane plaguebringer.

But the day before he felt a little lighter, no longer feeling nauseous - he went to the toilet twice a day.

Previously, due to tuberculosis, he would cough incessantly, and his gas mask would often be infected with coughing up blood, so he had to take it off frequently and wash it with cold water, but now the symptoms of tuberculosis have been reduced.

Perhaps, it is the body that triumphs over the disease?

Perhaps, you are not infected at all?

Although he knew how suspicious he was, Homer was still very worried.

After Serpukhov Station, the tunnel is dark and lifeless, and this section of the tunnel is notorious.

Homer understood that they could not meet anyone until they reached Polis.

The small station between the inhabited Serpukhov and Bolovit always gives pilgrims a creep.

There are many legends about the woodland station in the subway, where murder of passers-by rarely happens, but people lose their minds here.

Homer had had the opportunity to visit a few times before, but never encountered anything strange. Error-free updates @

Homer knew that there were also accounts of these strange events, and now he only prayed that this time the station would be forgotten as usual, and nothing would happen.

When he was still 100 meters from the station, Homer suddenly felt uncomfortable.

The white lights on the marble walls reflected the first light in the distance, and the intermittent "oops" sound drifted from the station ahead, and Homer had a strange premonition.

He heard the human voice clearly......

There shouldn't be.

To make matters worse, Hunt, who was 100 meters away from the station, did not notice anything unusual, and remained completely aloof.

He ignored Homer's worried eyes, and was completely immersed in his own thoughts, as if he had not noticed anything that Homer was aware of—the station was inhabited!

When did this happen?

Homer used to wonder why the inhabitants of crowded polis did not merge the barren woodland stations, which he thought might be due to the shackles of superstition.

But now it seems that none of these superstitions are enough to prevent people from breaking the tranquility of this small station.

Before you get over your fear of it and move in, install the lighting......

God, what a waste of electricity!

Homer had to cover his eyes with his hands before boarding the platform from the subway tunnel – the mercury lamps on the ceiling of the subway station were too harsh.

It's strange that even Paverets Station is not so neat and solemn - the walls are spotless, there is no trace of soot, the marble slabs are shining, and the ceiling looks as if it was painted only yesterday.

Homer saw that there was not a single tent behind the arched doors of the tunnel—had it not had time to be erected, or were the people not going to live at the station at all?

If so, what exactly is it for?

Do you want to turn this place into a museum?

The weirdos who rule Polis......

There were more and more people on the platform, and they didn't have to do anything, and they didn't have to worry about bandits with weapons and steel helmets.

It is used to care for the old people who are faltering and in tattered clothes.

As he watched, Homer felt like he couldn't move a single step - his legs went limp......

Everyone who stepped onto the platform was dressed brightly, as if someone was filming a movie at a woodland station: coats, raincoats, brightly colored tops, sky blue jeans......

But where are the cotton vests, torn pigskin coats, and the glaring lights of the subway that obliterate all colors?

Why does this place look so rich?!

What kind of faces are these......

They belong to those who don't lose their loved ones suddenly, to those who also saw the sun and showered earlier today.

Homer was convinced of this.

Also, Homer felt that some people were inexplicably very familiar......

There were more and more of these weird people, who crowded on the edge of the platform but did not step off the platform.

Soon, the entire station was filled with people dressed in costumes.

No one paid attention to Homer, and they all looked at whatever they wanted—the walls, the newspapers, or the occasional glance at each other, whether familiar or curious, disgusted or concerned.

But no one paid attention to Homer, as if he were a ghost.

Why are they here?

What are you waiting for?

Homer came to his senses, where did Hunt go?

How could he explain this strange phenomenon?

Why haven't you said a word until now?

Hunt stood a little farther away, and he wasn't at all interested in the people who crowded the station and were only seen in photographs from years ago. _o_m

He stared solemnly ahead, as if something was blocking his vision, as if something hung in the air at the same height a few paces away. Homer approached Hunter and cautiously took a look at Hunter's mask......

Suddenly, Hunter began to throw punches.

Clenched fists swung through the air, following a strange triangular path from left to right, as if Hunter was whipping an invisible man with an invisible bladed leather whip.

Homer flashed to the side, and Hunter didn't look at him and continued to shake his fist.

Hit, slash, slash, slash and retreat, as if trying to clamp someone with an iron clamp, and after a second he began to gasp hoarsely, and after a short rest he began to attack again......

Homer had always felt like he had seen something similar not long ago.

When have you seen it?

Where have you seen it?

What the hell!

What happened to Hunter?

Homer tries to wake Hunter, but he is completely immersed in that vision.

The people on the platform paid no attention to Hunter, as if in their eyes Hunter and Homer were non-existent.

They were clearly concerned about something else: they looked at their watches with increasing anxiety, pursed their cheeks in dissatisfaction, kept talking to people nearby, and kept checking the red numbers on the electronic watches hanging from the subway tunnel entrances.

Homer narrowed his eyes and looked at the electronic watch like everyone else......

This is a timer that shows how long it has been since the last subway left.

But the display board of the timer seems to be elongated: there are 8 numbers in front of the flashing colon, and there are two more, stopwatches, at the end.

The red dot was constantly beating, counting the time that had passed, and the last one was surprisingly large, more than 12 million......

There was a shout......

Then there was a whimper.

Homer looked away from the strange electronic watch, and Hunter lay motionless on the rails.

Homer lunged at him, barely turning his heavy body over.

Hunter's breathing was normal, and there were no wounds on his body, although his eyes were staring straight at him like a dead man, and his clenched right hand was not released.

It was then that Homer realized that Hunter was not bare-handed in this strange fight, and it turned out that he was still holding the handle of a black knife in his fist.

Homer patted Hunter on the face, and Hunter *** like drunk, blinked, raised his arm, and looked at Homer with a glazed gaze.

Suddenly, he jerked to his feet and shook the dust off his body.

Wear the body.

The crowd of overcoats and brightly colored shirts vanished, the blinding lights went out, and the dust accumulated over the past 10 years reappeared on the walls.

The station was pitch black, empty and lifeless—exactly as Homer remembered. ……

Homer had never believed in the legends of the Woodland Station, but this time fate had taught him that there were some things that could not be questioned.

Some people call the woodland station a station of destiny and offer it like a god, while others believe that it is necessary to come here at a turning point in life so that they can predict the future.

And some more...... But all normal people know that this station emits a poisonous gas from the ground, which can hallucinate.

To hell with these skeptics!

So what did the apparition he saw mean?

Homer felt that he was only one step away from the answer, but his mind immediately became confused again.

The hunter in front of him stood up again, letting the black blade in his hand flutter.

The price will undoubtedly be high......

If Homer wants to know what Hunt is up against, who exactly he is fighting, and if the duel fails, apart from death, what awaits him in the end.

"What are you thinking?"

The hunter asked suddenly, which made Homer a little confused.

In the past, hunters would not usually speak to him unless they were forced to do so, and when they passed on orders, they usually spoke in the most concise way possible.

Then again, how can you expect to talk to someone who doesn't have a heart?

"No, nothing." Homer stammered.

"What are you thinking, I hear you!" The hunter said, "About me, are you afraid?" ”

"Not yet." Homer answered him.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything to you. You...... It always reminds me of someone. ”

"Who?" After a moment of silence, Homer asked cautiously.

"Some characteristics of my own. _o_m I forgot what traits I had, and you always reminded me of them. His words seemed to come out word by word, and as he spoke, his eyes staring into the darkness ahead.

"And that's why you brought me out?" Homer was disappointed and confused, but in his heart, he was expecting something......

"It's important for me to remember that, it's very important." Hunter replied, "It's important for other people too so I can ...... Otherwise, it's possible, and everything is like what happened. ”

"What's wrong with your memory?" As if in a minefield, Homer asked, "What have you been through?" ”

"I have a good memory!" Hunter replied suddenly, "It's just that I forgot what kind of person I am, and I'm afraid I'll forget it all." You're going to help me remember myself, okay? ”

"Okay!" Homer nodded at him, though the hunter didn't even look at him.

"Every moment of the past is precious." Hunter said with difficulty, "I mean everything that is done — protecting the subway, protecting people." The task is clear, eliminate every threat. It makes a lot of sense, really! ”

"But now ......"

"Now? I don't know what's going on now, I hope everything is the same as before. ”

"I'm not a bandit, I'm not a murderer. I'm doing it for people. ”

"The people at Sevasdopol welcomed me, not only because I was needed there, but also because there was my home."

"I'm going to save the station and help them, no matter what the cost."

"I think that if I did it — I cleared all the threats — one by one, it would be a truly great and rewarding undertaking."

"Maybe I'll remember it then, I should."

"So I have to hurry, otherwise, the virus will spread faster and faster."

"For the rest of the day, I must hurry, hurry to Polis to gather the people, and then come back."

"You have to keep reminding me along the way, remind me of what kind of person I am, do you hear?"

"You see, I didn't take Alcohen with him, not only because he had other tasks, but also because he was young, and there were a lot of things he couldn't afford at his age."

。

"And we are different, we are about to enter the loess, there is no need to think so much, more to create more superior conditions for those new generations."

Homer nodded obediently.

He couldn't imagine what Hunt would be like if he had completely forgotten his words.

When the former hunter fell asleep forever, who remained in the body?

Could it be the one he fought and defeated in his illusion today?

The woodland station was far behind: the hunter marched swiftly towards Polis, like a prisoner freed from his shackles, or a wolfhound sniffing its prey, or a wolf freed from a hunter.

A beam of light appears at the end of the tunnel.

The place is only a few dozen meters from the entrance to the sacred metro capital, the marble tomb of civilization, Polis, and the white light of the mercury lamps around Polis is a beautiful sign of rest and prosperity.

The people here do not cherish the light because they believe in the magic of the light.

The abundance of light reminds humanity of their old lives, of the distant past, when people did not live in darkness and beasts of prey never appeared.

The posts on the border of Polis were less like fortifications and more like communication rooms in Soviet ministries: tables, chairs, two officers in clean command uniforms and broad-brimmed hats, checking documents, checking personal luggage.

Homer fumbled his passport out of his pocket.

It seems that the visa has been abolished, so there should be no trouble here.

He showed the little green book to the officer and squinted at Hunter.

Hunt seemed to be distracted, he did not hear the questions of the border guards.

At the same time, Homer wondered if he had a passport or not.

If he didn't, then what was he thinking about at the moment?

Is he going to force his way through here?

"Repeat one last time." The officer's hand reached into the pistol holster of the oily light, "Please show the certificate, or leave the territory of Polis immediately!" ”。