Act 9: Crepuscolo-Dawn

Foreword:

I am not a hero, but I fight alongside heroes.

--Che Guevara

In the District 18, Saladin's winters were boring, dry, and caused itchy skin, resulting in patches of hives on the stomach.

The cold air outside made pedestrians shiver, as if wearing more clothes was useless; the chill was like a wicked demon, able to squeeze into coats and inner garments through zippers and straps. But once inside a warm room, the underfloor heating and air conditioning would quickly stretch out the taut skin, resulting in many spots appearing on people's faces and bodies—some doctors often thought this was Vita Imprint, but it wasn't; it was just a common skin condition.

In early February, when Saladin was in the depths of winter, all hunting and production activities had ceased, and the outdoor temperature in the town was close to minus thirty degrees Celsius. In such weather, running a lap around Moon River Lake could turn you into a human popsicle.

The number of customers at Feng's clinic was decreasing, Xue Ming couldn't find any useful clues. He could only wait until the ice melted to enter the depths of the Elf Holy Land to search for Berloberg's whereabouts.

Without an appointment, Xue Ming welcomed his vacation and moved back to the small inn with his doctor's kit and luggage. For the past ten days or so, he had been sleeping in his house in Saint Josh, and video calling his wife always felt a bit strange. Moving from the villa area back to the city center was a good thing; it brought back some of the warmth and life of everyday life.

Back at the front gate of the inn, you can see from afar that the butcher shop owner has transformed the shop into a temporary little bar.

Xue Ming wasn't in a hurry to find Oscar; since he had nothing better to do, he simply greeted the pig-headed boss.

"Hey! Shopkeeper, what happened to your shop?"

The pig-headed man's name was Pavlov, and he was a descendant of Russians and the brave Red Stone People. He had a thick beard and short, coarse black bristles on his face. He had been leaning against the doorframe, head down, scrolling through his phone, but when he heard the priest's call, he looked up and stared at him.

"--In winter, the townspeople usually have surplus food at home and don't go out. I use this shop to entertain travelers and sell some wine."

Jiang Xueming: "Oh! How's business?"

Pavlov chuckled and said, "Of course! Why would I brew wine if I didn't make money?"

Jiang Xueming decided to inquire nearby, "May I enter this tavern? Does this area not discriminate against Christianity?"

"Father, would you like a couple of drinks?" Pavlov's eyes lit up, and he made way for the doorway. "Come, come, don't be shy. The first one's on me."

Xue Ming strode into the shop. Upon entering, there was a simple counter. The stone table, usually used for cutting pork, was kept spotless by the owner. At this moment, several Jiali from Dream Paris were there for temporary work, taking on part-time jobs as bartenders. Pavlov's business was meticulous—the shop, inside and out, had been cleaned and deodorized by a housekeeping company, making it exceptionally clean.

Two card tables were squeezed into the small salon to the northeast of the tavern, where hunters from the hunting party passed the time. To the southwest was a mini karaoke stage, where the mayor's nephew had gathered with a few classmates last time.

Looking towards the counter, Oscar was sitting there, with his two little wolf cubs doing their homework beside him, while the older wolf was preparing the teaching materials for the next stage. The counter was piled high with books.

Xue Ming didn't bother Wolf Brother right away. He found a chair nearby, ordered a glass of vodka from the bartender, and sat down in the middle of the group of people playing cards.

He watched for about ten minutes without saying a word. It wasn't until a curious young man in the crowd beside him asked him about it.

"Hey! Father! Want to play a couple of rounds? Three-card poker! It's really easy!"

This "Dou San Zhang" is called "Zha Jin Hua" in China, and the laborers in Saladin town are mostly of European and American descent, so it's just a different term.

"I don't play." Jiang Xueming looked embarrassed.

The young man replied, "You're watching so intently even if you're not playing cards? Father? Something on your mind?"

Xue Ming went along with it and conveyed his demands.

"--It's quite simple. I came to Saladin to treat Benni, and later Doctor Maguire provided some clues."

When Doctor Maguire was mentioned, the hunters' playful expressions vanished, replaced by serious ones.

Xue Ming continued, "He has a talismanic stone tablet; this should be able to cure Benni's epilepsy."

As he said this, Xue Ming took out the logbook from the doctor's bag and showed the portrait to the hunters—this was not the first time they had asked about clues about the stone tablet; Maquire was able to draw the specific form of the inscription.

The hunters looked for a long time, asking each other for clues, but in the end they all shook their heads and sighed, and nothing came of it.

"Why don't we ask Ryuk!" a spirited voice rang out from the crowd. "Father! Doctor Maguire told you about the origin of this stone tablet; he got it from the explorers. The tunnels of that 30,000-mile outpost aren't far from the Silver Helm Hunter's Guild's settlement! Who knows, Commander Ryuk might know something!"

The enthusiastic hunter had a heavy English accent and was Italian, but Xue Ming still understood that the pronunciation of "[Ryuk]" actually referred to "Luka" —Xue Ming didn't really want to face Captain Luka, because they had met more than once.

During the expedition, Luka was a staff officer of the First Transportation Department under Keshua. Later, he was transferred to the District 18 as the regional commander of the battle group. Now he has come to the Silver Helm Hunter's Guild as its commander. It seems that he has joined the assault team to make a name for himself, but in reality, he has found a place to retire.

Moreover, Mr. Luka has a keen eye; if the two meet again, Xue Ming doesn't know if his false identity can escape the advisor's notice.

"Shall I ask for you?" Oscar suddenly squeezed next to Xue Ming, seemingly noticing something amiss.

Jiang Xueming: "No trouble at all."

Oscar seemed to have misunderstood. "I know you're just a nobody and afraid you won't get into the hunting party, right? I'll go, I'll go! I'm good at finding things!"

All items found by the hunting party in the wilderness should belong to the hunting party. Only a very few historical relics with no economic value but only some cultural value, such as the inscribed stone tablets that the priest wanted, will be handed over to the Arcane Library by the hunting party.

In Oscar's eyes, the priest seemed hesitant to ask the Silver Helm Hunter's Guild for help, probably because he was embarrassed to ask Mr. Luka for help; that's how people from the East are.

Wolf Brother dashed away in a flash, leaving behind two wolf cubs.

Within ten minutes, three familiar faces burst in through the gate.

--Those were Big B, Andro, and Schopenhauer, who were granted parole.

A Jie didn't come; he didn't want to go out.

In the eyes of the hunters, these three criminals became good brothers who helped with pioneering exploration. In the mouths of the Spinach Heights transport team, they were heroes who sacrificed themselves for the team, climbing towers to repair cables. Their status was equivalent to a godfather-like figure who would bring you takeout in the Great Xia and pay your air conditioner bill.

Schopenhauer walked straight to the counter as soon as he entered. His neck and back no longer ached, and he couldn't resist Louise. It seemed that, unbeknownst to Xue Ming, he was finally working with the young lady from Dream Paris to finalize their work.

Big B still looked gloomy and worried. He didn't bother with pleasantries with others and went straight to the priest, telling him about his recent troubles and asking the priest to work overtime.

"Father, I'm still very worried."

Jiang Xueming: "Do you have psychological problems?"

Big B: "Yes. I've been feeling uneasy lately. Saladin is a good place. I'm very happy here. But in the spring, I'll have to go to the inquisition to face my execution."

Jiang Xueming: "How about this, there are too many people here, shall we go somewhere else to talk?"

With that, Xue Ming led Big B outside and invited Boss Pavlov inside.

Pavlov immediately objected. "What's wrong? I'm here to solicit customers!"

Jiang Xueming bluntly asked, "Are you overly confident in your looks?"

Pavlov: "Of course! Aren't my guests only buying wine because I'm handsome?"

Big B: "Hahahaha!"

Under the porch, Xue Ming and Big B got down to business.

"What sins have you committed in the past? Right here in this little pavilion, use this as your confessional. I am your priest, you can tell me anything clearly and have a thorough discussion."

"I've killed people, many, many people." Big B sat on the porch, his back to the street. "The Inquisition will definitely not let me go. David Victor only needs to glance at me to know I'm doomed."

Jiang Xueming: "Tell me in detail?"

Big B: "I used to be a newsboy for the District 18 Religious order. My original job was to deliver news of new armadillo hunters."

Jiang Xueming: "The nameless mistress was also a newspaper boy."

Big B: "It's different. Some hunters are timid and don't dare to act directly. I saw this opportunity and expanded my business. For example, I help guide newbies Armadillo Hunters are afraid to rob, and I also help them rob them. After taking the Universal Elixir and the log, I also gather a gang to intimidate these newbies—to make them behave and not report it to the police."

Jiang Xueming laughed and said, "Then you really deserve to die."

Big B: "A big shot from the War Clan thought highly of me and wanted me to join the Red Jack Circus. At that time, I didn't have any psionic talent. Thanks to Old Afu from the Religious order, he fed me meat—you know what kind of meat? It should be the essence of a Blood-giving Monster."

"I envy the passengers at the station. They have the talent, courage, and confidence to realize their personal value by following the metamorphosis path of the morpho butterfly. But I don't have that talent, and jealousy twists me."

"In the past, District 18 had four major cults, and there were more than twenty Zero Platform built by various shady groups. Before the Nameless One rose to power, the Skull and Bones Skull and Bones Society, which he had wiped out in the early years, was just a lackey among lackeys. I thought I had a bright future."

"I risked my life for the Red Jack Circus, committed murder and robbery for the Religious order, fought for territory and seized the monsters. As far as I can remember, there were at least six home invasion murders. I can't even remember all the street shootouts; everyone was shooting at each other with guns, who knows how many they killed?"

"Until the Transportation Bureau and the War Group arrived with the Nameless One to suppress bandits in the District 18, the first person they killed was Hercules. The War Gang scattered like birds and beasts. I hid, not daring to face the blazing sun."

Jiang Xueming: "You sound perfectly normal—that's the judgment of a normal person. You're a very competent, self-aware criminal, unlike some perverts, like George Joshua, who was recently executed. Even on his deathbed, that guy still believed he was carrying out a just cause."

"Father, are you praising me?" Big B asked, confused.

Jiang Xueming: "No, I'm only judging your mental state based on your side of the story. It's a good thing that you know what you've done and are aware of your psychological flaws."

Big B continued, "After all these years, I want to find some start-up capital in Saladin to rebuild the War Gang."

Jiang Xueming: "That's probably wishful thinking."

Big B asked, "Is that wishful thinking?"

Jiang Xueming: "Yes, before you can even raise your flag and establish your own territory, Qingjin will come and kick you in. They're so bored right now. You have absolutely no idea about the workplace anxiety of regional task forces and local police forces—when a department has absolutely nothing to do, they're as excited as can be when they encounter criminals like you."

Big B sighed and then said, "Later I realized that this place seems pretty good, and maybe I can live here forever."

"That's just wishful thinking," Jiang Xueming gently patted Big B's shoulder. "When people do something wrong, they should admit it and be punished."

"Hmm," Big B finally understood where his anxiety came from. It was a sense of panic that the end of the world was approaching. The more comfortable he was in Saladin, the stronger his desire for life became. The nothingness brought by death was gradually driving him crazy. This countdown was like a Death God knell in the hands of the Grim Reaper, constantly forcing him to make a choice—to leave this warm town and escape to the wilderness.

"Let's not talk about that, Father." Big B brought up mental health issues. "I have some psychological problems that I'd like to consult with you about."

Jiang Xueming: "Please."

Big B: "I haven't done anything lately, but I always feel tired."

Jiang Xueming: "Give me your phone."

Big B handed over his phone.

Jiang Xueming deleted each app one by one.

One by one, the mobile games that guarantee perfect attendance were shut down, and the user accounts of short videos that skirted the edge of social media were also deleted.

Azur Lane, Arknights, FGO, and Onmyoji were all wiped out.

He uninstalled social media platforms like Baidu Tieba and Twitter, and finally Xue Ming's finger hovered over Genshin Impact.

Big B's eyes were full of reluctance and pleading.

"--I've played for so long and spent so much money... no, no, no."

Xue Ming returned the phone; this time, he didn't need the hammer.

"So that's why you're tired. It turns out your body and mind are both in prison all day long, right?"

Big B argued, "Games are an art form outside the eight major arts; this is just my personal hobby."

Xue Ming didn't argue; instead, he asked Big B about something else.

Do you know how much time you have left?

Big B quickly calculated on his fingers and immediately replied, "They definitely won't live to see summer. All the gems they've saved up will be useless. They won't see any new gacha banners or swimsuits."

Xue Ming pointed to the tavern behind him, where Schopenhauer and Louise were having a lively conversation.

"--Is he like you?"

Big B immediately replied, "Yes, the same."

Xue Ming: "What the hell is the same?! He knows his days are numbered and he's still trying to pick up girls! Wake up!"

Oscar brought reliable news: the Silver Helm Hunter's Guild had indeed discovered a complete set of runic stone tablets, which were related to the spirit of Berloberg.

Andro's face still hadn't returned to human form; he had degenerated from a blood-bearing unit into a calamity beast hybrid, and then into a lizard hybrid.

After Jiang Xueming finished counseling Big B, he was about to go to the Hunter's Guild meeting place with Wolf Brother to look for clues when Andro privately approached Xue Ming and asked the priest to stay.

The leader of the war gang asked two questions furtively, also wanting Xue Ming to continue working overtime.

"I think I have some psychological problems, Father, I'd like to ask you something."

Xue Ming chatted with Andro on the freezing cold main road.

"Please."

Andro asked in a low voice, "I seem to remember something I've been too ashamed to tell anyone."

"It was... in Spinach Heights. I remember I didn't look like this, because... yes, yes, there was a really scary demon who fought me. I remember."

Jiang Xueming: "No, no, no, you don't remember."

During his fierce battle with Jody, Andro suffered numerous injuries, and these physical damages brought back extremely painful memories, making it difficult for him to forget Jody's existence.

Andro continued, "Ever since we came back from Spinach Heights, my little sister Benni has been clinging to me, saying I'm a hero. But I clearly remember that I shouldn't be a hero. I was just fighting alongside a stronger hero, but I just can't remember it."

"You must be sick, you're afflicted with the plague," Jiang Xueming said coldly. "Next question."

"Then let's not talk about that, Father." Andro grinned, revealing sharp fangs. "There's been something strange going on lately, something I'm not quite sure about, tsk."

"The moment I saw that little girl, Benni, my heart started racing for no reason. I thought I was sick, but then Doctor Maguire said I was in great health! He said I was one of the long-lived individuals among hybrids, capable of living for over fifty years."

"Oh dear, what on earth is going on?"

Jiang Xueming hesitated, then gestured a few times.

Later, he felt it was impolite, so he said...

"Unwanted mating seasons can be donated to lizard people who need them."