“Diana, don't you think it’s getting colder in the house?” A woman with a face full of wrinkles pulled her slightly swollen hands out of the water and rubbed her arms a few times.
“That shouldn't be right. I paid the fees for the heat source just after I got back,” a man's voice rang out. His skin wasn't naturally dark; in fact, it was rather pale, but he appeared black because he was covered from head to toe in soot and coal dust.
He sat to the side, helping to wring out the laundry. Anna was in the kitchen preparing a simple dinner. Diana closed her textbook and looked out the window at the snow, which was gradually thinning. A hint of hesitation flashed deep in her eyes.
“I’ll go check the nearby heat distribution center.”
With those words, she stepped out of the relatively warm interior. Feeling the biting cold wind, she pulled her somewhat thin clothing tighter around her body.
Occasionally, frozen corpses could be seen along the roadside. They weren't in any strange poses; the deceased had simply died quietly in the snow, their expressions even appearing peaceful. In this place, such corpses were usually collected every half month. While it was called a mass burial, they were actually crushed and mixed into the coal to serve as raw material for the heat source.
Diana didn't think too much about it. She only knew that a cold wave was coming. She didn't know which would reach her first: freezing to death or finally making something of herself.
“Hello.” She pushed open the door to a workstation. The interior of this room wasn't particularly warm either. “Is there a problem with the heating lately? It feels so cold at home.”
“As you can see, it’s quite cold here as well. I expect the heat source is undergoing some technical adjustments,” the staff member replied, seemingly helpless. Their attitude was one of indifference, likely because the heating in the districts where they lived was still functioning normally.
“There might have been some difficulty during transmission again. You have to understand, sending heat to you people in the Outer Ring is a thankless task,” another staff member added with a shrug.
“Lord Reinhardt is far too benevolent.”
Diana nodded in agreement. She gave a forced, awkward smile and turned to close the door. Her expression immediately became heavy, her small, sickly pale face filled with pain and helplessness.
She exhaled into the freezing wind, watching the white mist drift into the sky.
Inside the conservatory that felt like eternal spring, Lane gently nudged the sleeping Li Yue awake. The latter rubbed her eyes and let out a yawn. In her daze, she thought for a moment that she had returned to Parvati.
“Want to go for a walk? We could buy some things or find something to eat,” Lane said with a smile. “The food in the prison really isn't great. Those beans last time were far too tough.”
Li Yue nodded. Lane rubbed his hands together and led the way, with Li Yue following behind. At the conservatory door, she noticed several extinguished cigarette butts. It seemed Lane had been waiting outside for quite a while.
“Is there anything you want to buy?”
Lane brought Li Yue to the entrance. He greeted the guards at the gate, now wearing a thick white jacket.
Gazing at the snowy landscape, Li Yue somehow thought of the Cecilia flower Clo had given her. Come to think of it, it seemed Clo was always the one giving her things, while she had never given anything in return.
She checked the items inside her ring: several journals, her Demon Hunter badge, the sheet music and music box Roland had given her, and the magic recording she had kept as a memento of everyone in the Demon Hunter Team back in Parvati.
I should buy something to give to Clo.
“What kind of gift is appropriate for a girl?” Li Yue asked softly, causing Lane, who was walking ahead, to pause in surprise.
“The girls here like fresh flowers because they’re so rare,” Lane said, smoothing his half-gray hair. “The warden likes them a lot. Every time she goes to the cathedral, she tries to find a way to bring some flowers back.”
“My friend is in the warm south.”
“At the academy, then? In that case... maybe buy some of our local specialties.”
“She probably wouldn't like them. She used to enjoy traveling; she’s likely been here before.” Li Yue paused, not quite remembering how she knew Clo liked to travel.
Had she mentioned it? She seemed to have mentioned it, but why couldn't she recall it clearly?
“Then let's just walk around,” Lane said, stretching his arms. “It’s nice to be able to wander about on a day off, even though I wasn't supposed to have this week off.”
“You skipped work?”
“Not exactly. I was supposed to lead the Sunday service at the cathedral. I saw the warden was bored, so I talked her into going in my place.” Lane chuckled.
“You’re a priest?” Li Yue raised an eyebrow. “Do you believe in the Lord?”
“I believe a little. Most of the congregants are probably more devout than I am.” Lane couldn't keep a straight face and burst out laughing. Li Yue’s expression briefly turned to one of rare speechlessness.
“The Lord can be a spiritual pillar for people, restraining their behavior and giving them hope to live during the most difficult times.” Lane pointed toward the sky with his left hand and toward his own heart with his right index finger. “But justice is something we must fight for ourselves.”
The silver cross on his chest shimmered, the sapphire embedded within it appearing deep and serene.
“So you aren't really a psychologist?” Li Yue exhaled. Her clothes were somewhat thin, a black, form-fitting outfit similar to formal wear.
“From Monday to Friday I am, but on weekends I have to go to the cathedral,” Lane shrugged. “Alright, the truth is, I’m not particularly skilled in the mental field either. Compared to other areas, I can only see vast expanses of blood-red within your state of mind.”
“Still, in such a large area, you’re the only one I could find,” Li Yue sighed.
Before they knew it, they had walked into a dilapidated area filled with shops. Li Yue and Lane pushed open a door and entered. The buildings here were covered in patches, and it was hard to tell if they could withstand the impact of a strong gale.
An old woman was the owner of the shop. Li Yue looked around; there didn't seem to be much worth buying. There were no decorations, only essential supplies.
“Boss, a pack of cigarettes.” Lane fished out a few copper coins and bought two packs of unbranded, crude tobacco. Li Yue looked at the pile of miscellaneous goods, unsure of what to get.
“Do you have needle, thread, and cotton?” After thinking for a moment, Li Yue decided to make something for Clo by hand.
A smile appeared on the old woman's face, her wrinkles folding together in a map of time, like rocks by the shore that had been repeatedly washed by the sea.
If she doesn't like it, I won't give her anything next time.
The two of them walked out of the shop with their purchases.
“With your financial status, why buy such crude tobacco?” Li Yue couldn't help but ask.
“Small workshop, strong kick,” Lane said with a smile. “I’m just supporting the local business. Without money, it will be very hard for them to survive this cold wave.”
Li Yue lowered her head in thought. Groans of pain suddenly drifted from a nearby dilapidated house. Lane frowned and knocked on the door. Li Yue, who hadn't been paying attention, also stopped and stood to the side.
An emaciated man opened the broken door. He was so thin he was practically skin and bones.
“What is it, sir?” His eyes were cloudy, devoid of any light. His beard was unkempt, a mix of black and white stubble, and his eyes were bloodshot.
“Are you alright? I heard sounds of pain.”
“It’s nothing. Just eating something.” The man stepped aside. Li Yue and Lane walked in. There was no sign of heating in the room; it was even colder than it was outside.
“Why is there no heating supply?” Lane frowned.
“Saving money.” The man sat down, looking as if he no longer had the strength to stand. On the bed-stove covered with a blanket, there were filthy stains. Various items made of scrap metal were piled haphazardly in the room. The windows had long been nailed shut with wooden boards; looking at the erosion on the wood, it was impossible to tell how many years they had been sealed.
“The money I earn from working every day is barely enough to pay the heating fees. But the cold wave is coming. I won't be able to work then, and I’ll freeze to death.” The man seemed to have exhausted his strength just by speaking; by the end, his voice was trembling.
“I used to have a family. I had a decent job, sir.” The man propped himself up. “Then I broke my leg, and my wife died of illness. I had a daughter, but... she didn't survive the last cold wave.”
“Tell me, is the Lord really protecting me?” The man stared at the silver cross on Lane’s chest, a flicker of light appearing in his cloudy eyes.
“As long as you strive to live on, you will reach a warm heaven after death.” Lane took his hand.
“Is that true, sir...?”
“It’s true!” Lane said decisively.
“That’s good...” The man couldn't cry; his voice simply whimpered. Li Yue stood to the side watching, her face devoid of any expression from beginning to end.
Lane felt around his person and eventually left an iron cross for the man.
The man took the cross and crawled back onto the bed-stove. He took a handful of icicles mixed with dirt and put them in his mouth. Lane frowned but didn't stop him.
“Why are you eating that?” Li Yue asked flatly.
“Dirt mixed with a bit of ice and snow. It wards off hunger and is easy to swallow.”
“Why not just dig it up and eat it? Why rub it into long strips?” Li Yue asked, puzzled.
“At least... I should have some semblance of eating a meal.” The man stopped his movements, the smile on his face looking more painful than crying.
Li Yue fell silent. Lane made the sign of the cross, left a word that the Lord would protect him, and pulled Li Yue away.
“Is there really a heaven?” Li Yue asked blankly.
“I don't know.”
“Then why did you lie to him?”
“If a person has nothing to look forward to in life, the only thing that can save them is faith.” Lane was silent for a while. “Someone asked me a similar question once. I said no. When I visited a second time, the only thing left in the house was a cold corpse that had been hanging for a long time.”
“His house doesn't have a ceiling beam; he can't hang himself,” Li Yue said after a moment of silence.
“Faith is like that. True justice can only be fought for by ourselves.” Lane sighed, ignoring Li Yue’s comment. He came to a halt.
“You’ve killed many people, haven't you?” Lane suddenly asked.
“Yes.”
“The things in the news—that was you, wasn't it?” Lane’s voice remained unchanged.
“Yes.”
The two were silent for a while. Li Yue continued to follow behind Lane. They walked through the ice and snow of the dilapidated Outer Ring in silence.
“Does that count as a way to fight for justice?”
“I don't know.”
Li Yue answered casually. She thought of Diana’s family; a single sudden disaster could destroy such a fragile household. She sighed, a hint of sadness flashing in her eyes. The tiny bit of empathy deep within her heart had recovered slightly.
“Maybe it is.” Lane smiled. “If the day ever comes when people realize the Lord can no longer guide them, I hope I can lead them toward a warm tomorrow.”
He thrust his hands into his jacket and walked ahead of the stunned Li Yue, his steps light and brisk.
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