Love and passion, cutting up the wasteland.

"Teacher, what exactly is written here?" Lu Dai tried his best to figure it out for a long time, but finally gave up and chose to ask Wolf for advice.

Her proficiency in the ancient common language was actually quite high, and sometimes she could even read the ancient books sent by the technology hunters without any problem.

However, the text on the letter is too niche. As the prototype of the ancient common language, even if we look at the entire world, the number of people involved in this research field can probably be counted on one hand.

But to be considered proficient.

Even less.

Fortunately, her teacher, Wolfe, is one of them.

"Hmm..." Wolfe, who usually paid little attention to things other than research, looked at the words on the paper and pondered for a rare moment. Finally, he said with a hint of uncertainty, "It's like a little poem."

"Poem?" Lu Dai felt even more strange. It was strange enough to write a letter in the original language. Why would he specially send a short poem to his teacher? The difficulty of writing would be even higher, right?

"Look, there are seven characters in each line, and they are neatly arranged. If we pronounce them in ancient language, the rhymes should be parallel. It is undoubtedly a poem." Wolf counted them again and confirmed, "Let me read it..."

The mechanic cleared his throat and read out the words on the paper in a strange pronunciation that was different from the common language. Although the voice was a little difficult, the emphasis was still quite rhythmic, and it sounded sonorous and powerful - it was an ancient language that had been lost long before the Second Empire.

After the pronunciation was switched, there was no difficulty in recognizing the characters, and Lu Dai, who was familiar with ancient languages, was also able to understand it. However, at first the apprentice stared at the teacher with some expectation, but her expression soon changed.

Because Lu Dai only heard: "One piece, two pieces, three pieces, four pieces, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten pieces..."

"Can this be considered a poem?" she blurted out.

Isn't this just simple arithmetic... It's simply at the level of early childhood education. Even if it was written in ancient language, Lu Dai himself could do it when he was seven years old. Why is it worth taking so seriously?

Unexpectedly, after hearing the disciple's subconscious questioning, Wolfe just glanced at her, and continued to recite: "Thousands of pieces, countless pieces..."

"Fly into the embers and disappear."

After hearing the first half of the sentence, Lu Dai's brows were still furrowed, but had begun to relax gradually. She could already feel from the choice of words in the poem that the sheer accumulation of numbers had reached its limit and could not be improved any further.

Once the thinking becomes fixed, it can no longer escape from the cage, but at the same time, a vague expectation will arise.

Then, it was like an avalanche.

The apprentice's pupils suddenly dilated: "Flying into the embers... and disappearing..."

"This is……"

"Title: Snow." The mechanic finished slowly, clicking his tongue as if savoring the scene, with a lingering mood: "Embers, ashes."

“This is a view from the Ashlands.”

It is the nightmare of all adventurers, the desperate situation of all technology hunters... and also the utopia that all mechanics dream of. It is the last remnant of ancient civilization on this continent.

The mysterious land of ashes!
After listening to this poem, a picture suddenly emerged in Lu Dai’s mind: “Snowflakes are flying above her head, but looking around, there is endless paleness and vastness. They gather together and fall to the ground, disappearing without a trace in the original accumulation... What is flying in the sky is not snow, but the ashes that are still falling when the previous civilization burned out, which can bury everything.

How can you see it?
The poem is boring and childish at the beginning, but suddenly it takes a dramatic turn. With just the last sentence, the scale of the entire poem is raised to the scale of the rise and fall of civilizations over thousands and thousands of years. The leap is so huge that Lu Dai couldn't help but tremble.

What concerned her more was: "Teacher...is this really describing the Land of Ashes?"

“Did the person who wrote this poem really go there?”

Even if one only explored the edge of the Ashes, the Tech Hunters could restore exquisite and practical designs such as the Old World crossbow, dust-proof windbreakers and eyepieces, and marching tents. If someone really went deep into it and returned from it, what kind of wealth could he get?
Moreover, given the dangerousness of the Land of Ashes, even the War-level wouldn't dare approach it easily. That person's own strength is probably second to none even in the entire world.

"That's not necessarily true." Wolf had already understood the poem. He was not as shocked as his disciple, but much calmer. "Most of the things about the Ash Land are just speculations. Even if they are said, they cannot be verified. As for the specific environment, there are external observations brought back by senior technology hunters. It is possible to describe it through imagination."

"What's really amazing about him is that," the mechanic pointed at the letter paper on the table, "he was able to write a poem using the ancient prototype, accurately describing the scene of the Ash Land... Such skillful use shows that his level of attainment is very high."

"Yes." Lu Dai suddenly realized that she had been so shocked by the artistic conception of the poem that she had forgotten their original focus.

These texts were written in the original language. She did not live in the same cultural environment and could not evaluate their literary quality, but everyone could understand their ingenious conception.

It was impressive for someone like Lu Dai to be able to read ancient languages, but even she couldn't write them fluently.

Not to mention writing works of a certain standard based on the ancient language prototypes.

She herself can't even remember all the vocabulary.

Thinking back, the depth of the author's research in the field of ancient language can only be described as astonishing... no, it's scary.

After Lu Dai sighed, he looked at the young mechanic's still solemn expression, reacted, and quickly comforted him: "Teacher, you can understand these obscure words and interpret them for me. Your level is not bad, but it may not be useful in this field..."

Wolfe is a young genius who has made achievements in various fields. Even though his results have not really made a sensation in the academic world, all mechanics recognize his potential.

But correspondingly, an invisible pressure also came upon the mechanic. Once he failed to achieve results that matched his reputation, no matter how much praise he received before, he would be ridiculed twice as hard.

In such an environment, Wolfe was even more unwilling to admit defeat and tried to keep up with others in all fields. But at this moment, with this little poem placed in front of him, his attainments in the field of ancient language were undoubtedly defeated. Lu Dai thought that with his teacher's pride, he must be feeling uncomfortable at this moment.

"That's not the question," Wolfe said solemnly, "I recognize this niche language only by chance... The one who can really understand and use it is one of my senior brothers at the end of the world."

"It was only after he deciphered all the common words in the ancient common language that I learned to memorize their meanings. In terms of all the talents in languages, I am indeed not as good as him."

As he spoke, the mechanic unconsciously touched the letter paper, his tone was both emotional and depressed, and the "he" in the last sentence seemed to refer to both the "senior brother" he had just mentioned and the author of the letter.

Wolfe conceded defeat to both of them at the same time.

Lu Dai looked at her teacher in disbelief, her already bright eyes widened even wider. She had never expected to witness this genius in this state again, and all within just a few days.

Moreover, compared with the last time, Wolfe did not make excuses this time, nor was it affected by unexpected objective factors.

But I was convinced wholeheartedly.

At the same time, Lu Dai's curiosity was suddenly aroused, and she hesitated and said, "Teacher, who is the senior brother you are talking about? How come I have never heard of him?"

As everyone knows, Wolfe is the only disciple to graduate from his master's school at World's End - of course, it would be great to have such a person.

"My senior brother made some 'mistakes'... and was then expelled. It's natural that you didn't know about this." Wolfe seemed unwilling to say more. "When I saw this letter, I thought it was sent by him at first. I was shocked." Wolfe knew that mastering the language did not represent a mechanic's research level in other specific fields, but in the current environment, the ability to interpret ancient books is the research basis for restoring all lost technologies.

With that senior brother's talent, he should not be unknown even if he left the end of the world. However, even though Wolfe has been stationed in the Lagoon and has more information than before, no one has heard about his recent situation.

Could he be dead?
The mechanic muttered to himself.

But maybe... this is a better ending for him and the world.

"Where's the messenger?" Wolfe waved the letter. "Please let them in."

Lu Dai was still surprised that the senior brother mentioned by the teacher was so accomplished, but was still expelled from the End of the World. What a serious crime he must have committed. When he heard Wolfe's words, he shuddered suddenly.

My heart is broken.

She recalled the previous scene.

Because the shock he received had occupied all of his brain capacity, Lu Dai was unable to connect this letter with the previous pair of merchants. After all, the contrast was too great.

She didn't know how the other party got the letter, but since the arrogant Wolfe recognized it so much and even compared it with his senior brother... in his mind, the other party must be a distinguished guest who deserves to be treated with courtesy and communicate seriously.

World,
How many people can receive such courtesy?

If the teacher knew about this, she would actually chase them away...

Scolding is a small matter.

He might even lose his position as an apprentice!
"!" Under Wolfe's surprised gaze, Lu Dai took several steps back in a startled manner and dodged to the door, leaving only the shadow of his pigtail tail: "I'll invite them in right now..."

"Teacher, wait a moment!"

Now she just hoped that the other party hadn't gone far.

"There's no need to be so anxious. It would be embarrassing if people saw you in such a hurry." Wolfe muttered with a frown, "Do you know who you are inviting? You go without asking clearly..."

He held the letter paper, compared it under the light, and looked confidently at the signature below the poem.

As he honestly told his disciples, Wolfe did not have a deep grasp of the archetypal language called "Chinese", but fortunately the words used in the poems were extremely simple, so he was able to understand them.

But the more this is the case, the more it shows that the other person's skills are profound - without piling up words, he can convey a profound artistic conception.

Even if it were written in today's common language, it would probably be enough to leave a name for itself.

But when Wolfe saw the Chinese characters, he was a little undecided. He began to search the vocabulary database interpreted by his senior brother:

"'Anonymous' ... a person whose identity is unknown or who is not yet known and who wishes to remain anonymous."

When used on a work, it may be a temporary title because the work has been circulated for so long that the original author is no longer known.

"This poem was collected from folklore... Is this what 'he' means?" the mechanic whispered, "Or is it another meaning of this word in the common language..."

——The nameless one.

……

……

"My Lords," Nan Ding looked coldly at the people who surrounded them, "Our actions have been under surveillance these days. I don't think any of them violate the regulations of the 'Tech Hunters' or the laws of the 'Depression Lagoon'..."

"So, what do you mean?"

In the rain, the Shandi herdsmen and merchants, as well as Shicha's noble caravan, were surrounded and forced into a dead corner of the square.

Outside of them were figures in white robes.

The Lake Town law enforcement team held crossbows, their hands steady even in the wind and rain.

The members of the law enforcement team did not take direct action, apparently they were concerned about the consequences. After all, they represented the laws of the town, and if they acted recklessly, they would destroy the legitimacy of their own existence.

They seemed to be waiting for the other party to give up.

Or maybe they are waiting for an opportunity that will allow them to start acting recklessly.

"My lady, what's the point of telling them all this at this time?" Shi Cha said anxiously in a low voice. Born into an aristocratic family, he was forced to use presumptuous titles. Then he took out his guild credentials and tried to build relationships with the law enforcement team members with a smile on his face.

However, just as he took a step, countless cold rays pointed at him.

Shi Cha was so frightened that he quickly shrank back and almost jumped behind Nan Ding.

Su Cheng stopped in front of the host, and at the same time pressed the knife to persuade: "Don't conflict with them... I don't know how it is in Shandi, but at least it must be like this in other places."

Speaking from experience as a United City resident.

For ordinary inland civilians, the real deterrent may not be the bandits far away, but the samurai guards in the city who wear ten-hand belts and walk in armor at night.

Before Nan Ding could say anything, he saw a commotion among the law enforcement team surrounding them, as if they had received some order. In this situation, everyone thought it was a sign that the other party was about to take action.

However, a crack opened up in the crowd, and a group of people in black bachelor's uniforms walked out - the mechanics of the Depression Lagoon.

The leading mechanic was middle-aged, wearing glasses and looking elegant. As he walked by holding an umbrella, he heard a faint voice from behind: "Have you made up your mind to do this?"

The middle-aged man smiled and said, "I don't understand these."

He then walked over and, under everyone's gaze, made an inviting gesture to the surrounded merchants: "Sorry, our distinguished guest..."

"Awaited."

(End of this chapter)