Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 1240 Can I not go yet?

It was three days later when Mitch brought Linger the news of victory. At that time, Linger was teaching the children in the classroom. He had just talked about the pioneers and historical reasons of the Age of Exploration. He was embarrassed by a question raised by a child: "Are the westerners such as Columbus and Magellan the culprits of the colonial war?" He wanted to say that history has its inevitability and is the result of many factors rather than individual choices. However, he was worried that this statement was too complicated and could not convince these children who were still obsessed with pure right and wrong.

Mitch's arrival temporarily freed him from this worry. The young man saw the boy standing outside the classroom waving at him. He didn't look any different from the outside, but his temperament was much calmer. In fact, he was more mature than his peers, and now he looked more like an adult. Linger noticed that some children in the classroom looked at Mitch with envy and desire. Maybe they also wanted to be like that person.

But sometimes, growth is not necessarily a good thing.

"The teacher has something to do, so let's stop here for this class." He said to the students below the podium, and there was a sigh of loss from the students below. They actually cherished this learning opportunity, so they were disappointed instead of happy about the temporary suspension of classes. On the contrary, some guys who were not good at studying, playful and lazy were laughing with their hands covering their mouths.

For example, Alice, Leticia and Shemi, and... a certain angel lady. She at least had some sense of shame and knew to cover herself up, so she secretly wrapped herself up with her wings, leaving only a pair of sneaky big eyes exposed. She observed the movements around her and giggled, but she didn't know that those trembling big wings had already betrayed her.

When Lingge saw the looks on these guys' faces, he was so angry that he could not contain himself.

As an elder, it would be fine if you didn't set a good example, but you actually showed your aversion to school so obviously. Are you afraid that others can't see how much you hate classes?

Ling Ge secretly glared at these guys, and seeing that they still didn't know how to restrain themselves, he changed his mind: "That being said, you can't fall behind in your studies. Teacher Saint Xia Liya happens to be free, so I'll let her take over the class."

The children's worries immediately turned into joy and they cheered happily. They liked Saint Xia Liya's class very much, mainly because the teacher was beautiful and gentle, and the content of her lectures was very interesting. Occasionally, she would share with them some interesting stories about Teacher Lingge. Taking her class was even more exciting than getting full marks on the exam.

On the contrary, the guys who were secretly happy just now suddenly looked depressed. If I had known this, I might as well have taken Lingge's class. As long as I didn't disturb others' studies, he would turn a blind eye even if I was daydreaming and sleeping secretly. But, do you dare to sleep in Teacher Saint Xia Liya's class?
It's a bit like risking your life.

Lingge didn't care about their feelings. He randomly pointed to a student sitting in the front row and asked him to notify Teacher Saint Xia Liya to come and help with the class. Then he walked out of the classroom and walked towards Mitch who was waiting in the corridor. When he approached, Mitch opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but the young man waved his hand to stop him: "Let's talk in the courtyard."

He used his eyes to signal the children who were sitting in the classroom waiting obediently. Mitch understood immediately and swallowed back what he was about to say. He followed the young man silently and walked to the small courtyard outside the teaching building. It was a place for students to take a walk and relax after class, but it was class time now, so there was no one there, only the sycamore tree with its leaves falling lonely in the wind.

Linger and Mitch sat on a redwood bench under the tree. The yellow fallen leaves dried by the sun were like a blanket, covering the green meadow below. When people stepped on them, they made a crisp sound, occasionally startling one or two ants or crickets hiding below, and they fled in panic. The cool breeze blew on their faces, making people feel happy. Although autumn has not yet arrived, being in this school, it seems that they have already experienced the leisure and comfort in advance.

Mitch was in a trance for a moment, and somehow he thought of the battlefield that night. Then, the fallen leaves under his feet turned into a pool of blood, ruins and numb corpses, the sound of the wind in his ears turned into the whistling sound of artillery fire and desperate wails, and even the faint smell of grass brushing across his nose was replaced by a sweet and pungent smell of blood. Mitch couldn't describe this smell with any specific words. It was so strong that it was suffocating, like a festering pustule in a wound, or a corpse swollen in the sun, and the boy thought of these two metaphors because he had seen such a scene with his own eyes.

The festering pustules were soaked in yellow-green tissue fluid, like strange bacterial strains, with gray-white hyphae clinging to flesh that had not yet completely decomposed; the corpses swollen in the sun had strangely bulging abdomens, but they were soft like a bag filled with water, the stench of corpses and methane overflowed from the wounds, and they bit each other fiercely, fighting for territory...

As distant as the past, as real as a dream.

But he didn't know why.

Why did I suddenly think of it? I have obviously tried my best to avoid thinking about it, but the scene at that time still emerges in my mind from time to time. It appears in the woods, in the shade of trees, by the campfire, and even in every breath when I am asleep. Maybe this is how the world is. The things you like are separated by a wall and are moving away from you; while the things you hate are lingering on you, following you like a shadow in the corner out of your sight.

During such a long period of time, how many nightmares must human beings have before they can find a home that can make them feel at ease?

Mitch didn't know that this question was too complicated for him. Even if he wanted to think about it, his mind was blank. So in the eyes of outsiders, he just suddenly became dazed.

That's what Lingge thought. He called Mitch several times before the boy reacted. He raised his head blankly, as if he had not yet woken up.

Previously, I thought that he had the demeanor of a mature adult, but now, Ling Ge is considering taking back this evaluation.

"Stop staring off, Mitch."

He reached out and patted the boy's shoulder, calling him back to reality: "Why don't you tell me what you want to talk to me about? I guess the operation in Lostra Town has yielded any results?"

"Ah." Mitch finally came back to his senses and nodded slowly: "Well... we won and successfully recaptured Mineral Town."

Ling was not surprised by this result. The Liberation Front had planned and prepared for a long time beforehand, and only dared to launch this action when it was sure that everything was foolproof. Although not all painstaking plans can eventually achieve perfect results, there is no need to be surprised or question it when it does reap the fruits of victory. What surprised the young man was the boy's reaction: "This is a good thing, but you don't seem very happy, Mitch?"

Instead of answering, Mitch scratched his cheek and asked unsurely, "Am I being obvious?"

"It's better to say that you never concealed it at all." Ling Ge said bluntly.

"Ok."

Mitch accepted this fact with frustration, and had to admit that he had never had talent in this area. He lowered his head slightly, avoiding Linger's gaze, and said in a voice that only he could hear: "Although we won, the casualties were also heavy. Many people... never came back." This was also within Linger's expectations. The Liberation Front was inferior to the 17th Legion in terms of equipment, organization, and soldier quality. Therefore, in order to win, it would naturally cost a greater price. But he couldn't use this reason to comfort Mitch. War always kills people. This statement is correct, but it is actually nonsense, especially for those who have experienced it personally.

At this moment, Ling Ge suddenly remembered something. He looked at the boy deeply, and after hesitating for a long time, he asked the most crucial question: "Do these casualties... also include your young soldiers, Mitch?"

The boy nodded wordlessly.

"Chris, Misha, Ike, and... Moya, they are all dead." He silently clenched his fists, his lips turned pale, the scene of that night still haunted his mind like a nightmare. Sometimes he hated himself, wondering if he had taken the war too lightly, causing his companions to pay the price for his arrogance. But Kadora always said that it was not his responsibility, as a leader, you have done well enough, if you expect to gain something without paying anything, I am afraid even the goddess can't do it.

Such comfort sometimes made Mitch feel better, but sometimes he woke up from a nightmare and felt extremely empty. He was horrified to realize that he was becoming different from the past. This change was what he had always dreamed of, but now it brought with it a terrifying sense of weightlessness, like falling in darkness with no end in sight.

Until a hand gently pressed on his shoulder, transmitting a warm force, Mitch raised his head and saw a pair of gentle and calm eyes.

"do not think too much about it."

Linger comforted him, "Everyone has their own choices and will bear their own responsibilities. You don't have to regard their choices as your own, and their responsibilities as your own. Otherwise, even if you are willing, I'm afraid those who died would not be willing. Remember, Mitch, they fought for themselves and died for themselves, not for others, or anything else that wants to hurt and restrain them."

"But..." The boy didn't quite understand: "The one who helps them make choices and takes responsibility for them is called a leader, right?"

The young man couldn't help but laugh: "A person like that is not a leader, but... a god. Of course, there are no real gods in this world, so naturally no one can do it."

Mitch was puzzled: "Not even you and the goddess?"

"Of course not."

The young man raised his head and gazed at the distant sky, with a hint of melancholy between his brows. Today's weather was a bit gloomy, and a strong wind was blowing in the dark sky. Everything was hazy in the gray and white filter, quite like a yellowed old portrait: "It only exists in the imagination of mortals."

Omniscience, omnipotence, and perfection are the imaginations of the earthlings about gods, and they attribute all realms that are difficult for them to reach to the great power of gods. The goddess only borrowed the description and expectations of the earthlings about gods, and tentatively defined herself as a god. In some ways, she is indeed very similar to the gods in the legends of the earth, creating the world, creating all things, bestowing magic and wisdom, guiding civilization and the future... But once it comes to life and emotions, the great power of gods no longer exists.

There are those who believe, like the goddess, that "sincere emotions won't hurt anyone", those who firmly believe, like the gods of Old Eden, that the essence of emotions is the fuel that drives mortals' evolution, and those who struggle painfully between their emotions, like the young queen of Order and Chaos, unable to make a decision.

"Besides," Ling Ge smiled and shook his head, "How could you compare me with the goddess?"

"Well...I don't know why either."

When this matter was mentioned, Mitch was also confused. What was he thinking at that time? Even if he approved of Pastor Linger, he would not compare him with the goddess, right? But that sentence came out completely without any hesitation or thinking, as if he subconsciously believed it.

What a strange thing.

He was confused by this, but Lingge didn't dwell on it. He just thought that the boy asked a strange question on impulse. Sixteen or seventeen-year-old boys and girls often have this symptom. They are at the stage of being most curious about the world, but they lack the means to understand it, so all kinds of strange ideas often emerge in their minds. When the young man taught those children, he had already experienced it deeply.

"Oh, Reverend Ling." Mitch suddenly remembered that he had returned to Yunjingkong Island this time not only to bring the good news of victory, but also for another important matter: "Well, I have something to ask of you."

"What's the matter?" Ling asked.

The boy brought back the ashes of Moya and others and wanted to bury them in the cemetery of Tianxin Church. Strictly speaking, this was not his request alone, but the request of Grayhill Eagle. He wanted to help these homeless dead find a peaceful home, but in the Ansus region where the war was becoming increasingly fierce, there seemed to be no other choice except Yunjing Sky Island.

Although these people were not believers of the Goddess, it just so happened that the Holy Goddess Church was not a secular sect, so after hearing his request, Lingge agreed without much hesitation.

"We still need to ask Metien's opinion. After all, she is the current pastor of Tianxin Church." Ling Ge looked at Mitch, who looked anxious, and comforted him, "Don't worry, Metien will definitely agree."

In this matter, there was no reason for the kind and pure girl to refuse.

But that wasn't what Mitch was worried about.

"I have... asked Kadora to go see Metien first. She should know by now." Mitch said hesitantly: "So, um, can I not go see her, Pastor Linger?"

Give me some meow