A brave man may not live, but he cannot die

Chapter 109 Brave (End)
With Xia Dai'er as an outsider present, Pepe didn't dare to say that there was a level 0 containment item in the suitcase.

It was just a subtle hint that the missing suitcase contained something very important to her.

".Missing?"

Xia Dai'er had recovered from Pepe's explosive message, and the girl's voice now held a hint of inexplicable joy.

"Could it be stolen?" she thought as a matter of course.

"That's impossible. A thief can't get in."

"Could it be that someone who was present at the scene stole it? Is there anyone who is more likely to be a suspect?" Xia Dai'er loves to read detective novels and has a quick mind for solving cases.

Quinn calls Buhao!

Sister, how can you think so badly of people?
Pepe immediately shook his head, and his blond hair swayed like the string of a rattle.

"Everyone here is an elder you can absolutely trust! And..." She looked at her new clothes and chuckled softly, "They're all very good people."

Quinn breathed a sigh of relief.

I can never repay General Kua’s kindness in my lifetime.

"That's not necessarily true," Xia Dai'er said with a mysterious look in her eyes. "To solve a case, we must rely on reason, not on the heart. Whenever possible, we must investigate and find evidence. �——!!"

She suddenly couldn't help but let out a soft cry, and her whole body straightened like a spring.

"Investigation to prove what?" Pepe asked curiously, feeling that what Xia Daier said made sense.

"No, no, nothing."

The girl's voice was no longer calm, and only the shyness that was about to be suppressed was left.

The little feet wearing white stockings with lace were directly hugged by someone. If it were someone else, Xia Dai'er would have kicked them away and shouted "hooligan".

But it was Quinn who grabbed her foot.

"Ms. Xia Dai'er, you——"

"Have you forgotten the words of the sun?"

Before Pepe could finish his worried question, Quinn interrupted him solemnly:

"God says, 'The lamb that has strayed in the valley will be brought back by the shepherd's staff; the grain of wheat scattered by the wind will be reborn in the ridges of the field, which will be seven times more abundant. Just as the seeds buried in the rain will sprout in the dry season, the corners shrouded in darkness will be greeted by the sun in the morning. The sinners, the people who have closed their eyes, will see the promised end in the fire."

Pepe was stunned.

“This is from 2 Peter 7, Genesis.”

"The fourth paragraph." Quinn continued while she was thinking. "As I understand it, this paragraph refers to humanity. All beings who suffered so much during the Dark Age and the Lost Age will usher in a bright future under the guidance of the sun."

Pepe's eyes suddenly widened, "Your point of view is very consistent with mine."

Quinn said confidently:

"'Sevenfold' refers to the seven natural disasters, 'ridges' refer to the world, and 'fruitfulness' means the more disasters the world endures, the more prosperous it will become. This is actually the same as the entire Gospel, every paragraph is a prophecy made by the sun - did you see how the box disappeared?"

Pepe shook his head blankly.

"What's the second-to-last paragraph?" Quinn guided her.

"Close, close your eyes"

Pepe fell into deep thought.

Quinn looked like a true charlatan, the only thing missing was a white robe: "So you don't have to worry at all, because God has already predicted that you will 'see the promised end in the flames.'"

Pepe unconsciously used the honorific: "Teacher Strange, what will be the ending?"

"Stupid!" Quinn yelled, taking a leisurely sip of juice. "Considering the context, that's definitely a good ending."

Pepe's expression changed from contemplation, to sudden realization, and then to almost crying with joy.

This was the first time in a week that she smiled with such joy.

"It turns out that the sun has already given guidance, but I just didn't notice it."

Ankuya turned his head and stretched it with his other hand.

This woman cannot get married, or her offspring will be mentally retarded.

"Mr. Strange, what should I do next?"

"You don't have to do anything."

".No need to do anything?"

"Just bask in the sun every day, and when the time comes, the box will return on its own."

Pepe opened his mouth slightly in disbelief.

"Is this okay?"

"Are you questioning me or the sun?"

Pepe waved his hands hurriedly, "No, no, no, I just don't dare to live so easily every day. Will the sun really lead a believer who does nothing to find light——"

Quinn smiled slightly.

Debate, right? No one understands the Gospels and scriptures better than me.

"Then let's discuss Volume 7 of Saint George's Letter to the Ancient Dragons."

Time passed leisurely in the afternoon.

Pepe asked the waiter for piece of paper after piece of paper. Quinn said that she remembered that those ideas that she had doubted had become the wise man's solemn oath in Quinn's mouth. Even the saints of the Vatican could not convince each other of the theological problems, Quinn also had his own opinions, and he could speak meaningfully and make sense of them.
The more Pepe listened, the more she felt that her and Quinn's views on doctrine were so similar, as if two strangers on opposite sides of the world looked up at the same time, devoutly praising the sun's light, and even the tones of their prayers were so coordinated and synchronized.

He talked about the Pope, the brave, the gods, and the Second Age of Twilight. He interpreted the opening of the sea by the sun, imagined the origin of the continent, and devoutly praised the saint York's journey to find the sun. He criticized the extraordinary, despised the gods, and believed that all suffering originated from betrayal of God.
For no reason, Pepe remembered something her father said to her when she was a child.

Those were the few memories she had of her father, but because of the long time, they were already a little vague.

My father was singing a song, and my mother asked what it was. He replied something about a certain day or a certain movie. The two of them chatted for a while, and at the end he said loudly, "Oh my God, this is exactly me!"

Just like Pepe's mood at the moment.

After listening to Xia Dai'er's analysis, although Pepe was reluctant to believe it, he couldn't help but wonder if the box had been stolen.

Since Mr. Jacob is a relative of Grandpa Selvy, the biggest suspect is Strange.
A man with such insight into the papal texts was sufficiently pious to merit an audience with Saint Camelot.

So many opinions are surprisingly consistent. He must be like me, a kind and sincere person who says hello to the sun every day, right?
How could he steal something?
Pepe couldn't help but feel deeply guilty for the little doubt he had before.

When the four of them came out of the tea room, it was already two o'clock in the afternoon.

Not only Pepe, but even Xia Daier looked at Quinn with a hint of admiration.

Although she is a believer of the White Church, the contents of the Divine Church's scriptures on the history of the ancient era have certain similarities. At least Quinn's research on the history of the Divine Church is enough to give lectures at the university.

It was not until now that Xia Daier had a real feeling that Quinn was Grindelwald's teacher. This was definitely the real deal, and not someone who got in through nepotism as her brother or mother had guessed.

Quinn took their stares calmly.

If you put aside the Gospel of Creation and ask him how to sing the Vatican's Sunday hymns, he probably wouldn't be able to answer as accurately as a beggar who occasionally goes to church to receive alms.

The insights Pepe copied into the Gospel of Genesis all came from the monastery of San Camelot. Those who could teach there were at least retired clergymen of the rank of bishop, their lives steeped in scripture, and every insight they offered was a burning truth.

Quinn can make Pepe hear the difference and come up with his own insights, purely relying on the reading comprehension formula of the test-takers on Earth.

What the hell is this holy book? Do you understand the value of the strange light of the fish eye?
Quinn stood at the door of the cafe. At two o'clock in the afternoon, there was no trace of dark clouds in the sky. The bright summer sun shone on his body, making him feel warm.

Quinn felt a little confused. He was wearing a suit jacket and a vest. The strong wind and rain in the morning were not bad, but it should be getting hot and humid now. How come he didn't feel uncomfortable at all while basking in the sun?

"Mr. Strange, Ms. Xia Dai'er, thank you for your help today."

Pepe bowed deeply to the two of them.

Because of the Heaven's Gate incident, Pepe was unable to report the results of the investigation to the Vatican - after all, she could stay in Ashwell until the suspect was found, and because of the academy, no other priests could supervise her.

But if she reported that the suspect had left Ashwell, Pepe would probably return to the Vatican immediately, and then the disappearance of Heaven's Gate would be exposed.

But now, Pepe has been fooled by Quinn into believing that as long as he continues to stay in Ashwell and lets nature take its course and searches slowly, he will find it.

"I'll go back first. If you are free, you can come to the Dema Tavern anytime. It's really fun to discuss doctrine with you!" Pepe felt like he had found his organization in the enemy camp.

".Dema Tavern?"

Xia Dai'er's beautiful eyes lit up. "Is it Ku? Oh no, is it the tavern where Mr. Strange works part-time as a bartender?"

Pepe smiled and nodded.

"I first met him in the pub but he only seems to be there once a week."

"He's going to go soon, shall we go together?"

Xia Daier took it upon herself to take the ride.

Quinn complained bitterly. He went there to learn how to kill people, and Pepe and Xia Daier followed him, so why would he learn how to kill chicken feathers?

At this time, Ankuya spoke up: "Pepe, do you want to look for it on the black market? If the suitcase was really stolen, it might be resold through underground channels. I happen to have some work today and need to investigate the gang in Sewell, so I can take you with me."

Although Pepe felt that the possibility of the box being stolen was not at all, when he thought about what Quinn had just said about letting things take their course, he asked a little embarrassedly: "Will this affect your work?"

Anqua smiled gently: "I'm going to the gang, and there is a powerful priest following me. I'm so happy." "He's not that powerful." Pepe scratched his head embarrassedly, and went to help Anqua pull his Chocobo car excitedly.

"What about you two? Anyway, I'm going down the mountain and I can give you a ride if I pass by the tavern, but the back seat of the Chocobo can only accommodate two people." He looked at Xia Dai'er, who was at a loss for words, implying that there was no place to sit.

Of course, Xia Dai'er could take a carriage and go with them, but she was not familiar with Ankua and Pepe. As a young lady who was taught to be reserved since childhood, it was difficult for her to say "I want to go with you".

This is General Kua in his sunny form, and it gets done in an instant.

"Then," Xia Daier said with a forced smile, "I plan to go home. I wish you all the best."

"Don't you want to see the bartending?"

Quinn suddenly said, "Actually, you can squeeze in and sit in the middle. I just don't know if Miss Branson will ride in the Chocobo."

"Um"

She answered somewhat absentmindedly.

But suddenly, Xia Daier raised her head abruptly, and the light in her eyes when she looked at Quinn was almost overflowing.

"I like Chocobos. I love them so much!"

He wore a heavy crown, his purple cloak dragging behind him, and walked forward on the wet ground.

Three thousand flawless gemstones. Rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and diamonds scattered like stars in the sky.
Fourteen hundred years ago, a hunter accidentally dug up a foothill below the Thames and found a long-decayed dragon's tomb. He used the gold, silver and jewels in the dragon's tomb to raise an army and conquered all the way until he became the King of Britain.

The hunter used the remaining gems to make a crown, which was passed down from generation to generation as proof of the British royal power granted by the dragon. Even the emperor's crown pales in comparison.

And thirty-five years ago, the man had been here, watching the Eternal Pope place the crown on his brother's head.

Everyone shouted "Long live!" with the same voice, but this time he became the protagonist.

The sunlight flowed among the broken walls like melted gold foil. Britain's Dragonblood Knights lined up in two rows, standing under the shadow of the former royal city, and shouted "Long live their king".

The soles of his boots crushed the sand and gravel as he walked through the collapsed meeting hall and the audience room filled with charred corpses. The dark throne stood alone in the ashes, and the shadows of the broken columns intertwined into a web. He moved forward in silence.

The traces of fire and blood could not be erased by the sixteen years of flooding. When the lake water receded, the prosperity and hatred seemed still vivid.

Yesterday, the lake was half a meter deep and it even rained at night.

But this morning, the remains of the ancient royal city suddenly reappeared in the light of day. No one knew where the water had gone, just as no one knew why there was no life in a lake.

There are no fish, no shrimps or crabs, no ordinary or unusual creatures, not even moss or water plants.
Apart from the rusty weapons and armor scattered on the ground, time and the lake water left no trace.

Finally, he walked to the former royal back garden.

After a fire, only a large stone remained of this paradise on earth full of treasures.

There was a sword stuck in the stone.

The little remaining water turned into trickles like blood vessels, flowing along the cracks in the rocks, and was sucked into the spine-like sword body, as if flowing into the abyss of the world.

It drained an entire lake.

The man walked up to the sword with an expressionless face, grasped the hilt, and tried to pull it out.

Gradually, another hand came up.

My feet also stepped on the stone.

He no longer looked like a king. His purple cloak was like a sheet draped over a stubborn child. He was wrestling with his delusions and the earth. His expression gradually became distorted, but his sword remained motionless.

Finally, the exhausted king kicked the sword viciously, then covered his foot and cried out in pain. He roared miserably:

"Get back! Get back into my body—"

There was dead silence all around. The knights and guards had all disappeared, leaving only his voice echoing among the ruins.

"Dear King—"

The echoes gradually intertwined into a new, yet somewhat different voice: "The prophecy seems to be fulfilled."

"The tide has gone out—" His voice grew dark.

"The true king is about to return—" His voice became cheerful.

"That's a hero! That's revenge—" His voice turned fearful.

"I can't escape, I can't escape~" His voice became joyful.

The man looked gloomily at the echoing sky.

It was gray and the sun was nowhere to be seen.

"A group of people who worship a dragon corpse as a god, these nonsense they made up are meaningless, ha, nonsense."

"You are afraid, my king." His voice became charming.

"But don't be afraid, we are together—" His voice grew brave.

"You can buy the life of the Child of Prophecy if you wish—" His voice turned flattering.

“It’s not too late, it’s not too late!!”

Countless crazy voices intertwined together, and the veins on the king's forehead bulged.

"Shut up! Shut up!" the king shouted hysterically, "You damned, vile merchants! I order you to shut up!!"

The world became quiet.

The sword was still stuck in the stone, watching with pity the man who had sold his soul walk away.

He only has this country left. If he sells it, he will have nothing left.

The sun returned to his face. The king raised his bloodshot eyes and said hoarsely:
"Pass my orders"

"From today on, all citizens over the age of seventeen, regardless of status, male or female, must draw their swords once until the child of prophecy is found."

When a counselor heard this, he immediately knelt on the ground.

"Your Majesty, no! Duke Lawrence has already shown signs of rebellion. If you do this, the people of his territory will approve of war."

Crash, ping-pong.

Before he could finish his words, the counselor's figure had disappeared, leaving only a pile of pointed gold pounds on the ground.

"Tsk."

The king withdrew the scepter pointed at him and sneered, "Is this all a lifetime is worth? I don't care if you don't listen to my advice."

"If war is necessary, then let's fight it. What else do we lack?"

A unified roar echoed over the ruins of the royal city—

"No shortage! No shortage! No shortage!"

The knights who once bathed in dragon's blood were like soulless puppets, singing the praises of monotonous loyalty.

“I don’t need to sell anything anymore, nothing.”

He walked in a daze amid the roaring mountains and seas, facing the setting sun.

And under the same sunset.

Thousands of miles away in Eswell, Speaker Valen Vladimir sat on the top floor of the municipal building, looking at the guests in front of him and the secret letter sent by the Imperial Intelligence Agency "KGB" in his hand.

There was only one line in the letter:

'The waters of Britain have receded.'

The lights were off in the office, and the guest sat in the shadows, admiring his wonderful expression.

"On March 12th, there was a strange phenomenon in the heavens and earth. On March 25th, there was a massacre at the jewelry store. On April 9th, the holy sword appeared." Speaker Valen muttered, "Your predictions were all correct, my brave lord."

"of course."

A calm voice came from the shadows: "After all, this is something I've already experienced once. Although my memory isn't as good as his, I can at least remember these time points."

"I admire your courage," the Western Continental native said slowly, "but the Empire isn't in such great need of brave men. This cryptic prophecy isn't worthy enough to bring you before the Emperor."

The hero smiled softly.

"Well, how about telling you when the foggy sea will dissipate?"

"."

Valen Vladimir was silent for a moment.

"What do you want from the Empire?"

The sun sets, and the evening breeze of the mountain city blows in from the window at the right time. Time begins to move from this moment.

"Ah"

The brave man's young voice drifted on the wind.

"Just because it's the only way to win."

(End of Volume 1.)
(End of this chapter)