330 Have a Friend from Afar (2/2)
”...Ok.”
As they talked, they made a few turns and found that they had entered the core of Auschwitz without realizing. Several narrow streets leaded to a huge market. All kinds of goods were displayed in the busy fair. Traders hawked fervidly and the people pushed and shoved. It was not desolate as the outside.
”This is the real market. Only outsiders go the place where you were.” The elder patted Ye Qingxuan's shoulder. ”If you really want to sell something, come here, say my name, and the locals won't bother you.”
”Uh, thank you.” Ye Qingxuan managed a smile but involuntarily looked to the center of the fair. It was empty spot in the middle of the circular plaza.
In the clearing, several long black iron poles rose into the sky. Several withered corpses hung from them. As the breeze blew, the withered corpses swung like leaves, looking extremely hideous and grim. But who would hang such things in the center of their own enclave?
Ye Qingxuan was confused.
”What are you looking at?” It dawned on the elder when he followed Ye Qingxuan's gaze. ”Oh, those are past elders, my colleagues. Unfortunately, they were hanged for making mistakes.”
”Mistakes?” Ye Qingxuan asked curiously, ”What did they do?”
The elder raised his eyes. He looked extremely sympathetic as if he was looking at a retard. ”If they knew what would be mistakes, they wouldn't die, right?”
Ye Qingxuan was speechless. He asked, ”This... Who did this?”
”I did, of course. Who else is qualified to judge them here?” Caligula said lightly. ”Let me think. It was five or six years ago. They've been hung for so long. Now, if they're not hanging here, I'll feel that something's wrong.”
”Why? Why hang them? They're already dead, right? Is it necessary?”
Hearing Ye Qingxuan's question, the elder was puzzled too.
”This...” He scratched his messy hair and gesticulated. ”I don't know if there are such people outside or not. They're young and ignorant but they think they know everything. They want to change fate but they also don't know what the real world is like…What is this kind of person called? Young... young…”
”Angry youths,” Ye Qingxuan supplied.
”Yes, that's right!”
The elder hammered the palms with satisfaction, lamenting, ”The mistakes of youths are unavoidable and there has to be something to warn them. At least, this will make them calm down when they try to make a fool of themselves.” The elder paused and said lightly, ”After all, there's no chance for Romulusians to make more mistakes, is there?”
Ye Qingxuan was speechless. He did not know what reply was appropriate.
They did not talk the rest of the way. When passing a stall, the elder conveniently took a dove for free. Ye Qingxuan had no idea what he was planning to do. Soon they got to the place.
”Come in.” The elder pushed open the door and invited Ye Qingxuan to take a seat. However, instead of chairs, there were only several cushions on the worn carpet. Ye Qingxuan casually picked one.
After putting down the dove, the elder went to the back room, grabbed some spices and sawdust, and sprinkled it onto the stove. Flames rose soon.
Caligula whispered a few words of prayer to the family flame that had lasted from the ancestral age to today. Romulus valued ancestors greatly. Each family of Romulus had their own set of etiquette to worship the family flame and ancestors with strict observance. Caligula was certainly no exception.
Soon, he ended his prayers and returned to the hall. Several servants brought over a few cups of water and placed the prepared dove before the elder. Now the poor dove was plucked and had its feet strapped. It cooed innocently.
Ye Qingxuan looked down at the dove. ”This is...”
The elder smiled mysteriously and pulled out a short knife. ”You're a guest from afar. Let me divine for you. I used to be the best wizard in Romulus.” Before Ye Qingxuan could react, the elder brandished the knife and split the dove's belly. In the psychedelic incense flavor mixed with drugs, the elder held the dove and the knife. He sucked in a mouthful of white smoke. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he began dancing crazily.
Under the husky strange humming, his body twitched, his eyes rolled, he gasped violently, screamed, shivered, and suddenly sat down on the ground. Clenching his right hand, he flattened the poor dove.
The elder cleverly used the knife to pick out the dove's thin intestines. He split it carefully and stared at it intently. He murmured something that no one could understand. It sounded like an ancient language.
After a long silence, Caligula put down the knife and bloody dove. Someone offered a basin of water. He calmly washed hands and then sat back to the opposite of Ye Qingxuan, hesitating.
Seeing his serious expression, Ye Qingxuan snapped out of his daze. ”How's the result of the divination?” Seeing the dramatic build up, Ye Qingxuan was actually excited to hear the result!