807 Goodnigh (2/2)

”This king?” He smiled like he was chewing charcoal.

Amid the cries, the grease coated stakes suddenly shook as the sound of a pine knot cracking rang out. The flames leaped up, and the person on the stake was completely consumed.

A burning wind swept through, dragging way the ashes and the spirits of the dead, sending their sorrows into the sky. Finally, they turned into a fine black dust that drifted back down to earth like rain.

Amid the cries of a judge as he suffocated, Shi Dong began to sing hoarsely.

The hoarse voice that came from his steel vocal cords did not carry a tune, but it entangled in the flames, accompanied by the sound of pine knots cracking. It was given form by the dust and plaintive cries, and gained fullness as the flames rose.

It was as if the world of suffering had been revealed, and those on the stakes piously offered it the cries of their suffering.

It was a chorus of thousands.

Under the thousands of stakes, countless purification musicians sang the sacred song of judgment. It gathered together into a mighty wave that seemed to shake the sky and lash against the souls on the stakes. It would burn all the evil to nothing but ash in the fire.

Shi Dong walked forward, treading through the flames.

A fiery glow seemed to rise in his blood vessels, making his eyes turn an insane red.

The grand judgment seemed to give him a new life. He walked in a hell that he had built himself, bathed in the fire, put the sinners into the flames one by one so that they could sing the song of God in the fire.

The firelight dispelled the night.

The grand bonfire lit the sky, spreading light to the surrounding countryside, making the darkness retreat before this raging flame of revenge.

The last important person was put on the bonfire before dawn.

”I've done nothing wrong! I'm in the right! You wild dogs! Don't touch me!” The man wearing a crown and robes yelled at the Witch Hammer. ”How dare you do this! How dare you, Shi Dong! It is us, the heads of the 16 families, who have funded you! It was my grandfather who saw your potential! We were the ones who gave you such great authority, and gave the highest glory to the Inquisition! We signed an agreement and a covenant with God as our witness! How dare you do this!”

Under the stake, the old man who was bathed in a scorching wind looked up at him.

He smiled.

”Although it is regrettable that it has come to this, I must say, the 16 families, including yours, total 179 direct descendants. Long before the Inquisition was founded, they were on the first purification list.” Shi Dong grinned, his distorted face flushed with red. ”Even though I can't issue an arrest warrant for you for various reasons, today really is the day dreams come true.”

He spread his arms like he was receiving a new year's gift and cheered, ”Why don't you sing for me, friend? On this day when dreams come true, even the air is as sweet as honey!”

The man on the stake's face twisted and he snarled, ”I curse you, you heretics who have forsaken the path of God! You beasts of indulgence and slaughter! You are led by traitors, and you have lost the correct path! You have broken our covenant! God will cast you aside! He will cast you aside!”

”Ah, perhaps.” Shi Dong smiled and raised his torch. ”If he really cares about a paper covenant.”

He let go.

The fire swirled down from his hand onto the wood.

In the fire that was catalyzed by aether, the special seat that had been tailor-made for nobles was ignited. It burned up, throwing thick smoke into the dawn sky.

Light danced in the firewood accompanied by Shi Dong's harsh singing. He clapped out a beat, making for a majestic and wild figure that had a fleeting beauty.

The fire was reflected in his bloodshot eyes.

It almost made him hold his breath.

This was the most devastating thing in the world.

Since everything had been transformed, the brilliance had been revealed by suffering, and all ugliness had been turned to ash… The fascinating brilliance seemed to be alive.

Even in this cold and cruel world, it could bring warmth.

”It's so beautiful.” He stood between the flames like a child, gazing at the dancing light.

Just as he had countless times in the past.

Except only here and now he could feel he was with the deceased who had once spent such a long time with him.

They were reunited.

They had not been separated by cruel time.

It was not until the fire died down that he awoke from his long reverie. He felt the morning dew condensing in the corners of his eyes. He slipped on the ashes and fell on the ground.

”Next one!” he yelled.

A calm voice came from behind him, ”There is no next one.”

He turned back in shock and saw the young man in the wheelchair and the countless extinguished stakes. He suddenly realized. ”It's… finished?”

”Mhm, it's finished.”

”Then where are we going next?”

”There's nowhere to go, Shi Dong.” Watson looked at him. ”Anglo, Asgard, Burgundy, then from Navia to Iberia. Shi Dong, our path is finished.”

”Truly? The bonfire party is over?” Shi Dong sat dejectedly on the steps to the woodpile. He finally felt exhausted. He finally felt like an old man. ”It's a pity that I was just having one a moment ago.”

Watson shrugged. ”Maybe you should complain to our boss later and have him give the next list to me. I'm sure it will be very long.”

Shi Dong said nothing. He just looked up in silence at the sun rising from behind gray clouds.

”Watson, do you think it was good for me to get the righteous Inquisition to pursue my private wishes?” he suddenly whispered. ”Now I don't know whether my choice was right or not.”

”Isn't it too late to be thinking of regret?” Watson couldn't help but shake his head as he whispered. ”The times have changed, old man.”

”Yes, I've lived too long. The world has changed so fast, and I've been left in the past.” Shi Dong smiled self-deprecatingly and patted his iron knee. ”It seems just like yesterday that the Inquisition was established. At that time, wouldn't I have cast aside the ugliness of my own degeneration? But when I think about it seriously, it seems there was nothing wrong with my descent.”

He looked at Watson, and his eyes that had once been so cloudy were clear. They reflected his face as if he were staring back at himself. ”If I like chasing the light, am I not a shadow?”

Watson was stunned.

”Even though I am so old I don't even have the strength to put up a stake, there are still many things that are not as I wish. But those things are no longer important.” Shi Dong lowered his head and said softly. ”It really was a carefree expedition.”

Under the numerous stakes, he took in a breath of refreshing ash. He smiled and closed his eyes as if he was sleeping among the flowers.

In the flame of death, he returned to his hundred-year dream.

”Shi Dong? Hey, Shi Dong!” Watson reached out to shake him, but when he touched his cold shoulder he stiffened. After a while, he lowered his eyes and forced a smile. ”You're really sleeping here? You're so old, I guess it's important to sleep somewhere warm.”

He pushed his wheelchair forward and carefully placed the thin blanket on his knees over Shi Dong's body. He reached out and gently hugged him, saying softly, ”Goodnight, Shi Dong.”

Goodnight.

May you reunite with the deceased before the eternal bonfire in the endless night.