Gun of Ashes

Chapter 323: Chapter 14 Divine Birthday_2

They awkwardly exchanged glances until Mrs. Van Rudd shouted.

”Alright, come and eat. After all, it is the Divine Birthday, we should have some sense of ritual.”

Mrs. Van Rudd softened unusually, and then Lorenzo witnessed her sense of ritual, a table made of stacked ammo boxes filled with food, and she even lit a few candles to enhance the atmosphere.

Although this enthusiasm came unexpectedly and somewhat puzzlingly, Lorenzo considered he knew Mrs. Van Rudd reasonably well, this old lady was just randomly finding any excuse.

A woman living alone, with no relatives or friends, and a terribly rotten personality... she was always a formidable woman, just like how she captured her husband on the battlefield back then. Even when showing kindness, it was done so aggressively.

As he sat down, Lorenzo felt somewhat uncomfortable due to this enthusiasm and started speaking nonsense.

”You actually believe in religion? I thought you had no interest in Evangelical Church stuff.”

Lorenzo bantered; this was a holiday originated by the Evangelical Church.

”Who cares if it’s Divine Birthday or Egg Day, it’s just an excuse to celebrate.”

Mrs. Van Rudd revealed her jovial personality; indeed, many people weren’t believers of the Evangelical Church, people were just using this holiday to have fun.

Lorenzo suddenly laughed, his previous sense of loneliness was somewhat diluted by this chattering conversation.

”This is some sense of ritual, having dinner on ammo boxes... Are you reminiscing about your service days?”

Of course, the best way to reciprocate this kindness is not to treat it as kindness, don’t pity this old lady, for her it’s actually a form of disrespect.

”Service days? I was in the Aerial Cavalry, top class! I wouldn’t be holding ammo boxes for dinner in trenches.” Mrs. Van Rudd retorted rudely at Lorenzo.

Hig sat between them, feeling a bit out of place, unable to blend into this crude humor, appearing somewhat awkward.

Actually, it’s rather odd that Hig, who lived the longest, didn’t understand this old lady; he mechanically ate his food.

He came to Old Dunling when he was very young, and Mrs. Van Rudd took him in. Sometimes they were like mother and son, but Lorenzo instead was someone taken in.

”Hig, how are you doing? You seem to be much better.”

Lorenzo suddenly spoke.

Hig was taken aback, Lorenzo’s words caught him off guard, Mrs. Van Rudd’s gaze became displeased, she didn’t want Lorenzo to embarrass Hig, at least not today.

”I’m a detective, hallucinogens aren’t good things, but it seems you can control them now, that’s a good thing.”

Lorenzo said casually.

Hig’s gaze shifted subtly, it seemed he hadn’t realized his secret was no secret in a detective’s eyes, he opened his mouth, thought it over, and finally responded with an ”Mm.”

”Hey, cheer up, after all, it’s Divine Birthday!”

Lorenzo said cheerfully.

”Lorenzo, you have to understand, not everyone is as carefree as you.” Mrs. Van Rudd said.

”I just wanted to talk more with Hig! After all, we’ve been roommates for so long!” Whether genuinely or not, Lorenzo seemed eager to befriend Hig, making Hig rather uneasy.

Indeed, they lived together for a long time, but they were like surface-level roommates, not understanding each other, their routines completely mismatched, rarely seeing each other in daily life.

Maybe it’s because of the reason of being reborn, perhaps it made Lorenzo somewhat sentimental, he became a bit curious about this familiar yet estranged roommate.

Hig felt the most uncomfortable with Lorenzo’s enthusiasm, instinctively resisting him, for Lorenzo, who always fought and killed in the Lower City District, Hig truly didn’t have any extra favor.

”I won’t touch such things again.” Hig said affirmatively.

Mrs. Van Rudd’s gaze softened considerably, but then became stern.

”So, Lorenzo, don’t ruin the mood, okay!” She said, casually swinging a gun butt.

The ordinary holiday was tinged with a strange feeling, Mrs. Van Rudd spoke with some sentimentality.

”Time flies, Lorenzo, you’ve been in Old Dunling for seven years now. Have you ever thought of going home and visiting?”

”Home? Where?”

Lorenzo pierced a piece of meat with his fork, stuffed it into his mouth, with a nonchalant look.

For Lorenzo, there’s no such thing as home in this world, only places to sleep. Even if such a thing truly existed, it was long destroyed in the Night of the Holy Arrival.

Mrs. Van Rudd scrutinized Lorenzo, as if attempting to find a hint of a flaw in his expression, some people are just like that, the more carefree, the harder it is to discern their true self.

But it’s expected, people like Lorenzo are hard to associate with gentle words; she then looked at Hig.

”What about you? You’ve been in Old Dunling longer than Lorenzo.”

Hig’s actions momentarily paused, thinking over, he realized he’d been in Old Dunling many years too, but soon shook his head.

”No need, I’ve almost forgotten where.”

Like many wandering foreigners in Old Dunling, staying too long in this steel city, even forgetting where they came from.

For Hig, in comparison to home, the impression stronger in his mind was the bakery, where he worked for a long time, finally saving enough for the ticket to Old Dunling, and like a happy wild dog, he ran along the tracks, leaving everything behind.

The atmosphere sank into a bizarre silence, Lorenzo appropriately showcased his talent in enlivening the mood.

”Hig, you’re used to these too.” He suddenly said.

Hig was a bit puzzled, Lorenzo pointed to the scattered bullets everywhere.

His expression was somewhat delicate, soon barely containing a bitter laugh.

”After all, this is Old Dunling, the center of the world, nothing surprises me.”

”Quite adaptable to new things.” Lorenzo said as he nodded.

Lorenzo was like a comedian, chattering and enlivening the mood. Unfortunately, there were only three people here, no matter how lively, it was just that; everyone had no intersecting hobbies, the festival was just forcibly connecting everyone, after tonight, Hig and Lorenzo would still have little interaction.

In this sense, it’s a bit sad; it seems tonight’s joy is all illusory.

Thinking this, Lorenzo shouted loudly, lifting his glass.

”To our fake friendship, cheers!”

Neither of them paid attention to Lorenzo, just like they were used to the detective’s eccentricity, Lorenzo could only amuse himself with his drink.

Sometimes life is like this, finding someone who synchronizes with you isn’t easy at all.

But suddenly, the sound of hooves clattered on the street, logically speaking, there shouldn’t be many people out at this time, everyone’s gathered at home for the holiday, even the Lower City District casinos stopped business today, bloodthirsty thugs hide in corners celebrating surviving another year.

Lorenzo didn’t care who it was or concern himself with it; for him, it didn’t matter, he just felt a serious sense of disjointedness in his life.

The dispute between emotions and reason, until the sound of hooves stopped at the doorstep.

Lorenzo’s face turned serious, his detective mind racing.

Mrs. Van Rudd looked delighted; she went into the kitchen to take out a platter of cookies already baked; Lorenzo seemed to guess who the visitor was.

The person pushed open the door, ringing bells, making a crisp sound.

Seeing that somewhat unexpected figure, Lorenzo said.

”Yawei?”

Upon hearing someone call him, Yawei raised his head; his seemingly cheerful face suddenly turned stagnant, as if he swallowed a dead fly.

This drastic contrast made Lorenzo quite annoyed.

”Mr. Holmes? I thought you’d be isolated for a few more days.”

It seemed he knew about these things too, Lorenzo replied, ”Can’t be helped, the detention center’s on holiday today.”

”Oh, then I might just let you retire directly.”

Yawei spoke, raising his gun.

Used to being held at gunpoint, Lorenzo was surprisingly accustomed to it, not caring, but this time caught him off guard, Yawei pulled the trigger.

”You really went for it!”

Lorenzo immediately jumped up, but what came out of the gun wasn’t a bullet, but streamers.

As if mocking Lorenzo’s awkward situation, Yawei laughed unabashedly, then stepped aside.

”Happy Divine Birthday.”

The girl said standing at the door.

Lorenzo froze for a moment and then the girl walked over... seemingly without acknowledging Lorenzo, embracing Mrs. Van Rudd.

”Happy Divine Birthday to you too, Selyu.”

Just like a bear hug to a cub, the cub secretly laughed triumphantly at everyone.