Gun of Ashes

”What do you mean?”

Lorenzo picked up on a different implication.

”The Angels, you must have seen them by now. It’s the protection mechanism of the information threshold. Once someone knows too much cursed knowledge, they appear to hunt them down.”

The Queen stared ahead, avoiding eye contact with the two men as much as possible, her eyes slightly red.

”The Nation-Builders refer to them as Silencers, beings that keep the world silent. Simultaneously, we consider it a protective mechanism, a mechanism to protect humans.”

”A mechanism to protect humans?” Arthur was puzzled.

”Excessive, cursed knowledge would plunge us into darkness. We’ve always thought this darkness referred to the arrival of the Silencers, but in the Nation-Builders’ understanding, we believe Silencers are like a preventive mechanism, solving ourselves before humanity creates calamity.

The Silencers are as such; according to the Nation-Builders’ speculation, when overwhelmed by excessive, cursed knowledge, we cross the fence, and in the dark world, the fence is silently invisible. Once we cross it, the lurking hungry wolves discover its existence.”

”So Silencers appear to solve us before we cross the fence and encounter the hungry wolves... us restless lambs,” Lorenzo said repressively.

”Just like that, the imminent war is largely due to this reason. The fence can’t protect so many people, once breached, we’ll be exposed to darkness, surrounded by the hungry wolves.”

The Queen did not know how to describe her current emotions, expressing complexly.

”This world is both a cage and a refuge.”

”The Shepherds maintaining the fence, preventing hungry wolves from advancing, when exactly they appeared and what exactly they are against the hungry wolves, we still don’t know. Perhaps there were records before, but most are lost to the years. In this long-term self-emasculation, cursed knowledge rarely passes down, even what I know now is processed.”

Lorenzo understood the Queen’s meaning, which reminded him of the descriptions within the Demon Hunting Order about Demons and God.

”Because of the unknown, they sacralize it to circulate in a sanctified manner, though distorting its original meaning, at least it allows us to know some of its nature.”

”Actually, part of what convinces me of the impending disaster is that we are still alive,” the Queen continued, seeming to have adjusted her mood, her gaze turning cold and indifferent, ”According to the information threshold judgment, we are all hunted targets, yet here we are alive and well, as though the Silencers encountered something, unable to attend to us.”

”I realized this too.”

Arthur said at this moment, during the last battle in the Workshop, the Silencers suddenly all stopped their movements and then left together, even though they should have killed everyone present, as if something more urgent occurred.

”What is more panic-inducing for the Shepherds than killing these restless lambs? It’s the hungry wolves sneaking in.”

Lorenzo spoke slowly. This was easily guessed, but if this is true, it indirectly confirms the credibility of the Nation-Builders.

The fence is barely holding on.

”This is a rare gap, Mr. Holmes.

A once-in-a-century opportunity, now the Silencers’ focus is attracted by unknown reasons, meaning their control over cursed knowledge has greatly weakened. Once these words were known to us, we would be hunted, but now we can not only freely discuss them but also reflect a lot from them.”

The Queen’s voice became urgent, she stood up shakily, seemingly about to fall in the next moment, but before falling, she stood firmly.

”During this period, we have acquired the ability to exchange this knowledge, signifying a long oppression finally has a slight chance to breathe... and this is my plan going forward.”

The Queen sat back at the long table, her face gloomy, with anger.

”Over a decade ago, we made a deal with Jiuxia, exchanging armor and Anti-Meme technology for steam technology. In truth, we exchanged information of the Secret Keepers.”

”Hold on...” Lorenzo sensed something amiss, ”Jiuxia also has Nation-Builders?”

”Perhaps. Initially, I didn’t believe it. According to the previous Queen, when those damned big ships appeared at Reindona’s harbor, she really thought another war was coming... but that’s how it is. The history of Nation-Builders is far older and more mysterious than any of us could imagine.”

The Queen seemed a bit helpless when saying this.

”Of course, I know nothing about the other aspects, under the blockade of the information threshold, we will only become increasingly ignorant.

For unknown reasons, the frequency of demon appearances in Jiuxia is much lower than in the Western world, and there, knowledge seems untainted... It’s not that, for some unknown reason, the transmission of knowledge there is far more stable than here.

Also, for this reason, the Nation-Builders designated Jiuxia as a research area, to keep this knowledge ’clean’, we secretly influence the world, which is why the eastern shipping routes remain closed, completely isolating it from us.”

”And what then?”

Arthur asked, perhaps overwhelmed by the secrets revealed today, he was already hard to stir up emotions for what the Queen would say next.

”Nothing follows; it’s complete isolation. I don’t know what Jiuxia is researching, nor to what extent. Basically, consider it an unknown surprise, whereas here, with the Silencers unable to attend to the whole picture, we can engage in small-scale knowledge exchange, possibly advancing our understanding of the world’s Truth.”

The Queen spoke as she looked at Lorenzo again.

”Mr. Holmes, I need you to head to the World’s End to seek out the Secret Keeper, current knowledge has severed too much, I need you to get something from the Secret Keeper there...”

She took a deep breath, appearing somewhat weary.

”Actually, I don’t know what can be gained from the Secret Keeper, nor what Jiuxia will bring. Everything is unknown, but I think we can gamble, using what little chips we have, to bet on a new future.”

”You want to gamble? Gamble human destiny?”

This left Lorenzo feeling heavy and breathless.

”How could I? I don’t have that courage.”

The Queen self-deprecatingly laughed.

”Both plans will progress in parallel, if we truly win, we’ll have forged a new future, if we lose, the war continues, we step into the next cycle.”

”And we will all die, correct?” Arthur asked at this moment, ”Once we step into the next cycle, we who know the knowledge will be preyed upon by the resurgent Silencers.”

Arthur’s query was answered with prolonged silence, after a long time, the Queen slowly spoke.

”Yes... we will all die, sorry.”

”No need to apologize. For gamblers, using such little chips to bet on such a large stake, winning is a great deal, losing doesn’t mean much...” Lorenzo suddenly started talking nonsense, unsure whether he was comforting others or if he really thought so, ”Everyone is mortal, after all, isn’t that correct?”

”If it’s done, everyone present will be great, even written into textbooks.”

Lorenzo continued speaking nonsense, standing from the edge of the high platform, he seemed very excited yet equally terrified.

”The fleet is ready, but the exact location of the World’s End is unknown. To ensure knowledge is not contaminated, the Secret Keeper hides the waterways within mysterious parables.

As for itself, it’s encircled by the Silent Sea, its chaos dimming the stars, even the recent time, Merlin reached that location with the guidance of Viking leaders.”

The Queen spoke about this severe situation, but also thanks to such harsh settings, the secret of the World’s End remains hidden, maintaining absolute silence.

”Sounds reasonable... then can we set off?”

Lorenzo couldn’t wait, differing from the Queen weighed down by despair, in despair’s aftermath, Lorenzo appeared joyful, he’d witnessed the arrival of doomsday in Lawrence’s Gap, attempting to change everything, yet uncertain where to begin, and now Lorenzo finally found direction.

He walked briskly forward, whispering softly.

”Now, let’s forge a new future.”