Gun of Ashes

”Did he invade you?”

Left Garrison asked. If Percival were invaded, the intelligence she knew would be far more abundant than that of ordinary personnel.

”If I had been invaded, I should have been dead by now... An Anonymous saved me.”

Percival recalled that key moment when the Anonymous appeared and couldn’t change the course of the battle but saved Percival’s life and handed her the important Holy Silver Crown, avoiding Roger’s first wave of invasion.

”A strange Anonymous who doesn’t speak, just uses sign language.”

Percival remembered the last scene, his movements, and mimicked them.

”Hello, goodbye,” Left Garrison said.

”Huh?” Percival looked at him in confusion, and Left Garrison continued.

”That’s what the sign language means; he was saying farewell to you.”

Left Garrison’s gaze fell into contemplation, muttering to himself, unclear what it meant.

”Why was Mr. Cai there...”

”Mr. Cai?”

Percival heard Left Garrison’s murmur. It was then she suddenly realized the Anonymous who died and the ”Mr. Cai” who followed Left Garrison were remarkably similar; both maintained absolute silence because they simply couldn’t speak.

But...

Percival remembered the appearance of that ”Mr. Cai.” He was completely different from the one who died at Broken Dome.

Is Mr. Cai not a name but a title? More than one Mr. Cai exists.

In just a few seconds, Percival guessed too much with her keen intuition. She looked at Left Garrison in confusion but saw Left Garrison wave it off.

”It’s nothing; don’t mind it.”

Left Garrison pretended to be calm on the outside but was just as perplexed and terrified as Percival. He couldn’t remember assigning Mr. Cai to Broken Dome, meaning this Mr. Cai was completely out of his command, which again violated the creed of the Anonymous.

Left Garrison believed Mr. Cai wouldn’t betray him; they must have received orders, but he couldn’t recall ever issuing such orders...

Percival guessed something, and Left Garrison also guessed something. His seasoned self had been in contact with Anti-Memes for so long that he instantly realized the problem.

He issued certain orders and then forgot about them.

Thinking of the powerful enemy he would face, Left Garrison forced himself not to dwell on these matters, isolating this secret in his mind; but who can truly not think about it? Left Garrison took a deep breath. At least now, he felt some sense of calm; the war involved more than what’s on the surface, there were things lurking in the shadows.

Thoughts concluded.

”I was planning on suicide to prevent Roger from invading my brain, but the gun ran out of bullets. Just then, Lorenzo arrived at the battlefield, and I was saved, the story ends here.”

”Alright, thank you for the information,” Left Garrison stood up.

”This isn’t really information.”

”It’s already too much for us.”

”What next?” Percival asked, ”Can I still participate in the battle?”

”I’m afraid not,” Left Garrison shook his head, denying, ”Not to mention your physical injuries, you’ve been infiltrated by Roger; there’s a beacon left in your mind, meaning he could invade you at any time, using you as a springboard to launch a surprise attack against us all.”

”You need to be isolated, along with other similarly infiltrated wounded.”

At this moment, a nurse walked in, bringing the equipment Percival needed. On the cart was armor made of Holy Silver; Gawain picked it up, first placing the crown on Percival’s head, followed by several doses of Flodren Potion, then he picked up a handgun and placed it beside her hand.

”If there’s truly no time, you know what to do.”

Gawain tried not to let emotions seep into his voice; Percival glanced at the gun, then at Gawain, and replied.

”Yes, I know.”

She picked up the handgun, placing it against her chest, feeling the cold and the presence of death.

”Don’t worry too much; Roger has many springboards; he might not even use them. You still have a good chance of survival,” Left Garrison said from the side.

”Should I be praying now that Roger doesn’t choose me?”

Percival smiled bitterly.

Left Garrison glanced at the clock on the wall, then said to the two.

”Percival, you can’t stay in Old Dunling too long. Even if he doesn’t use you as a springboard, you could mutate into a Demon under his summons.”

”Where are you sending me?” she asked.

”Thunderous Cape Military Port, that’ll be your isolation zone; you’ll be collectively sent there, following specific arrangements,” Left Garrison said.

”Looks like I’m going to retire at the rear,”

Percival pretended to be relaxed.

”If we can win this war... no, even if we win, we’ll undoubtedly suffer heavy losses; you all might be the last batch of living forces,” Gawain said.

”Is that supposed to comfort me?” Percival forced a smile.

Left Garrison sighed and said.

”You two can chat slowly; I’ll go check on Lorenzo.”

He said and walked out of the room, leaving only Gawain and Percival inside, neither speaking nor moving. This peace persisted for a long time until shattered by a sigh.

”Gareth is probably... dead.”

Percival muttered to herself, her mind constantly flashing back to that final scene.

”Life is absurd; no one could have guessed that would be the last time with him.”

Gawain sat beside Percival, a little unsure of what to say, then heard Percival speak again.

”That guy, Left Garrison, are you following his orders now?”

”Sort of. He and Arthur are the current commanders, ensuring someone can still direct the battle if one dies,” Gawain continued, ”For this reason, Arthur probably can’t come to see you; I also don’t know where he is now.”

”I...” Gawain opened his mouth to say something, but the words stuck in his throat, finally turning into a sigh.

”Don’t be so down, Gawain,” Percival said, looking at him gently, ”Are you troubled by something?”

”Yes, I don’t know what to do next; this crisis is unlike anything we’ve faced before. It’s like there’s no chance to start over, the pressure is immense,” Gawain looked outside, where Left Garrison had left, ”Also, I find it hard to trust him.”

”Who? Left Garrison?”

”No, it’s the Anonymous from Jiuxia; they’re hidden in the shadows for so long, then suddenly appear... No matter how, it’s hard to feel at ease with these sudden arrivals, but the current situation doesn’t allow me to question, even the Death Row.”

Gawain was troubled by this. Everyone has free will; they can’t help but wonder, then panic.

”Trust him, Gawain.”

Percival tried to stand up, she set down the gun and grabbed Gawain’s hand tightly, letting him feel the strength and warmth from her hand.

”What?”

Gawain was a bit puzzled by Percival’s sudden action.

”Gareth thought of something before he died but didn’t have time to tell me.”

Percival recalled willingly, then said.

”But he told me to trust the Death Row, absolutely and blindly trust it all.”

”I trust Gareth, so I also feel I can trust those words; what do you think?” Percival looked into Gawain’s eyes; Gawain found it hard to look away; he paused for a long time before stiffly nodding.

”Absolutely and blindly...”

Gawain was a bit confused, he stood up and said.

”I have to go.”

”This might be our last meeting; do you have anything to say, Gawain?”

”What if I lose you forever, my friend?” Percival spoke as she picked up the gun again, ”Of course, it could also be you losing me.”

Gawain was silent; he’d always been a cold person, all his emotions were hidden away, rarely exposed. He shared a deep glance with Percival, just like Percival and Gareth had.

They memorized each other’s appearance deeply. Gawain pushed open the door, mimicking the gesture Percival had just made; it was what the Anonymous had said to Percival before his death at Broken Dome.

[Hello, goodbye.]