"Itdidntwork,howcoulditbethatitdidntwork...whenabodyhasnosoul...therearentsuchthingsasbloodymiraclesinheaven."
Natakupretendednottohear.TherewasShienstandingofftotheleftdownonthegroundwithMarshalTenpoubesidehiTheyseemeddeepinconversation,untilShiencaughthimlookingandbowedhisheadinrespectfulacknowledgment.TheboybrisklynoddedandthensuddenlyraisedbothhiseyebrowsinsilentastonishmentasTenpouamiablysmiled,givingalittlewave.
Hegaped.WhatwasTenpoudoing,wavingathimasifhewerejustamere...a...amere...child?Perhapsitwasduetothatincidentonearthheonlyheardrumorsabout.Theboyturnedtohisfatherwhoseemedtobefurrowinghisbrow,preoccupiedwithsomeinconceivablefrustration;lookedintothebackroomnowempty.TheMarshalprobablywasnthimself.Injuriescandothattoaperson,Natakuconcluded.
Somethinghithisfoot,thrownfromdownbelow.Hepickeditup:adelicatelymadepapercrane.Natakuwavedback.
*****
"Whatdidyoudothatfor?"Shienaskedwithdisbeliefleakingthroughthewellconstructedcalmofhisvoice."Itwasunnecessary.Anddisrespectful."
"Childrenshouldbereceivingtoys,"Hakkairepliedoverthecheerofthecrowd,"notworship."
Shiensvoicefrowned,ifavoicecouldfrown."Youspeakwithtoomuchconfidence,TenpouGensui."theothersaidflatly,ignoringthelightsmilethatgracedNatakusfaceashetinkeredwiththepaperfigure."Butthenagain,Ifindthatfarfromsurprising.Whatsurprisesmeisthatsuchanacuteintellectsuchasyoursneedstobebriefedonamatterstrictlywithinyourdomain."
"Iamwellawareofthecurrenthappenings."Theliecameoutsubtlyhaughtilyanddefensive."ButIfinditusefultohearitfromanotherpersonsmouth."
TheslowundulationofthedrumswassuddenlyaccompaniedbythesonorousroarofthegreatbellwhosevibrationssunkdownintoHakkaisbones.Inrhythm,thesoldiersmarchedandneared.Flutessoundedwiththequicknessofflutteringbirds.
"Orwereyouexpectingtohearsomethingelse?"Shiensvoicebrokethroughhisnumbingthoughts.
"Comeagain?"
"ThatIamkeepingsomethingfromyou."
"Itcrossedmymind...thoughIneverwouldhavethoughtofasking."wasthehonestresponse.Eitherway,Hakkaiknewhowthingsweregoingtoendup,secretornosecret."Youhavenoobligationtospeakwhatyoudonotwishtosay,Shien."
"Inheaven,itisonesobligationnevertospeakwhathewishestosay.Butkeepinmind,Marshal,thatfromthispointuntilIstop,Iamnotspeaking."Andwiththat,ShiengrabbedHakkaiwrist,turnedhisheel,andthendraggedtheconfusedhealerintoanabandonedalleyway."Imustsay,though,thatyouhavebeentrulydensethesepastfewweeks."
Afewsnickersfromthosewhosaw."LookslikeTenpouGensuisfoundanotherlover..."
Kenrenpretendednottonotice.
****
"Yourindecisionworriesme,Marshal."
Shien,asalways,hadhiseyesclosed,hadhisheadtiltedtothesideinquestion.Whenhegotnone,hecontinued."Didyounotgetthenote?"
"Igetalotofnotes."Hakkaisaid,leaningagainstthewhitewashedbrickwallandtryingtofightdownthatfeelingstirringaroundinhisgut.Somethingabouttheair.Itseemed...justatadbitputrid.
"Ah,butthiswasanimportantone,"Shienpursued,thenquoted,"TheyrereadyforKenrenTaishouandhismenatthemountainpath.Surveillanceround.Thirtyincludingthegeneral.Ordersunderstood..."
Hakkaiseyeswidened."YOUwrotethat?Butwhy?"
"Forheavenssake."theothermanquirkedthefaintestbitofasmile."Andperhapsyoursaswell.TheTaishou..."
"TherearemanyherewhowantTenpououtoftheway,namelyonenoblebythenameofLitouten.Youveheardofhim?Ofcoursenot.Youjustgothere...Andheisthereasonyouarehere."Kanzeonhadsaidearlier."Dontbedisheartenedbythenews,Hakkai.Itwontlastforever.Justdontdoanythingtoostupid.Tenpouis,afterall,asecretlyhuntedman."
"Hesnotmyresponsibilityanymore."Hakkaicutin,ashamed."Yousaw."
"Ididntinterpret.Buttothepoint...thesementhatnowmarchthestreets,Idontthinktheyareastheysee"
"Idontfollow."
Shienrubbedhischinthoughtfully,"Ihavemysources,"hecontinued,withoutmentioningHomura,"thattellmethereexistsatypeofcursederivedfromthepropertiesofreflectivesurfacesthatserveaswindowsbetweenhereandUnderHeaven.Ifenoughpowerisutilized,asoulswitchingcanoccur.Thebodyisthesame,butthemindisnot..."Shienpaused,thentookthetimetoopenhiseyesjustacracktobeabletolookHakkaistraightintheface.
請勿開啟浏覽器閱讀模式,否則将導緻章節内容缺失及無法閱讀下一章。
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