After listening to the story narrated by the other party, Soshyan was silent for a long time. He knew what the story was implying.
Finally, he asked in a hoarse voice:
"Where is that person?"
"He's been remorseful."
"regret."
"Regret your own failures and think about where you went wrong in being yourself."
"Can He... also make mistakes?"
"No one thought He would, and even He thought He wouldn't, but in fact this is not His first mistake."
As he said that, the confused man looked at the stopped bronze bell.
"It was at this place that He made his first mistake. If he could have understood it at that time, he might not have suffered subsequent failures."
Soshyan also looked at the clock. Although the glass surface was broken, the slender hands decorated with gold and mother-of-pearl were not scratched at all. The internal mechanical structure could be seen from the small glass window at the bottom of the clock, but the gears were not working at this time.
If it rotates again, the pendulum will no longer swing.
No matter how you look at it, it’s just an ordinary bronze bell.
"You are tired from standing, are you interested in having a cup of tea with me now?"
Soshyan then nodded slightly.
Although this man's words were a bit confusing, it was hard to dislike him, and Soshyan also wanted to know more from him.
The deceiver then took Soshyan to the rooms at the back of the hall.
This is a simple room, with two chairs placed on both sides of a mahogany table carved with intertwined pythons. There is a calligraphy and painting hanging on the wall, with several symbols that look like words written in black ink, but he
I don't recognize the symbols, and they look like they were written with a huge brush.
So he pointed to the calligraphy and painting and asked.
"What did you write?"
"An ancient Terran word that means...the mind is as still as water."
"You wrote it?"
"No, a good friend of mine."
When Soshyan sat on the chair, it suddenly creaked under the weight, and the confused man raised his fingers, and a white porcelain teapot as bright as new and a pair of white porcelain cups flew out from under the table.
The confused man squeezed his right hand out of thin air, and Soshyan saw a small cluster of dry plant stems appear in his hand. Then the lid of the pot was opened, and the other party sprinkled the dry leaf stems into the pot, and then stretched out his fingers.
With a slight click, a cluster of blue flames suddenly rose from the bottom of the pot, and soon the spout of the pot spewed hot steam.
During this process, Soshyan did not see that the other party had added water.
"Don't you need water?"
"It was added beforehand, while you and I were talking."
A minute later, the flame went out, and the bewitcher filled the white porcelain cup. A light and strange fragrance accompanied by heat instantly filled the surrounding air, and then the bewitcher sat back in his chair.
"You are the second person to drink with me. I am very happy today."
The confused man let out a clear laugh and then raised his cup.
Soshyan also raised his glass in response, but he was more curious about whether this person would take off his mask when drinking tea.
The result disappointed him. The confused man raised his glass and raised his head. The liquid in the glass actually penetrated into the mask.
Soshyan picked up the cup. The thing seemed too delicate in his hands, so he had to be very careful.
After blowing into the cup, Soshiyang took a sip, but unexpectedly discovered that the seemingly scalding tea was actually only lukewarm, and when it entered his throat, it was really bitter and unbearable. It was the most unpleasant thing he had ever drunk in his life.
.
"Well......"
Although it tasted very bad, Soshyan didn't show it and just drank the rest.
"You've never had tea like this, have you."
The deceiver slowly put down the cup, and Soshyan also placed the cup on the table. The other person then filled the cup again.
"I am a soldier and I have no intention of doing such idle things that waste energy and time."
"Ha, when I was drinking tea, I thought it was a waste of time. In order to save a woman who is supposed to be an enemy, I can run for several days, even regardless of life and death. Is this the style of a warrior?"
Soshiyang remained silent, just picked up the tea cup and took another sip. This time it was still bitter and even a little more spicy.
Later, he explained:
"Everyone has a ruler in his heart to measure the people and things he comes into contact with, that's all."
"In this case, I can't say anything else. What do you think of the taste of this tea?"
"With all due respect, I can't appreciate it, and... the taste seems to be changing all the time."
At this time, the confused man suddenly touched his palms and smiled.
"Ha, your reaction is the same as his."
"who?"
"The first person to drink tea with me."
"related to me?"
"No."
"this--"
"A kind of person, a kind of tea, a kind of taste. What you drink is not the tea, but yourself. Because there is always pain and doubt hidden in your heart, what you drink is also painful doubt, and then your confusion.
, although you have made up your mind, you are still at a loss for everything that may happen in the future, and you don't even know how to face those who trust you and respect you."
Soshyan was speechless and could only sit quietly on the chair.
"Do you want to know the story of Xerxes?"
The other party's words made Soshyan raise his head slightly. His eyes flickered for a moment, and then he shook his head.
"I do not want."
This is Soshyan's true words. In fact, even with Elena as a living witness, Soshyan rarely takes the initiative to inquire about the past. It seems that he himself is not aware of what he is resisting.
After speaking, he paused and asked sincerely.
"Confused, is this a normal reaction?"
"no."
"Then should I learn about the past of the original body and understand the truth of that year?"
"Two things. First, I can't give you any truth. Second, what is the truth you are referring to."
"this--"
Soshyan sorted out the thoughts in his mind and suddenly decided to put this moment aside for the time being. He still had a very important question that he did not understand.
"Perplexer, are you Brother Said?"
The confused man put down his tea cup and said softly:
"Yes and no."
"I do not understand."
"Not yet."
As he spoke, he stretched out his palm, and suddenly a golden light flashed, and a golden mask appeared in his palm, exactly the same as the one on his face.
Looking at this mask, Soshiyang was shocked. This was the one left by Said, because he remembered that this mask had a small inverted triangle symbol on its forehead, which was not found in the mask on the face of the Bewitcher.
Then, under Soshyan's gaze, the Bewitcher put the mask on his face.
For a moment, Soshyan seemed to feel that the opponent's body suddenly blurred, and many afterimages separated, and then overlapped the next moment.
"Now, I am."
"this......."
Soshyan opened his mouth slightly, but his throat seemed to be blocked, and finally he spit out a few words.
"I remember putting that thing..."
"As long as I see you, it will return to my hands. Maybe someone has reminded you."
Soshyan was stunned for a moment, and immediately remembered that Kayon had indeed said that to him, but he immediately realized that something was wrong.