"Emotional contagion is unconscious. Usually we don't know when, and we will fall into the hands of others without even realizing it."
"When others are in pain, it activates the same areas of our brain that cause us to feel similar pain."
"For people with the gift of inspiration, this ability to empathize will be very powerful. It is their excellence, their Achilles' heel, and [the door to death]."
"Research from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands shows that fake smiles are a very powerful hypnosis method. They can not only make others feel less stressed, but they can also make the body fake and feel relaxed and happy."
"But long-term fake smiling is not good for your health. It may induce mental illness. Performance may give birth to a performative personality, which may eventually lead to schizophrenia."
The bright sunlight casts down from the window sill, illuminating the farm warehouse in the countryside of the 40th arrondissement.
There were five or six armed guards standing outside the rooms in the farm. The projector in the living room was playing a video of the gunsmith's knight combat skills course.
These words just now come from the first lesson of "Knight Combat Skills·Team Cooperation".
Under the bright sunlight, the picture in the projector became dull and dull, and the shadow of the nameless person gradually faded, making it difficult to distinguish the true face of the gunsmith in the projected picture.
The felt on the table was stained with some blood. I couldn't tell what kind of animal it belonged to. I just knew that the owner of the farm had just finished the slaughtering work and hurried back to the house without having time to wash his hands.
Far away from the window sill, in front of the small tea table near the dining room and kitchen, a tall figure sat.
He was a burly Slavic man. Judging from his appearance, he should be able to narrow the range of the race to near Serbia. Historically, people living in this place often had genetic exchanges with the outside world, and trade and war created them.
Like the men in his hometown, he has short, capable hair. His facial features are three-dimensional, but not as sharp as those of Western Europeans. In particular, he has a pair of big, childlike eyes, as well as a round chin and forehead, which makes him look very attractive. This sturdy man of unknown age looks a bit more like a child.
Notail, a DOTA2 professional player from Denmark, and Nikola Jokic, an NBA center who is also from Serbia, both have this weird and cute face feature.
A flamboyant white feather cloak became his shoulder ornaments. His strong and powerful limbs seemed difficult to fit into this small chair. His powerful buttocks and legs were tightly wrapped by a pair of thick military green woolen pants, draped with him. The thick knuckles on the tea table together form an astonishingly abundant element of essence.
A golden eagle flag was embroidered on the white feather cloak. This was six years later and one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine days later. The falcon chased by the nameless wolves - the Eternal One - once again returned to the trade transfer station and once again came to Ao Mingde's territory.
"Listen up." He raised his index finger, but did not point to anything clearly. His eyes were out of focus, and his soul had drifted far away: "My name is Pellerini."
"My full name is Pellelini Tuon. If you are willing to become a retinue of the Eternal One, I will give you this elixir."
As the fingertip moved laterally, it pointed clearly at the family of three kneeling on the ground in the living room——
——That is, the male and female owners of the farm, and a child about fourteen or fifteen years old.
Pellelini is a member of the Alliance of Immortals. These immortal people possess unimaginable wealth, social experience and knowledge. As long as life itself lives long enough, it can become a powerful monster made of flesh and blood.
At this moment, Pellerini was inspired by the League to come to the 40th District to handle a trivial matter.
Putting aside the mysterious sense of ritual, in vernacular terms, it just creates trouble for the gunsmith——
——The Shinto City team polished off the weapons of the Nameless One. This information reached the ears of the Eternal One, but it had a slightly ambiguous meaning.
Time will kill the magic weapon and the brave man who uses it.
One thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine days, for Pellerini, is just a blink of an eye, but for the gunsmith, from the most tough and cold-blooded youth to the slow-paced middle-aged life, it seems that The invincible Nameless One doesn't seem so powerful anymore.
In all the previous battles, large and small, Anonymous had never suffered such heavy losses, and this was the first time that all weapons were damaged.
So the immortals gathered together again, thinking in secret, wondering whether this tiger had already had its fangs removed and could try to tease it a few times.
The fairy tale kingdom's battle report and the list of contestants, as well as Li Zhiwen's commentary broadcast, made the immortal lock the gunsmith's position and decided to use the gentlest method to test the gunsmith's ability.
These immortal condors who live in the society of Homo sapiens sent their King of Ideas, Mr. Pellerini, a powerful psyker who knows witchcraft and has the power of soul to protect himself.
His combat ability is not up to an excellent level, and is even considered a shortcoming.
At this time, we have to pull people out of the grave as an analogy. Six years ago, he faced the gunsmith head-on. Even though he was seriously injured and his will to fight almost collapsed, Canque Johnny was still able to injure the gunsmith, and was defeated miserably in the end. Death can be regarded as a more capable existence among this group of monsters, if this God of Love is regarded as a standard unit of measurement.
Pellerini's overall combat effectiveness is about 0.6 Johnny Boy.
The twenty-three-year-old gunsmith is 0.9 Johnny Boy.
Mother Mary Stuart, who was very afraid of the sun and fire, was an expert in swordsmanship. In terms of physical strength in the competition alone, she was 1.3 Johnny boys.
As for Pellerini, a wise man, his specific plan for coming to the 40th arrondissement this time is to take the gunsmith students as his first target. He definitely doesn’t think that he is impatient with life, and he doesn’t want to buy an apartment in the merit forest. .
He made a big circle and came to the 40th District. While collecting battle reports from the Daji Township Division, he kept an eye on the gunsmith's movements and decided to do something cruel and bad today.
"Master, your eldest son is fighting in the arena in Daji Township. What is his name? Can you tell me?"
Pellerini asked unhurriedly, with a gentle tone, and shook the small bottle. The blood-red elixir collided with the inner wall of the glass, leaving a little scarlet blood. Then it was sucked back by the round flesh ball, revealing his madness. Butterfly's red eye markings.
The farmer knelt in front of Pellerini. The honest farmer raised his face slightly. Tears and cold sweat hung on his skin that was twisted due to excessive tension. His brown and wrinkled face squeezed the water stains into balls. shadow.
"Mr. Pellerini. I. I don't know what you want to do. Why do you do this? Why do you bring so many people to my house... yet..."
Before he finished speaking, the farmer unconsciously wanted to cross his hands as a defensive action, but the fingers on his right arm were gone.
When they invaded the farm, Pellerini's mercenaries had already completed the preliminary processing of the meat, chopped off the old farmer's fingers, and simply sealed the mouth with Lady White's products, and the family became Become a good baby.
It seemed that he was too panicked. The male host didn't dare to say "he chopped off my fingers" in his mouth, and he didn't even dare to express his blame.
"I've already told you my names." Pellerini asked unhurriedly: "When you meet a stranger, you have to announce your name. This is the most basic etiquette - and I don't want to repeat this stupid question again. .”
With that said, he waved his hand, and the mercenary captain who was watching at the door blew a loud whistle. The two men came in quickly and wanted to separate the farm owner from his wife and son.
"I have an eldest son studying in District 41! He is eighteen years old! He has psychic talent!"
The farmer immediately shouted——
"——He just entered school! His results in the youth training were good. At that time, he called us and said that the Zebra Power team liked his qualities and wanted him to serve as a substitute attacker in the team."
"My name is Conde Perrault, my wife's last name is mine, my eldest son's name is Marley, and my younger son's name is Groba."
"The eldest son hasn't talked to us on the phone for two weeks. He must have received a scholarship from the Power Team. His roommate is an Asian named Cheng Yutian. He said that he used the money to find a girlfriend and didn't want us to Know."
"That's all I know! Mr. Pellerini! Mr. Pellerini! Me."
The farmer, old Kant, spoke slower and slower, as if he was asthmatic, unable to breathe due to excessive nervousness and panic.
"Sounds like a great young man." Pellerini praised: "I remember the Zebra Power Team, which is also a popular team in Daji Township, right?"
Old Kant nodded blankly: "Yes. It's an engine company, very famous."
Pellerini stood up, blasted his two men out, with eager eyes and a gentle attitude, came to the projector and turned off the gunsmith's course.
"Is this his thing? Does he admire the anonymous heroes?"
Old Kant nodded: "Yes"
Pellerini: "You think so too? Like Marley? Little Groba - tell me."
With that said, the white feather cloak hung on the floor. Pellerini didn't mind it being dirty at all. He squatted in front of old Kant's youngest son and asked with a smile.
"You like gunsmiths too? Right?"
At the mention of Anonymous, Little Groba's eyes lit up, and he was about to nod——
——Old Kant immediately scolded: "No! No! That's not the case, sir! No!"
"It seems that the father and the child have some small differences." Pellerini immediately became excited and turned to ask the hostess: "Madam, your husband and the child seem to have something to say, so what about you?" For example, several relatives in the family are all admirers of Anonymous? They like the deeds of heroes very much, right? "
"Nana." Old Kant shook his head nervously, the wrinkles on his face shaking open: "No, Nana. No. No. Don't."
The answer is obvious. For ordinary families in the 40th arrondissement, the Anonymous are like divine guardians, envoys who bring happiness and well-being with their arrogance and virtue.
Mr. Pellerini, a smiling tiger who enters people's homes, chops off their fingers, and tortures them, must be a sworn enemy of Anonymous.
Old Kant just wanted to take his family to live, he just wanted to live. He would not allow his wife and children to give wrong answers, even if it offended the mysterious man in front of him with unknown origins and wearing the falcon flag - they would all live. Danger.
"Can't you tell?" Mr. Pellerini held his chin, feeling a little disappointed: "It seems that the people who risk their lives to protect you are not that important in your hearts. Hahahahahaha."
Old Kant smiled awkwardly: "Hahahaha."
The hostess Nana also laughed with her husband: "Hehehehehe."
Only the youngest Groba did not smile, because children cannot lie. He just stared into Mr. Pellerini's eyes, staring closely at the linear pupils of the falcon. He remembered this kind of pupils eight years ago, forty years ago. When there were cult activities in the district, the big shots in the church who liked to eat human flesh all had such beautiful eyes.
"The gunsmith is right." Pellerini pursed his lips and frowned, with a very strange expression: "Emotions are really contagious. Even a fake smile can make you happy. It's a very powerful thing. of magic.”
He stood up on his knees and continued to shake the elixir in his hand.
"Kant, have you thought about it?"
Kant replied in a daze: "What are you considering?"
"Stop pretending to be stupid." Pellerini spoke slowly, almost starting to gnash his teeth when he said the last few words. His face, which was originally like a child's, suddenly had veins sprouting from his forehead: "I can tolerate stupidity, I am a very good person." An enlightened man, but intolerant of deceit—you know what I mean, but you want me to waste my time on you.”
"I ask again, are you willing to do something for the Eternal One? It's just a small thing, an insignificant thing."
"This elixir is at your fingertips. If you think you are old, your wife is ugly, and your life has been wasted, you can give it to your eldest son Marley."
"He can help you a lot and save you a lot of detours. If he does things beautifully, your whole family will be able to regain their youth and gain glory and wealth."
Old Kant's expression changed in an instant, and his fragile inner defense was finally about to collapse.
Yes, why don't you listen to Mr. Pellerini?
Yes, yes, Kant, if you think about it carefully, Marley's life should not be as mediocre as yours.
He might have a bright future, just maybe—
——Young people like him have caught a lot of people in the underground world, and they are favored by the Power Team just because of their bad luck.
What has Jane Doe done for your family?
Has Mingde favored you?
"Promise him." The hostess Nana suddenly grabbed Kant's hand; "Promise him, promise him quickly! I don't want to die, I don't want to die yet, I"
Mr. Pellerini looked puzzled: "Madam, I never wanted to harm your lives - don't be so nervous."
"I've had enough!" Nana said harshly and emotionally: "Kant! I don't want to live in this hellish place anymore! I don't want to! Let Marley have a say! Every day you have to drive Groba to a place sixteen kilometers away. School, and then work work work!”
"You have to take two buses to get to the city. The sunshine here is too dazzling, just because the crops in the fields need sufficient sunshine? What about me? Have you considered me in all these years?"
"I don't care what this gentleman wants to do! Do you recognize what he is holding, right?!"
"When Marley was in high school, he was taking online classes on gunsmithing every day. This thing is an elixir. You know, only the dignitaries of the Crazy Butterfly Sect can come up with elixirs."
"Yes, yes." Old Kant nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes."
Like believers chanting sutras in front of the shrine, they need to break down the barriers in their hearts and cross that hurdle.
"Yes, Nana, you are right, you make sense. Mr. Pellerini, Mr. Pellerini, you must have other candidates, right? That must be the case. My son is not What a rarity?”
"It must be like this. We can't miss this opportunity. It must be like this."
"Anonymous didn't send a panacea to my house. No, they didn't give me money, and they didn't help me change to a bigger house. Where were they when my fingers were chopped off? Now they... "
"Now."
Kant's expression was in a trance, and he had become bewildered.
Mr. Pellerini didn't say any unnecessary words, and just emitted a weak spiritual pressure, allowing the two owners of the farm to "convince themselves" - which made him happy and moved.
In just a few seconds, Kant was already red-eyed.
"Mr. Pellerini! What do you want me to do! I will do it right away! No second thoughts!"
The child in the couple's arms suddenly struggled and roared at the demon who looked like a clergyman wearing white feathers.
"What did you do to my parents?! Anonymous will not let you go!"
The brave little Groba had tears in his eyes and clenched his fists.
"You big bad guy! One day you will be split in half!"
Before he finished speaking, old Kant immediately covered his youngest son's mouth, with a fierce and furious expression on his face: "Shut up! You're just causing trouble for me!"
"Actually, this child." The hostess Nana was panicked. She knelt beside the blanket, but did not dare to touch Pellerini's legs. She could only open her arms and explain in fear: "Actually, this child has nothing to do with us, sir. , if you don’t like him, I can send him to my aunt’s house.”
"Then I'll trouble you." Pellerini smiled and put his fingers and the panacea into old Kant's hands: "Especially you, Mr. Kant."
He gave special instructions, like a humble doctor, which made people feel refreshed.
"The finger will be a little painful while it heals. I'm really sorry for causing you so much unnecessary trouble. But the compensation you should pay will definitely not be less."
Kant nodded vigorously, and when he brought the panacea, he was already dazzled by the huge white jar.
"This elixir must be handed over to your eldest son Marley. You must know that he is your future. No parent in the world would harm his own flesh and blood - if you sell it privately, or give it to It eats it." Pellerini shook his head, pursed his lips and stopped talking.
Nana immediately said: "I understand! I understand! Marley likes to eat what I cook the most! I have a way!"
Pellerini left a wad of cash and did not use the HC card for transactions——
"——The goddess of luck favors the brave. Mr. Kant, I wish your child will have good results in the Luna Cup, and he should also have good results in life."
Kant stood up quickly and went to open the door for Mr. Pellerini, but he lost a few fingers and couldn't even turn the doorknob.
Pellerini opened the door himself and patted old Kant on the shoulder.
"I won't bother you anymore. The doorknob is disobedient. There is a way to solve it."
His eyes suddenly became sad, and the bitter spiritual pressure rushed straight into Kant's face.
"If little Groba disobeys, your life will be difficult. I think this child is difficult to discipline, and sending him to his aunt's house is not an option. He is already fourteen years old and has great abilities - he can do a lot. Something that’s unimaginable for adults.”
Kant wanted to say something, but he didn't dare to say it.
Pellerini did not finish his words, but shook the pockets under his cloak, revealing two small bottles - also elixirs.
"Let's talk about this next time we meet."
The sparse mercenary team withdrew from the farm as if nothing had happened.
In the vast fields, the summer monsoon blows the wheat. From the far side of the concrete road, two deck cars can be seen driving farther and farther, and finally disappear into the horizon.
The felt on the table was stained with a new layer of blood, and this time we should be able to deduce that it was not the blood of an animal—it was the blood of little Groba.
The couple was restless, looking at the money on the table, and started the third battle between heaven and man.
Where did you go the second time, you ask?
The second process was too short——
——It’s terrifyingly short.
Just a few minutes ago, little Groba was sent away by his parents to meet his aunt in the slaughterhouse next to the cattle pen.
His body has not completely cooled down. Like most European families, their biological relationship is very weak. Even if they are blood relatives, they can be abandoned casually after they have a new support in life.
At first, he lay on his back next to the grass in the slaughterhouse and asked his mother to beat him with a rolling pin until he was dizzy, but he did not pass out completely. His father picked him up and stuffed him into the stable's water tank, where he finally drowned. When he was dragged to the slaughterhouse, the blood left a V-shaped mark on the stable and the cattle pen.
He got into the slicer, but the blade was broken, so Kant sent some of the sauce to the vegetable garden. The beast in the bullpen watched all this silently. In its big yellow eyes, an illusory and confused spirit could be seen. It was little Groba standing outside the house, not completely leaving, and not intending to enter the room again. figure.
"What should we do now?" Old Kant asked knowingly. After losing Mr. Pellerini, he seemed to have lost his spiritual support.
Nana's hands were covered with blood. She was crying and said calmly: "Send the elixir to Marley? According to Mr. Pellerini's instructions?"
Old Kant sat at the dining table and breathed hard. After a long time, his wife did not speak and his youngest son could no longer speak. He felt a strange peace.
Nana finally started to go crazy, and it seemed that the emotions she had accumulated for a long time had found a breaking point.
"What have I done! What have I done! Damn it! What have I done! What the hell am I doing! My Groba. My Groba. Mom, I'm sorry, you're sorry You're sorry for you and me."
Kant interrupted her, and his simple and powerful phrase was like a magic spell, making this sad, angry, frightened and crazy woman suddenly quiet down.
"Okay, that's enough, everything is fine, things are getting easier."
Nana nodded and looked at the elixir on the table. The flesh ball shimmers with a strange gray-white light, which is the characteristic of a spirit body. Ordinary people cannot see this gray-white eye——
——Mr. Pellerini, who had been away for a long time, sat in the car and took out the artificial eyes from his eye sockets.
He called out Hun Wei's true name.
"The next step is left to you - [Eye Of The Storm·Eye of the Storm]."
He held his mobile phone and looked at the empty eye sockets with the front camera, hoping that this little bit of essence could become a bridge for the spirit body and send the power of soul power to distant places.
The screen on the phone turned around and returned to the gunsmith's course.
“People with negative self-esteem are more likely to choose as partners those who devalue and hurt them.”
"Depressed people may even view their abusers as close family members or close friends."
"Human beings are such strange creatures with a strong desire for self-destruction."
"Students, we need to fight against this subconscious mind and tie up the inner demons with ropes."
Pellerini closed his phone and clapped softly——
"—Well said, Gunsmith."
(End of chapter)
