"'Freeze' is a very dangerous existence."
After putting down the empty bowl, Hongye considered it carefully for a while before finally answering.
"A long time ago, he was also a human being. But because he has lived for too long, I think he has forgotten this matter. Before my father was alive, 'Freeze' was always the person he wanted to destroy most."
"Why?"
"There are many reasons...but in the final analysis, 'Freeze' is too harmful. If left alone, it will cause big trouble sooner or later. Now his arrest warrant has been spread all over the world, and he has not heard of it in recent times. I had heard from him, but I didn’t expect to find him here. I thought he might be here for my father.”
"Is 'Freeze' his nickname?"
"You can say that... not many people know his name in the human era. The only remaining name is 'Freeze'. For him, I am afraid that he has forgotten his name in the human era."
"Then what's the reason? With such a nickname, does he have any super powers of Freezing Man? Like the Snow Queen?"
Hongye just shook his head.
"That's not what I mean... The so-called freezing refers to his own state. Zhou Yu, it would be better if you don't have a personal experience with this."
She stood up and put away the bowls and chopsticks naturally. Zhou Yu, who was embarrassed to leave her alone to deal with the aftermath, had no choice but to stand up and say, "I'll do it."
"It's good that I come here. I'll repay you for borrowing the water and food here."
Hongye's serious answer sounded a little funny. Although he knew that the other party didn't mind, out of courtesy between host and guest, Zhou Yu followed her into the long and narrow kitchen and helped hand over towels and sponge brushes.
"...Zhou Yu."
While immersed in wiping the dishes, Hongye suddenly spoke again: "When Osel moved us into his mansion, he deliberately threw me into the basement on the bottom floor. Were you still with him at that time? He...had... What did you say?"
"He did say some strange things."
"Can you tell me what you said?"
Zhou Yu thought about it for a moment and finally chose to answer truthfully. However, compared to everything that happened next, those inexplicable words seemed less important. In the rush, he couldn't guarantee that he could remember them clearly.
After trying his best to recall the situation at that time, he relayed the story of the "golden ram's horn" told by Osler. When he mentioned summoning the devil, he remembered another thing the other party said.
"... He also seemed to say that I had done something similar, so he had been paying attention to my actions from very early on... The way the guy spoke was too confusing, and I couldn't remember it clearly."
Hongye originally listened to his speech with a complicated expression, but now he shook his head and said: "You are different... You did not make the deal voluntarily, so at least you will not encounter Auster's situation yet. But Zhou Yu , I hope you promise one thing."
"What's up?"
"No matter what you want to achieve in the future, don't rely on things beyond your understanding to accomplish it. Don't have this desire. Can you promise me?"
Zhou Yu wanted to nod out of habit, but facing Hong Ye's burning eyes, he seemed to be unable to move.
He couldn't explain the reason, he just vaguely understood that this promise had more weight than he imagined.
You can't go back on your words once you open your mouth.
Indeed, he had no interest in gold-flowing ram's horns. But what this promise guarantees is the iron rule that no matter what the situation or the reason, you will never resort to alien power.
Although he clearly had no such idea, deep down in his heart he strongly resisted making a promise. For a moment, he could only stand there quietly.
After noticing his hesitation, Hongye sighed and said, "That's fine. You can't force this matter, and I should respect your ideas."
Although she said this, her tone revealed a strong sense of worry. In order not to let this heavy topic continue, Zhou Yu asked: "Hongye, have you sent that girl away?"
When he woke up, Antiy was gone on the sofa. Since Hongye didn't mention it specifically before, he assumed that it was the other party who picked him up.
As expected, Hongye nodded and said, "I sent her away during the day."
"Can she still be saved? In my opinion, she is completely dead."
"There is still hope of saving her life, but I'm afraid her voice..."
"sound?"
"The first song she sang used very special syllables. Ordinary people cannot make that sound. If she sings for such a long time, she will no longer be able to speak human language from now on."
Mentioning this matter, Zhou Yu also suddenly remembered the three songs Angti sang.
If the latter two songs were simply incomprehensible, then the first song made him involuntarily feel scared. This instinctive reaction is like a rat hearing the hiss of a snake.
"Hongye, do you understand the lyrics of those three songs?"
"Yes, you understand. That is the language of my hometown."
Hongye put the bowl in the cupboard, and then said with some sadness: "The lyrics of those three songs are three stories."
"Can you elaborate?"
"...The first song is a folk song from my hometown, which is widely circulated. It's called "Zhuigong the Dragon Slayer". I can't translate the specific lyrics, rhythm and rhyme well, so you can give it a rough listen."
She frowned and considered it for a while, with a very sad expression on her face. She kept tapping the table gently, as if she was considering a pronunciation.
Finally, she started chanting to the rhythm of the sound of slapping on the kitchen counter.
"I have a husband named Zhuigong, who is resourceful and brave.
Traveling from Hongxiang, you will achieve success through the ages.
A dragon emerges from the Western Sea, lurking in the underworld waves.
The roaring sound is terrifying and its appearance is indescribable.
His heart is made of iron and stone, and the nine winters are fierce and severe.
Its blood rots in the cave, and its poison is more poisonous than a viper.
Its order is like a snake, and if you touch it, you will get poor luck.
Its scales are as cold as the sky, and the devil's lifespan is as long as the sky.
The warrior went to the West Sea to look for the dragon and follow his plan.
Jade songs are played in the nine palaces, and the heart of stone is moved.
The seven rhymes are chanted, and all the rotten blood returns to the wind.
The sky fire is taken from the clouds, and the cold scales melt like snow.
Entering the dragon's cave with a sword, beheading and cutting off the dragon's soul,
The dragon roared in sorrow, and tears came out of the snake's eyes.
What a magnificent husband, who has accomplished this unparalleled feat!
I want to return to my hometown, which is far away from the east of the sea.
Seeing the sun burning like fire, I hid my face in the cave.
When it enters the water, a snake's eyes appear, and when it lies on the ground, it turns into a dragon. "
After reading this long poem, Hongye seemed a little melancholy, staring blankly at the dark sky outside the window.
And Zhou Yu said after a short silence: "Red leaves."
"Yes, what's wrong?"
"...Next time just explain the meaning in vernacular. It doesn't matter if the rhyme is not correct."
Hongye looked away unnaturally and said, "I'm sorry, this is a habit from my hometown, and all of a sudden... I'm not very good at this, I'll pay attention next time."
"...No, this has nothing to do with you, it's a matter of my cultural level. In short, please use the simplest explanation next time. What about the second and third songs? If they also have this kind of content, Please explain it in the simplest vernacular, this is the limit of what I can understand."
After hearing Zhou Yu's repeated emphasis, Hongye finally smiled.
"I think the last two songs were written by Auster himself. Zhou Yu, have you heard the story about the devil and the tip of the goat's horn? The second song is the continuation of that story."
"What about the third one?"
"The third song... is not so much a story as it is the man's complaint. It's okay if you don't listen."
I don't know if it was Zhou Yu's illusion, but the smile at the corner of Hongye's mouth was widening.
"Hongye, if you say this, it will only make people more curious. If you are willing to talk, don't keep it secret."
After Zhou Yu's repeated urging, Hongye finally agreed to his request. The two returned to the living room and sat on either side of the sofa. The atmosphere was so peaceful that Zhou Yu himself was surprised.
"——Then, let's start with the man who got the golden horn."
