"Mom, we are home."
Hayes said softly, then turned around and carried the other person behind his back. Mrs. Lardy also lay on his back obediently, and began to whisper about the things that happened in the days after "he" left.
Hayes, on the other hand, returned steadily step by step back the way he came. On the way, he noticed that the top of the metal rod the scavenger was holding was actually an eagle emblem. He had not looked carefully before, and the eagle emblem was particularly rough and ugly. He thought it was just a ball of scrap metal, and generally the person holding the eagle emblem staff had only one identity.
"I forgot to ask, what is your name?"
"Just call me Campane."
"Do you live here too?"
The scavengers carrying heavy burdens gasped and tried to answer Hayes' questions.
"Ah, yes, I came to this place ten years ago, and I have been here ever since."
Hayes looked at the other person's neck and could vaguely see a pendant, but couldn't see what it was.
"You must be very religious."
"Ah? Ha, yes, because I am a priest. By the way, you are here to deliver Peak's relics, right? Would you like to go back to the church with me? I want to say the last requiem mass for his soul."
When the other party said that he was a priest, Hayes was also very surprised. This was so different from the image of a state church priest he had seen.
"Ah, of course."
"Then go this way."
Then the four of them followed Campane towards a branch road, passing through several small tribes of scavengers. Hayes saw many people saying hello to Campane.
It was obvious that he was well-loved by the inhabitants of this abandoned place.
Not long after, Hayes saw a house standing among the ruins. It could hardly be called a church. Although it tried hard to create an atmosphere consistent with a church, the spire supported by torn canvas was still useful. The walls were made of scrap iron plates and slates, making it not fundamentally different from the surrounding rags. When he got closer, Hayes could even see some fist-sized cracks on the walls, allowing him to see the inside conditions, and the door of the church was also One side is made of wooden boards and the other is scrap metal, and it looks like it was "hardly made".
Beside the door, there is a bronze bell hanging, or most of it, because a considerable part of the bronze bell is missing.
Pushing open the creaking door, Campane put down the garbage bag behind his back. Only then did Hayes realize that the other man was actually taller than him when he straightened his back. However, years of labor would inevitably cause damage to the priest's spine. A bend occurs.
Looking around, there are only shabby benches and chairs in the main hall of this church. At the end is the pulpit, which is also piled up with scrap wood. The candlesticks are all old black iron products, also in the bottom nest, and the magnificent one in Linhu Town. The church is beyond miserable compared to this place.
Behind the podium, it should be said that there should be an icon of the emperor, and it was the same here, but I have to say that although it is a bit ungodly, Hayes thinks it is really funny.
The head and body of this emperor's sacred elephant obviously come from two different statues. It is obviously a little bigger in head and smaller in body, like a big-headed doll, and the body part is obviously incomplete, which can only be filled with various scraps. In addition, According to the seniority, this holy elephant should still be holding a sword in his hand, but the sword is unknown and can only be replaced by a metal beam.
The final icon is more like a beggar and a scavenger than an emperor. It has no majesty or sanctity, but for some reason, in Hayes's eyes, it is worse than those statues decorated with gold and jewels. , more like a "person".
"Sorry, wait a moment, it is a sacrament after all, I need to clean up first."
When Campane turned around and walked to the back hall, Hayes also put Mrs. Rath on a chair and took a look at her scarred feet. He directly tore off his wind-proof scarf and wrapped her feet .
After a while, Campane walked out. He put on a simple gray robe. In fact, using "simple" to describe this piece of washed and faded fabric is a bit overrated, but compared to what he wore before It has gotten much better, and the dirt on his face and hands has also been wiped away, revealing a face that is full of weather and wrinkles, but not actually old. His hands are thick and big, and the knuckles are swollen. Covered with calluses, Hayes knew that these were the hands of a coolie.
He never thought that such a hand would appear on a priest of the state church.
And only then did he notice that after removing the burden and tattered robes, the priest had a clear limp when walking, and his left leg was unnatural.
After Campane came out, he also brought clean water to Hayes and others, but Hayes did not drink it. Instead, he wetted the remaining scarf with water and wiped all the dirt on Mrs. Russ's face and hands. clean.
And his two wives also opened the lunch box that Campane prepared for Mrs. Rath, and found that although it was very low-grade and cheap synthetic protein starch and a little bit of animal meat, in this bottom nest, it was already called It was rich, so the two of them took a spoon and carefully mixed it with water and fed it to Mrs. Russ.
As the minister began to light the nearly burnt candles in the menorah with a match, Hayes walked up to him.
"Pastor Campane, why are you here?"
Campane just smiled, lit the candle, and said:
"Why don't you come?"
"Uh I mean"
"I understand what you mean. In this place that has been abandoned by everyone, it seems that there should no longer be any 'identity' people, but what about the people here? Everyone has a reason to abandon this place and abandon these desperate people. , but we alone cannot do it, we are hope, we are salvation, no one should be abandoned by the God Emperor."
As he spoke, the pastor straightened up and looked at Hayes.
“That was the first lesson I learned in seminary.”
"Seminary"
Hayes didn't know much about the state religion, but hearing the name, he thought it was a very noble place.
Then, the pastor twisted his left leg and walked to the other side, taking out half-burned incense from a small box. It can be seen that he is usually a very economical person.
"I have always been a rebellious student in the eyes of my teachers, but my grades are still good. If nothing else happens, I may be able to study in Zhongchao or Shangchao after graduation. There are countless donations every year, a gorgeous and brilliant place. He started as a servant in the cathedral, doing daily homework every day, eating grain bread sent from a distant world, drinking pure water, tasting rose sugar, and occasionally drinking a small drink during celebrations. Isn’t it a pleasant life to live in the hope that some old immortal thing above will suddenly die and then take over?”
After thinking for a while, Hayes nodded silently.
