Bab 12: Chapter 12 - Fire in the Mountains
Late one night, at a mountain villa in the countryside.
The young people who had rented the villa for fun finally stopped a little; the stereo was quiet, the coloured lights were switched off, and even the lighting in some rooms was turned on and off. The young people were already tired after a day of release and madness. They were, consciously or unconsciously, entering a dormant state one after another.
The villa fell utterly silent.
Shortly afterwards, in the darkest hour before dawn, a blazing fire was lit up in the mountains.
The solitary villa became the sustenance of this more and more grand light.
***
"On a lacklustre note, thanks to this mountain fire, the heat of the Red Moon video captured by passers-by has been suppressed."
Laura commented as she watched the news of the fire playing on her flat's television, "Originally, in that video, we had planned to use technology to reduce the heat even further. After all, labelling it as a 'synthetic video' and a 'stunt video' is insufficient. Who would have thought that a fire suddenly came and eleven people died? Who cares if the moon in the sky is red or white."
"Fortunately, there had been a few heavy rains right before, and the mountains were not so dry. Otherwise, this fire wouldn't have spread from one villa to the whole mountain; I'm afraid ten mountains couldn't stop it." Lupin commented from the side, "But the focus of public opinion now is not the fire itself, but the eleven people who died in the villa, right?"
"That's not true? There are friends of these dead people breaking the news on the internet, saying that these young men have no business day in and day out, and they seem to have started a strange church. It's kinda mysterious, and I don't know if it's a joke or serious." Laura looked at the social media platforms, speaking on her computer, "I heard there's a survivor, and I wonder if we can find out the truth from him."
"Gathering away from the city, church, fire, survivor." A colleague beside him tsked, "Hey, just these few words alone are enough for those marketing numbers to compile eight hundred small essays."
"Who knows that these stinky cubs engage in fake engagements? There weren't some ... behavioural art bands that used religion-related names before. So when they gather, do you think they're playing music or church activities?" Lupin said, "And it's quite possible to play crazy in a villa and not pay attention to fire prevention. It's that price, and it's too steep. ...Bear, what's on your mind?"
Middendorffi, who was watching the TV, withdrew her gaze and asked, "'Buckle up for a synthetic, stunt-playing video.' what does that mean?"
"So you were listening to us." Laura explained, "It's just that someone on the internet didn't post a video of the red moon he took from a faraway place earlier. It also sparked a lot of attention for a while. For this kind of public opinion, we usually respond in two ways: to deny the topic's authenticity and to reduce the heat. The 'synthesised video' and 'playing with stems video' both belong to denying the topic's authenticity.
"'Synthesis video' is to find a way to get some technical analysis, to make this video is said to be false. 'Stalking video' is taking this video and making some exaggerated stalks. For example, 'Shocking! Unidentified flying objects appear in the downtown area' 'the truth of the existence of UFOs' and so on; the more exaggerated, the more people do not believe. In the future, even if people spread the word by word of mouth or if they have seen the video, their first thought will be 'fake video'."
Middendorffi listened carefully and asked, "But what about the guy who posted the video? At least he saw it with his own eyes."
"What about him alone, even if you add some of his close friends and relatives, even if you add to that the fact that he said on some godforsaken forum that some people believed it?" Laura smiled, "As long as the public doesn't believe it, it doesn't matter. As long as the masses don't care or know, Redmoon is as good as non-existent in this community."
Middendorffi notices her expression, "'Don't care' 'Don't know' equals 'doesn't exist'? "
"That would become a philosophical question if I had to explain it to you in detail." Laura thought momentarily, "But on the social side, it does seem similar. If people don't remember it and don't care about it, an event is about as good as non-existent after a while. Especially with sightings like this, also labelled as 'faked'. After a few days of heat, those who know about it place it in the back of their minds, and those who don't know about it know even less about it, so isn't it just drowning in the stream of historical information?"
Middendorffi nodded and pushed the signed paperback to Lupin.
"Finished signing?" Lupin looked at the signature sheet, "Okay, turn around. Eli will sign it, too, and you'll both be paid. You'll only have an allowance for running errands to those victims' homes this time, and the judgement for the Red Moon mission hasn't come down yet, so don't mind if it's not enough."
Middendorffi let out a "hmm" and then said, "I'll head back first."
"Huh? Aren't you waiting for Eli?" Lupin said, "His online meeting with the War Office shouldn't take long, and any longer than that, he'll have to have lunch, right? Why don't you wait until he's finished, and Henry will take you guys back."
Middendorffi knew what she was worried about and straightened up, "Redmoon doesn't show up during the day or when it's crowded. I'll go straight home and be fine."
Lupin thought that was true and agreed with Middendorffi. She also asked in passing, "By the way, Bear, do you still have to get your brain reviewed?"
Middendorffi: "... No need."
"Don't need it, or you don't have enough money?" Lupin is a little suspicious, "Don't delay your visit because you don't have enough money. I'll lend it to you; there's no rush to pay it back. Didn't we discuss this before when we asked you to visit 'The Collector'? And if you have to go out on a mission and cause any relapses or injuries, we're also responsible for that, so you don't have to put up with it. It's all written in the contract, do you remember?"
This implies that the contract terms can be used to wrap up the aftermath of Middendorffi's previous car accident completely. Middendorffi didn't know whether he had heard it but nodded and walked away.
When he left, Laura asked Lupin, "Lupin, Bear's car accident, there's no compensation payment, right?"
"What's there? The investigation found out that the driver was solely responsible, but the driver died again. He doesn't have much money, and his family has a family, so what kind of compensation can he squeeze out?" Lupin grunted lightly, "This car accident, two dead, seriously injured one, Bear can survive the accident is a miracle, what do you need a bicycle."
"Hey, that's true. The police always suspected him of the accident, and if we hadn't helped, public opinion would have swirled around him." Laura lamented, "He had no money, power, job, or family; if he were still poked and prodded, it would be terrible luck."
"Yeah, well, that's true. The kid's been without parents since he was a teenager, and his relatives didn't care, so he's grown up with a small inheritance." Lupin sighed as he remembered the material he had seen on Middendorffi's life, "I'm just afraid that if he gets used to putting up with it and doesn't care about his injuries now, it'll develop into a major problem."
"Who says it isn't? And running into Redmoon, if it wasn't for Eli, it might have been more dangerous." Laura thought momentarily, "Lupin, I think it's best to make an appointment for him to see a doctor. If not a film, at least look at the psychology."
"Also." Lupin returned, "Well, let's see who's available from the psychologist we're familiar with ..."
***
Middendorffi didn't hang out all day this time, going straight back home.
Eli was staying here these days. But even though he's staying here, Eli doesn't need a bed, and while Middendorffi lies in bed, Eli stays on the couch, sometimes meditating, sometimes wearing headphones and swiping his mobile phone. There was little in the house that belonged to Eli besides a few of his clothes, a sword, and almost nothing else that belonged to him. So if you don't look closely, it's hard to tell that two people live in this house.
Today, Middendorffi was home alone after several days.
He looked round, looked out of the window again, and then closed the window and drew the curtains together.
The one-room household became very dim.
Then Middendorffi found a video of a toddler's companion on his mobile phone and amplified it immediately. A young child's voice sang a nursery rhyme with simple lyrics and a simple tune. It would have been acceptable to play a cute song in broad daylight. But this is, after all, a single adult man's residence, deliberately shielded from the light, but also echoed the nursery rhymes to coax children to think that it is also strange oozing.
If any of the Collectors were here, they would recognise the nursery rhyme as the video that the parents of the first intruder-associated family had played before their child disappeared.
Middendorffi put the mobile phone on the coffee table, thought for a moment, and found a stand to stand on, facing the sofa. Then he sat himself down on the couch.
-- The baby lookalike is ...
***
Eli ends his online meeting with the War Department and comes out with little expression.
"The Collectors, who had helped to end the meeting, noticed that the War Department's face wasn't delighted either and figured that the two sides hadn't made much of a deal, so they didn't dare ask questions to get in trouble. But if they didn't ask, Eli spoke first: "Where's Middendorffi?"
"Went back first." Lupin returned, "It's broad daylight, and there are many people on the road, so I don't think Redmoon will show up, so there's no need to keep him waiting here foolishly."
Eli didn't comment on the matter, just gave a slight nod, "I'm off."
"Hold on, please sign your last payoff first." Lupin rushed to get the form to him, "This Red Moon thing is still up in the air, but you can approve some of it first for the time you repelled Red Moon. It's just that we're a public sector, not a lot ..."
Before she could finish, a call suddenly came in, and she pushed her pen and paper towards Eli and went outside to answer the phone.
Eli glanced over, and the line above his name was none other than Middendorffi's. His handwriting was so neat and standard that it looked like print, and Eli smiled silently.
Eli signed his name. He had been writing in a rather haphazard manner, but being under Middendorffi, it was rare for him to write in a more standard way.
Just as he finished writing, Henry came through the door, "Mr Jones, we've got a couple of listings. Go and see where it's appropriate to rent?"
Eli looked over at him, "Now?"
"Not now?" Henry said, "It just so happens that we don't have to worry about Bear's safety, so let's go take a look. Otherwise, it won't be a good idea for you to keep cramming in at Bear's. ..."
Eli: "Can't afford to rent it." He held up the list he'd just signed, "That's all."
Henry and Lupin, who had just returned, "..."
"So there's a private job now; you and Bear take it together?" Lupin shakes his phone, "Going to see someone. How about five thousand for hard work if nothing happens, something else if nothing happens?"
Eli asked, "Middendorffi agree to go?"
"Was about to ask." Lupin got a feel for him, "You'll go if he does, won't you?"
Eli didn't respond directly, and they just said, "Pay him for watching people, and split it with me if I have to go out."
Lupin: "... line." What kind of bully-style split is this?
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