A month had passed since the terrible storm. After being shut down for several days, the huge machine of Old Dunling started running again with a rumble. The furnace was lit again, and the machines in the factory drove the assembly line. The hot steam and gray smoke rose into the sky again. Everything was the same as usual, nothing had changed.
A month later, people still talked about the storm from time to time, and the radio station also broadcast some strange stories derived from it, such as rainstorm monsters. However, people just smiled at each other, thinking that there were no monsters in the world, and those were just people's imaginations.
In the eyes of the citizens, it was just a rare storm, and they knew nothing about the secret war taking place beneath the rain.
The world is still the same, harmonious and beautiful. Everyone plays a fixed role and does his or her own thing. Some people are eager to live, while others are eager to die.
The old Dunling Central Railway Station is bustling with people. Warm light shines through the dome, dyeing the place golden, like a magnificent palace.
No one knows how long this sunny day will last, but everyone has a smile on their face as they bathe in this precious sunshine.
Mrs. Van Luder slowly sat down on a bench next to the platform with her luggage. She looked at her watch and saw that there was still some time before her train arrived.
She didn't look very well, her face was pale, as if she had been through something exhausting that had drained all her energy.
Just as she had said to Lorenzo at that time, she had her eyes on a small town far away from Old Dunling and planned to spend the rest of her life there with her savings. It would be a good time there, with few people and always sunny days.
Mrs. Van Lude was thinking about beautiful things, but she couldn't smile at all, and she even lost all hope.
"Then I'll take you here."
There was a voice coming from the other side, and Shrike walked over to Mrs. Van Rudd with the remaining luggage. He didn't sit down, as if he was in a hurry and eager to leave.
"Well, thank you, Shrike? I remember that's the name, right?" Mrs. Van Lude looked at Shrike and asked.
Mrs. Van Lude knew Shrike, but they were not close. He came for Lorenzo. If it were not for Lorenzo, Shrike would not be here at all.
"Yes."
"I remember that appearance is very important in your line of work. I have taken note of your appearance. I hope nothing unexpected will happen to you?" Mrs. Van Lude joked.
"How is that possible? After all, as the 'landlord', you have helped me a lot. Besides, after today, we will never meet again. You might die in a few years."
Seven years ago, in order to deal with Lorenzo, a stranger, Shrike casually threw him to Madame Van Luder. He himself did not expect that so many things would happen later. It was completely beyond his imagination.
"Oh? Really? I thought there was no such thing as 'retirement' in your business." Mrs. Van Rudd said in surprise.
Mrs. Van Luder was not aware of the inside story of all this, she didn't even know the existence of demons. In her opinion, Shrike was a gangster boss in the downtown area who managed some thugs. Although Lorenzo claimed to be a detective, he was most likely a killer serving the darkness.