Operation Red Book

It was quiet all around...why was it so quiet?

The first time Joshua realized this was when Moriarty was pushing his back, almost forcing him towards the monkey's body.

"I really don't want to, Mr. Moriarty..."

Joshua spoke with a nasal tone, with a hint of fear and grievance.

"Don't you want your lightsaber back?" Moriarty replied.

"Actually... I don't really want to..."

"I will tell Hilda exactly what you said..."

"Please don't, Mr. Moriarty..."

A faint smell of burnt food floated in the air amidst the fragrance of the green grass. The closer one got to the dark shadow, the more distinct the smell became.

Bluish-purple electric light flickered up and down in the shadows, illuminating the unfocused yellow pupils and Joshua's distressed expression.

Joshua frowned, his fingers trembled slightly, and the corners of his mouth trembled uncontrollably.

"Go and take it back, Joshua."

Moriarty's cold voice sounded from behind, and Joshua could even hallucinate the emotions flowing in those light blue eyes.

He certainly knew what Moriarty wanted him to do - take back the lightsaber.

It's as simple as pressing the button on the end.

and then?

"Cut off the monkey's head, go deep into the woods, find some pretty yellow flowers, and cover its face completely with them."

These were Moriarty's exact words, and they gave Joshua goosebumps.

"Impossible!" Joshua said loudly in his mind, "Just the first step is impossible!"

It was at this moment that he first realized how quiet the forest was.

This feeling was like being folded up and stuffed into an airtight suitcase. The heavy breathing beside the zipper was his faint cry for help.

Joshua's pupils trembled and he slowly raised his heavy right hand.

However, the moment he lightly touched the iron block, the icy coldness of a cold kiln bit his heart like a bamboo snake.

"I can not!"

Joshua jumped aside and swung his right hand vigorously.

"I killed it! Even if it was a monkey, I killed a life with my own hands!"

Moriarty turned to look at him, his eyes as cold and ruthless as the bright moon.

"Didn't you see it just now? It killed itself."

"It was a lightsaber! It was my weapon! The lightsaber is covered in blood, and maybe inside it too! It's a murder weapon, a black hole that sucks the life out of people!"

"I don't mean to hurt anyone! I don't want to touch it! I don't want to become a murderer! I don't want to become a crazy person who hurts everyone around me!"

"I am just an ordinary person, an ordinary student in London. Why do you let me kill people? Why do you let me come into contact with such an unbearable scene? Why do you let me go through this..."

"Ms. Hilda built it just for my own protection. I don't mean to hurt anyone..."

Tears fell from his eyes and Joshua bent over and cried loudly.

He hadn't meant to do it, he hadn't meant to say those words, he hadn't meant to yell at Moriarty, he hadn't meant to cry like this.

Unless you can't help it, but it is the fact that it is so.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Moriarty..." he said with heavy crying voice.

For a long time, there was no sound from the person on the other side, except for a few "sizzling" sounds from time to time.

Joshua fell to his knees on the grass, his head drooping.

"I should be the one to apologize."

Moriarty's voice came unexpectedly, with a long-lost gentleness and coldness.

"I pushed you too hard and didn't consider the matter from your perspective. I apologize."

Joshua paused, which made him feel a little awkward, especially after such an emotional outburst.

"I am so rude to you, Mr. Moriarty..." He said stiffly, "I apologize for my out-of-control behavior just now."

"Oh, don't be like that, just let it go. It's just the influence of the witch's consciousness. I've lost control countless times."

"The witch's consciousness space... influence..."

Joshua sighed deeply, his heart full of doubts and confusion.

Although he didn't want to admit the words he just roared out, they were indeed what was in his heart. It's just that he had kept them in his heart for too long and was deformed by the beating wall cavity.

"I've already taken care of it. You should keep this."

A long cylindrical iron bar appeared in front of Joshua. His breathing stagnated and an elusive emotion surged into his heart.

"I heard from Hilda that you designed this lightsaber yourself. She was deeply impressed by both the shape of the shell and the power of the core."

Moriarty’s voice came from above, which made Joshua’s vision a little blurry.

"My weapon was given to me by an important person. He said it was a family sword, but I know it was picked up from a soldier in the Dutch army."

"I've been honing my sword for a long time, can you believe it? Before, I've only used it to cut through a big roast in the grass by the river."

"The man said it was Turkish style, and I scoffed at it, but in fact, that kebab was the best bacon I had ever eaten, and I've never tasted it again since."

"Because I killed people with this sword...quickly, quickly, inexplicably and happily."

"Looking at the blood on the sword, I froze. I threw it away tremblingly. I was shaking with fear... This feeling was terrible. Even now, when I think about it, I still shudder."

"But this didn't last long, because the man I killed was a notorious pirate, and I was not punished. On the contrary, I was appreciated and praised by everyone."

"Flowers, hot tears, smiles, kisses, warm applause, enthusiastic cheers... It is intoxicating and joyful. From now on, I will accompany my sword, go through the wind and rain together, and annihilate the enemy together."

Moriarty slowed down, took a deep breath, and his sparkling blue eyes shone like glass.

"I understand you, Joshua, but I don't think you need to imagine so many possibilities."

"This is the path you choose. If you want to reach the top of the snowy mountain, you must carefully choose the equipment you need to reach the summit."

"You can choose a stick and get knocked off the mountain when fighting with snow sheep, or you can choose a pistol and break through the siege of angry yaks."

“But you know in your heart that since you are on the road, there is no turning back and no favorable wind.”

"The wind and snow will not wait for you. What awaits you is only the abyss."

“Either grow up and embrace the sunshine, or stop and become an ice sculpture… Of course, it’s not just you, but also the people behind you, Miss Ivy, Mrs. Hudson, SCO…”

Tears welled up in Joshua's eyes. He took a deep breath and slowly picked up the "flashlight" that he had been waiting for for a long time.

"We are all forced into this world, without notice or rehearsal...Joshua, I said when we first met, 'The unknown life is wonderful', remember?"

Moriarty smiled, and the entire galaxy was moving behind him, like fireworks blooming in the sky.

Joshua took a deep breath, and a tear fell from his tear-filled eyes and dripped directly into the hilt of the lightsaber in his hand.

With a light "click" sound, the originally cold and proud iron block gradually gave off bursts of warm heat.

Joshua sniffed and moved his hand away from the long, hot iron block.

"Mr. Moriarty, I think I need to learn a few sword moves from you."

Joshua smiled, the stars in the sky reflected in his eyes, lighting up his whole smile.

But before Moriarty could reply, several roars of wild beasts suddenly came from the depths of the woods, followed by a sharp scream.

"Roar--"

“Ah ...

Joshua and Moriarty stood up quickly, and both of them looked serious at the same time.

"Is that them?" Joshua asked nervously.

"Based on the development of the plot, it has to be."

Moriarty shook the sword in his hand, and ran towards the source of the sound with Joshua, one after the other.

"Don't you want to learn some sword techniques?"

After running for an unknown amount of time, Moriarty suddenly asked.

“Of course…of course…” Joshua ran out of breath.

"Then hold your sword tightly and prepare for battle."