America: The Cremator

"Sulong, you haven't been drinking water... Is it related to your encounter with that strange creature on the Great Road?"

Su Long looked at Elena standing in front of the bed. Through her gold-rimmed glasses, her eyes were so sharp and intelligent.

"Yes, Professor."

Stella's curiosity seemed to be ignited. She sat down beside Suron's hospital bed, leaning slightly forward, the scent of her expensive perfume completely enveloping him: "What exactly is the curse?"

Surong organized his thoughts and began to describe the rules of the curse: "I cannot come into contact with any pure water, drinking water, or rainwater; they have the same effect on me as pepper spray."

"So, that's why you haven't been drinking water and have been choosing to replenish your fluids with alcohol and beverages?" Stella's fingertips tapped lightly on the edge of the medical record, making a crisp sound.

"This can't go on, Suron. Alcohol and other components in your drinks will continue to put a strain on your kidneys. You have to find a way to break this curse, or your health will only continue to deteriorate."

"I'll find a way to get rid of her as soon as possible." As Su Long said this, he suddenly felt a strong dryness in his mouth. "Professor, could you get me a bottle of Coke? I'm really thirsty right now."

Stella shook her head, her gaze behind her glasses carrying an undeniable air: "From now on, you must reduce your intake of beverages, even sugar-free ones."

She stood up: "Wait for me."

A few minutes later, Stella returned carrying a tray with two glasses on it.

One glass contains soda water, and the other contains clear amber-colored black tea.

"Try both of these," she said.

Su Long picked up the glass of soda water, took a small sip, and then drank the whole glass in one gulp. The cool liquid slid down his throat, taking away the burning thirst.

He picked up the cup of black tea again, and again there was no sign of triggering any curse.

"I understand." Stella looked at his reaction, a glint of light flashing in her eyes.

The determination of so-called "pure water", "drinking water" and "rainwater" should be based on the concentration of soluble substances in the liquid.

"As long as enough baking soda or substances from tea leaves dissolve in the water, increasing the concentration of soluble substances, it will not be considered a medium that triggers the curse."

Su Long finished both glasses of water, and the long-lost feeling of being moistened by the water made him breathe a long sigh of relief.

"Just lie here and rest," Stella glanced at her watch. "I have to go to an academic conference now. I'll come over later to arrange your follow-up medication."

Only after Stella's footsteps in high heels had completely disappeared down the corridor did Su Long sit up from his hospital bed.

He walked to the self-service payment terminal at the entrance of the ward and inserted his bank card.

A line of glaring numbers popped up on the screen; it was the medical bill for his previous car accident with the woman in the rain.

After pausing for a few seconds on the payment button, he pressed confirm.

With a soft click, the balance in his bank card instantly dwindled to just over ten thousand US dollars.

Looking at the number, Su Long couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, realizing that they had gone back to square one overnight.

Now all hope rests on the $100,000 reward promised by Dania.

Just then, his phone rang, and the caller ID showed Elena's name.

He answered the phone.

"Are you coming to my house tonight?" Elena's voice came through the receiver, carrying a hint of barely perceptible anticipation: "I want to try again with you."

Hearing Elena's explicit and somewhat ambiguous words, Su Long curled his lip.

"I'm sorry, Captain Elena, I'm not feeling well tonight," Su Long said, leaning against the window and watching the traffic below. "My uremia has worsened, and I'm currently receiving treatment at the hospital."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, then a soft voice said, "Then let's skip tonight... Take good care of yourself and your health."

Then she added, "Come to the agreed location tomorrow afternoon, don't forget."

……

The next afternoon, North Cascade National Park.

Su Long drove the black Ford crematorium along the winding mountain road—the familiar scenario of using a public vehicle for private purposes.

On both sides of the road are endless primeval forests, with huge Douglas fir and western hemlock blocking out the sun, and sunlight can only cast dappled spots of light through the gaps in the branches and leaves.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of pine needles mixed with damp earth.

The vehicle eventually stopped at the parking lot of the Lake Diablo viewpoint.

There are almost no tourists to be seen here, only a few RVs parked forlornly in the distance.

Su Long got off the bus and walked along a gravel path to the lake.

Suddenly, the view opened up, revealing a vast and breathtaking lake.

The lake water had an almost unreal turquoise color, like a giant, uncut gemstone under the gloomy sky.

The distant snow-capped mountains are faintly visible in the clouds and mist, and the whole world is so quiet that only the sound of the wind and the roar of the distant waterfall can be heard.

He soon saw the cabin Elena had mentioned on a wooden platform extending from the lake, and Elena sitting by the lake fishing.

She wasn't wearing her signature black combat uniform today; instead, she wore a gray-green windbreaker and dark cargo pants, with waterproof hiking boots on her feet.

Just as Su Long walked up behind her, Elena suddenly jerked the fishing rod in her hand upwards.

With a splash, she deftly tossed a rather large rainbow trout onto the wooden platform, where it struggled and thrashed about on the ground.

"Well done, Captain." Su Long cheered for her.

Elena turned around, her grey-green eyes showing little surprise when she saw Su Long: "You're here?"

"Has your condition improved at all?"

"Yes, as long as I have enough US dollars in my pocket, I should be able to live a little longer," Su Long said, shifting his gaze from the wriggling fish. "So, is there something special that you called me to this desolate place?"

Elena didn't answer directly. She stood up, walked to the front of the cabin, and saw a small grave made of piled stones under the Douglas fir on the side.

"This is old John's house. He likes fishing and hates socializing, so he chose this shitty place to settle down."

"I built an empty tomb for him here... It's a pity you burned him so clean, there's nothing left to bury."

Su Long was silent for a moment before asking, "You seem to know him quite well?"

"Yes," Elena's voice was soft, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility of the place: "He was the teacher who led me into the field of exorcism."

So that's how it is. Su Long understood. He recalled the complex look in Elena's eyes when she looked at Old John in the sewers.

The immense pressure from Shoggoth at the time prevented him from delving into these details, but now many of them have become clear.

Elena turned around and looked at Suron again: "I called you over because Old John still has a sacred relic to inherit."

"Why give it to me?" Su Long asked.

Elena's gaze fell on the Colt python at Sulong's waist.

"'Sirius' was Old John's sidearm, and this sacred relic, 'Raphael,' has always been with 'Sirius'... They were originally a pair, and there's no reason to separate them."

After she finished speaking, she did not immediately go to retrieve the sacred object, but instead sat back down in the fishing chair and pointed to another empty folding chair next to her.

"Before I give you the sacred object, come fishing with me for a while."

"As his successor, perhaps you should listen to his story."

Upon hearing this, Su Long nodded and sat down in the folding chair: "Of course."