Recalling steam-powered trains pulling carriages loaded with passengers bound for different destinations, occasionally passing through the station platform. Standing on the platform and looking back at the square in front of the station, vehicles passing by, people coming and going, and people heading in different directions brushing past each other.
Equally bustling were the school cafeteria and dormitories, where familiar faces from the past flashed before her eyes.
In a white bedroom, a woman in a white dress approached, holding onto the bedrail, and asked Lübeck,
“Why don’t you speak? It’s as if you’re not very intelligent,”
Lübeck seemed to recognize her, feeling she might be a former classmate, but her appearance was uncertain. He replied faintly,
“I just don’t want to speak; there’s no one I want to speak to.” As soon as the words left his mouth, several men suddenly appeared out of nowhere in the same environment, as if they had crossed a timeline or space in an instant. Lübeck raised his fist to attack, but the man across from him was unfamiliar, holding a communication device and speaking a language he couldn’t understand. He quickly scanned the others behind him—some were unfamiliar, some seemed like former colleagues—and the female classmate had already vanished.
Lübeck realized it was a dream, quickly opened his eyes, and surveyed his surroundings. Sure enough, he had just woken up from the dream, lying in Emma’s room. However, he still felt tense about the events in the dream, wondering why he had such a dream. As he pondered, the intermittent voices of Ruth and Emma outside the door kept drifting into his ears.
Youth is truly wonderful. Lü Beck had experienced Emma’s vitality the previous night and slept soundly until dawn. But for some reason, memories from long ago had resurfaced in his consciousness.
Ruth asked the coachman who had come to fetch him if there were any important official duties scheduled for the morning. When he said there were none, she sent him away and told him to come back later.
When Lübeck got up and went to the living room, Emma and Ruth were preparing food together. They seemed to have been talking about something earlier. When Emma saw him come out of her bedroom, she glanced at him, then closed her mouth, exchanged a look with Ruth, and both burst into laughter.
Lübeck walked over, ruffled Emma’s hair, and asked,
“What bad things were you saying about me behind my back?” He then gently pinched Emma’s cheek with his right hand, and Emma giggled without saying a word.
Seeing that she wouldn't speak, Lübeck turned to Ruth and asked,
“Tell me, what bad things did the two of you say about me just now?” He spoke while gently stroking her smiling cheek with his left hand, and her eyes, narrowed in a smile, seemed like roses blooming amidst the green leaves of Lübeck's palm.
“I've already sent your orderly back. Don't worry, it's not busy in the morning.” Ruth told Lübeck,
“Alright,” Lübeck looked around and saw that they were almost ready, so he said,
“Then I'll go start the fire,”
When the orderly’s carriage arrived again, Lübeck boarded it first to go to the police headquarters, arranging for Trudi to go to City Hall in the afternoon to speak at the council meeting and vote on the proposal to confiscate long guns. They discussed some topics related to soldier training and equipment, and just as the soldiers asked about lunch time, Trudi casually invited Lübeck to join them for lunch.
While waiting and chatting in the dining hall, Trudi mentioned the severely injured soldier who had not survived his injuries,
“Who? When did he pass away?” Lübeck hurriedly asked,
“Joachim, probably yesterday morning.”
“Oh,” Lübeck replied, his peripheral vision noticing that the non-commissioned officers sitting nearby were paying attention to their conversation.
“Has he been buried yet? Where is he now?” Lübeck asked further.
“Not yet. He's still in the hospital. The funeral will be held in a couple of days.”
“How are his family members doing?”
“His parents are heartbroken, but at least he has siblings,”
“Oh, I saw him just a couple of days ago. I never thought such a young life would be taken away like this. It's a tragedy that shouldn't have happened,” It was unclear whether Lübeck was speaking to Trudi or to himself.
After speaking, he noticed the non-commissioned officers beside him watching him, so he said solemnly and firmly to them,
“Joachim's life will not be in vain.” After speaking, Lübeck stood at attention, facing the direction of the hospital, and saluted. Immediately afterward, he heard the sounds of the soldiers beside him and behind him standing at attention and saluting in unison.
In the afternoon, Lübeck and Trudi returned to City Hall together for a vote on a proposal to confiscate long guns. Although Lübeck had introduced Trudi before the vote to present the consequences of the shooting incident on the security team's casualties, the proposal narrowly failed to pass, which was somewhat unexpected for Lübeck.
He noticed that some council members, who should have represented the interests of small-scale farmers and laboring families, were instead elected artisans due to personal reputation or educational background. These individuals, wealthy and cautious, did not prioritize the interests of the working class, and some even appeared to be influenced by other factions.
For example, when a councilor voted against the proposal, Lübeck asked him why he opposed it. Did he have a long gun at home? He said no. Lübeck then asked if he would need a long gun to deal with wild animals in the future. He said no, because he was a clockmaker and did not work the land. Lübeck pressed further: Would you use a long gun to confront someone armed with a gun? He said no, and he dared not. Lübeck pressed further, “Then why are you opposing the gun ban?” The legislator had no response, and in his embarrassment, he turned to look at the legislators representing the powerful regions.
After the vote, Lübeck did not leave but watched as others gradually dispersed. He then looked at Trudi and Miller, who understood his meaning and approached him. He said to them,
“Starting tomorrow, the two of you will dispatch personnel through your law enforcement and administrative channels to all communes to explain to the grassroots population that the nature of the shooting incident is an act of rebellion. The former sheriff, Michael, did not pursue the matter further because both sides suffered casualties, but this does not mean that legal consequences will not be pursued. Such incidents must not occur again; otherwise, they will be severely punished.”
“Trudy, go back and notify all soldiers, including security officers, that there will be a long-distance mission soon. Have them all inform their families to be prepared at any time. The list of those boarding the ship will be released later.”
“Miller, first release the list of boundary demarcations with significant disputes. Go to each commune and notify them to maintain the boundary markers and prepare to await surveying personnel for on-site measurement and verification.”
After finalizing the main tasks, Lü Beck confirmed some procedural details and personnel arrangements with them. The plan was set to be implemented as outlined.
Returning home late today, Lü Beck got out of the car at the gate and looked back. Behind him, the purple glow of the sunset bathed the sky, casting a purplish-red hue on the road and spreading across the walls and windows of the wooden house—his cozy little home. Though the news of a young life lost today left him saddened, the fact that long-standing issues were finally beginning to be addressed brought him a sense of relief.
24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67ITTY2heV
and then Add to home screen.