The upside-down meteor gradually went away and finally disappeared.

On the wide coast, only Tirian, Aiden and Agatha were left.

The "lost star" from ancient times was still floating quietly on the beach, with clouds moving slowly on its surface and making a faint whimpering sound. A dozen meters away was the calm sea - the sea water was like a slowly undulating mirror under the light of the pale golden sunlight, and the tiny waves were much calmer than usual.

In this long dusk, Tirian finally broke the silence: "Lady Gatekeeper, do you think that if the sun really disintegrates completely, the power of the church will be enough to maintain order among the city-states?"

Agatha did not speak. She was silent for a long time in the face of this overly sharp question - but if it was her a year ago, she would have given a positive answer without hesitation.

Agatha knew that she was no longer as pious and firm as before. A crack appeared in that unconditional faith in the mirror disaster of frost, and thoughts took advantage of the opportunity to sneak in.

But after hesitating, she nodded gently: "I believe my brothers and sisters will do their best... and so will They."

"The answer after careful consideration is not as firm as the answer of the devout, but in this situation, it is more reassuring." Tirian exhaled slowly, a smile appeared on his face, "No matter what, we will do our best, and I believe other city-states will do the same."

Agatha did not speak, but nodded silently. Then she turned around, and her figure melted into a swirling pale wind and disappeared with the wind.

Aiden had been watching quietly by the side, and only then hesitantly spoke: "...What are your plans next?"

"First, have the City Hall prepare everything possible before sunset. I want everyone in the city-state to spend the long night ahead safely. Second, order the fleet to be ready. I want every warship to be in the best condition. No matter how long the night lasts, they must be able to fight at any time. Third..."

Tirian paused for a few seconds and glanced down at the bag in his hands.

"Third, tell everyone to eat when it's time to eat, sleep when it's time to sleep, and live well. The city builders ten thousand years ago built the city-state in the dark ages after the collapse of the old kingdom. We will definitely be able to survive this difficult time... The end of the world has not yet come."

"Yes, Captain!"

The flames streaked across the sunset, leaving a fleeting bright streak in the clouds, and then fell on the slope in front of the cemetery. The spirit flames gradually dissipated, and Duncan's figure condensed into shape from the flames.

Alice had returned to the Lost Homeland, and Duncan returned to the cemetery alone - he slowly walked up the ramp that he had walked many times, and in the slanted and dim sunset, his shadow was stretched out and swayed on the old stone road.

The surroundings were very quiet. Most people in the city should have returned home by now. There were almost no vehicles on the avenue in the distance. Only a few steam walkers could be seen strolling through the streets. The staff sent by the City Hall were checking street lights and gas pipes, and the black-clad guards holding lanterns were confirming the status of various "night shelters" and looked busy.

Duncan withdrew his gaze from the distance and continued to walk slowly upwards.

He stopped at the entrance to the cemetery.

An unexpected yet familiar figure was standing outside the gate - it was a girl of about thirteen or fourteen, wearing thick light grey winter clothes, a furry woolen hat and gloves, and wrapped up like a soft ball of wool. She stood at the door, stomping her feet from time to time, walking around the door, and then looking in the direction of the ramp.

It was Anne, and she looked as if she had been waiting here for a long time.

Duncan frowned and walked quickly towards the cemetery gate - Anne also saw him, and the little girl's face suddenly showed joy, and she ran quickly towards the ramp.

"Uncle Caretaker!" Anne greeted him happily, and stopped at the edge of the open space at the entrance of the cemetery. "I just came over and saw that there was no one in the caretaker's hut. The black-clad guard said that you were out..."

"The curfew is about to begin. The city hall has notified all residents to go home. Why are you still here?" Duncan frowned. His voice was deep under the bandages, sounding more or less serious and scary. "It's not safe outside."

"I know. I'm just about to go home," Anne nodded immediately. She was not afraid of Duncan's gloomy and serious look in black clothes and bandages. Instead, she reached into her bosom and took out a small package and stuffed it into Duncan's hand. "This is herbal tea... Take it, and then... I probably won't come for a long time."

Duncan looked at the paper bag that Annie stuffed in with some surprise. He was silent for a few seconds before he slowed down his tone and said, "Do you know what's going to happen?"

"…There's something wrong with the sun, isn't it?" Anne raised her head and looked into Duncan's gloomy and sunken eyes. "The sunset has lasted for a long time, and it hasn't completely set yet…I heard from a nun that if the sun sets this time, it may take a long time for it to rise again…Mom said that the temperature may continue to drop, or it may stop dropping halfway. The worst situation is the farm…"

She paused, as if the knowledge after that was too complicated for her, and it became difficult to understand and repeat.

Duncan was silent for a while, then bent down slightly and asked, "Are you scared?"

Anne shook her head, but then paused and nodded hesitantly.

She didn't really understand what was happening now, nor could she imagine what would happen next - compared to the simple and straightforward threat of the mud monster spreading in the city, a slowly setting sun was a more incomprehensible disaster for a thirteen-year-old child.

But she could feel the same tension and depression from the adults' reactions as in the "Mirror Disaster" - she had experienced it once.

"If the sun doesn't rise by then, do we need to carry lanterns and tattoo runes on our eyelids before we go out?" Anne asked, "Just like those ascetics - they always stay in the dark..."

Duncan didn't know how to answer this question for a moment. He thought about it for a long time before he spoke softly: "...the sun will rise. If the sun doesn't rise, something else will light up the sky."

Anne didn't seem to understand, but seemed to have thought of something, and opened her eyes wide in surprise: "Is it you? You can light up the sky?"

"...Go home," Duncan smiled, even though the smile was covered by layers of bandages, revealing only a little arc at the corner of his eyes. He reached out and patted off the dust that had been stained on Anne's clothes. At the same time, he raised his head and glanced at the dimming glow on the roof in the distance. "It's getting dark - and thank you for the herbal tea."

"Um!"

It was almost dark—though it might be a while yet.

Outside the window of the antique shop, the afterglow of the setting sun had gradually dimmed - but there was still no sign of complete darkness.

Duncan withdrew his gaze from watching Anne leave in front of the cemetery slope in the north, but his eyes passed through the window of the old shop and looked at the streets of Plande in the evening.

The streets were already empty. Even the noisiest children had been taken home by their parents. The streets of the downtown area, which always seemed too crowded and busy, now looked deserted, as if it had become a ghost town.

But another steam walker broke the silence outside the window - accompanied by the clicking sound of the steam engine running, the huge spider machine slowly walked through the street, the exhaust port at the rear of the walker emitted hissing steam, the scripture ribbons hanging on both sides of its armor plate swayed in the wind, and two guards wearing the uniforms of the Deep Sea Church stood on the back of the walker, announcing the "Night Notice" just issued by the cathedral - including a new curfew order, and adjustments to the city's functions during the night period.

Even with the safety of the night after the Black Sun incident, there is still a tense atmosphere lingering over the city-state of Plande.

Because no one knows whether the city’s “safe night” will still be so safe after the night extends to dozens of days, and no one knows whether something else will breed in the dark sea in the long-term absence of sunlight, and climb onto the beach at night to invade the city-state.

Even Plande has such an atmosphere, what will the other city-states in the vast sea be like now?

In the increasingly dim sunset, Duncan's thoughts could not help but wander. He then put down the newspaper in his hand and prepared to get up to turn on the light near the stairs.

And at this moment, a figure suddenly appeared in the corner of his eye.

Just next to a shelf in the corner of the first floor of the antique shop, a figure suddenly appeared - as if it was a hunched traveler who had been walking for an unknown period of time on his long journey. He was wearing a tattered white robe that could no longer be seen in its original form. He leaned forward slightly and walked towards the counter step by step.

Duncan stood up slowly and looked intently at the figure walking towards him.

However, the figure seemed not to see Duncan. He seemed to be walking in another parallel dimension of time and space, his eyes focused on a distant and invisible place. He walked straight through the shelves and walked slowly forward like a ghost.

During this process, Duncan finally saw the traveler's appearance clearly - he saw an old face, the deep wrinkles and almost withered skin seemed like time had stopped, but suddenly, the old face regained its youth and turned into a young man who had just embarked on a journey, and even the hunched posture became upright.

The next second, he turned into an old man again, and his figure crossed the counter and was about to pass by Duncan.

But suddenly, he stopped.

He seemed to see Duncan - or just saw an illusory figure. He stopped stiffly, his eyes wide open, staring straight at this side.

Duncan found that he couldn't even tell a true emotion from that trembling face - was it surprise? Fear? Despair? Or a sudden glimpse of hope?

It was as if all the emotions a person could have were compressed into this brief gaze - the dusty traveler just stared at him intently, and then his figure gradually disappeared.