Chapter 144 Viewing Experience (Part 8): When Those Past Events Are Bringed to the Screen
Led by Dazai Osamu and Fyodor respectively, the plan's offense and defense were executed extremely quickly, with the layout and dismantling completed almost instantly.
When Verlaine was lured to Yokohama by Fyodor's words, Dazai Osamu had already made arrangements for Rimbaud and Mary Shelley.
Compared to the secret joy Verlaine felt at reuniting with his close friend, Mary Shelley's words struck him like a heavy blow.
Including Verlaine off-screen.
"The parameters merely created artificially controllable anomalies, rather than humanity itself...?"
He covered his face with his outstretched fingers, as if trying to hide the sudden surge of melancholy and relief in his heart, just like the unspeakable bitterness that had been tormenting him that night.
"How pathetic. I've been taught a lesson again here..."
His voice was very low, almost to the point of talking to himself—but Chuuya Nakahara, a port mafia executive sitting next to him, still heard it.
"After we get out of here,"
Chuuya Nakahara, wearing a black overcoat draped over his shoulders, coughed dryly and said to his older brother, whom he had already accepted in his heart, "Let's go to England."
"Anyway, if Agatha sends someone to stop you, I'll be there for you."
Unlike Verlaine on screen, the Verlaine in this world has long lost his gravity powers and is physically no different from an ordinary person.
While assassination skills may still be at their peak, they inevitably fall short when facing enemies with powerful supernatural abilities.
Besides, Mary Shelley, and the woman who created Adam... were acquaintances he had met.
Verlaine paused for a moment, then turned his gaze to look at Chuuya—which made Chuuya uncomfortable, causing him to turn his head away and refuse to meet his eyes.
"--OK,"
Verlaine finally smiled slightly and responded softly.
"Then I'll go with you."
"Hmm... something's not right with that voice. Is Mr. Verlaine actually crying secretly?"
Higuchi Ichiyo peeked out furtively, trying to see evidence, "Just like Mr. Verlaine in the film..."
Verlaine: "...No."
Higuchi Ichiyo: "Oh, don't be shy."
Verlaine: "…………"
Doesn't this woman worry at all about being assassinated by him after she goes out?
Sitting next to her, Gin really wanted to reach out and cover Higuchi Ichiyo's mouth, but was repeatedly blocked by the invisible wall.
After the appearance of [Assassination King] Verlaine, the Armed Detective Agency was further classified as a [transnational supernatural criminal terrorist organization], which even led the government to agree to Fukuchi Sakurachi's decision to transform the army into vampires and create the so-called [Undead Legion].
With Oguri Mushitaro's ability to erase crimes, the vampire plague quickly spread to civilians, growing uncontrollably, while the government remained oblivious, even dispatching a special forces team to hunt down Dazai Osamu and his associates.
Thus, under the watchful eyes of everyone, the powerful lines spoken by Dazai in the film echoed in everyone's ears.
And in my mind.
We are the rats in the dead house...
The Rats in the Dead House...
The House of the Dead...
Our boss, the true mastermind behind it all—Fyodor Dostoevsky…
Our BOSS...
Our...
Even if it sounds like an act, there were more than just four Dazai Osamu's people present, as well as a whole bunch of acquaintances who knew or had heard of him!
“Joke…”
"amazing……"
"【The Rats in the House of the Dead】Osamu Dazai, this new identity is truly astounding..."
"And the company president who's being treated as the leader of a terrorist organization..."
Dazai Armed Detective, receiving all sorts of teasing glances from his colleagues: "…………"
"Why are you looking at me? I never said I was a subordinate of the [Demon]," Dazai of the Armed Detective Agency said matter-of-factly, staring back at each of them. "Besides, this is obviously just my scheme, just a scheme!"
They didn't join the mocking crowd this time either, because they themselves were implicated and became part of the "house of the dead"... and were even caught and imprisoned by the government's "hunting dogs"! How despicable!
It's all Dazai's fault!
Of course, besides shock, there were other reactions as well.
For example, Ranpo was angrily pounding on the handrail and making a series of complaining noises.
"Why did you send me to England to participate in some detective competition?! Aren't those competitions guaranteed to be won?! It's nothing compared to being treated like a member of a terrorist organization! Send me back right now!"
The president had to repeatedly remind him to quiet down the famous detective, who was so dissatisfied he was about to jump up and down and throw punches.
"...Ranpo, be quiet, be quiet..."
Akiko Yosano, propping her head up on the sofa, sighed with regret as she watched Ranpo leave for England, departing from the main battlefield.
"Vampire familiars... Don't I ever get a chance to dissect even one?... Just looking at them makes my hands itch..."
Atsushi Nakajima dared not utter a sound: "…………"
Help! Yosano-san over here is terrifying too.
The ensuing duel between the president and Fukuchi Sakura was the real climax that pushed the atmosphere to a tense climax.
Everyone sat up straight.
They were well aware that the outcome of this film depended entirely on who would win this confrontation between strategy and force.
"The film is titled 'The Rise of the Rats in the House of the Dead',"
Ango Sakaguchi adjusted his glasses and pointed to the line of text that had lit up before the screening.
"Could it be that Fyodor, who is implying the dominant personality, has won?"
“Impossible.” Dazai, the executive sitting next to him, replied, his iris-shaped eyes fixed intently on the screen.
"Victory will surely be on my side." — He paused for a moment after saying this, "but..."
He could analyze the plans on screen clearly, but he also couldn't answer the first half of Ango Sakaguchi's question.
If he wins, the final outcome will be nothing more than the president halting Fukuchi Sakura's plan and the protagonist, Fyodor, being sent to prison—which is not a truly ideal ending.
Without Tatsuhiko Shibusawa's help, wouldn't Fyodor's alternate personality be forever imprisoned within the consciousness space of the main personality?
Or rather, the request that the alternate personality made at the time...
As the duel drew to a close, Fyodor, who had come to steal the holy sword, was accurately identified by Oda Sakunosuke from among hundreds of people, and he fired a shot to attract the [hounds] to capture him.
In a typical story, this would probably be the end, with the villain who attempted to destroy the world arrested and justice triumphing once again.
It's old-fashioned, but mainstream.
But the alternate personality Fyodor's actions were more outrageous than any protagonist in the story. He reappeared through Tatsuhiko Shibusawa's supernatural abilities, wielding both the Holy Sword and the Divine Sword.
With the severely injured Fukuchi Sakura nodding in agreement, he used the two swords to pierce through her body. The three extreme points intersected and merged, completely leading the entire world into another future.
—At this point, the earthly gods have been created.
"As you can see..."
But the gods said this.
"I am also a sinner."
—A long, long silence.
For the first few minutes, the entire studio felt almost too quiet.
No one spoke, no one applauded, and not even a conversation broke out.
This is a silent, tacit, and profound respect.
What unfolded before them was a noble will that was enough to utterly shake their hearts, as powerful as a collapsing mountain or sea, which could not be ignored or resisted.
Before that unwavering humanity that willingly bears the sins of this world, all words of praise or applause seem so pale.
Should we refute it? Should we deny it?
Mori Ougai remained silent, knowing that he had completely lost his bet with Dazai.
Even when faced with the temptation of power to control the entire world, Fyodor's alternate personality could so decisively choose to give it up without the slightest hesitation.
He stood alone in the darkness, yet it was as if he were guarding the light.
"〖god……〗"
Fyodor suddenly spoke—in obscure and difficult Greek.
In the film, Fyodor is fluent in multiple languages, but he only uses Greek, which represents sacred orthodoxy, when quoting from the Bible.
At that moment, Fyodor, off-screen, also slowly rolled his tongue, causing the sacred melody that led to heaven to resonate in this space.
"〖Originally a god who wasn't dead...〗"
He closed his eyes and began to chant in a humble and devout manner, as if he were kneeling beside a god's throne with his palms clasped.
"He is...the God of the living."
Unfortunately.
Fyodor gripped his left forearm with his right hand, his face expressionless.
In the world he inhabits, there are no supporters willing to achieve his ideals—not even from his own body.
All of this was nothing more than a fictitious vision presented to him by the film, a fleeting mirage.
"Boss... what did you mean by what you just said?"
Pushkin spoke hesitantly.
The ancient Greek in the movie is subtitled so that everyone can understand the content, but there is no such treatment in reality. He didn't understand a single word that the BOSS just said.
But he really wanted to know what the BOSS was thinking... Come on, look at how the protagonist, Fyodor, willingly allowed himself to be captured in the film. Didn't anyone else wonder how the BOSS viewed it? Of course there were!
Pushkin was simply speaking the mind of everyone!
Fedor did not respond to this, nor did he offer a single word of explanation.
He merely glanced at him.
When those dark red eyes, belonging to the demon, glanced at Pushkin, it was hard to say what kind of emotion they contained that could be described—it was more like a void and extreme cold where nothingness existed, and even the slightest light was swallowed up, with only complete darkness reflecting out.
With just one glance, Pushkin was so frightened that he shrank back and sat down obediently.
I have a feeling I'm going to be killed...!
Seeing that Pushkin finally understood what it meant to be content, Fyodor withdrew his gaze, his expression calm as usual.
For him, this was nothing more than a self-redemption-like fall into depravity, an absurd and pathetic descent into ruin.
But in the end... he learned something.
The gods did not completely abandon him.
————————
Sorry I'm late...! There will be another chapter later, everyone go to sleep now (bowing deeply).
"For God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living." — Mark 12:27 (New Testament)
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