Chapter 138 Atonement, Sinner
A simple, large wooden house, with bedding neatly laid out on the ground a little further away, a few chairs and a table on the other side, and the holy emblem of the Candlelight Society hanging in the center of the house.
Kyle sat in the chair blankly, reciting prayers with numb eyes, his body as strong as a bear seemed a little weak.
Beside him was a group of equally numb workers, wearing uniform linen clothes, reciting the scriptures in unison around the table.
They were originally working in a factory in the Rhine, but were inexplicably captured by the Candlelight Society's Crusaders and sent all the way here.
Although they had food and drink on the way and were not tortured or interrogated, they all looked listless and haggard.
They didn't know what they had done wrong. It was said that it was because of Hughes, their former co-worker, who would tell nonsense stories every day and everyone just listened to them for fun.
The priests of the Candlelight Society said that Hughes was a cultist, which really surprised them.
They neither preach nor ask for money. They just tell stories in their free time every day to make everyone happy. Is this also a cult?
Some people were very angry about this. The factory owner had driven workers to death and crazy, but now a legal citizen was killed for telling a few stories. How could this be justified? These people never appeared again.
The remaining workers became much more obedient from then on. They followed the Candlelight Society's requirements and just recited prayers day after day, atonement for sins they were unaware of.
The chanting continued for a while and then stopped. The sins of the day had been atoned for. The workers looked around and gradually dispersed when they saw that no one gave them orders.
They didn't make any loud noises, but occasionally a few of them gathered together and talked in low voices.
A thin man came up to Kyle and said, "Big guy, what day is it today?"
Kyle's eyes slowly turned away, and when he didn't see the Holy Scripture and Holy Symbol, he became a little angry. "I don't know, thirty? Fifty? I can't remember."
The man sighed softly and said nothing more.
Kyle hesitated for a moment, then spoke to comfort her: "Hodge, don't worry, Lena will be fine."
The workers around gradually gathered around, with complicated expressions.
Lina is Hodge's sister. They both lost their loved ones in a disaster more than ten years ago. They fled to the Rhine together and depended on each other in the lower city.
The two of them were lucky. Although Hodge was thin, he had healthy limbs and a quick mind, and he successfully gained a foothold in the Rhine.
The brother and sister soon discovered that the factory was a good place to work as it paid more. Although they did not work there for long, the poor died faster in those days.
After discussing, the two decided to let Hodge work in the factory.
It was not easy to enter the factory. Hodge stuffed a bag of coins into the supervisor's pocket before he was able to get in and got a job as a boiler operator.
The two men borrowed this bag of money from a local gangster.
Although the gang was brutal, they were trustworthy. The interest rate was not low, but the two could barely afford it.
Hodge and Lina calculated that if they worked in the factory for a year, they could pay off their debts, and if they worked for another two years, they could save a small sum of money, and they might be able to move out of the slums.
Then Lina wouldn't have to make a living by washing clothes. Maybe she could find a job in a shop in downtown - those shops on the streets wouldn't accept people from the slums.
Then Hodge could learn a skill and earn a living without having to toil in the factory.
Both of them are very young, healthy and smart, and it is not impossible for them to settle down and start a career in the Rhine.
Unfortunately, not long after Hodge entered the factory, he was taken away by the Candlelight Society’s inquisitor.
What will happen if Lina Lina loses her source of income?
Hodge didn't dare to think that the money she earned from washing clothes could not even pay the interest. Those gangs were not so easy to deal with.
Moreover, the slums are full of their spies, so Lina can't escape even if she wants to.
Hodge sat in the chair blankly, staring at the Candlelight Society's sacred text with empty eyes.
He is a sinner, we are all sinners, everyone is guilty.
It’s just that some people need to atone their sins, while others don’t.
The workers put their hands on Hotch's shoulders and the room fell silent.
Suddenly there were some noisy noises outside the house. People were startled, then quickly stood up and stood in a row against the wall.
Soon, the door was opened and a clear female voice was heard.
"Here, they are all here. Do you want to take them directly there?"
Go? Where? The workers looked towards the door nervously.
The latest novel is published first on Liu9shuba!
A girl in nun's clothes walked in, looked around the room and turned around: "Everyone is here."
"Then come out, we'll go straight over, the test site is not far from here."
A male voice came from outside, and his words caused the workers to become agitated.
What does "test site" mean? This word gave them a very bad feeling, and it sounded... a little dangerous.
"Sister, it seems that we have not yet atonement for our sins," said a worker, trying hard to smile.
"What will happen if you redeem yourself? Saints all hold sins. Well, that should be the case. I don't remember the doctrine very clearly." The nun coughed lightly and said, "In short, there are plenty of opportunities to redeem your sins, but not many opportunities to make money. Come on."
"Earn, make money?"
"Yes, now you have a chance to make money."
Chloe frowned as she looked at the workers' increasingly panicked faces: "What are you thinking about? Of course, we're going to the newly opened factory to make money. Damn it, why are you so scared? What has the Candlelight Club become now?"
She whispered the last two sentences, but Hughes behind her still heard them.
At this moment, he was looking at the haggard workers in the room, feeling quite emotional.
The last time he said goodbye to these people, he promised to come back soon, but it turned out to be a farewell forever.
Oh, not necessarily. Worker Hughes can indeed come back, as long as they don’t mind the big hole in his chest.
Seeing these familiar faces, he felt very complicated. Not long ago, he and these workers scolded the supervisor and the factory owner, but now he had to send them to the factory.
Suddenly, I realized that I was in control of the fate of many people, and the only thing that could limit me was my conscience.
"Workers, this is Castel Island. I am the lord of this place, the Border Earl. I have negotiated with Sister Chloe of the Candlelight Society. Your atonement is temporarily suspended. There are some factories that need you to come and operate and maintain them. I will provide you with compensation, food and lodging. Come with me."
Before the workers could make a move, Huo Qi suddenly stood up and said in a trembling voice, "Master, can I get an advance on my wages?"
(End of this chapter)