Chapter 52 Chain Mail

Heartbeat? I won't be moved.

I said to myself in my heart, and picked up a stone in my hand and kept playing with it in the dark. I don't know when I got used to the life of eating and sleeping in the open air, which I couldn't imagine before. Lying on the pile of stones, except for the pain caused by the bruises, I basically didn't feel any other discomfort. But my bulging belly made me feel uncomfortable for a long time.

"Come on, Andrew, go back to sleep so you can be in good spirits tomorrow!"

I wanted to divert Andrew's attention, not wanting him to think so much that he couldn't sleep or eat. After so many struggles on the border between life and death, he should be numb to some extent. But he didn't seem to be like that. This time my words didn't touch him at all. He lay on the pile of stones blankly, looking up at the sky, "No!" He whispered, "I'm afraid that if I close my eyes, time will pass by. The speed is too fast. I don't want that time to slip away. I want to hold it tightly so that I have more time to recall."

Andrew looks very uncomfortable now. As a friend, I don’t know how to persuade him to get rid of this discomfort and return to his brave side.

Think carefully, I also cast my eyes to the sky, maybe it's been too long since I looked at it so quietly, for me, although I am in a different place, the stars in the sky are still in the same position. And it's still the same as before, I can't even name a single star.

Is it the fifteenth day of the lunar month today? I don't know. I've been living in a daze for so long that some basic judgments have been washed away in my head with blood. The full moon in the sky was quietly emitting a pale light in the night sky, like a lonely ship drifting in the deep ocean of the night sky. Soon, the stars in the sky dazzled me, and I quickly closed my eyes. The interesting thing was that when I opened my eyes again, it was already the next morning. I turned my head and saw Andrew lying on a pile of rocks not far away, with his eyes open, staring blankly at the sky.

The well-dressed French horn player ran to the center of the venue. He didn't see Andrew and me, but blew the French horn as usual. Soon the sound of the horn spread in all directions, enveloping the small camp. The camp was originally quiet, as if there was no one there. After the horn sounded, soldiers poked their heads out of their tents, and it finally became lively.

"I got up."

I sat up and heard Andrew talking to me.

"Um."

I stretched, rubbed the bruises on my legs, gritted my teeth, and struggled to stand up. I looked down at Andrew who was still lying there: "Let's go, Andrew, it's time for us to get going."

Andrew's eyes were red, and it was obvious that he hadn't slept all night. He closed his eyes and took a long breath. It seemed that the recollection of the night had given him great satisfaction. He got up and went back to the temporary tent with me.

It's time to set off. I have to pack my luggage before leaving, but apart from the helmet that came here with me but is no longer of any use, there is really nothing else that is redundant.

"Andrew, it's not time to eat yet, why don't we get ready and go eat!"

When I think of the broth and bread with honey from last night, I can't help myself. But Andrew is like a different person now. He didn't move when he was cleaning up. He just sat on the floor holding my and his mail in his hands, rubbing his fingers on them bit by bit, as if he could wipe off the rust on them.

"Don't waste your energy, Andrew, let's go eat first!" I urged him again and again, but he was unmoved. At this time, I heard his muddy voice, as if it came from the depths of his throat, saying: "I'm not hungry yet, so let's skip breakfast. This chain mail is dirty. It's not only sloppy to wear, but it's also harmful to the skin!"

Damn, are you kidding me? At this time, I am still thinking about such meaningless questions. I said unhappily, "You will have to clean it up bit by bit like this for who knows how many years. Anyway, if you don't eat breakfast like this, can you bear it if the respected chief centurion comes up with some bad ideas?"

"No, Luca, you don't understand!" Andrew lowered his head and continued, "I feel that we are too sloppy wearing chain mail like this. Not only will we lose face when we go out, but the enemy may also laugh at our corpses when we die."

Andrew stood up, holding our mail armors, and walked out of the tent. The two mail armors weighed thirty kilograms, and Andrew held them, lowered his head, and walked forward listlessly until he came to a small earth pit in the camp. The earth pit seemed to have been unattended for a long time, filled with fine sand, and wooden sticks were scattered all around the pit.

“Crash!”

Andrew let go and threw the two pieces of chain mail into the sand, then bent down to pick up a wooden stick, weighing it in his hand to test its weight.

"Lujia." Andrew called me softly, "Although you have lost your memory, do you still remember this required course?"

"Required courses?" I was very confused by his question.

"Yes, take care of your armor like you would take care of your woman. Hehehe." Andrew laughed bitterly, and for some reason that laugh always sounded so miserable. He stabbed the stick into the sand, pressed it against the chain mail, and began to stir it back and forth. "It seems that you have forgotten everything. Maybe even your closest comrades-in-arms don't remember it. But it's good this way. It's like starting your whole life over again, isn't it?"

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Andrew stirred faster and faster, and the two pieces of chain mail spun rapidly under his stick.

"Andrew, slow down, you'll tear it!" I was surprised by the speed. I was afraid that Andrew would use too much force and poke a hole in the mail. But I stopped suddenly when my hand reached it, because I was surprised to find that the mail was rusting away at a visible speed, and the silver light reappeared. In just a few minutes, the mail was cleaned and looked like new.

"Take it."

Andrew took out a chain mail from the sand and shook off the sand. The chain mail looked like new to me. I took it and put it on with some difficulty. I stroked the silver color that had been gone for a while. I couldn't help but feel happy. It was as if the armor's protection had been upgraded by removing the rust! 　Sorry, it's too late!

(End of this chapter)