unreliable adventure

The Orca with gray sails sailed through the waves with a favorable wind.The men and women of the free people were enthusiastic, and when the sun went down, there was a lot of gongs and drums in the cabin.Wayne and Francis accompanied me on deck for three nights watching the stars.By the fourth morning, the legendary North Island jumped out of the sea in the morning light.

The entire island seems to have been a Titan's lair, rows of thick columns were neatly arranged, rushing into the sky.The bronze canopy that was supposed to cover the stone pillars no longer exists.When the boat got closer, it could be seen that it was not vines that climbed on the giant pillars, but small buildings built layer upon layer by skillful freemen along the giant pillars to drill holes and beams.Now it's time to return to the hometown during the August Festival, and the small buildings are full of people on top of each other. It's really lively.

As soon as my feet landed on the shore, I was still standing crookedly, and Francis took us to listen to the opera with great interest.I was also very interested. I asked Francis if he wanted to sing on stage. Francis smiled and said no. The North Island singer is the best in the world, and he dared not make a mistake.

Passing through the maze-like narrow alleys among the cascading small buildings, and turning around in the crowd, I finally saw the stage.The stage should have been originally an altar of a Titan. The stage was built on a concentric three-story high platform with simple carvings, and the seats for the audience were surrounded by four sides.As expected, Francis was familiar with the proprietress of the stage, and squeezed into a good seat in the front row through the back door.

After a while, a fat, bearded singer came on stage, and he sang without being polite.The originally noisy audience was silent for a while, only the gold and iron horses were better than the wind and thunder in the low pitch, and the high pitch was extremely brilliant, just like fireworks falling from the sky.In contrast, although Francis' singing is melodious and melodious, it is just a low-pitched singing in a country tavern, how can it match the brilliant voice in the high hall.

Several singers took turns singing on stage, each showing their unique skills.Francis and I were fascinated.

Wayne, on the other hand, had no artistic talent, and fell asleep leaning on my shoulder before finishing a song.He couldn't be blamed either, he didn't sleep well for several nights on the boat.It wasn't until the whole scene was over that Wayne rubbed his sleepy eyes and asked me what was being sung on stage.

how to say?The opera sung is indeed quite old-fashioned. It should be a certain version of "Song of the Nibelungen". The warrior bathed in dragon blood is invincible, but was betrayed by his lover, and finally died under the cold gun in the back.The stories of tragic heroes are similar, but the resentment of the dying hero in the singing is moving.

"Oh, that hero must be a scumbag." Wayne commented frantically.

"Why do you say that—"

"If it's not a scumbag, he should care about and understand his partner."

"So what?" I argued half-enthusiastically, "We can't prevent villains from betraying us."

"If you are stabbed by your boyfriend and you don't know it, it's probably because you have a problem, so don't complain about others." Wayne said nonchalantly.

"Hollow Tin Woodman." Oh, how I couldn't bear to argue with Wayne about drama!

After a full sleep in the theater, Wayne pestered Francis to ask what else to do on the island.Francis couldn't wear him down, so he took him to Restaurant Lane.The culture of the free folk has never had anything to do with food, it's just some fried sea fish, and the price is too expensive to die.Wayne didn't mind, he ate from the street to the end of the street before giving up.

Francis didn't think about going home until Wayne had eaten and drank enough.The small building of his house is built on a high place of a stone pillar, which can be seen by looking up and pointing. It took a long time to climb along the rickety rope ladder to get there.

After entering the house, I finally saw the old Francis who had been famous for a long time.Old Francis and a group of grey-haired old comrades gathered around the firepit, talking loudly about the adventures of the year.Seeing his son returning from a long journey, old Francis didn't say anything, but stood up and raised his huge shoulders to give his son a bear hug.

Then old Francis saw me and Wayne again, and looked at us both a little confused.Later I found out that his confusion lies in: my son used to refuse to bring his girlfriend home every year to show him, but this year he brought two very handsome men back at once!Francis, the old hero who is not good at words, did not ask any questions in the end, and just gave Wayne and me a bear hug according to the etiquette of a father-in-law to a son-in-law. He is really an enlightened parent.

The bragging conference is the highlight of the August Festival. Now that I have met the cheap old man, I can't wait to go to the bragging conference.Francis told me vividly that there is a vulgar custom among the free folk, they brag around the bonfire on the night of the August Festival, bragging about what kind of adventures they have had in a year, and if they sleep with famous people, they can get extra points , if it is more unusual dead people, tentacle monsters and the like, there will be extra points...

We rushed to the beach in a hurry, but we came early, and it was not dark yet.After circling the island again, the bonfire by the sea was lit high.The bold-minded free folk sat down around the fire, gearing up for the upcoming bragging conference.

The free people have always been broad-minded, and they don’t reject outsiders on such occasions. When they saw a dead person coming to participate, they also gave up a seat for me to sit down, but there was still a little bit of room for me, and the vacant seat for me was a little bit bigger. .Then Wayne and Francis sat down next to me.I don't know how to describe the feelings at that moment. As a dead person who has been living in the grave for 200 years and dared not see anyone, my heart was as hot as a bonfire at that time.

There was no room for sentimentality, and a whaler who seemed to be confident jumped out and began to tell his story.As I expected, it has something to do with the tentacles.It is only said that on a dark and windy night of one month, an eight-clawed sea monster attacked the whaling ship, and the evil tentacles grabbed the hull and dragged it into the sea. The brave whaler swung a sharp ax to cut off the tentacles, and fought the sea monster to the death fight.

"And then?" The audience asked eagerly, not interested in the details of the fight.

"Then, I was caught by a tentacle! You don't know how cool it is, there are thin teeth under the tentacle's suction cup! If it wasn't for my bravery, I would have lost my life there!" The Whaler said, turning to show the circular scar on his shoulder blade.

"I'm afraid it's not a squid, but I think you taste fishy, ​​so I can't eat it!" The people next to me booed.

Booing back to booing, the few gentlemen behind couldn't tell a story more exciting than the tentacle monster, and they were immediately compared.

Until a freeman Shi Shiran got up and said: "You also know that this year I am working in the dwarves' mine. After work, I will go to the tavern to drink to relieve fatigue."

"Say the point!"

"Don't you know that dwarf girls love tall men, and they dress up beautifully every night, wearing high-heeled shoes with stone soles, carrying small animal skin bags, and go to the working area in groups. Running in taverns, looking for men of different races to flirt with. A strong and heroic man like me is naturally more sought after."

"The dwarf girl has a good figure!"

"That's not right! Their arms are thicker than mine, full of muscles!"

"You just hang out with the dwarf girls every night, I'm afraid you don't have the energy to work!"

"Actually, I only went there twice... Those women are so playful, they lasted until dawn! I can't bear it anymore! I saw them later and walked around."

Hahahaha, everyone laughed.There were also many brave men who yearned for it, and asked carefully whether the mine was still recruiting workers this year.