"Uh... uh... Master Margarita, I almost didn't see you... uh uh uh..."
Ten minutes later, Keli was awakened, biting his lips and crying in Margarita's majestic chest, while Margarita could only silently pat her back to comfort her.
On the other side, Chapela, who was still in shock, was still trembling, hugging herself and talking softly to Geralt.
Xie Yuan, on the other hand, sorted out some interesting-looking ancient literature materials on the bookcase and pocketed them.
Looking at Keli and Chapella who lost their composure, everyone patiently healed their pain - this was a state of mind that had gradually eased after surviving the catastrophe.
You know, when they woke up, they all screamed. Fortunately, the experienced Geralt and Xie Yuan immediately covered their mouths, and through Geralt and Margaret, they Respective acquaintances came to comfort them. Only now did they know that they had finally saved a small life. But even so, no one dared to express their emotions loudly because they were still in danger.
However, just when Xie Yuan was about to take out the water bag and take a sip, Chapera came over lamely.
"Thank you, honorable warrior." He thanked him sincerely. "If it weren't for you, I would have been burned to death today."
"Although you are not a human being... you are always kind to others after all. I heard that before Manji went up, the temple guards had a good reputation... This should be your credit."
As he spoke, Xie Yuan gently stroked Chapera's shoulder, looked at his gloomy expression and comforted him: "But now the world has changed, and a good reputation cannot be exchanged for actual benefits, so your downfall is inevitable - you were found to be The shapeshifters were just an unexpected surprise for Manji.”
Shapeshifters are a particularly strange species in this world. They are rare in number but extremely distinctive.
The shapeshifter can also copy the person's voice, way of thinking, acting style, professional knowledge and skills, etc. This is because - in Geralt's words - it can copy the victim's brain characteristics and mind, or, soul.
As for the principle of this transformation, neither the warlock nor the demon hunter can give a satisfactory explanation. In principle, they are a harmless species and generally only use their transformation abilities for self-defense and will not further harm the lives of others.
But even so, humans and even other humanoid creatures hate shapeshifters deeply—
According to Geralt, although most shapeshifters are very kind and will not maliciously harm others, this ability has attracted hatred from most people. Therefore, humans once launched a large-scale hunt for shapeshifters, resulting in a sharp decline in their numbers. By his time, many people even thought that shapeshifters were just a legend.
As the chief guard of the temple, the original body of Chapela was actually a similar person to Manji. However, after his death in an accident, by chance, Chapela replaced the original body of Chapela. Under the governance of the fake Chapela Next, Novigrad became more and more open to tolerance of magic and non-human races, which also made Novigrad more prosperous.
It's a pity that the arrival of war really destroyed everything.
"In the future, you may have to change places and live a low-key life for a while." Xie Yuan comforted, "Although it is difficult to change from luxury to frugality, it is really not always possible for well-meaning and capable people to take advantage of you. A handful."
"I know..." Chapera nodded helplessly.
After being isolated for a while, Chapera looked at Xie Yuan and Geralt: "I will transform into an animal later and leave immediately. There is one less person and one less risk. Is there anything else you want to know from me? ?」
The two looked at each other and immediately became excited - as the chief guard of the temple, Chapera happened to be the walking dictionary of the entire Novigrad. It could be said that he knew many secrets.
For example, the approximate ranking of forces in Novigrad: Sigi Luwin, "The Beggar King", the dwarf "Cliff" and Hawthorne II are the four giants in the underground world of Novigrad.
Together with the temple guards, he controls all rules and regulations in Novigrad. But according to Chapera, the so-called Siggy Luwin is actually Redania's former intelligence chief Dijkstra - this person happens to be one of Geralt's acquaintances, and he can be a witcher if he has time. Meet.
After all, from Hawthorne II's memory, he and Manji coerced Dandelion into doing something related to Dijkstra - robbing him of his treasure. In a sense, the Rotten Forest, the lair of the "Beggar King", is now a safe haven for many mages, and even those implicated in mages' affairs, and the leader of these loose organizations is Triss.
Speaking of Triss, Geralt naturally wanted to know where she had gone - Geralt even found a bouquet of what was said to be a "memory rose" here. But now it seems that the rose has also become a dried specimen.
It's just a pity that when Triss began to disappear from the villa, Chapera basically became a prisoner. Not only was the information blocked, but she also lost her power.
Geralt, who could no longer ask for any information, finally shook hands with Chapera and said goodbye. In front of Xie Yuan's wide eyes, the shapeshifter slowly twisted his body into a black cat that was no different from a stray cat. .
The black cat's body was covered with scars, but he still raised his forelimbs and waved to Xie Yuan, Geralt and Margarita. After saying goodbye, he jumped out of the door, followed by several leaps Finally, the figure completely disappeared.
"Okay," Xie Yuan then turned to look at Margarita and Ke Li, "Can you still walk?"
But what’s strange is that this intern tried it but failed... Although her clothes were still intact, the countless bloodstains and burns showed that Felicia had obviously suffered a lot. .
"That's it," Xie Yuan casually took out a polished metal bottle with a very unconventional style from his backpack, opened the rotating lid, poured out a soft capsule from his hand, and handed it to Felicia Keli. , "Take this oral sleeping pill and get some sleep first, and we'll find you a temporary place to stay."
"This..." Keli hesitated for a moment. Emotionally, she had just survived the inevitable death at the stake, and she really didn't want to lose control of herself so quickly.
But on the other hand, she also knew that she was a burden now that she had lost the ability to move. Instead of picking and choosing for the sake of a sense of security, it was better to hold Margarita's thigh tightly and listen to her orders - utilitarian speaking, As the only recent graduate of the Sorceress Academy, he might get Margarita's wholehearted guidance.
Having said this, she immediately looked at Margarita for consultation, but the latter's performance surprised and shocked her even more.
"Follow his command." Margarita ordered seriously, "I believe he will not harm you."
Felicia Keli's eyes widened when she heard this, and she looked at Margarita and Xie Yuan curiously, then swallowed the medicine without hesitation, and then the medicine took effect quickly... Keli soon fell into a drowsy state. Just fell asleep.
Then Xie Yuan immediately went downstairs. When he came up again, he had climbed up the stairs with his hands wrapped around a white cabinet that was as tall as one person.
The other two people already know that this is the so-called stasis chamber, which can freeze people who are dying to delay the passage of life.
However, Geralt was still shocked that Xie Yuan carried so many stasis capsules with him: "How many of these things do you carry with you?"
"At least there are more than ten..." Xie Yuan opened the hatch cover with ease, picked up Felicia Curley from the waist, and then gently laid her down inside the stasis cabin and placed her hands. .
Then the hatch cover was closed and the internal energy supply reaction was activated. The two of them once again saw a sudden hoarfrost in the cabin. They could only see Felicia Curley's peaceful face through the transparent hatch window.
This is Xie Yuan's fifth stasis capsule that has been requisitioned. Fortunately, the three current ones are only for short-term use - they will be awakened or disposed of soon.
Then Margarita and Geralt also got up and walked downstairs in a tacit understanding... This was also one of Xie Yuan's habits that they learned after getting along for many days: never using space equipment or means in front of others.
Of course, this didn't take much time from Xie Yuan. Soon he followed him downstairs and waited for Margarita to finish wearing her outer camouflage cloak. As soon as Geralt came out of the outer door, Xie Yuan and Margarita Take advantage of this juncture to follow closely.
They are going to visit the "Beggar King".
According to Chapera, The Memory of Hawthorne II, Jello
With Te's additions and Margarita's checking and filling in the gaps, Xie Yuan also had a general understanding of Novigrad's underground government, the Syndicate.
The Syndicate is the master of the underworld of Novigrad and even the entire city. It is an alliance formed by gangs, religious groups, and espionage agencies in the city for the common purpose of money. It controls all lifelines of the city and exerts influence. extended to the entire north.
The Syndicate is composed of six parties, including the Dark Alley Gang led by the Beggar King, the Ghostface Gang led by Hawthorne II, the Black Gold Society led by Cleaver, the Treader Gang led by Gudrun Josdottir, and the Eternal Ones. Fire Archbishop Cyrus Helmfat and his fanatical followers, and finally Sigismund Dijkstra, the former head of the Redani newspaper organization, whose pseudonym was Sigi Luwin. As for the Beggar King, the free city of Novigrad has not been ruled by a king for nearly two hundred years. Francis Beland should have considered this before proclaiming himself the Beggar King. While mocking the red tape of the palace, he also stole Use it yourself. Beland is a pragmatic man, a trait that is very beneficial to his career - managing a group of thieves, beggars, vagrants and street orphans spread across the city.
This group of informants always allowed him to hear the latest rumors and the most valuable news, and the taxes he collected on the income of his "subjects" also gave him a huge income, allowing him to maintain his "palace" in the rotten forest. Francis hated fanaticism and discrimination equally, so warlocks who wanted to escape witch hunters often sought his protection. Naturally, this pragmatic king would charge a certain fee for the benefit.
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"The territory the Beggar King operates in Novigrad is called the Rotten Forest. It was a neighborhood filled with stinking sludge that not even the Guardsmen dared set foot on. This is naturally a dereliction of their duty, because there are many wanted criminals hiding in the dilapidated buildings of the Rotten Forest. They are all alchemists, wizards and sorceresses who need to be redeemed by fire. "
"Although the Beggar King has a lofty title, he does not use the stereotypes that show wealth and authority. He wears a simple uniform and uses a hood to cover his face. However, the iconic golden seal ring can make You can easily distinguish him from other poor people. As soon as he appears, the poor and beggars of Novigrad will be full of respect and bow their heads obediently."
"Unlike the other chiefs in this city, Francis Beran has a kind heart. But the problem is that he rarely does what he wants. Instead, he suppresses his noblest impulses and ignores the pangs of his conscience. Although Unlike the others, he may suddenly become kindhearted and help others for no reason. But this will only happen at least once every few years..."
"No one would want to pay attention to the beggars of Novigrad. Their eyes are cloudy and dim, and their bodies are covered with scars and abscesses." "But the absurd thing is that beneath their miserable appearance is a hidden secret. Strength, they are the invisible observers in the streets. Few in the city watch their words in the presence of these haggard wretches."
"But Francis Beland, who is known as the Beggar King, deeply understands that in the city of Novigrad, news is the truly precious hard currency compared to crowns."
"So in just a few years, Belan relied on the poor people in the city to establish a silent and invisible intelligence network. Nothing in Novigrad can be hidden from the eyes of the Beggar King anymore. .”
Although gambling was Hawthorne II's main source of income, he also controlled the largest casino in the city. But on the surface he has nothing to do with these things. He controls everything secretly. Of course, Cyprian also has the ambitions of his father Alphonse Willy. So, he breaks the unwritten rules among the Novigard gang and tries to kill three other gang bosses. There is a reason why Hawthorne dared to be so arrogant: his actions were all directed by King Radovid. Radovid plans to have Hawthorne start a gang war in Novigard, and the ensuing chaos will make it easier for him to capture the city. While searching the criminal base in Cyprus, Geralt discovered that "s***" was too kind a word - a guy who took pleasure in killing imprisoned women needed a more unpleasant nickname. He has always been known for his cruelty, and Dudu offended the most cruel gang boss in Novigrad. The shapeshifter saved his life and only lost one eye, which is already a great blessing among misfortunes. If Geralt kills him
Destiny is like the whore of Novigrad
Women, sometimes you can take advantage of it. Geralt spent a lot of effort to find Hawthorne, and on the way he discovered that the person he was looking for was a scumbag. Because of Hawthorne's relationship, Dandelion was imprisoned and Dudu was severely tortured. In addition to extortion, robbery, murder and torture, Hawthorne's crimes included attempting to harm Shirley. The last crime made Geralt particularly angry, so as soon as Geralt asked for the information he wanted, he killed him without blinking an eye. Geralt accomplished his goal and eliminated another scumbag from the world, so he continued to follow new clues.
If Geralt doesn't kill him
Although everyone was happy to kill Hawthorne, Geralt decided not to kill Hawthorne. After Radovid withdrew Hawthorne's protection, his old enemy was free to pursue his revenge, and Hawthorne's gangster career was destined to end. Hawthorne's fate was indeed worse than death. Abandoned by his protectors and subordinates, he lost all his property and the respect he once had, and fell to the bottom of the Novigrad gang world.
Geralt decided to accompany Ciri on this nostalgic journey, and her first target was Hawthorne II. The two finally found him in a ditch in Beez. Seeing his pitiful appearance, Shirley didn't want to take revenge at all. Hawthorne became a walking corpse, lonely, humiliated and full of anger. Compared with the previous Big Four and the great devil of Novigrad, Hawthorne II, he was completely different. Ciri decided this was the harshest punishment for him and left.
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"Since the beginning of the Hongmeng, countless scholars, philosophers and theologians have been discussing a proposition: What makes people evil. Is human nature inherently evil? Or is there something wrong with acquired discipline? Or is it black magic or poison? Chong? But for Hawthorne II, it must be the result of his father being indiscriminate and even beating him with a thick leather belt on a whim... Years of fear, pain and humiliation made the young Cyprian ·Willy is covered in bruises and bruises. Now it’s the people of Novigrad’s turn to pay for this years of nightmare.”
"Hawthorne's lackeys all wear masquerade masks and clown hats with bells, and are painted with absurd and funny smiles. Newcomers will mistake them for buskers and approach them, hoping to enjoy a performance and enjoy a while. What a joke. Many travelers who make such a huge mistake have paid huge sums of money, and some never come back.”
"Perhaps Hawthorne's most dangerous characteristic is his perverse personality. One moment he may be grinning and hugging you affectionately, and the next moment he may be holding a dagger against your ribs. And you have no idea what's going on. Is it conspiracy, hatred, or just wanting to seek wealth and death? No. Just because of his whim."
"He has greasy hair, bloodshot eyes, a large number of tattoos, and a smile that makes people's scalp numb. Dear friends, such an appearance is definitely much scarier than the monsters in the jungle and swamps. "There is no man or beast more detestable in all of Novigrad, not... not in the whole continent."
"Hawthorne II loved nothing more than to listen to the pitiful sobs of those who begged for mercy, and then to watch the fire of life extinguish from their eyes."
"Like many powerful people, his family has never lacked women. However, unlike others, these women can never leave."
