After their date was successful, Mo Yuankai and Orianna enjoyed a rare happy time. They took some time out from their busy schedule to have a tryst quietly, strolled in the streets and alleys of the capital, went to the circus, museums, and went for an outing in the park, just like all normal things. The couples are enjoying their lives equally. In the eyes of everyone, they looked extremely happy, and even the most picky old people had to admit that these two young people were born to be a match.
"I also went to meet Orianna's parents last week," Mo Yuankai said.
"The two old-school nobles should be quite old-fashioned?" Gongsun Ce said with great interest, "Why do they make things difficult for you?"
"You're actually quite satisfied with me!"
"Wow wow wow - is it any surprise that you, a talented person like you, can't even find fault with me?"
The two of them laughed and chatted for a few words, then hurriedly left the table. Mo Yuankai went back to the workshop to help catch up on urgent orders, and Gongsun Ce went to the office to help organize paperwork.
Happy time is always short-lived. Time passes day by day, and July enters the second half of the year. The days of the dragon disaster are getting closer and closer, and everyone involved in the dragon-slaying plan is very busy. Every day is like the eve of the duel, with countless emergencies.
The real power of the Dawn Knight gradually returned to her hands after the armor was repaired. After returning to her post, she quickly started to do practical work. Gongsun Ce took over part of the paperwork on his own initiative to reduce the burden (in fact, this was the job of the attendant). He was originally worried that this would be unnecessary, but in practice he found that he did a pretty good job. Orianna discussed the details of the plan at the headquarters every day, while Mo Yuankai was busy upgrading the old equipment in the capital to reduce the risk of things going wrong. Now they spend most of their time independently, and only after returning home late at night can they communicate together like they did a month ago.
"I'm sorry, Ce." The Dawn Knight passed by while sorting out the documents and said to him, "None of this should have anything to do with you."
"Yes, yes. Compared with the endless wrangling, 60-page reports and chatty meetings, running around the city looking for murders seems to be full of fun now." Gongsun Ce was speaking. Use telekinesis to control the pen and write the reply, "But who made me your follower? I can't watch you get stuck in these complicated and necessary chores... Uh... how do you say that honorific... 'My Knight'?"
Alandia took the pen in the air and corrected a few unofficial words for him: "Inappropriate use, because this expression has a top-down meaning, 'my entourage'."
"Sorry~~" Gongsun Ce said in a long tone, "Anyway, there is no need to bear any psychological burden. I volunteered. I used to know a fool who said that I had never done anything meaningful in my life. Now I can refute him with actual achievements. Every time The day is fulfilling and creating value. If you really want to repay me, can you make a date with me when you have time?"
Alandia put down the pen and tapped his forehead: "A gentleman will not seek rewards for his work in his private life."
"Ah, indeed." Gongsun Ce sighed, "Well, I will always find a chance...I'm going to the third floor. See you in the evening."
"See you tonight."
The two chatted briefly and then said goodbye. During this period, Gongsun Ce always tried his best to propose date invitations, but each time he was rejected by the other party for different reasons. Sometimes he wonders if Alandia is telling him not to think too much in this way. He knows that if he really asks, the sincere knight will definitely tell him the truth...
But Gongsun Ce didn't really want to face the truth. The truth was probably that the Dawn Knight didn't have that kind of feelings for him, and he still wanted to keep some hope in his heart. He knew that the best way was to find an opportunity to confess his love first, no matter what happened, but the current environment was like this, and there was not much time for everyone to grow up. It would be best to wait until the dragon disaster is over. Now everyone needs to devote themselves to work.
He walked to the office on the third floor with the document bag and knocked on the door twice. Today's on-duty personnel are the head of the group, Gaffrey, and Airandia (who is replaced by Gongsun Ce). "Please come in!" There were piles of documents on the desk. The old team leader was thinking about a report while Gaffrey spoke to two crystal ball-like telepathic weapons at the same time. "Of course, of course, we will consider the public opinion in this regard... It will definitely not violate the laws of the kingdom... The solemn objection of the Academy's Boundary Research Society?" Gaffrey winked crazily, and Gongsun Ce quickly pulled out a piece of the document. Passed it over. "Ah! The Knights will definitely consider your opinion seriously... By the way, I just received a document signed by the president of the society, and he expressed his firm support for it... Yes, yes, communication issues... I Understood...thank you very much!"
Gaffrey extinguished the two crystal balls and wiped the sweat from his face with a handkerchief: "Holy King! It was so timely. Mr. Gongsun, how did you make that greedy old man let go?"
"I said, considering the current tense situation in the capital and the suspicion of leaks that have not completely dissipated, Knight Airandia is planning to restart a comprehensive investigation of the impermanent law in the capital. This of course has nothing to do with your institute and today's official duties. "Relationship, I am just disclosing some internal information to you for the sake of Your Excellency Luo Ningles, please treat me as if I didn't say anything..." Gongsun Ce sat down on the chair, "Then the elder Mr. Council said that he was completely It’s amazing to cooperate.”
Gaffrey said approvingly: "It seems that the glorious and upright chivalry has infected his stubborn mind full of stereotypes."
"I think so." Gongsun Ce poured himself a glass of water, "But his doubts are still reasonable. The plan of reversing the barrier sounds a bit impulsive, even though it was initiated by Her Majesty the Queen..."
"Not only because of Your Majesty, we don't have any better options." Gaffrey said worriedly, "You think, we must isolate the royal capital from the outside world as much as possible to prevent the aftermath of the battle from endangering other cities; we must take precautions Foreign enemies, prevent outsiders with bad intentions from entering the Royal Capital that day; the most important thing is that we must protect the 20 million residents of the Royal Capital. Twenty million, Mr. Gongsun!"
Gongsun Ce sighed: "Yes, I know. Not to mention transportation, food and housing, the fact that Superbia has become an empty city will cause a devastating blow to the economy and politics of the kingdom. There is no way to let all the people Evacuate and protect yourself on the spot. I'm just... a little worried."
After the reversal, the inside and outside of the barrier will be temporarily replaced. The royal capital where ordinary people live sneaks into the inside, and the ghostly shadows and fog come to the outside, becoming the place for a decisive battle with the Glazed Dragon. The weapons created by everyone will be activated outside the royal capital to further strengthen the boundary itself and prevent interference from outside the royal capital. If everything goes well, the residents will survive the battle safely and will not return to the royal city until the barrier reverses for the second time. By then it will all be over and everyone will just have a strange dream in the fog.
This plan makes use of the underlying mechanism of Shadow Twist. It may seem bold but it has been planned for a long time. Even the cautious Roninlus expressed that it is feasible after careful consideration. But Gongsun Ce was still a little worried, and he didn't know what he was worried about. Maybe it's the invisible creation that has disappeared, or maybe it's the dragon whose combat power is unknown.
While thinking, both of them looked at the old group leader. McCollough was still holding the document with a solemn expression.
"Captain?" Gongsun Ce asked in a low voice. The old group leader didn't reply. He shouted again in a louder voice, and the old leader looked up as if he had just woken up from a dream. "Oh! Sorry, I was distracted." McCollough shook his head, "There is something wrong with this clock tower guarding plan! The area near the St. Morton Bell Tower in the palace is too empty. Gaffrey, we have to rearrange it... What's wrong? ,Gentlemen?"
Both of them looked at him speechlessly, looking a little sad. Gaffrey coughed: "Captain, this is the meeting this morning."
"You said this morning that you would go and guard." Gongsun Ce added.
The old team leader took off his reading glasses, rubbed his temples, and smiled sheepishly: "Sorry. You know, that's what happens when people get older... don't tell other people, okay?"
"Of course, Captain." Gongsun Ce felt his nose was a little sore, "There is nothing to do for the time being. I suggest you take a rest."
"Great. I think I need a nap... just half an hour."
McCollough yawned and left. There was silence in the office for a while, then Gongsun Ce said, "Is it the soul-burning holy fire?"
"The power of the Impermanence Technique is unparalleled, but it will damage his own soul, his existence, and his heart." Gaffrey said, "The Holy Fire Armor can protect him from being burned by himself in the battle, but after all, human beings are not eternal. Moving machinery... there will always be wear and tear... there will be damage."
Gongsun Ce sighed dullly. The deputy leader smiled helplessly, with a few wrinkles appearing on his well-maintained face due to the smile, and there were a few strands of white in the black hair.
"Never mind, kid. Like everything in this world, you get old."
·
"Occasionally I think of my youth, when my policies were much bolder than now, and I was not afraid of failure or challenge." Queen Anne said, "But now I am old, just like my kingdom. This The island country cannot withstand more storms, so please take back your friendly hands. Just waiting and watching is the best help to the kingdom."
This is the center of the royal capital Superbia, the palace of the king who rules the kingdom. Queen Anne was wearing a gorgeous dress and sitting on a white-gold throne. Two crystal-like square mirrors floated in front of her, reflecting the faces of the leaders of the two major countries. The Emperor of Yongguang, Chi Chongxiao, wore a black crown and had a deep gaze; the President of the United States, Klein Ayman, wore a suit and shook his neck made of alloy.
"As you wish, Her Majesty the Queen." The president's voice was magnetic, with the appeal of a speaker, "The creation envoys in Usters will be restrained. Our country sincerely hopes that your country can succeed this time. Success in the dragon-slaying operation."
"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to your country for your understanding."
After a few formulaic political exchanges, the President of the United States retreated first. The queen relaxed a little, and her words were filled with sarcasm: "When will Gaius replace this puppet and sit in front of us?"
The emperor said: "Klain is both a talented person. He is flexible and flexible, and has a careful mind. They help each other rather than being masters and slaves."
"You always see clearly."
"Not as wise as the Queen back then."
Anne looked at him for a moment and closed her eyes.
"Did you stay here specifically to laugh at me, Chi Chongxiao? To laugh at me for being indecisive and losing the spirit of my youth?"
"You are worrying too much." The emperor's voice was loud and powerful, in sharp contrast to the queen's old voice. "Although it is an old saying, I still want to remind you. Situ Yi has ulterior motives and many tricks. , He is good at following the general trend for his own purposes. Even though he is dead, he is afraid of being deceived and has to guard against it."
"Thank you for your reminder. The royal capital has already strengthened its defenses in all aspects." The Queen nodded.
The queen didn't say much more to the foreign monarch. She exchanged a few pleasantries and then broke off contact with him on the pretext of being busy with official duties. In this way, the last communication with various countries before the war ended, and the policy of sealing the royal capital was implemented, a conservative but stable arrangement. She rested for a while, called the female officials in the palace, and asked where her children were. Then she left the throne and walked to the garden of the palace.
It snowed again yesterday, and the garden was covered in snow. There is a small pavilion with a blue roof in the vast whiteness, and Jackson is waiting in the pavilion. When he saw his mother coming, he walked out quickly, helped the queen into the pavilion, poured her a cup of black tea, and then signaled the guards on her left and right to leave.
Queen Anne sat down in the pavilion: "It's rare to see you spending time in these places."
"I just finished a meeting at the military headquarters and came here to consult you about the meeting." Jackson replied meticulously, "How is the situation, Your Majesty?"
"As we expected, everything went smoothly. The emperor probably wanted to invite Tianji over, but I didn't give him a chance to speak." The queen took a sip of tea, "That man is Situ Yi's best friend after all."
"Your judgment is rational. We cannot place the safety of the country on trusting strangers." Jackson said.
The Queen added some milk to the tea: "You still have something to say."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Jackson said seriously, "I have heard recent rumors and I am worried about the Seventh Knight..."
The second prince stopped right after he started talking. The queen laughed when he heard the words, making him stop in embarrassment.
"Oh, my son." the old lady said peacefully, "Are you worried that love will damage the purity of knight Orianna, so that she can't use the holy sword?"
"……Yes."
Queen Anne put down her tea cup and said with the attitude of an old man, not a king: "Remember, my child. Love is not a panacea, nor is it a monstrous beast. Like most things in this world, it enhances life in the right amount. , only excess will bring harm.
If two outstanding young people come together, what you have to do is not worry, but blessing. You need to have more confidence in the character of the Seventh Knight - even if she becomes a man's wife or the mother of a child, the good qualities rooted in her heart will not be weakened by the beauty in life, but will only become stronger because of it. . "
Jackson thought for a while and said frankly: "Maybe you are right, I admit that I don't understand women."
"Because you don't crave affection, child. Your desire is always for power, just like I did when I was young." The Queen shook her head, "But this will become your weakness, because you don't know when affection will visit. If it comes too soon and too late, so late that you miss the best time to enjoy it, you may be possessed by it... and you will love too much."
"Like you and your father?"
"Yes..." the queen stared at the silver in the garden, "I was 37 years old when I met Aurelian. I was still in my prime for a king, but I had exhausted my youth for a woman. I never thought that I would be in politics. I put real affection into the marriage, and I never thought that he would cause me such trauma when he left.
My energy was exhausted that day, and it was difficult for me to make progress in the method of impermanence. Because there is no way for me to completely get rid of my identity as a woman and just be a king who works hard to succeed. I can't help but miss him and miss him..."
The old man was still looking at the snow-fallen garden and the silver-white path. Jackson thought to herself that she was actually looking at the memory in her mind, looking at herself walking in it with her father when she was young.
"Don't think about it, mother."
"Thoughts are uncontrollable." The Queen said in an ethereal tone, "I often dream about him these nights, and I dream about Aurelian talking to me. I could have controlled my dreams a long time ago, but I don't want to... Even if it is false, I still want to To stay in the past..."
Jackson comforted his mother with a few words and helped her back to the palace to rest. He walked out of the palace and saw Charlie and Gray with depressed expressions.
"How is mother?" Charlie asked.
"Not good." Jackson shook his head, "She dreamed about her father again."
"Damn it, she's been saying things like this since the day of the duel!" Charlie said anxiously, "She's under too much pressure, and the Realm Envoy is a human being too! She needs a psychiatrist..."
"Who can provide psychological counseling for the Creation Mage?" Gray said listlessly, "Go and ask the Chief Mage?"
"It's no wonder that that lonely old thing can come in handy!" Charlie said angrily. He cursed a few words to vent his anger and walked away alone. Gray looked at her eldest brother's back and said in a complicated tone: "He really loves his mother..."
"My mother loved him the most," Jackson said. "She at least gave me her love."
"You look so much like her when she was young, Jackson!" Gray pushed up her glasses from the side and spoke in an old-fashioned way. "You talk and act in the same style as when she first ascended the throne. Of course my mother will... you know... …Like repels like.”
Speaking of this, Gray said in frustration: "Then why am I isolated? I don't even have my own territory."
"Mother wants you to live a more ordinary life." Jackson patted his sister on the head, "Without responsibilities, there is less burden. You can do what you like, engage in a job you love, and meet your own love as soon as possible. "
"You speak as if you understand love." Gray protested dissatisfied.
"I really don't understand," Jackson said.
Jackson's men came over, and he quickly returned to work and was escorted away by everyone. His back was reflected in Gray's eyes. Although he was surrounded by people, he looked lonely.
·
The tense and solemn atmosphere gradually spread from the upper level to the lower level. The invisible but real pressure made everyone who knew about it feel heavier and heavier.
Many people must stay in this city, and many people hope that their relatives and friends can temporarily leave the capital to avoid disaster. So even though the intelligence was tightly sealed, the news still leaked quietly, causing the prices of train tickets and air tickets to rise.
"Help, I really don't know how to investigate thoroughly." Sarah complained in her spare time at work, "Everyone is leaking secrets, who can be held accountable?"
“You could launch a leak investigation,” Raquel suggested, “and then let it go.”
"It's meaningless," Yulia said. "It's impossible to prevent."
Sarah picked up a Shiba Inu and combed the pet's hair.
"After all, we are not cold-blooded machines. It is never wrong to want your parents to leave and your lover to leave..." She showed a rare melancholy expression, "I want to give these dogs away I’m going back to my hometown. But I’m a knight, and I can’t exercise my privileges at this time, can I?”
Yulia nodded silently, scanning the news in the newspaper, feeling her mood getting worse. The impact of the day of the duel also gradually emerged during this period, and the voice of distrust of the officialdom became increasingly louder. All major media have cooperated with the official intelligence control to the greatest extent, but they always have to report on what is happening in reality... rising prices, opposition to new security regulations, strikes and demonstrations...
For real social problems, even experts have no better solutions.
·
In the increasingly solemn air, a very small number of people can still live happily. They have their own set of standards, so they can live comfortably every moment.
"The Wangdu Bridge is going to fall, it's going to fall, it's going to fall~?"
"The Royal Capital Bridge is going to collapse, my beautiful lady~?"
Late at night, in the East District, a green-haired girl hummed a children's song and walked alone on the road at night. Under the dim light, a vague shadow appeared. A middle-aged man in shabby clothes staggered over, holding an empty wine bottle in his hand. The drunkard's eyes lit up when he saw her, he came forward with a lewd smile and grabbed her shoulders arrogantly.
"Hey, ma'am." He smelled of alcohol as he spoke, "It's not appropriate for a beautiful woman to walk alone at night..."
The drunkard's rough palms grabbed her Bai Zhe's neck, causing the woman to chuckle.
"Wow, it really seems like that! He would say that after drinking too much. Then he would touch me all over and take off my clothes..."
The drunkard gasped teasingly, and stretched his hand into the woman's collar. "Sweetheart. Did he fuck you? How many times?"
"guess?"
"Very few, right? But there are always some... Just knock that woman over. Tell me, ten times? Twenty times?"
"Wrong~~" Krikki said softly, "Actually, not once."
The drunkard suddenly felt light on his body, as if some heavy luggage had been put down. The nerves numbed by alcohol were slowly being felt, and his right hand seemed to be less flexible. He tried shaking his wrist. The right arm fell off. It was neatly chopped into three pieces from hand to forearm, and the slices were neatly cut like frozen meat in the supermarket.
"Hey?" The drunkard who didn't react was still giggling, "Hey? What?"
"I'm lying to you. In fact, my family is harmonious and happy. My father is a commoner and my mother is a declining noble. I don't have much assets but I live a happy life! But one day, what should I say, I am not in a good mood? No, I am in a very good mood. Okay? Just kill them by accident."
The green-haired woman held a folding knife in her hand. Ivory hilt, a toy for noble gentlemen. It should be very valuable if sold. He held out his left hand, but it dropped as well. The body fell backward. From the corner of his eye, he saw his legs spread apart. The blood flew up like red light, which was breathtakingly beautiful.
"Ah...ah..."
Nothing could be said. Whether these words are the truth or lies. have no idea. have no idea. This man is so scary. Shouldn't have met her. But it's too late. late……
"It's all a joke. Uncle, you are so old, why do you still take a woman's words seriously? Look, stupid people will be killed!"
Criqui smiled happily, completely ravaging and disintegrating the human body, then put away the folding knife and hid in the night.
At 10:49 pm on July 21, the first murder occurred. For the next ten days, the foggy killer stalked the East End at night, rooting fear in people's hearts.
