"conscription?"
"That's right."
In the elegantly decorated living room, Pamir was having a final conversation with Duan Qing: "The principality's soldiers are seriously insufficient, and the principality's soldiers... are indeed difficult to match the empire in terms of strength."
"Can't soldiers from various regions be used?" Duan Qing, inexplicably thinking of Kidd's group, said hesitantly: "Their combat power should be okay..."
"Each place in the principality has its own standing troops." Pamir thought he was referring to the city guards of Fenghua Town: "But... in a sense, they are all local private soldiers."
"And many nobles in the principality have protected their treasures to an outrageous degree."
"Hey, this is imaginable." Duan Qing touched his nose and said: "Every game with a fantasy background... Oh no, I mean... Others are almost hit on the head, can they still hold it back? ?”
"As long as it doesn't hit them on the head."
The speaker's tone was full of helplessness, a sense of powerlessness that all attempts were ineffective: "In the beginning, the aristocratic faction insisted on keeping out the 'dregs' of the empire in order to maintain the integrity of the principality. Dignity, but when Koska County and Ferron County fell one after another, they were divided. Many of them began to seek a peaceful path, hoping that through hard work, this war could be stopped."
"For the sake of peace in the free world, both sides should put aside their dignity and differences... Huh, what a joke, they are just worried about their own interests. If the principality cannot hold up, then the empire's iron hoof will eventually step on it. On their heads."
"If they had already had this awareness..."
"People from the civilian faction have always had this awareness, but unfortunately... it's too late." Pamir said regretfully: "In fact... since the battle of Fars Fortress, the road to peace has It’s basically blocked.”
"Because of the dignity of the empire?"
"Because of the dignity of the empire."
Pamir nodded: "They haven't taken action yet, probably because of the attitude of the Council of Magistrates, and they don't want that incident to happen again. However, the new army has pressed to the front of the fortress not long ago, and they... An attack could be launched at any time."
In the increasingly dim living room, Duan Qing became a little silent. The speaker looked at his face, then walked around the table and walked to his side: "So, I need a force, an external force from other places. To be able to break that.”
"Are you referring to... us adventurers?"
"Any force will do, but...if things go well, I will jointly issue a statement with Ferriston, calling on adventurers to go to Fars Fortress." Pamir patted Duan Qing on the shoulder: "The reward will be generous, and I hope it will include Adventurers including you will participate.”
"I seemed to have heard similar news from Connelly..."
"Of course they know - this decision is undoubtedly beneficial to the people of the civilian faction." The speaker nodded slightly: "And this... is probably the reason why Tasker and the others held a banquet today."
"Of course they won't let things develop like this." Pamir blinked.
"So...this is what we encountered today?" Duan Qing frowned: "Is this what you call a big move?"
"Now that the war is approaching, I must also make a choice." Pamir said: "As you said before, I am the speaker of the Principality Parliament, and this is my responsibility."
"What choice will you make, adventurer of the principality?"
"As far as I know, adventurers have no nationality." Duan Qing shook his head in vain: "But forget it."
"Answer me one more question and I'll think about it."
Looking at the Speaker who was about to leave with his men and turned around after hearing the sound, Duan Qing asked in a low voice: "This war..."
"What was the cause of the outbreak?"
"This..."
The speaker raised his head and looked at the ceiling, but Duan Qing knew that it was his habitual action when recalling: "You shouldn't ask me this question."
"Maybe it would be better to ask our respected Council of Mages..."
*********************
In the following period, the life of the Fool Adventure Group became peaceful.
Tasker, the noble faction, did not cause any more trouble for them, and the players who had watched the events that day did not come over to ask questions. Everything around the adventure group seemed to be as normal as it should be, and this was the most normal time for Duan Qing since he entered the game.
The so-called normality is actually just like the time in Fenghua Town, the days of constantly completing tasks.
Tania's Adventurers Association, both in terms of environment and scale, is completely different from the two-story building in Fenghua Town, so the commissions that can be received here are naturally much higher. At least in the eyes of players, these things can be called tasks, and they are more sensible to do than other places - except for a few high-ranking congressmen and other people, ordinary residents are still very interested in the adventurer industry. Dear, the rewards given are also more generous than other places. However, in the eyes of players, in addition to feeling more humanistic care, the rest is probably a concept like this——
"High-level maps are great!"
Looking at his slowly growing experience, Duan Qing put down the baggage in his hands, and then handed it to the aunt in front of him: "This is what you ordered."
"Ah, the wait is finally here! Thank you."
"You're welcome, just remember to entrust us with the Fool's Adventure Group next time."
There are still only three of them in the adventure group. In addition to Mengzhu not being able to recruit the players he expected, the main reason is that they are busy running for their own survival. Although the adventure group with a small number of people is basically in a state of "one person is full, the whole family is not hungry", but according to the little girl's insistence, they still honestly pressed the panel in the Adventurer Association hall, a Task after task was accomplished.
"This is the primitive accumulation of capital, do you understand?" When Mengzhu announced this sentence in a serious manner, Duan Qing and Xiao Hongchen slapped their foreheads left and right with helpless expressions on their faces: "Isn't it just that I want to To make money..."
"What, do you have any objections?"
"No, no, absolutely not... let's go! Today is another busy day, hahaha..."
Collecting items, transporting supplies, crafting materials, and receiving requests from others—although every request from the Tania Adventurers Association seems ordinary, it actually has a certain degree of difficulty. Take the first collection task Duan Qing received as an example. The task issued by the client was actually the horns of yak in Daken Mountain. At that time, Duan Qing had to travel for half a day to reach the foot of the Daken Mountain in the northeast of Tania, not to mention fighting several monsters that were not at all the size of ordinary bison. Hours of sadness. The shop owner who finally made the commission almost made him vomit blood when he picked out one or two pairs of horns that he was satisfied with from the dozens of pairs of horns that Duan Qing had cut back.
"Next time you go, remember to bring my knife. Look, the places you cut are broken..."
"Yes, yes, okay, okay..."
Similar things happened almost every time, and among them, Xiao Hongchen left the most tails. The little girl had to deal with him every day, and she really experienced what it was like to be in charge. In the end, the Fool Adventure Group had to hold a three-person meeting to make a comprehensive plan for future adventure missions.
"Those commissioned production tasks, when you accept them, please calculate the cost, okay? What will you do next for the things we can't make? Why don't you have to go to the handicraft street and put all the remuneration into the cost? Go...where are you looking, Xiao Hongchen! I'm talking about you!"
"Okay, okay, I'll just take the guard job from now on, okay?"
"Yesterday's routine magic test work was snatched away by people from the Black Cloud Alliance again."
"Well, it's a studio and it's the home field, so forget it if you can't grab it. It's just a pity that those gems can be used for inlays..."
"Why did I hear that those materials are the leftover scraps used by the Mages Council..."
"They must have put it out on purpose! So that the rest of us would stop staring at what's in their mouths... Hey, uncle, next time you have a chance to meet Sister Christine, can you ask her for two gems? I'll take them They can just stay angry..."
"Do you think that thing is just a cabbage? You can get it at any time? Also, don't let the relationship that you have finally built up be ruined..."
"Well, forget it, I'm afraid they'll come over and grab it if they get red-eyed... I'll look at the next item, the next item... Ah, by the way, that cafe on Ya'er Street wants to talk to us Business! They said they hope we can be responsible for the collection of raw materials..."
Since the Speaker spent the afternoon there, the business at Blue Island Coffee Shop has become much busier than before, and among the customers, there are many NPCs, including nobles and dignitaries. This made Mengzhu sigh that the other party had encountered a good opportunity, and it also allowed her to see the dawn of making money from NPCs. However, if she asked about the conversation between Duan Qing and the Speaker that day, Duan Qing would always explain it lightly: "Children should not inquire about the war."
"Hey! Who is the leader? No, who is the child..."
"Oh, you'll know sooner or later. Ferriston should also announce the news..."
It is difficult to see Feriston's figure since that day. According to informed players, the president of the association seems to be busy with something. However, Duan Qing still met the top person in charge of the Adventurers Association during a commission one day. It was a procurement task entrusted in the name of the Adventurers Association. When Duan Qing went to hand it over, he saw him in his office - a tall and thin man with his hands full of piles of documents. Even when calculating and thinking, he still maintains an aristocratic demeanor.
"Go to the counter in front to collect the reward." The man looked at Duan Qing's report, nodded and said without raising his head: "The association's resources are tight recently, so the reward may be a little small, please don't mind."
"Master President."
Duan Qing bowed slowly, and then asked softly: "I have a question, I wonder if you can answer it."
"oh?"
Feriston raised his head and glanced at the other person, then continued his work: "If it's about the principality's strategy, you'd better ask Pamir directly."
"That day... the adventurer you brought, I remember called Hongshan Lao Dao..." Duan Qing asked in a low voice: "Do you know him?"
Feriston raised his head again, but this time, his eyes stayed on Duan Qing for a longer time: "What? Not satisfied?"
"..."
Faced with such an answer, Duan Qing didn't know what to say for a while. However, he collected his thoughts for a moment and asked again: "That person came to you then...why?"
Feriston's eyes showed more doubts. The next moment, he leaned back and thought about it carefully: "That Hongshan Taoist... wanted me to introduce him at that time."
"He said he wanted to join your adventure group."
Looking at Duan Qing's face, Felicton asked: "Are there any other questions?"
"No, not anymore."
Duan Qing exited the neat and elegant room, then stood at the door of the hall and exhaled a long breath: "Sure enough..."
His thoughts stopped.
His originally wandering gaze was slowly drawn to the side of the street. A player in golden armor was standing there, looking at this side with piercing eyes: "You are... that Mo Shang Qing Shan, right?"
"Who are you……"
"I am Grayson, the guild leader of the Sword of Justice."
The man in gold armor walked forward without realizing it, and then stretched out his hand: "Is this the first time we have met? Nice to meet you."
"It really looks like a paladin." Duan Qing shook his head and smiled: "It's a pity that there is no such profession in this game."
He also stretched out his hand: "Are you the current president of the Sword of Justice?"
"The rumors that you are a professional player are indeed correct." Gregson still looked at Duan Qing and shook his right hand up and down twice: "It's a pity that I didn't go to Jianghu earlier to ask about the situation..."
"Did you go to Jianghu? Duan Fenglei's place?" Duan Qing squinted his eyes and said with a smile, "I can guarantee that he didn't tell you the truth."
"Really? Maybe." Gregson hesitated for a moment, and then said with a meaningless look: "I have always been so easy to trust others, and there is nothing I can do about it."
"Haha, that is very similar to your guild's philosophy."
"Would you like to talk somewhere else?"
"No need, my time is limited, I will need help from the southern suburbs to clear out monsters later..." Looking at the other party's disbelieving eyes, Duan Qing coughed: "Um...our guild also needs to eat. .”
"Ha ha ha ha!"
The man, who was half a head taller than Duan Qing, laughed and patted Duan Qing on the shoulder: "It's a bit miserable, boy, how sad it would be if that guy from Banli heard this..."
"Who is Chestnut again?"
"Oh, having said that, I almost forgot." Gregson withdrew his big hand, and then looked at Duan Qing with the same eyes as before.
"Banli asked me to ask you a question - what are the so-called sword eight, sword thirteen and sword twenty-seven moves?"
