"Queen Maggie has been missing again lately."
"Run away? Or hid somewhere we don't know?"
"It's not as bad as you think. Maybe...she has returned to the ground."
"How is it possible? That woman's status is not as high as ours..."
"Boss, the city guard has made new moves."
In a corner of a certain passage in Tania's underground black market, a report from a big man in black gradually sounded along with his hurried pace, interrupting the conversation between the two people in the dark: "They all gathered near the furnace."
"Is someone trying to sneak in again?"
In the messy storage box, an old man's voice rang out: "Now that the city is in such chaos, there are still people who want to fish in troubled waters?"
"...Maybe they just have nothing to do."
Hank, who was still wearing a straight bartender uniform, answered the hunchbacked old man's question calmly, and then lowered his head: "There have been too many adventurers pouring in in the past two days, and they are no longer able to stop them."
"Coming in? Ha."
The old man made a disdainful sound from his nose: "Why do I see adventurers who keep running out and throwing themselves into the arms of death? The number of adventurers who have died trying to stop the Imperials has almost become an astronomical number, right? Even if these people want to do something else, these city guards don’t have the guts to tell them what to do, do they?”
"They are the ones who are protecting this city." The hunchbacked old man's voice became a little harsher when he said this: "They even protected the lives of these useless people, those city guards... and What’s the reason for doing three things and four things?”
"...At least the world above ground has become a lot more relaxed."
Wiping his hands with the handkerchief he took out from nowhere, Hank began to move. Finally, under the same gaze of several big men in black, he stopped thinking: "No matter what, we It is still the official branch of the Warrior House in this place. At this critical time... we cannot leave those adventurers homeless."
"Now that the city guards have relaxed, don't blame us for confronting them." He said in a deep voice: "Go up and reopen the Valia Tavern. If any warriors among the adventurers come to report... they will all be given. They were the biggest help.”
"But, but if the city guards come to cause trouble..."
"Blast them out."
The dark passage was as dim as ever, hiding the murderous eyes of the bartender president: "At this point..."
"Any official force in this city no longer deserves our respect."
The same phenomenon also occurred in other corners of the city. Other organizations that saw the sacrifices of adventurers in their eyes also began to put their own strength on the table, overtly and covertly supporting the group of players who were fighting with all their strength. From craftsmen's guilds to horse-drawn carriage shops, from major shops to treatment clinics...this situation gradually spreads under the influence of each other, and then starts to look at the adventurers who have poured into this city through life and death in a different light in the past two days, and gradually begins to Lend yourself a helping hand. Until a few members of the Mages Council began to appear at the top of the city, and the shadows belonging to the Shadow Society began to flash near the city gate again and again. The panic in the days of war had become much less intense at this time. Only then did the Tania natives finally realize the opportunity to change their destiny. They walked out of their homes, where they had been cowering at home, and appeared on the edge of the streets and alleys. Some even appeared in the directions of various city gates and tents of field hospitals. While showing their enthusiasm for adventurers, they also took out their own food and weapons to support these players who were running back and forth.
Although many players here are not aware of the changes brought about by their efforts in the past few days.
"The people from Wings of Freedom are on the line! They are coming from the south city gate!"
"What are you afraid of? There are people from Jianghu over there, let them talk to Freefly... Xiaoqi! What are you doing?"
"I just got a bunch of stuff stuffed in by an aunt on the street, and I haven't finished sorting it yet... Do you want some fresh bread?"
"I need your head! There are shouts of killing in the east. Go and see if any Imperial people have come over at night. If any problem arises, come back and shout loudly..."
"Ah? Why is it me again? I've already died twice today, okay? The quartermaster said he was keeping accounts for us, but in the end he didn't give out any rewards for a few days. He's not as good as the old lady on the roadside... Hey Hey, hey, I'll go, let's put down Wuwu and talk properly, okay?"
"If I tell you to go, just go quickly. There are so many people staring at us... By the way, give me some bread."
"Don't you want it...here, here it is, do you want a bottle of water?"
Along with these quietly changing atmosphere, there is also the increasing fighting enthusiasm among the adventurers, because after fighting in the game for several days, they seem to have discovered that the legendary omnipotent empire is not so invincible. overcome. The fighting morale of small player groups and idle players has gradually increased over the past few days of fighting. Medium-sized guilds with hundreds of members have also begun to organize decent actions. Even people who have just returned to the game after watching the game They seemed to be infected by this atmosphere, and they all devoted themselves to night raids and defense of the city gate. In their eyes, the originally dangerous night with flames blazing into the sky became less scary, because it meant that there were still compatriots fighting bloody battles with the empire outside the city, and the aborigines who kept wandering around in the city also gave them more support. Motivation, because they have replaced the city guards who monitor the player's movements with civilians who are enthusiastic to help, and this motivation reached its peak when the Warrior's House reopened and several NPC mages on the city appeared, because that The two neutral organizations, which have always been aloof from the secular world, also began to watch their every move and every process of this war.
But the ruthless reality is always different from what they imagined, because the people observing this war know much more than they know.
"There is still little progress in parliament tonight."
In the shadow of a corner of the city, a man's figure slowly appeared there. He took off his hat and slightly looked out into the distance outside the city: "Whether it is the aristocratic faction, Both the civilian faction and the civilian faction... seem to have begun to cower."
"...Is Horsman still like that?"
"It should be, his performance is still different as always."
The top hat turned twice in Kima's hand, and then moved to the other arm holding his cane: "If he really solves the people sent by the Speaker, then the decision to accept the conditions and surrender... is probably It will become an unchangeable reality.”
"Although I suspect that the people on the Restoration side are also watching them, they can still sit still after so many people died..."
Wiesel in the shadow also looked at the fire outside the city and the sound of the fighting that never stopped, his frown never dissipated: "He is indeed an old guy who has lived for such a long time, both in terms of the depth of the city and the kindness of his heart. The hardness... we can’t even compare with it.”
"...Do I need to ask President Van Gaal for instructions?"
"unnecessary."
The night wind blew through the two places, but it did not lower the temperature here at all. The man sitting in the shadow slowly stood up, and his eyes that were originally looking towards the south gradually lowered: "Since I Now that I am the person in charge of the Tania branch, I naturally have the final say here. I believe that he who transferred me here... must also think so."
"Time is running out. Even if we send the news... it will probably be too late." Kima also echoed: "Unless the Free City delegation coming to Tania... there are people from our Shadow Society. .”
"..."
"So……"
Realizing that the other party had no intention of continuing the conversation, the top hat returned to Kima's head. He shook his cane, turned and walked towards the other side of the arc-shaped city wall: "We don't need any more action. ?Same as those in the Mages Council?”
"We are not a big shot responsible for maintaining world stability, so we certainly don't need to do more."
Wiesel's voice sounded behind him, and at the same time, the deep look in his eyes shifted: "What's more..."
"There is still a meeting over there that has not been completed."
Kima, who was leaving, followed the sound and looked at a corner below the city wall. A brightly lit cottage was standing behind the battlefield where shouts of killing were constantly erupting. At the same time, it was surrounded by a group of players wearing various costumes and with different logos. They were surrounded. As if he understood what the other party was referring to, he pressed the brim of his hat and disappeared in the night wind of the city wall in an instant. Then after a few breaths, he sneaked into the cottage and unexpectedly found a familiar person. Figure: "...So you made such a big circle and finally found my head?"
"Stop beating around the bush and get real!" A mage-like person in the corner immediately shouted, "Are you colluding with the empire?"
"We don't doubt you, Mo Shang Qingshan, but now that there are these rumors outside, we also hope to get some...explanations from you." A person sitting in the other corner of the wooden table saw Duan Qing sinking again. Silence began to ease the atmosphere at the scene: "After all, the battle has reached this point, and we don't want any surprises to interfere with the rest of the battle, even if it is a rumor that shakes the morale of the military..."
"I have already said that I am one of the initiators of this wanted order. With the character of the old Scarface sitting over there, he should not deny this, right?"
"So what? Maybe this is a play you directed and acted!"
Before Duan Fenglei could say anything, the mage player in the corner jumped up again: "Have we seen enough of the drama of a thief shouting to catch a thief? Do you think this alone... can cover up your relationship with Wings of Freedom? Shared facts?”
"...I communicate with Wings of Freedom? Do people think highly of a little-known person like me?"
"Stop pretending! We know you are..."
The hot atmosphere froze for a moment as the words paused. Chenyu Canyue, who had been pointing at Duan Qing's nose, still did not say these words: "... So what if you are a unknown person? ? Will the Wings of Freedom miss this great opportunity to have a traitor? In order to seize this opportunity, they even sent high-level officials like Xue Ling Huan Bing to meet with you..."
"This...Brother Qingshan, we didn't find you here randomly."
After another period of silence, a certain swordsman player who had been standing behind and wearing a cloth robe came up behind Duan Qing and patted him gently on the shoulder: "But since someone saw you and Xue Ling Huan Bing meeting, then this suspicion will have to be hung on your head. I invite you to this place, and I also hope that there will be no disagreements among our existing guild alliances. We have negotiated this matter, and everyone has resolved the misunderstanding. , wouldn’t it be better if we live in peace in the future?”
"Now that we've said it, can you tell us what you mean?"
"Make a promise to everyone, and then leave this place. It can be Eta County or Xifeng County, or Anderson Independent State. As long as it is not in the west, you can choose the location." Lou Tingyu looked into the distance while holding the hilt of his sword. Duan Fenglei, who was still closing his eyes and concentrating, carefully said the answer that he had discussed before: "In short... stay away from this battlefield, stay away from the empire, you can make whatever conditions you want, you and your companions can wait for this When this war is over, we will personally invite you back."
"How about just to avoid suspicion...?"
"..."
The sound of heavy breathing gradually occupied the corner of the hall, and the wordless silence gradually spread. The presidents of several guilds sitting around moved unnaturally, and their eyes gradually focused on the person sitting sideways. On the corner of the table, Duan Qing looked disdainful. With his eyes focused on him, he closed his eyes and meditated, and seemed to be considering the feasibility of this suggestion. However, the disguised balance was broken the next moment, because the mage standing behind Grayson shouted again. Stand up: "Don't toast and be punished by drinking wine! The big guys present have already lost their face..."
boom!
"You're very noisy."
The huge vibration made everyone inside and outside the village tremble for a moment, and then looking at the large hole that suddenly appeared behind the room where the meeting was held, they all had expressions of vigilance and shock, and for a moment they gave way to Kima in that direction. Showing a strange smile, Shi Shiran sat down in a different shade, and then looked at the motionless players in the conference hall through the hole that had been split by the previous sword energy—— Gregson, who was sitting in that direction, looked at Duan Qing in confusion, and after a moment he turned to Duan Fenglei's head, who still remained motionless, as if he was deaf to what had happened before. Lou Tingyu, who was standing behind Duan Qing, was so frightened that he took a step back. The hand that let go of his shoulder subconsciously grabbed the hilt of his sword. After a moment, he let go again with a look on his face as he was sweating. , his eyes full of doubts fell on Duan Qing's sitting posture that seemed to have not changed. He seemed a little unable to confirm the previous sword energy that everyone saw and the same low voice as he said to himself, really It was sent by the person who was close at hand before.
Chenyu Canyue, who was standing in the direction of the hole, had been shot into a white light by the sword energy that was like falling from the sky.
"so……"
The scar-faced man who had been silent for a long time finally opened his eyes, with a smile of success on his face: "You don't accept it?"
"Sorry, I have a reason to stay here."
Shi Shiran stood up and Duan Qing also showed a smile, but even the other guild presidents who had reacted could hear the man grinding his teeth secretly: "So... just go ahead and be suspicious. .”
"Labour and management are too lazy to care about you."
He turned around and pushed open the door behind him as Lou Tingyu subconsciously retreated. Then, amid the looks of several guild members around him as if they were looking at monsters and the angry shouts of a mage from the distance, he walked along the He slowly left through the gap made by the crowd.
