Becoming a chess player - this is the way Duan Qing always handles problems like this, because no matter how many secrets there are, as long as someone wants to get it, they will definitely do it through specific actions. It is never a good choice to show off one's weaknesses and place oneself on the opponent's chessboard. The better way is to use the same identity and status as other chess players to compete for the final fruit, but to put oneself in the same position. At such a high altitude, the required intelligence and power are not easily achieved.
Fortunately, Duan Qing has enough confident skills and more and more intelligence networks worth using.
"Those people...are they mostly robbers?"
When it came to the early morning of the next day, Duan Qing arrived at the stone forest camp outside the city early again and got the answer to another question from the smiling butcher: "What does bandit mean? Do they all like to burn, kill and plunder?" "
"Burning, killing and looting is a bit exaggerated, but it's pretty much the same."
The smiling uncle who had been busy running the camp early in the morning said without looking back: "Most of the large number of outsiders from Eta County don't seem to be kind people. There are not just players here, there are many people from Eta County." The same goes for Aboriginal people..."
"Is it possible that the public security in the places where you were operating before is not as good as that of Free City?" Duan Qing asked in surprise: "Is it possible that the counties under the duke's flag have long been in such chaos?"
"of course not."
Putting down the wooden board in his hand, the smiling butcher took out a small carving knife from the pile of tools on the side. While slowly gesticulating on the wooden board, he replied in a low voice: "We ran away just because of our guild." It’s just an accident, it has nothing to do with Eta County itself. The reason why it became like this seems to be because of... the emergence of the Restorationists."
"What? The restorationists have already caused rebellion in Eta County? Didn't they start from the south of Xifeng County?"
"I'm talking about the emergence of the Restorationists, not the actual occupation of that place by the Restorationists."
Putting down his carving knife, the smiling uncle turned his head helplessly: "Due to the civil strife in Xifeng County, the princess of Xifeng County brought her troops back to her home early to take charge of the overall situation, and came with him Princess Burns... also led her private soldiers back to Eta County. At that time, I had already run away, as did Brother Crab and Brother Knight, so the few of us who were in trouble didn't know what Eta would be after. What happened to the county.”
"According to the daughter I left behind, Eta County also became chaotic afterwards." The smiling butcher whispered: "Many people dispersed from home during the turmoil and fled to other parts of the principality."
"...What is the cause of the turmoil? Doesn't anyone know?" Duan Qing asked thoughtfully: "What does this have to do with the people who came to the City of Freedom?"
"It's probably because of the restorationists. Seeing that Xifeng County has become such a miserable state, and the current principality is unable to deal with this problem, many people have lost confidence." The smiling uncle replied: "As for coming Most of the people who come here seem to be new homeless people, or they want to find a safe place where the Restorationists will not attack, and escape the coming war..."
"Ha, is Liberty City safe now? Who came up with this statement?" Duan Qing sneered disdainfully: "Judging from the information we have...the future of Liberty City is completely in the In an uncertain state."
"God knows who spread the news, but most casual players follow the trend anyway." The smiling uncle also showed a helpless expression: "Just like us before, didn't we also want to climb over Falling Star Mountain and wander around? What's more, there is a battlefield that is breaking out now, attracting everyone..."
"Two places to be exact."
Looking at the distant sky in the west, Duan Qing's voice became deeper: "According to the news from our active regiment leader, the battle in Zalaha City seems to have entered a white-hot state. Players, the defenders of the empire also began to expel the members of the principality who broke into the city without permission. I don’t know what the distant emperor was thinking. He neither attacked nor retreated. It seemed that he also wanted to sit back and watch like Pamir. What kind of situation will develop in the main city of Felong County in the end..."
"Maybe there is some secret agreement, we don't know about it at all." The smiling butcher also speculated: "If you are over there now, maybe you can ask based on your connections..."
"Mengzhu is there, she can ask." Duan Qing spread his hands: "The same goes for those people in Jianghu. Their reputation in the principality is also very high, right? Including those who restore the Magic Empire. They should be able to ask about the countermeasures of these people..."
"In short, the Principality has now reached a dilemma. The rise of the Restorers has almost become a foregone conclusion. From our perspective, we can only find ways to defend the land north of Kalon Pass and hope that they will not attack. Let’s march west.”
The low-pitched discussion gradually ended as time went by, and Duan Qing, who was wearing a gray cloak, also left the place. Looking at the smiling uncle who disappeared into the crowd, he also shook his head and carved on the wooden board with the carving knife in his hand. I wrote a few artistic words: "Alas, in such a situation... the world is so big, how can we call home?"
"Smile...Uncle."
A deep voice sounded in his ears. The middle-aged man looked back and saw Captain Hansen, who had been responsible for guarding the camp, standing behind him: "That...you..."
"Ah, don't be so polite. I just asked you to call me Uncle Smile, but I didn't ask you to treat me so politely." The smiling butcher hurriedly turned around: "Is there a shortage of materials for building fortifications again? This kind of thing Just tell me what happened at any time, and when I hang up this plaque, Crab and the others will go out..."
"No, it's not about this." The guard captain shook his head in embarrassment: "I wanted to... that... I came to inquire about your Excellency's affairs."
"My lord?" the smiling butcher asked strangely, "didn't your lord just leave? If you have any questions, couldn't you just ask him directly?"
"As subordinates, the mission of our cavalry team is to obey orders. This is what your Excellency specifically told me on the way here." Hansen immediately straightened his face, and then lowered his voice again: "It's just... Your whereabouts have been unknown these days, and we have to stay here, so...so..."
"So what exactly are you asking?"
"When can we leave here?"
Among the figures of adventurers coming and going, Hansen scratched his head in embarrassment. His armor also made a slight tinkling noise as his arms and body swayed. Looking at the smiling man on the other side, he gradually frowned. His mood became a little relieved, but after a while, he still sighed helplessly, turned around again and raised the board: "Are you homesick? Are you worried about Tania's safety? I can understand your mood. But this kind of question...I don’t know what the answer is.”
"Gang, didn't you and your Excellency talk for a long time just now?" Hansen's tone raised again: "You know so much, you must have made some guesses, right?"
"guess……"
The smiling butcher thought for a while, and then carved the last word on the plaque: "I am not a god, and I can't understand the situation in the Free City, but based on my guess..."
"It should be almost done."
***********************
There are only a few days left before the battle for the throne between Rondall and Tarzinger. As Uncle Smiling guessed, a certain explosive atmosphere is about to explode. The forces are also maintaining the final tolerance and peace amidst the superficial fights and secret transactions. Many people like Duan Qing, running around, are also working secretly for their own purposes. Many eye-catching events and characters also appeared during this period, such as the battle for the East China Sea coast and the emergence of a new group of groups who want to conquer the Endless Bridge. Many reports about the battle between World No. 2 and Devil's Paradise are also like snowflakes. General Feiyue uses his own way to show the unique peace of the Free City on offline forums. Duan Qing occasionally sees familiar names such as Teacher Zhou Xue and Tian Xingjian in these battle reports, and sometimes hears them. There were whispers of words describing the battle scene, but these things still did not stop him from moving forward, nor did they stop certain events from happening.
The meeting with the city lord came suddenly under such circumstances.
"Go through this gate and you will see a long staircase. Go up it... it should be between the city lords."
At noon on March 14, 795 in the New Calendar, Duan Qing arrived at the city lord's palace that he had always wanted to enter openly. Then, under the leadership of a police officer, he stopped in front of the end of a long corridor in the garden: " The city lord's arrangements are always full, and although he never follows that schedule, it still took me a lot of effort to convince the other party to agree to meet with you."
"Thank you, Mr. Police Officer." Duan Qing bowed slightly: "You have helped me a lot."
"No need to thank me, the final result is not certain yet."
Pressing the brown wide-brimmed hat on his head, Ricas flipped the cloak behind his back with his backhand, then leaned back and sat on the stone fence at the edge of the corridor: "This is just an opportunity to meet the city lord. It’s not a ceremony to sign an agreement. Anyway, I brought you here. Whatever purpose I want to achieve... in the end, you still have to rely on yourself."
"At least it's much better than some unscrupulous businessman." Duan Qing replied with a wry smile: "I gave him all the gifts I brought from the principality, but in the end... ah, that... about you Thank you very much, I will definitely make up for it later.”
"...You know what's going on, kid."
"Haha, haha, then...I'm going in."
Looking at the police officer who put his hat on his head and pretended to sleep, Duan Qing straightened his clothes, and then with a heavy push of the door, he came to the steps pointed by Licas. The quiet air gradually surrounded Duan Qing, and for a while the only sound was his footsteps on the red carpet. After a long journey like climbing a mountain, an ancient stone hall finally appeared in his eyes: "Although I've seen it from the outside before..."
"It still looks shocking now."
The spacious space and the dome-shaped roof are the first impression given by the interior of the city main hall. However, the height of the dome that looks like a crystal chandelier hanging from the ground is really too high. The cracks in the rocks exposed due to the random placement of each other are criss-crossed on the surrounding city walls, continuously extending towards the domed roof that cannot be seen from the field of vision, and rows of unobstructed windows are also neatly listed. At the same height as people, they formed a neat ring towards the depths of the city main hall. Perhaps because the weather is getting colder, the tall seats placed in the hall are far away from the windows, and then, together with the candlesticks burning candles, are placed side by side on both sides of the red carpet in the center, with ancient decorations Cracks that show age appear on these seats from time to time, and also appear around the entire city. Even if the cold autumn wind keeps passing through the center of the hall, it cannot stop them from blowing to every visitor. Exuding its own ancient aura and the unique majesty of the throne.
Even the owner sitting here has changed countless names in the past time.
"So... you are the guy Ricas said, the envoy from the principality?"
At the end of the red carpet illuminated by the surrounding candlelight, a dark figure sitting on the highest throne asked slowly in a deep voice: "The night you came here... the guy who almost broke into this place?"
"That was a misunderstanding, Lord City Lord."
Listening to the heavy door slamming behind him, Duan Qing bent his waist and said, "Master Liner from before should have taught me the lessons I deserve."
"Your injury healed quickly." Among the ancient seats on both sides of the red carpet, another tall black figure sitting at the front of the row of thrones on the left said immediately: "You may even have enough energy to escape from Ga in the subsequent battle. Luo’s Five Fingers Mountain.”
"That...ah hahaha, that's just good luck." Duan Qing smiled casually: "My companions and I were just fish in the fire, so we resisted a little. I believe that with your lords' magnanimity, , you should understand, right?"
"Don't worry, we won't hold you accountable for this."
The very young-sounding city lord's voice sounded at the end of the hall again, and his tone seemed to be very relaxed. But the next moment, Duan Qing felt the slightest murderous intention from this voice: "But... if it is something else, If it happens, I might blame you."
"Uh...what do you mean, sir?"
"For example..."
On the high seat, the dark figure slowly sat upright.
"Why are you investigating me?"
