Bud Wendell didn’t know where he was being taken - but this was not because he was blindfolded or transferred in a coma. In fact, the soldiers and officials responsible for escorting him did not prohibit him from looking around during the entire process. , he couldn't figure out his direction and destination simply because everything he saw on the road exceeded his knowledge and imagination.
A city that is so prosperous and well-organized, a city with such a special style and vitality. He once thought that the Rock City near the Holy Spirit Plain was already a staggeringly large city, but now he realized Why does the warden keep saying that Rock City is just a rapidly developing border market, and that the real prosperity of the South lies further south——
Cecil City, the city of miracles at the foot of the Dark Mountains, No wonder the arcanist who lived with him suggested that he should come here to visit if he had the opportunity after he sobered up.
It is hard for Bard to imagine how the pioneer territory, which was just a barren land four years ago, developed into this - perhaps from the historical heritage and complex classical architecture (such buildings often require longer Judging from the number of construction years (the older the city, the more such buildings will be in the city), this city still seems too young, but its prosperity and vitality are the only things this former Typhon general has seen in his life.
He recalled the southern border when he hurriedly evacuated due to the failure of the mission - it was not like this at that time.
Mechanical vehicles powered by magic drive smoothly through wide and clean roads. From time to time on both sides of the road, you can see crystals floating in the air that power city facilities, as well as holographic projections flashing at intersections, squares, etc. The content in the holographic projection changes all the time, and news and scenery from distant places are instantly close at hand. Energetic pedestrians greet each other on the road, showing no signs of depression and embarrassment because the weather is getting colder.
The heavily armed escorting soldiers sat nearby, but they only monitored Bard's movements and did not stop this special "extraordinary criminal" from looking all the way. It was not until he was approaching the city center that he Hearing the prisoner he was escorting suddenly break the silence: "...I heard that during the Holy Spirit Plains War, this city made weapons in one month, which used to take the entire kingdom a year to consume, and sent them to the front line. ..."
The soldier glanced at Bud. Although he didn't know why the prisoner suddenly mentioned this matter, he still nodded with pride: "Yes, but this was only mentioned in the newspaper. Part - In fact, the battlefield in the Holy Spirit Plains lasted for more than a month, and the factory converted not only steel."
"...Yeah, it turns out there is such a way..."< /p>
The prisoner let out an incomprehensible sigh, and then fell silent again, continuing to stare at the scenery outside the window in a daze, and never spoke again.
The soldier shook his head - this is indeed an inexplicable guy.
The vehicle drove across the avenue, passed through Pioneer Square, and finally ended up on another street.Under the guidance of a team of soldiers, he was led to a large building.
Bud got out of the car silently and obediently.
After he was suddenly taken out of prison and boarded a strange armored magic vehicle escorted by soldiers, he vaguely realized who wanted to see him and the arrangement of his fate. , he no longer had the slightest idea of resisting.
The soldiers were rigorous and responsible. Although Bard showed the highest cooperation throughout the process, these soldiers still meticulously carried out the handover and escort process, introducing Bard into the building, as the former General Typhon. , cult members, Bard also secretly calculated the whole process in his heart, and came to the conclusion that even if he had the intention to escape, he probably would not be able to escape a hundred meters alive——
Everyone here Soldiers all have magic reactions on their bodies. The magic props that once blew themselves up seriously are their most basic equipment. Not to mention that there may be countless magic mechanisms and monitoring devices hidden here, just like when he was in the bar. Burning a newspaper inside attracted a whole team of security guards. In this seemingly very important facility, there would only be more similar monitoring devices.
Obviously these soldiers are just ordinary people.
Bud lowered his head and walked forward under the leadership of the receiving soldiers.
But more than ninety percent of the people in this world... are ordinary people.
The soldier stopped in front of a door, nodded to the attendant guarding the door, and then pressed Bard's shoulder and pushed forward: "After entering, remain respectful - I wish you good luck."
In the room, Gawain saw a long-lost face appearing in front of him - even though he only met once a few years ago, in the enhanced memory, the face still looked the same as before. Very clear.
Compared with a few years ago, this face is obviously much more decadent. The beard and hair have been neglected, and the eyes are no longer as proud and confident as they once were, regardless of the sinister aura of a cultist. , or the sharp edge as the former Wolf General, seems to have disappeared.
But when Bard walked to the center of the room and met Gawain's gaze head on, his decadent eyes changed slightly.
His eyes regained some vitality, and then he tried to stand up straight, adjusted his gray-white prison uniform, and bowed slightly: "Salute to you, Your Majesty Gawain Cecil."
His attitude was like that of a captured general facing the monarch of another country.
This is really ironic - he thought - many years ago, he so decisively gave up his glory and chose to devote himself to a grand but dark cause, but today, many years later, in desperation When he reached the extreme point, he actually stood up straight.
"We meet again, Mr. Bard Wendell," Gawain looked at the other party calmly, without any immediate criticism or sarcasm, "The priest of the Society of the End of All Things, Typhon General Wolf, who faked his death and defected from the empire... I really didn't expect that you would be right under my nose these days."
General Wolf... Hearing this title that he had abandoned, Bard's eyes only looked calm. He glanced at Gawain: "It seems that you have investigated me a lot."
" It's just that I happen to have some channels," Gawain smiled, "When I first heard that there was a strange prisoner hanging around in the prison of Rock City, eating and drinking and couldn't be driven away, I really didn't expect that it would be... You...until I saw your name appear in the report, I couldn't help but sigh at the wonder of fate."
"I didn't expect to see you again under such circumstances," Bud. His brows furrowed slightly, "Well, now that you have discovered... it seems that my comfortable days are coming to an end."
"As a priest of the Society for the Death of All Things, you have committed numerous crimes, but to be honest, I am not here to judge you today," Gawain looked into Bud Wendell's eyes. "Cecil upholds the rule of law and justice. When you last appeared on this land, Cecil had not yet ruled. In the South, I cannot use today's laws to judge the crimes of the previous dynasty, but there are others who are qualified to judge what you did in Leslie Territory."
Bud was startled. While he was stunned, another door on the side of the room was opened.
A tall, thin, slightly pale, middle-aged man carrying a decorative cane and wearing a dark blue coat walked out of the door.
Viscount Andrew Leslie, the former Lord of Leslie, and today the consul of Tanzania City.
Bard stared intently at the man walking towards him. Compared with what he remembered, Viscount Andrew today not only did not appear weak due to age, but actually looked more energetic. , the pale face is less sickly, and looks more like a normal skin color - it seems that the new life has greatly improved the health of this "noble lord".
Andrew Leslie has not taken any harmful potions for nearly two years.
Building and managing a prosperous new city, watching the territory turn upside down and prospering under his own governance, was more joyful than he had ever imagined.
"Viscount Andrew," after a few seconds of looking at each other, Bud finally spoke to break the silence, "you seem to be doing well."
In Andrew's sunken eye sockets As if a ball of flame was dancing, he stared at the person in front of him, slowly raised his cane and pressed it against Bud's chest: "Do you still remember what you did in Tanzanian Town?"
"The memory is still fresh."
"My daughter, it is still difficult to communicate with people normally to this day. One-third of the people who survived your evil ritual are still unable to return." To live a normal life," Andrew slowly exerted force on his hand, as if he wanted to use the cane as a sharp sword to pierce into Bud's body, "not to mention those who did not survive...what else do you want to say? "?"
Bad stood there without hesitation: "You can be hanged or beheaded, or you can be sentenced according to the treatment that a cultist deserves.Burning at the stake, my only request is that my name not be published after this - if this request is too much, then please fill my skull with lead, if any skull remains after the burning. ”
In the customs of the peoples north and east of Typhon, filling the skull with lead has a special meaning. This means that all the sins of the deceased during his lifetime remain on the deceased himself, that is, no redemption and redemption can be obtained. Forgiveness will not pass the sin and stigma to any relatives, friends or one's own family.
There is a similar saying in Ansu (Cecil), but the method in the Northern Kingdom is for the deceased. A nail is pierced through the skull, but no matter which method it is, the prerequisite for it to be effective is that the deceased must request it personally during his lifetime - this is the embodiment of the human race's idea of "soul inheritance" in the realm of life and death.
Viscount Andrew stared into Bard’s eyes: “I thought you would defend yourself—emphasize your reticence at the time, or emphasize that you were also bewitched by cult thoughts. ”
“If a person can be exonerated with just a few words of defense or one or two seemingly extenuating reasons after committing a crime, then all the gallows in the world may be dismantled. "Bad said calmly, "You can sentence me to death, or you can choose to forgive me. This is your right, but I...have nothing to say. "
The room became quiet for a while. Viscount Andrew stared at Bard for a long time before suddenly twitching the corners of his mouth and slowly putting down his cane: "I didn't expect that you are more humane now. , what is this? Have you seen through life? "
"Humanity...I have always had it," Bud slowly closed his eyes, "It's just...I once thought that that great cause was worth throwing away both my humanity and my bottom line... "
"Any cause that requires abandoning humanity and bottom line is not worthy of being called 'great'. It is just a collective carnival created by a group of lunatics in the illusion of self-satisfaction and self-movation," Viscount Andrew said After Bard's words, he used sentences written by Gawain when he was commenting on the cultists in a recent issue of the newspaper. Then he paused and said slowly in front of Bard's stunned and surprised gaze, " But none of that matters now. Your farce will end with your own destruction, and you... I won't kill you. "
"You won't kill me? "Bud looked at Viscount Andrew in astonishment, "Why? ”
“Don’t get me wrong, as you said, people are not so easily cleansed after committing a crime. Just because I don’t kill you doesn’t mean that I have forgiven you. It’s just because compared to Death, you can have a greater effect. "
As he spoke, Viscount Andrew turned his head and looked at Gawain, who was sitting not far away and watching all this calmly: "Your Majesty, let him go. If he can come back alive, Maybe it means he doesn't deserve to die yet. "
Gawain frowned: "Are you sure? It’s not that we don’t have any plans to explore now, you don’t have to be affected by this matter..."
"He is the priest of the Society for the Death of All Things, a person who deserves to be judged, with such aWith suitable candidates, why let brave soldiers form a death squad?" Viscount Andrew said with a firm and serious expression, "In this current situation, it is not easy to find a second living Priest of the Death of All Things in a short period of time. "
"If this is your wish," after a brief pause, Gawain nodded, "I agree. ”
Although he was confused about what happened, Bud still understood that the other party was arranging something for him to do-this thing may be life-threatening, but it can be used in exchange for himself.
Although he is ready for the death penalty, he will naturally not refuse if he can avoid death.
“What do you want me to do? "
Gawain glanced at Bard: "Go to your out-of-control lair. ”