The moonlight shone through the window, which was only sealed with a few wooden strips. The image of the mercenary in his thirties was reflected in Thales' eyes. His beard was unkempt, his gaze was indifferent, his posture was relaxed, and there was a hint of a cold smile at the corner of his lips.
His leather armor was fastened to his upper body, and he did not take it off even when he slept. It was mottled, and it looked like it had been weathered by the years of running around with its owner. Tied to the leather armor were all sorts of tools that mercenaries carried with them: knives, scissors, bandages, hemostatic powder, ropes, flint, and tinder …
'How did he survive all these years?
'From a prince to …'
Thales looked at him quietly, at the man who looked like he had experienced a lot and had a tough face.
"So, it's really you?
Your Highness Moriah? "
He asked faintly.
Silence.
Still silence.
The man in front of him did not move.
It was as if this was just a dream.
With his hell's senses, the dust-covered, simple house appeared deserted and silent. Only Quick Rope's breathing, which came from the other side of the wall, reminded Thales that everything in front of him was really happening.
"Although I heard from Archduke Poffret a long time ago, I should say the 'former' Archduke Poffret, that you wanted to be a mercenary …"
Thales said quietly, "But I really did not expect —"
Dean cut him off.
"Moriah Walton." The bald mercenary's expression did not change. He shook his head gently. "This name has not appeared for a long time.
"Since six years ago, its owner died in an assassination attempt."
"Why are you so obsessed with a dead man?"
Thales took a deep breath.
"The Black Track," the prince said softly, "How does it feel there?"
"What?" Dean furrowed his eyebrows.
Thales smiled.
The especially urgent experience of escaping from Shield District and Dragon Clouds City appeared before his eyes.
The wheelchair veteran who did not speak his mind, the profound Old Crow, the careless tailor Sykes, and the sneaky coachman Kevin.
It made him feel sentimental. "When I was still in Dragon Clouds City, I heard from Gleeward's idle chatter that six years ago, they also received a business to bring people through the Black Track. The employer was very generous: three hundred gold coins as a reward."
Dean's expression slowly became solemn.
"Three hundred. This is not a small number." Thales sighed and said, "Just for a trip out of Dragon Clouds City?"
Dean said nothing.
"But here comes the problem," Thales continued in the dark house.
"A person who can take out three hundred gold coins in the blink of an eye must be someone with power, influence, and wealth. There aren't many people like that in Dragon Clouds City, but I can count a few of them: Camus merchants, bureaucrats and nobles from Axe District or Spear District, suzerains with rich fiefs, and even the former disciplinary officer, Vlad, who monopolized the black market.
"But for such a person, no matter who he offended in Dragon Clouds City, there must be many ways for him to leave the city to seek refuge. Why must he choose the most expensive, difficult, farthest, and most troublesome one?"
Thales stared at Dean intently. In the darkness, he could sense that Dean's breathing had started to rise and fall.
"Unless …" Thales took a deep breath.
"Unless this person provoked and faced … that supreme force of power in Dragon Clouds City."
Dean slowly lowered his legs from the bed and stared at Thales with a solemn expression.
"In the face of King Nuven's pursuit and the eyes and ears of the entire city, all his power and influence were insignificant. All his channels could not be used. He could only go to the area where the commoners and the poor gathered to look for the local bully, the stubborn and boorish lame veteran, who was known to dislike King Nuven. He left the city through a secret passage that ordinary people could not even imagine."
Thales' gaze became sharper as he stared at Dean. "And six years ago, who exactly was the person with such extraordinary status that the entire Dragon Clouds City was pursuing him with all its might?"
The corners of Dean's lips curled up into a faint arc.
"The Black Track, Gleeward." The mercenary mulled over these words. "I see.
"So, you also escaped from that old soldier's channel?"
He stared back at Thales. "You also used the entire Western Frontline, or perhaps the entire military force of Western Desert Hill, to enter the Great Desert to cooperate with you?"
Thales did not answer him. The prince's expression at that moment was especially difficult to understand.
"So, you have been hiding in this mercenary team all this while?
"You put down everything, abandoned everything, including your father, your bloodline, your … to come here and become an ordinary mercenary?
"Why?"
At that moment, when Thales stared into Dean's eyes, what appeared before his eyes was King Chapman in the carriage.
"Walking away is not escaping. Being weak and running away is not freedom either.
"But he will.
"After we find him."
Dean was silent for a few seconds.
"I do what I do best, that's all." Dean sneered and shook his head. "Just like you."
Thales exhaled heavily and frowned. "Moriah, do you understand your current situation?"
"Moriah is already dead. This is what I know," Dean coldly rejected him. "And no matter who tells you that he is not dead —"
Thales raised his voice and interrupted him.
"If Moriah is dead, then there will not be so much trouble!"
The prince said solemnly, "But if he is still alive, even if it is only for one day, he will still be King Nuven's descendant, the first heir of Dragon Clouds City and the Walton Family. His existence, and even his possible return, will be a powerful challenge to the ownership of Dragon Clouds City.
"Do you know what this means?"
The mercenary's chest began to rise and fall.
He lowered his head and said faintly, "Let me guess, someone does not like this fact, and does not like the meaning behind it, right?"
Thales chuckled softly.
Dean raised his head. His gaze was clear. "Then, is it the new Archduchess of Dragon Clouds City? I heard that you have a good relationship with her. "
Thales' gaze froze.
"Or is it Lisban, who is actually in power?"
Dean gritted his teeth and said coldly, "Or perhaps … it is the new king who hates the Walton Family to the core?"
Thales sighed slowly.
"Perhaps it is all of them," the teenager said seriously.
"Your niece, Saroma Alex Walton, her position will be in jeopardy because of your existence, and your cousin, Chapman Lampard, does not wish to see a strong and powerful male heir take over Dragon Clouds City."
"You are a threat."
Dean froze.
"So, it is true that someone knows that Moriah is still alive," the mercenary said slowly. "You, Thales Jadestar, no matter who you work with, are here to kill me or capture me to eliminate the threat."
Everything around them seemed to have frozen.
In the darkness, there were only two pairs of equally sharp eyes, one green and the other gray, staring at each other in silence.
Dean's gaze was slightly lighter than King Nuven's in Thales' memories. It lacked that inexplicable pressure, but it carried a strange meaning, like an owl hiding in the darkness. Thales could not help but frown.
"That's right. Once I kill you, all the hidden dangers will disappear," Thales said softly.
"By capturing you, I will obtain an excellent chess piece as a bargaining chip when I fight against Eckstedt in the future."
The temperature between them seemed to have dropped below freezing point in an instant.
Then, Dean spoke slowly.
"Then what are you waiting for?" A rarely seen stern expression appeared on the mercenary's face. His palm touched the handle of his axe. "You have the entire camp to back you up."
"Your Highness."
The dead silence in the room reached a new stage.
Even through Thales' hell's senses, Quick Rope, who was sleeping soundly next door, seemed to have slowed down.
But the dead silence only lasted for a few seconds.
In the dark room, Thales closed his eyes and sighed softly.
He slowly retreated until his back was against the wall.
The sheathed JC pressed against his lower back. Thales gritted his teeth quietly.
"No."
He spoke with difficulty.
But the moment he spoke, Thales felt as if a heavy stone had been lifted from his heart.
"No matter why you left, and no matter why you came back, Moriah."
The Prince of Constellation quietly opened his eyes. "Go."
The bald mercenary, Moriah, was slightly stunned.
"Go, Moriah. Disappear from our sight, and never come back."
Thales said flatly.
Moriah stared at him for a long time. His gaze was frozen, and he did not say a word.
After a long while, the mercenary from Northland slowly lowered his head.
"Why."
His voice became very deep and hoarse. When it rang out in the darkness, Thales could not help but think of the former Archduke of Black Sand Region.
The Chapman Lampard who had not yet become the King of Eckstedt, but had already experienced many things.
"A few days ago, you had the chance to return to the army loyal to you and order them to arrest me, but you did not.
"You had the chance to attack just now, but you turned around and left," Moriah enunciated each word clearly. "Now, you have the chance to capture me, but you let me go?
"Why?"
His voice became urgent.
Thales leaned against the wall and slowly withdrew from the rather uncomfortable hell's senses.
He snorted softly.
"Because … maybe because you saved my life?"
Thales curled up the corners of his mouth. There was a slight melancholy in his heart. "And I know how to repay favors."
Moriah shook his head slowly.
"Don't make me laugh." He raised his gaze and stared straight at Thales. "In the game of thrones, the favor of saving one's life is insignificant.
"You must have another reason."
"Definitely."
Thales frowned and froze.
"Why?"
The teenager quietly said, "Why do you care so much?"
Moriah raised his eyebrows. His expression was rather cold under the moonlight.
"Since you left without a care for anything six years ago and abandoned all of Dragon Clouds City," Thales continued, "why do you care about my reason six years later?"
Moriah was silent for a while.
"Left without a care for anything, was it?"
He smiled a little dazed. "Do all those who know that Moriah is still alive think of him like this?
"It's really … sad," Moriah muttered.
Thales did not speak immediately.
Thales did not speak immediately. He observed the former Prince of Eckstedt's expression and reaction.
But Moriah immediately shifted his gaze back to Thales. "But you still haven't explained why you let me go."
Thales pursed his lips.
'This man …'
"Six years ago, I went to Eckstedt because of your 'death', Moriah.
I know everything about you. "
He sighed softly. "I know that you learned martial arts from Nicholas and observed King Nuven's methods in Heroic Spirit Palace. I know that you were friends with the former Conkray Poffret. I also know that you are tired of political struggles and have dreamed of becoming a mercenary since you were young."
Once he said this, Moriah's face was expressionless.
But Thales felt inexplicably uneasy.
But the arrow was already nocked, and it had to be fired. He suppressed the uneasiness in his heart and continued, "I even know that you have a lover of low status, who might be a prostitute. I also know that King Nuven was extremely dissatisfied with her, and you had a huge fight because of it — right before you went south as planned."
Moriah raised his eyebrows.
"But I didn't ask you why you abandoned your status as a prince and ran away from home." Thales fixed his gaze on him. "Why do you have to ask me why I let you go?"
"I just left," Thales said in a low voice. "Isn't it good to live freely outside?"
Moriah did not speak for a long time.
The way he looked at Thales made the latter feel rather uncomfortable.
"My identity was exposed." Finally, the bald mercenary with an extraordinary background slowly opened his lips and said, "And someone knows that Moriah is still alive.
So I want to know why you are chasing after me.
"If you are really that archduchess' friend, then you have no reason to let me go — unless this is your next trap."
His gaze was burning, and he was very vigilant.
A hint of uneasiness surged in his heart. Thales frowned and sighed again.
'The prince who has been wandering alone for six years …'
"Because of Lampard."
Thales finally made up his mind. He nodded and said, "If I kill you, Lampard will have one less problem. He can continue his rule without fear.
"But I don't want him to live too peacefully. We are enemies."
Thales stared at Moriah.
"Letting him know that you are still alive will help make that conceited kinslayer king restrain himself a little, maintain his wariness and propriety.
"It will also help keep his evil claws away from Dragon Clouds City. As you said, Saroma is my friend.
"That's it.
"Is that enough?"
Moriah's gaze changed.
He lowered his head. As if he had understood something, he nodded slowly.
"So, it's Lampard, our dear new king.
"He is the one who knows that Moriah is still here."
Moriah seemed to be deep in thought. "And he told you, hoping that you can help him, help him enter deep into Constellation's territory, and completely eliminate me.
"This can explain a lot of things — and where did he find out?"
Thales frowned again.
"That's not important anymore."
A hint of impatience rose in his heart. He gritted his teeth and said, "Now, go.
"Disappear.
"Before I change my mind."
In the next second, Moriah suddenly raised his head.
"What about you, Your Highness?" Moriah's expression was very serious. His eyes shone brightly. "After you let me go?
"You will return to the garrison officer in the camp, find your army and warriors, and even find the Secret Intelligence Department …"
He asked tentatively, "And come to catch me?"
Thales sighed helplessly in his heart.
'Why is this guy so talkative?
He's also paranoid.
'I really shouldn't have become a mercenary.
I'm suitable to be a spy. '
The teenager had no choice but to say with a straight face, "I told you that I will let you go, so I will let you go.
"Forget Blade Fangs Camp, even the Secret Intelligence Department will not know of your existence."
Thales took a step forward and walked in front of Moriah. In the most serious tone, he said, "And I will keep my promise, Thales Jadestar's promise, the Second Prince of Constellation's promise.
"You are the son of the late King Nuven, and also a Northlander. You know how much weight these words carry to us."
Moriah stared at him for a long time.
He shook his head and said slowly, "So you will still go to them and return to Constellation's embrace."
Thales frowned slightly.
He felt that something was wrong.
Moriah raised his head and smiled under the moonlight.
"I find that you are very different, Thales.
"Especially when compared to others."
He said softly, "Very different."
Thales was stunned.
'Moriah, he …'
Moriah narrowed his eyes. "For example … compared to your reputation, you are very naive.
And very self-righteous. "
Thales was stunned.
But in the next moment, Moriah put his legs down from the bed and stood up.
"Alright, I'm leaving.
"No matter what, Your Highness." He lowered his head to look at Thales and extended his palm. "Thank you."
The two princes stared at each other.
For a very long time.
Moriah's gaze was shrewd and smiling. Thales' gaze was solemn and serious.
In the end, Thales curled up the corners of his lips.
The teenager raised his eyebrows and nodded. He also extended his palm and held Moriah's hand.
"No, we are even now." Thales accepted the other's thanks and sighed. "You saved me in the desert …"
But in the next moment …
* Bang! *
Thales felt pain in his arm and fell towards the bed!
The Sin of Hell's River sensed danger. Thales, who was considered to have been through hundreds of battles, gritted his teeth in shock!
He instantly entered hell's senses.
He felt Moriah's footsteps flicker. He had already grabbed his right arm and arrived behind the prince!
By the looks of it, he wanted to completely pin Thales' hand behind his back and force Thales to kneel on the bed!
The extremely shocked and furious Thales summoned the Sin of Hell's River. His right arm withstood Moriah's strength and shook off his grip.
* Bang! *
Thales' back hit the bed violently.
The prince hastily extended his hand and wanted to pull out JC.
But Moriah was faster than him.
At some point in time, a small knife appeared in Moriah's left hand and was pressed against Thales' throat.
"If you move a finger, Your Highness …"
Moriah's expression was cold and terrifying at that moment.
He pressed Thales against the bed, increased the strength of his grip, and threatened coldly.
"Your blood will be like that of those orcs …
"Irrigate the earth."
— — —
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