At that moment, Stake and Lasalle raised their eyebrows and looked at each other. They could not hide the surprise in their hearts.
'Didn't this guy just …'
But Ricky raised a finger again.
"But you have to understand that this is just a practical consideration. No matter which side completes their goal first, the other side will be in trouble. So, we can only work together."
He quietly looked at Stake, then at Lasalle.
"Aside from this, this does not mean that we have boarded your pirate ship. Be it me or my brothers, the scions outside the tower have their own creeds and objectives, and their own ways to survive. We do not believe in bullsh * t theories like relying on power. If Lampard or you think that you can use the grudge between us and Constellation to force us to take sides … "
Ricky's tone turned cold.
"Then you have made a mistake."
Masked Man snorted and said, "A huge mistake."
The lights in the tavern swayed again.
They illuminated Ricky's expression, making him look especially serious.
Stake took a deep breath and smiled brightly. "I guess this is considered 'happy working together'?"
Ricky stared at him for a long time before he curled up the corners of his lips.
"That's right."
In the next second, the mercenaries exhaled together and regained their energy.
It was as if their leader's words had livened up the atmosphere.
"Then let's do it," Stake said with a beaming smile, "We'll start with the prince."
At that moment, Thales cursed in his heart.
Shadow Shield, Disaster Sword, King Chapman — the three parties had formed an alliance.
Their target was … himself.
'This is not good.
'Especially when a certain person is sitting right under their noses.
'The heavens do not respond, and the earth does not respond.'
In the tavern, the three parties, who were originally in conflict, sat down again to discuss their plans.
"So, you want to find a prince who was originally in your hands, but has escaped your control again?" Ricky sighed. "Is it that difficult?"
Lasalle snorted angrily.
"Is it that difficult?" the former baron of Eckstedt repeated sarcastically.
"Over the past three months …"
Lasalle clenched his fists in indignation.
"For that stupid prince, the Secret Room and the Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department fought fiercely at the border, and there were many casualties.
"King Chapman's men suffered heavy casualties both inside and outside the country. They were dispirited and disheveled.
"From Dragon Clouds City, the City of Faraway Prayers, to the Great Desert, everything is in chaos.
"Even Shadow Shield suffered heavy losses. One of their strongholds in the desert was destroyed by the Orcs who appeared out of nowhere."
When Stake heard this, he smiled bitterly.
Thales felt a chill in his heart.
Over the past three months …
Russell crossed his arms and asked maliciously, "Now, do you still think it's' that difficult '?"
Ricky snorted and looked at Klein and Masked Man.
"What we want is the Prison of Bones, or rather, the people imprisoned there," Masked Man said calmly. "In terms of time, it's estimated that we will activate at dawn. Our people will enter the prison with My Home's supply truck."
The tavern owner, Tampa, put his head on the table with a long face.
"Very good, let's see what we can do …" Stake scratched his chin and said.
"No." On the other side, Lasalle flatly rejected the plan.
"We haven't found that prince, Thales Jadestar. Once you attack the Prison of Bones, you will alarm the camp."
Thales groaned in his heart, but he had to pull himself together and listen carefully to their discussion, trying to find an opportunity.
"You must delay the operation for one or two days," Lasalle said through gritted teeth.
"Until we find the prince's whereabouts, we must plan carefully, and it will be best if we work together and take action one after another."
But Klein shook his head on the Disaster Swords' side.
"Impossible," Klein said in a tone that allowed no room for refusal. "We are already on the move, and we must depart at dawn, unless we can still force this boss to operate for another day as if nothing has happened."
Tampa shuddered and quickly said, "I have no problem interrupting. I can definitely put on a good show, as long as you let —"
But Lasalle interrupted him.
"Prince Thales must be sent to Black Sand Region, or else there's nothing to talk about." He was very firm in the face of this.
Klein wanted to speak again, but Stake spoke.
"Everyone …"
"If we want to work together, then we must understand each other." The representative of Shadow Shield tried to persuade the people on both sides in a friendly tone. "There's still some time before dawn. I think we will soon have news about the prince."
Ricky's expression froze.
"What do you mean?"
Stake flashed a cunning smile. "We have a mole. If Blade Fangs Camp finds out about the prince's whereabouts, we will also know immediately."
"A mole?" Ricky frowned.
"You'd better be more detailed. We don't want to bet such a big operation on an unclear promise."
Stake exhaled and looked at the mercenaries around the tavern.
But Ricky did not have any intention of evacuating his subordinates.
In the end, Stake could only raise his eyebrows. With a mysterious gaze, he lowered his voice and revealed the secret.
"We have eyes and ears inside — Williams's Freak Squad."
When he said this, the people around him were stunned.
Even Thales was shocked.
"The group of Psionic 'freaks' who came out of the Prison of Bones?"
Masked Man's tone was full of doubt. "Are those scums … reliable?"
Stake shrugged.
"Of course they are. Our mole is one of Williams' most trusted captains. There's no problem with our information channel."
Ricky raised his eyebrows. "Williams' people … can ensure his loyalty?"
Stake took two steps forward and revealed a cold smile.
"In truth, we don't need his loyalty, because he still needs to rely on us to get a windfall and treat his wife and daughter's hereditary terminal illness. We only need his loyalty to his family."
"You're using this to threaten him?"
Lasalle frowned and said, "Once he gets out of our control …"
Stake stretched out a finger and waved it in the air.
"Of course it's not just this," Stake said coldly. "You know, we have to secretly poison his wife and daughter on a regular basis. It costs a lot of money."
The meaning behind his words made everyone feel a chill in their hearts.
"Despicable," Masked Man commented in disdain.
Stake bowed.
"Thank you," he said without shame, "This is a compliment to us."
Thales sighed in his heart. 'They told us everything from the plan to the details of the operation without holding anything back …
'This means that …
'They're not going to let innocent people like us leave.'
Thales glanced at Quick Rope, who had an innocent look on his face, and shook his head.
'Perhaps, they're not that innocent.'
Ricky coughed to attract everyone's attention.
"So, you're relying on this to wait for news from the prince?"
Stake blinked.
Ricky looked at him and smiled.
"How about this, we have another mole."
Stake's eyes lit up. "Oh?"
"More reliable than yours." Ricky looked at Masked Man beside him.
"A Constellatiate noble, a rising star under the Count of Wing Fort. He's good at fighting, leads troops alone, and is deeply trusted."
Stake's expression changed.
"Wow, a new noble." He took a deep breath and could not hide his excitement. "After the Bloody Year … that's something we can't get."
But Stake immediately asked cautiously, "Forgive me for offending you, but if he's a Constellatiate, then his reliability and loyalty …"
This time, Marina stood up.
She glanced at Stake with her usual disdainful gaze.
"There's no need to doubt his loyalty."
Stake snorted coldly and said, "That's not necessarily true. I just told you our secret, and do you also need to —"
But before he could finish, Marina interrupted him angrily, "No need!"
The woman in red, who wielded two swords, gritted her teeth and said,
"He's my fiancé … or at least, he used to be."
Stake's eyes widened.
Even Thales was shocked.
'Wait.
'Fiancé.
'If Marina is the fiancée of a Constellatiate noble, then that means …'
But before he could think about it carefully, Masked Man spoke in a cold voice, "Is this enough?
"Love and engagement — this is far more reliable than the despicable methods you use to control people's hearts."
Stake seemed to have understood something, and he nodded.
"May I ask for your name?"
Marina froze for a moment.
She looked at Ricky.
"You have nothing to hide from your past, good girl." Ricky nodded at her and flashed a kind smile.
"You have obtained a new life, and you only live for yourself."
Marina seemed to have gained some strength from his words. She took a deep breath, turned around, and puffed out her chest.
"I am Marina." At this moment, the woman in red exuded an unfamiliar solemn air. "Marina Norfolk."
Thales frowned. He was unfamiliar with this family name.
But the others were different.
"Wait, Norfolk, this family name …" Stake frowned and remembered something.
He did not have to be confused for too long.
"Eighteen years ago, you despicably assassinated the Duke of Star Lake, John Jadestar, in Zodra." Marina trembled. She tightened her grip on her swords, stared at the Shadow Shield assassin in front of her, and coldly told the truth. "Then, you framed his personal guard, my uncle, Seiber Norfolk."
'John Jadestar!'
Thales shuddered slightly.
'That's …
'Starlight God of War.'
The people related to him — the Fortress Flower and the veteran Genard — appeared before his eyes.
Stake stared at the woman in red in disbelief.
"Because of this crime of treason, my grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, brother … Almost everyone in the Norfolk Family was executed by the newly crowned Kessel the Fifth in that year."
Marina's voice trembled.
But she immediately clenched her teeth, and with unimaginable tenacity, she said the following words, "Except for me.
"The last of Norfolk."
The tavern was silent for a moment.
With an indescribable expression, Stake nodded.
"Now, I know why you are so angry with me."
Shawn patted Marina's shoulder and pulled her to the side, who was trembling.
Stake fell silent. Lasalle looked at them, and was also speechless.
For a period of time, only the breathing of the mercenaries could be heard in the tavern.
Ricky sighed.
"Very good. So, now we have two moles. I will immediately give the order." He waved his hand. Masked Man immediately nodded.
"But before that …"
Ricky changed the topic.
His gaze followed the change in his tone.
"Speaking of which, what a coincidence …"
In the next second, Ricky's gaze turned gloomy.
He shifted everyone's attention to the two guests who had not spoken for a long time.
"The two 'Dante's Greatsword' over there have been listening for a long time. They should have some reaction by now, right?"
At that moment, Thales shuddered!
Quick Rope also froze.
'Dante's Greatsword.
'It's over.
He still remembers! '
In the tavern, Stake sized them up with a furtive glance. Lasalle scrutinized the two mercilessly with a frown. Klein's observation was meticulous and cautious. Masked Man's eyes shone with a faint, cold light, causing Thales to shudder.
The two princes knew that their good luck was over.
From this moment onwards, the two of them could no longer pretend to be dead.
So they straightened their backs stiffly, and bit by bit, inch by inch, they slowly turned to Ricky.
It was as if there were rusty old gears in their bodies.
"Don't be nervous, I'm just asking, but …"
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
