After a moment of silence, Morris scratched his chin and looked at Thales with a strange gaze.
"So, you came all the way here to give me a political lesson?"
Thales put down his fist and answered him confidently, "You want an answer, and I am giving it to you."
Morris sized up the furnishings around him. After thinking for a moment, he raised his head again.
"If that is the case, then the answer is too far away from us. It is unrealistic."
Thales smiled.
On the other side of the medicine shop, Yanni and Grove whispered to each other while trembling. Glover tried his best to calm Kohen, who wanted to rush forward and take down Layork.
But it was as if there was an invisible wall in the middle. Everyone abided by it and did not dare to cross it to interrupt the conversation between the Prince of Constellation and the Brotherhood's powerhouse.
"Yes, 'politics is too far away from me', 'politics is too unrealistic for me', these are the most common misconceptions in our lives."
Thales' gaze changed.
"Whether it is the mysophobic gentlemen who think that politics is too far away, so they are dismissive, self-righteous, and avoid public politics like a deadly plague; or the pedants who think that politics is too far away, so they are cynical, apathetic, and believe that there is everything in knowledge; or the cynics who think that politics is too far away, so they are apathetic and think that they have to return to their lives; or the keyboard warriors who think that politics is too far away, so they are fearless, boastful, and point out the general trend of the world with their words.
"You're still the same rascal who looks like he's just fooling around, living a befuddled life, and living one day at a time."
Maurice curled up one side of his lip, showing his teeth.
But Thales ignored him.
"Intentionally or unintentionally, consciously or unconsciously, they are all expressing the attitude that politics is too far away.
"But with all due respect, they either have some misunderstanding about 'politics', or they have some misunderstanding about 'distance'."
Morris did not say a word.
"Look at me now, I am standing in front of you." When he said this, Thales' voice turned cold.
"And do you think that during the rise of the Brotherhood, the relevant departments have always been indifferent to you and let you do whatever you want?"
Morris narrowed his eyes.
"The relevant departments?"
"Ha, you mean the most mysterious' relevant departments' who are always missing when it comes to benefiting and benefiting the people, and only fulfill their duties when it comes to patriotism?"
Morris snorted. There was disdain on his face, and his words were filled with mockery.
"We have our own ways to deal with them. They're like a pile of sh * t. Every time I'm done squatting in the pit, I have to stand up and wipe my ass. Only then can I see them in the pit of sh * t, baring their fangs and brandishing their claws.
But Thales shook his head and ignored his emotions.
"Then why did you order a retreat just now? Why didn't you listen to Aoschow and follow the original plan? Gather our men and kill our way to the Blood Bottle Gang to collect the debt. Who cares who the culprit of the kidnapping case is? The Brotherhood only needs to kill to establish our might. "
Morris rolled his eyes and said nothing.
Thales turned around and walked to the next row of shelves. From time to time, he would pick up a medicine bottle and fiddle with it.
"Politics is not far away from you, Boss Morris. Even for people like you who see the kingdom as nothing and trample on the boundaries of the law — high walls and iron walls not only trap those who are willing to be in the cage, but also restrict those who think that they are outside the cage."
"It's an invisible net that blocks every inch of color in our line of sight and every gap in the air. Every move we make, every word we say, and every breath we breathe are all trapped in it. We cannot escape."
Thales stared at the medicine bottle in his hand and felt its sturdy wall. He was lost in thought.
Morris was silent for a few seconds before he let out a low snort.
"Maybe I should let Lance listen," the fat leader of the Brotherhood narrowed his eyes and said.
"He knows this the best."
But Thales sneered.
"You too, Morris."
The prince raised his head and met Morris' gaze.
"After all, you're the one who does the accounting and manages the money."
At that moment, a fierce look flashed in Morris' eyes.
But in just a few seconds, the leader of the Brotherhood snickered and waved his hand nonchalantly.
"Come on, we rough men on the streets don't understand the nonsense you're talking about, and we're not interested —"
But Thales suddenly raised his voice and interrupted him.
"If you're really not interested, Morris!
Then all of you — you, Black Sword, and the mercenary group known as the Nine Powerhouses — would not have come all the way to the capital. "
His voice gradually became softer, and the speed of his speech gradually slowed down, but the power contained in it made Morris frown.
"And if you're not interested …"
Thales took a step forward.
"You would not have accepted Prince Horace's employment."
At that moment, Morris' gaze changed.
"You would not have stayed in Eternal Star City after he failed and died, lurking in the shadows to forge ahead." Thales gently turned the medicine bottle in his hand and said slowly,
"You have ulterior motives."
Silence enveloped the conversation between the two people.
Then, Morris snapped out of his shock, adjusted his expression, and exhaled.
"Who did you say just now?"
Thales smiled nonchalantly, turned around, and put down the medicine bottle.
"Lady Yanni!"
The prince suddenly raised his voice and broke the barrier that separated the two conversations. It attracted the attention of the other people in the medicine store.
"Have you thought about it?"
Yanni shuddered violently when her name was called.
She raised her head in bewilderment and looked in Thales' direction mechanically.
"W-what?"
Grove, the shop owner, had a long face. He looked at his wife anxiously, then at Morris nervously.
Thales was not anxious or annoyed. He smiled gently.
"A chance.
I said, I want to give you a chance to find a new path and a new life. "
Thales glanced at Grove, who was beside her. The coldness in his eyes almost made the latter's legs go limp.
"At least it's better than now."
Yanni stood where she was in a daze. She subconsciously wiped her hands on her apron.
Kohen frowned and wanted to speak, but as time went by, Glover had obviously grasped the trick to holding him back.
Layork cast an inquiring look at Morris, but the fat man was deep in thought and did not respond.
Grove was the only one who showed a pained and pleading expression. He shook his wife's arm.
Yanni was in a daze for a long time. She turned her head around in a daze and swept her gaze over the medicine store she had been in for more than ten years. Then, she glanced at Grove, who was once the shop owner and was now her husband.
Then, she slowly turned her head and looked at the handsome and gentle young noble.
Thales did not rush her. He just waited quietly.
Finally, after an unknown period of time, Yanni took a deep breath. Slowly but decisively, she pulled her arm out of her husband's fingers.
She wiped her hands, took two light steps forward, and stood in front of Thales.
Thales smiled in response.
Grove was immediately dealt a heavy blow. His body swayed, and his face turned pale.
Morris' thoughts were in a mess. He frowned fiercely. Kohen widened his eyes in disbelief. Glover did not move and was expressionless. Layork continued to lean against the corner of the wall and watched coldly.
Yanni cleared her throat and said seriously, "Young Master, I am very, very grateful for your favor.
"This … Young Master, I am very, very grateful for your favor."
Thales raised his eyebrows.
Yanni said firmly,
Yan Ni said firmly,
I do not need the new life you gave me. "
The moment she said that, the entire medicine store fell silent.
As soon as he said that, the entire pharmacy fell silent.
Thales frowned slightly.
"What?"
Yanni tried her best to squeeze out a smile.
"I mean, the life I have now is already my best choice."
"What I'm saying is that my current life is already the best choice for me."
"The best choice?"
Thales muttered to himself for a while. He gestured with his chin at the cowardly Grove.
"That's him?"
Grove shuddered again.
But Yanni turned around and glanced at her husband. Then, she said to Thales with certainty,
"Yes, him."
Thales was silent for a while.
He lowered his head and sneered.
"Tell me, will your old husband, Boss Grove, beat you up?"
Yanni trembled slightly.
Morris snorted on the other side. Grove's face was pale, as if he had been struck by lightning.
Thales looked up and tried hard to see into Yanni's heart.
"Tell me, Miss Yanni, or Madam Grove, are you happy here?"
Yanni's eyebrows twitched. She pondered this question in pain and hesitation.
Perhaps it was because the young man's two bodyguards were too strong, or perhaps it was because of the dignified aura that he exuded, or perhaps it was because Morris' presence was extraordinary. At this moment, the entire pharmacy was silent. Everyone was waiting quietly.
Finally, after half a minute, Yanni's eyebrows relaxed.
She raised her head slowly, ran her fingers through her hair, and gave Thales a beautiful smile. There were traces of weariness that should not be present at her age.
"I am truly grateful to you, young master.
But you may not be aware. "
Yanni looked at Thales seriously. There was a rare sense of relief and fatigue in her words.
"I come from Ricenan Town in the Western Desert. More than ten years ago, the war took my father and brothers away. My mother and I had no choice but to leave our hometown and seek our own survival."
Thales' gaze dimmed.
"And although Eternal Star City is rumored to be the wealthiest and most prosperous capital, this big city is actually not that welcoming to foreigners."
Yanni took a deep breath and glanced at the shop that she had stayed in for almost half of her life.
"This street looks chaotic, barbaric, and unsafe. This shop looks shabby, old-fashioned, and dilapidated …
"But this is already the place that feels most like home to me in the capital."
'The place that feels most like home.'
Thales clenched his fists.
On the other side, Glover furrowed his eyebrows, Morris snorted softly, and Layork buried his face deeper into the shadows.
Yan Ni sighed and smiled bitterly.
"And Mr. Grove … I mean, my husband."
Yanni turned to look at Grove with a complicated gaze. The latter was looking at them uneasily.
"Yes, he is older than me, a little fat, and a little impatient."
"He's usually a little stingy, calculative, impatient, selfish, and short-sighted. He snores loudly in his sleep at night."
Yan Ni took a deep breath and said with difficulty,
"And yes, if I pull him up when he's drunk, he'll hit me."
Thales glared at Grove coldly. The latter was first horrified, then showed a fawning and remorseful expression.
Kohen frowned. He raised his index finger and was about to speak, but for the third time, he was forced back by Glover's fierce gaze and firm grip that said, "If you dare to interrupt the prince, I'll kill you".
Yanni slowly turned around and said softly,
"But he took me in, took care of me, gave me a job, gave me a place to get medicine, and treated my typhoid mother."
"Just when I was at my lowest, at my wit's end, and was about to risk everything to look for a job in Red Street Market …"
Grove's eyes were filled with joy.
"He didn't do it out of kindness, much less love."
Thales snorted coldly.
"He did it only for your beauty and youth."
Yanni trembled slightly and suddenly looked up.
"Yes!"
Thales was shocked.
At some point in time, Yanni's eyes had already turned red. She spoke agitatedly and agitatedly.
"Of course I know! He coveted my beauty. He saw that I was young, hardworking, and capable, so he … "
Tears trickled down her cheeks as she raised her voice.
"But who didn't?!"
Yan Ni's sudden outburst startled everyone.
The young woman took a deep breath and wiped the corners of her eyes.
"You're young, young master. You were born into a wealthy family and live a carefree life. Perhaps you don't know what it's like to be so hungry that you lose your mind. You don't even care if a man takes off your skirt for a mouthful of bread."
Thales stared at her blankly.
"But I know."
Yanni clenched her fists on her apron.
"I know."
She turned around and glanced at Grove. Her gaze was filled with a desolate smile.
"Yes, my husband is full of flaws and shortcomings. Some of them are unbearable. He's certainly not the ideal man in every young girl's heart."
Grove flashed his wife an extremely ugly smile.
Yanni snorted, but her laughter was bitter. Her voice was low.
"But the reality is, which woman's husband in this world is as good as the stories say?
"Especially here."
Thales responded in silence.
"That's right. I might have a bit of good looks, and I'm younger than him. That's why he, who has money and a career, took a fancy to me. He made me work for him and made me marry him willingly or unwillingly." "That's right.
Yanni sniffled and said mournfully,
"But a talented man and a beautiful woman. Isn't this the universally acknowledged truth of a happy marriage between a man and a woman?"
The young woman turned her head in panic and looked at the other people in the pharmacy: Cohen, Glover, Morris, Layork …
But no one answered her question.
Under the heavy pressure, Yanni lost control of her emotions. She sobbed.
"Just like in 'Isabel's Search for Her Husband', a man can only use his achievements and wealth to exchange for a woman's age and beauty. He can't see anyone with tears in his eyes, so how can he hope for love and affection? From the commoners to the nobles, which family isn't the same?"
"Which family isn't the same?"
Yanni rubbed her red nose and stroked her hair that had become dry and colorless after her marriage. She sneered and said nonchalantly,
"As long as a man has fame and wealth, he can cover everything else. He doesn't care about his flaws or how he is.
"And to a lady, being young, beautiful, virtuous and capable is the only value. Who cares if you're happy or not?"
Thales could feel the agitation in her emotions and could not help but feel remorseful.
"Yanni …"
But Yanni turned a blind eye to his reminder.
"In the opera, Princess Isabel's criteria for choosing a husband are always the same: fame, reputation, and outstanding talent. And there are only a few things she can use to attract a candidate: beauty, virtuous, and intelligence … These are the only matches. "
Yanni said absentmindedly,
"As for the specific husband she chose, is it the handsome Knight of Light Needham, the agile and elegant elf Cahill, the unparalleled General Ruhr, the powerful Prime Minister Moriah, the infatuated Duke Mader, the noble Imperial Prince Jules, the sinister and vicious Scholar Vita, or the evil and extreme Black Knight Uther? Is it really important?
"I take off my dress in exchange for his bread."
Yanni's eyes were blank.
"This is the most recognized trade and match."
Thales looked at her quietly and suddenly realized that the person in front of him was no longer the kind Yanni he was familiar with.
Six years later, that reserved and shy girl had experienced too much and seen too much in this ruthless neighborhood.
He suddenly felt a heavy heart.
He even began to doubt his choice to come to Lower City District.
"Just like this medicine scale." Yanni smiled sadly. She reached out to take down a medicine scale and fiddled with its weights.
"Everyone only recognizes the left item and the right weight. One side is medicine, and the other is the weight.
"The left and the right cannot be mixed, and the content cannot be changed."
Yanni stared blankly at Grove, who was equally stunned.
"As for me and my husband, we are only following the rules of the medicine scale."
On the other side, Morris was caught off guard by this scene. He had other important matters on his mind and did not listen carefully. He just waved his hand impatiently. "Grove, your family matters —"
But Thales suddenly raised his hand and gestured for him to keep quiet!
Morris immediately choked.
Thales sighed and tried his best to speak to Yanni in the most gentle tone.
"But, Yanni, I just want —"
Yanni snapped out of her daze and sneered. She had completely forgotten about the status and power this mysterious young man in front of her, who called Morris a brother, might have.
"And what's the difference between you and me?
"Whether it's coercion or seduction, you'll use the status, power, wealth, and achievements of a certain noble family and place them on the medicine scale that everyone agrees on in exchange for my body, looks, obedience, and service. Perhaps I'll even inherit the glory of your descendants. Then everyone will see it as a good deal, as if this is the most normal thing, as if this is the only fair deal in the world."
Thales' breathing suddenly became erratic.
"Yes, you might be better than my husband, more handsome, richer, younger, and even kinder, young master.
"But even if you're the king …
"To me, it's just taking off a dress and exchanging it for a piece of bread."
Yanni shook her head indifferently. Her tears had already dried up, revealing the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes caused by years of hard work.
"The dress is still made of cloth, the bread is still made of flour … When I weigh it, it's still the same medicine scale. Nothing has changed."
Thales felt his heart stop beating.
Nothing had changed.
"This is the sorrow of being a woman. For the rest of our lives, we must and can only work hard to weave and dye our own dresses. Only then can we take off our dresses and choose between bad and not-so-bad bread, even if you think that a certain bread is extremely delicious and is practically the king of bread."
Yanni glanced at Thales and sneered.
"In this aspect, you're not even as good as my husband, even if he's old and ugly."
Grove was delighted at first, but when he saw Thales' expression, he felt bitter in his heart.
"At least, I've lived with him for many years. I understand him, and I know how to deal with him.
"At least, I know that I can be the mistress of a medicine shop here. I can live a normal and worry-free life. No matter how bad things are, I won't be so poor that I have to rely on hard labor to wash clothes and even sell my body to make a living.
"And this is better than hooking up with some rich and powerful noble young master, living a luxurious life for a period of time, and then being abandoned for no reason."
Thales was speechless. He could only clench his fists.
All his eloquence and eloquence were overshadowed when Yanni poured out her heart in despair.
"Because the medicine scale in this world only allows me to exchange my dress for bread. There's a strict partition in the middle, and I can't cross it.
"So, it's the same with any man. It's just bread to stave off hunger."
Yanni shook her head in confusion and sneered sadly.
"There's never a better choice or a better life."
Thales was silent. Only Yanni's soft sobs could be heard in the air.
Morris sighed softly. Layork's gaze was sharp. Glover lowered his head and pondered. Even Cohen looked sad.
"It's not your fault, Yanni." After a while, Thales composed himself and shook his head. "It's because this medicine scale is too old. It's not good enough for you.
"But you do deserve better."
But Yanni was still unmoved. She stared at Thales vigilantly, and the stubbornness in her eyes did not diminish.
Thales looked at her now and thought of the past. His heart was filled with mixed feelings.
He opened the corners of his mouth weakly, and a weak smile bloomed.
"Good girl, Yanni."
'Good girl, Yanni.'
At that moment, Yanni was stunned.
She stared blankly at Thales' pained eyes and was stunned for a long time.
'Good girl, Yanni.
'This title …'
A memory from a long time ago, when she was still a girl, suddenly surged into her mind.
"Take it, black-haired boy. This is typhoid medicine. Remember, children can only use half the dosage …"
"Thank you. Coria will get better now. Here, is this enough?"
"Sigh, it's not enough. The price of the medicine has increased … It's okay, I'll make up for it. Fill in the accounts. I hope Mister Grove will not notice."
"Don't worry. Didn't you say that there are many rich people in Red Street Market? I'll go there to try my luck. I might be able to get some money to return to you … If the boss hits you, I'll smash his precious signboard!"
"But that's Blood Bottle Gang's territory … Alright, you should go now, or else he will really find out … Hey, wait, these are the remaining clothes. Take them, it's very cold this winter …"
"Thank, thank you. Sinti and the others will be very happy. Then I'll go … Hey, good girl, Yanni! "
"I said don't call me that! What else do you want? "
"You know, a good girl like you will definitely be happy!"
"Pfft … There's only so much. You won't get anything even if you try to please her!"
"No, I'm serious. I will let everyone in Downtown know that there's a good girl, Yanni! Good men will fight to marry you! "
"Pfft, hahahaha, alright, hurry up and get lost, glib-tongued boy!"
"Believe me, a girl like you," Thales turned his head and said with a sigh,
"Good men will fight to marry you."
Yanni stared at the teenager in front of her in a daze.
Thales took a deep breath. His voice trembled slightly.
"But … I'm sorry, maybe they're just exchanging bread for a skirt."
Yanni and the teenager stood in the pharmacy, facing each other in silence.
Finally, after an unknown amount of time, Yanni's gaze became gentle.
"Perhaps." Yanni smiled brightly. "But I've understood it a long time ago.
"That's good enough."
She said softly,
"Glib-Tongued boy."
'Glib-Tongued boy.'
Thales took a deep breath and lowered his head to press on the bridge of his nose.
"Is that so?"
Thales rubbed the bridge of his nose. He turned his head around unnaturally and walked between the shelves.
"Then forget about my suggestion.
"Good girl."
Yanni stared at Thales' back in a daze.
Behind her, Grove heaved a sigh of relief. Then, he was shocked by Layork, the assassin, who was staring at him coldly.
After the farce, Kohen lowered his head and pondered. Glover, on the other hand, looked around vigilantly. He was afraid that the Brotherhood would suddenly turn against them, and he was also afraid that the police officer's sense of justice would act up again and cause trouble.
Only Morris frowned and followed the prince into the shelves.
"What exactly do you want?"
Hearing the voice behind him, Thales raised his head.
'What do I want?'
Thales turned around. When he met Morris' gaze again, he had already returned to normal. He had become the natural and indifferent prince again.
"As you can see, I'm flirting with women." The teenager chuckled.
But his heart was not as calm.
He could only feel an unjust aura rumbling in his chest.
"No, I don't care if you've taken a fancy to a good wife or want to flirt with her or even force yourself on her. What I want to ask is …"
Morris snorted angrily. He approached Thales and gritted his teeth.
"What exactly do you want from us?"
"What do you want?"
"You're the heir of a country. Are you going to use Red Street Market and flirting with women as a pretense to persuade us to pay attention to the kingdom's politics just because you met Black Sword in Eckstedt?"
Thales' gaze was dark.
'What do I want?'
"As I said, it's winter, and it's going to snow again." The prince looked up and turned the resentment in his chest into motivation to think.
"Get ready to ward off the cold."
Morris was puzzled.
"I don't understand —"
But Thales' voice became stern.
"Horace."
Morris' words came to a halt.
"The former second prince, the Sword of Reversing Light, Horace Jadestar."
The teenager suddenly raised his head and looked at Morris coldly.
"What did he ask from you during the Bloody Year?"
Morris widened his eyes.
One second, two seconds. The fat man's gaze changed. Coldness, treachery, decisiveness, and fierceness appeared in succession.
But Thales was unmoved. He only met his gaze quietly.
After a while, Morris' expression was ferocious. He lowered his voice.
"Then what you asked for is a little too much."
'And too dangerous.'
The fat man's heart was cold.
As he stared at Morris' expression, Thales already had an answer in his heart.
"Then we won't be in a hurry. We'll take our time." The teenager was calm and confident.
"First, I want to know what you know."
Morris frowned.
"What we know?"
Thales nodded. He tried hard to forget the disappointment he felt when he failed to repay Yan Ne's debt of gratitude.
"Even though politics is everywhere and affects everything, I don't think that every party is self-aware.
"But I don't think that everyone is self-aware, especially with the difference between you and Horace. I don't think that he will tell you the entire plan."
"Especially during the Bloody Year."
When he said this, Thales' gaze focused.
"So, I just want to know how you know Horace.
I want to know what is the relationship between him and Black Sword. "
With every sentence the prince said, Morris' eyelids twitched.
Then, Thales' voice turned completely cold.
"And all of you, aside from sneaking into Renaissance Palace, carrying out a coup, and killing the crown prince, what else did you do for him?"
At that moment, Morris almost turned into a statue. He stood rooted to the ground like a thousand-year-old tree.
He stared at Thales. His expression kept changing.
The shelves became quiet again. Only Yan Ne's cleaning outside and Kohen's angry rebuke of Layork could be heard.
After a while, the fat man from the Brotherhood lowered his head and sized Thales up with a cold expression.
"I understand … Another Jadestar with desires. Through the Secret Intelligence Department's operation, he found out about our background and strength …"
Thales frowned slightly.
Morris smiled slyly.
"Then, what can you give us, Your Highness?"
When he heard this, Thales sneered.
"Survival."
While Morris was stunned, Thales suddenly turned around.
"Yanni?"
The prince raised his voice and attracted everyone's attention again (Grove was so frightened that he collapsed on the counter again).
"I need some typhoid medicine."
Yanni turned around. Although her eyes were still red, she was no longer afraid or in pain.
The young woman smiled faintly. Her tone was gentle.
"Alright, young master, I will pack it for you. How much do you want …"
"Take it, black-haired boy. This is typhoid medicine …"
The memories of the past slowly reappeared before his eyes.
"All of them." Thales lowered his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose so that no one could see his eyes.
"I want all the typhoid medicine in the shop today."
Grove, who was sitting on the counter, was stunned.
'All of them?'
He was shocked at first, then overjoyed. He quickly flipped open the account book and started to calculate the numbers.
Kohen and Glover were also stunned.
Thales turned around and returned to his conversation with Morris.
"After your successive victories over the past decade, the situation has changed once again."
The difficulties you encountered with Blood Bottle Gang is just the tip of the iceberg of the Secret Intelligence Department's next plan. "
Morris, like a fierce and sensitive hound, asked hurriedly:
"What change? What plan? "
Thales curled his lips slightly.
"Me.
"I'm back," he said softly.
Morris was slightly puzzled, but after a few seconds, his eyes became clear again.
"Because … you returned to the capital from the north?"
Thales' eyes brightened.
He nodded.
"Everyone said that under the Black Sword, Cenza is the best fighter in the Brotherhood, Fisher is the most difficult to deal with, Lance is the most mysterious, Roda is the most domineering, and Anton is the most vicious.
"But they missed it," the prince sighed sincerely.
"The person in charge of the accounts is Morris."
Morris flashed a malicious smile.
"That's right."
Thales did not keep him in suspense anymore.
"Just like six years ago, I descended from the sky and changed the political situation of Constellation. Now, I'm back.
"The situation of the entire kingdom will change once again."
Morris was puzzled.
"What do you mean? How so? "
Thales smiled faintly.
At that moment, Fakenhaz, Prime Minister Cullen, the young Duke of Iris Flowers, One-Eyed Dragon Koshder, and the weathered and thin Duke of the Northern Territory, Val Arunde …
The scene in front of him finally stopped at the conference hall, at the other end of the deep corridor, at the supreme throne.
Thales' smile immediately disappeared.
"You don't need to know the details."
The prince put away his emotions and looked straight at Morris.
"You only need to know …
"The Kingdom's Secret Intelligence Department reports directly to the supreme throne. They have always been far-sighted and ambitious. They never do useless things."
Thales recalled what he had seen and heard in the Secret Intelligence Department and could not help but frown. Morris also had a solemn expression.
"All of their actions are based on what they think, say, do, report, and hide. They might even lock another set of items in the safe … But they definitely didn't do it to intimidate someone or some gang. That's why they threatened, kidnapped, arrested, and reorganized the gang. They did so many things that seem to have nothing to do with the two gangs that influence the bottom class of the kingdom."
Morris listened attentively.
"According to my estimation, they are preparing for a big operation," Thales said coldly.
"The encounter between Blood Bottle Gang and the Brotherhood is just a prelude. They are sharpening their swords."
Morris looked puzzled.
"Us? Why? Do they want to carry out another 'one-night war'? Do they want us to fight against the Red Turban again? "
"I don't know." Thales shook his head and thought about the information he knew.
"But if I had to guess, the Secret Intelligence Department might be focusing on three directions."
Morris raised his eyebrows.
"Which three?"
But this time, Thales did not answer as straightforwardly as before. Instead, he stared coldly at Morris.
It was as if he was waiting for something.
"What's wrong?" Morris urged in puzzlement, "Say it."
Thales stared at him silently and suddenly smiled. "Yes."
He stared into Morris' small eyes.
"Say it."
Morris was stunned at first, but as the boss of a territory, he quickly understood and looked back at Thales with a gloomy expression.
"It's your choice." Thales shrugged. Like the most experienced businessman, he was unhurried.
"Anyway, they are not in my business, and the people they kidnapped are not my people."
Morris stared at him, as if he could not believe it.
Thales blinked. He was friendly and obedient.
After a while, Morris exhaled as if he had accepted his fate and snorted in displeasure.
"One mission."
Thales frowned. "What?"
Morris raised his head and looked at the muddy and messy streets outside the window.
He said faintly, "The answer you want comes from one of our missions.
A long time ago, not long after the Nine Powerhouses were established, we accepted a mission with a sky-high reward. "
Thales continued asking.
"What mission?"
Morris snorted and crossed his arms. There was a nostalgic look in his eyes.
"Looking for someone."
Thales was very puzzled. He urged him to continue with his gaze.
Morris clicked his tongue and shook his head, as if he had turned back into a stingy, money-hungry mercenary.
"The person who offered the bounty hid his name, but was generous. As long as we were willing to participate, we would be rewarded, and the final bounty was enough for us to expand into a hundred-man team …
"To be honest, we were just one of the people hired. To get the bounty, we had to compete with countless people in the same line of work. Many of them were famous mercenary teams, bounty hunters, and even the private soldiers of nobles participated. But we were young at that time, and we did not care about anything. Lech was greedy for money, Kiers was arrogant, and Kohl only cared about having meat to eat. Even Black Sword was not much better than that stupid police officer at that time."
Morris was engrossed in his narration. He shook his head and sighed.
"Of course, the biggest trouble was not the others …"
He first clicked his tongue in disdain, then broke into a smile, as if he was turning the page of the most interesting story.
"In short, from the Central Territory to the Western Desert, from the Great Desert to Dragon-Kissed Land, from the Three Kingdoms of the Mist to South Coast Hill, we almost ran through a small part of the Western Peninsula. We chased after them, fled, fought, killed, and were killed. In short, we were in a state of chaos and were badly battered.
"If we wrote our encounters into bardic poems, we could sing them in 'My Tavern' for twenty years without feeling bored."
As Thales listened to his spirited narration, his thoughts drifted back to the former Blade Fangs Camp. He remembered the "Golden Age of Mercenaries" that his boss Tampa described, and he could not help but gradually become lost in thought.
"And when the mission was finally completed, and we went back to report to our superiors to receive the reward, we realized that it was not an ordinary mission."
Thales' eyes sparkled.
"You mean …"
Morris sighed.
"In line with its sky-high bounty, we were asked to report to the military camp at Broken Dragon Fortress.
"Because the person who placed the bounty on this mission had an extremely high status."
Thales' eyes sparkled.
'Military camp …
'Extremely high status …'
Morris looked at the street outside the window. His words were mixed with wariness, disdain, regret, and other strange emotions.
"That's right.
"That was the first time we met Prince Horace."
Morris said disdainfully and resentfully.
"Just when that bastard raised his wine glass and generously handed over the boxes of bounty to us …
"And when he casually ordered us to kill all of us."
Thales was shocked.
'Horace …'
He suddenly remembered the nickname given to him by the Northlanders.
The Butcher of Constellation.
"Kill all of us? Then … "Thales frowned and said," Then how did you … "
"Black Sword," Morris sighed and said.
"He and Horace were old acquaintances, especially when he placed the tip of his sword against the prince's neck. Their relationship became even better."
Thales quietly ruminated on this dusty old matter.
So, this was the encounter between the Nine Powerhouses and Horace.
The ups and downs were thrilling.
Thales suddenly remembered something.
"Then, the mission.
"What was the mission you accepted from Horace?"
Morris' eyes trembled slightly.
At that moment, he broke away from the solemnity and wariness, and a smile appeared on his face again.
"That journey was also the first time we got to know her."
"Her?" Thales thought of something.
Morris nodded.
"A noble lady was kidnapped, and it involved her reputation. We had to rescue her in a low-key and secretive manner, and bring her back in one piece."
Morris patted his arm and grinned.
"But, we only found out later. F * ck, there was no kidnapping!"
He snorted helplessly.
"In order to escape marriage, that lady would do anything, from dressing as a prostitute to crawling into the toilet. She was our biggest problem!"
"Escape marriage?" Thales remembered something.
"That's right."
Morris exhaled and looked into the distance. There was a ghost of a smile on his face.
"The beautiful, sexy, intelligent, but domineering Princess Constance, nicknamed the 'Little Jinx'."
His tone was soft, as if he was afraid of waking someone up.
'Constance.
'Little Jinx …'
A small urn of cinerary ashes suddenly appeared in front of Thales.
At that moment, his emotions fluctuated.
"But you know, after spending so much time with her, we, the Nine Powerhouses, have given her another nickname."
At that moment, Morris' eyes showed nostalgia and sadness.
"The Tenth Powerhouse."
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.
