Bard? Wendell did not know where he was taken to, but it was not because he was blindfolded or unconscious. In fact, the soldiers and officers in charge of escorting him did not forbid him from looking around. He did not know where he was and where he was going, simply because everything he saw on the way was beyond his imagination.
Such a prosperous and well-organized city, a city with such a unique and vibrant style, Bard had thought that Monolith City, which was close to the Saint Spirit Plain, was already a stunning city. But now, he realized why the warden kept saying that Monolith City was just a rapidly developing border market, and the real prosperity of the south was further south.
Cecil City, the City of Miracles at the foot of the Dark Mountain Range. No wonder the arcanist who lived with him suggested that he should visit this city when he had the chance.
Bard found it hard to imagine how the barren frontier four years ago had developed into such a prosperous city. Perhaps judging from the history and the number of complex classical buildings (such buildings often took a long time to build, and the older the city, the more such buildings there would be), this city was still too young. However, the prosperity and vitality of this city were something that General Typhon had never seen before in his life.
He recalled the south when he had to evacuate in a hurry after his mission failed. At that time, this place was not like this.
Mechanical vehicles powered by magic drove smoothly on the wide and neat roads. Crystals that powered the city facilities could be seen floating in the air from time to time on both sides of the road, as well as flashing holographic projections at the intersections and squares. The contents of the holographic projections were changing all the time, and the news and scenery from distant places were suddenly very close. The energetic pedestrians greeted each other on the road, not showing the slightest bit of depression or embarrassment because the weather was getting colder.
The fully-armed escort sat beside Bard, but he merely monitored his movements and did not stop this special 'Extraordinary criminal' from looking around. It was only when he was close to the city center that he heard the criminal he was escorting suddenly break the silence. "… I heard that during the War of the Holy Spirit Plains, this city made weapons out of steel that would have taken the entire kingdom a year to use in a single month and sent them to the frontlines …"
The soldier glanced at Bard. Although he did not know why the prisoner suddenly brought it up, he still nodded proudly. "That's right. But that's just the part mentioned in the newspaper. In fact, the war in the Holy Spirit Plains lasted for more than a month. The factory didn't just convert steel."
"… Yes, there is such a way …"
The prisoner let out a vague sigh. Then, he fell into silence again and continued to stare at the scenery outside the window, not saying anything else.
The soldier shook his head. This guy was indeed an inexplicable guy.
The vehicle drove across the avenue and passed through Pioneer Square. Finally, under the guidance of another group of soldiers, they were led to a large building.
Bard silently and obediently got out of the vehicle.
When he was suddenly taken out of the prison and placed in a strange armored Magic Vehicle escorted by soldiers, he vaguely realized who wanted to see him. As for this arrangement of fate, he didn't have the slightest thought of resisting it.
The soldiers were strict and responsible. Although Bard showed the highest degree of cooperation, these soldiers still meticulously carried out the handover and escort process and led Bard into the building. As a former General Typhon and a member of the cult, Bard had also secretly calculated the whole process in his mind. He came to the conclusion that even if he wanted to escape, he would not be able to run more than a hundred meters alive.
Every soldier here had a magic reaction on them. The magic tools that could seriously injure them were their most basic equipment. Not to mention, there might be countless magic mechanisms and monitoring devices hidden here. Just like the time when he burned a newspaper in the bar, it attracted a whole team of security personnel. In this very important facility, there would only be more similar monitoring devices.
These soldiers were obviously just ordinary people.
Bard lowered his head and walked forward under the guidance of the soldiers.
But more than 90% of the people in this world … were ordinary people.
The soldier stopped in front of a door and nodded to the attendant guarding the door. Then he pushed Bard's shoulder forward and said, "After you go in, be respectful. Good luck."
In the room, Gwen saw a face that he had not seen for a long time. Although they had only met once a few years ago, this face was still very clear in his strengthened memory.
Compared to a few years ago, this face was obviously much more dispirited. His beard and hair were neglected, and his eyes were no longer proud and confident. Whether it was the sinister aura of a cult member or the sharpness of a former Wolf General, they seemed to have disappeared.
But when Bard walked to the center of the room and met Gwen's gaze, there was still a slight change in his dispirited eyes.
His eyes regained some spirit. Then he tried to stand up straight, tidied up his gray prison uniform, and bowed slightly. "Greetings, Gwen? Your Majesty Cecil. "
His attitude was like that of a captive general facing the monarch of another country.
It was rather ironic, he thought, that he had so resolutely given up his own glory so many years ago, and chosen to devote himself to a grand but dark cause, and that now, after so many years, when he was at his lowest, he had stood up straight.
"We meet again, Bard Wendell." Mr. Wendell. "Gawain looked at him calmly. He did not immediately condemn him, nor did he mock him." The priest of the All Things Will Die Association, the Wolf General who faked his death and defected from the Tifeng Empire … I really didn't expect you to be right under my nose these days. "
Wolf General … Hearing this title that he had abandoned, Bard's eyes were only calm. He glanced at Gwen and said, "It seems that you have investigated me a lot."
"It's just that I happen to have some connections." Gwen smiled. "When I heard that there was a strange prisoner who was eating and drinking in the prison of Monolith City and couldn't be driven away, I really didn't expect it to be you … Until I saw your name in the report, I couldn't help but sigh at the wonders of fate."
"I also didn't expect to see you again under such circumstances." Bard frowned slightly. "Since you have found out … it seems that my comfortable days are over."
"You have committed many crimes as the priest of the All Things Will Die Society, but to be honest, I'm not here to judge you today." Gwen stared at Bard Wendell. "Cecil advocates the rule of law and justice. When you last appeared on this land, Cecil had not yet ruled the Southern Territory. I can't use today's law to judge the crimes of the previous dynasty, but there are others who are qualified to judge what you did in Leslie Hill."
Bard froze for a moment. While he was in a daze, another door on the side of the room opened.
A tall, thin middle-aged man with a slightly pale face, carrying a decorative cane, and wearing a dark blue coat walked out of the door.
Andrew?? Viscount Leslie, the former Lord of Leslie Hill and the current Consul of Tanzania City.
Bard stared at the man who was walking towards him. Compared to his memory, Viscount Andrew today did not appear weak due to age. Instead, he looked more energetic. His pale face was less sickly and looked more like a normal complexion. It seemed that the new life had greatly improved the health of this "noble lord."
Andrew?? It had already been close to two years since Leslie had taken any harmful magic potion.
Building and managing a thriving new city, watching his territory prosper day by day under his governance, he was happier than he had ever imagined.
"Viscount Andrew." After a few seconds of staring at each other, Bard finally broke the silence. "You seem to be doing well."
There seemed to be a flame jumping in Andrew's deep eye sockets. He stared at the person in front of him, slowly raised his cane, and pressed it against Bard's chest. "Do you remember what you did in Tanzania Town?"
"It's still fresh in my mind."
"My daughter still has difficulty communicating with people to this day. One-third of the people who survived your evil ritual are still unable to return to normal life." Andrew's hand slowly tightened as if he wanted to use the cane as a sword to stab into Bard's body. "Not to mention those who didn't survive … Do you have anything else to say?"
Bard stood where he was without evading. "Hanging or beheading is fine. You can also sentence me to death by fire according to the treatment that cultists deserve. My only request is that you don't disclose my name after this. If this request is too much, please fill my skull with lead, if there is any skull left after the fire."
In the customs of the northern and eastern Typhon, filling the skull with lead had a special meaning. It meant that all the sins of the deceased would remain on the deceased's body. There would be no redemption or absolution, and the sins and stigma would not be passed on to any relatives, friends, or family.
There was a similar saying in Ansu (Cecil), but the practice in the northern kingdom was to pierce a nail through the skull of the deceased. But no matter which way it was, the prerequisite was that the deceased had to personally ask for it before it would work. This was the embodiment of the human race's idea of "soul inheritance" in the domain of life and death.
Viscount Andrew stared into Bard's eyes and said, "I thought you would defend yourself — emphasize that you were merciful at that time, or emphasize that you were also bewitched by the cult."
"If a person can be exonerated after committing a crime with just a few words of justification or one or two seemingly pardonable reasons, then all the gallows in the world can be removed," Bard said frankly. "You can sentence me to death or choose to forgive me. This is your right. But I … have nothing to say."
The room was quiet for a moment. Viscount Andrew stared at Bard for a long time before he suddenly twitched the corner of his mouth and slowly put down his cane. "I didn't expect you to have humanity now. What is this? Have you seen through life? "
"Humanity … I have always had it." Bard slowly closed his eyes. "It's just that … I once thought that the great cause was worth it for me to abandon humanity and the bottom line …"
"Any cause that requires abandoning humanity and the bottom line is not worthy of being called 'great'. It's just a group of lunatics in the illusion of self-satisfaction and self-gratification," Viscount Andrew interrupted Bard's words, using the sentence Gwen wrote when he commented on the cultists in the latest issue of the newspaper. Then he paused and slowly said under Bard's stunned and surprised gaze, "But these are not important now. Your farce ends with your own destruction, and you … I won't kill you."
"You won't kill me?" Bard looked at Viscount Andrew in astonishment. "Why?"
"Don't get me wrong. As you said, it's not so easy to wash clean after a crime. I won't kill you, but it doesn't mean that I've forgiven you. It's just that compared to death, you can be of greater use."
As he spoke, Viscount Andrew turned his head and looked at Gwen, who was sitting not far away and watching everything calmly. "Your Majesty, let him go. If he can come back alive, perhaps it means that he doesn't deserve to die."
Gwen frowned. "Are you sure? It's not that we don't have an exploration plan now. You don't have to be affected by this matter … "
"He's the priest of the All Ends Society, a person who deserves to be judged. With such a suitable candidate, why should we let the brave soldiers form a suicide squad?" Viscount Andrew's expression was firm and serious. "In this situation, it's not easy to find a second living priest of the All Ends Society in a short time."
"If this is your wish," Gwen nodded after a short pause. "I'll allow it."
Although Bard was confused about what happened, he still understood that Viscount Andrew was arranging something for him to do. This thing might be life-threatening, but it could be used in exchange for his life.
Although he was prepared for the death penalty, he would not refuse to die if he could.
"What do you want me to do?"
Gwen glanced at Bard. "Go to your nest that has gone out of control."
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