"Boss."
At the same moment, in a certain ruins on the outskirts of Freedom City, a player wearing a windbreaker braved the heavy rain and walked into the dark cave: "There is news from above, they have already asked."
"...Oh? Where's the answer?"
"……You know."
The man who came in took off his raincoat and shook his head slowly: "Lou Yushang is a lady who has been baptized by a wealthy family. This kind of mistake should be impossible to make. People in the Lou family seemed to have
They also wanted to take action, but they were quickly pushed back by themselves."
"……snort."
The figure sitting in the darkness was silent for a while, and then let out a disdainful snort: "Where is the maid from the Duan family?"
"She's been watching too, but she seems to be alert and has been avoiding us these past few days." Patting the rain on his body, the player who just came in replied in a low voice: "From the past time period.
Look, the gap where she disappeared... matches the timing of her appearance in the game very well."
"This kind of trick is just to deceive us..."
The man sitting in the darkness sneered, and then returned to the dead silence before: "Have you handed over the report we made before to the superiors?"
"Submitted, but they want to confirm again."
The player who just came in replied in a low voice: "Not only do I want to verify the development of the game Free World, but I also want to carefully check the whereabouts of those people... Hey, if you don't trust us people, just say so.
What are you doing if you don’t have any?”
"They are all big shots in the upper class, so it's normal not to pay attention to people like us." The players in the black hole replied in a low voice: "Some of them don't even understand the game at all, they just rely on their status
We are just there to point fingers. Those of us who take money from others are just running errands for others..."
"But we have the same purpose."
Taking a deep breath, the player who came in said with a heavy voice: "In order to rule this world, we must rely on their power, and if this momentum continues... That man, and the power that may exist behind him, will eventually
It will become a stumbling block for us.”
"...That's right."
The drizzle that never stopped became sparser as the two people reached a consensus, but it seemed to be getting colder and colder. The player sitting in the cave also shrank as the temperature dropped.
Shrinking, as if what he said at this time was as cold as the winter in the game: "Almost all the forces were not on his side, but in the end he was still able to break the game... If you continue to let this guy go,
If things continue to develop, the heyday of the dynasty three years ago may soon be repeated again."
"That man must be stopped."
"That man must be stopped."
The two players in the darkness each nodded, expressionless faces as they turned around silently and left respectively. They moved in their respective directions, and then after a period of disguise, they slowly blended in.
Among the crowds in Liberty City, the players from the city did not seem to have any fluctuations due to the entry of these two people. They were still doing what they were doing. The laxity and enthusiasm from this city also began to follow.
Their respective tasks gradually dissipated the cold brought by the winter rain from above.
It was in this scene that Duan Qing, who was alone, slowly returned to the door of Luolan's blacksmith shop.
"...where are the people?"
"gone."
"You really...?"
"……Do not think too much."
Glancing at the black-clothed swordsman standing in front of him out of the corner of his eye, Duan Qing shook his head and walked past him, then slowly turned his head as if he remembered something:
"By the way, what are your plans next?"
"Intend?"
Jian Beidong raised his eyebrows in surprise, and finally answered Duan Qing's question truthfully: "I don't have any plans. If I have any plans... I'll probably follow whatever that little girl wants to do.
."
"Oh?" Duan Qing replied sideways: "In other words... you have no intention of following me?"
"...What do you want to say?"
After looking at Duan Qing steadily for a while, Jian Beidong gradually put down the carpentry work in his hands: "Is there anything wrong with my appearance?"
"……nothing."
The voice paused for a moment, and Duan Qing finally put down his serious expression: "The wind has been a bit tight recently, so I want to draw your attention... If someone finds your head, please don't be surprised."
"...are they coming?"
A sharp look suddenly flashed in his eyes, and the swordsman in black standing in the rain became as sharp as an unsheathed sword: "We have been tracking that matter for such a long time... I didn't expect it.
At this time, they actually dare to come to your door?"
"Don't underestimate your opponent."
Looking up at Laura, who was still holding the giant hammer and beating the roof of the blacksmith shop, Duan Qing couldn't help but sigh: "It's been so long, you must have grown a lot, there is no need for such clichéd things.
Did I come to remind you?"
"...Hmph, are you finally willing to tell the truth?"
After looking at each other steadily for a long time, Jian Beidong, who had always been extremely serious, finally showed a sneer: "I have always kept silent about everything that happened three years ago... Is it because I was stimulated by the words, and finally couldn't help but reveal it?"
Have you heard anything from your heart?”
"There is nothing worth confiding in the first place, what do you want me to tell you?" Duan Qing spread his hands helplessly: "At home, I rely on my parents, and when I go out, I rely on my brothers... But if the matter is small enough for you to solve, then I will still keep it.
What are you doing hiding it?"
"..."
"..."
"It seems that you still plan to carry on alone."
Looking at the other party's unchanging expression, Jian Beidong, who had always kept a straight face, finally retreated first: "You don't take us people seriously..."
"I sent you a message so long ago, but only now have you come to the City of Freedom to help us." Duan Qing responded unceremoniously: "If I hadn't seen that you still have trouble with Laura... labor and management would have long ago
Kicked you out."
"Even if I can't do anything, I don't want this to be the reason for you to bear it alone." Jian Beidong's expression still maintained the unique coldness of a swordsman: "If this breaks the hearts of Liu Shang and Ning Lan... I won't
I'll spare you."
"Those who should be sad are over, and those who should be relieved...please continue to rest assured." Duan Qing tugged at the corners of his lips, then lowered his head: "In less than a month, what we have been through before
The world will change, and at that time..."
"They can't accept your variable even if they don't want to."
A gentle voice suddenly sounded in the ears of the two people, and at the same time, there was the figure of a middle-aged man in black. He walked to the middle of the street in the eyes of the two people who were increasingly surprised, and then slapped
He raised his palms and said, "Long time no see, you two."
"Are you...Old Li?"
Looking at the figure of the player who had changed so much from the image in his memory, Duan Qing screamed in surprise.
*****************************
"Time flies so fast, I didn't expect you to become like this..."
"The events of the past are still fresh in my mind. I remember when we killed Ulitana for the first time, you almost fell asleep while going to the toilet..."
"In order to prove myself, I have to write it down even if I don't have any homework to copy... Dahui, who aspires to become the best warrior in the national server, originally liked this sentence the most."
"It's a pity that now he has become the father of two children, and he stopped playing games early."
"Oh? Do you know where he went?"
"I'm not like you. I just disappeared when I told you to. I know where the few respectable guys in our group will go after that."
"...Really? Where did that little steel cannon go?"
"He played the role of Gunslinger for a while, and then he retired and disappeared. It is said that he was accused of playing a gun battle and turned on a cheating device. He went to prove himself offline but failed... Hey, he is not a kid of several years old. This kind of routine is still unsightly.
Aren’t you going to come out? Even if you don’t take into account the routines set by those on the scene, how can a person in his thirties fight with others..."
The increasingly cold wind blew past Duan Qing as the freezing rain gradually stopped, lowering the temperature around the Free City again. As the players hid in their rooms one by one, the streets also
It became a lot more deserted. Jian Beidong, who was originally standing by and wanted to continue the conversation, also left the place as time passed. It seemed that he did not want to continue waiting in the endless conversation between the two people, and could only retain the memories of the past.
Only then did Duan Qing realize that the guy who had become much more mature after three years actually had a grudge against the person in front of him: "So...how did you find him?"
"...It's a long story, but it's also very simple."
The player Duan Qing called Lao Li was silent for a while, and then pointed in the direction where Jian Beidong left: "Do you know why he doesn't want to see me?"
"Don't mention the past anymore." Duan Qing smiled slightly: "This has nothing to do with the topic we are talking about now..."
"He has always suspected that I was a traitor." Old Li shook his head: "After what happened three years ago, several guys who have a good relationship with you have never given up investigating the matter. Jianbei
It’s not like you don’t know Dong’s temper, but the things he believes in... are always difficult to change.”
"...Sorry." Duan Qing waved his hand again: "These two words... I will say it for him first."
"No need." Lao Li smiled gently: "Because he is right."
"..."
In the eyes that met each other, one of the people's smile gradually disappeared, replaced by Lao Li's still natural smile, and a trace of bitterness mixed in that smile: "I know this is difficult for you to accept, but that matter
happened...I also contributed a lot behind the scenes, including when Cruhid was finally disbanded, I arranged the whereabouts of those homeless members."
"...No wonder you know their whereabouts so well." Duan Qing's eyebrows sank slightly: "So there is still such a relationship."
"...Why, don't you blame me?"
"You don't know the whole story, right?"
Without answering the other party's question directly, Duan Qing raised his hand: "Notify Cruhid of the internal split in a timely manner, and be responsible for the personnel guidance when it is disbanded... The order given to you by the other side should be like this.
,right?"
"You..." The middle-aged player looked at each other in surprise: "Did you already see it?"
"I don't have that much ability. I only realized many things later when I looked back."
Looking at the outline of the city in the distance on the increasingly desolate streets, Duan Qing sighed slightly: "The split between Cruhid is not just an external factor. The gap between us is the biggest reason why they can succeed. But even if
Even now, I think that I still couldn’t reverse the situation at that time..."
"Because the enemy is too powerful." He said with a smile: "It is so powerful that we are far behind."
"really……"
Looking at Duan Qing's ordinary face, Lao Li nodded slowly: "Sure enough, you have grown a lot, Sky-Breaking Blade."
"I just want to thank you." Duan Qing shook his head and replied: "Thank you for settling the remaining people...if you really did it."
"No, I actually didn't do anything." Lao Li's expression gradually dimmed: "Losing your team, the final result can be imagined. Most of the members who gathered together because of you gradually declined.
Already..."
"……how about you?"
As if he didn't want to continue talking about this topic, Duan Qing waved his hand at the other party: "How did you get to where you are today, in front of me?"
"Because I've been following those people."
Finally mentioning the purpose of his appearance, the player known as Lao Li also raised his head: "In the past three years... I have been one of them."
"They call themselves the Knights Templar."
Looking at the increasingly intense light in Duan Qing's eyes, Lao Li explained in a slow voice: "Although it is just their name in this game, the nature of their team is still very consistent with this name. For a common goal
Target, they have gradually gathered together over a long period of time..."
"Let me guess..." Duan Qing asked in a low voice: "These people...should be all for me, right?"
"...It seems that your wisdom has not diminished with the passage of time."
The middle-aged man smiled gently and clapped again: "You are right, they are all a group of people who have grudges and grudges against you."
"Of course, it's not you as Mo Shang Qingshan." He pointed to the words above Duan Qing's head.
"But you, as the Sky-Breaking Blade."
This chapter has been completed!