"The previous battle in Liberty City was also planned by them secretly?"
"I don't know the specific situation, but I can guarantee that they are definitely involved."
"...Including the arrival of the Restorers and the defeat of Oxon?"
"This is even harder to say, because those people before were also very careful. Not only did they act separately, but they also would not reveal their whereabouts to each other..."
Time came on the night of March 26, 795 in the New Calendar. When the gloomy weather turned completely gloomy, the figures belonging to Duan Qing and Lao Li also moved from the dewy streets to the interior of the Vixis Tavern.
, the tavern that was demolished due to the disaster three days ago has now been moved to another place, in a temporary building. However, due to the war, this temporary tavern at this time is no longer what it used to be.
The city is bustling at night. In addition to the players who originally belonged to the Dongcheng Club, most of the people sitting here are old drinkers who came after hearing the news. Some of them are passers-by who have a few drinks in a hurry.
I chose to leave here. The members of the Dongcheng Club who had worked hard all day to rebuild the tavern were scattered around the tavern, chatting about what they had seen and heard today, and then looked at them from time to time.
On the heads of Duan Qing and the others.
The incident that was temporarily caused by the chattering has become a relatively famous piece of news after the war.
"I hope she didn't leave you because of me."
Putting down the wine glass in front of him, Lao Li sighed and said: "Otherwise... I will have to add another guilt factor."
"It's just a woman making trouble. She'll be fine after a while." Duan Qing waved his hand slightly: "It's not like you don't know her temper. Although she seems to have changed a lot in the past few years, she always likes to make trouble at critical moments.
matter……"
"...Don't underestimate her head, young man." Old Li, who seemed to be much older than Duan Qing, chuckled: "Not everyone dares to set their novice village in this place, nor
Everyone...can see the problem here at first glance."
"Has she already seen the secret of the City of Freedom?" Duan Qing shook his head disdainfully: "It's impossible. We have been acting together these days. If she had really known about the Star of Morna earlier,
I had no choice but to raise my hands in admiration and give her the best performance award..."
"Who said anything about the Star of Mornar? I'm talking about the Knights Templar."
Pouring himself a glass of wine again, Lao Li raised his eyes: "You must know that they are one of the first people to come to the City of Freedom. They are attracted by the chaos and complexity here. They want to be in such a place.
To discover their whereabouts somewhere, most of the time they can only rely on something as ethereal as intuition..."
"Maybe it's just a coincidence. She doesn't know the characters you mentioned." Duan Qing also shook his head: "Like the Demon Hunters, Luo Tu, the Frog Demon Cult... some of them, I
This is also the first time I’ve heard of it, okay?”
"Many of them have naturally changed their appearance like me."
Pointing at Duan Qing's face, Lao Li raised his glass with a smile: "Changing appearance is allowed in this game. Isn't that what you are doing now? What's more, you have countless enemies in the past. Just pick one of them.
One in 10,000... now you have to suffer it too."
"Of course it's possible that he's a low-profile person."
Duan Qing clinked the wine glasses with each other, drank the red wine in one gulp, then let out a big belch, and pointed at a bartender not far away: "It's like...
The owner of this tavern, Vixis...their shadow will attract a lot of enemies, but how can those guys who don't take him seriously at all shake their position?"
"...Those people are different now."
After staring at Duan Qing's face for a long time, Lao Li took a deep breath: "The growth of the Shadow Society will bring them enemies like the Restorationists. This was even more true for you back then. But in the past when you lost your goal,
Over a period of time, their ambitions have gradually expanded..."
"Do you know what they're working on right now?"
Quietly pointing above himself, Lao Li said in a low voice: "They... are studying your Intention Sword."
"……I know."
Recalling the man in green shirt he met on the roof of the Vixis Tavern before, Duan Qing's eyes darkened a little: "Judging from the current situation... their progress seems to be very good."
"At the beginning, the people above didn't ask for many things from us. We have been living the lives of ordinary players as usual." Lao Li slowly explained: "Until one day, our captain called me
After a period of leadership, I was handed over to a senior figure."
"That person asked me about you back then." He said word by word: "Weapons, moves, shooting habits, life details... They asked a lot."
"...Their research started at that time?"
"Looking back now, it should have been three months ago."
There was a hint of reminiscence in Lao Li's eyes: "It happened to be the day when you started to stand out in the free world."
"In other words, they only recently remembered that I still have this thing?" Duan Qing glared: "Isn't this too bad?"
"Studying your special skills is not a commendable thing in the first place, and they seem to have some scruples." Lao Li slowly replied: "Although I don't know why, in the past three years, their progress should be
It’s been very slow…”
"Until Duan Shanhe appeared." The middle-aged man known as Lao Li's eyes flashed with light: "They should have contacted Long Feikong, and then... learned some of the secrets."
"……Ah."
After sitting in silence for a long time, Duan Qing finally sighed slowly: "Tanya's matter... hadn't started yet at that time? Those three brothers were really good at playing tricks..."
"I didn't say it was them. After all, this is just my guess." Lao Li replied in a low voice: "But... Duan Shanhe realized the result of Yi Jian on his own, which indeed gave them great encouragement.
.”
"Well, thinking about it...it seems like they are just selling the fruits of their own labor."
Turning the wine glass in his hand, Duan Qing finally became relieved: "And it's been so long, if they can't see the principle of this thing anymore, they're in vain..."
"If things were really as simple as you said, the Knights Templar would have become the most powerful guild in all the major games." Lao Li unceremoniously exposed the opponent's hypocrisy: "They won't
In the previous battle in Freedom City, I lost to you, a moneyless and powerless Sanren..."
"It's just luck." Duan Qing smiled and shook his head: "The city has become like this. Wings of Freedom and Devil's Paradise are now on their side. In terms of the final result... who wins and who loses?
Not necessarily."
"And they didn't give up, they just hid in the darkness again." Lao Li replied in a low voice: "With my current status, I don't know what their future plans and the black hands behind them are, but the situation
Now that it has developed to this point, I have to remind you..."
"The enemies you will face in the future will most likely be a group of powerful enemies with the Intent Sword." He shook his wine glass, but his movements seemed to shake a red alarm bell: "At that time, you will be alone.
You...have lost your greatest support."
"I have foreseen this kind of future, but it shouldn't happen to me so smoothly."
The corners of Duan Qing's mouth curled up slightly, but the smile in his eyes gradually disappeared: "It's not that I look down on those people's abilities, it's just that... the Yi Sword itself has its drawbacks."
"……oh?"
"The world is very fair."
Pointing to the area around where they were sitting, Duan Qing's face began to darken: "When you have enough experience, you should level up, and every mission should also be rewarding... This kind of equivalent exchange should be placed in our
The same is true in the real world. If you work hard, you should get the salary you deserve, if you put in the training... you deserve a championship."
"There is never a shortcut to gaining power. You have to work hard or pay a price." He picked up his wine glass and made a gesture in the air in front of him: "Not to mention something like the Intention Sword... If you want to be the first to get there,
, the final price paid is often much higher.”
"...Are you referring to the report issued by the alliance three years ago?" Lao Li's expression changed: "The investigation report on that accident?"
"..."
Duan Qing, who suddenly became silent, did not answer the other party's question, but slowly filled his wine glass: "I don't mind that my unique skills are lost, but future changes will always fail to fulfill my wishes. Holding a lantern
There are many disciples coming to my door, not to mention these guys who are very thoughtful."
"...that's fine."
Looking away from Duan Qing's face, Lao Li sighed deeply: "Anyway, I have reminded you that the goal this time has been achieved. With your current achievements in this game, there should be no
What can’t be dealt with..."
"And you?"
Interrupting the other party's words lightly, Duan Qing's eyes were also obscured by the red wine he was gradually raising: "You suddenly came here, wouldn't you be discovered by them? Could it be to spy on me?
Did you come here specifically to perform this act?"
"I... probably won't go back."
Sighing slightly sadly, Lao Li also picked up his wine glass: "I have spent three years in loss and confusion. I am exhausted both physically and mentally. When this period of time passes,
, I will bid farewell to the virtual world and live my own life honestly..."
"AFK?" Duan Qing's eyes widened in surprise: "Did you decide this early in the morning?"
"Yes."
Gently touching the rim of the other party's glass, Lao Li withdrew his hand holding the wine glass: "After seeing how active you are here, I put down the last stone in my heart, and let you and I meet.
…Let this be the last stop in my gaming career.”
"...Hey, I won't feel comfortable." Duan Qing shook his head slightly while maintaining his posture: "Leaving because of me...do you want to make the burden on me even heavier?"
"No, no, no, I'm just doing it for myself."
The middle-aged man known as Lao Li drank his own wine in one gulp, and then explained in a slow voice: "In this place we used to call a guild, isn't it that people often join and people leave? As long as we do it,
It’s no different from usual, they shouldn’t notice anything.”
"and……"
He looked into Duan Qing's eyes and smiled again: "People like me..."
"It's not just me."
***************************
Late at night on March 26, Duan Qing's quietly approaching figure was slowly revealed near the ship fragments scattered by the previous huge wind and waves at the harbor dock of Liberty City. He looked at the completely destroyed ship in the distance.
Jing's second station in the world carefully avoided the nearby players who were still repairing the cottage, and then followed Lao Li's prompts and came to the bridgehead of Freedom Square.
"……It's you."
The rhythmic sound of the waves kept hitting Duan Qing's ears, making the originally dark night darker. Duan Qing, who was walking slowly, relied on the magic lights around him that had not been destroyed by the tsunami.
He discovered the character that Lao Li wanted to see: "Why are you here?"
“…observe the beginning of a new journey.”
The player named Baibu Wushuang carried his long bow and turned his head to look in the direction of Duan Qing: "In order to cross this endless bridge, I need some preparations and... more strength."
"...Crossing the Endless Bridge?"
Looking up at the endless straight bridge, a look of surprise appeared on Duan Qing's face: "Let's not talk about the success rate of challenging this miracle bridge... you, the Knights Templar, will let you do whatever you want.
?"
"...I have quit that place."
Saying this lightly, Baibu Wushuang slowly turned around: "They are not the people I want to find, and they are not strong enough. In order to complete my training, I must continue to go to more places."
Lots of places.”
"...Having dreams is very much in line with the qualities that an adventurer should have."
Duan Qing nodded appreciatively: "But judging from my impression of you, you should not be such a vain person. Excluding the factor that you lied to me... Your purpose of crossing the Bridge of Miracles is
What?"
"because……"
"Because he knows what the other side of the bridge looks like."
The person who answered him was not the hesitant Baibu Wushuang, but a figure carrying a spear who slowly walked out from behind him. He took a few steps across the shadowed corner that was not illuminated by the light, and then stood in front of Duan Qing.
In front of: "There..."
"It's also where my dreams are."
This chapter has been completed!