Scape waited for a long time before she dared to walk out of the crowd and approach the person sitting in position three.
The man was wearing a thick coat, making it difficult to identify his identity from his back. He turned around when he heard Scape's voice. But what was revealed in front of the latter was a sketchy picture.
Some unfamiliar faces.
"Mr. Owl was stared at by those people," it was a young face, pale skin, slightly curly hair, gray-green pupils, showing obvious Slavic features, "Miss Scarpe
, we met once in the past, in Liege, do you still remember?"
Scarlett calmed down.
"Were you the messenger?"
The young man nodded:
"The leader asked you to try not to contact each other. I was the one delivering the letters."
"Yes, I recognize you," Scarpet replied: "How is he, Captain?"
"He is very good, but he has been very busy recently, so it may take some time before he contacts us."
"I understand what he means."
Scarpe turned around and looked outside through the interlaced advertisements of light and shadow on the transparent curtain wall of the restaurant. This is the busiest area of the airport, and there is a constant flow of people entering the port through several artificial trestles, especially this month.
The frequency of cargo and passenger airship arrivals has increased significantly.
She watched silently for a moment, then turned back and asked, "Isn't the owl coming?"
"Yes, Miss Scarpet," the young man replied a little cautiously: "In fact, it is best to shorten the time we meet." He said while looking at the time displayed on his personal terminal.
Scarpe looked into the other person's eyes and was silent for a long time before asking: "Is the information provided by the owl true?"
"The staff member and the smuggler who died at the airport not long ago were really related to that incident...?"
…
When Fang Yu went out, he saw the young magic swordsman in his team walking up from the turn of the stairs. He was holding a wooden box in both hands and walking slowly. He quickly stopped him and pointed at him.
The box asked, "What is that?"
The box looked down at his box and replied: "A sword."
"A sword?"
The box looked exactly like this and nodded.
"bought?"
"No, someone gave it to me."
"Someone gave it to you?" Fang Yu was a little surprised, but more suspicious, and subconsciously asked: "Who is it?"
The box stopped, thought about it carefully, and finally remembered the name, "Istria." He confirmed it again carefully: "Istria."
Fang Yu slapped his forehead and realized that his question was in vain, "I'm talking about the other party's identity."
"It seems like a bakery owner."
"So a bakery owner gave you a sword?"
"Yes."
"So what did you help him with?"
Xiang Xiang thought about it again and felt that he had not done anything to help the other party, so he shook his head.
"..." Fang Plover was completely confused now. He assumed that the box had completed a commission and received a reward. This was understandable. But what's the point now? They were new to this place and were unfamiliar with the place.
, why did the other party give a box and a sword for no reason?
"So the bakery just opened today, and this is the opening bonus?"
Box shook his head, "No."
Fang Yu actually didn't have any hope in his heart. After all, who would be so ignorant that a sword would be used as a gift for the bakery's opening ceremony?
"So you know the bakery owner?"
Xiangxiang shook his head again, "I don't know either."
"Okay," Fang Plover sighed and pointed to the box, "Let me see this sword."
The box did not refuse. He opened the lid. The wooden box was covered with silver elf satin. A thin sword lay flat on it. The sword was about an arm's length, with a scabbard. It was all black and the hollow handle was as exquisite as a cage.
A work of art.
Fang Plover was a little surprised. Let’s not talk about the sword itself. The elf silk and satin in the wooden box is very precious. It is an ancient skill unique to the elves. They are only produced by Alvin Quinn and the giant trees in the south.
The hill.
He would not make the mistake of buying a coffin for a pearl. The thing used to pad the sword is already so expensive, so how extraordinary would the sword itself be? Of course, it is not ruled out that someone deliberately creates such an illusion, but if this is the case, it seems a bit unnecessary.
Because what is the other person’s reason for doing this?
He originally thought it was a clumsy scam, but now it seems that the price of this scam is a bit high. Just because the price is high does not mean that it is not a scam, and it is also possible that the other party has a bigger conspiracy. Fang Pulver asks himself that he is not a conspiracy theorist.
But after so much trouble, you have to be a little wary.
He couldn't help but walk to the stairs and look down, fearing that a group of guards would suddenly appear and say that they had stolen a heirloom belonging to a certain noble.
But people were coming and going down the hall, and although there was a lot of noise, there didn't seem to be any commotion. There were a few knights from the Crow's Claw Temple there questioning the guests - but they were there early in the morning, and they couldn't talk.
Is there anything unusual about it?
Fang Pliance then came back and asked the box again: "Have you ever used this sword?"
He had some doubts about what kind of cursed item it was.
The box thought for a moment and replied, "I can't use it."
"What's the meaning?"
"This sword is rusty and I can't pull it out."
"Rusty?" Fang Pulou seriously doubted this statement. He couldn't tell that the well-maintained sword was rusty. He picked up the sword and pulled it out hard, but it didn't move at all.
The blade seemed to be stuck in the scabbard.
Fang Yu raised his sword and looked around. But he would never think that it was because the sword was rusty like a box. This was probably because some kind of magic had been cast on the sword, and only specific people could remove it from the sword.
The reason why it was pulled out of the sheath.
Just like the famous holy sword Dawn, only people with three royal bloodlines, or those recognized by them as guardians of the sword, can pull it out.
But he checked for a while and couldn't find any reason, so he had to put the sword back. For some reason, he accidentally remembered what Sylvide told him not long ago - the relationship between the Clairvaux family and them.
The magic sword that has been guarded for generations.
But he immediately shook his head. Of course he would not think that there was any connection between the current sword and the magic sword. How could there be such a coincidence in the world? The box went shopping for a while and was given away for no reason.
A legendary magic sword?
Even the most bizarre ones would not dare to make it up like this.
If this was really the case, he couldn't help but wonder if there was some big conspiracy behind it. But Fang Yu couldn't figure it out for the time being. This might really be just a coincidence, and similar adventures were not uncommon in Aitaria.
happened before.
It's possible that the aboriginal people just give you a good thing simply because they like you. After all, different people have different personalities, and some people are so unique. Fang Pulmon can only sigh that people really have different fates. Some people are just like this.
Favored by God.
He closed the box and said to the box: "If you can't use it temporarily, put it away and don't let too many people see it."
He had other things to do for the time being and couldn't waste time here. Although the origin of this sword was doubtful, he couldn't get away from it for a while to find out. He could only deal with it this way for the time being. He couldn't just deal with it just because of some doubts.
Lost the sword, the Nanami Brigade is not that cowardly yet.
What's more, a magic sword with the ability to designate its owner - whether it is a magic sword or not, it is definitely extraordinary.
In response to his instructions, Box only nodded.
Watching the box slowly walking towards his room. The winter sunlight was pouring in from the window at the other end of the corridor, passing through the young man's shoulders, leaving only a faint shadow on the wooden floor. Fang Plov couldn't help but sigh at the simplicity.
very nice.
He forgot, how long ago, he was not like this.
After bidding farewell to the box, he walked downstairs to the hall. Luo Hao walked over to him. "He left," he said, without leaving a trace, and thrust a piece of paper into Fang Yu's hand, "You can come down here."
It's slower than I thought, did you see the box?"
Fang Yu nodded and set his sights on the crow's claw knights in the hall. They were very low-level knights. They did not have gray feather shawls on their shoulders or crow feathers on their helmets. They were questioning the owner of the hotel in a low voice.
, in fact, I just want to ask for some free wine to drink.
"Someone gave a sword to the box," he replied: "I asked about the situation. The sword is somewhat extraordinary, at least it is a magic sword."
"Magic sword?" Luo Hao looked surprised, "Is it the box he was holding just now?"
Fang Yu nodded. "Let's not talk about this first. Let's talk about this. What happened just now?"
Luo Hao also looked back at the Crow Claw Knights and said, "It's not convenient to talk here. Let's talk as we walk." As he spoke, he walked forward until he walked out of the sight of the Crow Claw Knights and came to the stairs.
At the entrance, he turned around again and said, "Those Crow Claw Knights want us to cooperate with their investigation. They seem to want you and Sylvide to go to their temple."
"That's impossible," Fang Yu shook his head and refused without thinking, "I always suspect that they have some intention towards Sylvester. We must not obey their orders. Besides, we haven't identified these people yet."
Are they friends or foes?" As he said this, he couldn't help but think of the scene yesterday afternoon, "Besides, we don't plan to stay here for too long, maybe we will leave this place tomorrow."
"I feel the same way," Luo Hao replied: "It would be better for us to have less contact with these people."
Fang Yu raised his right hand, holding the note that the other party had given him not long ago, and asked: "What is this?"
"That's why I asked you to come down for a moment," Luo Hao was walking up the stairs. At this time, he turned around and replied: "After the Crow Claw Knights left, a strange man came to me and told me about his master.
'Knowing us, he has something he wants to give you.'
"Leave it to me?" Fang Yu was a little surprised.
"It's you, he named me, otherwise I wouldn't leave this thing of unknown origin," Luo Hao replied: "He said: 'This note is given to the respected Mr. Ed, my master once worked with me.
We met him once, and he knows what you are investigating. If you want to know more, please read the content on the note.'"
Fang Yu was stunned for a moment, wondering how anyone could recognize him in this place. He instinctively felt uneasy at first, but quickly calmed down, then opened the note in his hand and stood up. If the person who came was an enemy, Fei Fei
Friend, then what comes should not be a piece of paper, but a large number of enemies.
The other party uses such a mysterious method, either it is not their enemy, or it is asking for help from them, or there is the possibility of cooperation between the two parties.
And the other party said that he had a chance encounter with him. Fang Yu couldn't help but think about the people he had met before. Who would meet him in this way?
There were only a few short lines of text on the opened note:
'If you want to know what is going on in this place and what secrets the people of the Crow's Claw Temple are hiding, this evening, after the sun sinks completely below the horizon, I will send a man to see you. Follow him and he will bring you here
Meet me, here you will find what you are looking for -'
Fang Yu took the unsigned and unsigned note and was stunned for a moment. It said that a person would be sent to meet them, but it did not say what the person looked like or how the two parties could get in touch. Let them
How can you be sure that the person coming is really the person sent by the other party?
He couldn't help but look at Luo Hao and said, "Are you sure this isn't some prank?"
"But at least the other party knows our identity." Luo Hao replied.
"That's true." Fang Pliant crumpled the piece of paper into a ball, struck a match and lit it, "You didn't keep that person?"
"That's why I said that man was a little weird. He looked like an ordinary town citizen, but his eyes were a little dull, as if he was controlled by some magic, and his speech was stammering, and he kept repeating it.
Those few words."
Fang Yu heard the implication of the other party's words. "You mean that person is just a puppet?"
Luo Hao nodded slightly.
"Mind spells are against the Stargate Manifesto."
"It is the chosen one who casts mental spells, or the chosen ones cast mental spells," Luo Hao corrected: "But there is no such restriction when the aborigines cast it on the aboriginal people. Moreover, although the Star and Moon Council has always opposed the abuse of mental spells,
But there are countless people who violate the regulations, and you can't make most psychic mages directly unemployed."
Fang Yu asked: "So the other party may be an aborigine?"
"It can only be said that there is a possibility," Luo Hao looked at Fang Plover: "What are you going to do?"
Fang Yu watched the ball of paper in his hand burn to ashes, and gently kneaded it with his thick gloves, letting it turn into dust and fall. In such a short period of time, he had already discussed with Miss Tata in his heart, as a
An outstanding alchemist, he can't even deal with this little trouble.
He replied: "This is around the winter solstice. The sun sets now at about six o'clock. By that time, everyone else has almost returned to the hotel. Let's just wait until that time to see what the other party is trying to do."
Already."
"Have you decided to believe it?" Luo Hao asked.
"You can give it a try," Fang Plover seemed a little calm: "Even if there are any traps, it will be difficult to retain the combat craftsmen. If they are interested in my clockwork fairies, I can give them a few as a gift."
"Are you going to use Clockwork Fairy?" Luo Hao suddenly realized, and sighed: "The combat craftsman is really convenient."
Fang Yu did not comment, but thought of another thing, and said: "But tonight, we have to arrange for someone to keep a vigil." Although they rejected the Crow Claw Knights, they showed their behavior again and again.
With such intentions, they have to be careful.
And now that their identities are exposed, although it is still unclear whether the other party is an enemy or a friend, this at least shows that Gray Owl Town may not be that safe for them. "After today, we will leave this place early tomorrow morning.
.”
Luo Hao nodded, deeply agreeing in his heart.
After four o'clock in the afternoon, members of the Seven Seas Brigade who went out to explore for information began to return one after another.
There was no progress in the investigation of the Crow's Claw Temple and the Shadow Man. The group only obtained some peripheral information. It is not that the local management of the Crow's Claw Temple is popular among the people, but it is just a matter of discussion with the owner of the hotel outside.
Likewise, most people don't dare to talk about things related to the temple easily.
However, because of the panic caused by the Shadow Man, people seem to have acquiesced to the high-pressure rule of the Crow's Claw Temple in this area, and on the grounds of fighting against Nicol Bolas, the Temple collected taxes in addition to the kingdom's taxes in many places in the north.
religious tax.
This additional expenditure caused the bankruptcy of many small and medium-sized craftsmen, plunging the already tight lives of the Northland residents into abject poverty. The owners of the large factories also complained, but the nobles remained surprisingly silent.
This makes it easy to imagine what kind of exchange of interests it has apparently reached with the nobles behind the Crow Claw Temple.
However, in this harsh situation in the Northland, it cannot be said that there is anything wrong with this approach. After all, Charter City was destroyed, Elpaxin withdrew his army, and he relied on the Crow's Claw Temple in the vast countryside.
Only the knights can fight Nicol Bolas's drakes.
The cost of maintaining these knights is a huge expense in itself. The so-called wool comes from the sheep, so of course this money should be spent by the people under their protection.
On the contrary, the kingdom’s excessive levies and miscellaneous taxes seem particularly inappropriate at this time——
However, all this seems reasonable, but there is always a sense of indescribable dislocation in Fang Yu's eyes. What will an organization that suddenly rises in the northern border of the kingdom and expands and grows out of its control bring to this land in the future?
It's really hard to say.
It seems that Aidanlian's followers are not the kind of aloof believers. On the contrary, what we have seen in the past few days is that the other party's rule in the north has shown an extraordinary ambition and desire for power, and people have a strong desire for power.
The desire is endless.
The Crow's Claw Temple does not seem to have any respect for the sacred rule of Corin-Ithurion. Of course, Fang Plover, Sylvide, and others in the Seven Seas Brigade have no respect for this land.
There is no sense of belonging, and the kingdom is not the kingdom of the chosen ones. Compared to the people who originally ruled this land, the mysterious behavior of the Crow's Claw Temple always makes people feel a little uneasy.
It's just that Fang Pliance didn't have any ideas for a while. It's hard for a mere Seven Seas Brigade to change what's happening here. The most he can do is report the situation here to the military, but maybe the military should already know what's happening here.
.
However, their principle is that they will never intervene in the power disputes of the indigenous people, not to mention that the Crow's Claw Temple is not doing anything extraordinary at the moment.
Among all the people, only Miss Nightingale was so attentive that she brought back some details about the attack that took place in the town that morning. The attackers behaved very professionally during that attack. They were on the side of the manor.
A hole was opened with magic in the wall, and from that hole it led to the tunnel of the manor below.
They rescued some people from the dungeons of the manor, repelled the guards who came after hearing the news, and then quickly left the same way. The whole process was smooth and smooth. Before the people from the Crow's Claw Temple arrived, the attackers
He had already achieved his goal and walked away cleanly, leaving only a pile of chicken feathers for the knights.
Such a clean and neat action almost immediately made people think that during the entire planning process, there should be insiders of the attackers on the side of Crow Claw Temple.
It's just that Miss Nightingale put forward another view. After all, before this attack, they had personally experienced the opponent's attack on the trial court.
At that time, the attackers rescued many people from there, and it was boldly speculated that some of those people might have been imprisoned in that manor. Through the oral accounts of those people, it is not difficult to learn about the defenses in that manor.
information.
The attackers moved so quickly. They launched an attack on the trial court one day and immediately attacked the manor the next day. Obviously, it greatly exceeded the expectations of the Crow Claw Temple. Perhaps the other party wanted to achieve this.
The purpose of taking the temple by surprise was to catch the other party before they could react.
"So those people were rescuing people from the trial just to get information about the inside of the manor?" After listening to Alyssa's inference, Fang Yu asked: "Their real target is the people who were imprisoned in the manor.
people?"
Miss Nightingale nodded: "But this is just a guess on my part, Mr. Leader."
"I think it's inseparable from ten." Luo Hao replied.
Fang Plover also nodded in agreement.
"But this matter has nothing to do with us. We just need to know what the situation is," Fang Yu replied, "I have another thing to tell you."
After that, he recounted to others what happened not long ago.
Everyone in the Seven Seas Brigade has heard more or less about Dolifen's armor, and most of them later saw the armor that Sophie brought in Dulon with their own eyes.
Therefore, most people were a little surprised by what Fang Piao and the three encountered in the monastery, but just like the previous times, they still couldn't tell any reason for this set of armor.
However, encountering such things again and again will more or less make everyone feel that it is too coincidental.
Regarding another matter, most people had no objections. Fang Plover was somewhat surprised to realize that it seemed that most people in the Seven Seas Brigade had no favorable impression of the Crow Claw Temple. Including the Papalar people,
They also seemed to agree that the other party might not have any good intentions towards the Nanami Brigade.
Therefore, things like vigils have been unanimously recognized.
The evening of the winter solstice comes quickly, and the sky quickly darkens at four or five o'clock in the afternoon. The light of the setting sun passes through the forest outside the town, turning from bronze to dim red light, and then gradually disappears.
The last person to return to the hotel was Tian Lan. This little girl brought back good news. She finally found a businessman who was willing to sell them some wood for ship repairs, and contacted a transportation team. The next day
You can meet them at the entrance of the town early in the morning.
"The price they offered is very cheap," Tian Lan said with a little pride, gesturing with her hands, "But there is one requirement. We must at least be able to protect them from arriving at Gula Port safely. They are actually in a hurry to leave this place."
"That's no problem," Fang Plover replied: "The dragon beasts wandering in the wild pose no threat to us. Protecting these people shouldn't be a problem. Besides, we were originally going to Gula Port. But why were they in a hurry to leave this place? Gray
Isn’t Owl Town fairly safe right now?”
"Safe?" Tianlan shook her head a bit exaggeratedly: "It depends on who it is. The elderly and children are considered safe, but young adults may not be. The chosen ones may be safe, but the aborigines may not be."
"What's going on?" Fang Yu was a little surprised.
"The knights of the Crow's Claw Temple are arresting people," Tian Lan replied: "Their manpower does not grow out of thin air. They must be replaced if they are damaged in battle. They draw manpower from various places, and all young adults must join them to establish
Among the escorts. Although there is a Crow Claw Temple in Gula Port, at least they dare not be so blatant there."
"Is there such a thing?"
Fang Yu couldn't help but be stunned.
But just when he was surprised, there was a sudden sound and the sound of stones hitting the glass was heard from the window.
The second sound came immediately next, and this time everyone heard it clearly and couldn't help but look in that direction. Fang Yu's heart moved, he walked to the window and looked down - their room faced the street, and behind it
It's an alley.
Fang Yu could clearly see that there was a slender figure standing in the alley, wearing a cloak, looking up at them. There was only a lone lamp in the alley, and there was snow falling in the sky.
I couldn't see the person's appearance clearly, but I saw that the person nodded in this direction.
Fang Yu immediately realized that this was the person sent by that person. He immediately turned around, gave everyone a "wait for me here" sign, then walked out of the door, came to the hall, and passed through another room from there.
He walked into the corridor on the side and walked out through the back door of the hotel.
As soon as he opened the door, he saw the shadow standing under the streetlight in the distance turned around and entered the alley in one direction. The other person walked slowly and slowly, as if he was just walking at a speed that he could keep up with -
—It’s just that when walking, his steps are a little stiff, like a puppet.
This scene also confirmed Luo Hao's guess. The person who came was still a puppet controlled by the mind. Fang Yu was a little disdainful of such a method, but it also gave him room to use it.
He thought for a moment and then took out a clockwork fairy from under his coat - it was not a silver bee, it was just an ordinary I-shaped clockwork fairy. Even if it fell into the hands of anyone, it would not be able to pass through it.