"The undulating land you see in your eyes is the Sighing Hills, which is distributed on the western edge of the Sighing Mountains - look, those mountains in the distance with their peaks covered with snow and reaching into the clouds are the Sighing Mountains." Puti on horseback
Lai pointed to the towering mountain peaks in the distance and explained the geography of the Northland to Thales.
Thales raised his head, widened his field of vision, and exhaled a breath of hot breath in the cold environment.
"The Sighing Mountains were once the highest mountain range on earth in the ancient empire. They were connected to the Quegur Glacier in the north, vertically separated the Northland Province and the Eastern Wasteland Province in the northern part of the empire, and gradually extended to the north of the Green Heart Province in the south.
It is now the East Sea Territory of Stars, the fiefdom of Duke Cullen. Sighing that the danger of the mountains and the difficulty of climbing make it prohibitive for travelers, they can only lower their heads and sigh, hence the name." Putilai put down the pipe in his hand,
He also lowered his head and sighed slightly, as if in response to his own words.
"When the ancient empire was still there, this was a famous place of exile and chaos. After the empire fell, the turmoil became even worse. Until a branch of elves moved to the mountains and took root here for nearly three hundred years. They could move freely between the mountains.
, it became a kingdom of its own in its heyday... After the Ending War, the northwest side of the Sighing Mountains belonged to the Western Continent, while the southeastern side of the Sighing Mountains was within the territory of the Hanbul Dynasty in the Eastern Continent."
The elves in the Sighing Mountains? Wait, it seems that it was mentioned in the book "Endgame: Skyfall"?
Speaking of "elf", Thales couldn't help but glance at Ada behind him.
"What's wrong?" Ada noticed Thales's eyes and spread her hands angrily: "I don't know which generation of relatives those are, and I don't learn history well!"
Thales shook his head and turned back to continue listening to Putilai's explanation.
You can't rely on this elf who can't even remember his own name.
Even if it is an extreme situation.
"...the rugged Northwest Sighing Mountains span the eastern part of the Kingdom of Exeter and the Stars. The Reconstruction Tower of the Grand Duke of Trudida and the Lonely Old Tower of the Fores Family of the Kingdom of Stars are located on two peaks, facing each other across a valley.
Both sides are very wary of each other, but both sides are easy to defend and difficult to attack."
"The mountains extend to the north and south, and are the fiefdoms of the Grand Duke of Exeter Elk City and the Guardian Duke of Star Cliff Territory respectively. However, it is precisely because of the steepness of the sighing mountains and the temperature in the north that the Ekes located in them
Te Milu City and the Star Cliff Territory are both faced with the dilemma that their territory is close to the End Sea, but there are only a few ports, and the few ports are located on the edge of the sea cliff..."
Putilai took a puff of his pipe and looked at the mountains in the distance with a look of intoxication.
"In the First and Second Continental Wars, the coalition forces that crossed the Sea of Terminal and invaded from the Eastern Continent all landed from the East Sea Territory or the South Coast Territory of the Stars. This is because both the Cliff Territory of the Stars and the Kingdom of Exeter
The east coast ports all sit on steep and towering natural sea cliffs given by the Sighing Mountains, which are easy to defend and difficult to attack... Until the Third Continental War, the East Army Army pretended to attack the East China Sea ports of the stars, but unexpectedly attacked Exeter's
Along the coastline, we used a small number of troops to attack Sea Cliff, which achieved miraculous results. We finally broke through Elk City and went straight into the heart of Exeter..."
Continental war?
Another question arose in Thales's mind.
"The war started from the conflict between the two continents - such as the end of the whales in the sea. After the end of the war, we found that the eternal oil in their bodies is the best fuel, even more so charcoal," Putilai answered his doubts
:
"Fishing qualifications, quotas, areas and fishing moratoriums have always been the focus of disputes between the countries on both sides of the Taiwan Strait... These have been the main issues in the four continental wars. Of course, after the third continental war, the political situation on both sides of the Taiwan Strait has changed too much.
We were completely at odds with Exeter, and Suye fell into a struggle with Hamble for the Eastern Continent. Finally, under the new policy of the wise king Mindis III, we formed an alliance with Suye, while Exeter became close to Hamble..."
"This turned the Fourth Continental War, which began in 468 AD, into a veritable world war. The war was no longer limited to one side's entangled forces and invading the other across the sea, but spread to every corner of the world."
Thales thought of the smiling middle-aged king holding a staff among the Three Kings of the Stars in the Mindis Hall, his head engraved on the silver coins, and the burn scars on his chest. Then he thought of the vampire sisters in Corleone and the so-called
"Starry Night Alliance".
Thales shook his head and drove these things out of his head.
"Don't you agree with Mindis's foreign policy?" the traveler asked curiously.
"That's not the case," Putilai shook his head: "The alliance with Suye is the general trend - the ancient Far Eastern proverb also says, befriend distant allies and attack nearby enemies."
"Although the Fourth Continental War was huge in scale and costly," Putilai pondered and said slowly, "but in my opinion, the new political situation also strengthened the connection and connection between the two continents, leading to the outbreak of a world war.
The conditions have been eliminated in increasingly complex interlocking situations, such as the conflict between us and Exeter on the Western Continent - from the Fourth Continental War to the present, we have not had a cross-continental war for two centuries, and have enjoyed more than two hundred years of
Peace... In almost every century before that, we had a continental war after the conflicts between the two continents reached their extreme."
Thales frowned - he always felt that with such a country's productivity and political system, there was something strange about the so-called continental war.
A cross-sea expedition to the mainland... How much mobilization and logistical supplies does this require? Can the price paid by the countries really be compensated by a little Eternal Oil?
They moved forward with the gazes of soldiers on both sides of the road, and not long after, a village appeared in front of them.
Thales raised his eyes and found that the trees outside the village were tied with ropes. Many of them were tied with food, such as dried meat, bread, etc., and even deer, foxes, snow hares and other prey.
Is this a custom in the North?
"My soldiers have confirmed the safety of this village." At this moment, the Viscount of Cambida, a subordinate of the Grand Duke of Lombard, followed from behind. He passed the crowd, rode into the village, dismounted, and handed the reins to
A soldier said, "We will disband some of the levies whose hometowns are nearby. You can take a break and have lunch at a tavern inside."
With Rolf's help, Thales got off his mount and breathed a sigh of relief at being able to get rid of the horse temporarily. Then he raised his head with interest and observed the village next to Leman Pass.
This was supposed to be a quiet little village without walls, but now it was filled with strong, heavily armed men. Although most of the escorting troops were stationed and resting outside the village, Thales
As far as I could see, under the eaves of the bungalows built with bricks, wood, earth and stone, there were still bustling Northland soldiers coming and going.
But the strange thing is that these soldiers did not seem to disturb the purity of the village. They mingled with the men and women in the village dressed in linen and coarse coats, especially the square in the village. At this moment, it was already filled with soldiers and villagers, drinking glasses of wine going back and forth, laughing.
The sound shook the sky.
"I'm going to kill you this time, Crondon!" There were two people sitting at a large wooden table that seemed to be used to sell commercial goods. A man who looked like a villager vigorously smashed the table full of wine glasses and looked at the person opposite.
Not to be outdone, the soldier shouted: "I can drink ten cups in one minute!"
"We'll know right away if you're bragging," the soldier dropped his axe, took off his breastplate, and hit the table with the same annoyance, "The winner will get Arosha's wreath!"
The onlookers who formed a circle cheered enthusiastically, and a young girl carrying a flower basket laughed heartily.
"What the hell!" She put down the flower basket, lifted her skirt boldly, sat down, and joined the drinking party at the round table: "Only those who can drink better than me can get my wreath!"
Thales couldn't help but chuckle. At that moment, he even forgot that it was this group of Exeter soldiers who risked their lives against his guards and killed each other on the battlefield.
Different from the rule-based philistine society with clear class status that Thales came into contact with in Yongxing City, the rhythm of this rural village in Exeter seems wild and brisk, the atmosphere is warm and relaxed, and the villagers are basically tall and strong
A northerner with a rough appearance and a hearty smile.
"Hey, Tuleha, how long are we going to stay here?" A bearded soldier who looked like a mid-level officer, holding a warhammer in one hand and a wooden wine glass in the other, shouted to them: "Please, please tell me I can spend the night!"
"We'll set off in the afternoon," Tuleha shouted back in dissatisfaction: "Before then, tighten your pants for me, Tietou Quoke!"
"What a pity," the bearded officer took a sip of wine with a disappointed look on his face. The wine flowed down his beard and murmured: "I remember there was a beautiful cook at the Hero Tavern..."
Thales didn't care about the pointing, disdainful and malicious looks from the soldiers and villagers on the roadside. He followed Kambida and Tuleha all the way forward, followed by everyone in the mission.
"The way you confirm safety is to let the soldiers enter the village and drink with the villagers?" Looking at the Northland soldiers walking by, hugging the villagers, and laughing heartily, the prince's young attendant, Wyatt...
Ka Suo pressed the sword on his waist vigilantly and said with disapproval: "If I were an assassin, I would blend in with these villagers."
"Don't be too nervous, this is not a star, this is Exeter!" Viscount Cambida laughed loudly: "Almost all of this village are retired veterans, they are trustworthy... In fact, out of honor and dignity, in
Among them, the prince who is a guest will only be safer."
Wyatt shrugged and curled his lips to express his doubts.
"Don't worry," Thales nodded to his attendant: "The soldiers have infiltrated into the village. Even the assassins have to consider the possibility and cost of a sudden assassination."
"This is Pass Village, isn't it?" Putilai looked around nostalgically: "I remember there was a tavern here, and the owner inside was very famous..."
"Hero Tavern, a tavern opened by a retired soldier twenty years ago," Tuleha on the side said calmly: "And the rye alcohol inside is famous far and wide."
Thales, who looked around curiously, followed Cambida and Tuleha towards a larger stone house. A huge wine glass sign hung on the door of the stone house. The Fire Knight opened the two doors and walked in.
The bustling Hero Tavern.
Thales stepped into the warm stone house, leaving the cold air behind him. He saw that the tavern full of guests suddenly became quiet. Many people turned their attention to them. Thales recognized that many of the guests were Northland soldiers.
, apparently just arrived here not long ago.
But after a few seconds, the tavern returned to a lively atmosphere, as if just a few ordinary people came in.
"You didn't clear the tavern," Huaiya frowned and said, "Then His Highness's..."
A rough and old voice sounded like an explosion:
"Boy, this is my tavern," a thick, silver-haired old man with a frown on his face said with a look of disdain on his elbows on the wooden bar:
"Whether it's a king, a priest, a foreigner, or even a god, no one can drive away my guests here!"
Huaiya frowned.
The old man then squinted his eyes and lowered his head to look at Thales with a strange look on his face: "There are too many of you... I only entertain guests who pay for drinks."
Thales smiled at him.
The traveler couldn't help but notice that although the vicissitudes of the old man in front of him was a bit old, at least over sixty, his arm muscles were still well developed, his waist was thick and straight, and his eyes were direct and fierce.
"Kaslan! Don't worry about the number of people and the price of drinks!" Cambida laughed, sat down at the bar unceremoniously, and took out a money bag, "What we have here are small golden discs with Nikaru's face...
By the way, Grand Duke Heisha asked me to say hello to you!"
Thales' eyes flashed: How could a retired veteran and an ordinary tavern owner allow the Grand Duke of Black Sand to personally intervene?
But Cambida obviously didn't get the response he deserved.
"Each cup of rye is six Exeter coppers, and the price for nobles is sixty." The owner of the tavern, old man Kaslan, glanced at the money bag with a cold expression, then pushed it back and snorted coldly.
: "Also, I don't accept gold coins."
"Especially the gold from that parricide Lumba."
Cambida's face suddenly stiffened.
Thales was also shocked: parricide?
Kambida spread his hands towards Tuleha behind him, showing a helpless expression.
"That was an inheritance duel following ancient rituals." Tuleha stepped forward and calmly took out a bag full of Exeter copper and silver coins, and said calmly: "The Grand Duke defeated his eldest brother.
, nothing more...the casualties were just accidents.”
"Let him argue as he pleases, parricide is parricide!" The old man Kaslan accepted the money bag with disdain, "As for the so-called ancient ritual of dueling...that was something the empire used to make us kill each other.
.”
The Grand Duke of Black Sand killed his brother and seized the right to inherit. It seemed that he followed some kind of duel ritual from the ancient empire?
Thales silently took this information into his heart.
And... Thales looked at the rough old man in front of him: The identity of this tavern owner is not simple, and he and Lumba seem to be on different sides.
Maybe some intel can be gathered from here?
"So one, two, three...six, seven, eight..." Kaslan weighed his money bag and counted the number of people in front of him.
"Wait!" Thales had an idea and said at the right time: "What belongs to the Black Sand Duke belongs to them, but we will pay for it ourselves... We have, um, about a dozen people..."
Kaslan rolled his eyes and noticed Thales again, who couldn't even reach the bar.
Cambida frowned and looked at Thales thoughtfully.
Thales nodded to Putilai, who raised an eyebrow, then stepped forward and grabbed a few silver coins and copper coins.
"Ah, I recognize this portrait... King of Oath Keepers, is it Midir?" Kaslan took the silver coin and threw it away. Instead, he picked up the copper coin engraved with Midir's face and looked at it carefully.
Pattern, then raised his head, smiled, showing his yellow teeth: "Are you from the empire?"
"No," Thales smiled and shook his head: "We come from the stars."
Huaiya's expression next to him changed, while Putilai was thoughtful.
"I see, kid, you are the prince of the stars... here to apologize." Kaslan stared at him straightly: "It's been a long journey."
Thales shrugged.
"Okay," Kaslan chuckled, "There's no reason to have trouble with money."
"Hey!" Cambida protested: "Aren't the gold coins of the Grand Duke of Lombard money?"
"Hey, Brain!" The owner of the hero tavern ignored the Viscount. He raised his voice and knocked on the wooden window behind him: "Twenty glasses of ale... just ordinary ones will do!"
A tall black-haired man in his thirties walked out from behind the bar. He had a burn scar on the left side of his face and snorted coldly.
I saw the tavern waiter holding up a thin wooden stick with a displeased look on his face, turning to the cabinet at the back, shaking his arm, skillfully stringing the ears of a dozen wooden wine glasses, and pulling them up like a skewer.
His arm shook again, and a dozen glasses smashed onto the bar counter. Brian deftly pulled out the wooden stick, then picked up a large wooden barrel and began to pour wine into the rows of wine glasses. While pouring, his expression changed.
He looked at everyone unkindly and glared at Thales fiercely.
"This can't be done with arm strength," Huaiya looked at the man's movements, his expression changed, and he whispered: "I bet he is a master with a sword."
"Don't be surprised," Kaslan laughed: "The guys here are all rough guys who have been in the military..."
"Of course, the Hero Tavern," Tuleha said calmly: "The gathering center for retired soldiers in the North."
Thales found sadly that he couldn't even reach the chairs at the bar, and it was too embarrassing to speak directly in front of everyone.
At this time, it is particularly important to have a guard who can sign language.
Rolf carried Thales onto the high chair at the bar (the attendant Waia frowned again when he found out that he was unemployed again), Cambida and Putilai sat down on his left and right sides, Xingchen and Akers
The special people were divided into two distinct groups and sat down at two round tables respectively. The soldiers stared at each other eagerly.
"Oh my God," Willow said in high spirits, looking at the noisy Northland drinkers around him, "I have never been to such a far away place to drink."
"Hold your guns," veteran Gennard frowned, "Maybe they will pounce at any time."
"Mr. Kaslan," Thales curled his lips and used his memory of talking to people: "When did you open the Hero Tavern? Why is it called this name?"
"Twenty years," Kaslan lazily watched Brian fill up the wine glasses, then put three of them on the bar, and asked Brian to serve the others on his own: "After being injured and retiring, he
I went back to my hometown and opened a tavern... As for why it’s called the Hero’s Tavern, hey, it was a boring name given by my mother-in-law.”
"By the way," Thales touched the wooden wine glass that was half the height of his head and rationally decided not to touch it: "When I entered the village, I found various kinds of food tied to the trees at the door. What happened?
thing?"
"The severe cold is coming," Kaslan yawned and served a few plates of unappetizing black bread: "That is a gift from the mountains."
Both Tuleha and Kambida grabbed the black bread as usual and nibbled into their mouths with the ale. The latter looked at the show with an expression on his face, looking at Waiya who looked sad and had no idea what to eat.
"It's best to eat more," Cambida said calmly: "We have to travel in the afternoon... and we won't set up camp until tonight."
The pampered star people... Cambida chuckled in his heart: This is the signature of the Hero Tavern, the common coarse food of the Northland villagers.
Huaiya frowned and looked at the black bread in front of him.
Putilai sighed and grabbed the bread - it seemed that this was the food for noon today.
It was probably Cambida's deliberate move, to test the prince's attitude, or to retaliate against the prince's indifference, or one of the two.
But then, everyone was surprised to see the noble second prince of the stars, His Highness Thales Bright Star, grabbing a piece of thick and hard black bread with both hands...
Then he took a bite without caring.
That expression seemed to be eating not unpalatable black bread, but
"A gift from the mountains?" Thales chewed the hard bread in his mouth and asked curiously: "The extreme cold?"
Well, it actually tastes pretty good, you just need to grind it and bite it open... unlike the brown bread in the fraternity, which has to be roasted over a fire when it's bad.
Kaslan's expression changed, and he looked at Thales with more and more interesting eyes.
"The extreme cold is a unique weather in the North. At that time, the North will usher in the coldest time of the year, and the sunshine time is shortened sharply. People who go out must wear extremely thick fur coats and bring sufficient fire supplies.
"You can't leave too far yet, and the time for daily outdoor activities will be compressed to less than three hours." Putilai looked at Thales who was eating with gusto with strange eyes.
I have developed a strong mouth and a good appetite because of my long-term travels... But His Highness the Prince...
Huaiya took a bite of bread with a grimace and felt like vomiting, but when he saw Rolf next to him enjoying the meal, his appetite and fighting spirit suddenly rekindled.
"The extremely cold weather can range from a few weeks to a month," Putilai continued: "As for the gifts of the mountains..."
"That is a gift to the gods," the tavern owner, the old man Kaslan, chuckled and took over the conversation: "The first prey you hunt today, the first food you touch, hang it on the treetop, it belongs to the gods.
All... can only be used by travelers who have to go out in the extreme cold, as a favor from the gods."
"Gods..." Thales swallowed the bread: "Which god is it, the setting sun, the bright moon, the dark night?"
In his memory, the most famous gods in Yongxing City who also have their own temples seem to be these three.
But Kaslan chuckled: "No, what we commemorate are the gods in the North and even the world that have been handed down from ancient times. They look after the earth and mountains and protect the generous gods who travel in the wild."
"People call it..."
"Lord of the Mountains."
————
Kingdom of Stars, West Ring District of Yongxing City, at the entrance of the West City Police Department.
"Sorry, Captain Cohen Karabiyan has taken a month's leave," Miss Chaola, the secretary of the West City Police Department, looked at the young brown short-haired girl in front of her with a cold face: "I mean, at least a month."
He's taller than me.
The legs are longer than mine.
Her ass is higher than mine.
Miss Jorah thought angrily.
Fortunately, my breasts are bigger than hers.
Immediately, Miss Qiao La stood up proudly, smoothed her long red hair on her head, and said proudly: "If you want to find him, you can leave a message... I see him often, and I can help you pass it on to him.
.”
and.
Not as feminine as me.
Looks like a boy.
Miss Jorah looked at the brown-haired woman in front of her unhappily.
I saw the other party slowly frowning and said, "Really, he's not here..."
Well, he also speaks in a rough voice... not like a woman at all.
Miss Qiao La thought so and suddenly felt much better.
Well, that's a drake voice... She will never admit that it is "heroic".
The woman with short brown hair was silent for a while, looking at Miss Jorah quietly.
Miss Jorah felt a little embarrassed.
The brown-haired girl immediately lowered her head, looked at the coat of arms with the twin towers and swords on her right hand, and raised a smile on her lips.
"Well, please leave him a message," the brown-haired girl looked at Miss Jorah's expression and said with a playful smile, "Just say..."
Under the impatient look of the secretary, the brown-haired girl licked her lips.
"That day on Red Square Street, the woman lying in his arms missed him."
Miss Jorah's expression changed, as if she had been struck by lightning.
Hongfang Street...
Lying...
In his arms...
woman……
miss him……
Miss Jorah opened her eyes in disbelief, frowned, and looked at the woman in front of her uncertainly.
how come.
This woman?
With the handsome Captain Cohen...
Actually...
Yara Sarriton burst into laughter.
"Hahaha……"
"Okay, I'm just kidding," under the secretary's murderous eyes, the descendant of the Assassin's Flower stroked his abdomen and waved his hands with a smile: "I only met that blond green... security officer once."
Just saved his life by the way.
"You like him, have a crush on him, love him to death, want to have children for him, etc." Under the secretary's eyes that became weird again, Yara shook her head: "I don't care... I'm not you either
A rival or rival in love, but just looking for a favor from him."
"Don't worry...he's not my type yet." The former female bartender showed a bright smile.
The secretary blushed rarely.
She looked at Yala's sincere eyes, feeling a little at a loss and speechless for a moment.
The silence lasted for more than ten seconds.
Miss Jorah finally exhaled.
"Okay," Miss Jorah turned her head sheepishly, the blush on her face not disappearing, she said helplessly: "In fact, Captain Cohen... he has returned to the Tower of the End, and we can be contacted here using the Messenger Crow
Him, you can write him a letter, and then..."
Yara smiled.
"Okay, I will write to him," the young former female bartender nodded, thinking about something: "Thank you, Miss Jorah."
"In fact, if it's not too troublesome," the secretary said with some embarrassment, "maybe I can help you. After all, you are Cohen's friend..."
"...Although I am just a secretary to the department director, I still know many people... For example, my brother is serving the royal family, and he has access to many big shots..."
This way you don't have to go to Captain Cohen.
Miss Qiao La silently clenched her fists in her heart: Do you think just saying you don't like him will be the end of it?
Are you kidding...
Don’t underestimate a woman’s persistence, whether it’s your own or your love rival’s!
Yara looked at Jorah in surprise, then broke into a smile.
"You can't help me with this," Yara shook her head helplessly: "You are too..."
Yara suddenly stopped talking, she remembered something.
Miss Jorah looked expectantly.
"Maybe you can really help me," she said slowly: "Jorah, you are the secretary of the Police Department. You can see whether it is cases, wanted orders, or intelligence. Can you help me pay attention to some information?
"
Miss Jorah smiled and nodded: "Of course, if it's not confidential...what do you want to know?"
Yara exhaled and whispered: "I want to check the locations of large-scale arms smuggling cases in the past few years, especially those related to the Black Street Brotherhood... There is a guy named Roda
…”
Miss Jorah took out a pen and paper.
"Also," Yara hesitated, and finally said: "I still want to find three children... The characteristics are obvious. They may have been abducted by the Brotherhood, but they are not in Yongxing City..."
Miss Jorah raised her head strangely.
"A ten-year-old boy named Xinti. He is a little bigger than the average child."
"A little girl with a circular burn scar on her face, named Colia, about four or five years old."
"A boy of seven or eight years old, named Ryan, has no right hand."
"That's all?" Miss Qiao La nodded, "I'll go back and read the latest case notices on combating human trafficking..."
"Wait a minute," Yara raised her head and said seriously: "There is another little boy I'm looking for."
"He disappeared near Hongfang Street and was probably in the hands of the Blood Bottle Gang."
"Black hair, gray eyes, looks seven or eight years old."
"He is a..." Yara's eyes darkened:
"A child who is not like a normal child."
Miss Jorah raised her head in surprise.
"He is a little too smart and too mature." Yara lowered her eyebrows and continued to explain.
"Really, a precocious child," the secretary shrugged, lowered her head and continued taking notes:
"My brother said that he had seen two similar children - one boy and one girl."
"Okay, anyway, I will help you keep an eye on it."