Ricky stroked his chin and suddenly said: "In 'Dante's Great Sword', the agile-minded, skilled and promising Dean?"
Russell remained silent, while the driller nodded in acquiescence.
"Your informants... are buried deep enough." Ricky clicked his tongue and shook his head.
"Well, Dante's big sword?" Boss Tampa frowned and scratched his chin.
Ricky raised his eyebrows.
etc.
That means……
At that moment, the eyes of many mercenaries, including the kidnapped tavern owner Tampa, followed Ricky and turned to the other side, converging on the wide-eyed Thales and the dull-faced Quick Rope.
On the body.
What are you doing?
Thales, who was in the spotlight again, thought blankly.
"Hey," Marina turned to Sonny with suspicious eyes and whispered: "I remember, are these two people with Dante's big sword..."
The mercenaries began to whisper.
Ricky watched the two of them with interest, seeming to realize something.
Facing everyone's scrutiny, Thales could only smile a subtle and embarrassed smile.
"You really have a good idea." Under the gaze of everyone, Thales maintained his expression, biting the fast rope without moving his lips and making a low voice of dissatisfaction: "Looking for 'professionals' to dispose of the body?"
He desperately controlled his gaze to avoid subconsciously looking at... the human-shaped sack at his feet.
"What should we do now?"
Next to Thales, the former Prince Exeter was also twitching his face, showing an embarrassed look that didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Calm down, calm down," Kuai Sheng wiped his sweat and showed a flattering smile to the fierce-looking mercenaries around him:
"There will always be a way."
Guests outside the Blood Whistle noticed these small changes, but they obviously had no spare time to care about the small things within these mercenaries.
Russell coughed:
"In short, that is our goal. Although the initial clues are lost, we still have reliable inside information..."
But at this moment, Ricky withdrew his attention from Thales and raised his hand.
"Wait a minute, Mr. Russell Vader."
The leader of the Sword of Disaster said calmly.
Following his words, the lights in the tavern swayed slightly, causing figures to rise and fall.
Ricky raised his head and smiled.
"We haven't agreed to cooperate with you yet."
Russell was stunned.
This man with an aristocratic air had a serious expression on his face and looked at the drill.
"When you informed me... I thought you had convinced them?"
The boy spread his hands and put on a helpless smile.
"Good things come in a long way."
Russell's brows wrinkled and relaxed, just in time to suppress his dissatisfaction.
"We have not reached any agreement, Mr. Vader," Ricky said with a smile: "In fact, we suddenly welcomed a group of uninvited guests like you on the eve of the operation, and you started to 'cooperate' with us... Until now,
We are still very 'surprised'."
Clay snorted softly, catering to Ricky's words.
The surrounding mercenaries held down their weapons one after another, their faces showing displeasure.
The driller raised his hand to Russell: "So you must be present in person, but I am not enough."
Seeing the unkind expressions on the Swords of Disaster's faces, Russell was slightly enlightened.
He read the atmosphere of the scene.
"All right."
He nodded and quickly collected his emotions, his tense face showing a sense of competence.
This made Thales inexplicably familiar.
"Everyone of the Blood Whistle, or Sword of Disaster," Russell raised a finger:
"I think we must reach such a consensus."
Ricky looked interested and made a "please" gesture.
"You intend to rob the Prison of Bones," Russell looked around and raised his second finger with a serious expression: "And we aim to capture the Prince of the Stars."
"In the Blade Tooth Camp, these two things cannot be done separately."
Ricky narrowed his eyes slightly.
"If you invade the Prison of Bones tonight," Russell said solemnly:
"In just a few hours, the entire Blade Fang camp will be awakened, and thousands of regular Kingdom armed forces will flood through here, bringing cordons, search teams, patrols, everything you can think of
Trouble. After that, it will be impossible for my people to take down the Star Prince."
Russell gestured to the drill, and the latter nodded humbly in approval.
Thales became even more confused about their relationship.
Russell changed the subject: "Similarly, if we kidnap the Star Prince tonight, before dawn, the alarm bells will sound in the camp, and any suspicious forces or gatherings, including mercenary groups, will be the first to be attacked by the Star People.
Target, it will be even more difficult for you to attack the Bone Cage at that time."
"The conclusion is clear: we are like two people tied to two ends of a rope. If we don't push in one direction, if we do our own thing regardless," Russell turned around and spoke with full force:
"That's just a waste of effort, no one can get what they want."
Ricky, Clay and others exchanged glances and saw the caution in each other's eyes.
"So, everyone, do you understand the reason why we came to our door uninvited and late at night?"
Russell ignored the weapons around him and said loudly:
"Do you also understand the need for us to cooperate with each other?"
No one answered him, only Diao Zi patted his left wrist with his right hand and smiled in support.
Ricky stared at the new guest with solemn eyes and said nothing for a long time.
Until Russell coughed impatiently and urged.
"You are very eloquent," Ricky said calmly, stroking his chin, "You don't look like someone from Shadow Shield."
"Vida...who are you?"
Russell paused for a moment and did not answer.
But the masked man beside Ricky spoke.
"I remembered."
The masked man glanced sideways at Russell and snorted: "Clay, you just said that this guy's last name seems to come from a small family under the command of Longxiao City?"
Clay snorted in response.
Ricky turned to his companions.
The masked man said quietly: "Six years ago, King Nunn appointed a well-known low-level nobleman as Exeter's envoy to the Kingdom of Stars and entered the Renaissance Palace to pray for Mora who died in a foreign land.
Your prince seeks justice."
"The messenger's name is exactly the same as this guy's."
At this moment, Russell was slightly shocked!
But he wasn't the only one confused.
On the other side of the tavern, Thales hid his surprise with a low cough, and the fast rope next to him had an aggrieved look of "Why is it me again?"
Thales remembered.
Him, Tails Brightstar and Russell Vader.
It is indeed not the first time we have met.
so……
Thales looked at Russell blankly, and then at the drill.
Exeter, Shadow Shield.
Those here today are all "old friends" from six years ago.
And the only clue that can connect the two of them...
"King Nun and King Charmaine entrusted you with important tasks at the same time, but you failed."
"Tell me, Baron Vader."
Just listen to the masked man speak disdainfully: "For the people of the North, a humiliating mission that failed completely must have troubled you a lot?"
Russell Vader's face suddenly turned pale.
The drill coughed and came out to soothe his cheeks: "Can we..."
But Russell interrupted him.
"I don't deny my failures."
The former Exeter ambassador clenched his fists and said solemnly: "That is indeed a stain on my life."
His voice trembled slightly:
"And I paid the price: I am no longer a baron."
The masked man chuckled and shook his head.
"I guess Longxiao City didn't deprive you of your title for no reason? And the Black Sand Territory can't give you any more compensation?"
The masked man slowly walked up to Russell and looked down into his eyes.
"After all, no one likes a traitor who is loyal to Longxiao City on the surface, but secretly colludes with the Black Sand Leader."
He said coldly.
As soon as these words came out, Russell suddenly raised his head!
The former envoy of a country glared at the masked man angrily.
But the masked man seemed unaware and continued to chuckle: "So you can only come to a foreign country and be responsible for some shady affairs."
Russell's fists clenched tighter and tighter.
Ricky, Clay and others looked at this scene with indifferent expressions, but the man on the side frowned.
"A Shadow Assassin who betrayed the Shadow Master, and a Northland noble who betrayed the late king," the masked man continued sarcastically: "Betrayer plus betrayer, what a good combination."
Russell snorted heavily.
"It's not your turn to judge me, mercenary."
He gritted his teeth and glanced at the blood whistle in the tavern.
"According to this statement..." Russell said angrily: "We here tonight, no matter which side, are shameful betrayers."
"In the final analysis, you are just traitors from the Tower of the End!"
The words were not spoken yet.
"Clang! Clang!"
More than one sound of a weapon being unsheathed suddenly sounded at this moment!
Marina already had two swords in her hands, Sonny gritted his teeth and pulled out his axe, while more mercenaries took a step forward, maliciously pressing towards the slanderous envoy.
The tavern suddenly filled with murderous aura.
Thales, who felt a strong sense of uneasiness, forced himself to hold back his desire to reach out for the weapon.
"Take it easy, everyone!"
The sound of the hammer sounded among the murderous mercenaries:
"We're not here to fight."
At the tense moment, Ricky gently raised his right hand, as if it was commonplace.
He shook his hand gently.
The blood-whistling mercenaries felt dissatisfied, but they took back their weapons and returned to their original positions despite the order.
The look he looked at Russell became more and more evil.
"I understand."
"A disgraced nobleman who has lost his glory but is unwilling to do anything but do insignificant tasks in the border area," Ricky said calmly: "I want to win back the trust of my master with a rare feat."
Russell took a deep breath, seemingly reluctant to admit this fact.
"So, Russell Vader, you represent Charmaine I."
"The Parricide King of Exeter."
Ricky's tone was slightly solemn.
And the content of his words caused quite a commotion among the mercenaries. They all whispered to each other and their shock was palpable.
Thales felt the fast rope beside him tremble.
etc.
Thales subconsciously felt suspicious.
There seems to be some mismatch somewhere?
Russell is King Charmaine's messenger, and his informant is Dean.
Dean found out about Tails, so he notified Russell.
And Russell sensed something was wrong with Dean's broken promise and wanted to save the situation?
wrong.
There must be something wrong!
Ricky looked at Russell and said, "Your king, intends to win over us?"
Russell raised his head, showing a touch of arrogance.
"If you can cooperate with us," Russell said softly: "We will return to Exeter with valuable loot and prove that we are a capable army. Of course, His Majesty will not begrudge his remuneration and rewards.
.”
Ricky raised his eyebrows, seeming a little surprised.
But soon, he, Clay and the masked man looked at each other and laughed out loud.
The mercenaries also laughed.
Amid the laughter, Russell's face became more and more tense.
Finally, the Swords of Disaster had had enough laughter.
"Dear son, no wonder you have the confidence to do these little tricks behind Teng's back."
"You and your Shadow Shield," Ricky shook his head and sighed: "When did you start getting together with the cold-blooded king who killed his own brother?"
When did they get together?
Thales suddenly remembered that day six years ago, when he and Thelma were on the carriage of Lumba, they saw the face-to-face conversation between the Grand Duke of Black Sand and the drill.
Russell frowned fiercely.
But the guy on the side smiled broadly and showed no sign of being offended.
"As I said, I can not only provide you with the means to escape from prison," Zhuozi raised his hands and turned to face everyone in the tavern, letting them see his smile:
"It can also provide you with a way to escape the threat of the stars, and it may also be your choice to take shelter in the future. From now on, there will be no more avoidance and cover, no more hiding and running for your life, no more fear and worry."
The mercenaries began to whisper again.
Ricky murmured and repeated: "Protect, protect?"
The driller nodded.
Russell on the side solemnly adjusted his clothes.
"Once it's done," Russell said seriously:
"I promise that your Majesty's subordinates will definitely have a place for you, and with Exeter's protection and support, you will not have to fear the threats and revenge of the Kingdom of Stars, no matter how much trouble it is."
Ricky pondered for a moment.
"The premise is that we must submit to him and become Charmaine Lombard's watchdogs and sheepdogs?"
He looked straight at the drill, his smile still there, but there was an undisguised chill in his eyes.
"Tell me, Brother, at what price did you sell yourself and the Shield of Shadows?"
This was said so unceremoniously that even a person as shameless as a brat could not help but feel stiff.
But the drill boy reacted quickly, coughed slightly, and rubbed his hands.
"It's not about the price tag, it's about the market and demand."
Like the most professional businessman, he said with a smile: "Eighteen years ago, Teng claimed that he wanted to create a soil suitable for the survival of the Shadow Shield, so he led the assassination that shocked the world.
.”
The masked man snorted disdainfully.
Thales clenched his fist.
Since he embarked on the road to becoming a prince, many signs have shown that the assassinations of the Bright Star royal family during the Year of Blood were numerous and far-reaching, and affected the fate of many people.
And the source of that assassination...
Right in front of you.
"But Teng was wrong."
The driller said categorically.
"The most suitable era for our assassins is not a chaotic world where people are hungry and dying, nor is it a peaceful and sage era." He raised his voice with a serious look on his face: "It is an era where peace and conflict alternate, where opportunities and dangers coexist, where employers and
A moderate era with the same goal.”
Ricky frowned.
"As we all know, we are assassins, brave men who take risks and look forward to death," said the driller calmly, "and you are mercenaries, or swordsmen who wield swords for others, or sword sellers, whatever you want to call them.
"
The mercenaries looked at each other.
"Assassins and mercenaries, regardless of everything else, we live by our own skills and work hard for others, so that we can maintain the normal operation of each other. But what do you think, in the final analysis, supports the survival of both of us?
"
"Money, money, hatred, hatred, ideals, future, hope, or love and justice?"
Zhuozi's words made many mercenaries look strange, but more people began to think silently.
But the driller immediately turned around and spoke decisively:
"neither!"
"What really supports our survival," he said with rare coldness, "are the needs that call us to take action."
I saw the driller's stern voice:
"It's power."
He stretched out his right hand and slowly clenched it in mid-air.
"Power is the foundation on which we live, just like war is to heroes and bones are to famous generals."
Ricky's face became more and more solemn.
The drill turned around, seeming to convince everyone in the tavern:
"The powerless want to take power and seize power, and the powerful want to expand and centralize their power, so they find us, hire or bribe us, and use unconventional means to fill the power vacuum or consume excessive power."
"And we? We are a group of ferocious beasts that feed on power, looking for life in the ambitions and grand plans of rebels or rulers. Whether you or us, whether assassins or mercenaries, we are born to live in the cracks of power.
"
Thales listened silently to the Shadow Assassin's ideas.
Clay frowned, and the masked man sighed more simply.
"Teng may be a lunatic. His arrogance and overestimation of his capabilities eventually brought about his own doom." Zhuo Zi remained unmoved and continued: "But his initial intention to convince us was correct: we, Gui
Shadow Shield needs an era suitable for us to survive, so we must take the initiative to create it instead of waiting for the era to eliminate us."
"What we really need is power's need for us. Power that is strong but still needs us. This is what ensures our survival."
Zhuozi turned around again, facing the three people with the Sword of Disaster, with unusual fanaticism in his eyes:
"So we need such a power, a ruler who owns both the country and the army, the land and the people, to purchase our services and maintain our existence."
"But he can't be too strong, so strong that he tries to control us and annex us, just like the Kingdom of Stars controls the secret science, and he can't be too weak, so weak that he can't support us or protect us, just like the poor bird in the Principality of Anrenzo.
Tail Guard."
Zhuo Zi raised a finger and nodded: "This is the everlasting secret of assassins and mercenaries."
The assassin finished his speech, but the mercenaries looked at him suspiciously one after another.
"So, this is the power you found for us? The Parricide King?" Ricky raised his eyebrows.
The driller let out a sigh of relief.
"Thanks to Teng, the Star Kingdom is already our destined enemy, and the stars are recovering and rising. This is really not good news for us. In this case, I guess there are not many options left.
"
The boy showed a mysterious smile, as if he had remembered something:
"And I have to say, His Majesty Charmaine is a very special king."
"Besides, Charmaine I meets our standards very well: he is powerful and powerful. He has just completed the purge of the Black Sand Territory not long ago and has become the most unequivocal lord in Exeter. Secondly, Exeter is fighting among himself.
, although he is gaining momentum, he is also in trouble. The Grand Duke is gearing up, foreign enemies are eyeing him, and disputes within the territory are difficult to resolve. However, King Charmaine's ambition is unfortunately tolerant of the world. He will need us."
As the driller spoke, he looked at Russell on the side, and the latter nodded.
"Have the doubts been resolved?" Russell asked calmly: "By the way, the premise of all the above situations is that we can complete the mission today and live up to expectations and regain the target."
But Ricky obviously had other ideas.
"Power is the basis for our survival?"
He rubbed his chin: "Interesting statement."
"But you missed half of what you said, Mr. Zi."
The driller raised his hand to show that he was all ears.
Russell frowned, seemingly dissatisfied with this group of people's lack of cooperation.
Ricky leaned forward and pointed his index finger at Russell.
"The kin-killing king, or any powerful force, will slowly seize our throats as they develop step by step, and when they become completely powerful, they will not leave us with many choices."
His eyes slowly focused:
"He will turn you into a secret room and secret department spreading gossip, and turn us into a white-blade guard and a royal guard guarding the door and sweeping the floor. If you are not willing..."
The masked man snorted angrily and crossed his arms.
"Furthermore, once Charmaine Lombard becomes powerful, powerful enough to ensure the stability of one side, the prosperity of a country, and the peace of the whole world..." Ricky sneered: "As you said, son-in-law, a peaceful and virtuous age will not be disputed.
Not suitable for assassins."
The driller smiled and said nothing, while Russell remained motionless.
"So, what you want is not loyalty or attachment," Ricky's words suddenly changed, with a chill:
"But parasitism."
The smile on his face froze.
"What you want is not attachment or belonging, but parasitism on King Charman like a blood leech. While serving him, you can use his power to strengthen yourself and use his figure to protect yourself."
Ricky pointed directly at people's hearts and said to the point:
"And when he is strong enough to escape your control, when the chaos and lifelessness of this world are about to be broken by the growth of power, it is time to abandon him, use the sharp blades and claws he made for you to deal with him, secretly
Aid his rivals, join his enemies, find your new hosts, and always keep yourself in the cracks of power."
At this time, even Russell's expression became ugly.
"In this way, parasitize, grow, move, parasitize again, grow again, repeat your cycle over and over again, symbiotic with power, and standing side by side with conflict. Wherever there is power, there is a shadowy figure."
The masked man hummed in approval.
"Be careful, Baron Vader," Ricky said coldly:
"The blood leeches will bite back if they suck too much blood."
His tone made both Drill and Russell look solemn.
Ricky looked at Russell, who had his hands behind his back and frowned.
After a few seconds, Ricky spoke again.
"However……"
"Tonight, we can cooperate, whether the target is the Prison of Bones or the prince."