Kingdom’s Bloodline

As the curfew approached, there were fewer and fewer guests in the tavern, and the mercenaries with blood and horns came to "my house" in twos and threes, and it seemed that they were going to get drunk tonight. ,Latest chapter access: ШШШ..СоМ. !

Dante's great swords came downstairs one after another. Louisa and Old Hammer greeted Thales and then left. Seaman and McGee ignored his intentions and walked out of the tavern.

When Dean went downstairs, he was stopped by a man with blood and whistle.

"Hey, Dean," Rui snapped his fingers and raised his glass to the bald mercenary, "I heard you guys are in trouble outside?"

These words attracted everyone's attention.

"In normal times, I might say we're 'okay'," Dean walked down the stone stairs step by step, looking rather dignified: "But now... I guess there's not much point in denying it."

He glanced at the two serious mercenaries beside Rui.

"Yes," Dean said lightly, "We're in trouble."

The mercenaries in the tavern were silent, they looked at each other worried or puzzled.

Ray frowned.

"So the rumors are true?"

"Williams and his vicious dogs are out of the gate again... What is this time, the second purge campaign? The North is fighting the Exters? Supporting the Freedom Alliance? Or is it that King Star is not pleasing to the Tower of the End? Are you determined to pull them out? Do you think it is possible for them to hire the Centuries to fight? Or just capture the death squads in the prison of bones?"

Thales raised his eyebrows when he heard Rui's description of the Baron and the Stardust Guard.

Obviously, the mercenaries have limited favor with the Baron of the Saber Camp.

"I don't know, but if you want me to say it," Dean shook his head, "They are playing for real this time."

"As for hiring... I don't think they're short of major generals, Ray."

With a warning on his face, Dean looked around at the fellows who were screaming blood and whistles: "Even 'Screen Blood' can't withstand the charge of ten armed cavalry, and I think they have at least a thousand cavalry—— They don't care which side you're on when the horses are picked up quickly."

Ray was silent for a while, and exchanged glances with his friends.

"A thousand rides..."

"I'll keep it in mind—we've all had a rough time recently," Rui shook his head, pointing to the bar: "What would you like to drink? Rye? Old beer? Blood grapes? Don't tell me it's Chaka..."

But Dean just waved his hand and refused, "No, we've had enough experiences these days."

Ray lowered his fingers.

"Dean, you know, if you think..." He looked at Dean seriously, and raised the corner of his mouth: "You are welcome at any time with the whistle of blood, we are going to transfer, and there is a lack of someone who can be the captain... maybe Higher?"

Dean spread his hands, and it was obvious that this was not the first time he had encountered this kind of dialogue: "Thank you, but... I have a captain."

Rui chuckled.

"Take orders from a 'woman', Dean," the mercenary who blew his whistle smiled and took a sip of wine: "You will die in her hands one day."

The mercenaries next to him booed one after another: "Maybe he died in front of her?"

"Or 'inside'?"

The whole tavern burst into laughter.

Dean just shook his head indifferently, waved goodbye to Rui, and came to Thales.

"Is it over?" Thales put down his glass and asked, looking up.

Dean nodded with a sigh.

"Probably, not a happy team talk, we lost too much."

"What about you, Wyah?" The mercenary asked back, "Do you have any clues about your family?"

"Probably," Thales exhaled, and answered him in the same tone, "I'll familiarize myself with the environment, deal with some things, and set off to find them tomorrow."

"Handling things... sounds good," Dean raised his eyebrows: "What about tonight?"

"I don't know yet, maybe ask Tampa for a 'bed',

"Thales said, gouging out Tampa fiercely: "As long as the money is enough. "

Tampa happily 'showed' her teeth.

Dean laughed too.

"You heard it too, the whole tavern was covered by the whistle of blood," the bald-headed mercenary looked at the people in "my house" and said, "Come with me, we rented a small house nearby, which used to be a temporary place for the team." Residential, but... at least it will get you through the night."

Looking at Dean's expression, Thales' heart skipped a beat.

His fists were slowly clenched, then loosened.

Thales released a smile: "Sounds good, anyway, I have nowhere to go?"

Dean waved his hand, signaling that they could go.

Thales stepped off the bar and picked up his luggage.

"Hey, Dean," Thales shook his head at Tampa, turned around and said seriously: "Thank you."

"For...everything from the desert to here."

Dean watched him for a few seconds.

"You're welcome, I'm planning for myself too," Dean looked at him and said jokingly, "You're a nobleman, maybe you're quite rich, aren't you?"

Thales smiled.

"But before that..."

Dean frowned and looked to the other side of the tavern: "Why did he drink so much?"

Thales followed his gaze: the fast rope came staggeringly, stumbled and lay down on a table, attracting unkind eyes from the guests.

"Desert, we have encountered too many." Thales sighed slightly.

"Yeah," Dean frowned, "for a novice joining the group for the second time."

Just as the group of guests were about to roll up their sleeves and give Fast Rope the night of a lifetime, Dean turned and walked towards him.

"Come on, give me a hand."

"Can't leave him here."

Thales shrugged and followed.

A few hours later, Thales lay upright in the hut belonging to Dante's Great Sword, feeling the tightness of the hard "bed", staring blankly at the moonlight outside the window.

The mercenaries' garrison is really not very good. There are four 'beds' in a small room, clay walls, thatched roof, sand spiders everywhere, and the fence 'door' seems to be pushed and pulled. The falling apart, and even the simple toilet outside the house remind Thales of the time in the abandoned house.

But at least sleeping in the wild is better.

Ten meters away, the sound of Kuaisheng's heavy breathing could be heard slowly, mixed with some drunken talk and dream talk from time to time.

Dean slept in another room next door. Old Hammer went to find his old buddies whom he hadn't seen for a long time. It was estimated that he would drink until dawn. McGee never liked to be in the crowd. The camp was sparse and hostile. People went their own way, and as for Louisa, according to Dean, she went home to her mother and stepfather.

Thales took a deep breath.

Unbelievable, he escaped from Dragon Clouds City and passed through the Great Desert—although it was only a short section of the periphery—through the Black Trail, the Meteorites, the Crooked Crow, and even hunger, loneliness, heat, cold, orcs, and mercenaries. The soldiers finally came to the territory of the Star Kingdom.

He is back.

Thales looked at the desolate moonlight in the sky at the edge of the desert, and felt the rare tranquility of the Saber camp during the curfew time.

Kuaisheng turned over and fell to the bottom of the 'bed', but he was still mumbling something and did not wake up.

Thales let out a long breath and sat up.

Hell senses, Dean's breathing in the dream is audible next door.

In the dark, he watched the outline of the fast rope lay out a complicated "K" shape on the floor, smiled and shook his head.

This group of people.

Mercenaries.

What kind of life is that?

Thales thought dazedly.

The prince took two breaths slowly, and the next second, he grabbed the bag and time crossbow by the wall, and stood up lightly.

He carefully stepped over the body of the fast rope, pushed open the 'door' without making a sound, walked through the small and dilapidated hall, and opened another 'door'.

In front of him, a sturdy bald man with his arms folded was lying on his side on the 'bed' board, his chest rose and fell evenly, and his nose made a slight breathing sound.

He slept soundly, not at all like the fast rope next door.

Thales closed the 'door' and walked to the man's 'bed'.

The prince stared at him silently for a long time.

After a long time, the moonlight began to move.

Dean's breathing was still deep.

In the end, Thales' complexion slowly turned cold.

He looked at Dean's broad back and slowly stretched out his hand.

Stretch toward your waist.

Pulled out the JC dagger.

The blade exuded a slight cold light, Thales couldn't help frowning slightly.

six years.

This sharp dagger given to him by Yala has been with him for six full years.

Quaid, Blood Race, Dragon Clouds City, Disaster, Rumba, Great Desert...

In the past six years, no matter what kind of danger he faced, whenever Thales reached out and touched the dagger, feeling its cold and tough texture, he felt an unreasonable sense of peace of mind.

The force that made him grit his teeth again, stiffen his shoulders, and face everything in front of him.

But that was all self-defense, an unavoidable counterattack and fight back.

But this time...

Today, Thales suddenly realized: when the blood flows through the blade of the dagger, the blade reveals more than just its name.

It is its essence - a murder weapon.

Every time, when Thales mustered up his courage and determination and swung his dagger to stab the enemy, he would recall the feeling when he used JC to take life for the first time: the hot and greasy blood went over the gauntlet and gushed to his forearm , flow to his 'chest' chest, 'shot' to his head and face.

However, those feelings have never been as real as they are now.

How easy it is to take a life away.

It's not that I haven't killed people, on the contrary, I've killed quite a few people.

Thales said silently.

From the life of abandoned houses in the lower city, to the assassination on King Street, and the bloody battle of life and death in the desert...

But for a long time, he deliberately ignored those killing feelings.

He doesn't have a choice, does he?

Kill, or be killed.

Thales gently raised JC, narrowed his eyes, and aimed the blade at Dean's neck.

Hell senses, the rush of blood in his carotid arteries was so powerful and alive.

Thales continued to hold the dagger, aiming at Dean's neck, expressionless.

He has no choice.

he told himself silently.

A simple stabbing can negate the meaning of the other party, strip away the other party's existence, and make the other party's value of continuing to exist in this world disappear without a trace: he is so gone, gone, dead, and never again Will appear anywhere, in front of anyone, at any time.

As Kuaisheng said: He has no thought, no feeling, no consciousness, nothing left, and no knowledge.

He has completely disappeared, and since then lost all possibilities, all developments, and all futures.

Thales came back to his senses and looked at the sleeping living person in front of him.

All it takes is a light poke.

Everything about the other party will disappear immediately.

As for the knife holder, he, Thales, he can get a lot: revenge? Benefit? Or simply satisfied?

Or, is it the kind of refreshing feeling that after killing the other party, you can eliminate the unhappiness, frustration, hurt and pain you feel from the other party, together with the other party's existence, and vent your depression completely?

And...calculating the pleasure of achieving your goal and making a lot of money after eliminating the other party?

Or is it the sense of strength, power, and dignity that control life and death with the palm of your hand, play with the fate of others, and decide everything?

'Hold'.

Thales stared at Dean's neck, trembling slightly.

He has no choice.

he told himself a third time.

Another necessary kill, that's all.

Is it?

Exhilaration.

Quaid's ferocious and hateful face flashed past.

Pleasure.

Nuen Wang Zhizhu's smile flashed across his mind.

Sense of power?

This time, Charmain Lombard's cold and stern expression appeared before his eyes.

Thales took a deep breath, and moved the dagger to the best angle for stabbing.

For the pleasure of revenge, for the pleasure of profit, for the power of bullshit, goddamn ghosts care so much... just one click, and everything is over.

Just kill him and don't worry about—

that moment.

A pale, frightened face appeared before him.

It was a face from so long ago that Thales almost forgot it.

It's Kelly.

One of the people in the sixth house, the poor child, rushed out bravely at the last moment of his life, just to protect the little girl.

However……

Thales trembled slightly, as if he had returned to that night again: the damned Quade cut Kellit's neck with a smile, the child's face was full of horror, while the murderer's face was absurd and disgusting. satisfaction and excitement.

'Hold'.

The same is true for Quaid, just lightly, the refreshing feeling...

'Hold'.

Another face appeared in front of him.

It was a little girl standing in the Hall of Heroes in Dragon Clouds City, with her arms folded in aggrieved manner, her face was a little arrogant, but also a little squeamish, making people quite annoying at first glance.

Alex Walton.

Innocent children born of sin.

Her upturned mouth was eventually replaced by painful spasms and twisted cheeks after drinking the poison.

Thales stared blankly at the sleeping Dean, but in front of him was King Nunn's cruel smile, Michael's desperate mourning, Nicolai's expressionless indifference, and the little slippery man crying in terror. snot...

'Hold'.

The same is true for King Nuen, just a glass of wine, the shame and hatred of the past is over, the joy...

'Hold'.

Thales gently closed his eyes.

Dean's neck disappeared before his eyes, but Dragon Clouds City six years ago appeared from the darkness.

In the dilapidated and burning shield area, corpses were strewn all over the place, wailing endlessly.

In such a picture, the terrifying man with a cold face, Grand Duke Heisha coldly puts on the blood-stained crown.

Under his feet, the head of the born king rolled into the dust and fell into countless corpses in the shield zone, civilians, nobles, artisans, farmers, white blade guards...

Don't be indifferent, Qi Ren, don't be indifferent...

As an animal, people will gradually get used to many things, such as indifference, and certain cognitions that we know are inappropriate.

I have heard it for a long time but I don’t know the smell. Once you relax and get used to it, you will no longer feel the gap between yourself and the outside world, and you will never find your original self-hold on, Qi Ren, don’t compromise, don’t let this The world holds you captive.

Oh, miss, why did you suddenly become so... so 'Wu Chiren'?

Is it really okay to complain about yourself... Besides, isn't this your professional strength? Start from a perspective you have never seen before, shock your established knowledge, refresh your world view, break your misunderstanding and superficial cognition that you did not think about, believe in, and even regard as the highest dogma, to discover that something is actually It is so absurd, and the way you looked at it before is so unreasonable, to show yourself a brand new world, to discover the truth of yourself and the world that you use every day but don't know, so as to sublimate yourself?

Hey, after telling you so vividly, I suddenly feel that I am so great.

Sigh, there is no way, you have been with me for a long time, even if you are stupid like SpongeBob SquarePants, you will gradually sublimate... right...

So can we go - stop 'touching' my head, your cat is in your own home, free 'touching' without tiptoeing - we have already donated, there is no need to stand in front of this donation box five minutes?

ah! My Comic Exhibition—Let's go, let's go!

Thales opened his eyes suddenly!

Quiet, Thales was panting lightly, sweating profusely, with a struggling expression.

JC is only a palm away from Dean's carotid artery.

The handle of the dagger was tightly held in his hand, and the tip of the blade kept trembling.

'Hold'.

'Hold'!

Time seems to have passed for a long time.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

No.

The prince wearily lowered the dagger.

Thales 'touched' the wet forehead, biting his lower 'lip' tightly and painfully.

Finally, he put away the dagger and took one last look at the sleeping Dean.

Like an ascetic believer who has gone through a lot of hardships, the prince slowly turned around, facing the 'door', with a bitter expression.

However, when Thales took the first step to leave——

"Why?"

The sudden sound made Taylor's hair stand on end!

"Why did you give up?"

Thales closed his eyes and sighed heavily.

He turned around, and under the moonlight, he vaguely saw Dean sitting up, leaning against the wall, staring at him coldly.

"It's always the best choice to kill the enemy before he sees you." The bald mercenary said calmly.

He bent one leg and stepped on the edge of the bed, with his right elbow resting on his knee, and the ax was at hand.

"or……"

"You have to capture me alive?"

Thales looked at the mercenary with difficulty.

"You're awake." He said bitterly.

"Otherwise? Do you think I should completely let go of my guard and give my life to you?"

Dean sneered, "Who the hell are you?"

Thales opened his mouth, not knowing where to start.

"I, you..."

"Or let me ask more directly." Dean flicked the ax in his hand, his eyes sharp: "Who sent you here?"

Thales looked at him fixedly.

Eyes struggled.

Finally, Thales exhaled slowly.

He put away his complex expression and returned to the most indifferent and indifferent expression.

"Dean, right?"

"You were rescued from the desert by old Dante a few years ago, and you have become one of them ever since, and before that..."

Thales looked back at Dean coldly.

"An ordinary mercenary, but he is both literate and far-reaching," the prince said softly, "You come from the north, and you swing your ax just right. , always reminds me of Exeter's other famous white-bladed guard."

Dean didn't speak, his eyes focused on the ax in hand.

The houses in the moonlight were silent, and the curfew on the streets made the surroundings so quiet that it didn't seem like the Western Front, but the countryside.

"Not only that, you also know a lot of orc language, and it is far from the level of 'hello, damn, kill you' that the soldiers learned after meeting them," Thales continued: "It will take quite a long time systematic learning."

"You also shaved off your own hair, which seems to cover up the 'color' of your hair."

Dean was expressionless, he raised his left hand and 'touched' his head.

Thales stared straight at him.

"Your views and reserves on national events and the political situation are far beyond the level that a stunned soldier who only rushes between life and business can understand."

"Even Tampa is saying that it's too wasteful for you to be a mercenary, even people who want to recruit you."

Thales took a deep breath, and with difficulty and hesitation, expressed his greatest suspicion:

"Dean, mercenary Dean, don't you think these features... are too obvious on a person's body?"

The sound echoed in the small room, clearly audible.

time seems

Dean raised his head and confronted Thales' questioning eyes without flinching.

"obvious?"

Dean's face turned into disdain and anger: "Humph."

"So, who sent you?"

He asked bluntly:

"Lisbane? Or the White Blades?"

Thales' gaze froze in the air.

"Or someone else?"

Under the moonlight outside the window, Dean spoke slowly, his eyes becoming more and more serious: "The order I received is to find me... or to kill me?"

Thales frowned deeply.

He was still staring at Dean, motionless.

"Even McGee said that it was wrong to come out with Tomdin this time. He is not a good 'trade' partner, and Xingchen's blockade order is even more inappropriate," Thales did not answer, but He continued softly: "But you still came out with the mercenaries, why?"

"This is not in line with your usual shrewdness and wisdom."

Dean clenched his fists.

"Is it because you know about the Liberty Alliance and the storm that Exeter and Dragon Clouds City are going through? Is it because you are worried about your hometown and country that you ventured north, and you just want to confirm it?"

Dean didn't speak.

So Thales spoke again.

"Answer me, Dean," Thales sighed, "Are you him?"

This time, Dean looked up slowly.

"he?"

Dean said lightly: "Who?"

"You know who I'm talking about."

Dean smiled.

He slowly raised his arm and pointed at Thales.

"you."

"You're suspicious too, aren't you?"

"A man came from the north and fell strangely in the desert." Dean tilted his head and glanced at Thales: "He held a military crossbow in his hand that ordinary people would not have, and a pair of sharpened irons. A sharp dagger like mud."

Thales felt his back and waist tighten in a daze.

"Your demeanor is very orthodox, very polite, and you pay attention to details. You seem to be a well-educated person. This is why no one else wanted to talk to you in the past few days—well, except maybe the fast rope, he It's a stunned young man who is frightened by the sea."

"And you are very smart. At least the life experience you fabricated is in line with your words and deeds. At first glance, it's quite reasonable."

Dean sneered.

"But what makes me weird is that you are different from most nobles."

"Whether it's hot sand or cold rock, you can lie down without hindrance and fall asleep easily; dried 'meat' that has been dried for months, rough bread that is too hard to bite, with a fishy smell Tasty stew, burnt food, no matter how unpalatable it is, you swallow it smoothly and eat it as usual.”

"Like you're used to it."

"At least, it's not like the grown-ups in the castle that I know."

"So, either you came from an upstart family, and it's too late to become those stupid and selfish bastards in the castle." Dean narrowed his eyes with a solemn expression:

"Either your family must have someone who is wise and wise through experience or knowledge, time or experience. He chooses to use cruel weather to shape the next generation into a man, instead of using food and fences to raise you." Fat' boar."

Thales remained motionless, listening quietly.

"And Wyah Castle?"

Dean sneered, but looked at Thales with the same cold gaze: "Next time, when you tell another Northlander's name, it's best not to use the same name as Gilbert Castle, the 'Star Fox'. last name."

Thales moved slightly.

"Back then in Broken Dragon Fortress, that star-studded man came alone, and under the angry gaze of Exeter holding up the king and the six grand dukes, he talked and debated back and forth, and when he finally signed the peace treaty, he was very famous. Not small."

Dean raised his lips.

"Sorry," Thales shook his head remorsefully: "It's the first time I ran away from home, many things happened suddenly, and I was a little nervous."

Dean blinked.

"So, who are you?" he asked quietly.

"Just a teenager, but possesses unusual agility and sharp reflexes - I suspect it's the power of the finisher - and the rite of passage of not peeing your pants when you first face a terrifying orc Killer, Seka?"

Dean lowered his head, submerging his expression in the darkness beyond the moonlight: "According to what Tomdin said, those star troopers, are they hunting you?"

Thales breathed slowly.

He clenched his fist, and then gently put it down.

"Listen, I didn't want to make things so complicated." Prince Xingchen spread his palms, and said in his most calm and serious tone: "I could have found the army in the Saber Camp early and let them do it... But I didn't, I waited until now."

Dean nodded slightly, a smile on his lips.

"So you really have a lot of status, and you have a lot to do with this official," the bald mercenary snorted, "but you've kept your name incognito until now, just for me?"

Thales ignored the other party's words.

"I just need you to answer me a simple question, Dean." He said lightly.

Dean stared at him with interest.

"Coincidentally," the mercenary nodded, "Me too, Wyah."

silence.

In the suffocating silence, the two silently stared at each other in the dark and airtight room.

Until Thales spoke again.

"So, Dean," the Prince of Stars cleared his throat, and finally asked the final question seriously:

"Are you Moral Walton?"

"The wayward prince who escaped from Dragon Clouds City six years ago?"

Dean didn't answer, didn't move, and didn't even show a trace of superfluous expression.

He just stared at Thales coldly.

"What about you, Wyah," he said slowly, raising his head slightly, letting the moonlight 'shine' on his sharp facial features:

"Should I call you Thales Canxing?"

Thales tensed his muscles.

"The one who shook the entire Exeter and changed Dragon Clouds City—the culprit?"