Kingdom’s Bloodline

Blue sky, white clouds, sunny day, breeze.

Under the banner of the double cross flying high, the standing army belonging to the Central Command neatly circled the city wall and headed for the barracks in the southern suburbs of the capital.

Dozens of them wore cloaks, surrounded a carriage, left the team early, and headed for Eternal Star City.

At the city gate, the city defense team that was notified took action early, restricted the flow of people, cleared the passage, and drove the usual people to the other side of the avenue in accordance with the regulations to open the way for special messengers. After seeing the warrant and badge of the leader, the city defense officer , respectfully and low-keyly welcomed these dozens of concealed knights into the city.

From grooms driving leisurely to merchants in a hurry, many passers-by were curious about this group of people—especially pointing at the carriage among them, but no one showed any special surprise.

Compared with the people in the local area, the residents of the royal capital can be regarded as well-informed and not surprised by changes. They are naturally superior. They have even experienced such a big event as the second prince being recognized by the Xingchen Kingdom's meeting. them?

As a result, the carriage surrounded by the knights passed the city gate smoothly, entered the main road, and continued to move forward under the curious eyes of the people on the side of the road.

In the team, a figure who looked thinner than the others poked his head out from the saddle.

"Your Highness," Gilbert slowly caught up and nodded understandingly:

"Welcome back to Eternal Star City."

"Welcome home."

The thin figure didn't answer, but trembled slightly.

Everstar City.

Home.

He stared intently at the city guard tower passing overhead, and sighed under his cloak.

A few seconds later, Thales turned his head and squeezed out a slightly absent-minded smile:

"Thanks."

The team of knights hurried forward, the prince under the cloak stopped talking, and the wise Gilbert also kept silent.

Home.

Thales felt the tremor of the horse's hooves stepping on the galloping road, and silently looked at everything around him in the gap between the figures of the royal guards:

The main road connecting countless alleys and forks, the houses cut like pastries, and the various shops opened under the signboards fluttering in the wind...

Citizens chattering in front of the municipal bulletin board, women carrying a wooden basin with one hand to go to Muhe to wash clothes, outsiders standing in the middle of the road with wide-eyed eyes and a bewildered expression...

An exasperated coachman whipping his horse to catch some time, a priest standing on a wooden box in the corner with red ears and trying hard to preach, a neat team of security forces and police officers...

It's like a frozen picture.

but……

"strangeness……"

Thales spoke subconsciously, he felt his eyebrows were a little heavy, and his lips tightened subconsciously.

A wonderful and unspeakable feeling surged into my heart uncontrollably, but it stopped halfway just before it was about to burst out.

It was like the bucket that was drawing water to the edge of the well suddenly knocked, loosened the lanyard, and fell back into the well again.

There are countless splashes of water, and the echo is empty.

Let him feel lost.

After the scene of "sending the sword", the royal guards around him—including the glib Doyle and the expressionless Glover—became full of energy, standing upright, separated from Thales From a long distance, it is no longer like on the road, sneaking at the Duke of Xinghu from time to time.

Only Gilbert remained by his side and spoke softly:

"My lord, you have lived in the north all year round, and your memory of Eternal Star City has faded. This is normal..."

Thales woke up from his complicated thoughts.

Gilbert still looked calm, and continued:

"For example, the road we enter the city, it belongs to a section of Enshi Avenue, it's a little messy, because it's closer to..."

at this moment.

"West gate."

The voice of His Royal Highness came slowly:

"I know."

Gilbert paused.

Thales slowly raised his head, looking into the distance with feelings that he couldn't understand:

"This is near the West City Gate..."

West Gate.

The voice of the Duke of Xinghu resounds like an empty valley,

Qingxi Shushi.

With an inexplicable melancholy.

Gilbert was slightly taken aback.

To his surprise, the Duke just paused for a moment, then let out a light snort.

"It's probably the most interesting place in Eternal Star City—farmers, vendors, messengers, officials, police officers, soldiers, priests, beggars, brave adventurers, curious tourists, despicable outsiders..."

"You can find everyone in the capital here."

Thales stared at the crowd coming and going along the road, avoiding their group of knights, as if reading the most interesting storybook, the corners of his mouth slightly curled up:

"But be careful, don't accidentally squeeze onto the clean and tidy main road and refuse to leave."

"Otherwise, the dedicated city defense team and security team will tell you what the king's authority is."

"Because even a mane of a famous horse is worth more than the life of some waif in this regard."

Or more than one life.

Thales stared at the floor tiles under the horse's hooves in a daze, his thoughts vague.

At that moment, Gilbert looked at Thales with a complicated expression.

"there……"

With an imperceptible smile, Thales pointed to a fork in the distance:

"As I recall, that direction leads to the Lower Town."

The Duke's voice sounded faintly:

"If you go that way, you will arrive at the Grand Bazaar first."

Gilbert frowned slightly, but hesitated to speak.

But Thales just looked in that direction obsessively:

"Cheap prices and a variety of products make it a paradise for the local poor to make a living, but it also has its own rules and deep inside stories. It is a hell for foreigners who are newcomers."

"The roads of the Grand Bazaar are difficult to walk, the geography is messy, and the layout is complicated. Many hawker stalls have taken root immediately and turned into nails, but on the other hand, it is easier to hide and conceal, including of course barricades."

"Half of the regular street vendors are associated with the Black Street Brotherhood, and some of them secretly communicate with the Blood Bottle Gang, because the supply of goods is complicated and difficult to track, and the big market is the best place to deal with illegal goods and launder them. channel."

It is also the place with the most tourists and fat sheep.

Thales thought silently.

"Your Highness..." Gilbert was about to say something, but Thales interrupted him again.

"If you continue northward, after passing the big market, there is a dirt road that goes down, leading to the smelly ditch and the sewer."

The sadness of memories welled up in Thales' eyes:

"The site belongs to the Iron Bat Society, and the earliest members came from the bottom-level sewage cleaners and canal diggers. They lived in the sewer networks scattered throughout the city, and took advantage of the favorable location to do human trafficking, smuggling, and drug trafficking. private affairs."

Thales said in a daze:

"But they are very sensible, and they were one of the first gangs to surrender to the Black Street Brotherhood, so they can survive until now-if you have black goods in your hands and are not afraid of death, you may be able to get a good price from them .”

Or deep regret.

The team turned a corner and turned to another avenue, and the bustling noise ahead became louder and louder, accompanied by rhythmic music and enthusiastic shouting.

"Run! Ignorant northerners! Run! For you will all perish here! For I have come to bring disaster!" A high-pitched voice sounded, piercing through the crowd.

A row of tall stone houses appeared in front of the royal guards, and a stage was erected on the square in front of the tall houses. Many people gathered under the stage and pointed at the actors on the stage.

"The Temple of the Dark Night," Thales looked over the backs of several knights, watched the hard-working performances of the actors on the stage, listened to the passionate music in his ears, and looked nostalgicly at this temple that didn't even worship idols and was in charge of funerals. Temple of Funeral:

"In Eternal Star City, the only temple outside the Morning Star District."

This time, Gilbert listened quietly.

"Their plays have never spared the cost, and they are refurbished every year. From the stage sound effects to the props and actors, they are all great, and there is no shortage of audiences—there are too many people in Wangdu who like to watch the excitement."

But Thales scoffed:

"It's a pity that the plays are all rotten scripts. It's not that Ming Ye somehow went down to save mankind in person, or that Ming Ye will eventually rule the world—maybe the Church of Ming Ye thinks that as long as it repeats too much, the world will take it as the truth."

Of course, maybe they're right.

etc.

Speaking of this, Thales looked at the fat actor on the stage wearing a large pile of red tentacled costumes, who looked like an octopus, was sweating profusely but was still struggling to speak, and realized something was wrong:

"What are you playing today?"

At this moment, a peaceful, indifferent male voice intervened in their conversation:

""Night Facing the Dragon Sky"."

Thales and Gilbert turned their heads together, and saw the leader of the team, the watchman Lord Mallos riding his horse to their side:

"It's Monday, and they're going to put on some big scenes."

Mallos looked calmly at the packed theater stage:

"The story is about a certain unknown continent, where disasters are present, ravaging the north, and even killed a king."

disaster.

north.

king.

Thales' face changed slightly.

Mallos looked at the funny actor dressed like a big octopus, and continued:

"At the last moment, the god of the dark night descended. It manifested its power and summoned the giant dragon. So at the end of the night, the disaster was also defeated and disappeared without a trace."

Thales raised his eyebrows.

dragon.

end of night.

"Really?" the prince frowned.

Mallos snorted softly, and Gilbert took over the conversation:

"A few years ago, when news of the changes in Dragon Clouds City reached the capital, there were all kinds of rumors."

The Foreign Minister shook his head helplessly:

"Since then, catastrophe and apocalyptic dramas have come into fashion again."

disaster.

end times.

Thales looked at the big red octopus that was "slaughtering" on the stage:

"Then they, the Night Temple thinks that the disaster is that monster, the hydra?"

Mallos was silent.

The stage was thrown behind them, out of sight.

A second later, the watchman nodded and glanced sideways at the prince:

"if not?"

Thales had to avoid his suddenly sharp eyes, and nodded:

"Right."

Mallos still had that calm look on his face:

"And if you don't mind, Your Royal Highness, Your Excellency the Duke."

Thales slowly raised his head.

"After six years, you shouldn't know so much about Eternal Star City, especially the lower city," Mallos said expressionlessly, but his words were quite meaningful:

"After all, everyone knows that you were raised by Lord Mann."

After saying this, Mallos raised the reins and rode his horse, leaving only their backs behind.

You shouldn't know so much about Eternal Star City...

Looking at the watchman in front of him, Thales' eyes became serious:

"he knows?"

"my past?"

Gilbert seemed a little embarrassed, he coughed:

"Lord Mallos was appointed as your personal bodyguard to lead your bodyguard. Your Majesty...naturally trusts him."

Lead my SS.

yes.

Your Majesty trusts him.

His Majesty.

Thales was still staring at Mallos' back, and after a long while, he spoke slowly:

"Is it."

Thales tightened the rein of the horse.

"so……"

"He is Thales' personal guard."

"Or the... personal guard of the prince and the duke?"

As soon as this remark came out, Gilbert was at a loss for words.

His face became ugly.

But the foreign minister just lowered his head and didn't say anything after all.

The procession of the royal guard continued, and over an uphill they came to another street.

The strange thing is that this street is obviously very wide, but the street is empty in broad daylight, only a few people walking in a hurry.

Can't help but remind people of the Ghost Prince Tower.

but……

Why is this place so...

This time, Thales was stunned.

At that moment, countless memories flooded his mind.

"I know this place, Gilbert."

The young man looked around and said with emotion:

"Enter through that opening, and inside is..."

Thales said in a daze:

"that is……"

Gilbert looked at the direction Thales was pointing at, and suddenly blushed:

"Your Highness, you may not know..."

Thales shook his head.

"I know," His Excellency the Duke withdrew his fingers, calmly looking at the shadowy houses in the depths of the street: "That's..."

"Red Square Street."

Thales only felt that his blood flow stopped for a moment.

"It shares the banks of the Muhe River with Linhe Street. It is the southernmost street in the West Ring District. Although the location is not good, it is the place where dignitaries and dignitaries most often come late at night."

He said blankly:

"In the past, the Blood Bottle Gang almost monopolized the business here."

"Until six years ago."

Gilbert took a deep breath, then sighed slowly:

"Your Highness, Lord Mallos just reminded..."

But Thales simply ignored him.

The young Duke stared at the opening that was getting further and further away, and unconsciously pressed his chest, his eyes blurred:

"In the past, if you were lucky, the beggars could get unexpected gains here."

for example……

One is enough to change your destiny...

silver.

Gilbert sighed helplessly again, no longer persuading the prince who was struggling to get over his emotions, but restrained his expression and listened quietly.

The knights kept moving forward, and soon, there were more and more things that aroused Thales' emotions.

"Did you know that going straight in this direction, after passing through three living blocks full of low-class people, is the downtown area."

Thales gestured towards a tattered door opening in the distance:

"Then you'll see Black Street."

The legendary Black Street.

Facing the silent Gilbert, Thales shook his head slowly, with a low tone:

"Those who want to make a home there must either be ruthless or brave enough."

Or... desperate enough.

"There is a low-lying street not far from it, and everyone calls it the underground street."

Underground street.

Thales was breathing in a trance, and the subject he was talking about had been out of sight unconsciously:

"It floods every time it rains, so the houses and shops there, including the Grove Pharmacy around the corner, always have a musty smell."

Grove Pharmacy

The more Thales talked, the more complicated his mood became.

"Except for the Sunset Bar, which has the highest and best location, and rarely floods except for a back alley that is often full of garbage, but even better, few people dare to do anything wild there, so be careful what you target, Don't mess with the wrong person."

Sunset Bar.

The young man paused, choking for a while.

Before a graceful figure entered his mind, he contained his emotions in time:

"And next to the underground street..."

Thales took a deep breath and looked at the streets of Yongxing City, only feeling his right hand trembling slightly.

Gilbert next to him pursed his lips tightly.

"beside……"

Thales swallowed his throat.

"It's an abandoned stone house."

His voice trembled a little.

"Gathering half of the city, the homeless..."

"Wanderer."

The troop's hoofbeats remained the same, and the vigilance of the guards remained undiminished.

But the Duke of Xinghu in the team slowly lowered his head.

Even Gilbert had a serious expression on his face.

After a few seconds.

"Gilbert, I didn't have time to ask before."

The boy's voice sounded faintly from the horse:

"But about the things I entrusted you to do in the past six years..."

Gilbert's complexion changed slightly:

"Oh, of course, your collection of certain books, including gifts for the Grand Duchess..."

But Thales interrupted him:

"No, Gilbert."

The prince raised his head, his eyes were slightly in a trance, but he recovered after a few seconds:

"You know what I'm talking about."

Thales stared at Gilbert closely, as if that was the way out for the lost.

Gilbert sighed.

"Lord Mallos just said..."

But the Duke interrupted him again.

"Gilbert."

"I'm begging you," Thales said with a slight eagerness in his eyes:

"please."

The team is still advancing, and has left the west of Eternal Star City unknowingly. The messy paths and forks have disappeared, replaced by wide, flat, horizontal and vertical avenues.

"No, Your Highness."

Finally, Gilbert let out a breath, unable to hide his exhaustion:

"I'm very sorry."

Thales didn't speak.

He just waited quietly.

"I entrusted the favor of the city hall and even the security department several times, and asked them to launch several sweeps against the lower city and the West Ring District in the name of cleaning the city and the street..."

Sure enough, Gilbert spoke, with shame in his words:

"But as you know, at that time, in addition to arresting a few 'black and evil forces' to appease the people and let people continue to praise social stability and better life..."

Gilbert paused:

"Overnight, those ugly and dirty people and things disappeared strangely, and there was no way to find them."

Thales stared at the ground.

Gilbert looked at the boy's expression, and was a little afraid to face him:

"My friend, they especially swept up what you said--underground streets and abandoned houses."

Gilbert shook his head in disappointment:

"Of course, as usual..."

"That day, the underground street turned into an entire collection of antique shops and burial areas, as well as stinky garbage dumps. The eyes of the gravediggers and corpse-bearers were innocent, sincere and helpless. Some petty thefts led to a large number of poor people who were struggling to get enough food and clothing, complained a lot, and forced the authorities to stop."

"And the abandoned house, too, like the dozens of previous inspections at City Hall, was turned into an empty dump and ominous dumping ground, with only a dozen homeless and speechless madman."

"No one was found."

Thales clenched his fists.

At that moment, he only felt a dull pain in his chest.

It seemed that the wound from six years ago was still burning.

The team passed by a crowd that seemed to be gathering to watch the juggling. The prince's mount neighed, causing the surrounding horses to stir restlessly.

The royal guards quickly quelled the commotion of the mounts, changed their formation, and stayed away from the juggling troupe.

But Thales didn't care about these.

He thought about something else.

In the face of power, no matter the Black Street Brotherhood or the Blood Bottle Gang, they have their own methods.

Divide the whole into pieces and dock the tail to survive.

Wait until the wind has passed before leaving the nest.

And business as usual.

Thales struggled to breathe:

"So... Red Square Street?"

Gilbert ate again.

"My lord, I'm afraid," Earl Caso shook his head:

"My friend's level of authority is not at the level where he can openly investigate Hongfang Street... Behind it is involved..."

Thales closed his eyes and lowered his head.

"I see, Gilbert."

The boy opened his eyes:

"You need people who are knowledgeable, people who really understand the market situation, not political officials who are high above and don't understand the suffering of the people."

Gilbert didn't answer right away, as if he was thinking about something.

But a few seconds later, he still spoke:

"My friends did advise me, Your Highness, that if you put a bounty on the black market that is coveted to them—and of course trivial to us—then within a few months, useful clues would be as Sprung up all over your table."

But Gilbert's eyes changed slightly:

"And that also means that it will leave traces that cannot be covered up for those who care about us."

Thales frowned:

"We discussed this six years ago."

Gilbert nodded decisively, his eyes serious:

"And the conclusions of that time are equally applicable today."

Thales sighed.

Gilbert's words continued in a low voice:

"With your status today, it's not good for your friends to get in touch with you—the best ending for them is to disappear in the crowd where no one can find them, and forget everything about you. "

At the end, Gilbert's tone became more and more serious.

But Thales was so upset that he couldn't listen.

"What about the secret department?"

Thales ignored the other party's words and asked:

"Have you ever approached them? They are the best people for this job."

Gilbert frowned.

"Gilbert?"

Thales urged.

A few seconds later, the foreign minister finally sighed and replied:

"In the past few years, when you were not expected to return to China and there was not much news, I tried to ask Lord Hansen for help."

Lord Hanson.

Hearing this name, Thales felt a sense of discomfort out of thin air.

"But in the past few years, his few appearances have decreased significantly, and he almost never shows up—even the imperial meeting."

Thales' brows became tighter and tighter:

"Then try the one in the secret department..."

Before he could finish asking, Gilbert took over his words:

"Young desolate bone man, are your sufferings old?"

Thales glanced at him and nodded.

"Tried."

Gilbert shook his head expressionlessly:

"But from the top to the bottom of the secret department, all the people who can get in touch deny in unison that they have a cadre named Raphael Lindbergh."

Thales was taken aback.

"deny?"

"Even six years ago, he still made an open appearance in the Hall of Stars?"

Facing the prince's unbelievable rhetorical question, Gilbert still shook his head:

"At least in Eternal Star City, this person does not exist."

"Or not allowed to exist."

Thales understood what he meant.

The boy asked in disbelief:

"The secret department rejected you?"

Gilbert sighed slightly:

"Not exactly."

"What's the meaning?"

Gilbert patted the horse under him, as if he wanted to find an entry point for some topic:

"You know, Your Highness, spying on intelligence and planning operations are Putillai's specialty, but my specialty is paying attention to the people who do these things... And I can tell from their attitude and behavior that the Kingdom Secret Division seems to be interested in ..."

Gilbert raised his head halfway and glanced at Thales:

"I have a deep... prejudice against you."

Thales was stunned.

"I?"

"prejudice?"

The prince reacted, and at that moment, he actually felt absurdly laughed out of anger:

"Are you kidding me?"

"I'm the poor man who was forced to leave home for six years!"

But Gilbert just shook his head worriedly:

"I don't know what they think, but Your Highness..."

"With all due respect, in the history of Xingchen, every successful king and his chief intelligence officer have maintained a good relationship with the Kingdom's Secret Division..."

The team was still going on, but Gilbert's words had already drifted out of Thales' ears.

I saw the Duke scratching his neck unhappily, indignantly:

"But all I want is to find a few people..."

Gilbert shook his head:

"You mean a few waifs who have been missing for six years, unnoticed, nameless, during the notorious nights of chaos in Lower Town?"

At that moment, Thales suddenly looked up!

"Yes."

He looked at Gilbert seriously, with seriousness in his eyes, which made the foreign minister slightly startled:

"And...a female bartender."

Gilbert raised his eyebrows and nodded kindly:

"And a bartender."

There was a few seconds of silence between the two.

Missing for six years.

No one pays attention.

No name or last name.

Thales silently repeated Gilbert's words in his heart.

"And they are not unattended," Thales whispered:

"It's not nameless."

Several small figures appeared in front of his eyes.

Gilbert looked at him, with both relief and regret in his eyes:

"Your Highness, with all due respect, it is very simple to find their whereabouts—as long as we make enough moves."

Thales raised his head.

"But what happens after you find it?"

Gilbert's face became serious:

"Have you ever thought about the possible impact your rewards, repayment, or even just observing secretly might have on them?"

"It's easy to do one thing, but it's incredibly difficult to handle perfectly the myriad consequences that come with it."

Thales wanted to say something, but was at a loss for words.

Gilbert solemnly said:

"Especially after your much-anticipated return, if this continues, sooner or later someone will notice your actions - and we cannot count on their kindness and principle."

"It's not a good thing for either side."

Thales closed his eyes in pain.

"Maybe the day you find them," the Foreign Secretary said tensely:

"The day you killed them."

find them.

kill them.

Just listen to Gilbert's heartbroken voice:

"So I sincerely suggest you, Your Highness, for your own sake, and for theirs' sake, give up."

"Don't pursue it any further."

give up?

give up.

After a while, Thales opened his eyes.

He watched the ground under the horse's hooves recede slowly, feeling a little dazed.

"Gilbert."

Thales spoke slowly, with a hoarse voice:

"You knew that from the beginning, didn't you?"

Gilbert wondered:

"what do you know?"

Thales sighed.

"Six years ago, when you were in Mindis Hall... you told me that after the door was unlocked, you could go find my friends..."

Gilbert's expression changed slightly.

"And after I became a prince, you said that I have to wait for the limelight to pass before I can find my friends..."

The foreign secretary was silent.

"I arrived in the Northland, you wrote to me, you said, you found a few useful clues, and you are investigating..."

Thales took a deep breath.

"At that time, I believed in you, but now..."

The Duke of Xinghu raised his head, looked straight at the silent Gilbert, and affirmed:

"You already knew."

With feelings that Thales himself didn't know, the prince said hoarsely and plainly:

"From the very beginning, from the time I came to Mindis Hall, you knew that I couldn't go to them."

"So at that time, you were just... just..."

Thales choked up for a moment and didn't continue speaking.

At that moment, six years ago, everything in Mindis Hall suddenly became strange.

Gilbert closed his eyes and turned his head away.

No answer.

Thales also lowered his head and didn't ask any more questions.

But he knows.

Everstar City.

Abandoned house.

Mindy Hall.

Those familiar hometowns...

he already……

Can not go back.