Fist and palm intersect.
Both Alaka and Sonia trembled slightly.
"Pfft."
The low, muffled sound was very much like the sound of a sandbag falling to the ground.
But Thales' heart trembled, as if a blunt hammer struck his heart!
This is... the battle of extreme masters?
Quiet and simple.
There is no waste of power, no extra movement.
Thales saw the crowd whispering.
Many soldiers pointed at the two of them.
"Oh, no—how many times?"
"Do they have to tear each other apart before they come from the north?"
The two commanders faced each other tit for tat, standing in place, and resisted each other's fists without giving in.
Sonia's eyes were cold, while Araka's face was fierce.
The soldiers behind them all reacted.
"Clang!"
The old soldiers behind Sonia drew their swords fiercely, and surrounded the commander in an orderly manner.
"Boom!"
The sword and shield soldiers around Alaka had serious faces, and they took a step forward neatly. Their swords and shields formed a wall to protect Alaka's flanks.
The two teams were full of murderous intent, glaring at each other furiously.
The confusion among the crowd deepened:
"God, the Star Guard and the Fury Guard are present at the same time..."
"Didn't the officers on duty deliberately stagger their duty hours?"
"Could it be that someone is going to die this time?"
"I have a bad feeling."
However,
When almost everyone watched the conflict between the two commanders with mixed emotions.
"stop!"
Thales frowned and took a step forward.
Everyone turned their heads in unison and looked at His Royal Highness, who had an ugly face.
Thales looked around.
What exactly is going on?
Sonia and Araka...
He sighed.
"That's what I want to say." Puttilai whispered from behind: "Only you can come forward, little prince."
Thales shook his head.
"Stand back, soldiers," he shouted to the tense two teams:
"For the sake of being fellow stars, put away your weapons."
But no one paid attention to him.
Both Sonia and Araka heard what he said, but the two with uneasy faces seemed to be more interested in each other.
The subordinates behind them—according to the crowd, it seems to be the Star Guard and the Fury Guard—also didn't look sideways, but stood loyally and focused behind their chief.
His Royal Highness was left in the field, and no one paid attention to him.
Puttilai closed his eyes and shook his head helplessly.
The whispers of the onlookers began to grow louder, pointing at Thales.
Many people showed laughter and contempt in their eyes.
This child is their new prince?
Thales just felt embarrassed.
Very embarrassing!
Um, what should I do?
Rushing up to pull them away?
However.
Sonia was extremely annoyed, and that Alaka seemed to ignore him at all?
We have to find something to make them care about.
His brain was working quickly.
The conversation between the two just came to my mind.
Thales' heart moved, and he took a deep breath.
The traveler heard his childish voice: "I am Thales Canxing, the second prince of the Star Kingdom."
Thales raised his right hand to the two parties, pointing to the north.
"Maybe someone knows—for the peace of Star Kingdom, and for the lives of everyone in the fortress."
"I will soon go north to Exeter to pay their prince's life."
There was an uproar among the soldiers watching.
Broken Dragon Fortress is not an isolated place, and the news of the National Conference has already reached here.
The eyes of many people looking at Thales suddenly had many different meanings, including pity, unwillingness, anger, and sighing.
But Sonia and Araka's eyes were still fixed on each other.
Thales adjusted his breathing, tried to appear casual, and approached the area where they were confronting each other.
"As for the two officers and your subordinates, before you dig out each other's hearts," Thales spread his hands, showing a helpless smile: "To a Prince Canxing who is about to die..."
"At least give some due respect?"
"For example, start the fight after I go to die?"
The surrounding soldiers whispered louder.
Puttilai nodded slightly.
Sonia and Alaka noticed that each other's eyebrows frowned imperceptibly.
But Thales immediately changed the topic and snorted softly:
"Oh, of course, maybe you've been used to it for a long time," Thales turned around, looked at the soldiers around him, and easily reached into his pocket.
He was going to take out the nine-pointed star badge pin of the Canxing royal family and show it to everyone.
Thales' next sentence depends on his surname.
But he didn't touch the pin of the nine-pointed star.
The only thing in his pocket was the pair of fang bracelets - the token of the Corleone family that the Queen of the Night gave him when he parted.
Thales' smile froze for a tenth of a second.
Damn Katarina...
She didn't return the nine-pointed star pin to me!
But the traverser immediately smiled with lightning speed.
He turned the bewilderment of "pockets are empty" into a pose of "taking pictures in pockets", and turned around in a circle.
Thales turned back to the two people who were facing each other, and said with a mocking smile:
"After all, it's not the first time that the two of you have looked at a bright star..."
"He died in front of him..."
The voice just fell.
The breathing of the two confronting each other accelerated a lot.
Sonia was shocked.
Araka struggled.
The past flooded into the hearts of the two of them.
The voices of the soldiers watching became louder and louder:
"so?"
"Yes, you've heard that too, right? Both of them are..."
"Oh, it's all that kind of experience, why bother..."
One, two, three... Thales counted the seconds in his heart.
Please, show some face!
His embarrassment came up again.
Finally, the two commanders snorted coldly and let go of each other abruptly.
The guards on both sides sheathed their swords one after another, but they still looked at each other with ugly faces.
Thales breathed a sigh of relief.
Puttilai on one side showed a nasty smile and winked at him.
Gilbert has never been so disrespectful.
Thales returned an angry look.
But he knew that the matter hadn't been resolved yet.
"Very good, shall we...shall we settle the matter in front of us first?" Thales rubbed his hands with a smile, and pointed to the dazed Willow Ken.
Araka snorted impatiently: "Are you going to judge in person, little prince?"
"Why, do you have an opinion?" Sonia snorted, "As His Highness, he is the most suitable person here."
Thales sighed.
No.
This is not just a trial.
It may also be the friction and discord between the two commanders.
And—he looked at Willow, who was pleading—it was about a person's life and death.
He raised his head and looked at the officer in charge of the hanging:
"Can anyone prove his words? The people he saved?"
The officer in charge didn't seem to have spoken to anyone in the royal family. He took a step back flattered, and then shook his head: "Not one...so we all suspect that he is lying."
Thales frowned.
Not good.
"If you want to make sure if it's a deserter... please bring up his weapon."
The officer nodded nervously.
Soon, under the eyes of everyone, a pair of equal-length wooden sticks that were much shorter than the spears was brought up—this pair of broken wooden sticks still had dried blood, and only one side of the wooden sticks could barely see pointed head.
On the surface, this indeed looks like a broken spear.
However... Thales looked at the young man with brown hair:
"Can you use... dual guns?"
Willow nodded fiercely: "I, I can!"
"It's another lie." The officer shook his head and said, "There is no soldier who has received such training, let alone he is a fisherman!"
Thales let out a deep breath.
He looked at the burning-eyed soldiers around him, at Sonia's hopeful eyes, Araka's menacing eyes, and Putilei's complicated expression.
"If he can use double guns proficiently..." Thales said in a deep voice:
But Araka snorted softly at this moment, interrupting him.
"Whether he deserted or not, he defied orders and ran back on the battlefield, there is no doubt about it," the tough man said mockingly to the prince:
"What? If he can use double guns, will you use Canxing's privilege to declare him innocent?"
"Honorable, yes, Your Highness the Second Prince?"
Thales was taken aback.
Violation?
Oops.
"Then do you want to execute him directly?" Sonia said tit for tat, and said coldly: "If he is innocent..."
"No one cares about your innocence on the battlefield!" Araka interrupted her bluntly:
"Whether it's to escape or save someone, if you violate the order, you will have to pay the price."
Sonia's words froze for a moment.
She could only turn her head and look at Thales hesitantly: "I respect your decision, Your Highness."
"Go on," Alaka looked at Thales, and said disdainfully, "Forgive him, and then see if he will violate the order next time—maybe then, he won't be the only one who killed himself."
Willow's face suddenly turned ashen, and he was sweating profusely, his eyes kept going back and forth between Alaka and Thales.
Thales frowned.
Trouble.
Alaka, Sonia, Puttilai, and the soldiers around him, including Willow, all set their sights on him.
what to do?
Hang him.
What would Sonia and the surrounding soldiers think?
Forgive him.
Alaka, what about military orders and regulations?
It's better to change to other punishments.
No, it's not appropriate...Damn it.
Gilbert didn't teach this...
etc.
Gilbert?
Thales pondered.
He has made a decision.
"Willow Ken."
"I'm not sure if you are a deserter." The traverser walked up to Willow and said to him, "Therefore, I cannot convict you or hang you."
Willow breathed a sigh of relief.
"Look, this is where the war is lost..." Araka snorted lightly without any surprise, and got Sonia's glare without any surprise.
Some soldiers who agreed with Araka began to shake their heads.
But Thales' next sentence made Willow nervous again.
"But if you really violated the order," Thales shook his head and said, "then I can't acquit you."
"I cannot pass a judgment."
The audience was silent for a moment.
Then everyone was in an uproar.
Sonia frowned severely: What does this mean?
"Ha, guilty and innocent?" Araka laughed:
"So what are you going to do, my prince? How about shortening the rope by half?"
Thales was expressionless.
He gently raised his hand and clenched his fist.
Let the audience be quiet.
"But you said it, Willow," Thales said softly, "You backed up to save your companion."
Willow raised his eyes and looked at the second prince tremblingly.
"Whether you really did it or not - this kind of spirit is very noble."
Thales' voice echoed in the narrow crowd:
"So, I can't hang you."
Willow was shocked and looked at the prince in disbelief.
Just listen to Thales continue:
"It's not because of your innocence."
"It's just that I can't let other people hesitate to save your comrades just because they are afraid of your end—this is not something to hesitate."
Thales said calmly.
The audience looked at Thales differently.
Sonia showed joy on her face, while Araka frowned deeply.
Only Puttilai had complex and profound eyes.
"but!"
Thales looked serious, and said sharply:
"It doesn't mean you are innocent, and you don't have to pay the price for violating the order."
"Willow Ken!"
Willow's breathing became short of breath.
"In future battles, you must save the lives of more than ten comrades," Thales said solemnly:
"As the price for not being hanged today, this is the only way to offset your crime of violating the order and wash away your suspicion of desertion."
"Ten!"
Under everyone's gaze, Thales drew out his dagger, walked behind Willow expressionlessly, and aimed the blade at the rope binding his hands.
Thales took a deep breath and cut hard with his hands.
one time...
Twice...
three...
Eh?
Thales found out embarrassingly that his hand strength was a little weak.
At this rate, it may take more than ten seconds to cut the rope.
He felt the eyes of the people around him.
This, this, this...
It ruins the atmosphere. Hey!
At this moment, that familiar wave surged into Taylor's hands.
As if the blood was speeding up in an instant, the muscles in his right hand trembled, and a force much greater than usual burst out!
"Chick!"
The rope in Willow's hand was cut instantly.
Thales withdrew the dagger and forced himself not to look at the bloody wound on the back of Willow's hand that he had inadvertently scratched—ahem.
"So, I exchanged your future behavior for your life and freedom at this moment."
"Do you understand? Willow Ken?"
He solemnly looked at Willow who had regained his freedom.
Gasping for breath, Willow knelt on the ground and looked at Thales.
He opened his trembling lips.
"yes..."
"Yes...His Royal Highness Thales!" He shouted excitedly:
"Save ten people! I remember!"
"There is one more request." Thales said indifferently.
Willow was taken aback.
Thales suddenly showed a long-lost smile, and said, "Go and change your two guns—they are so worn out that they can't even poke fish in the river to death."
Willow Ken took three breaths.
Then, he showed a escaped smile, and nodded desperately: "Jin, I will follow your order!"
Thales turned his head and looked around.
Sonia laughed and looked at him in relief.
"Very decent, Your Highness."
The Flower of the Fortress walked over unceremoniously, and hugged Thales under Thales' ugly face!
I don't know who was the first to start, the surrounding soldiers applauded one after another!
"Papa..."
Some people even started to cheer.
Some people were shouting: "Our prince!"
Sonia laughed loudly, put the earthy-faced Thales on her shoulders, and rubbed his head vigorously: "A qualified star!"
"Cunning brat." Alaka looked at Thales coldly, muttered and waved, and left with his subordinates amidst the applause of the audience.
Only Ada asked Putilai, who was thinking deeply, with a puzzled expression, "What did he do just now?"
——————
When Thales, who was already weak and dizzy after being shaken twice by Sonia, was put down, he could only pull on Putilei's robe feebly and retch.
Under the leadership of several soldiers, Putilei walked with him to the barracks prepared for the prince, followed by Ada, whose face was pale from the cold again.
Thales sighed: "I thought the troubles would come after we got to Exeter."
But Puttilai didn't answer his words.
"Your Highness," Puttilai said silently, not noticing that he used the honorific title:
"How did you come up with that method?"
Thales was taken aback: Huh?
"Don't kill that soldier for the time being, but let him contribute himself in the future?" Puttilai asked as he walked.
"Uh, that's an idea." Thales rubbed his frozen red hands and let out a breath of steam. "In fact, Gilbert told me about it, and it has something to do with my uncle, Midil Canxing."
Puttilai's expression changed, his brows frowned.
"Gilbert said that he once screwed up a diplomatic mission because he was not good at cooperating with his colleagues," Thales recalled, not paying attention to Puttilai's face: "But His Highness Midil did not punish him, but let him He owed the 'debt' to Xingchen, and he will make up for it with multiple merits in the future."
Puttilai frowned tightly, while Thales raised his eyebrows:
"There is also a saying in the Far East that 'use credit to make up for sin'—but that's only for important people, low-level soldiers like Willow. They can't say that directly, so they have to use the reason to save their comrades to convince others."
"But it's not a good way after all," Thales spread his hands. "Think about it, if all the deserters come back and say: I'm here to save my companions..."
"So, are you imitating His Royal Highness Midir?" Puttilai didn't listen to him, but said slowly: "Gilbert probably very much hopes that you will become the next Midir."
Thales was taken aback.
"Uh," he scratched his head, "This incident probably affected Gilbert deeply."
"Ah, yes," Puttilai sighed thoughtfully, "Gilbert did save the entire star in the negotiation of the "Fortress Peace Treaty" and made up for his sin against Steel City—otherwise , according to the law at the time, this matter is enough to send him to prison."
Thales turned his head curiously: "Oh, Puttilai...you also know about this?"
"Of course, Your Highness," Puttilai seemed to be used to addressing His Highness, and he said indifferently, "Gilbert didn't screw up that incident back then because he was not good at cooperating with his colleagues."
Thales opened his eyes wide.
"Gilbert was just a descendant of a declining nobleman at the time. He just came to the Foreign Affairs Department as an attendant of the prince. He was squeezed out by his colleagues and even deliberately framed, so he ended up in such a field." Putilei sighed.
"Ah?" Thales asked in surprise, "Really."
Puttilai nodded slowly: "That's why he devoted himself to Xingchen later... He thinks this is a debt he owes to Midil and Xingchen."
"Everyone has their own life journey, and encounters are impermanent." Thales sighed and shrugged casually: "He told you about this?"
"No, he didn't," Puttilai said with deep eyes and a hint of sadness and remorse in his words:
"But I know more than he does."
Thales raised his head.
Puttilai took a deep breath and spoke slowly:
"because..."
"I was the one who squeezed out and framed him in the Department of Foreign Affairs back then."
Thales was stunned.
so awkward.
"Uh, this," he said awkwardly, "Perhaps, if you hadn't done that back then, Gilbert wouldn't have become such an outstanding diplomat and political officer."
"Yeah, maybe," Puttilai said bitterly, "Xingchen is very lucky to have his outstanding and selfless..."
"No!"
A familiar voice came from behind.
It seemed that he was suppressing his anger.
Thales and Puttilai turned their heads in surprise.
I saw the second prince's attendant, Wya Kaso, looking at them with an unswerving expression.
"Wya..." Thales said strangely.
Is he... angry?
"Your Highness!" Wyatt seemed to be trying his best to control his emotions. He took two deep breaths before returning to his normal expression, and said slowly, "Jorah...Jorah is dying soon."
Thales' face suddenly changed.
——————
Qiao La, the leader of the private soldiers of the Canxing family, was lying on the bed in the barracks with a pale face at the moment.
"I... I have a younger sister, Lucy," Jorah said out of focus, delirious, "In the capital, in the capital..."
"Your Highness," the bandaged Wyah Castle said regretfully, "the vampires hurt him too badly..."
Thales let out a long sigh: "Is there no other way?"
"We have searched all the military doctors in the fortress." Huai Ya shook his head, his face sad: "But they are only military doctors, I'm afraid they don't have such good medical skills..."
Thales frowned: "Are there any other doctors?"
Puttilai frowned: "The Cold Castle is the closest, and there are doctors. But... I'm afraid it's too late."
"Also, the Exeters have emptied... In short, the road is very unsafe."
"Accept the reality," Ada sighed under the cloak, "at least let him leave with peace of mind, and leave no regrets on the way to Prison River."
Thales looked at Jorah on the bed, and remembered the first time he was poked and laughed by himself in the Mendis Hall.
And he led the swordsmen to fight the mercenaries.
Together with his colleagues, stand between himself and Serena.
And... the battle against the blood race in the birch forest...
He closed his eyes sadly.
Hateful.
"His Royal Highness Thales!"
Everyone turned their heads.
I saw a young man with brown hair and brown eyes standing at the door of the barracks.
It's Willow Ken.
The "deserter" who was almost hanged.
Willow respectfully bowed to Thales, showing a grateful smile: "I'm so glad to meet you! I was sent to inform you..."
He glanced into the barracks and saw the dying Jorah.
Willow immediately withdrew his smile, and said tremblingly, "Uh... that... the two commanders invite you, and Mr. Deputy Envoy to go over..."
Thales sighed, and couldn't bear to look at Jorah on the bed.
He nodded, and walked out of the room with Putilei and Ada.
"That's..." Willow asked cautiously, "Your Highness, your subordinates?"
"Yes, but we can't save him."
"I hope he leaves with peace of mind." Thales said absently, "Willow, why did you become a handyman?"
"Hey," Willow shrugged, and said helplessly, "After all...many people still think I'm a deserter..."
Thales nodded absently, but stopped on his feet.
No.
"Let the commanders wait, I'll send him off for the last time."
"He died for me..."
Thales turned around sadly, looking at the dying Jorah.
Puttilai shook his head and waved to Willow.
Thales walked back to the bed, looked at Jorah who was muttering inexplicably, and clenched his fists.
If, Jorah and the other Canxing private soldiers who died in the birch forest didn't follow me...
well.
At this moment.
"Your Highness...that..."
Willow couldn't help but speak.
Puttilai and the others looked at him dissatisfied.
"Please don't rush," Huai Ya said unhappily, "Please give death some dignity—even if you are the ferryman of the prison river."
"No," Willow said anxiously, waving his hands:
"I was treated as a deserter yesterday, and I was sent directly to the dungeon...that dungeon..."
"Now is not a good time to thank you." Puttilai said with a frown.
"Oh, no," Willow shook his head, panting:
"I met a person in the dungeon, a person who was imprisoned as a suspicious person..."
The young soldier said loudly:
"That person said..."
"He's a doctor!"
Thales and the others were shocked and looked at Willow.
"Yes, he also said his name is...Ramon!"
Willow finally said what he wanted to say. He scratched his head and showed a hearty smile:
"It's still a doctor from the capital."
"According to what he said...he has superb medical skills."