"You ......"

Pointing at the other party for a long time, Duan Qing didn't say a word for a long time, until the few guards who rushed in outside the dilapidated warehouse were waved out by the old man, and he stood up with a voice that was so shocked that he couldn't be overwhelmed: "You, you, you...... You're not dead? ”

"For a person standing in front of you, what you just said is a great disrespect to me." The old man who called himself Van Gaal replied with a smile: "And...... Did anyone tell you that Van Gaal is dead? ”

“……”

After opening his mouth and being stunned for a while, Duan Qing withdrew his fingers with a sigh: "It seems to be ...... It seems that no one really said ......"

"The lord of the city is just missing, he has never died."

With his hands behind his back, he turned back again, and the old man's voice returned to its original indifference: "Since the incident with Leibis six years ago, the city lord has disappeared from everyone's eyes, and in order to make up for the nominal lack of Free City, Reiner finally chose the way of a stand-in......"

"Now it seems that he had already thought about today's ending at that time." The old man smiled and said, "Although the final fate is ...... Didn't get what he wanted. ”

"Leibys?"

"Yes, he's Reiner's brother."

The old merchant's voice became a little more melancholy: "In that accident six years ago, Leibis was finally charged with assaulting the lord of the city, and he was responsible for sending his brother to the guillotine...... It's Reiner himself. ”

"But, but the city lord is still alive?" Duan Qing pointed to the old man's face: "At least you're still there, you, why are you ......"

"Reiner has felt guilty about me since that incident."

As if unwilling to mention that time too much, the old man waved his thin hands: "He felt that he could not face his family, he could not face the whole city, so he put on that heavy helmet, and never showed his true face again, he gave up his possessions, and devoted all his energy to the future of the city, hoping to make up for the rebellious crimes committed by his former brother in his own way." ”

"If you look at how Liberty City has developed over the years, his efforts have been successful." Speaking of this, the old man looked at the black sky above the city: "It's just that no one thought of it...... In the end, it turned into a war. ”

"The outcome of this war may give Reiner a greater sense of responsibility." Duan Qing's voice also lowered: "When I met him before, I already had this feeling. ”

"This is also due to the shackles of fate." The old man with his hands behind his back smiled and turned his head: "Just like Tristan...... Your salvation may not be a good thing for them. ”

"Let's not tell me how you know my secret." Duan Qing sighed and replied, "However, in the understanding of our adventurers, living is the most important thing, no matter how great the guilt on our bodies is, we hope to be able to use the limited rest of our lives to complete the mission and responsibility in the future......

“…… Your adventurers' willpower is indeed very strong. The old man shook his head and responded, "It's a pity...... That doesn't seem to be for everyone. ”

"As the lord of the Free City and the president of the Shadow Society, I'm afraid you won't know about it if you hide so deeply." Duan Qing's gaze slowly sank: "It's like you haven't understood Reiner's persistence in the past few years. ”

“…… I've also been watching him secretly all these years. The old man's voice did not fluctuate in the slightest: "Although it is in a special way, at least it is much better than an outsider who doesn't know anything......"

"A special way?" Duan Qing's gaze froze: "The whisper that Reiner mentioned before...... Is it you? ”

"Same as the previous potions...... It's just a small trick. The old man replied with a smile, "It's just that I didn't even think that he would take those phenomena as a sign that I could be resurrected." ”

"I want to come now...... As soon as we entered the city, we met you in front of the City Lord's Mansion. Duan Qing's voice gradually became serious: "Your surveillance on us ...... It has been started since then? ”

"Ever since you showed interest in the City Lord, I've been keeping an eye on your every move." The old man looked back at Duan Qing's face with a smile: "Thank me, otherwise...... It will take you a lot more time and money to meet the lord than you do now. ”

"All our information was exposed at that time...... is worthy of being the president of the Shadow Society, and even espionage is on the front line. Duan Qing showed a mocking smile: "Thinking back to the time when we met again, it should have been when we participated in that auction...... Presumably, you, who have been by our side as a businessman, are afraid that we will turn against us because of Oakson's coercion and temptation, right? ”

"Although I received a payment later, I helped you a lot in the name of the Garr Chamber of Commerce at that time, and I did a lot of other work carefully in order not to expose myself." The old man replied with a smile: "The reason why the final battle for the throne will bring merchants who have no combat power to participate in it must be that Oxen has already confirmed the fact that I am hiding in the city as a merchant, otherwise, he would not be sure that he will complete the ritual without me being controlled......"

"Since we can't be sure who I really am, let's wipe out all the merchants." The old man smiled and lowered his head: "Even in the Free City, this is already an extremely ruthless method. ”

“…… Are you referring to the list of participants in the auction? Duan Qing asked in a low voice, "At that auction, we just happened to be brought in by you......

"It was a huge auction that did invite a lot of unknown people." The old man replied in a low voice, "Your accidental addition did catch his attention, and I think it was at that time...... He's aware of my presence. ”

"I'm sorry for exposing you, but you don't have to send someone to hunt me down, do you?"

"Don't talk nonsense, we're just tracking you ......"

"Your actions will not be of any use at all, but will only reveal your identity."

"I know this much better than you do, so I solemnly state that those who hunt you down in the future have nothing to do with our Shadow Society......

"Knights Templar."

Suddenly reporting the name, Duan Qing once again looked at the face of the old man in front of him: "These guys who also participated in the attack on me...... Do you know each other? ”

“…… No, I haven't heard the name. The old man frowned and shook his head, then asked Duan Qing, "What's wrong?" ”

“…… The darkness that exists in the city of Liberty City must have been aware of it for a long time. ”

Time passed for a few moments with the silence between the two of them, and then returned to normal again with his loose contemplative expression: "Although the city lord who discussed with me at the beginning is actually not you at all......"

"Don't underestimate Reiner's skills, he's the de facto controller of the city for at least five years." The old man turned around with his hands behind his back: "He should be able to detect the things that endanger this city before I am now......

"They should have a deep connection to the restorationists."

Duan Qing unceremoniously interrupted the other party's words: "Since they are also an organization composed of adventurers, I also got some information from their insiders, not only the incident in Tania, but even the forces that appeared within the restorationists seem to have some connections with their people......"

"The power you refer to......" the old man asked in a low voice, "what is it?" ”

"Weaver of Fate, of course."

Ignoring the old man's suddenly sinking eyes, Duan Qing replied lightly, "There is something called the Discaya Alliance, and some people call it the Destiny Alliance...... Many seemingly unbelievable events on the free continent should have their shadows behind them. You don't know about the conflict between the dead Oxon and Convina, right? Such a huge betrayal can be so great that the restorationists will not be able to realize the strength of that force. ”

"They call themselves ...... The master of destiny. Duan Qing said in a solemn voice: "The purpose is to bring everything that happens on this continent into the orbit you want." ”

“…… Hum. ”

The old man with his hands behind his back gradually fell silent, followed by a cold snort from him: "Those people who ran to this city, the harassment was not done once or twice, I thought they just wanted to plot against this place, but I didn't expect it to be for such a ridiculous purpose in the end......"

"Ridiculous?" Duan Qing shook his head: "Judging from the current result, this matter is not ridiculous at all, you who have been watching the whole process since we entered the city, you should have noticed it a long time ago, right?" ”

"Oxon almost succeeded."

He pointed to the distance of the Endless Bridge, the source of the tsunami that day: "Whatever Oxen's own thoughts, the previous wars have been enough to form perfect fodder, and many people, including you, have now become one of the successful products of this great experiment. ”

“…… Are they coveting the origin of this world? ”

Lowering his eyebrows and closing his eyes for a while, Gal finally spat out his first words after a long silence: "Just like the man who was integrated into the ritual before wanted to do?" ”

"As long as the Morna ceremony is successful, their purpose will be achieved." Duan Qing's eyes gradually drifted to the distance of the dilapidated warehouse: "Whether it's the City of Liberty or the Restorer...... All are the losers of this war. ”

"There is never a winner in war."

With a deep sigh, the old man raised his head: "Whether it is the previous principality and empire, or the future restorer and us...... Victory or defeat is just a relative result. ”

"We certainly don't want that to happen again." Duan Qing stroked his chest: "Especially when the principality is so weak...... Such a calamity is not what we want. ”

“…… You don't seem to have forgotten your mission. The old man smiled again: "Why, with such a high achievement, isn't it enough for you to let go of your previous prejudices about this city?" ”

"To be honest, it doesn't have much to do with my personal gains and losses." Duan Qing returned the same smile: "Because before you revealed your identity, I had already decided my position. ”

“…… Because of Reiner? ”

"I can't let his sacrifice go to waste."

Still whimpering beside them, Duan Qing slowly stood up from his original seat: "Chaos is the main theme of human nature, and the law of the jungle is completely acceptable, even if it is a rebel who provokes a war in the end, there must be enough reasons to convince him to do so - everyone's choice has his own starting point, even the Silver and Black Knight Reiner, even at the last moment before death, he did not give up changing his fate......"

"He just wants to change his fate."

"What he wants to change is your fate."

Duan Qing, who walked to the door, replied softly: "He wants to use your 'rebirth' to wash away the shame engraved on himself. ”

“……”

"I don't know why you won't show up, why you won't tell the truth about this."

In the dilapidated warehouse, which had become silent again, Duan Qing put down his raised hand: "But even now that the city has been destroyed, I don't have the slightest intention of blaming him, in my heart, anyone who dares to challenge himself, and can even sacrifice himself for the sake of others...... They all deserve to be treated with sufficient respect. ”

"He's taken on too much for the city, too much for what shouldn't be on him." He looked back at the old man's face: "Don't you think so, Your Excellency the City Lord?" ”

“…… I understand. ”

Nodding slowly, the old man with his hands behind his back walked behind Duan Qing, and a certain silent aura that had been leaking out of his waist also disappeared into the air again with his gradually bent waist: "Then let them all pass, no matter how many misunderstandings and unpleasantness happened before, I won't continue to care about ......"

“…… Is that all? ”

"The City of the Free will accept the Principality's offer and form an alliance with the Principality."

The old man, who was still holding his hands behind his back, said indifferently: "We will fight against the restorationists with you and protect our homeland...... Is that okay? ”

“……”

"Okay, okay."

Shaking his head helplessly, the old man walked to Duan Qing's side, and then looked up at the bright starry sky above the city with him, who remained silent: "On behalf of all the forces of the Free City, I have reached an agreement with the new throne owner Mo Shang Qingshan. ”

"We will provide all our help and shelter until ...... The Alliance of Destiny fell before us. ”

As if the surrounding air stirred for a moment, the momentum around the old man suddenly relaxed, and then in the response that Duan Qing turned his head, he slowly regained his previous calm: "This deal...... How is it? ”

“…… Through and through? ”

“…… Tong Su is not bullied. ”

"Good."

Looking at the other party's introverted eyes, Duan Qing finally nodded his head: "As a businessman......

"There's nothing more reassuring than trading with integrity."