The whistling autumn wind continued to blow through the front and back of the alley, making the air even colder, and many of the gang members who had been squatting here had to leave their temporary jobs and run to a nearby tavern to borrow wine to keep warm. The same scene is playing out in most parts of the city, with sluggish streets and street dwellings, and even empty streets and garbage dumps full of waste, and there are few people who are constantly busy here - after a period of fermentation, the turmoil in the vicinity of the Liberty City area and the impending storm in the city are starting to really affect the city, just like Tania during the previous confrontation between the empire and the principalitySome of the residents of the city have begun to disappear, returning the more depressed scene to the corners of the streets. Naturally, there are also the results of the intense and secret struggle of various forces, and there are also many deliberately created atmosphere from well-intentioned people, but in any case, ordinary people who are accustomed to surviving in this city have also smelled the danger oozing from the bones of this city early, and then, driven by instinct, maintain the balance of life and death in their own way.

Of course, there are many people who are not afraid of such storms, such as players from all over the continent, and ...... Officer Rikas standing in front of Duan Qing.

"The deceased was supposed to be a local, looked to be in his thirties, and the cause of death was ...... He was probably hit in the head with a sharp weapon and died on the spot. ”

When Duan Qing, who was carrying a black baggage, found this police officer, Rikas, who claimed to be the judge of Freedom City, did not make any evaluation of his appearance, but while commanding a few fellow-looking guys around him, he muttered to himself: "This guy has been beaten beyond recognition, and it is really difficult to confirm his identity, but judging from the outfit...... He was probably a member of a certain gang. ”

"That...... Your Excellency the Officer? Duan Qing asked tentatively, "Why don't you check the package I brought you?" ”

"Didn't Shanaiduo send it to the official?"

The police officer with the silver grassroots in his mouth glanced back at Duan Qing's face, and then turned back with an impatient expression: "If you are just here to deliver goods, then go back quickly, if you have anything else...... Then stay on the sidelines for now. ”

"With all due respect, Your Excellency ......" Duan Qing pouted helplessly: "Since you have seen the identity of this guy's gang, wouldn't it be good to go and investigate the missing people nearby?" ”

"If those gangs can tell you the truth, the official will swallow the silver grass in his mouth."

Rikas crouched down disdainfully: "And...... There are not hundreds of such dead people every month, but dozens of them, how can this official have so much leisure and care. ”

So what the hell are you here for......

Silently shouting these words in his heart, Duan Qing, who was wiping cold sweat, walked to Rikas's side, and while staring at the slightly disgusting corpse in front of him, he asked tentatively, "Your Excellency Officer...... Probably hectic lately, right? ”

"Busy? What are you referring to? The police officer, who was carefully observing the corpse, asked rhetorically, "Is it my job?" Or those relationships that I have to deal with? ”

"Uh...... It's a bit of both. Duan Qing replied with a smile: "I've been dealing with my own affairs all this time, so I don't have much time to see you again......

"It doesn't have to be this way, I appreciate your kindness." Rikas switched the grassroots in his mouth to another direction: "Anyway, I've been running around all over the place, and even if you do come to me, you probably won't be able to find me." ”

"Uh......"

"What, you encountered something you can't figure out?"

After rummaging through the pockets of the corpse for a while, Rikas stood up with his hands flapped: "Judging from the performance of that day, there should be nothing that you guy can't handle......"

"You're laughing, sir." Duan Qing hurriedly replied: "Compared to us adventurers, your strength is still more powerful, the fat man was ...... Mr. Yang specially asked me to come to you, and he must have his own reasons......"

"The current situation in the principality...... It shouldn't be his turn to care about me, right? ”

"What?"

"It seems that you adventurers are not well-informed enough."

Reaching out and taking a piece of paper handed over by his subordinates, Ricas, who was buttoning his cowboy hat, quickly scanned it with sharp eyes: "For the battle plan of Zalaha City, that fat man has already been busy, even if I stand in front of him at this time, he will treat me like I treat you......"

"Uh......"

"Don't worry, I didn't say anything."

Taking out a pen from his waist, Rikas signed his name on the page: "The adventurers of the principality are so powerful, if they want to capture the city that originally belonged to them, at least it will not be more difficult than the current situation of the free city, and it is almost all the spontaneous behavior of the adventurers, and the officials of the principality have hardly come forward, so even if the empire really did not hold that place, it can only be blamed for the empire's own incompetence...... Haya! ”

"In!"

"Recruit people, go to Chias, and put the people on the previous list ...... Let's grab it! ”

“…… Big, sir, we're ......."

"What are you afraid of, you just have to arrest people, since you dare to do these things on my territory, you must have been ready to be troubled by me! If you report your name, they will not dare to touch a single hair, if Eduin has any opinion...... Let him come to me himself! ”

"Yes, yes!"

"Hmph, so ......"

Looking at a few figures who quickly ran out of the alley, Rikas shook his head: "Such an obvious wound, this level of strength...... In the city of Freedom, there are not many people who can do it, plus the identity of the deceased and the previous brawl report, the suspicion of those leaders is too obvious, I thought how troublesome it could be for Karidus to come to the door in person, now it seems ......"

"That ......" Duan Qing on the side asked with a dry smile, "Since your business is done, sir, are we ...... What about a different place? ”

"Oh, where did you go?"

Lifting up the black package on the ground, Rikas didn't look at the corpse that was still lying on the ground, but walked out towards the other end of the cold alley with Duan Qing, who was only here: "I don't know if you are from the principality, whether you really want to contribute to the principality, but since you are in this place now, your vision and actions are probably inseparable from the ...... of this area."

"The threat of the Restorationists will not be ignored by the Principality, right?" Duan Qing replied in a low voice: "Tania suffered so much trouble before, even the ordinary people in the local area probably already knew about their existence......

"Of course, the principality will not ignore it, the county lords of Xifeng County and Etta County...... Probably already in action. ”

Pointing to the sky to the west of the city, Rikas grinned: "I don't know the situation in Etta County, but Xifeng County has a vast terrain and a lot of sparsely populated places, so I hid the troops of the Restorationists before...... I'm not surprised at all. Moreover, the county lords of the two counties are still ashamed to run to King Qin, and they have to do something to send charcoal in the snow, so don't blame those guys who like to be in the dark and make waves in those places that don't care. ”

"The so-called three-regardless zone...... Is it referring to the area around the Emerald Forest? ”

"And Little Andalchel Mountain."

Pushing the door and entering a nearby tavern, Ricas's eyes wandered around the interior of the tavern, which had suddenly become much quieter: "Counting the borders of Liberty City, this place is not small, at least as a country...... The turf is sufficient. ”

"The territory of the country ......" Duan Qing sighed helplessly: "Isn't there any reaction to the statement of the restorationists?" ”

"You think there's such chaos in the city right now...... Why, exactly? ”

Glancing at Duan Qing with slanted eyes, Rikas took the lead through the crowd in the tavern, and then after ascending the steps on the second floor, he skillfully pushed open a door in the corner: "For one of the thrones of the Free City, those so-called big men can fight for their heads, but long before the city lord's pardon is issued...... Those people had argued many times over the trade-off between the duchy and the restorationists. The dark messenger-like guys who came out of nowhere, one by one, visited all the gangs and guilds in the Free City that could be counted, and it was said that it took nearly a month to walk all the big and small territories......"

"All ...... Faction? Duan Qing asked in surprise, "Including adventurers?" ”

“…… Of course. ”

Walking into the room that was slightly crowded because it was full of all kinds of miscellaneous items, Rikas dragged a chair in front of the small table, and while motioning for Duan Qing to sit down, he put the package in his hand on the small table: "Those so-called guilds are now mixed with a good side of the forces, and some can even be on an equal footing with the subordinates owned by the throne, and the energy of an adventurer has also been vividly demonstrated in the war not long ago, and the free city that has always advocated the supremacy of power naturally can't ignore the existence of these people, Those restorationists who ran over to fan the flames before the incident started must have understood this truth very well, so they ......"

"Up to now, the gangs in the city have been lobbied by them." Rikas untied the package: "Plus the unpredictable adventurers...... It's exciting to see what the future holds. ”

"You...... Which side are you rooting for? Looking at the bottles and jars and unknown devices that were gradually piled up in front of him, Duan Qing cautiously asked, "Since the Shadow Mage has given you so many things, you should be on her side, right?" ”

"It's just a transactional relationship between us."

Holding up a bottle that emitted an ominous glow, Ricas, who shook the liquid in it, replied with a smile: "Shanaiduo is a good alchemist, I don't know how she came up with those ideas, in short, as her experiment, I have suffered a lot recently, but I still want to praise it, the equipment made by this woman is very useful, at least when dealing with a wide range of miscellaneous pieces, their effect is still very obvious......"

"Uh......" Looking at the other tubular metal object that Rikas picked up, Duan Qing asked hesitantly, "These things...... Could it be some kind of magic device? ”

"To be precise...... It's the Storm Generator, and the Fireball Launcher. ”

Pointing to one or two of them, Rikas grinned and replied, "It's all disposable, but it'...... Their power is something you've seen before. ”

Thinking back to the scenes he saw when he first came to Freedom City, Duan Qing couldn't help but shudder, and the image of a woman covered with black gauze in his mind became a little taller again: "Shadow Mage Shanaiduo...... Sure enough, he's a great magician. ”

"God knows what she chose me to experiment with these things."

After a little adjustment of the device in his hand, Rikas received his own pocket: "Anyway, with these messy equipment, I can be regarded as making a name for myself in the city, otherwise...... If you want to enter the eyes of the city lord, I'm afraid you will have to work hard for a long time. ”

"City Lord?" Duan Qing's eyes lit up again: "Have you seen the city lord?" ”

"Of course I do." Rikas looked at Duan Qing in surprise: "I haven't been personally appointed by the city lord...... Not to mention the police officers of Liberty City, my life would have been swallowed by those jackal-like throne holders. ”

"So, what does the city lord look like?" Duan Qing hurriedly asked, "What kind of person is he?" ”

"He's a ...... Pretty normal, right? ”

In the sound of the collision between the potion bottle and the metal pipe, Ricas, who was still sorting out the package, scratched his cheek: "His speech and demeanor are quite easy-going, and his style of acting is also considered to belong to the category of ordinary people, at least compared to those obedient throne holders...... He's still at the level of a normal person. As for the looks......"

"I've forgotten."

In Duan Qing's expression as if he had eaten a fly, Rikas said his answer lightly: "Because it was a long time ago, I ......"

"Hey, you can forget this kind of thing, do you have face blindness?"

Duan Qing, who was about to jump up, shouted loudly, then looked at the other party's hesitant expression, and calmed down his mentality again: "That...... I mean, as a famous judge in the Free City, even the previous criminals can be seen at a glance, can't you even remember the appearance of the city lord? ”

"It's normal not to remember, because the light was dim." Rikas replied lightly: "You have been to the city lord's hall to know, whether it is the environment there, or the majesty of the city lord, everyone who meets him there, I am afraid it will be difficult to distinguish his appearance...... How, is this question important? ”

"Of course it's important...... Probably. Duan Qing sighed and replied, "At least that's the case for me. ”

"Speaking of which...... Indeed, you are an envoy sent by a principality. ”

Looking at Duan Qing's helpless face, Rikas groaned for a while: "I haven't arranged a meeting with you for such a long time, which is indeed detrimental to the face of the Free City, and it is also a dereliction of duty on the part of the city lord......"

"So be it." He said with a smile. "I'll go talk to the lord of the city and let him arrange an audience."

"Do you have a problem?"