The next evening.

"Two. I guess I didn't just come here for a banquet. If you have any advice, please have something to say. ”

In a luxurious mansion in the west of Fusha City, in a quiet room in the corner, Major General Li Jie sat on a wooden chair and looked at the two middle-aged men in front of him with a rather disdainful expression. With brown hair and yellowish eyes, this young woman is not stunningly beautiful, but she has a heroic charm. At this moment, she was dressed in dark purple civilian clothes, only the saber still hung from her waist.

"You're too anxious, Major General Lijie," said a tall, burly man across from Lijie, "and if you're on the battlefield, this eagerness can lead you to defeat." ”

"Lieutenant General Fernando is right," said another chubby middle-aged man, "why rush?" Wouldn't it be nice for everyone to sit together and chat slowly?

"Lieutenant General Fernando, Master Gardner......"

There was a hint of ridicule on Lijie's face: "I don't know politics. But I know that neither of you wants to waste your time. ”

She looked down on these two from the bottom of her heart. As a federal councilor, Master Gardner can abandon his hometown for his own benefit; Lieutenant General Fernando's martial arts are similar to his own, and he is not known for his scheming, but he only relies on his whiskers and horses and doing things on the spot, but he overwhelms himself.

The smile on the middle-aged man's face disappeared.

"Since you're going to be a cheerful person, I'll make it clear," said Gardner, a slightly chubby middle-aged man, "what do you think of the masked weirdo next to the Speaker?" ”

"Him?"

Major General Lijie did not think of this problem.

"To be honest, I don't know him," said Major General Lijie dryly, "but I don't have a good opinion of him." I don't understand why the Speaker would appoint such a sneaky guy who won't even show his face or name, even if he is a messenger of the church. ”

The burly man and the slightly chubby middle-aged man glanced at each other.

"You're right, and I agree with you," the burly man Fernando laughed, "and I'm relieved that you say that." ”

"What are you going to do?" Major General Lijie was vigilant.

"We're not trying to do anything, we're just trying to make it clear to the speaker who he needs and who he should stay away from. Like that masked freak, it's the one to stay away from. Gen Gardner said.

"You want to bring him down?" The straightforward Major General Lijie rarely considered his words, "I'm afraid it's not easy." ”

"That's why I want you to join me." Master Gardner replied.

There was a warm fire burning in the stove in the corner. For a moment, silence enveloped the room.

"Heh......" Li Jie's face was full of suspicion, "So what?" Why should I join? ”

"You don't like him, what's the point of hesitation?" Said the burly man, Lieutenant General Fernando.

"Don't speak," said Master Gardner, stopping his "friend," "Your Excellency, the Major General, is asking us for a favor." Seriously, General, you're in a lot of trouble in the Confederacy's army right now, right? ”

Although the countries have long since loosened the taboo on women joining the army, it is still far more difficult for women to advance in the army than men. This is especially true of Okade, who has a more conservative folk style. At the beginning of the Okad Civil War, there were many female generals, but in the later stages of the war, they were converted to civilian positions; Some husbands and wives worked for Nicholas, and at the end of the war the husband accepted the rank and domain. After coming and going, only eight female officers finally accepted the rank of general.

After all, in today's Okad, the rank of general is actually a sign of military aristocracy. It is too difficult for women to get a territory, even if it is a military town territory that cannot be hereditary.

Now a major general, Lijie is based in the capital, and her repeated requests to return to her titular territory have been denied. There are many people who think that ...... Once Major General Lijie finds a man she likes, she will be taken away from her territory and can assist her husband with peace of mind. In fact, of the eight female generals who received the title at the beginning, except for one who died of illness and one who died in battle while fighting against the Liukou, one chose to marry the parliamentarian and go into hiding after returning the territory.

"I know you have high ambitions," said Master Gardner, "and I can help you in this. With all due respect, you and the parliamentarians have been quite stiff, and I can make peace from that. When the time comes, we will say a few kind words for you in front of the Speaker...... You'll be able to get what you've been waiting for. ”

Major General Lijie's expression did not change: "What about you?" What's in it for you to bring down that masked man? ”

"We?" The burly man, Lieutenant General Fernando, scoffed twice.

"There are a lot of people who want to sit in that masked man's seat," said Gen Gardner, "and I'm not the only one...... What do you think? Major General Lijie, what do you think? ”

"Haha......" Major General Lijie suddenly laughed. She laughed heartily without any manner.

"Major General, why are you laughing?" Master Gardner sensed something was wrong.

"Excuse me, both. What crime did the masked man commit? Li Jie stopped laughing and said solemnly.

A moment of silence.

“…… No," replied Master Gardner, "if he had to say it, he should have made his name public. “

"Then," Major General Lijie said, "what crime did the Speaker commit by appointing him?" ”

“…… No. Master Gardner hesitated for a moment, then said with difficulty.

"That's right."

Major General Li Jie nodded: "I don't like this masked man hiding his head and tail." If the two of you invite me to jointly ask the speaker to disclose his name and identity, I can agree. However, since he himself is not at fault, the speaker is free to appoint him. ”

"You ......" Lieutenant General Fernando, the burly man, changed color as Master Gardner reached out and motioned for him to let Lizzie continue.

"I do hate that guy very much," said Major General Lijie, "but as far as I know, he has always been loyal to the Speaker and has kept everything in order. I believe in the Speakers...... Our commander-in-chief, he will never be wrong. ”

"Bastard!" Lieutenant General Fernando angrily slapped the table and stood up. In response, Lijie also slowly stood up, not losing to the man opposite in terms of momentum at all.

Gen Gardner, on the other hand, seemed to be lost in thought.

"Major General Lijie," he said, reading her determination in Lijie's eyes, giving up on any last effort, "I respect your choice. But can you promise us...... Don't tell the Speaker about this conversation? ”

"I'll report to the Speaker that everyone is a little unhappy with the masked man, and I hope he will reveal his identity as soon as possible," said Major General Lijie, "and of course, I'll mention your name as well." ”

"Aren't you really going to hide it for us?"

"Unfortunately, I can't," said Major General Lijie, "and I'm a soldier of the Speaker." As a soldier, I can't deceive my commander. ”

Master Gardner sighed.

"You are truly upright, Major General Lijie. I can't force you to ......."

"I'm sorry."

“…… Of the eight female generals awarded by the Speaker at the end of the war, only five remain. It's a pity that there will be one less today. ”

"What!"

Realizing the meaning of Master Gardner's words, Lijie was shocked. She took a step back, knocked over her chair, and quickly drew her sword in her hand.

"Are you going to betray Speaker Nicholas!" She snapped. She didn't expect that the other party would choose to do it immediately.

"It's not a betrayal, it's just part of government affairs." Gen Gardner had a look of compassion on his face.

"There are two opponents," Major General Lijie's mind was spinning rapidly, she regretted a little why she didn't inform her friend Brigadier Meria of this trip, "Fernando didn't bring a weapon, and even if he did, his martial arts were on par with mine, even if he was slightly better than me in strength, his skills were not as good as mine." Gardner's spells are indeed difficult, but at this distance, he will be captured by me before he has time to cast them. Well, this is the enemy's territory, it will not be useful for a long time, I will take Gardner first, and then use him as a hostage to force Fernando, I should be able to get out. ”

And yet—

Bang dang!

The sword slipped from Lijie's grasp.

"How ......"

Lijie only felt weak. She was dizzy and fell to the ground. She struggled to get up, but her legs were no longer listening.

Both Gen Gardner and Lieutenant General Fernando laughed.

"Little girl," Master Gardner said, looking down at Major General Lijie who had fallen to the ground, "do you really think that I will entertain you here and tell you what to do?" Not every spell requires chanting a spell and posing to cast it...... When we were negotiating, I had already prepared my spells. The moment you stood up, my spell had already eaten away at your entire body. Don't say it's you, it's a 'two-headed lion', and you will be paralyzed if you fall into this spell. ”

"You ......"

Lijie felt the last shred of strength leave her. Now she can't even speak.

"It will soon become known that young Major General Lijie died in an unfortunate accident," said Master Gardner coldly, "Alright, Fernando, send her on her way." ”

"Can't we enjoy it first?" Fernando protested.

"Stupid, don't make a mistake!" Gardner yelled, "Do it! ”

Fernando kicked Lizzie's longsword aside and removed an axe from the wall. Lijie's eyes widened angrily, she was not afraid of death, but compared to the glorious battle death, dying in the hands of the conspirators of the young people made her feel very unwilling-

Poof!

Blood poured out of Fernando's throat. His throat had been cut. He looked at Major General Lijie in front of him in disbelief, and the other party was still lying on the ground and couldn't move...... Until he breathed, he didn't understand why he died.

"You—" Gardner looked at the spellcaster that suddenly appeared in the corner with a horrified face. He didn't know when the other party sneaked in...... But the moment he saw the man, he knew he was finished.

Black hair, white clothes, and a silver mask. The mysterious man of their plot was right in front of him, his eyes like a falcon staring at his prey.

"Thank you for letting me see a good show." The man in the white mask sighed.

"You're a powerful spellcaster!" Gardner was stunned. He didn't understand when the other party was eyeing him, and the man in the white mask silently shot out to kill Lieutenant General Fernando.

And isn't this guy talking with a strange emphatic emphatic accent? How did it become normal?

"I didn't want to kill you like this," the man in the white mask shook his head, "but at this point, I had to do it." ”

He pointed to Lijie who had fallen to the ground with his hand. Lijie immediately felt that terrible feeling of powerlessness had left her: she could move.

"Thank you!" She said, rolling over and getting up, snatching the axe that Fernando had dropped from the ground in her hand, and coldly looking at the mage who had been cornered by the corner.

But Master Gardner suddenly smiled.

"Naïve, naïve," he laughed, "you guys are naïve." ”

"Naive?" Lijie said angrily, "Gardner, you've committed a felony against the Speaker and the Commonwealth—"

"Let him finish." The man in the white mask said calmly.

"I demand to be judged, sir," Gardner restored his composure, "and I demand to be treated fairly. Also, I'm going to talk to the speaker alone. ”

"Why are you—"

"I see...... "I see," the man in the white mask said with a smile in his tone, "you mean that you are not the culprit of the matter - if you die, the culprit behind the incident will be lost forever." Am I right, Gardner? ”

Gardner held his hands aloft: "If you ...... If you are truly loyal to the Lord, you have no right to kill me. ”

Li Jieqi's seven orifices smoked, but the man in the white mask was still calm.

"But what if the Speaker orders me to kill you, Lord Gardner?"

"Then I will die with you, sir." Gardner said word for word.

Lijie was sandwiched between the two, and she could feel the terrifying aura on those two. If she could match up with the man in the white mask, maybe—

But it was too late.

While the man in the white mask cast his spell without hesitation, Gardner also used his own killing move. But in the next second, Gardner's throat was torn open like Fernando, and blood splattered Major General Lijie's body—

"Impossible." At the moment of falling, Gardner's eyes reflected the unshaken body of the man in white.

Gardner cast the most vicious and terrifying spells he had ever mastered. It was a spell that directly killed people's souls, powerful enough to turn the souls of enemies into pieces.

Even if he resisted with extraordinary will or magical objects...... Maybe it could never go unresponsive, that was Gardner's last thought.

In the face of Gardner's attack on the soul, the man in white reacted like a clay sculpture without a soul.

"Are you alright?" Lijie knew that Gardner had cast a spell on the man in white, but she didn't know what it was, and she couldn't help but be very worried.

"I'm fine." The man in white's voice somehow seemed a little hoarse.

"I've got to apologize to you," Rear Admiral Lijie sighed as he stared at the two corpses, "I was suspicious of you just now—I didn't think they were the real ones—"

"I'm going to apologize to you," the man in white shook his head, "Well, this is not the place to talk. Let's go meet the Speaker. Your loyalty will be rewarded, Major General Lijie. ”