The night had not yet faded, the morning had not yet arrived, but the hazy glow of the great sun had begun to appear on the horizon, and the faint glow seemed to be trying to break free from the shackles of the earth, and the stars still shrouded the land that had slept in the darkness.

Near the Typhon border, a tower with a silver-white spire and an off-white façade stood silently on the high ground next to the Shadow Swamp, the starlight falling from the sky, outlining a glow on the surface of the tower, and the huge ring at the top of the tower floated at the height of the spire, spinning silently in the night sky, and the starlight shining on the surface of the ring, constantly reflecting various brilliance.

A magical message came from afar, and a series of otherwise obscure runes on the ring suddenly lit up one after another.

The middle-aged mage guarding the transmission tower was awakened by a piercing sound, he quickly got rid of his meditation, and stood up from the rune circle in the "listening hall", a complex structure and gorgeous runes were constantly lighting up on the wall in front of him, and the emblem of the Royal Mage Guild was projected in front of the rune.

The mage's eyes changed, and he immediately walked quickly to the complex magic circle depicted on the wall, and casually pressed his hand on the surface of a specific rune stone: "This is the Shadow Swamp Boundary Tower, please tell me." ”

"Orders from Aldenan," a slightly distorted voice immediately reached the mage's ears, "immediately notify the border outpost and intercept ......"

Listening to the voice from afar, the middle-aged mage's brows had quickly furrowed, and without hesitation, he turned around and slapped a nearby rune stone pillar, and called another mage who was on standby on the lower level: "Nim, come to change shifts, I'm going to the outpost, the imperial capital has an urgent order - go back and check the records yourself!" ”

Then, without waiting for a response from the other mage on duty, he had already quickly walked to the window on the side of the hall, and the robes, canes, hats and other things hanging nearby flew on their own, like life on the middle-aged mage, when the cane finally fell into his palm, the crystal window depicting many runes had been slammed open-

The middle-aged mage jumped directly into the still dark night sky outside the tower.

Under the starlight, the robed mage was like a bird, quickly skimming the high ground where the communication tower was located, and behind the mage, the ring at the top of the communication tower was still spinning silently, more runes were lighting up in order, and another mage on duty in the tower had taken over the circle, and the expensive and sophisticated magical creature was buzzing in the night, and began to relay orders from Aldenan to the next communication tower......

……

The steel wheels crushed the guide rails embedded in the earth, the repulsive runes emitted a faint glow on the surface of the car and the compartments on both sides, the power ridge released surging energy, the magic guide device buzzed at high speed, and the mechanical python made of metal crawled on the ground, stirring the mist on the land in early spring in the dark night, rushing towards the direction of the border at high speed.

The mechanical noise of wheels and certain bearings and levers echoing in the quiet compartment, the darkness in the wagon compartment after the lights were turned off, and the tense and oppressive atmosphere kept everyone tense and awake, Yuri looked up, and the otherworld's vision allowed him to see a pair of eyes in the darkness and the worry on Wendy's face nearby.

"We've crossed the Shadow Swamp checkpoint, and we'll be at the border soon," Yuri whispered, "Even if Aldenan reacts quickly, it will take time for the magic to pass through the layers, and at most this line can only reach the communication tower next to the Shadow Swamp - Typhon's communication towers are limited in number, and the end messengers can only rely on manpower to bear them, and they can't catch up." ”

"I'm worried about those who stay in the country," Wendy whispered, "and the whistleblowers have appeared sooner than expected, and many of them may have no time to transfer, and the identities of the middle and lower class are easily exposed by mutual reports...... Moreover, the empire began to implement population registration management a few years ago, and it may be difficult for compatriots after exposure to hide for too long. ”

Yuri frowned, and suddenly whispered, "...... Exposed compatriots are not necessarily in danger of life. ”

Wendy cast a curious look when she heard this: "Why do you say that?" ”

"If Rosetta Augustus ......," Yuri said cautiously in a lower voice than before, "he's more likely to try to recruit the Eternal Sleepers, especially the mid-level priests who have mastered the Dream Realm and Neural Cord techniques......"

Wendy's eyes changed slightly, and she heard Yuri continue: "The Royal Mages Guild is completely loyal to him, and the archmages should have found a way to disconnect the Sleeper and the psychic network, and the 'informer' who broke away from the psychic network is the evidence, and the Eternal Sleeper who broke away from the psychic network...... will become a technician controlled by the Augustan family. ”

Wendy subconsciously opened her mouth: "You ......"

"I used to live in Aldenan, and ......," Yuri suddenly showed a complicated smile, "I know a thing or two about Rosetta Augustus, and as a former nobleman, I also know how the ruler of a country thinks when faced with something that helps to rule...... The royal family will soon issue a conquest order for the Order of the Sleepers, and Rosetta Augustus will arrange a series of high-sounding reasons to dispel the opposition to the dark cult, and the council of nobles will fully support him - some of our priests will become secret advisors and staff to the various Aldenan families, and others will join the Royal Mage Guild or the Workers' Guild, all of which will not be long. ”

Wendy looked at Yuri quietly.

She didn't understand the aristocracy, but she knew that Yuri was once one of them, and what the other party said should not be a lie, these ...... It seems that this is the rule followed by the power group at the top of the empire, and the inevitable result of the operation of this set of rules.

"That's what you thought of before?"

"I thought of it before the evacuation began," Yuri whispered, "and I'm sure a few others thought of it too, but we all tacitly didn't say it—some to prevent it from being shaken, and some to ...... They are probably already waiting for Aldenand's invitation. ”

Wendy couldn't help but bite her lip: "...... I thought the deterrence of extraterritorial loiters was enough......"

"The Wanderer of the Extraterrestrial needs a psychic network to extend his power, and the psychic network is not strong enough to carry that power right now - mid-level and above priests know technology, they know this, and they also know the strength of the Royal Mage Guild...... Even if the stakes are enormous, there are those who are willing to take the risk," Yuri said slowly, shaking his head helplessly, "There are too many speculators, and staying in Typhon is very attractive to many people - especially those who are destined not to be accepted by the 'Cecil Order'. ”

Wendy fell silent for a moment, and in the darkness and silence, she heard Yuri's voice sigh with a sigh—

"Split is an inevitability, Ms. Wendy, especially after we overinflate...... Now it was the best situation, at least there were no mutineers among the archbishops. ”

"I thought the psychic web would connect us all...... Wendy sighed softly, "but here we are. ”

Yuri didn't speak.

A few glimmers of light pierced through the narrow air holes on the side of the carriage, tearing bright lines through the dark freight carriage.

Several figures swayed between the crates, several eyes pressed to the blowholes, and a bishop muttered in a low voice not far away, "It's dawn outside......

Yuri approached the gap behind him, pressed his eyes to the narrow slit, and saw that the morning sun was rising from the end of the wilderness, and the glorious corona was illuminating the plains and the mountains at the end of the plains, the lakes and rivers on the plains glowed with fine golden light, and the nearby grass and trees were rapidly receding and forming a shadows by the railway.

The mist has been dispelled by the sun at some point.

"We're getting close to the border," Yuri immediately reminded, "Attention, here's the level—"

There was a sudden shaking, and from the bottom of the carriage there was a screeching sound of steel wheels rubbing against the rails, and at the same time, there was a noticeable tremor on both sides of the carriage, and outside the walls on both sides, the "click" sound of some kind of mechanical device running instantly resounded.

The brakes are pressurizing the wheels, and the repulsion mechanism outside the carriage is adjusting the polarity one by one – the train is slowing down.

"Don't be nervous," Wendy said immediately, "we're approaching a border outpost, it's a normal stop. ”

"I'm going to check on the car in front of me," Yuri said in a low voice, "and it's close to the connecting section, so you have to be extra careful." ”

……

The sun shone on the outpost near the Typhon-Cecil border, a slightly chilly wind blew from the direction of the plains, and several heavily armed Typhon soldiers waited on the high platform, watching the freight train from the direction of Butterfield gradually slow down and smoothly approach the stop line in the inspection area, the commander of the small station squinted his eyes, forcibly controlling the urge to yawn in this cold morning, and ordered the soldiers to step forward and carry out the routine inspection of the train.

While waiting for the train to open in its carriages, the Outpost Commander took a deep breath of the icy air of the plains, and looked not far away—two battlemage towers stood on either side of the railway, the massive arcane focusing crystals on the mage towers glittering in the sunlight, and several junior battlemages and knights stood guard in the nearby sentry, keeping an eye on the train's stop.

His gaze continued to move into the distance, over the fence, over an open field, over the low border wall and the blockade on the other side, and finally landed on another outpost, the Cecil's border post, several boxy houses built on concrete platforms, magic crystal devices floating in the middle of the clearing, and several weapons called "railguns" placed on top of the wall, with their muzzles pointed high in the sky.

Officer Typhon glanced at the soldiers who had already begun their inspection mission, then turned around, drew a small dagger from his waist, and shook it twice at the Cecil outpost as the sunlight reflected it on the blade.

A few seconds later, a similar reflection swept across his eyes.

The young officer grinned, then put away his dagger and walked in the direction of the train.

A bearded, blue-uniformed man leaned outside the carriage, the captain of the train, a Typhonian.

"Loaded with textiles and alchemical materials," said the bearded man to the young officer with a smile, "go and exchange some yellow and clear gold for our Imperial Majesty." ”

The young officer stretched out his hand: "Show me the list." ”

"I just gave the soldier ......"

The officer frowned: "I haven't seen it yet." ”

The bearded man had no choice but to find the document he was carrying and handed it to the officer in front of him: "Hey, okay, here you go." ”

The officer took the list, then turned around and walked towards a few carriages not far away.

The bearded captain glanced casually not far away, and suddenly, a faint black dot appeared in the eastern sky, and flew towards it like a bird.

The commander's eyes changed, and he immediately turned around and walked towards the officer who was inspecting the carriages one by one with the soldiers, with a smile on his face: "Mr. Knight, these carriages have been inspected just now. ”

The young officer Typhon looked at the soldier beside him, "Have you checked it?" ”

"Checked, sir," replied the soldier at once, "it matches the list. ”

Officer Typhon glanced down at the list in his hand, glanced slightly at the bearded man next to him, and then grabbed the armrest of the door door next to him, stepped on the door pedal with one leg, and looked in unhurriedly with his upper body.

The dark shadow on the horizon was getting closer and closer, and even the silhouette of a human figure could be vaguely discerned.

"Mr. Knight," the bearded man stepped forward and smiled flatteringly, "here are alchemy materials......

Officer Typhon's gaze slowly swept over the inside of the car, the dark freight car, where a large number of crates were piled up, and nothing else.

It would be a waste of time to count all the crates again.

The commander stood outside the carriage, smiling, but his eyes were staring at the officer's movements without blinking.

He didn't dare to bribe the other party, nor did he dare to make any verbal inducements, because both of these actions would immediately arouse suspicion - guarding this place were the reserve knights of the Black Steel Knights, these soldiers with noble blood and the Black Steel Knights as their target were very vigilant unlike elsewhere.

"Mr. Knight, we'll have to get checked on the Cecil side later......"

Officer Typhon finally retracted from the carriage doorway, his boots clattering to the ground.

"To be honest, this kind of crossing on both sides of the border but having to stop and check twice is a bit unreasonable," the officer said casually, "what do you think?" ”

"I don't dare to say this," the bearded man hurriedly waved his hand, "it must make sense for the big man above to design this set of rules, let's just do it......"

"Sooner or later, it needs to be optimized," the officer chuckled, "after all, everything is just beginning now......

"Who knows...... bearded man spread his hands, "anyway, it's dizzying for me just to figure out the big guy behind me." ”

"Okay," the officer seemed to think that discussing these things with the person in front of him was also a waste of time, and finally waved his hand, "the verification is passed, the docking time is almost over, let go!" ”

The bearded man smiled and bowed gentlemanly, then turned and climbed onto the handrail of the carriage, and the next second, the signal bell inside the train rang.

The large, intricate steel machine began to slowly accelerate, gradually leaving the Typhonian outpost, past the fence and low wall, over the wide buffer zone, and towards Cecil......

It wasn't until the train crossed the border that a middle-aged mage in black robe finally landed on the Typhon outpost.