17:20 a.m., Beddingham Avenue, 1st floor office hall of the Municipal Building.

"Thirty-three. ”

The sound of the announcer was heard, and Richard got up from the chair with some anxiety and paced in the waiting area with his hands behind his back.

It was called the thirty-third......

He glanced at the number in his hand, number fifty-four, and there were at least twenty or so people in the middle—that is, he would have to waste at least an hour or two here when converted into time.

— but can't afford to waste it.

Not only was the Chamber of Commerce anxiously waiting for this administrative document, but Alice was also waiting for him to come home to celebrate her birthday.

What kind of efficiency.

Annoyed and rightfully helpless, the middle-aged man, who realized that his mentality was out of balance, exhaled heavily and forced himself to regain his composure—at least on the surface.

Then, before another outburst, he found a way to divert his attention.

"Metropolis Daily, Metropolis Daily, the latest Metropolis Daily. ”

It is not uncommon for newspaper boys to sell their newspapers, and the city hall has never been more efficient, with a long queue at a time, and the waiting area is overcrowded all year round, and the newspaper has been selling well under boredom - including the Metropolis Newspaper, the leading newspaper in Hemtika, perhaps the biggest beneficiary of the town hall's inefficiency, although he doesn't know how others will pass the time, but ...... Buying a newspaper before his emotions are completely out of control is a good option for him.

"Ten copper coins, sir. ”

It's two copper coins more expensive than the ones sold outside, but that's normal, and the low administrative efficiency makes this a natural seller's market—Richard, a businessman, thought subconsciously, then smiled dumbly, shook his head, took the newspaper from the newsboy's hand, sat back in his seat, and read it carefully.

"Armed conflict?" he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows the moment he saw the layout, although the administrative efficiency of the municipal building was criticized by many people, but he had to admit that the upper district was well organized and thriving under the governance of the Glory, and the bloodshed and conflict incident may not have completely disappeared, but it is also very rare now, so he moved his gaze to the title with interest, and then his brows couldn't help frowning deeply, "Twenty-seven lives? What did the patrol do." ”

"What's the saying? The sheriff is always the last to arrive. Sitting next to him was a young man under twenty years of age, who had obviously read today's newspapers, "but ...... It is also thanks to this practice, otherwise there may be a few more corpses in the report. ”

"How many more?" repeated Richard, realizing that there were more details to be released in the text, and his face turned horrible as he patiently read the entire story, "from the disease...... Twenty-seven people died of the same malignant disease at the same time - could it be that guy has returned?"

Dark wizard Alfred, the most feared demon in the upper districts, the great plague thirty years ago is a nightmare that lingers in the hearts of many people.

"That's right. However, the young man next to him broke his last trace of luck in an affirmative tone, "Alfred is back—he, or they, are provoking us. ”

After a clear pause, the young man summed it up in a categorical tone:

"This is a declaration of war. ”

"Is it okay to just say these things?" After a brief period of surprise, Richard quickly regained his composure after years of ups and downs in the business world, and while digging out a lot of inside stories worth pondering from the other party's words, his tone unconsciously became humble, "Your Excellency." ”

The privileged class of Hemtika and the glorious should be treated with corresponding respect.

"It's okay," the Descendant of Glory beside him replied in a calm and powerful voice, but this "answer" made the merchant's heart beat half a beat slower, "because...... Soon this will not be a secret. ”

"Isn't it a secret?" completely subconsciously repeated, even if he didn't deliberately chew on the deep meaning, the instinct of years of crawling and rolling made him understand the meaning, "What do you mean......"

"War," the young Glory Flicked the dust off his clothes, "and it's already begun." ”

Already?

When and where did it start?

Looking at the glorious one who was still there, Richard suddenly thought of the most terrifying possibility, and his face turned from iron blue to pale: "Your Excellency, dare to ask you ...... here"

"Applying for a death certificate for a dead sister. The Glory One waved his hand, a bitter smile on his face, "What a nasty guy who will trouble me even if he dies—but who made us friends?"

Sister control?

The unfamiliar word caused the merchant's brain to freeze for a moment, but he was soon struck by the fact that it might be implied: "Your friend can't be ......?"

"Well," the Honorable One didn't shy away from this, "if I'm not mistaken, that guy is the main target of the Dark Wizard Alfred. ”

"I'm sorry. Richard politely apologized.

"There's no need to apologize," the young Glory-Honorable shook his head, pointing straight to the merchant's thoughts, "you're just planning for your own safety, I can understand it, and I have to commend you for being very clever—you did guess the truth of the matter, albeit by mistake." ”

The truth?

Could it be true......

The blood on his face faded again, and his unreliable guess came true?

"Don't do superfluous things. The silver-haired young man seemed to be aware of his restlessness and advised, "Although the Chaos Cultists are targeting the Civic Building, this may be the safest area of the entire upper district during this time - in order to maintain the authority of the council, the old fellows have put a lot of effort into not only arranging layers of defenses around it, but also Samuel Olding leading the team. ”

"Lord Dawn Fire?" exclaimed the merchant.

Samuel Aldin, the Flame of Dawn, is a well-known figure in Hemtika, he is not only the patriarch of the Oldin family, a veteran member of the Parliament, but also the highest official of the General Administration of Justice.

With this one person making a move, there really is no need to worry.

His heart was incredibly quiet, and he didn't even feel so unbearable with the number.

Time passed little by little, the caller called from the thirty-third to the forty-fourth, Richard did not continue to read the newspaper in his hand, his mind was full of the war between the Glory and the Chaos Order - although he was long past the age of star-chasing, he was also young, the merchant thirty years ago was just a fledgling hairy boy, the least resistant to a hero of his age like the Dawn Fire, he was really obsessed with it for a while. Even if the mood is no longer what it used to be, the sudden hearing of Samuel Alding's news can't help but stir up, and the scene of the hero named the Flame of Dawn fighting the Quartet will always unconsciously appear in his mind.

I really miss it.

Those green years.

But the middle-aged man's remembrance didn't last long, and was interrupted by a sudden chaos.

"What's going on?"

He got up a little dissatisfied, looked back in the direction where the voice came, and couldn't help but be stunned.

Buildings not far away were burning in flames, tall buildings farther away were toppling in pieces, the streets that had just been bustling were in chaos at the moment, the crowd screamed and scattered, and the hideous-faced aliens rampaged through the streets, and the flowers of blood blooming everywhere painted the whole world a shocking red.

"Ah......h

He wanted to say something, but his mouth was wide open and he couldn't say anything.

"It doesn't look as optimistic as I imagined," the Glory Man beside him got up at some point, and patted Richard on the shoulder, his tone was calm but unquestionable, "The Municipal Building is the last and strongest line of defense, stay here, don't move, I'll go outside for a walk." ”

His calm voice somewhat emboldened the businessman.

But that's all, all Richard could do was watch the silver-haired, red-eyed Glory be gone.

No, maybe more can be done?

When the young man's reassuring back faded from the end of his sight, he glanced at the number plate that the Glory had given him at the end, and was silent for a long time, finally deciding to wait.

"Forty-five. ”

The caller's voice sounded again, and it seemed to be in order.

But—

Once lost, there are things that are hard to return, and the flowers of Hemtika go down on an autumn day.