As Herkkin walked along the sidewalk on the side of the road, Darikova glanced at the surrounding ice cave agents, put her hands in her coat pocket, and briskly caught up with Herkkin.

"What the hell is going on with the subsidence of the Titan 1 prototype's underground test site?"

Herkin replied, "You're no longer an ice cave agent, so there's no reason for me to tell you the truth."

"It wasn't an accident!" Darikova said firmly.

"It is certainly not an accident that so many earthquakes and subsidence occurred at almost the same time. Today's incident was a premeditated attack, and the target of the attack may have included Mr. Luke, or Mr. Luke happened to be at a point of attack."

Darikova was very unhappy with Herkkin's answer: "You know what I mean...... Were you involved in this accident?"

Herkkin stopped, and their men were standing far away in front of the Grand Ambar Hotel, with curfews preventing other pedestrians from being seen on the road.

"You think I murdered Mr. Luke? What's in it for me?"

Darikova stared at Herkkin, using the interrogation techniques she had learned to determine whether the other party was lying. She said: "I think the accident ...... You directed it with Mr. Luke."

Herkin couldn't help but laugh, "I taught you, and I know very well what you're thinking. Mr. Luke is dead, and you have to accept that fact."

"But my gut told me it wasn't that simple, and he was ...... I thought he was firing me, but those words were more likely goodbye.

And you didn't send me back to the ice cave, nor did you send someone to kill me. I know you, and you will never let this hidden danger of mine go unchecked, which means that his protection against me is still valid."

Herkkin's smile disappeared, and his face gradually became serious: "Darikova, you should cherish your current freedom. Tell you, you won't get any answer from me, and you won't find any clues to your guess.

Live well, that's Mr. Luke's hope for you."

"But......" Darikova still wants Herkkin to tell the truth herself.

Herkin stopped her from asking, "Mr. Luke is dead, that's the truth. There is no genius steam engineer in the world named Luke, and he has fulfilled the task given to him by history......

Darikova finally heard Herkekin's subtle expression, and her expression was uncontrollable joy. But the professional training allowed her to quickly control her expression, and it was a day that should be sad.

"I see, thank you, Chief Herkkin. He told me that we would meet in another way and that I would wait for that day to come.

Goodbye!"

Darikova turned and stepped on the snow to leave, reaching out to discard the dagger she had been holding, the last thing she had left related to the ice cave.

Herkin looked at the back of the streetlamp as Rikova faded away, and said, "I have lifted the restriction order against you, and you can go anywhere you want."

Darikova waved her hand with her back to Herkkin, then disappeared into the shadows behind the lights.

……

Snow City in the Empire's North.

After more than a month of high-intensity offensive and defensive battles, this fortress-like fortified city has long been unable to see its former majestic appearance. Several watchtowers hundreds of meters high all collapsed in the middle; An elemental tower blew itself up during the attack, blasting a crater with a diameter of 100 meters near the castle in the center of the city. ….

Half of the central castle, which served as the command post of the defenders, was destroyed by the blast wave in that explosion.

At the most difficult time of the war, in the face of the double assault of the Atshire Union ground war fortress and the airship carrying mages, the defenders once thought that the city could not be defended.

None of them could have imagined at that time that the campaign would end in such a reversed way.

Not only did they hold Snow City, but they also launched a counterattack. Captured countless soldiers of the Artshire Union and captured countless supplies of the Assault Commanders. If it weren't for the weather and snow, they would have been able to do more.

The defenders of Snowland celebrated their victory.

Empress Christina granted permission to lift Prohibition, and each soldier was given three glasses of ale and two boxes of canned meat produced in Angry Waves.

In the main hall of the central castle, the corner that was blown open has been magically repaired to block the sea breeze outside. It's just that the electricity system has not yet been fully restored, and the attendants light the oil braziers on the walls and the candles and chandeliers on the ceiling.

In the middle of the main hall is a large long table filled with all kinds of food. Although the food is not exquisite, it is a delicacy made by the chefs using the ingredients available.

Empress Christina sat at the head of the table, dressed in royal gifts and wearing the Queen's crown, looking confident and extremely noble.

Sitting around the table were the main generals of the defenders of Snowfield, almost all of them wounded, but the victory made them all hold their heads high, showing the queen a solemn military appearance.

The court officials who came with the queen poured red wine for the generals present.

Everyone toasted with the Empress: "To the Great Empire! To the Great Emperor!"

At this time, someone shouted, "To the great imperial queen!"

The others were stunned for a moment, then shouted in unison, "To the Great Imperial Empress!"

Empress Christina shouted, "To the soldiers who shed their blood and sacrificed for the Empire, victory is with us!"

"Victory is with us!"

The continuous battles around Snow City have completely integrated Queen Christina with the defenders of Snow City. During the war, she never hid in underground bunkers, but appeared in the most dangerous places with her flag.

The royal knights and court guards formed an iron fist and crushed the Atshire Union in the Queen's footsteps.

The Empress of the Empire is by her side, and the soldiers of the Empire have completely forgotten the horror of death, making them incarnate like berserkers. Snow City has turned danger into danger again and again, and Christina has contributed a lot.

With the loyalty of the monarch and the comradeship of life and death, Empress Christina has become the soul of this army.

The people drank all the wine in their cups in one gulp.

Empress Christina said, "Snow City has used the power of a city to contain the attack of nearly a million troops of the Atshire Union on the Imperial defenses. This battle dismantled the Atshire Alliance's attempt to storm the Empire, and gained the most precious time for the Empire to prepare for war.

This time I will ask Your Majesty for the credit of your majesty, and the glory will accompany you, so that your family will be proud of you."

The wine was poured into the glasses again, and the generals raised their glasses together: "Thank you to the Great Imperial Empress!"

But before everyone could drink the wine, the door of the main hall was pushed open, and the blizzard blew in with the wind.

Everyone looked in the direction of the gate.

A man in a trench coat stood in the snow, standing with his cane and taking off his hat in the confusion and anger of the crowd.

"The six meteorites of the secret intelligence agency agents, meet Her Royal Highness!".

Due North