Parnilla under the moonlight has a completely different beauty than when the sun shines.

Even when the eight moons of Rigal's world were full, they were only bright enough when the largest of the Syfunk Magic Moon rose, while at other times, only a faint pale blue sprinkled over the building, outlining a vague outline.

Few people have ever seen this happen.

For most of the citizens of Parnila, night is a time when only roosters and dog thieves can be seen. Prostitutes with heavy makeup stand in the alleys and wait for drunken passing drunkards and mercenaries who are decadent or busy—most of them the former—who, after a day, spend all their scarce funds on getting drunk and seeking warmth. Both sides take what they need.

Among these nocturnal humans, thieves are not uncommon. Most of the poor mercenaries and the dusty women are inferior prey, and the most beautiful fat sheep are the kind of mercenaries who have just completed a single task and want to have a good time, and they love vanity, in addition to the mercenary tag on their belts, they usually hang the money bags that should be hidden there to show off.

Show your strength with a bulging money bag.

On rare occasions, the darkest side of the city, those who have become slaves without a sustainable life, will also appear in the night. But neither the tavern nor the prostitutes would treat them well, and even the destitute mercenaries would suddenly shout at them with great confidence, spitting and sneering.

Laughing at poverty and not laughing at prostitution is a matter of course here.

In this city, which has gradually developed into the commercial center of the empire over the past century, there are rumors that the unlucky people are not working hard enough. The people who are also at the bottom are the ones who do the most harm to the people at the bottom.

He stammered in a vain attempt to gain the appreciation of the upper classes, and at the same time took for granted all the misfortunes of his class. Such ideas are naturally instilled and propagated by the high-level personnel, and those big nobles and businessmen have single-handedly created such a chain of contempt, so that the people at the bottom themselves quarrel and trample on each other. Naturally, they will not have the leeway to unite against the ruling class.

And the lowest link in this chain of contempt is the slave. They are unclean beings, beings who cannot appear in the public eye. The only work that can be done is to paddle for merchant ships and warships, be chained to their seats by chains and shackles, eat, drink and lazar at the bottom of the ship, and once the ship sinks, it is natural that they can only be buried with it.

Porters are incomparably noble beings in comparison.

Many people are actually aware of the existence of these people, but they turn a blind eye to it, avoid talking about it, and it becomes a convention.

They stagger the time, and the women and children of the so-called "good people" will never go out at night.

Thus became two cities, Parnila by day and Parnilla by night.

To be sure, the policy of fooling the people of the great aristocracy and big businessmen is quite in place. If it weren't for the cultural differences between the north and the south, the second generation of immigrants would not have fully integrated into this atmosphere, and I am afraid that even this rebellion would not have happened.

In the quiet night, only the faint moonlight softly sprinkles.

It seems to be the ultimate expression of the satirical culture that the Lamanites loved. In times of peace and prosperity, the streets are filthy at night, but in this dangerous and chaotic season, when mercenaries and prostitutes alike are scattered, and the quiet streets and distant buildings are visible in the faint moonlight.

If only they were still in the mood.

"Dada-" There was a sound of the smooth hardened cowhide soles of the lightweight leather boots colliding with the stone pavement, and although they were all very careful, it was impossible for such a large number of people to approach without making any sound.

What can be controlled is the volume that is emitted, so as not to disturb anyone.

"Stop. The people who whispered this were in a fairly standard Imperial Lamanite, and you could tell that they were real Patrossi.

More than thirty people in this group were scouts under the command of Konstantin. They stripped off all their iron armor, neither the plate armor nor the soft chain mail that filled the inside of the joints, but only armed undershirts made of multiple layers of fabric compacted and sewn together, and held the hilt of their swords tightly as they marched to prevent the sound of collision.

"There were no lights. The scout shook his head, "Worst-case scenario." He said.

It was past 1 a.m., and the West Fink had already set, and it would never rise again tonight.

In the faint moonlight, the front showed the flat merchant guild building, and the vault on the other side, closer to the castle lord's mansion, where rare ores and magic-related materials were stored. If what the rebel mercenaries want is wealth, then it is bound to be looted by them as well.

But the guild's warehouse not only has multiple layers of locks, but also magic-related protection, and even those who are well prepared can still take a lot of time to unlock - and that's the problem.

If you were an assailant, what would you most like to see?

The standard answer would be: the enemy is defenseless, relaxed and hedonistic.

In the dark silence of the night, the lights on the windows can be seen from two kilometers away, and the sound of people drinking and laughing can be heard from afar. These details are proof that they have let their guard down, and they are what the scouts would like to see.

Even though they had already clashed, they had learned from the mouths of some of their captured during the day how determined many of them were, but it was only at this moment that they finally felt that they were fighting an equal enemy.

At least the command is very professional and determined.

The recruits in the scouts became nervous. The temperature in Parniera in spring is not low, but it happens that there is no wind tonight. The tension sharpened their senses, and they began to feel that their palms were sweaty and slippery, and that they could not hold the pole of their weapons, and that the fine sweat began to itch the skin on the back of their necks.

Under the feeling of restlessness, many people began to have the urge to urge to solve all this quickly. They didn't need to speak, the Scout Captain could tell from their breathing and movements like they were children with ADHD.

But he and the other, more experienced veterans simply pressed and whispered to reassure the restless recruits.

This is a task that must be done with care.

It is not uncommon for professional soldiers to look down on mercenaries, and they have always looked down on the professionalism of those who come for wealth and are likely to be attracted to plunder, even on the pressing battlefield.

But while looking down on it, if you encounter such an opponent, it is naturally the best.

Low morale will easily surrender, greedy for pleasure has low vigilance, and always swaggering to expose one's position, such an opponent is very easy to deal with.

The similarity of their professions leads to a considerable number of opportunities for contact between them and whether they are hostile or cooperative. The scouts under Konstantin had already been briefed before - but the swaggering officer was the former Duke of Julionde's wine bag and rice bag, and although he was on the right side of the line, the incompetent guy had clearly mistaken the information that the people above were trying to convey.

"Where is this 'rabble of third-rate mercenaries and unsuccessful slaves'......" The deputy captain of the scout muttered beside him, he was also a veteran, and had seen a lot, so he could tell at a glance.

They stayed at the rear of the main camp during the attack on the east gate, because the main force of the siege was knights and skilled archers. The scouts led by Constantine, who were better at scouting on foot, stayed by his side and were in charge of the guards.

The lethal effect of the artillery fire was a considerable deterrent to them, but it was only an advantage in weapons, and their knowledge of their opponents without personal contact with the enemy was limited to the words conveyed by those above.

And now that they are in battle, they can read a lot just from the arrangement.

The other scout unit that was in charge of tracking during the day had seen mercenaries withdraw, and signs of movement could be seen through the windows of the building. But at night it was quiet, not to mention the flickering lights, not even the sound of conversation.

The naïve recruits might think that these stupid mercenaries lay down and slept without even a vigil, but the fact that they slept peacefully on the day the enemy army invaded only existed in the fantasies of nervous guys like them.

Do not light the lamp in order not to reveal your location to the attacker. And the fact that they have gained a great deal of wealth and do not drink and celebrate proves that they do not want to do so.

The enemy who seeks wealth is not difficult to solve, and it is even possible to reach some kind of agreement without adding up the sword. But people who control their subordinates calmly and meticulously like this often see wealth only as part of their own plans, and are people who have a strong belief in achieving their goals.

As far as professional soldiers are concerned, such an enemy is the last thing they want to see.

"These southerners, it seems, are really determined to ruin the empire. The scout captain crouched down and raised his hand: "Crossbowman wound, stay here and stare at the door, while the others go around the right with me." ”

"Cheer up and don't hesitate, because your opponent will never hesitate. He confessed, and then left ten men to hide in the alley and point their crossbows at the entrance of the guild, and then sneaked through the other side of the road.

The scout captain who led the team was originally a native of Parnila, and when he became a mercenary from the poor class, he was appreciated and recruited into the army. Constantine made him swear to follow this man for the rest of his life, regardless of class origin and origin, and in such a way that he was able to hold important positions. But the feelings of these rebel mercenaries who are going to fight this time, and why they are fighting, in a sense, the scout captain can also empathize.

As he walked through these familiar alleys, his heart was a little complicated, and he almost made a big mistake.

"Click——!!" If it weren't for the vice-captain behind him who grabbed his collar in time, he would have stepped on it directly.

“...... Call. With one hand, he ordered the people behind him to stop, and the scout captain wiped the cold sweat from his face with the other hand.

"The crockpot fragments, deliberately smashed so much, did not choose glass because the tiles that do not reflect light are more difficult to find at night. They shrank back for a moment, making sure that no one noticed the slightest movement before they breathed a sigh of relief.

"They know we're coming, and even know where we're probably coming from and when. The vice-captain nodded.

"Well, if it had been earlier, we would have had nowhere to hide under the moonlight of the West Funk, but these gadgets would have been exposed. The scout captain smiled wryly in a low voice, "Is it because our actions are too one-sided?" ”

"The opponent is not easy to mess with, you can also say it. The vice-captain took a spear from the hands of the other team members, and carefully removed a number of tiles from the end of the shaft to clear a path.

"Follow the footsteps of those who preceded you, and do not step on the tiles. He said this, and the group quickly passed the barrier and came to the gate of the guild.

Naturally, the rebellious mercenaries did not have the key to the guild gate, so the door here had long been destroyed, and the lock could not be locked, but only half-hidden.

"Should I say that it was expected? The vice-captain pointed to the top of the door, and if you looked closely, there was a large vase on the top edge of the door, which would have fallen to the ground with a loud cracking sound if anyone had hurried over and pushed the door.

Obviously, these people didn't just turn off the lights. In the case of poor visibility, they did a lot of alarm defense using sound.

"Rope. As the captain said this, the two members of the team quickly removed the thin hemp rope they were carrying, and then quickly weaved a small net with their hands and feet.

"I'll push—" said the team leader, pulling out the dagger, and then flipping his fingers into a throwing knife preparation pose with the blade in his hand. He squeezed it with one hand, and with the other he gently pushed the door open, and the two team members stood high under the door with a makeshift net, and the vase tilted more and more as the captain moved, and finally landed firmly in the net without making any sound.

"Give the crossbowman a signal, and after taking the first floor, light the torches for the follow-up troops to pick up. He said this, and the people behind him quickly entered the door after the signal. Then they re-covered the door, and slowly leaned down and felt inside.

"Tread, tread, tread. A rebel of the Night Watch walked slowly down the stairs on the second floor with the hilt of his sword, he did not speak, he was wearing only a cuirasse, and he intended to go to the window to take a look around.

The scouts ducked to the side and lowered their figures, waiting for several minutes to make sure he was alone, then the captain turned his head and pointed at the vice-captain and another veteran, then at himself, and the two nodded.

Immediately afterward, the three of them set out like lightning in the darkness.

"Wh-" "Wha-" "Goo-" The left and right sides of the two people respectively framed his two arms, and the captain directly covered his mouth and wiped his throat, and the mercenary who had his trachea and artery severed was held down so hard that he couldn't even make a loud noise of struggle. He kicked his legs as hard as he could, but only quickened the speed of his own blood drainage. And after confirming that he was out of breath, they slowly put the bloody man on the ground.

"Rustle—" The scout captain wiped the blood-stained dagger off his clothes, and the three of them turned around together.

But it was also at this time.

Perhaps it was the change in the clouds, or perhaps some other reason, the moonlight became brighter, spilling in through the window and shining all the way onto the wide red-carpeted marble steps of the merchant guild.

The smell of something boiling reached the noses of the people.

"Tick, tick. "The sound of blood flowing on the ground from a man with his throat cut off.

It was a cannon, and the arquebus on it glowed a dull red. The muzzle of the cannon hung on the ground, because the arm of the bearer was not strong.

Maybe I couldn't keep up, maybe I ran to the bathroom. Reasons and possibilities are constantly popping up in the captain's mind now, but they don't really matter anymore.

"Tick, tick. The sound of tears falling down the marble steps.

"Daddy......" It was a dark-haired girl who was not dressed beautifully, about sixteen or seventeen years old.

"It's just a rabble of third-rate mercenaries and unsuccessful slaves!" the nonchalant tone of the arraigned officer echoed in their ears.

yes, they should have thought of it. The fact that hateful, unsuccessful rebels will talk about their families.

So why hesitate——!!!

"The scum of the Empire—" The girl struggled to lift the cannon that was too heavy for her.

"Smack-" But before that, the scout captain flung out the throwing knife in his hand.

The heavy throwing knife thrown by the strong adult man, the attack in the center of the eyebrows caused her to fall directly back with a hand cannon, but the moment she fell, the three of them could see clearly through the suddenly bright moonlight.

The slender fingers, which were young but not smooth and soft, with the convulsions of not knowing whether it was before death or the perseverance of determination.

Buckled the serpentine rod attached to the fire rope.

"It's over. ”

!!The cannon fired into the sky hit the ceiling of the first floor, and several pieces of the beautifully decorated floor were shattered and fell down, and this incomparably loud sound echoed for a long time in the dark night.

Dense footsteps and shouts immediately sounded between the first and second floors.

"Everyone, draw your sword. ”

"Fight to the death, in the name of the Empire!" the Scout Captain roared loudly.

He raised his sword.