"Are you crazy?"

Ron tilted his head expressionlessly, looked at the old man in front of him, and began to think about whether to kill him in advance and replace the other party with a projection.

At the moment, the Orc Kingdom is on the verge of collapse, and the first front line of contact with the Rose Kingdom is the desert city of Halsim, followed by the Kapache Line.

Among them, Halsim is actually not very important, and theoretically within the scope of discarding.

After all, the city was plundered, and the Death Desert around the city was not a fertile land, so the blue dragon and the brass dragon were willing to live in a place where birds didn't.

The Karpache line is different.

It is not only the last barrier on the eastern border of the Rose Kingdom, but also serves as a task such as prohibiting the invasion of demonic beasts in the Warcraft Plains.

Once the Capach defense line is breached, the tens of millions of miles of plains behind it, without any natural danger, are like unarmed little girls, who can only be plundered by the enemy!

Two weeks have passed, and the name of madness has spread throughout Karen.

As the first front between Warcraft and humans, the Kapache defense line is frequently attacked by beast tides.

Everyone knew that it was turning into a grinding disc, and every moment there were warriors who fell in battle with the beast tide, and the old king actually wanted Vivien, who had "no combat experience", to go there!

Ron now had serious doubts about the possibility that the other party was going insane due to his age.

"A legend will be born here."

The old king clicked on the map and said in a deep voice, word by word: "True, legendary!" ”

In this regard, Ron replied without hesitation:

"Don't fart, it's really so good, why don't you let your son and daughter go over there to practice?"

It seems that the other party would say this for a long time.

The old king put down his glass and said calmly:

"They were sent by me to the Capach Line last week to quell the chaos, and now I am the only one left in the royal direct bloodline in the entire royal capital."

“.”

Ron didn't believe in evil and opened his perception and scanned the entire royal capital, only to realize that the other party really wasn't lying.

The princes, including the princess, who were usually in the royal capital, dissipated without a trace, and the dependents who were far away in the Capach defense line also replied to the message through the dragon scale mobile phone, indicating that there were indeed several human bigwigs who seemed to have just arrived at the Capach defense line a few days ago.

"Hey, you're a ruthless person."

Ron gasped, and suddenly understood the old king's plan.

Obviously, the other party took advantage of the turmoil to start clearing the obstacles for the next king, the silver-haired girl.

The fate of these princes and daughters was already sealed as early as the moment they left the royal capital.

Whether they covet the supremacy or not, their very existence is a threat to Vivien, and in the eyes of Rose's large and small forces, these idle princes are excellent contracts, and even if something happens, they can push each other out of the way and keep themselves out of the matter.

And the old king was clearly not prepared to leave them such a loophole - he was going to destroy everything he had created himself.

"Aren't you afraid that the royal blood will be severed?"

Ron frowned, and looked curiously at the old man who killed his relatives in righteousness: "Vivian is a girl. ”

The old king tilted his head: "Do dragons also value the difference between men and women?" ”

"Should. Not really. ”

Ron thought for a moment, not quite sure.

"I think the so-called bloodline is just a kind of greed for people to try to continue their lives in an alternative way."

The old king calmly raised his glass:

"And I don't need those, if my child's death can be exchanged for the lives of thousands of Terrans from the death of the rebellion."

"Bang"

A symphony of crisp wine glasses echoed through the royal palace.

Ron was silent for a moment, then he drank down the glass of wine in one gulp, and the rainbow dragon wings flapped slightly, causing a breeze that flickered the candlelight even more intensely:

"You're such a madman."

The old king took a deep breath, as if to suck all the difficulties and pressures into his chest.

He put down his glass, his old face still calm, as if nothing had happened.

"Sitting in this position, there's no one who isn't crazy."

Ron pouted, "Then how many people are you going to send?" ”

The old king slowly leaned back on the king's seat, like a decaying corpse in the twilight.

All

Ron turned and left the palace without looking back.

At the time of parting, his voice still echoed in the ears of the old king:

"I'm not going to let Vivien be like you."

Until Ron's figure disappeared completely.

A moment later

The old king got up slowly and came to the window.

When the first rays of lilac morning light on the horizon pierced through the heavy curtains and projected onto the interior of the ancient palace, everything seemed to be given new life.

Outside the window, the back garden carefully cared for by the maid is still in full bloom.

The flowers swayed gently in the breeze, and the petals were dotted with dewdrops, like the clearest stars in the sky, as if they were rejoicing in the coming new day.

The old man slowly took the crown off his head and gently placed it on the table.

The golden crown looks so heavy in the morning light, and each gemstone carries the glory and heaviness of a piece of history.

The old man stared down at the reflection on the glass, which was what he had been when he was young, and the golden light enveloped him, like a victor and a traveler carrying the past.

On the other hand, the other side of the glass reflects the old age.

It was the imprint of power and time, and every wrinkle was like the words of time, carving a story that belonged only to him.

The old man's eyes showed a hint of tiredness, and he said as if talking to himself:

"You say, he. . . Is it new life or destruction for humanity? ”

After a moment of silence, a young and energetic voice echoed through the palace:

"There is no flower that starts with a flower. There is no flower that remains a flower until the end, neither you nor me."

Looking at the dawn gradually rising in the sky, the old man gently clenched the scepter in his hand:

"I hope so."

"That's how it should be."

"Then let's do it."

Under the morning light, the two shadows gradually merged into one.

The image of the old man gradually disappeared into the daylight, leaving the world with his firm will and anticipation for tomorrow.

In his mind, Ron's figure was like the life of every flower in the back garden, embarking on their own different but equally glorious paths.

Whether it is rebirth or destruction, it is part of the eternal change and eternal progress of this world.

As a witness to their hard work, the old man in the twilight felt a deep sense of peace and hope at that moment.

Three days later

Windmill Town

Oh no, this small place with a population of only a few tens of thousands, once called Windmill Town, has long since changed its name to Ice Flame Town after that miracle, in honor of the miracle of the "Lord of Ice Flame".

For the first time in hundreds of years, Ice Flame has become a famous tourist attraction in the Rose Kingdom, with a steady stream of travelers coming every day to see the miracles left by the Lord of Ice and Flame and the terrifying scars of the earth when the beast tide attacked.

Some people even became devout Blue Flame believers because they joined the local church.

Due to the large number of outsiders, the town settlement of Iceflame Town has been expanded several times, and in addition to the super reinforced city walls due to the fear of the beast tide, the buildings in the town have also ushered in a major change.

For example, the garden fountain in the center of the town is now gone.

In its place is a half-human, half-dragon pure blue stone statue carved entirely from cryolite more than ten meters high.

This stone, which resembles a sapphire crystal with a blue flame on its inside, is a new ore discovered after the catastrophe and is considered by the church to be a gift from the Lord of Ice and Fire, and has attracted a large number of worshippers and tourists since the day the statue was erected.

Everyone was eager to catch a glimpse of the god, the inhabitants of the original windmill town were happy with the extra income from these visitors, and the church was satisfied with the respect that everyone had for the Lord of Ice and Fire

But no one noticed that the figure who used to wait in front of the fountain every day for his lover's return was long gone.

Under the white bell tower, which was rebuilt after the disaster, a dilapidated wooden house that does not fit in with its surroundings is quietly located in the shadow of the bell tower.

"Auntie, if you persuade her again, her family will be left in the entire Blue Flame Town without transformation, and you also understand that we are now at a critical moment."

In front of the wooden house, a young man in a pure white religious uniform was talking anxiously to the old woman holding a cane in front of him.

He danced and tried to explain the importance of [Town Renewal], but the old woman just replied with a blank face:

"What, what do you say?"

"I said, Auntie, it's time for your house to be cleaned out, and we're going to help you renovate it for free."

"What? Are you going to eat fish? ”

"It's not! I mean."

"What? Do you want to add some vinegar? ”

Ten minutes later

"Okay, you can rest."

"Okay."

Looking at the smiling old woman in front of him, the young man with a loveless face could only embark on the way home, announcing that this mission was once again in vain.

This is the first task that the teenager receives when he joins the school.

Other Protestants of the same period were persuaded to demolish and renovate in the same way, and it took only seven days at most to complete it.

Only the unlucky one has been dragged by this aunt for three months, but there is still no progress.

"It's no wonder that when I received the task, only this one was delayed and no one answered, and the bishop looked at him strangely."

Thinking of this, the boy couldn't help but sigh.

The reason for the aunt's refusal was actually something he had heard.

Although he is a new refugee to Ice Flame Town, the boy has also heard about the town's discussions, including the discussion of the old woman.

It is said that this old man was also once brilliant, and his daughter was about to marry the most promising young man in the town to become the next town, but because of some kind of accident, not only did his son-in-law disappear, but his daughter also seemed to be suffering from some kind of madness.

I heard that the woman used to wait for her husband to return at the fountain in the center of town, but now it is not often seen in the town

"Probably dead, right? After all, they've been missing for so many years, and the mayor has changed for the second time."

Facing the afternoon sun, the boy thought to himself.

As his body gradually dissolved at the end of the winding road, until the shadow of the young man completely disappeared into the distant mist, the old woman slowly put away the smile that had concealed the worry in her heart.

"Hey"

The old woman sighed, leaned on crutches, and limped around.

Every step of her was accompanied by painful convulsions, and her body was like this dilapidated hut, eroded by the wind and rain, and precarious.

Pushing open the door, the smell of herbs rushed out.

Although she had long been accustomed to the strong smell of herbs in the house, the pungent smell would involuntarily impact her sense of smell every time she opened the door, causing her to frown.

The room was shrouded in dim light, the air was filled with bitterness and dampness, and Monica, a pale middle-aged woman lying on the bed, was the deepest sorrow under the dilapidated eaves.

Monica's forehead was covered with a triangular white cloth, and the stains of the potion reflected on her pale face were so glaring.

The cloth was given by the church, and the devout people believed that it could ward off all evil, from sickness to bad luck.

However, no amount of church gifts can heal Monica's illness or fill the hole in her heart.

"I drove the kid away."

The old woman's voice trembled.

Looking at her daughter lying on the hospital bed with her eyes closed, the old woman's expression became more and more sad.

The old woman sat on the edge of the bed and lifted the bowl of brown medicinal soup on the table heavily, her hands trembling, but she tried to stay firm.

The aroma of the medicinal soup was bitter, and it carried all the hope of the old man, hoping to see his daughter's smile again, even if he knew that this was a luxury.

"Daughter, it's time to drink the medicine, although I can't tell what you have, but Dr. Rika said that these medicine can give you some energy."

Perhaps it was her mother's words that woke her up, or perhaps it was the smell of medicinal soup that attracted her last bit of interest.

Monica's closed eyes slowly opened, revealing her blank but still beautiful pupils.

Even after months of being bedridden by illness, weakness could not hide her beautiful face, but there was no doubt that it was quietly eating her life.

The beauty in the weakness is sad and hopeless, and everything is gradually disappearing.

Looking at the medicinal soup that barely emits an unpleasant smell.

Monica shook her head, the corners of her mouth drying and opening slightly as if to say something.

It was the first time she had spoken in months since she had been ill, but the dreamlike voice was barely audible.

The old woman had no choice but to put down the medicinal soup and kindly put her ear close to her daughter's mouth.

"Mother. I think I'm going to see Egbert."

Just the moment she heard that sentence clearly, the old woman was like being struck by lightning, and she couldn't stop trembling.

"Nope! My daughter, you can't just leave me! ”

She gripped Monica's hand, which was barely bone-and-skin, and the temperature was gradually decreasing.

The ruthless encroachment of time and illness on life makes the old woman unable to accept the reality in front of her.

However, Monica's eyes seemed to see through everything.

Her hollow eyes looked straight at the beam at the top of the room.

There, the body of a small spider that died at some unknown point was hanging from the web that had been woven by hand.

The broken cobwebs fluttered in the wind, and without the care of the owner, they were already dilapidated, unable to resist the changes in the outside world, just like this house, and her life, had come to an end.

In the old house, the wind passes through every crevice, mercilessly telling the owner of the house that its warmth is long gone, and the old woman has tried to mend it, trying to find the warmth of her home with her own hands and endless love, but in vain.

"I'm sorry, Mother."

Monica weakly turned to look at her mother, her voice lower and weaker, but unusually firm:

"All these years, I'm the one who has dragged you down. I thought that when Egbert returned, he would not find a home, so I insisted that they not be allowed to renovate it."

"No, you'll be fine, my daughter, and you'll wait for his."

The old woman cried and refused to let her daughter go.

She once didn't understand her daughter's insistence, and even after she couldn't convince her, she angrily broke off her relationship, leaving her dissatisfaction and sadness to the lonely years.

However, after the disaster, she couldn't give up the child she raised with her own hands, and still chose to come back to take care of Monica, who had lost her mind.

It's just that she didn't expect that the moment she watched her beloved fountain being dismantled, Monica's heart sank completely, so that she never got up from the sickbed again.

The fountain was a testimony to Egbert and Monica, each drop filled with the vows and memories between them, and now, even the last shred of hope had been taken away.

"When I'm gone, let them in."

After saying this sentence with difficulty, it was as if she had exhausted all the remaining strength.

Monica's face was pale, gasping for breath, beads of sweat from her forehead gradually soaking the oatmeal-filled beige pillow.

Her time is coming to an end with this dilapidated home.

"Monica, I'm coming"

In a trance, Monica, who was already unconscious, seemed to hear the call of her lover.

Even though she knew it might be her hallucination, she couldn't help but reach out the window, trying to get closer to the voice.

Outside

"Roar! ——”

In the crimson sunset, a dragon chant resounded through the sky, completely disturbing the peace of the town. (End of chapter)