Greenwich District, 18 Central Street, in a small three-story building with an unremarkable appearance.

It was already night, and through the faded blue curtains, an oil lamp could be seen in front of the table in the window on the second floor.

Arthur, dressed in a police uniform, sat in front of the desk, his face lit up by a soft, warm yellow light.

From time to time, there will be noisy noises of couples arguing and children crying next door.

In the past, Arthur would always push open the door and go out for a walk.

Because his sleep has always been very light in the past few years, he can only sleep a little more peacefully when everything around him is quiet.

But today was clearly different, he was neither irritated by the noise nor tormented by the fact that he could not sleep for a long time.

Because he put all his attention into the task at hand.

He had before him two documents, the Scotland Yard House Regulations and the Police Instruction, which set out the principles and norms of police conduct.

He glanced up at them from time to time, and after a moment of contemplation, he picked up his quill and wrote down his thoughts on the old newspaper beside him, and only when he had written and drawn them before he copied them word by word on the clean, white straight paper, like a printing press.

The "Scotland Yard Housekeeping Regulations" and the "Police Instructions" were turned page after page by him, and time passed little by little.

When he closed the last page and looked up, the kerosene lamp on the table had burned out, and the sun had risen outside the window.

Arthur leaned back in his chair and stretched lazily, when suddenly, five slender fingers with black nails pressed against his desk, picking up a dozen pages of paper that he had worked so hard to compile all night.

Immediately afterward, Agareth said in a familiar voice with a little calm in his frenzy: "What a beautiful hand." Arthur, if I go back to Hell one day, you can just come and be my clerk. ”

Arthur closed his eyes and rubbed his face, and asked without thinking, "Agares, don't write me empty checks." By the way, what did you do last night? I haven't seen you all night. ”

The Red Devil's laughter rang in Arthur's ears: "I can't bear to disturb you with your work so devoted." So I went to Windsor Castle by myself. Arthur, you know what? That king of yours is going to die, and he is purple even when he pees! ”

When Arthur heard this, he was stunned and said, "How do you know?" ”

"Of course it's because I saw him pee!"

Arthur said helplessly: "Do you still have this hobby?" A fat old man, what's there to see? ”

Agareth laughed, "It's not pretty, but I have to keep an eye on him."

He had a rotten smell that even a crow could read, and I had found him last night with the ravens raised in the Tower of London.

Arthur, think about it, how can a dying king, a coward who is greedy for life and afraid of death, and a soul who enjoys all the glory and wealth of the world?

I promise that he will be willing to give up half of his wealth and power, even if it is his soul, in exchange for ten and a half years of life, which is quite a bargain!

Arthur, think about it again, don't be so brainless. All I want is my soul, and the rest is yours. ”

Arthur leaned back in his chair and brushed back his hair, which looked a little greasy from staying up late.

"I have to say, Agares, I'm starting to get a little tempted."

When Agareth heard this, his smile suddenly froze.

He touched his forehead and then raised his hand to feel Arthur's.

The Red Devil wondered, "You're not sick either?" ”

He looked out the window at the rising sun and Arthur's eyes, which had darkened slightly from staying up late.

The Red Devil gave his judgment seriously, and he pointed at Arthur and said, "You must be delirious because of lack of sleep." It's not like you. ”

Arthur laughed at Agareth's reaction and asked, "What the hell did you think of me?" It took me a long time to make up my mind to talk to you about some business, and that's your attitude? ”

The Red Devil frowned when he heard this, he pondered for a long time, and then he clapped his hands and shouted with a wild laugh: "You want to cheat me?" Arthur, play this with me, you're too young! Lao Tzu followed King Solomon back then......"

"When the siege of Jerusalem is made." This time, before the Red Devil could speak, Arthur had already picked up the one behind him.

He complained, "Agares, can't you just get some new words?" You are also one of the best university scholars in hell, well-versed in astronomy, mathematics, and the mysteries of language and writing, and can you speak at a certain level? ”

Because Arthur's performance today was so abnormal that Agareth was a little confused, he didn't even scold back at the first time.

Instead, he asked tentatively, "Have you changed sex?" Don't want to leave this basin by boat, and don't want to continue to mess around like this? ”

"Is this basin something that can be left by boat?"

Arthur twisted his sore neck: "To be honest, at this point in time, the North American colonies are not much stronger. When I went there, I either found a piece of uncultivated land to become a farmer, or I started as a junior worker in a factory in the city.

I hate it, but I still have some friends here.

When I went to the North American colonies, I didn't know the place well, not only did I have to start all over again, but I also had to adapt to the environment.

Besides, leaving because you hate it, it feels like a loser. How can I be willing not to turn it upside down? ”

Agareth looked at Arthur with a sincere expression, and the corners of the Red Devil's mouth gradually grinned.

"My dear Arthur, you finally understand this."

Arthur picked up the cold black tea, took a sip, tilted his head slightly forward, and asked Agares, who was sitting at the table.

"Tell me, what should I do?"

When Agareth heard this, the corners of the Red Devil's mouth were like a cracked pumpkin, and he was about to grin to the sky.

But his voice was still hoarse, with a bit of fatal induction.

He held up the manuscript that Arthur had been busy with for three days to complete, and said, "Arthur, haven't you already figured out what to do?"

As a well-known scholar in hell, I don't encourage you to ask this kind of question that has a predetermined answer, and I'm not interested in answering fill-in-the-blank questions.

However, as a good trading client and a villain student that I have carefully cultivated, Professor Agareth is very pleased and satisfied that you can prepare for the upcoming course in advance.

Remember what you learned and what you learned in the History course at the University of London.

Just like you did against Sheriff Willockx, I admit that an individual might swing a knife at the strong. But at the same time, I firmly believe that the group will always pick on the weak.

Therefore, it is impossible for you to change the style of the whole society and the accumulated shortcomings of history with your own personal strength.

What the group wants most is not freedom, but enslavement.

They have a great desire for obedience and instinctively submit to those who claim to be their leaders.

The power of influence on leaders generally comes rarely from reason, but often from prestige and affection.

Moreover, this prestige and affection is only personal, and has nothing to do with your title and status.

As you say in the Meditations you quoted in front of that young court clerk: people despise and flatter each other, and each wants to be superior to the other, and each prostrates himself before the other.

The public is indiscerning, and as a result, they are unable to judge the truth of a matter, and many opinions that do not stand up to scrutiny can easily be universally agreed.

And what you need to do is to export your opinion to them, and use one action after another to deepen the impression of this opinion in their minds, and when this repetition reaches a certain number of times, your argument will be buried somewhere in their hearts, and it will become their creed as the truth.

They will never allow others to question their truth, nor will they allow others to hold what they believe to be fallacies. This paranoia is so ingrained that it is difficult to shake unless it is replaced by another extreme emotion.

When that time comes, you will become their god, and you will have more power than calling the wind and rain, and perhaps this influence will last for centuries to come. ”

Agareth's smile faded, and his figure faded from Arthur's sight, the curtains fluttered, a breeze blew, and the manuscript was blown into Arthur's palm.

There was silence in the bedroom, and Arthur's ears could only hear the whisper of the devil.

"Do it, Arthur, and it will be the foundation of your march to greatness."