Alan Bair had received the news that the cold trade broker he had driven away had been killed by pirates during the chaos because the Imperial Guard had failed to control the shipping lanes.

This bad news was not very pleasant, but this brutal bloody battle was a success, because it was well kept secret, and the fact that the Imperial Guard had come to this star sector was not revealed, because the lovers either joined or died.

This was originally Alan Bair's biggest fear in this battle, as long as the enemy had a chance to leave and bring the information out, Roaming Harbor would therefore leave his sphere of influence early.

They didn't want to start a war with the enemy in advance in a place that was still within the enemy's sphere of influence, and even if the nobles everywhere didn't approve of the actual status of the Roaming Harbor, there were plenty of people who wanted to curry favor with the merchant dynasty of Bandertar.

If you think of this, it may really be the emperor's blessing, but no matter what, Alan Baier can only accept this terrible madman who is a little crazy.

So he arranged a meeting with Magron, at the characteristic long table in the lord's mansion of the Asteroid Fortress, where the Pious Magron was offering his allegiance to the most majestic man in the land, if he ignored the two drooling floggers around him, wrapping their will in chants and icons.

He looked reverently at the owner of the place, and at the many delicacies he had prepared for himself, but he was so conscious of his emotions that he limited his intake of food, only raising bread to chew and praising the emperor's grace.

But this food is grown by Scady and baked by the Leterin Kid, probably it has nothing to do with the emperor, and he can't be let the old man be a baker?

Alan Bair muttered those emotions in his heart, but he didn't express them, because this man is very useful, quite useful, and the least thing in this world is loyalty, and when he tore his contract and opened fire on his companions, he proved his loyalty to the empire with his actions.

Enough, Alan Baier waited for the Duke of Margroen to stop his prayer and look at himself with that adoring gaze, his voice actually sounding clearer than the projection, thick, merciful, and clear, it was hard to imagine that a man who could command the transformation of the killing machine could be so "pure" probably because he was paranoid that those things were not "sin".

He tore off a piece of fluffy bread and soaked it in the egg white broth and then took it in his mouth, his head, which was "bare" from the bandage, shook slightly. "It's delicious, my lord."

"My chef would be happier if you were willing to try other dishes, he usually hides somewhere to watch how the guests taste the food, but I still need to thank you for your help on the battlefield, so that no one knows about the arrival of the Imperial Guard." Alan Bair complained about the rules of his faith and emphasized his gratitude.

"It's my honor to be able to do business under your hands, and it's a blessing to speak like this in this sin-filled star sector in front of those closest to the emperor!" He was a little fanatical, and Margron wiped the liquid from the corners of his eyes, whether it was sweat or tears.

"I am satisfied to be a loyal man, but that alone is not enough, what more command, my lord! Kill the damned Bandertar, or bomb up the roaming harbor that colludes with the Red Pirates?! ”

Alan Bair muttered inwardly if he was a little too extreme, and spoke. "I need a while, not long or slow, so that I can find time to use my majesty and—" He felt a little embarrassed at the thought of the word. Personal charm, to find people in this sector who are still willing to cooperate with the Imperial Guard. ”

"Want to break through the shackles and still have someone loyal to the empire in your heart?" Margron was a little crazy, but he wasn't stupid, and he quickly understood Alan Bair's words and answered. "Then I still have a few candidates, and I can communicate with them and recruit them."

Alan Baier shook his head. "You have something more important to do, and that is to spread the word about the disappearance of the Count and the situation of this battle, covering those who are investigating it."

"This realm is already full of spies from all over the world, and the lords will definitely be sensitive to the sudden disappearance of a powerful earl, and you need to take this matter on your shoulder, as a loyal person, to bear the sin of wanting to tear the chains, and cover me to find a partner in the Imperial Guard."

Lord Margroun had a rather excited expression. "It's an extreme honor, willing to serve, if I am the emperor, I can be smeared with liver and brain, not to mention this matter, not to mention that it is not enough to worry about."

"No, no, I'm not done yet, Poldro won't support you, in other words, the only forces that can keep the law and order here are your flagship Karak and the stored galaxy-class." Alan Bair hit the nail on the head.

"You are the bait, you will be like honey to attract the lords to the swarm, and while the fortress and the warship delay them, I will go to find a strong alliance, and then surround the lords who come to liquidate."

Margron realized something was wrong. "So, that means I may face enemies that are far larger than me, and may even be breached?" He rarely uses negative words, because the emperor will shelter him, only this time he must confirm.

Alan Baier nodded, it's not that he is ruthless, it's better that he saved this guy to fulfill this matter, he needs to see the interests higher to complete the current war. "Yes, you'll be alone until I complete those tasks."

He thought Margron would ask more questions or go berserk, but he just laughed. "Yes, it's really good, it perfectly illustrates the name of the martyr, and when I am surrounded by countless heretics, I will surely see the light of the emperor!"

"Thank you for giving me this opportunity before the end of my life, and as I still face my faith in the mud, you are like an angel proposing this plan."

"This is the Emperor's will, there is no doubt about it."

Alan Baier was not intimidated by his crazy appearance, and just calmly replied. "Yes, be a martyr, the Empire, the Pangia Subsector, and will always remember you..."

And slowly got up, and walked out of this cold palace, as usual, he sent those people to the guillotine, just as the count said before he died, they were all flags, and he was a chess player, and no one cared how a pawn crossed the line, how to die.

Alan Bair's few consciences still tormented him, but compared to this, his plans to resupply and sail to the next realm, he had no feelings for this fortress, and for Lord Margroun, it was a fleeting and illusory alliance of plans and uses.

He poured himself a lot of coffee and stuffed it into the kettle full of the smell of gasoline, and every sip made him feel like he was back on the battlefield, and he both missed and feared those years, the days of fierce battles in places full of sludge and promethium, or the sound of dripping raindrops falling on military helmets, and at the same time he feared war, because people would die, friends, compatriots, people who knew and did not know...

It wasn't until he walked to the neighborhood near Starport that people didn't recognize the legend in the bustling streets, after all, the so-called lord was too far away from them, and no one would think that a certain lord would walk on the streets, bathed in stale air, filled with tens of thousands of people, a narrow and dark nest capital.

But even so, his clothes meant that he was at least a high-ranking officer in the local PDF, and there were a few sturdy soldiers, who looked dark-skinned and bright-looking warriors followed, and no one would touch the unlucky, but there were always exceptions.

When Sergeant Katakán carried a tall, emaciated man, dressed in a comical top hat and even more emaciated tights, he almost immediately reminded of the appearance of an Assassin, with his completely unarmed and lifted like a chicken, with his toes slightly off the ground.

But Alan Bair knew almost instantly that he was coming for him, he was unarmed, and close to places where normal people would not come, his clothes were conspicuous, and he was not tall, and Katachan could easily deal with him, as if he was blessed with a blessing to say, suspicious, but not dangerous.

Such a person is easy to escape from complex circumstances, he has a temperament that is different from that of a normal spy or other special person, so he is special, and his struggle from the beginning, to the salute in mid-air like a mime master after seeing Alan Baier, shows that he has physical control that is not inferior to that of Katachan.

He held his large hat on his chest. "Great Lord of Skady, I, you may call me a wild serpent, or a wild or a serpent, and I am the clown who has come to please you, my lord."

Alan Baier immediately thought of the harlequin, but it was different, he was high-profile, but he was not a crazy joke actor, so Alan Baier spoke. "Put aside your jokes, now tell me, what are you going to do?"

"Of course, it's drowsiness to give pillows, for you, to prepare things." He said suspiciously. "But it's not good enough, let's go to the private room of the tavern, I'll have a treat."

Master Chief Katakham raised his arm high and nearly threw him to death, a phrase that bordered on murder, but Alan Bair halted his loyal soldiers' movements. "Why, why did I go?"

The man straightened up comically in mid-air, and then replied. "Don't kill me, don't kill me, I'll serve Miss Nova, Emperor!"

Alan Baier thought for a moment. "Let's go."

The man was quite amusing, and as soon as Katachan put him down, he regained his composure and logic, leading them like a top agent, and displaying considerable counter-reconnaissance skills or professional qualities.

And the tranquil private room in the Hurry Tavern is also his territory, obviously believing him to be stupid, but Alan Baier likes to do stupid things, whether it is a conspiracy or a real gift.

The reality is that this isn't a cosy tavern hut, or better place, with the second floor built inside a rotten wood and termite cave at odds with the pretty neon lights on the outside, apparently only decorated and covered outside.

The man named Wild Serpent took his seat and served Alan Bair a glass of Wild Serpent, only he preferred the high-alcohol Amset or Imperial Recca coffee.

He took a sip, stimulated and spicy, and asked. "What is the purpose of putting on such a good show, if it is a murder, it can start now."

Snake no spoke. "I'm sorry I'm so vigilant, after all, I took you here without a giant holding a rose knot, and I really didn't have a chance, Miss Nova is with you, and you're either on the battlefield or in the office, no blame, it's just that I have to be anxious because of this."

He said. "I know what you think, you need allies, you need to wash, you need to divide the entire sector into your hands, cut off and take the blood vessels of the roaming port for your own use."

"Sensitive observation, is it the information revealed by Nova?" Alan Bair was interested. "And you, you're an acolyte?"

"Someone who serves with the Inquisitor? I'm not that great, but my previous master did think of me that way, he was the Grand Inquisitor, and you don't like his name. The serpent replied.

"Oh, that bastard is dead, in my castle, hoping that his psionic ability will twist off the arm of the Mad Mechanical Sage and give him more leverage for his honor." Alan Bair remembers that the only Grand Inquisitor in this place was the bastard who sent Skady to Hell.

"One of the few good news, I've run out of the hands of that insatiable man, and my new owner is Miss Nova, beautiful, young, smart, but a little more controlling." He had something to say, but quickly changed the subject.

"I actually cooperated with her, but she didn't actually use it much because she was afraid of my relationship with the Grand Inquisitor, and I miss the past." There was a hint of resentment in his eyes. "I was supposed to be the successor of the Grand Inquisitor, and I could have been an alternate, but she was airdropped to accept those things, including me, and I became a thing!"

He sighed again. "I'm sorry, I'm saying so much to make you trust me, Great Lord, and the chips I'm giving you are definitely something you like."

Alan Bair was just sorting through the messages, he replied. "It's funny, it's funny, I'm chatting with a chief acolyte of the Grand Inquisition with his hands and eyes."

"And I remember that there were three great forces in the Pangia Star Zone, the Imperial Guard, the Grand Inquisitor, and the Port of Njili, and now that the Grand Inquisitor is gone, we have begun to confront each other, and his legacy..."

Snake no nodded. "Yes, he used to collect most of the information about this place, and that's why I'm stationed here, and it was a difficult time, but it still passed in the end."

"At the same time, the most valuable legacy is with me, my lord, and I have taken great pains to help you." He took out a scroll, on which were densely written many things, and Alan Baier was also familiar with the names above, he had seen them, these were the names of the lords of various places, and below, the portrait, hobbies, interests, positions, and the number of children in his family, family relations, whether there were venereal diseases, whether there were obvious scars on the body, etc.

Alan Baier was dumbfounded, and at the same time looked at the man. "You're giving me the creeps, but I'm asking you a question."

Snake no asked. "What, sir?"

"Do you know a cold trade broker? A woman, not very old, and—" Alan Bair asked.

Snake Ye just interrupted the sentence. "My lord, no, I swear in the name of the emperor, and this world is full of coincidences and miracles, isn't it?"

(End of chapter)