Douglas was smoking.

He rarely smoked, but now there were at least a dozen cigarette butts in the ashtray in front of him. The smoke rises, making things in front of you feel unreal. Douglas was distracted, even though he was in the conference room of the Asgard command.

On either side of the long table in front of him, a dozen senior military officials from Asgard were arguing loudly. To the left and right of Douglas sat Cario and Paul, the former as the commander of the military department, and the latter as the instructor of the Holy Spirit Warriors, both of whom were Douglas's right and left hands. These three people with great power in Asgard did not say a word, but the people below were arguing.

It wasn't until Cario couldn't help but slap his palm on the solid wooden table with a muffled "bang" that the controversial officers shut up. Cario looked at his old friend and said, "Ben, what do you say?"

Douglas lowered his head and smiled, and extinguished the remaining half of the cigarette: "What else can I say." Valkyrie is my daughter, and since Oglok wants to see me, I'll have to make a hard run. ”

"But marshal, it's a trap. A young officer in his thirties said.

He was at the bottom of the table, but since he was able to enter this room, he was not incompetent. Douglas remembered him as Irving, who was young and had a bright future.

"I know, I'm not blind. Douglas smiled, "But gentlemen, we have wasted nearly ten days on this issue because of a little trickery by Oglok. I think the discussion should be over, and I'll leave for Sellers tomorrow. I'm going to pick up Valkyrie and meet up with old friends I saw at the end of the year, it's as easy as that. ”

The officers below all had ugly faces, and it was not easy to meet Oglok. That's not an old man who can be pulled out of a pile of random people, but the ruler of Eternal Night City, the speaker of the Dark Council!

"Paul and I will go with you. Cario grinned, "It's a pleasure to think about meeting that old thing from Og so soon." ”

"No, I'll go alone. You and Paul stay, Asgard still needs you two old guys to preside over the big picture. Douglas chuckled softly, "It's not so convenient for me to let you two follow your ass, even if I have to slip away." ”

"He thinks we're a burden. Paul shook his head and said to Cario, "Then we'll save a lot of effort." ”

The officers looked at each other, they had expected that Cario and the others would persuade Doglas, but they didn't want to agree. In this way, their opposition is not trivial at all. At this moment, the door to the conference room opened. Douglas's secretary walked in, and at the sight of this scene, everyone, including the marshal himself, frowned. Be aware that no one is allowed to enter the meeting room until it is open.

The secretary apparently knew she was breaking a rule, but she got to Douglas's side. The secretary bent down and quickly whispered in Douglas's ear, "Zero from Dawn is here, and he's in your office." He said that he had something important to discuss with you. ”

When Douglas heard Zero's name, his frown widened, and he even had a smile on his face. He waved his hand for the secretary to go down first, and then said, "You continue to discuss the battle situation on the front line, and I will leave first if I have something to do." ”

Cario looked at him strangely, and Douglas squeezed his eyebrows and said, "Zero is here, this kid has disappeared for a whole year!"

Back in the office, as soon as Douglas entered, he saw Zero standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window looking down on Asgard. He didn't look back, but said, "It's still as magnificent and beautiful as ever." ”

Then he turned his head and smiled just right: "Long time no see, Marshal Douglas." ”

After a look, he asked the secretary who was following him to leave. The marshal laughed: "I still like you to call me Ben, just like you did in Remut." Time flies, years pass in the blink of an eye. ”

"Yes, if I could, I'd like to be a mercenary back then. It's not easy, but it's much easier here. Zero pointed to his chest.

Douglas honestly sat down on the couch unceremoniously: "Dawning City is developing well, why do you say that you seem to be under a lot of pressure." Look at my mess, that's called a headache. ”

"If it's just Dawning City, I wouldn't have to complain to you. Zero said pointedly.

Douglas is so old that he can't hear what is in Zero. He gestured to the couch and motioned for the guests to sit down, "Why, it's not about Dawning? What, is Andre going to settle accounts with you?"

"You're wrong, it's two. Zero held up two fingers and said, "It's not Asmo's trouble, in fact, it's bigger trouble than Asmo." Even a disaster, a disaster for all of us. ”

Looking at Zero, Douglas didn't speak. Zero continued, "I know it's hard to believe, but Ben, I hope you can believe me. Soon, a catastrophe will come. So now, I sincerely hope that the war between you and the Dark Council can end. I know it's hard, but by all means, give it a try. The sooner we end this war, the lower our internal friction will be, and the more resources we will have to face the real war that follows. ”

On the way here, Zero thought of many ways. But in the end, he chose to get straight to the point. Dealing with a giant like Douglas, any excuse or lie seems so ridiculous, only sincerity can move him.

Still looking at Zero, Douglas's eyes seemed to see through Zero's soul. Zero looks at it and doesn't shy away from it. After a long time, Douglas sighed, "You are already eleventh-order." It's no wonder, no wonder you sense it. ”

"It?"

"That's right, it. I don't know what other people call it, but I call it Original Sin because it was the culprit that led to the end of the Fourth Age!"

Zero's pupils shrank, and he lost his voice: "You already know about Prosius." ”

"Prosius, why is it called that?" Now it was Douglass's turn to look shocked: "God, I have deduced my conclusions from all kinds of signs through the study of holy miracles. Where did you know about it, and even its name?"

"It's a long story. Zero smiled bitterly, "That's what an old guy told me." ”

He was not prepared to explain more on Agradis, and after a word, he added, "So, you already feel it?"

"I'm a little older, but I'm not that sluggish. There was such a sudden energy response on this planet that I couldn't even deliberately ignore the past. At this stage of power, our senses will always become sharper. Sometimes, this is really distressing, after all, ignorant people are always happier. ”

"So, if so, Oglok will sense it too?"

"Even I sensed how that old fellow could not know anything. Douglas said.

Zero's eyes lit up: "In this case, maybe ......"

"No, zero. ”

Douglas shook his head and smiled indifferently, "Even if I am willing to end the war, Ogllock will not stop there." Not long ago, the Dark Council set a trap to capture Valkyrie in the town of Sellers. They asked me to go to the town, and if nothing happened I would meet Oglock there. To welcome me, that old fellow will definitely spend a lot of money, so you see, the war will not end there. On the contrary, it will get worse. ”

Zero silence.

It is conceivable that if Douglas had been invited to Cyrus, he would have been attacked. And with Oglock's means, if you don't do it, once you have an arrangement, it will inevitably be an unsolvable dead end.

If he succeeds and Douglas dies in Cyrus, there will be no buffer between Valhalla and the Dark Council. The two giants will inevitably fight to the death, and they will never die.

"What are you going to do?" Zero looked at the old man in front of him.

Douglas was silent for a moment, then sighed, "If it were me twenty years ago, I would probably choose to sacrifice Valkyrie." But I'm old, and when you're old, you'll understand that there are some things that can't all be handled with reason. So I'm going to take a trip to Cyrus, and of course, it's not easy for Oglock to get my life. ”

Zero nodded and said, "That's fine, I'll save Valkyrie for you." ”

"What?"

Douglas shook his head and said, "You don't have to, now you can still maintain a neutral position." Once you get involved......"

"I know the consequences. Zero interrupted him and said, "But it's better for me to go than for you to go." Besides, I'd like to take this opportunity to hear Oglok's thoughts. ”

"Hehe, if you want to hear what that old guy thinks, you'll be killed by him at any moment. ”

"There are a lot of people who want to kill me, but I'm still alive and well. Don't worry, I'm not going to die. Zero said calmly.

In his eyes, Douglas saw that natural flow of confidence. Zero wasn't stupid, he knew exactly who he was up against. But even though he knew that he was facing Oglok, Zero's eyes still didn't flinch. In retrospect, Zero never flinched, whether it was the first time he saw Zero in Remut, or the problems he faced in Asgaratri afterward.

Douglas sighed and said, "What about after meeting him? If he doesn't plan to end the war, what are your plans?"

"Then I can only stand on your side, devote all my strength, and strive to tear down the mountain of the Dark Council in the shortest possible time and end the civil war of mankind!" Zero said categorically, without a trace of hesitation.

Douglas looked at him quisitively.

It turned out that this man had grown to this point. Before you know it, he already has the power to influence the situation!