Cars drove along the roads of St. Louis through town, and judging by the sparse pedestrians on the streets, there weren't many residents in St. Louis. According to Isabelle, there are probably fewer than 2,000 inhabitants. As a result, the highway is empty, and most of the people who can live in the city are people with heads and faces. They are absorbed by the Dark Brotherhood, most of them as outermost members.

But their families have qualified to live in this elegant city, and under the protection of the Dark Brotherhood, there is a great guarantee of security here. Of course, it is not possible for these members to contribute without any contributions. They must donate their property to the Brotherhood, which has a clear hierarchy within it.

The more property a member donates, the more rank they will have. More hierarchies represent circles of power closer to the upper levels of the pyramid. Therefore, those who are not lacking in ambition will continue to plunder as much wealth as possible in the outside world, and then donate it in exchange for higher ranks.

Sitting in the car and listening to Isabel explain all this, it is not difficult to see how much wealth the Brotherhood has concentrated, and it is no wonder that they will become the invisible kings of this continent.

Paul felt more than zero, and no one in power wished that there was another boss above him who could not be seen. In particular, this boss has the ability to exempt you from power at any time, which is as uncomfortable as an invisible dagger lying around your neck at any time. Paul didn't say anything on the surface, but there was something profound in his eyes.

If it had been before, Zero and Paul would have wanted to hear these secrets. But now, at a time when the Dark Brotherhood is more vulnerable than ever. The day of the cataclysm caused the death of most of the important members of the time, and it was only over the next decade that the Brotherhood began to coalesce into an invisible liliang. Then by supporting Sauron, in exchange for more benefits, so as to help this ancient organization recover as soon as possible.

It can be said that the Brotherhood did nothing wrong in these actions due to the circumstances of the time. But in order to develop rapidly, it has to absorb fresh blood from outside. For example, Isabel and Solomon gave birth to a retreating heart. It's just that they are also outsiders, and Isabelle's family is obviously still young in the Dark Brotherhood, so it is at the bottom of the list.

The arrival of new blood from outside has accelerated the development of the Brotherhood, but it has also made it difficult for the Brotherhood's ancient traditions and purposes to be carried out as unhindered as in the old days. Outsiders brought wealth with them different ideas, and this created divisions in the upper circles of power.

The biggest disagreement lies in Sauron's performance, as in recent years, Sauron has deviated from the original purpose of the Brotherhood and is showing signs of breaking free from the Brotherhood's control. Zoro's situation made a high-ranking member like Solomon suspicious and retreated. The impact of this No. 2 member of the seven-member committee is huge, and once Solomon withdraws from the brotherhood, it also means that the seven-member committee will be reshuffled, so it also makes all kinds of contradictions that were not obvious before surface.

The Brotherhood has the idea of absorbing Zero, first of all, it values Zero's own strength, which is enough to contain Zoro or even replace him. More importantly, it will be used to fill the vacancy after Solomon's withdrawal, but as for where Zero will be after joining, it is still a matter of knowing.

But based on Zero's strength, even if he can't replace Solomon as the number two person, he must be a candidate within the top three. So while Mendrissa and Joseph supported Paul, Isabel also stood on the side of Zero's camp without hesitation, so as to cling to the big tree, hoping to get out of the embarrassing situation of not being seated.

The reasons for all this are so complex that they can be explained in one or two sentences. But Isabel casually said a few confidential things about the Brotherhood, but he had already given Zero and Paul enough information. For the two of them, it was a different plan.

First of all, Zero has no intention of joining the Brotherhood at all, and if the first member of the seven-member committee, Gao Li, can change hands to the entire organization and become another shili under Zero, it will naturally be different. But this is simply impossible, and even if Zero is allowed to replace Solomon as the number two person, Zero is not willing to be controlled by others. Moreover, to join the brotherhood, it is necessary to make a donation, so that the property can be jointly distributed in the name of the organization.

Zero self-questioning is not generous enough to give away everything he has, so he cannot reach a consensus with the Brotherhood on the most fundamental issues.

Then there was Paul, who didn't want to follow Sauron's path either. With the support of the Brotherhood, he is a puppet king, so he will join forces with Zero, hoping to cooperate with the Brotherhood on a relatively equal footing.

After Solomon withdrew, Mendrissa and Joseph switched to Paul's support, plus the momentum of Zero. Once the two of them join forces, they are indeed qualified to be equal to the Brotherhood. As for Isabelle's other idea, if Zero is willing to join, then she can naturally be promoted through his big tree; if Zero is unwilling, then there will inevitably be a conflict between them and Gaoli, then Isabel plans to try to borrow Zero's Liliang to force Gaoli to step down, as long as she can force Gaoli to step down, then with Zero's support, she can sit on the throne of the first person.

When the time comes, she will be able to cooperate with Zero as an ally, and Zero will surely be willing to see that.

With each of them in their own minds, the car drove through the city of St. Louis and finally reached the eastern part of the city. Here, the city is separated by a high concrete wall that stretches for nearly a kilometer. The watchtowers and barbed wire fences on the high walls are completely different from the elegant style of Saint-Louis, but completely iron-blooded military style. Fully armed soldiers were in the watchtower, and the distribution of dozens of firing points covered the area within a hundred meters in front of the high wall.

There are no buildings in the area, and with a clear vacuum between the walls and the neighborhoods of St. Louis, it's clear that this is not a place to be approached. When a dark red door is retracted from both sides, it reveals a plaza in Eye Zero, and behind it is a medieval-style castle.

The castle is square in shape, with a tower at each corner with soldiers on duty. The four towers ensure that there are no blind spots in the castle, while two rows of firing holes evenly spaced on each wall allow for a quick counterattack in the event of an enemy attack.

The style of the castle is slender, towering, and spired, typical of the Gothic style. The main building of the city is almost connected to the top of the mountain, and the exterior wall is decorated with intricate sculptures and patterns. The two annex buildings next to it are only half the height of the main building, showing the difference between primary and secondary. The main entrance of the castle has a fence and a drawbridge, and when the car drives up the square, the drawbridge is hanging down.

When the drawbridge was lowered, a group of men and horses came out of the castle.

When Zero and the others got out of the car, Isabel led them forward and whispered, "The man in the middle is Gori Alwin." ”

Looking up, Gao Li, the first member of the seven-member committee, was walking in the middle. He was tall and well-proportioned, full of energy, and had a smile on his face. Her long blonde hair was neatly combed back and braided to her waist. He wears black patch-colored underwear and a wide floor-length robe decorated with ornate patterns. A dark red belt tightened the robe, and the belt was clearly raised, emphasizing the image of Gaoli.

He spread his hands and said, "Welcome, Honorable Highness the Pope, and the brave leader of the Seagod Order. Welcome to St. Louis, and on behalf of the Brotherhood, I welcome you wholeheartedly. ”

I have to say that Gao Li is full of appearance, his voice is loud, and his tone fully shows the enthusiasm he should have as a master. It's hard to hate him based on first impressions alone. Zero watched him stride and deliberately take a step behind to let Paul go ahead. Paul felt something in his heart and strode forward.

Gao Li looked in his eyes and secretly paid attention. On the surface, they were still full of enthusiasm, and after hugging each other affectionately, he shook hands with Zero vigorously, and then said: "You two have come from afar, and the journey has been hard. Please come in, I have prepared a room for the two of you to rest, and after you two have rested for a while, I have arranged a welcome reception in the evening, and I ask you two to enjoy the light. ”

As for his arrangement, the two of them had no objection. Gowry then introduced Zero and Paul to others, two of whom were members of the Committee of Seven.

Semir resembles a shrewd businessman, wearing a felt hat, a double-breasted cloak, a pocket watch hanging from his chest, striped trousers tucked in pointy boots, and a pair of eyes constantly looking up and down the zero two.

Another notable member was a diminutive man dressed in pitch-black, close-fitting clothing. Even though you stand there, you feel like you're going to be moving around at any moment. His name is Zephyr, which is supposed to be a pseudonym. is nominally one of the members of the seven-member committee, but in fact he is Gao Li's minions and confidants. Zephyr has an assassination group in his hands, and he is an eighth-order powerhouse, and he is also the only one with the ability among the seven-member committee.

The brief information of these people, Isabel had already given a general idea to the two of them on the way here. It's just that now when the information is compared with the real person, their image is firmly imprinted in Zero's mind, and he can't forget it if he wants to.

The absent commissioners were naturally Mendrissa, Joseph, and Solomon, the number two person, and it was not surprising that the absenteeism of the committee members who had the idea of retiring was not at all.

After greeting the two committee members, Gosato asked Zero and Paul, along with the rest of his entourage, to rest in the room where he was arranged. In the evening, a welcome reception was held in the hall of the castle. There weren't many people who participated in the party, but under Isabelle's introduction, it was not difficult to find that the people who could stand here had a certain status in the fraternity, or their contribution was only lower than that of a few members.

These men spoke elegantly, but they were always testing the tone of Zero and Paul when they spoke. Even before they arrived, the two had privately decided to keep their wishes tight-lipped before putting the matter on the negotiating table, so those who wanted to inquire in advance in order to wait and see were disappointed.

At the reception, Gao Li silently looked at the two of them from beginning to end, and his eyes fell on Isabel next to him from time to time. At this time, there was a man behind him: "It seems that our Commissioner Isabel is very warm to the two distinguished guests. ”

Without looking back, Gori also knew that it was Semar's voice. He sucked a sip of red wine and said, "Both His Royal Highness Paul and Mr. Zero are excellent men, Isabel should be attracted to them, right?"

"Isabel is moved, but it shouldn't be a matter of men and women. That woman's ambition is not small. Semir pointed.

"Sema, I have to warn you that it is a felony for members of the Brotherhood to be suspicious of each other, especially us Commissioners. If we can't trust each other, then it's time for the Brotherhood to break up. Coldly dropping this sentence, Gao Li turned to leave.

Semir smiled, shook the wine glass in his hand and said, "Don't talk about yourself so noblely, don't you also have the idea of being a dominant family......

Suddenly, the reflection of the wine glass flashed with the face of the west wind. Semia's heart sank, and he swallowed the unfinished words back into his stomach.

The reception ended at midnight, and both Zero and Paul received several invitations to private receptions. The two of them had a very tacit understanding to give these things to Isabelle, and she could pick out which ones were worth dating and which ones needed to be put on the show. Upon arrival in St. Louis, Isabel seemed to become their personal secretary, but the female commissioner had no complaints about the change. On the contrary, I am very committed to the job.

The next day, a formal meeting was finally held in the chamber of the castle. It is said to be a meeting, but in fact it is similar in nature to negotiations. Zero and Paul had agreed on this, and in order to highlight Paul's importance, Zero gave the young pope a voice throughout the meeting. At the same time, it also conveyed a clear message to the Brotherhood, that is, Zero and its Poseidon Regiment are on Paul's side.

With the addition of Mendrissa and Joseph, Paul's weight is very important. As for Isabelle's lack of clarity in his position, but his solidarity with Paul in many ways, it is not difficult to see what the female commissioner meant.

In contrast, Gosato is on the side. Solomon was absent, Semir was ambiguous, and only one Zephyr unconditionally supported Gori. But as far as the two members of the committee are concerned, they will not get much advantage at this negotiating table.

Paul used his astonishing eloquence at this point, and His Highness the Pope began with the benefits of overthrowing Sauron, and then talked about the distribution of benefits and the change of pattern after that, without forgetting to occasionally hint at Sauron's hostility to the Brotherhood. If the Brotherhood is reluctant to cooperate with them, then Zoro may be a candidate for short-term cooperation. His Royal Highness the Pope has a clear goal, coercion and temptation, and he listens to Gao Li's bitter smile in his heart.

Although he had already imagined today's situation, he never thought that Zero, who was in the limelight, would stand on Paul's side without hesitation, so that his original plan to contain Paul's side by co-opting Zero in turn would fail, resulting in an absolute disadvantage at today's meeting. Zero took a step back on the surface, but in fact took an extremely sharp move, forcing Gao Li to have no power to parry, which shows the cleverness of the means.

But Gori is not a master to mess with, although he is forced by the alliance between Paul and Zero in the general trend to have only one way to cooperate. But how to cooperate, and where to cooperate, there is a lot to be done. In these places where there is a place to advance and retreat, every inch of land must be fought for. Paul was also unwilling to be left behind, and fought for his and Zero's interests everywhere, so a huge conference room turned into a war between Paul and Gorey.

Zero couldn't help but rejoice that Paul had come with him, and Paul was clearly more qualified than him in this regard.

The meeting ended at noon, but the two sides had not yet reached a consensus on many aspects, let alone signed a concrete agreement. According to Isabelle's idea, the two of them estimated that they would have to stay in the city of Saint-Louis for a few more days. In addition to meeting with Gori, they also had to visit the senior members of the fraternity in order to win their support.

On the morning of the third day of their arrival in the city of St. Louis, a fleet suddenly arrived on the island of Turin. Turin is one of the largest islands in the Cloister de la Pearl and the only military base on which the Papal Hall is located. Before dawn, Major General Simon, the head of the military base, woke up the adjutant and hurried to the dock to meet him.

Because this fleet is under the banner of Sauron himself, although he is surprised that Sauron would suddenly visit Turin Island at this time, Simon does not dare to slack off. Shortly after he arrived at the dock, the fleet began to enter the port. What puzzled Simon was that only one ship had entered the harbor, and the other warships were still on the distant coast, as if they were still preparing to sail away.

Without giving Simon time to think, the ship anchored, and Sauron walked to the dock under the guard of a group of silver hands. Simon and the adjutant hurriedly greeted him, but before he could speak, Zoro immediately asked Simon to go to the office with him for a secret talk, saying that there was something important to discuss. This surprised Simon, and he didn't dare to refuse, so he led Zoro to his private office in the base.

As soon as the door closed, Simon saw Sauron standing in front of a map. On the map is the island group of the Pearl Corridor, Zoro said lightly: "Recently, I received some information, I heard that some invisible rats are hiding under a certain island in the Pearl Corridor. They're right under your nose, Simon!"

Simon chuckled in his heart, and still said, "Lord Zoro, this is impossible. All the islands of the Pearl Cloister are under our control, and no one can blend in under our noses. ”

Zoro was speechless, and suddenly changed the subject: "Simon, have you heard of the Dark Brotherhood?"

Simon's body shook slightly, and he immediately replied, "I haven't heard of it, my lord." ”

"Really?" Sauron smiled, turning to say, "Under normal circumstances, no one would be able to hide in the Pearl Corridor under our noses. There is only one way to do this, and that is the manager of the Pearl Corridor, my dear Major General Simon, who personally covers for these rats. Am I right? Simon!"

For a moment, Simon's mind went blank.