The fire was raging, reflecting the darkness of the sky, and the blood was red.

The battle began abruptly, in stark contrast to it, and ended quietly.

Before you know it, the fights and roars become sparse and almost inaudible, and the fighters' movements gradually change from sharp swings to precise stabs and final swords.

The orcs at the front fled farther and farther away, running out of the barriers of the dunes and the light of the fire, and disappeared into the night.

The Stardust Guards, who had been rushing back and forth, gradually stopped, and turned back in the corpses and gore on the ground to inspect and confirm their results.

On the other side, the cavalry of the Croma family had already eliminated the broken orcs, and they joined the Stardust Guards in a mighty way.

But none of this has anything to do with Tails, or with the human captives who are being escorted down.

They were not ignored.

After the battle, the cavalrymen, with one-winged ravens painted on their robes and shields, rushed up to the small dune and, with unceremonious shouting and drive, drove them off the dune.

Tails believed that if they showed a little resistance and dissatisfaction, the unswerving cavalry would not mind drinking more blood from their blades.

So, the caravan, including the mercenaries, became captives for the second time, and obediently walked down the dunes and into a messy battlefield under the watchful eye of a group of Croma cavalry.

"Hurry up, sand pirates!"

A knight with a spear in his hand urged impatiently.

"We are not sand pirates, my lordship," Tomdin protested, tugging at his collar.

Perhaps because he was no longer facing the hideous and evil orcs, the caravan master's courage had regained a lot.

"It's a caravan! an orthodox, legal, and qualified caravan! My ancestors used to ......."

The knight with the spear in his hand smiled.

"I'm not an adult, my ancestors have been farmers for seven or eight generations, as for you, ......"

"The people of the great desert, the sand pirates, the caravans, the exiles," he shook his head on his horse, "do you know how different you are to me?"

Thomding listened.

"The answer is," said the knight coldly, "I don't know. ”

"And I don't care. ”

Thomding's smile froze slightly.

In the next second, the knight's spear struck Tomding's ass fiercely:

"So move your ass, sand thief!"

In the midst of Tomding's miserable screams, the group came to the center of the battlefield in a nervous mood.

The fire caused by the pile of eternal oil was much smaller, but it was still burning, illuminating everything around it.

The cavalry of the Croma family were cleaning up the battlefield and joking unscrupulously, and many people turned their eyes to them, and the ill-will in their eyes made everyone feel troubled.

"Wait here," said the knight, putting away his spear, kicking off his saddle, and said coldly, "the adults will decide what to do with you." ”

"Oh my God," Tom Ding gasped, covering his ass with one hand and wiping his sweat with the other, whispering among his captives, "these are simply savages...... Listen, we've got to make a good confession, we didn't come out of the Dunes of Bladefang, we headed south from the Tower of the End, so we don't know about the Stars' lockdown order......"

"Desert God...... Sep," Dean sighed, "You think they don't know what we're about?"

Thomding was slightly stunned.

"They had two troops, House Cromar and the Stardust Guard, one of which was ambushed in the distance, attacking from different directions, which showed that they had planned it a long time ago. ”

"The Stars may have spotted us a long time ago, and I bet they even knew that our caravan was from Camp Bladefang," Dean looked at the cavalry around him:

"They were just tracking the trail of the camp we left behind, just to get us to bait the cunning orcs - and they did, and our caravan let the orcs slacken. If it weren't for the fire, it would have been the perfect pocket, slowly closing in the night, and soaking up the orcs who were sleeping soundly on loot and supplies. ”

Luisa's face was ugly: "They—use us as bait?"

Dean sighed and nodded, "So, I advise you to tell the truth and don't hide it. ”

Tom Ding opened his mouth in disbelief: "But our cargo ......"

"Who cares?"

McGee coldly resisted his words on the side, "Do you know how many people we lost?"

"We shouldn't have come here – or just yesterday. ”

This sentence silenced everyone in the caravan.

Where the knight walked, a group of soldiers with torches surrounded an open space, and two officers, dressed markedly different from ordinary soldiers, stood on the ground, leading their horses, and discussing something aloud.

It is worth noting that the Xingchen people stand on both sides, and they are distinct.

One side is under the banner of a one-winged crow, surrounding a young nobleman with a serious face.

The other side, including the Freak Squad, held the Stardust Battle Banner and followed behind another prime-aged officer, whom Tails recognized, the officer's left arm slightly thicker than his right, the "boss" of the Freak Squad, who had just killed the Orc Guard with one punch.

Tails let out a long breath and pondered his next step.

The army of the stars is just around the corner.

According to the original plan, the Mystic people would take him into the desert to join the army of the stars, but now ......

The conscripts of the Cromar family, as well as the Stardust Guard, which is the standing army of the royal family.

Can these people be trusted?

If he reveals his identity at this time...... Would it be a wise choice?

"What are they talking about?" Fastrope narrowed his eyes, "Looks like they're arguing?"

Tails looked up, only to see the two officers arguing more and more intensely.

The old hammer stared for a moment, then shook his head.

"I'm not surprised that on the Western Front, the levies and the standing army never come together. ”

"They have a bad relationship?"

"Let me say so," the old hammer coughed, apparently not healing from his injuries just now, "In the Bladetooth camp, if a lord's levy and a royal standing army enter the same group of pits......"

"Normally, only one person can wipe their butts clean and come out. ”

Quick Rope asked puzzledly: "But they are all Xingchen people, and they are still guarding in a camp, why are they so ......?"

"The current King of Exeter was born to the same mother as his brother," the old hammer snorted:

"When I stabbed my brother to death, I didn't see him soft. ”

The Bonesman shook his head, "Bloodthorn Lizard." ”

This reminded the captives of something, and soon no one was silent.

The arguments of the officers are finally over.

"So that's the caravan?"

A gentle voice came, and I saw the "boss" who was "grass your mother" on the battlefield clapped his hands and stepped forward.

Tails noticed that the so-called "freak squad" was all standing behind the officer.

"That bonfire party is really lively, there are 'sounds' and 'colors'," the so-called boss was full of the local dialect of the Western Wilderness, he waved his hand to the eternal oil burning in the distance, and his face was steady: "Which of you is in charge?"

At that moment, Tails thought he was back dozens of minutes ago, facing the interrogation of the orc Kandal.

The captives looked at each other.

"Honorable lord," the owner of the caravan finally exhaled, changed his face to a full smile, and stepped forward: "I am Sep Tomding, this lord, I often run the trade routes from the Blade Tooth camp to the Three Kingdoms of the Lost Sea, and my ancestors once served under the Virtuous Monarch......

"I'm Douro," the boss of the Paranormal looked at Tom Ding, glancing at the cautious dozen people of the caravan, but interrupted him without giving him the slightest face: "Cusack Duro, but he is not an adult, his ancestors have been farmers for three generations, until Baron Williams picked me and became one of his vanguard officers, leading a small team." ”

Tomding was suddenly a little embarrassed.

But he turned quickly, and immediately clasped his hands, his face full of admiration: "Ahhh......h

At this time, the young nobleman on the side of the Croma family exhaled impatiently: "Hurry up, freaks, don't waste your time—it's not enough today." ”

Tails suddenly notices that this is the knight who ordered "no one to be left behind" in the sand dunes - it seems that he is the commander of the Chroma family's side.

Hearing the "freak", Captain Douro turned to the young nobleman, his smile did not decrease, but his eyes flashed coldly:

"Baron Guz, as promised, can you let me negotiate?"

Young nobleman, Guz shrugged.

"Whatever. ”

Duro nodded, then turned around, narrowed his eyes, and carefully looked at the merchant in front of him.

"Eternal oil. ”

The Adept's next sentence made Tom Ding tremble slightly.

I saw him point to the camp that was still burning in the distance: "Want to start a fire of this magnitude, Towndy, how many did you get? 10 barrels, 20 barrels?"

At that moment, Tomding tugged at his smile, both embarrassed and flattering.

He looked left and right, his gaze constantly flickering between the flames and the Douro: "My lord, we, we only bought this oil when we met some unscrupulous smugglers on the road - I mean, we can't let it flow into the desert, right?" but I swear I didn't get involved in any ......."

Dean sighed quietly behind him.

"Bullshit. ”

"Except for those orcs just now, the surroundings have already been cleaned up by our people," Du Luo snorted coldly: "These eternal oils were brought out of the Blade Fang camp by you in the face of the blockade order, Towndy. ”

Tomding's face froze, and he didn't even care if the other party called his wrong name.

"You can see that you are not a small caravan of five or six people. ”

"I bet if we search your cargo, we'll find a lot of contraband. ”

"Smuggling embargoed materials into the Great Desert, and in the face ......of the blockade," Douro sighed, his eyes sharpened, "I don't think it's a legitimate business practice. ”

"You know, it's possible to be convicted. ”

The captives frowned in unison.

Tomding's expression was panicked: "Dear lord, we ......"

The Adeptus Boss held up a finger and pressed his words.

"But you did a little bit of a distraction from the grey mongrels a little," Douro slowly looked up, smiled warmly, and nodded approvingly, "...... for our victory"

"Made a small contribution. ”

Hope reignited on Tomding's face.

"Yes, yes, I can help you...... About...... I'm ashamed......"

He was slightly excited: "So ......"

"But still let that orc leader run," Baron Gutz on the other side said coldly, sounding very difficult to speak, "Thanks to your 'touching' tactical cooperation, Stardust Guards." ”

The smile on Duro's face disappeared: "We'll come back to this later, Baron Guz." ”

"Not now. ”

Guz snorted coldly.

Looking at the two teams of men and horses standing on both sides, faintly facing each other, and the two commanders who were quite inconsistent in their words, Tails thought thoughtfully.

Douro turned his head and looked at a bewildered Tomding.

I saw him smile and say, "Therefore, although your violations of law and discipline are despicable, Tang Di, I am still willing to help you say good things in front of the inquisitor and give you a chance to choose." ”

Opportunity to choose?

Tails frowned slightly.

He noticed that the "freaks" behind Douro looked at each other a few times and smiled mysteriously, while Baron Guz, opposite Douro, looked to the other side with disdain.

Thomding took a breath and almost burst into tears.

"Thank you so much...... By the way, my name is Thomdine not Thomdy......"

The Adeptus Boss accepted his thanks with a smile: "So, Townsy ......"

"Collaboration with the enemy, spy detection...... Which of the two charges do you want to choose?"

These words stunned the entire captive team.

Collaboration.

Spy?

Even Tails couldn't help but be stunned, wondering if he should declare his identity.

Tomding's eyes widened, "What?"

Douro sighed.

"Don't be surprised, Towndy, judging from the large pile of materials you have used as evidence of the crime, you are guilty of these two crimes, enough to enter the prison of bones," the freak captain of the Stardust Guard looked at them in embarrassment, and immediately smiled: "But I still give you a choice, you can choose one of them, how good?"

Thomding's face turned from red to blue.

"No, no, my lord, I swear...... We're not...... You can't ...... We...... Tiny contribution ......"

Just as Thomding was incoherent, Douro raised another finger!

"But!"

The captain's eyes flickered slightly: "If the evidence of the crime is insufficient, I think it will be difficult to establish the crime, and the judge will not take you seriously." ”

Tom Ding a meal.

"......Insufficient incriminating evidence? What do you mean?"

He looked at Douro for some reason.

"Look, your eternal oil is almost burning," Douro sighed, gesturing to the burning camp in the distance, "I don't think the Inquisitor can still make it difficult for you to smuggle eternal oil without evidence." ”

Tom Ding looked at him stunned.

Douro stepped forward, his stout left arm around the merchant's shoulder, and irresistibly took him around in circles, taking in the sight of his surroundings.

It was the camps and small tents set up by the caravans, and the piled up goods were scattered in the fierce battle.

"But, look around, your goods, smuggling, violating lockdown orders, contraband, whatever...... The sun is setting, and you still have so much evidence of guilt present, even if I want to help you get rid of your guilt, it will be difficult to prove your innocence......"

Duro patted him on the shoulder and looked serious: "Do you understand?"

As soon as these words came out, the faces of Dean and the old hammer suddenly turned strange.

Thomding looked at the goods around him, his lips quivering, and he was speechless.

Douro put his arm around his shoulders like a brother and looked at Tomding with affection.

After a few seconds, the snake hand behind Douro shrugged: "I don't think he understands, boss." ”

Baron Gudzi on the other side laughed.

The Stranger was suddenly a little embarrassed.

He sighed, let go of Tom Ding, and pushed him back into the line of prisoners in disappointment, his thick left arm making Tom Ding stumble: "Okay, then, the two charges of collaborating with the enemy and spying ......"

As Douro spoke, the star soldiers beside him pressed their hands onto their weapons.

Tails was taken aback.

At that moment, Dean stepped forward.

The mercenary stomped Tom Ding hard and whispered in his ear, "Give them to them!"

Tom Ding was agitated and immediately reacted.

"I see!"

He screamed like a pig, and raised his hands in the air: "Understood! Understood, my lord!"

The sound was so loud that it spread through the surrounding sand dunes.

The soldiers who had messed up the mess turned back frequently.

Captain Douro, who was crossed on his waist, paused slightly, and his eyes slowly raised.

"You...... Do you really get it?"

"Yes, sir!"

At this moment, Tom Ding was full of tears, but he answered without hesitation, he opened his arms and gestured to the surrounding camps: "Goods...... The whole cargo of our caravan belonged to sixteen merchants, from pots and pots to spice seeds, from clothing and jewelry to precious collections...... Take it all, take it all! We don't want anything! Just let us ...... safe."

The merchants' faces turned gloomy.

But Douro didn't smile as expected.

I saw the squad leader sigh in pain and slap himself on the forehead, looking like he hated iron but not steel.

"Oh, my ...... No, you still don't get it!"

The captives looked at him in disbelief.

Douro lowered his hand with a look of disappointment.

He raised his voice: "Take your goods...... Let's take it?"

Douro was full of hatred, and his hands kept flapping on the hilt and armor of his sword, making a series of noises, which frightened Tom Ding back again and again: "Do you think we, Your Majesty's army, will covet your things, your possessions, even a copper? What do you think of us? Corrupt officials who accumulate wealth or shameless robbers?"

"It's hard to imagine that the great kingdom army is such an image in your hearts?"

"O Goddess of the Sunset, we are the army of the Kingdom of the Stars, with our own rules and creeds, and we exist to protect the kingdom and the people!"

The Leader of the Abilities paced back and forth, seemingly unable to understand the thoughts of the captives, and his awe-inspiring appearance made many people feel ashamed.

The more he spoke, the more angry he became:

"Don't insult us like that, okay!"

The captives stared dumbfounded at the righteous captain of the Adept.

"What's wrong?"

In the team, Dean whispered in confusion, "Is he too little?"

"I don't know," replied the old hammer, coughing, "that's all the caravan." ”

Tom Ding looked at Captain Douro, who was furious and sighed in hatred, and looked at the others in horror for help, but the other Star Cavalry all looked at him with a calm expression.

"If you're not satisfied, I'll have some money to ...... back when I get back to Camp Bladefang."

Douro stopped.

He spread his hands and stared at Tom Ding in disbelief, as if he had seen the most incredible thing in the world.

"What are you doing, Towndy?"

"You're ...... Trying to bribe, bribing me, bribing the glorious army of the kingdom, bribing His Majesty's soldiers?"

"Do you think we protect you for the sake of money? We have our own salaries and rewards, and more importantly, we have our own dignity!"