Longmen Memoirs

She felt that she might be stupid too, and that she was probably influenced by W, which led her to have such desperate thoughts. Suicide was not the order, but compared to being found, arrested, and tortured to death, she did not hate it. A seemingly stupid way to die.

w is not wrong.

Those people were not mercenaries at all, they were the army, the few remaining regular armies in Kazdaele.

Everyone is planning their own chessboard, and no one cares about how the two little mercenaries prepare to meet their own death.

Chapter 8 Wishes are a small word

Later, how did Chen Mo evaluate Kelsey.

She is a third-rate politician, a second-rate businessman, and a first-rate researcher and scholar. It is really hard to imagine what Kelsey's cold face would look like when she smiles. Very few people in the entire Tower of Babel have seen Kelsey. Nozomi's smile, even if it was just a smile, she seemed to have forgotten this expression long ago, and people were not surprised.

But someone with a cold face cannot become a good politician, especially when Kazdaele International is in an extremely difficult situation. Most of her so-called policies are pieced together using her rich knowledge. If she were to be described as a watchmaker from Kazdaele, it would probably be unqualified.

As a businessman, she is indeed not good at this, but she is one of the best scholars and doctors. She has a knowledge reserve and insight that far exceeds that of ordinary people, and she also has sufficient knowledge of unknown and unexplored areas. Curiosity and patience are one of the important qualities necessary to become a researcher.

Probably because of this, no one knows what Kelsey likes. She never expresses her feelings for a specific thing, let alone a person.

Tower of Babel time 16:27p.m

weather/cloudy

The sky in Kazdaele is always gloomy and gray. Today is a good time to kill people. It would be great if there is another light rain. The rain will wash away the strong smell of blood in the air.

Hard-soled military boots stepped on the abandoned and cracked ground of the city.

This is an abandoned town in Kazdaele. After the end of the Patriotic War, one of the many towns established for the revival of Kazdaele in the later period. However, these cities established for the revival of Kazdaele are just like most mobile cities. Destroyed in the long civil war.

One of the main reasons why people reject and criticize the Sakaz people is that they cannot even protect their own country. Although they won the Patriotic War and protected Kazdaele from interference by foreign forces, the battlefield has never been It doesn't just mean military victory.

The Patriotic War was just the beginning. The three disasters in Kazdaele inevitably caused some people's ideas to change and conflict, so Kazdaele ushered in its long civil war and the most chaotic moment.

No one knows the main reasons for this civil war, and naturally, no one knows the purpose of this civil war.

Mercenaries are the only remaining glory of this former kingdom, and they are also one of Kazdaele's most representative specialties. This is not a good statement, but at least it proves Kazdaele's current predicament.

No other country on the continent can be as chaotic as Kazdaele. Even Bolivar and Sargon can at least maintain their basic political power.

Kazdaele's geographical location is too sharp. It is located in the center of three powerful empires and borders many countries. Most of these countries are wary of the Sakaz people. Sakaz's innate and excellent Originium affinity makes no one Dare to take this population lightly, whether it is Ursus in the north, Yan in the east, Leitania or Rutland in the west, or even Rem Billiton in the south where Victoria actually controls part of the political power.

No one is happy to see the rise of Kazdaele. The pressure brought by a powerful neighbor is something people are afraid of, especially when the master of this country is a species that has been criticized in history.

It is really hard to believe that in a situation where powerful neighbors are looking around, there is no way out for Sakaz or Kazdaele. From the beginning of its establishment, this country has been in a cage under the surveillance of various countries.

They kept suppressing and squeezing Sakaz's living space, not giving them a chance to get ahead.

It's just that the once powerful Victoria has now faded away, Ursus has also fallen into the stagnation of war, and Yan has lost its original ambition.

The division of Colombia took away the heritage of Victoria, symbolizing the end of this huge colonial empire. Gaul was destroyed. Ursus, who was resurrected on the corpse of Gaul, is still licking the bitter fruits of the failure of the Blood Peak War. The late emperor has Death, the new monarch of this country does not seem to be very talented and powerful, and the Yan Kingdom inevitably relaxed its vigilance after Ursus fell into silence, except Rutland and Letania.

After losing the barrier of Victoria and Ursus, Kazdaile finally received a breather in her long wait.

This is probably the best opportunity. If Victoria and Ursus recover, they may have to wait hundreds of years. But even the best opportunity is actually difficult to find given Kazdaele's current situation. The first day.

The Sakaz people have become accustomed to this way of survival of chaos and struggle. It is extremely difficult for them to put down their weapons and disputes and suddenly disrupt their lives.

But war, war is the best nourishment and change. Kazdaele does need a war, just like this battlefield needs a rain to clear away the stagnation and silt.

The thunder before the heavy rain will make everyone wallowing in the smoke and mud of this land understand one thing, it is time for them to make a choice.

Hedley looked at the man sitting in front of him in the camp command room without saying a word.

The last time I saw him was not far from the Hearth Industrial Zone, the messenger was intercepted, and he himself was invited to be in front of this man.

Li Ting, a strange name that suddenly emerged. This kind of thing is not uncommon in Kazdare, but it is also not common. What really made the mercenaries remember this name in their hearts was the death of Garson. With a long-established mercenary The death of the leader to announce his existence and name is the best deal.

In fact, they did achieve their goal. After Garson's death, they blatantly hung his head in the Scar Market. Even Hedley himself did not dare to imagine such a thing. They were too high-profile and made Hedley Somewhat uneasy.

But he has no other choice. A well-known mercenary like him does have a lot of say in the mercenary industry if he says something nice, but that's all. When facing real power, , his meager reputation has no effect at all, let alone deterring his opponents.

Hedley looked sideways at the map in the center. The signs on the huge land cruiser and the escort troops around him were much less than expected. Instead, they were replaced by various signs representing mercenary teams. The transport force was approaching bit by bit, including Hedley's own team, which was located to the south of the transport force, but he himself came here.

"At this time, you should stay in your own team instead of coming to my place."

Chen Mo raised his head and looked at Hedley who suddenly visited him.

"Or did you temporarily change your mind and decide to choose another ally?"

"You are joking, Your Excellency." Hedley replied: "Rebellion midway is a taboo in the mercenary business. This will seriously affect our reputation. After all, no employer will hire a group of mercenaries who betrayed them."

"But I think no one will hire you in the future." Chen Mo replied calmly: "And I think it is not difficult to understand when faced with a dilemma, making a choice to save one's life. In fact, , even if you bring another group of people to raid here now, I won't be surprised."

"I'm not stupid enough to do such a thing. You also said that you are not surprised, which means you are ready, right? Let me ask, if I really do this, what is my chance of survival? "

"You already have the answer in your mind, don't you?" Chen Mo said, looking at the well-known mercenary in front of him, he called out his name: "Hedley."

"If I hadn't guessed, another group of people should have contacted you?" Chen Mo asked: "How? Did they warn you not to overestimate your capabilities and become enemies of Kazdaele? You may have guessed the identities of this group of people , come here now and tell me, what do you want to confirm?"

Hedley was silent for a moment.

"I have indeed had contact with the people you mentioned. They are not pure mercenaries. I don't see any trace of mercenaries in them. They are more like the army under the lord, but they are more elite than ordinary armies. .”

Hedley meant something.

"This is normal. Although the Military Committee has been disbanded long ago, there are still many soldiers and veterans of regular forces left from that period."

"Military Committee...heh, what a strange name."

Hedley chuckled.

"But you know what the name means."

"Yes, I understand." Hedley nodded and said, "So we are just a group of baits, a group of baits placed outside to attract eyeliners."

"You can think that all the mercenaries who were coerced to participate in this war are bait." Chen Mo did not refute. He saw Hedley's hand quietly moving to the sword. This movement was not obvious.

But eventually he gave up.

"I hope you will allow us to leave Kazdaele after this contract is over."

"I can not guarantee."

Hedley did not get the answer he wanted, which was not surprising to him: "The war in Kazdare has begun, and all the Sakaz in this land cannot stay away. You have to understand, Hedley, When the Kazdaele War breaks out and ends, all Sarkarz are closely related to this country. Whether you admit it or not, you will be regarded as a member of Kazdaele, and your actions will affect the world's perception of the country. Kazdale’s view.”

"You are an excellent warrior, Hedley. If you were just a Sakaz civilian, I might be able to let you take your people out of Kazdare, but it's a pity that you are not." He said: "Besides, , you can’t promise me that one day you won’t appear on a battlefield somewhere in Kazdare, you should know it in your heart.”

"..."

Of course Hedley understands. He understands how difficult it is to leave Kazdaele at this time. He also understands that when he decides to leave, the person in front of him will probably get rid of him without hesitation, just relying on his skills. and experience are very likely to be won over by the other party. They can always think of various ways. The mercenary captain understands how these people behave.

If it is not used by me, it will be killed by me.

He was just a little surprised, but he wasn't disgusted by it. He was just used to it, so he got used to it.

"How will we be arranged?" he asked, seeming to have given up on leaving Kazdale. Maybe Ines was right, they should not come back to Kazdale again.

But Ines could not understand a Sakaz's attachment to Kazdaele, and she could not understand Hedley's inner uneasiness, which was the remaining love of a Sakaz with a broken homeland for this suffering land. , and a small desire not to die in a foreign country.

"The Tower of Babel needs an army, an armed force that belongs to the Tower of Babel. Your Highness... You should have heard of Theresia's name. I don't need to say more. Many Sakaz have feelings for her. Expectation, I can understand the source of this expectation, but Hedley, hope without results is poisonous, it will not blossom and bear fruit, so there will always be some people who think their original ideas are ridiculous for a long time. What Thea did was filled with disappointment.”

"I've seen a lot of people like this."

Hedley did not answer. He understood that these words were said to him on purpose. The other party had investigated him and naturally understood that he was also one of these people. The only difference was that although he gave up his expectations for the so-called princess, he still He did not choose to stand on the opposite side of the Tower of Babel.

He is a man of moderation and one of the few visionaries among the Sakaz mercenaries.

So Ines always commented that he thought too much about what he should and should not think about. He also understood that even if he thought about these things, he could not do anything in his capacity, but he was still used to thinking.

"Do we have any chance of winning this war?"

"You actually understand your question, don't you? No one knows when the chaos, civil war, and conflicts between the big and small lords in Kazdaele will end." Chen Mo did not hide it: "So let me talk to you. You want to know, while we still have some time."

Hedley wanted to ask something, but the other party pressed his hand and he stopped talking.

He pointed to the seat next to him.

Hedley shook his head.

"You are a different mercenary. Well, it is better to say that you don't have the same focus as ordinary mercenaries. You have to think more than them, and you don't just think about whether you can see the sunrise tomorrow." Chen Mo said: " As a mercenary, you are not very qualified, but as a military commander, you already have potential."

He couldn't tell whether it was praise or disparagement. Hedley was silent and couldn't answer, and subconsciously began to think about the meaning of this sentence.

"The powerful clans of Kazdaele and those lords, big and small, are willing to gather under the command of the Tower of Babel. They are different from the ordinary mercenaries who expect Thearesia. They involve too many forces, and the only one who can make them pay attention is It is nothing more than interests. This war is an opportunity, including those who stand under the command of the other side. The war will redivide the internal rights of Kazdaele. Some prestigious lords and forces will likely be reshuffled in this war. card." He said: "You should be able to understand this. They knew that the Tower of Babel could not be controlled as easily as the lords under Tracys, which made them think they had taken advantage of the loophole and could win in this war. They will obtain rich harvests, all of which will be collected by them. Compared with the other side, the gentle Theresia is obviously an easier master to deal with."

"But I think it's not that easy to achieve their goals, right? Your Excellency."

There were some changes in Hedley's eyes. He easily understood the meaning of Chen Mo's words. The location of the Tower of Babel is now very awkward. The gathered lords have different intentions and are not interested in the Tower of Babel. Real use.

"They are unreliable. To be precise, they also know that they are unreliable, but they stick together and regard Theresia as a simple banner. Under this name, they use the people gathered for this name to Those who rise up will die for them, such as you...and some mercenaries and Sakaz who are hopeful, making you bleed and charge."

"Besides, it's more than that..."

Hedley saw his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.

"What I have seen is that Theresia's reputation among the people, as well as the legitimacy of the throne, are some good means of use. It seems that Theresia has nothing, but in fact she has a lot of advantages. The bargaining chips of this war, these are the main reasons why those lords are willing to become vassals."

"Her character seems weak, her methods are gentle, and she is easy to control. At least in the eyes of most people, having this person on the throne can give them more power."

Hedley's eyes changed.

"Why...why are you telling me this?"

"Isn't this unfair?" Chen Mo asked back: "Just imagine who caused the long chaos in Kazdaele. These greedy guys still don't change their nature and want to make profits in this war. They regard Kazdaele as For his own pasture, he wields the whip and beats the flesh and blood of every Sakaz in this land."

"...that's how it should be."

"This is not true, Hedley." Chen Mo looked at Hedley, who looked away slightly: "You really think so in your heart, don't you think that Sakaz's current life is no different from these people? relation."

"Even if it's like you said, there's nothing we can do..."

Hedley had some vague expectations in his heart, but he told himself that he should not have such extravagant expectations, and neither should Sakaz. He had thought too much about some plans that were beneficial to Sakaz, and he did not He was arrogant and did not feel depressed that his talent was not appreciated. He corrected his position.

"No, it's not that you can't do anything, but that you have never imagined how much power you have." Chen Mo said: "I know what you want to say, you want to say...those Saka who are wandering in this land Now, it is difficult for them to even read, they cannot distinguish between good and bad, they are ignorant and ignorant, they have no ambition, they are numb and indifferent.”

"I have seen all the things you are thinking about. Serfs, slaves, factory owners, petty citizens, and residents living in mobile cities live a stable life. Everyone hopes for such a life. They have long been accustomed to their suffering and have no idea of ​​changing. Do you simply think that your destiny is like this, that your birth is your destiny, and this cannot be changed?"

Hedley didn't refute, he just sighed softly.

"You are a Sakaz who cares about Kazdel, so I spared your life. You should see with your own eyes the vision I talked about." Chen Mo said: "The people may have various ills, and they are used to it. Following the crowd, they are used to not thinking, used to complaining, treating their own experiences as ordinary, giving up the pursuit of pursuit, they are numb, they are stupid, they listen to rumors, but it is not that they cannot distinguish between good and bad, at least they are also Expecting a better life, they just need someone to guide them, but who will guide them? Nobles and nobles will give up their rights. They are not good people. They have to rule, consolidate their status, and control the discourse. How can they let go of their rights? To liberate Sakaz’s interests, let them take away their status, and give them the confidence to go against themselves?”

"In that case, why do you keep talking about these meaningless facts?" Hedley said, as if asking, as if talking to himself.

"Isn't this the reason why you left the team and came here?" Chen Mo asked: "An answer? An answer you want, but I tell you, Hedley, maybe after hearing this answer, you will also become this The victims of this war are like those Sarkarz you have been unwilling to face."

Hedley fell silent.

After a few seconds.

He asked: "I have heard some remarks spreading certain ideas in some cities and regions. To be honest, I don't have much confidence in these remarks."

He wanted to take a rest, but he didn't know where to rest.

There were some words that he couldn't say out loud. He felt that these remarks were no different from those used by lords to control the citizens, but they had to be simpler and more direct to people's hearts. Even a frustrated Sakaz like him would not be able to avoid being affected. Naturally, will be affected, because they are all looking forward to the same future, most Sakaz are already tired, and freedom is not suitable for this land.

"Then after this war is over, I recommend you to go to Gray and have a look. Maybe you will find the answer there." Chen Mo did not answer Hedley's words: "You can go and find the answer you want in person. Rather than me using some empty words to raise your expectations, I think you should find the answer yourself. Once you decide, there is no turning back."

"Gray?" Hedley chewed on this unfamiliar word.

"The only mobile city under the Tower of Babel..." Chen Mo replied, then paused: "They have... well, a very unusual story. Most of the people who left the court came from Grai."

Hedley thought of leaving the court. He had seen those Sakaz and said they were Sakaz, but they had a different feeling from Sakaz. Hedley couldn't explain the feeling. They were looking at other Sakaz. When he was a Kaz man, there was always something different in his eyes, similar to contempt, but somewhat different.

They have a certain kind of self-confidence, rather confidence.

Instinct told Hedley that he should not agree to visit that city, but he did have such an idea in his mind.

He saw the man in front of him stand up.

Hedley's arrival achieved no results, and he passed in front of him.

"Come on, Hedley, it's time to start." He said: "You should return to your position and command your team, but you'd better not die here."

Chapter 9 Chess Game [-]: Hunter and Prey

"There is a famous proverb in my hometown, which is that the mantis stalks the cicada and the oriole leaves behind. It is somewhat similar to the current situation."

Chen Mo told Niyan this.

The transport ship was almost in sight. Chen Mo, who was walking through the ruins, finally saw the mud rocks and the bodies lying on the ground.