Sword of Dawn

Holy Spirit Plain, a small town on the west bank of Gorgon, Changshi Town.

The scorching rays and the smell of scorching blades burning flesh wafted into the nostrils, making the gloomy government official frowned. This middle-aged man with a pale complexion and high cheekbones in a black woolen coat looked at the man who was tied behind his back. The family members clasped their hands, and the disgust on their faces was undisguised.

The security guards in black uniforms and armed with magical weapons stood beside him. The blade of the melting sword glowed red in the cold winter wind, carrying frightening heat.

"You have concealed the property that should have been handed over to the empire, kept the illegal contract, and refused to implement the farmland decree, Mr. Scott Coulton, it seems that prison is your best destination," the gloomy official of the government affairs office said in a cold tone , "Maybe it can wash away the rancid smell on your family."

"Bermaner...you are avenging yourself!" The man with his hands tied behind his back raised his head forcefully, and despite the fact that there were heavily armed mana warriors standing beside him, he still shouted loudly, "You tampered with the document! Those who don't The existing accounts, title deeds, letters... are all concocted by you!!"

"Shut up!" The security guard on the side quickly stepped forward, and the armguard made of steel hit his face firmly, making the latter's face covered with blood, and the man who had been injured in many places almost passed out on the spot.

A woman nearby screamed in horror.

"Put them in the car," the government official known as Berman waved his hands in disgust, "Others, continue to count the confiscated things... These are all fat squeezed from the poor, you must Put it into the treasury and use it on the right path.”

The special security team next to him responded immediately: "Yes, my lord."

Bermaner nodded, and couldn't help showing a smile on his face, but another gust of cold wind blew, making him tighten his clothes involuntarily.

……

The sky was getting darker and darker, and the newly erected magic crystal street lamps on both sides of the town streets were lit up one by one under the control of the automatic mechanism.

People who finished their day's work set foot on the way home under the lights. Near the government affairs hall in the former aristocratic district, a light-footed figure flashed across the brightly lit street.

Bermer stepped up the few steps in front of the independent dormitory, looked up at the door pane emitting warm light, and couldn't help speeding up his pace.

Pushing open the door of this house that once belonged to a certain consultant scholar, a warm breath rushed in. Bermer stepped into the room, closed the door, then took off his cold coat, and hung it on the wall near the entrance. on a silver hook.

But a strange man's voice suddenly came to his ears and his movements froze instantly: "Don't hang up your coat in such a hurry, Mr. Berman - you will be going out soon, it is colder outside than inside Much more."

Bermer's eyes widened immediately, his heart pounding in shock. He suddenly looked in the direction of the sound, only to see a strange figure in a black uniform emerging from the empty living room just a moment ago— ——It was a young man with short black hair and a slight smile on his face. He was wearing a straight black long windbreaker with a small silver chain hanging from the neckline, and a red armband with black eyes embroidered on it. its left arm.

The stranger sat on the sofa, and it took less than three seconds for his body to go from illusory to solid. Then he stood up and stretched out his white-gloved right hand to Bermer: "As a courtesy to meeting for the first time, maybe we should shake hands." a hand?"

"Who are you!" Bermer exclaimed, "Why are you in my house?!"

"Shh, your family is still sleeping upstairs, I think you don't want to wake them up in this embarrassing situation," the young man withdrew his right hand, took out the ID from his pocket, and unfolded it in front of Bermaner—the black background The silver-white daggers are crossed on the open eyes, which is the logo of the Military Intelligence Bureau, "MIB, Internal Service Three, Anti-Rebellion Special Section, Codename Raven. Mr. Berman, please follow me , we have something to ask you about."

Bermaner's pupils constricted for a moment, and he finally realized the identity of the young man in front of him. The next second, he suddenly took half a step back, turned around and wanted to open the door and rush to the street, but just as he had time to turn the handle, a A hand wearing only a white glove pressed his arm.

The military intelligence officer who called himself "Dark Crow" had already stood beside him at some point, and some kind of metal object pressed Bermer's back.

Visible sweat dripped from the forehead of the government affairs official, and he shouted uncontrollably: "You...you can't do this! I am loyal to His Majesty! I have followed him since Kant, and I have made contributions in the Holy Spirit Plain... "

Raven took out the special shackles: "Unfortunately, Mr. Berman, I confirm that your name appears on the list."

"Let me go! Let me go!" Bermer struggled, but his strength couldn't break free from the former royal shadow guard's confinement. He could only shout in despair, "I just did what I should do! I I am loyal, I am loyal! Take me to see His Majesty... No, no, no, even take me to see the chief!

"Have mercy! Sir, take me to the director, who knows me! She knows...

"Good job, good job, send a magic net message to the director, there must be some misunderstanding, there must be something..."

Click, the locks of the shackles closed, and Berman's hands were firmly imprisoned.

The dark crow snapped his fingers, and the power of shadow invaded the opponent's vocal cords, finally quieting the chattering man.

Looking at the man with wide-eyed eyes in front of him, Dark Crow showed a hint of pity on his expression: "I'm afraid you will be disappointed, the one who signed is the bureau chief, a government office like you who was born in the southern border and received personal education from Her Majesty Hetty." If something happens to an official, of course there must be a special order from the highest level. But please rest assured, His Majesty does not allow any form of internal assassination or secret execution. You will accept an open and fair trial. You emphasize your loyalty—if If they really exist, then it must be revealed after the trial. But then again, you should know better than me what the final result will be.

"Mr. Berman, you have embezzled the property confiscated from the old noble castle, and distorted the execution of orders from the Supreme Council. All these things will be announced. You may become an influential model... This can at least become Your last contribution to the Empire.

"In addition, we will notify your family members in a proper way, and you will also have the opportunity to meet them - different from your style of acting, we will strictly enforce the law, so don't worry about it."

The raven spoke unhurriedly, and Berman made a whining sound, his eyes were full of fear and regret, and perhaps, there was still a trace of doubt.

Seeing such eyes, Raven just shook his head, stepped forward to open the door, and led Bermaner to the street.

In the small town that has completely fallen into the night, the magic spar lamps on both sides of the road exude bright brilliance. In the silent night, several figures in long black trench coats, red armbands and white gloves are walking slowly near the houses. get out.

"Close the team."

Chapter 0758 Information

In a plain office at the headquarters of the Military Intelligence Bureau, thick curtains block the bright sunlight outside the window, and the thin light that spills in through the gaps in the curtains makes the room look dim and shadowy. A magic net terminal is placed next to the desk. , a faint blue light is emerging above the projection crystal, and the printing device connected to the terminal is running rattling, while the gears and rollers are rolling, sheets of white paper are printed with ink and sent to the tray.

The printed paper floated out of thin air, and was sent to the table as if being lifted by an invisible hand, flipping in mid-air, and when the last sheet was flipped, a faint sigh sounded in the room: "Alas! ..."

A moment later, the paper was folded in mid-air and disappeared into the air inch by inch. Afterwards, shadows floated in the dark room. After the almost imperceptible wind blew, the magic net terminal became quiet, and the whole room fell into dead silence.

In Gao Wen's study room, the heater is blowing out warm air softly and silently to resist the severe winter cold outside the window. The incense placed in the corner exudes a calming atmosphere, gradually dispersing with the weak airflow surrounding the room Come.

Gao Wen, who was sitting behind the desk, felt something, put down a document casually, and raised his head: "Not in a good mood?"

"...Fortunately," the figure of Amber emerged from the air, and handed a folded document to Gao Wen, "From the reformed area of ​​the valley in the west of the Holy Spirit Plain, the Peibo area in the south, and the Sulam Terrace in the east Please take a look at the report from the Third Office of Internal Affairs."

Gao Wen took the document casually, carefully read the name on it and the preliminary investigation briefing, his expression remained unchanged: "...It's okay, isn't it?"

"I don't see it well." Amber curled her lips, "Some people are comparable to the old nobles back then... and even went too far."

Gawain glanced at the half-elf with a half-smile: "Still not used to it?"

"...Not really," Amber frowned, "I just feel sorry. Some people are indeed opportunists who sneaked in due to lax censorship and insufficient manpower, but there are still some who were recruited during the Principality period. The people who work in the government affairs department are promoted from among the civilians and selected from among the progressive scholars, but..."

"A bright world is a beautiful vision, but it is impossible to realize after all," Gao Wen shook his head, "Especially because our development is too fast, there is no time to conduct a thorough review and test on every government official. It’s inevitable. Sometimes, we can’t expect a certain group of people to have innate morality and conscience—this kind of thinking is no different from the so-called ‘nobility’s excellence theory’, so we have to use institutions and laws to restrain order.”

Just as Gawain predicted long ago, individual corruption eventually appeared in the rapidly developing Cecil order, and due to the establishment of the empire, a large number of new areas were placed under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Government Office, and some more remote areas could only be In the establishment of a temporary government affairs office, a large number of low-level officials are mixed, and there is a disconnect between the remote government affairs department and the highest government affairs department. Chaos in some areas is inevitable.

However, although Gao Wen regretted these situations, he was not surprised.

From the very beginning, he didn't expect the order he created to be perfect. He only hoped that everything he built could conform to the status quo and be the most "suitable" for this era.

He believes that Amber, who walks in the dark and deals with intelligence from all sides of the empire, is also very clear about this.

"The third internal office is just a means. In the final analysis, the third internal office is also run by people." Gao Wen looked at Amber. Institutions, and the implementation and maintenance of these institutions, are the means of ensuring longevity.

"On this basis, we should be thankful now, because we can at least catch those people in time and make a list, which shows that many of the systems we set up in advance are effective, and someone can implement them. If there is a day , your list is empty, then you, as the director of the Military Intelligence Bureau, are really in trouble."

"It's a pity that most of the people in the government affairs hall are just carrying out orders," Amber sighed in her tone, "few people think about the starting point behind those orders, even fewer people can understand the logic and basis of those orders, almost no one Can fully understand your huge system... Aren't you tired?"

Gawain smiled, noncommittal.

Two seconds later, he asked Amber: "What about you? What category do you belong to?"

"I probably don't count in any category," Amber thought for a while, then suddenly laughed, "I'm not a person who likes to use his brain."

"In order to avoid working overtime, you don't hesitate to damage your IQ, you are working hard enough," Gao Wen smiled helplessly, and raised his finger to the document he was reading just now, "Typhon has initially agreed to our proposal, including mutual Sending long-term ambassadors, setting up embassies, expanding business cooperation and other projects, and as for international students, they will send a delegation before the spring, led by the eldest daughter of Rosetta Augustus, Matilda Augustus."

Amber blinked, and then found the corresponding information in her mind: "Matilda Augustus, 22 years old, the eldest daughter of Rosetta, intelligent, excellent in martial arts, good at one-handed swordsmanship, and her personal strength should be at the high end. The specific level is unknown. He does not often appear in public, but he has a good reputation in the Typhon aristocratic circle, and because of his noble status, excellent conduct, and outstanding knowledge, he is known as the High Mountain of the Typhon Empire. flower……

"In addition, according to the assessment of the Military Intelligence Bureau, the possibility of this 'Flower of the High Mountain' becoming the next Emperor Typhon is about [-]%—her younger brother, Prince Hadiron Augustus, is her strong competitor Opponent, and the latter has an advantage in inheritance priority because he is in charge of the Obsidian Forbidden Army. But this does not mean that the two have conflicts, at least so far, Matilda Augustus and Hadiron Augustus The relationships shown to the outside world are all harmonious and respectful, especially after the accidental death of Rosetta Augustus's eldest son, the relationship between the remaining two main heirs and other brothers and sisters is particularly united and harmonious.

"There is only so much information on my side. After all, it involves high-level officials over there, and that's all the leaked information."

"Is it a standard and perfect image setting..." Gao Wen rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "And I always feel like I have heard of a similar character setting somewhere..."

Amber didn't understand Gao Wen's meaning for a moment: "Huh? What do you want to say?"

Gawain's thoughts have gradually let go: "I'm thinking about bringing Veronica out and let these two fight. Which one do you think will be stronger?"

Amber was at a loss: "...Why put them together? Because they are all princesses? But Veronica has already..."

"Because the two of them are pretty...ah, no, don't worry about it," Gao Wen waved his hand, "It's just a casual remark, it doesn't mean anything."

"Oh..." Amber scratched her hair, because the old rice dumpling in front of her would often come up with some incomprehensible thoughts or say some inexplicable words. She had long been accustomed to this, and didn't ask any further questions at the moment, just silently After remembering what Gao Wen said just now, he was going to tell Veronica later.

"Speaking of which, aren't you going to let the two special 'citizens' from Solinburg play some roles?" After thinking for a while, Amber said again, "One is left to dry for photosynthesis, and the other is to dig the ruins. Labeling the crystal jars that come out and studying the photosynthesis of giant trees always feels like a waste due to their special identities.”

Gao Wen knew what amber was referring to.

Bud Wendell, who studies the photosynthesis of giant trees in the Solimborg area, and Bertila Augustus, who conducts photosynthesis all day long, are the two most special "citizens" of Cecil. Especially when it comes to Typhon affairs, their identities are wonderful.

The former is the father of Typhon's current wolf general, and the latter is the ancestor of Typhon's current emperor.

I always feel that as long as these two people are pushed towards the border at the right time, the military and political leaders and a large number of important people on Typhon's side can press their chests and shout "Noooooo——"

If you are lucky, you can shock a few to death with high blood pressure on the spot.

And the biggest difficulty in this whole process is that it is difficult for Bertila to be pushed to the border - the Solimberg Druid Institute should not be able to solve the problem of Bertila's cuttings in a short time, Bertila In the past, it is possible to level the entire eastern corridor and the Changfeng Twelve Fortresses in one go...if she can successfully pull out her roots from the ground.

But it was precisely because the identities of these two people were too special and they were too influential two big names that Gao Wen was unwilling to use and expose them early, and instead hid their information.

"These two cards are too big," he shook his head. "It's a waste to use them to shake the will of the Typhon people now. Rosetta can have countless ways to eliminate the impact of 'rumors'. Let's save it for the future." , will have a greater effect."

Amber exhaled slightly: "I understand."

Gao Wen rubbed the center of his brows, soothing some tense nerves.

"Is there anything to report to Office 25?" He asked casually.

"The current main work is still to design a plan for fluctuations in the psychic network. According to the information sent back by Daniel recently, the worst-case scenario is that the psychic network is temporarily or permanently interrupted—we will have to temporarily execute the 'freeze block' on Daniel's line. ' plan, and then wait for the opportunity to consider other means to restore contact with Daniel and the intelligence personnel around him. Fortunately, Typhon has developed some backup dark lines so far, Daniel's apprentice, Typhon's emerging investment businessman, 'Track Project All the little Typhon nobles I came into contact with in the book were recruited by us or controlled by us, and the intelligence network over there is no longer as completely dependent on Daniel's personal activities as before..."

Amber reported in an orderly manner, while Gao Wen nodded slightly while listening.

——The "trajectory plan" mentioned by Amber is to contact the grassroots nobles and downcast knights in the process of exporting magic trains in Typhon, wait for opportunities to infiltrate and recruit or send personnel to make friends with them, so as to establish regular intelligence channels. collective name for actions.

This plan has been implemented for almost a whole year so far. Although it is still in the early stage, it has achieved some results.

The power of capital is powerful, especially when it is in an environment with weak monitoring, Typhon's "investment aristocrats" who have just tasted the sweetness are almost powerless to resist its temptation.

In the report, Amber did not mention what to do with the intelligence system established in the Order of the Eternal Sleepers after the collapse of the Psychic Network. The reason is obvious—if the Psychic Network really blows up, then the Order of the Eternal Sleepers...should also be blown up... …

"Next... I hope everything goes well with Daniel," Gawain leaned back on the chair with calm eyes and a leisurely tone, "I hope the senior management on the side of the Eternal Sleepers will be smarter and alert."

……

Typhon Empire, Aldernan, in the Mage Quarter near Obsidian Palace.

When the fog gradually rises, the already weak sunlight slanted into the room, which was blocked by the half-closed curtains, making the room look dim and dark. On a large easy chair, an old mage in casual clothes was sitting Head down, spend the leisure time in the afternoon in a light sleep.

The black-haired Mary was sitting at a square table near the tutor, lowering her head and writing the high math paper seriously.

Suddenly, the sound of the apprentice flipping the paper and the nib moving stopped completely, and it did not sound again for a long time.

Daniel immediately opened his eyes and looked in Mary's direction: "Why, which question can't you?"

In the next second, the old mage's leisurely and indifferent expression became serious.

He saw the black-haired apprentice sitting at the square table turn his face towards him, and that face had changed into another face at some point.

The sunlight pouring into the room from the window and the dust particles flying in the sunlight stagnated.

"Daniel," the apprentice "Mary" looked at the old mage and said indifferently, "We're here to learn something from you."

Chapter 0759 Promotion

With a slight cold feeling spreading in his mind, Daniel's slightly chaotic thoughts quickly became clear.

Everything on the safe springboard is normal, the ports in the brain have led to the controlled shallow sea of ​​consciousness, memory camouflage and multiple shells are operating as usual, praise the wanderers outside the territory - their minds are heavily armed, no one can get out of that flawless The slightest abnormality can be seen in the spiritual barrier.

Even if the other party is a powerful archbishop.

Daniel settled down in his heart, he knew that he had entered the spiritual world, and in this spiritual world, there was nothing abnormal about the expression on his face.

"Which archbishop are you?" he asked with just the right amount of respect and calm.

The woman on the opposite side used an unfamiliar face. This face was probably created temporarily for this conversation. It was an act of concealing her identity, but Daniel still asked. Normal reaction when talking to a strange archbishop.

"Don't worry about this, this face is just an interactive medium, and now the Supreme Bishops' Council is talking to you," the woman on the opposite side said lightly, "Please be prepared and answer our questions."

Daniel showed a submissive look: "Yes, I will not hide it."

The woman on the opposite side nodded in satisfaction, and then asked: "Recently, you have been investigating fellow church members in the Aldernan area, is there any such thing?"

"That's true."

"It's not your job as security chief, what's the reason for this investigation?"

"Recently there have been many rumors about the failure of the spiritual network, and the security system has also detected abnormal fluctuations in some nodes. I am worried that the network security is threatened, so I launched an investigation."

"Why didn't you take the initiative to report it, but chose to do it privately?"

"I'm not sure about the details of the situation, so I want to confirm whether the problem is with the security system. If the problem is related to the security system, I will deal with it myself according to the regulations. If it has nothing to do with the security system, I will naturally report it to the Supreme Bishops. This is In order to save the manpower of the church and improve the efficiency of the investigation"

"This explanation is reasonable..." the woman said, her words paused for a while, it seemed that the Supreme Bishops behind her were having a quick discussion, and she continued after a while, "You just mentioned that the security system detected abnormalities in some nodes Fluctuation, what is the specific situation?"

Daniel immediately took out the remarks he had prepared: "I found a 'blank connection'. Some nodes maintain a connection with the spiritual network, but there is no record of data transmission. I suspect that a large number of computing resources are using Stealthy ways to be diverted from surveillance, or 'swallowed' by holes in the network..."

He said it very calmly, because this is indeed an abnormal phenomenon that his security team discovered in the mind network recently!

And he is very sure of one thing: the abnormally lost computing power is definitely not swallowed by the master's "origin space", because the computing power quota required by the latter has already been "reasonably allocated" by him from the bottom of the mind network , is not considered "abnormal loss" in any case, what he and his security team observed is indeed a real "abnormal situation".

These unknown calculations must be part of the situation that the Supreme Bishops have been trying to cover up recently, and Daniel chose to say it at this moment, except because he judged that the time is ripe and he needs to show his own strength and value. , and one more important point——

He is the security director of the psychic network and the person with the highest authority in the bishop hierarchy. If the vicious situation in the psychic network has developed to the point where the Supreme Bishops cannot cover it, then he must be the first to notice the abnormality!