To the east of Denzel City, about a hundred miles away from Denzel City, here is a stream that originated in a certain hilly mountain range in the northern part of the Byzantine Empire. Not much. Every year, there is plenty of water only during the rainy season, and half of the rest of the time is in a semi-dry state.
And it is this stream that is an important place in the northern part of the Byzantine Empire - this small stream is marked on almost all empire maps.
Because this stream became the borderline of the two grain-producing counties in the northern part of the empire. To the east of the stream was Nods County, and to the west was More County.
…
It was already evening now. About 100 meters away from the east bank of the stream, there was a figure standing on a dirt slope. Standing there quietly, a pair of eyes as sharp as eagles were crossing the stream and moving far to the west. look out.
This figure is not tall, but standing there, the sunset in the sky seems to be shrouded behind him, and under the rays of light, it makes him look incomparably majestic.
And less than a step away from him, a black three-edged war gun that was longer than his body was inserted on the ground. The smooth gun barrel faintly exuded a soft and dark luster. There are also fine metal textures.
About ten steps behind this figure, several men with majestic stature like beasts looked at the back of the man on the hillside with reverence.
After watching for a full quarter of an hour, Hasting finally sighed softly. When he turned around, the long black cloak behind him was gently raised, as if at this moment, there was a dark shadow on him. , almost blocked the sky.
Standing ten steps away, you can clearly feel the fierce suffocating energy on this Odin Valkyrie!
"Did you fail?"
Hasting's tone seemed to be very casual, but the dozen or so Odin warriors lowered their heads and dared not make eye contact with him. Feared Valkyrie, we have tarnished your reputation... Those Byzantines are very brave, a hundred times stronger than those sheep we have met before... We have tried several times, and they have bravely met them, and there is no lack of battle and sacrifice Courage…”
Hasting's expression remained unchanged: "How many people have been lost?"
"A total of 160 brave warriors died under the sword of the Byzantines." The majestic man under his command raised his head: "Respected lord... Do you want to transfer a banner from the army... As long as there is a banner Forces, and we're sure to destroy the city of Denzel! Let the damned Byzantines moan and scream under our blade!"
Hasting snorted and glanced at the subordinate: "No need."
He raised one of his hands and looked at his palm: "This matter must be kept secret... Not too many people can know about it."
"Yes..." The Odin immediately lowered his head: "We swear to follow the great Hasting to the death, and we will never let this matter leak at all!"
After a pause, a peaceful smile appeared on his cold face: "I believe in your loyalty. Now, where is Mr. Tao?"
Several Odin warriors glanced at each other, and the one who led him whispered, "Peach, Mr. Tao... said he was going for a walk by the stream."
"Hmph, spread." Hastings was noncommittal, but the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.
A hundred meters away from the hillside, in a forest by the stream, a figure is sitting by the river, with a pair of shoes swaying beside him, and a pair of feet dipping into the river and shaking gently, the man looks from the back , his shoulders were thin, and his gray-white hair was sparse and sparse, and it was just tied up in a twisted way.
As if sitting by the river was very comfortable, this person hummed an unknown ditty, his feet were swaying back and forth in the river, and after a while, he sighed: "Oh, this cool river soaks feet, Watching the sunset, blowing the evening wind... If there is a little wine at this time, it will be even more wonderful."
After speaking, he seemed to tilt his shoulders, turned half of his head, and smiled behind him: "Are you right, Hastings?"
Behind him, Hasting was already standing on the river bank, looking down at the man's back, without saying a word, he just threw a skin bag, the man caught it with his backhand, unscrewed it, took a sniff, and was overjoyed: " Good stuff! I heard that you rule the army very strictly and prohibit alcohol during the march, but I didn't expect that you, as the commander-in-chief, still carry..."
After laughing a few times, he took a few sips before wiping the wine stains on the corners of his mouth, and he breathed a long sigh of relief: "Not bad! It's just a pity, the Odin people are too poor at making wine, and they blindly pursue strength, which is cool. Spicy but not mellow…”
Hasting was expressionless, and said coldly: "It's good to drink some."
Hearing this, the man was slightly startled, and then laughed: "I have a solution!"
He dumped half of the wine in the skin bag at will, and then soaked the skin bag in the stream. After pouring in a lot of water, he grabbed it in his hand and shook it a few times, and said with a smile, "This way, the taste is much lighter!"
After taking two more sips, he handed the skin to Hastings: "Do you try it too?"
Hasting didn't reach out to pick it up, but just looked at the man's feet soaked in the stream, and said coldly, "I'm not interested in drinking foot wash - keep it for yourself."
Hearing this, the man didn't get angry. He put away the leather bag, tucked it on his belt, and jumped up. He didn't wipe his wet feet, and put on his shoes.
After this man stood up, his figure was slightly taller than Hastings, but his appearance was old, his face was full of deep wrinkles, and the thin lines on the corners of his mouth and eyes were like those carved by a knife. Same.
If you just look at his appearance, he is just an ordinary old man, but those eyes, which should have been muddy, looked as clear as water!
An old man his age should never have such clear eyes.
It seems that when you see these eyes, you will ignore his originally slightly vulgar and mediocre appearance. Such a pair of eyes, growing on his face, is like two dazzling gems inlaid on a rotten tree root.
"Failed?"
He looked at Hastings with a smile and walked towards the woods.
Hasting silently followed behind the man, the two walked into the woods together, found a stone at random and sat down, the man also picked off a large leaf and fanned it gently like a fan Feng, then looked into Hasting's eyes: "It seems to be a failure. Otherwise, you should not look like this."
Hastings let out a long sigh. "Mr. Peach, we did have some trouble."
"It's you who's in trouble, not us." The man named Mr. Peach shook his head and pointed at Hastings with the root of a leaf: "Anyway, it doesn't matter to me whether I can find that place or not, but for you to come Say... if you can't find that place... hum..."
Hasting was silent, lowered his head to think for a while, and then suddenly raised his head, without talking nonsense, and said directly: "I originally thought that Moor County was all Manninger's territory, but I sent someone over to go there. I found that there is actually a resistance force in Denzel City, and I don't know what happened to that guy Manninger, but he actually left such an enemy army behind him. If it's normal, it's nothing, but a soldier in a city. , it is easy to destroy, but you also know that our affairs cannot be known to Manninger, let alone any Odin nobles. Even my Black Banner Army, I can only bring out these hundreds of direct confidants. ."
"Yeah." Mr. Tao squinted his eyes, as if inadvertently, but nodded lazily.
Hasting continued: "Originally, I thought that this resistance force was as weak as other Byzantine local garrison forces, and sent hundreds of cavalry to harass them. They were frightened and should have retreated honestly, or simply abandoned them. The city ran away, or just huddled in the city honestly. But this Byzantine army has a bit of backbone. It actually fought a few times with my people, and its combat effectiveness is not weak! Hmph... This makes me Unexpected."
Having said this, Hasting finally sighed: "This matter is a secret, I can't deploy an army to destroy this enemy army with great fanfare, and I can't let Manninger know... There are only a few hundred people in my hands, and I am afraid again. Can't scare these guys away..."
His eyebrows knitted together: "If Manninger finds out that I am leading troops across the border, it will be troublesome, and... our actions must not let him find out!"
"It's you, not us." Mr. Tao remained calm.
Hasting's eyes flashed a bit of sternness, and said coldly: "Mr. Tao, it's too late to say such a thing now."
"Ha!" Mr. Tao smiled: "Odin, the dignified Valkyrie, Hastings, if you go out in person, you can sweep the city down by one person, so what's the trouble?"
"Hmph." Hasting's face was gloomy: "If I can make a move, should I still wait now? It's you, Mr. Tao, I still want to ask you to make a move..."
"Me?" Mr. Tao narrowed his eyes and shook his head slowly: "You don't have to count on it. The whole continent understands that the strong do not compete with the world! That was an agreement made decades ago, if I break it Now, hehe... I'm afraid that time, His Majesty Hannigan will personally come out of the imperial city to kill me."
Hasting was silent, he was silent for a long time, and finally shook his head: "I can't do anything."
There was a hint of bitterness on his resolute face: "You know, the God Emperor has always been suspicious of me. Over the years, I have been an outsider in Odin to call the wind and call the rain. Although the God Emperor reused me, my suspicion has never diminished for a moment. I have been hiding myself for many years, just because I don't want him to see through my depths... If he finds out, I'm afraid that the first one who will kill the emperor will be me!"
"Hey, when you become a god emperor, do you really not know your depth?" Mr. Tao suddenly sneered: "But it's wise if you don't make a move! Once you do make a move, then... Hannigan will have The reason moves you! Over the years, he has used you while guarding against you. In my opinion, he has long wanted to kill you! It's just that you, the 'Odin Valkyrie', is too famous, and he doesn't want to cause civil unrest. I've been watching you until today."
Hasting's face was calm, but there was a hint of complexity in his eyes. After sitting there for a long time, he whispered: "Are you willing to think of a way? If you continue to stay out of the matter, then this opportunity will be lost... We I can't find such a good opportunity again! Once Manninger returns to the division and destroys the resistance army in Denzel City, he is prepared, and I want to encroach on More County... Difficult!"
"Actually, this is not the real doubt in your heart." Mr. Tao put down the leaf in his hand: "You are already eager to try and have the idea of taking a risk, but worry, if that place is not in Moore Northern County, you took a risk, exposed your strength, gave excuses to the emperor, and didn't get what you wanted..."
Hasting raised his head, stared at Mr. Tao, and said coldly: "I'm going to ask you! You told me the exact location of that place! So you'd better not make a mistake, otherwise... if things don't work out , I'll kill you first!"
At the end, a trace of black arrogance flashed in his eyes!
"Since you have already made up your mind, why don't you ask me what to do?" Under Hasting's sharp eyes, Mr. Tao seemed to have no fear, and said lightly, "I have already told you everything I know, and I promise I There is absolutely nothing false in what you said. But, since you have really made up your mind, then... hehe, you must understand that it is up to people to make things happen! Originally, there was only a five-point chance of success in this matter!
You also said that this is your last chance. If you miss this time... Hmph, Hannigan has already made up his mind to move you anyway. If you seize this opportunity, then you will have the capital to deal with him. , If you miss it this time, you are the lamb under his claws! Don't look at your so-called Odin Valkyrie, but you and I both know that if Hannigan really makes a move, you have no chance at all! In this world, no one can resist his edge! Maybe thirty years ago, the guy in Babylon could still do it, but thirty years later, Hannigan is already the real number one in the world! "
When he finally said the words "number one in the world", Hasting's eyes were obviously bright. When the edge flashed, he stood up, looked up at the west bank, and let out a light breath.
Behind him, Mr. Tao's eyes were complicated, and he said in a low voice: "The strong do not compete with the world... Since you have made up your mind, then... "
"If it does, even Hannigan won't be able to take me in in the future. Although there are many strong people in the world, I don't need to pay attention to it anymore!"
After a pause, Hastings smiled softly.
"Okay, I bet!"
But in just a few words, it seems to contain endless absolutes!