It's been a week.
Ye Qingxuan sat in prison, waiting for news.
Perhaps late one night, someone from a certain agency in the Holy City would pick him up, stuff him into a black carriage, and disappear from the world.
Perhaps he will be put on trial in front of all the countries, and then go to the gallows according to the predetermined results.
Or maybe, just spend your whole life here in obscurity.
Until one day his hair turns gray, and he is thrown out because of some exchange of political interests, spending his old age being despised, and dying in a place where no one cares about him.
Although Ye Qingxuan had imagined various bad situations, he had already made up his mind to escape from prison immediately after collecting all kinds of information in a few days.
But he still didn't imagine what was happening in front of him.
From a certain perspective, it can be said to be the worst case scenario.
Ye Qingxuan didn't think Ludovic came to him now, he just wanted to have lunch with him.
"Please sit down, Ye Qingxuan."
Ludovic pointed to the chair in front of him: "Letting guests eat standing up is not the way to treat guests."
Of course, Ye Qingxuan would not be polite to him. He pulled out a chair and sat down, staring at the old man opposite him calmly: "You are already entertaining guests in prison, and you still have to be polite. Is this the heritage of a noble?"
"Heritage is reflected in every aspect, child."
Ludovic was like a kind old man with a gentle tone. In front of him, Ye Qingxuan was indeed a child. He was probably not even a fifth of Ludovic's age.
Ye Qingxuan frowned and said nothing.
Ludovic raised the wine glass in his hand casually: "For example, diet, this is a university subject."
"Is it?"
Ye Qingxuan asked calmly: "Can I help you eat well?"
Ludovic heard his sarcasm and shook his head helplessly: "After all, he is still a young man. He likes to overeat and does not understand the beauty of food combinations."
The waiter came forward, poured red wine for the two of them, and served the appetizers.
Ye Qingxuan's brows raised.
This is not the Dan Feng Bai Lu he ordered.
"do you know?"
Ludovic said lightly: "The most precious thing about Feileng Cui smoked salmon is actually the fragrance of the meat. Although Danfeng Bailu is good, it is only better because it is rare, which will destroy its taste. Try it and see, I The wine for you is a good wine from the Royal Winery of Angelou, which is most suitable for food. The winemaker calls it Knight because its aroma is like a knight, protecting it and not affecting the taste of the food."
As he spoke, he cut a piece of salmon himself and put it into his mouth. When eating, his manner was elegant, and he was still full of grace even when tasting wine.
"This is so good. The last time I tasted this was sixteen years ago. I didn't expect that I could still taste such delicious food after such a long time."
"Please help me thank Mr. Plan. His craftsmanship allows me to taste the essence of delicious food."
The second half of the sentence was addressed to the waiter, who nodded and left. It was expected that the chef would be ecstatic when he learned that he had been praised by Ludovic.
But Ye Qingxuan didn't buy it.
"Aren't you an ascetic monk?"
He asked, "I'm afraid it won't be good if word spreads about it if you are so greedy for enjoyment."
Ludovic smiled and shook his head slowly: "My child, your news is too late. Just yesterday, my ascetic career ended."
"-From now on, there is nothing in this world worthy of my asceticism."
A newspaper was placed in front of Ye Qingxuan. The newspaper that had just been printed this morning had the biggest news in the world on the front page.
Archbishop Ludovic will succeed him as pope.
After tomorrow, he will be the new Red King, the shepherd of the souls of all living beings, and the only representative of God in the world.
This is the worst news.
Ye Qingxuan took a look and threw the newspaper aside.
"I know what you're thinking."
Ludovic lowered his head, tasting the dishes served, and said calmly: "Abraham was rescued, but he can't leave the emergency room yet. Don't worry, I won't let him die. He has been sent to the hospital now. The Mithril Vault is frozen. It can be expected that he can live for a long time, maybe longer than you."
The Vault of Mithril, a harsh prison where musicians become distraught after hearing this.
In other words, the musician's safe house.
Musicians who have committed serious crimes but cannot be killed for various reasons will be sent there, frozen after going through several processes, and sleep in coffins from then on until one day, the Holy City finds a way to atone for their sins and brings them back to life again. wake.
And more people died quietly in the long sleep, disappearing silently.
"Bai Xi is with Hermes, so you don't have to worry."
When Ludovic mentioned Bai Xi, he couldn't help but sigh: "What a smart little girl. She ran away at the slightest sign of trouble. Originally, I wanted to bring her here today to meet you."
Ye Qingxuan was silent, but his eyes turned cold.
become dangerous.
But Ludovic seemed unaware.
He just picked up the oysters and oyster knife that had just been served, and said enthusiastically:
"Don't let the food down, enjoy your lunch first, Ye Qingxuan."
Snap.
The shell of the oyster is pried open, revealing the white soft flesh. When you suck it into your mouth, the sweet and fragrant juice is released.
The flavor of life.
very nice.
…
…
This was perhaps the most exquisite meal Ye Qingxuan had ever eaten.
But I don’t know the taste of the food.
Ludovic seemed to have really come to enjoy lunch. During the meal, he talked about what happened in the Holy City these days, his words were humorous, and he occasionally told two short jokes.
There is no hint of evil or malice, but it makes people feel like a spring breeze.
Ye Qingxuan couldn't help but think maliciously: If he just ate with others, he might be able to make a lot of money.
Soon, the lunch was finally finished.
The table was cleared.
After the violinist finished playing, he bowed and left.
The waiter brought the cigar box and knife, and offered matches.
Ye Qingxuan did not wait for Ludovic to become more enthusiastic. He reached out and picked out a cigarette and cut it casually. He didn't care whether it made old smokers feel distressed to waste a good thing like this. He didn't even bother to strike a match and pressed his fingers on the cigar. In an instant, a blazing red fire light was left.
Smoke rose.
Ludovic just smiled and did not comment on his rude behavior. He just slowly lit the match, turned the cigar in his hand, and heated it bit by bit.
Two matches later, the cigar was lit.
Green smoke curled up, blurring his face.
"Let's talk about business, Ye Qingxuan." He said, "I think you may not be able to wait any longer."
"No, I really enjoy chatting with you."
Ye Qingxuan chuckled: "I'm not in a hurry. Really, it's best for me to take a hot bath. Let us two brothers take a sauna together, be honest with each other, talk to each other, and finally drink some wine. Let's go to your house." Choose a few beautiful girls in the private club to spend the last day before you ascend the throne together, leaving precious and beautiful memories."
"Is it?"
Ludovic smiled: "Then I want to thank you."
"You're welcome."
Ye Qingxuan shook his head modestly: "This is what I should do. The beautiful time is so short, so we must cherish it more."
"If you want, I can let you live like this every day."
Ludovic spread his hands and said enthusiastically: "How about I help you build this prison into a resort? As long as you don't leave here, you can have whatever you want. Food? Sauna? Beautiful women? It's not a problem at all, even if you want to see those I can satisfy you with any little girl dancing in the choir. I have to say, now some girls are so hot and bold after taking off their robes, you will definitely be shocked."
“…”
Ye Qingxuan was silent for a long time, gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, I can't ask for more."
"But you don't want to, Ye Qingxuan."
Ludovic sighed: "Don't lie to an old man, especially don't lie to someone like me who is the best at lying. It makes no sense. Why don't you see the situation clearly? Do you think I will use negotiation skills on you in a serious way? You It doesn't matter if you want to take back the initiative, because I never thought about negotiating with you from the beginning. You have tried your best, and now the initiative is in your hands, but what can you change? Relax a little, Ye Qingxuan. I'm sorry I just said it, be honest with each other, it’s good for both you and me.”
Ye Qingxuan fell silent and his expression became gloomy.
Ludovic was right.
If he wanted to do something to him, he would have no way to resist.
One is the pope and the other is a prisoner.
There has never been such a huge gap in the world.
Tomorrow, the whole world will be in his hands. Could it be that by taking the initiative in the conversation, Ye Qingxuan could change his mind and thoughts
"I'm polite, and it seems you've learned some humility with it, kid. That's good."
Ludovic nodded with satisfaction, smoked a cigar, and said calmly: "Maxwell is going crazy now, do you know?"
"because I?"
"It's not just because of you." Ludovic spread his hands: "To be honest, if the sword holder is gone, you can still find another one. Although it is difficult to find, there may not be a second one. Your matter is important to Angelou. It is a political dilemma, but the reason why politics is called politics is because there are always solutions that can be solved and compromised. But what Angru is suffering now is a serious problem in his heart."
"Elizabeth's condition has worsened."
Ludovic shook his head and sighed: "That little girl has been holding on for so many years, and the dragon's blood curse has penetrated into the bone marrow. There is no cure... Archbishop Mephistopheles has tried his best to treat her for so many years, but now, there is no way.
If you are unlucky, there may be less than a month left.
What makes matters worse is Leviathan.
A few months ago, the changes in Guixu formed a chain reaction in the etheric realm, and one of the results was that Leviathan's resurrection time was accelerated. It is expected that it will fully wake up in half a year.
Now, infected by Leviathan's aura, the fleets of various countries are currently being attacked to varying degrees. The demons in the sea have begun to mutate and evolve, and their reproductive capacity has also increased to a jaw-dropping level.
I'm afraid that before long, the number of monsters in the ocean will increase exponentially.
By then, humans will no longer be able to talk about owning the ocean.
Now Anglo has launched a war plan and mobilized the entire population. Once a war breaks out, Anglo will be the first to lose half of its territory and two-thirds of its population.
The most optimistic outcome is that after paying a huge price, the successor emperor can kill it again. The most tragic result was that Angel activated the Holy Grail of Destruction and died together with Leviathan. "
Ye Qingxuan was silent.
"This is the best plan, Ye Qingxuan. In order to capture the hundred-armed giant with the same name as Leviathan, the Holy City has made such a tragic sacrifice. Now facing the four living creatures in its heyday, how could Angelo not What about paying a little price?”
Ludovic said calmly: "Even so, despite the internal and external troubles, Maxwell still did not give up on you. His determination is admirable. Unfortunately, the new emperor has not yet succeeded to the throne, and Angelo is in a mess, and he has no ability to do both. , and dare not even leave Avalon. Anglo diplomats are currently protesting in front of the Holy Wheel Court every day, but the new head of the Pardon Department has not yet taken office, and your case is still far away. However, the East is not interested in this case. The attitude towards the matter is quite strange. The officials acted as if nothing had happened and ignored them. The ambassador claimed that he was ill and had not seen guests for a week, but there was no response at all. But secretly, many people from the East had seen him. There have been a few key people, but unfortunately, they all want you to die... "
Ludovic sighed: "You are already a thorn in the eyes of many people, Ye Qingxuan. Bai Heng will never allow the Ye family to continue to exist, let alone give you a chance to return to the East alive."
"This is really bad."
Ye Qingxuan looked indifferent, but pretended to cry: "What should I do? Lord Ludovic! You are a compassionate and kind-hearted man, who is enthusiastic about helping the poor. You must think of a way to help me. .”
"Is this sincere? Ye Qingxuan?"
Ludovic looked at him with a smile: "Aren't you planning to escape from prison? As far as I know, you seem to be very interested in the boiler room in the past two days. Do you want to escape from here through the hot water pipe? This is really a good idea There is no way. But if you want to leave here, there is no need to go to such trouble. I can let you walk out of the door openly, and I guarantee that you will not have any worries. "
"But at what cost?"
Ye Qingxuan asked indifferently: "From the beginning to now, you have gone around in so many circles. You must be waiting for now, right? Finally we have entered the topic."
"You are a rational person, Ye Qingxuan, much more rational than your father."
Ludovic shook his head and sighed: "More than ten years ago, I said the same thing to him, but unfortunately, he rejected me without even listening to the conditions. I originally thought I would be in vain today."
"I am me and he is him."
Ye Qingxuan said coldly: "Just getting rid of the crime will not be enough. Be generous, Mr. Pope, what else can you give me?"
"Ye Qingxuan, is there anything in this world that you want that I can't give you?"
Ludovic smiled, put down the cigar in his hand, and stared at Ye Qingxuan: "My child, I can endorse your purity in the name of God. I can even canonize you as a sinless saint and make you a genuine saint. Disciple! You will become the embodiment of purity and integrity! I can make your future road smooth and make all your aspirations come true. Do you want to return to Angru? The Holy City will help you get rid of Leviathan , just like how we once solved the Hundred-Armed Giant. I can even help you evade the Anglo royal family and make you the uncrowned king of Anglo! Do you want to help your mother rehabilitate? As long as you nod, your mother's The deeds will immediately appear in the church's Sutra. I can release your teacher, help him erase all records, and let him live in this world openly. Even if you want to go back to the East, I will help him If you re-establish the Ye family, if necessary, the Holy City can even make you the second Bai Heng! Think about it, one person is inferior to ten thousand people... "
He paused and showed a loving smile: "Of course, it would be better if you are willing to stay in the Holy City. I can re-baptize you, Ye Qingxuan. From now on, you will be my godson, Siful Everything in the Zha family can be handed over to you to inherit. Within two years, you will become a bishop. After five years of exile, you will be awarded a cardinal and be in charge of a diocese. When you are thirty years old, you will Entering the Cardinal Church at the youngest age in history, you can sit on my right side and become the Vice-President of the Holy City. After my death, you will be the new Pope!"
Dead silence.
In the dead silence, Ye Qingxuan put out his cigar and asked lightly: "Am I your biological son?"
"I am old enough to be your grandfather, Ye Qingxuan."
Ludovic spread his hands: "I had numerous lovers when I was young, but none of them were oriental. Neither men nor women. So, you don't have to worry."
"Then why should I trust you?"
Ye Qingxuan asked: "Believe a politician who lies habitually? I'm not that crazy."
"I told you before, Ye Qingxuan, why do I need to lie to you?"
Ludovic stared at him with pity and mercy in his eyes: "As long as you bow to me, child, as long as you surrender to me, everything in this world is at your fingertips. I can give you everything you want."
"After you took everything from me?"
Ye Qingxuan raised his eyes and looked at him.
The pupils were pitch black, reflecting the sunlight outside the window, as if black iron had been heated red, which was shocking.
"Mr. Ludovic, I don't know what value I have that is worth paying such a high price for you. My heart tells me that you are not lying, and everything you say is true. Unfortunately, you are destined to die without success today. return."
Ye Qingxuan shook his head slowly, stood up, looked down at the majestic old man, and couldn't help but smile.
"—Because you don't deserve it."
He stopped looking at Ludovic, pushed away his chair, and turned to leave.
Ludovic looked at him quietly, not angry or embarrassed at all, just smiling leisurely.
But in front of the door, Ye Qingxuan was stunned.
Because the door has disappeared.
In front of Ye Qingxuan, there was a once smooth and flat wall, with the original door pattern carefully painted on the wall. The pattern is so lifelike that it looks real.
There was only an iron door handle left embedded in the wall. No matter how Ye Qingxuan turned it, there was no response.
Like a bad joke.
A trick game.
But Ye Qingxuan's face turned pale.
Because all sounds have disappeared.
At some point, in his perception, all the people had disappeared. The entire prison is empty****... No, the world on the other side of the wall has disappeared.
All he could feel was an empty chaos.
"I do not deserve?"
Ludovic's voice came from behind the dining table: "No, Ye Qingxuan, you are wrong."
Ye Qingxuan turned back stiffly and saw his meaningful smile.
He made a sound as if declaring the truth:
"—The only person in the world worthy of your loyalty is me."
Then, he saw the scorching sun falling rapidly from the sky outside the large floor-to-ceiling window behind Ludovic, falling to the ground and turning into a large glass ball emitting red light.
He saw the moon rising from the horizon and dispersing in the sky, turning into endless frost.
The earth rises and falls silently, mountains and rivers are rebuilt, and the endless rivers submerge everything, turning the world outside the window into an ocean. In the deepest part of the ocean, huge strange fish swim silently, several meters across the glass. The terrifyingly large pupils peered curiously at the scene indoors.
Immediately afterwards, he was swallowed by an even bigger monster fish.
Blood spurted out, dyeing everything red, turning into flames, turning the world into the charcoal of purgatory.
Until the end, the earth, water, fire and wind were destroyed one after another.
In chaos, the world is recreated and everything grows...
Everything is unreal and like a dream.
But Ye Qingxuan could sense every detail and every tiny change. Because of this, he felt from the bottom of his heart... fear!
He didn't even know what was going on, what happened!
In the end, his eyes fell on the man in front of the window, and his eyes became sharp, as if he wanted to tear apart his disguise and see what kind of monster was hidden under his flesh and blood!
But even if he tried all his abilities, he still couldn't find anything wrong.
None of this seems to have anything to do with Ludovic.
There are no etheric fluctuations.
He is just an ordinary old man.
Ye Qingxuan looked at him, sweating profusely.
He obviously couldn't feel anything, but there was an invisible pressure that surrounded and engulfed him, causing his heart to beat wildly, his hands to tremble, and he was almost suffocating in the deathly silence.
"What the hell are you...?"
"Introduce yourself again, Ye Qingxuan."
Ludovic sat in his chair and stared at the young man: "I am the president of the Holy City's One-Heart Monk Order, the head of the Sforza family, and I am the leader of the Holy City..."
He paused and smiled strangely:
"What I represent is the only and true god in this world, the master of all evil thoughts and evil deeds. I am the true agent of the Hundred-Eyed One in the world, the source of all evil, the lord of darkness, the king of destruction and killing, One of the nine incarnations of the eponymous Cunning Spider. You can call me Ludovic... —Original Dark Pope Ludovic."