The car drove through the town along the highway in St. Louis. Judging from the few pedestrians on the street, there were not many residents in St. Louis. According to Isabel, there are probably less than 2,000 residents. Therefore, the road looks empty, and the people who can live in this city are mostly famous people. They were recruited into the Dark Brotherhood, mostly the outermost members.
But their families are already eligible to live in this elegant city, and under the protection of the Dark Brotherhood, their safety will be greatly guaranteed. Of course, it is impossible for these members to have no contribution. They must donate their property to the fraternity, which has a well-defined hierarchy.
The more property a member donates, the higher their rank will be. More levels represent the circle of power closer to the upper layer of the pyramid. Therefore, those who are not lacking in ambition will continue to plunder as much wealth as possible from the outside world, and then use it to donate in exchange for a higher level.
Sitting in the car and listening to Isabel explain all this, it is not difficult to see how much wealth the Brotherhood has concentrated, and it is no wonder that they will become the invisible kings of this continent.
Paul's feelings were deeper than zero, and every person in power would not want to have another boss on top of his head that he couldn't see. In particular, this boss has the ability to exempt you from power at any time, which makes people uncomfortable like an invisible dagger lying on the neck at any time. Paul didn't express anything on the surface, but some meaningful lights kept flashing in his eyes.
If it was before, Zero and Paul would never want to hear these secrets. But now, it is the time when the Dark Brotherhood is unprecedentedly vulnerable. The day of the cataclysm caused most of the important members to die in the disaster, and then in the next ten years, the Brotherhood gradually gathered an invisible force. Then, by supporting Sauron, in exchange for more benefits, so as to help this ancient organization recover as soon as possible.
It can be said that these practices of the Brotherhood were based on the consideration of the environment at that time, and they did nothing wrong. But in order to develop rapidly, they had to absorb fresh blood from outside. For example, Isabel, and Solomon who gave birth to a retreat. It's just that they are also outsiders, and Isabel's family obviously has a shallow foundation in the Dark Brotherhood, so they are ranked last.
Although the new blood from outside has accelerated the development of the Brotherhood, it also makes it difficult for the Brotherhood's ancient traditions and purposes to be carried out as unimpeded as in the old days. Outsiders brought wealth as well as different ideas, and this created divisions in the upper circles of power.
The biggest difference lies in Sauron's performance. Judging from the situation in recent years, Sauron has deviated from the original intention of the Brotherhood, and has signs of breaking away from the Brotherhood's control. Sauron's situation made a high-ranking member like Solomon feel suspicious and want to quit. The influence brought by the number two member of the seven-member committee is huge. Once Solomon withdraws from the Brotherhood, it also means that the seven-member committee will reshuffle the cards, which also makes all kinds of conflicts that were not obvious before come to the fore one by one. out of the water.
The Brotherhood has the idea of absorbing Zero, first of all because of Zero's own strength, which is enough to contain Sauron or even replace him. More importantly, it is used to fill the vacancy after Solomon's withdrawal, but it is still unknown where Zero will be in the ranking after joining.
But based on Zero's strength, even if he couldn't replace Solomon as the second person, he must be among the top three candidates. So while Mendriza and Joseph supported Paul, Isabel also stood on the side of Zero's camp without hesitation, so as to hug the big tree tightly, hoping to get rid of the embarrassing situation of not being present.
The reasons for all this are so intricate that it can be explained clearly in one or two sentences. But Isabel casually said a few confidential news inside the brotherhood, but it had already given enough information to Zero and Paul. For the two of them, it was another plan.
First of all, Zero has no intention of joining the Brotherhood at all. Gao Li, the first member of the seven-member committee, can transfer the entire organization and become another force under Zero's banner, which is naturally different. But this is simply impossible, and even if Zero replaces Solomon as the second person, Zero is not willing to be controlled by others. What's more, to join a fraternity, you must donate, so that the property can be shared in the name of the organization.
Zero asked himself that he was not generous enough to give away everything he had, so he couldn't reach a consensus with the Brotherhood on the most fundamental issues.
Followed by Paul, he does not want to go the way of Sauron. With the support of the Brotherhood, he was a puppet king, so he joined hands with Zero, hoping to cooperate with the Brotherhood on a relatively equal footing.
With Solomon withdrawing, Mendriza and Joseph switched to supporting Paul, plus Zero, who was gaining momentum. Once the two of them join forces, they are indeed qualified to sit on an equal footing with the Brotherhood. As for Isabel, she has another idea. If Ling is willing to join, then she can naturally be promoted through his big tree; She intends to use Zero's strength to force Gao Li to step down. As long as Gao Li can be forced to step down, then with Zero's support, she can sit on the throne of the first person.
At that time, she will be able to cooperate with Zero as an ally, and Zero is definitely willing to see this.
So the three of them had their own ideas, and the car drove through the city of St. Louis, and finally arrived in the east of the city. Here, a high concrete wall stretching for nearly one kilometer separates the city. The sentry towers and barbed wire fences on the high walls are completely different from the elegant style of St. Louis, but a completely iron-blooded military style. Fully armed soldiers are in the sentry tower, and the distribution of dozens of firepower points covers the area within a hundred meters in front of the high wall.
There are no buildings in this area, and there is a clear vacuum between the high walls and the streets of St. Louis, and it is obvious that this is not a place to be approached casually. When a door painted dark red was indented and opened on both sides, it appeared in Zero Eye as a square, and behind the square was a medieval-style castle.
The castle is square, with a tower at each corner, and soldiers on duty on the tower. The four towers ensure that there are no dead spots in the observation of the castle, and the evenly distributed two strike holes on each wall can make a quick counterattack when the enemy comes.
The style of the castle is slender, tall and pointed, typical of the Gothic style. The main building of the city is almost connected to the top of the mountainside, and the outer wall is decorated with complicated sculptures and patterns. The two auxiliary buildings next to it are only half the height of the main building, showing the difference between primary and secondary. The main entrance of the castle has a fence and a drawbridge, and when the car drove up to the square, the drawbridge was hanging down.
When the drawbridge was lowered, a group of people greeted them from the castle.
Waiting for the others to get out of the car, Isabel led them forward, and whispered: "The man in the middle is Gauri Irwin."
Looking up, Gao Li, the first member of the seven-member committee, was walking in the middle. He was tall and well-proportioned, full of energy, with a smile on his face. Her long blonde hair was neatly combed back and braided into a braid hanging down to her waist. He was wearing black color-patterned underpants, covered with a large floor-length robe, which was decorated with gorgeous patterns. A dark red belt tightens the body of the robe, and the belt is clearly raised, emphasizing Gao Li's image.
He opened his hands, laughed loudly and said, "Welcome, Your Highness the Pope, and the leader of the brave Poseidon. Welcome to the city of St. Louis. On behalf of the Brotherhood, I sincerely welcome you."
It has to be said that Gao Li is very handsome, his voice is loud, and his tone of voice fully demonstrates the enthusiasm that a master should have. It's hard to dislike him based on first impressions alone. Zero saw him striding forward, deliberately taking a step behind, letting Paul go ahead. Feeling something in his heart, Paul strode forward.
Gao Li saw it in his eyes and secretly paid attention. On the surface, he was still full of enthusiasm. After hugging each other affectionately with Paul, he shook hands with Zero forcefully, and then said: "You two have come from a long way, and the journey has been hard. Please come in, I have prepared a room for the two of you to rest. After the two of you rested for a while, I arranged a welcome reception in the evening, and I would like to invite you two to appreciate it."
For his arrangement, Zero and Two have no objection. Then Gao Li introduced other people to Zero and Paul, two of whom were members of the Seven-member Committee.
Semir looks like a shrewd businessman. He wears a felt hat, a double-breasted cloak, a pocket watch hanging on his chest, and his striped trousers are gathered in pointed high boots. His eyes are constantly looking up and down Zero two people.
The other notable commissioner was a short man in jet-black close-fitting clothing. Although standing there, it gives people the feeling of flashing at any time. His name is Xifeng, which should be a pseudonym. In name, he was one of the members of the seven-member committee, but in fact he was Gao Li's minion and confidant. Xifeng holds an assassination group in his hands, and he is an eighth-level ability user, and the only ability user in the seven-member committee.
The simple information of these people, as early as on the way here, Isabel gave a general idea to Ling Erren. But now comparing the information with real people, their images will be firmly imprinted in Zero's mind, and they will never forget it even if they want to.
The absent committee members were naturally Mendriza, Joseph, and No. 2 Solomon. It was not surprising that the committee members who were about to retire were not present at all.
After exchanging pleasantries with the two committee members, Gao Li asked Zero, Paul, and other entourage to rest in the arranged room. In the evening, a welcome reception is held in the Great Hall of the castle. Not many people participated in the reception, but under the introduction of Isabel, it is not difficult to find that the people who can stand here all have a certain status in the brotherhood, or their contribution is only lower than a few committee members.
These people spoke elegantly, but they were always testing the tone of Zero and Paul during the conversation. Long before their arrival, the two privately decided to keep their wishes secret before putting the matter on the negotiating table. Therefore, those who wanted to inquire about the outlet in advance so as to wait and see were all in vain.
At the reception, Gao Li silently watched the two of them from beginning to end, and his eyes fell on Isabel next to him from time to time. At this time, someone said from behind: "It seems that our Commissioner Isabel is very enthusiastic about the two distinguished guests."
No need to look back, Gao Li knew it was Semir's voice. He took a sip of red wine and said, "Whether His Royal Highness Paul or Mr. Zero are excellent men, Isabel should be attracted to them, right?"
"Isabel's heart is moved, but it shouldn't be about men and women. That woman's ambition is not small." Semir pointed out.
"Senma, I have to remind you that it is a felony for members of the fraternity to be suspicious of each other, especially us committee members. If even we can't trust each other, then the fraternity will be separated and separated." Leng Leng After saying this, Gao Li turned and left.
Semir smiled, shook the wine glass in his hand and said: "Don't talk about yourself so noble, don't you also have the idea of being the only one..."
Suddenly, the face of West Wind flashed in the reflection of the wine glass. Semir's heart shuddered, and he swallowed the unfinished words back into his stomach.
The reception ended at midnight, and both Zero and Paul received several invitations to private receptions. The two of them gave these things to Isabel with a tacit understanding, and she would pick out which ones were worthy of dating, and which ones needed to appear on the stage as a show. After arriving in St. Louis, Isabel seemed to have become the private secretary of the two, but the female committee member had no complaints about the change. On the contrary, I am still very devoted to this work.
On the second day, a formal meeting was finally held in the conference hall of the old castle. It is said to be a meeting, but its nature is almost the same as a negotiation. Zero and Paul have reached an agreement in this regard. In order to highlight the importance of Paul, Zero gave the right to speak to the young pope throughout the meeting. At the same time, it also conveyed a very clear meaning to the Brotherhood, that is, Zero and the Sea God Group under it are all on Paul's side.
Coupled with Mendriza and Joseph's family, Paul's weight becomes very important. As for Isabel, who did not take a clear stand, but supported Paul in many aspects, it is not difficult for people to see what this female committee member means.
In contrast, Gao Li's side appears to be weak. Solomon was absent, Semir had an ambiguous attitude, and there was only one Westwind who supported Gao Li unconditionally. But just the two of them can't get much benefit from this negotiating table.
At this time, Paul used his astonishing eloquence. His Highness started from the benefits of overthrowing Sauron, and then talked about the distribution of benefits afterwards, the changes in the structure, and did not forget to occasionally hint at Sauron's hostility towards the Brotherhood. Point out that if the Brotherhood is unwilling to cooperate with them, then Sauron may also be a candidate for short-term cooperation. His Highness the Pope had a clear goal, and he used threats and lures in a number of ways, which made Gao Li smile bitterly in his heart.
Although he had already envisioned today's situation, he never imagined that Ling, who was in the limelight, would stand on Paul's side without hesitation, which made his original plan to win over Ling to hold Paul's side in vain, and led to the failure of today's meeting. at an absolute disadvantage. Ling backed down a step on the surface, but actually made a move that was extremely sharp, forcing Gao Li to have no strength to parry, which shows the skill of his tactics.
But Gao Li is not an easy master, although he is forced by the alliance between Paul and Zero in general to cooperate only one way. However, there is much to be done about how to cooperate and in which areas to cooperate. In these places that can be advanced and retreated, Gaoli will fight for every inch of land. Paul was also unwilling to be left behind, and fought for his and Ling's own interests everywhere, so the huge conference room turned into a war between Paul and Gao Li.
Zero couldn't help being thankful that Paul came with him. In this respect, Paul was obviously a better candidate for negotiation than him.
The meeting ended at noon, but the two sides have not yet reached a consensus in many aspects, let alone signed a specific agreement. According to Isabel's thinking, the two of them probably had to stay in St. Louis for a few days. In the past few days, they have no free time. In addition to meeting with Gao Li, they also have to visit the senior members of the fraternity in order to win their support.
On the morning of the third day after they arrived in St. Louis, a fleet suddenly arrived at Turin Island. Turin Island is one of the largest islands in the Pearl Corridor Islands, and it is also the location of the only military base on which the Pope's Hall is located. Before dawn, Major General Simon, the person in charge of the military base, woke up the adjutant and rushed to the pier to greet him.
Because this fleet was under the banner of Sauron himself, although he was surprised how Sauron would suddenly visit Turin Island at this time, Simon did not dare to neglect. Shortly after he arrived at the pier, the fleet began to enter the port. What puzzled Simon was that there was only one warship that entered the port. As for the other warships, they were still on the distant coast, as if they were still preparing for a long voyage.
Without giving Simon any time to think, the ship berthed, and Sauron walked onto the pier under the guard of a group of Silver Hands. Simon and the adjutant rushed to meet him, before he could speak, Zoro immediately asked Simon to have a secret meeting with him in the office, saying that there was something important to discuss. This surprised Simon, and he didn't dare to refuse, so he immediately led Sauron to his private office in the base.
As soon as the door was closed, Simon saw Sauron standing in front of a map. The map shows the islands of the Pearl Corridor. Sauron said indifferently: "Recently, I have received some information. I heard that some shady rats are hiding under a certain island in the Pearl Corridor. They are right under your nose, Simon! "
Simon thumped in his heart, but still said: "Master Sauron, this is impossible. All the islands in the Pearl Corridor are under our control, and no one can sneak in under our noses."
Sauron didn't speak, and suddenly changed the subject: "Simon, have you heard of the Dark Brotherhood?"
Simon's body shook slightly, and he immediately replied: "I haven't heard of it, my lord."
"Really?" Sauron smiled, turned around and said, "Under normal circumstances, it is true that no one can hide in the Pearl Corridor under our noses. There is only one situation in which such a thing can be done, that It's the administrator on the Pearl Corridor, my dear Major General Simon who is personally covering these rats. Am I right, Simon!"
For a while, Simon's mind went blank.