Chapter 465 Friends

Gaius rode a wild boar across the open terrace.

Mersemer also rode on a huge hippopotamus, followed closely behind the Boar Rider, and held on tightly without giving in.

The two competed for speed, and the giant beast caused waves on the ground.

Wuming huddled in the corner, holding his knees with his hands, as small as a child serving the knights.

The hippopotamus under Messemer's crotch was incredibly fast, actually faintly surpassing Gaius. But Gaius and the wild boar suddenly flashed purple light, flew up, and charged away.

The competition between Gaius and Mersemer finally ended with Gaius winning, and the two walked over talking and laughing, drinking unknown wine.

"No, you came here on purpose to make me angry, right?" Wuming was very unhappy, "Why do you all have mounts?"

"You haven't?" Messermer asked.

Several vein-like protrusions appeared on the nameless helmet:

"I don't. I'm like a waiter waiting on you, but I don't have any money to take."

Messemer smiled: "How can you be a waiter?"

While they were talking, a son of platinum rode a wolf from a distance and served fruits and meat to Gaius and Mersemer.

Gaius raised his spear, grabbed the meat, stuffed it into his mouth boldly, and said:

"Look, this is the waiter."

Wuming's eyes turned red: "The waiters all have mounts!"

Messermo pointed to the hippopotamus behind him:

"Why don't you give it a try? If you can tame it, I'll give it to you."

"It's a deal!" Wuming said nothing and pounced directly on the huge hippopotamus.

As soon as it landed on the hippopotamus, the hippopotamus shook its head repeatedly as if it was in a state of stress, and even spikes sprouted from its body, and it thrust Wuming's thorns into the sky like a porcupine.

Wuming fell from the sky, regardless of the sharp thorns piercing his body, hugging the porcupine's sharp thorns and the big horns on his forehead, letting the hippopotamus roll and run without letting go.

Messemer looked at the hippo running into the distance and couldn't help but laugh.

Gaius fed the wild boar a piece of meat and greeted Messermo:

"How are you doing lately? I think you can bring new friends over, and you seem to be doing well?"

Messemer did not answer immediately, and remained silent for a moment before saying:

"Lately, I've been thinking about whether to end the jihad."

"End the Holy War?" Gaius' eyes widened like pig eyes, "When did you kid figure it out?"

Messemer said: "The nameless person came from the junction and told me everything. My mother was in trouble, and I thought this might be an opportunity."

Gaius straightened his body:

"When you go back, will there be a place for you? What will happen to the city defense and the people here?"

Messemer said: "So I came to find you. I thought that after I left, you would defend the city."

"Wait for me here." Gaius smiled, "I wonder why you have time to come over."

"I want to talk to you about this too." Messermo said, "After all, you are the only person I can discuss with."

"Where's Lelana?" Gaius said.

"She will only support me," Messemer said. "It's not for discussion."

"Tsk, tsk." Gaius said, "What a good girl, why did I follow you?"

Mersemer looked at Gaius's wild boar:

"What a pig, why did I follow you?"

Gaius laughed:

"What are you going to do? Announce it directly? Then there will be another mutiny. You have to be cautious, step by step, and test the attitude of the soldiers."

Messermo hesitated:

"How about starting with small things and reducing the number of impaled corpses outside the city?"

"Okay." Gaius said, "This way we can see the attitude of the soldiers."

Gaius asked: "But how are you going to get back?"

"Wu Ming should have a way." Messermo said, "It seems that they have broken through the seals between the Shadow Land and the Junction Land, and they can come and go freely."

"That's good," Gaius said, "but it's best not to let me help you defend the city. Find someone else you trust."

"What?" Messemer looked at Gaius with some worry, "You..."

"I am dying," Gaius said. "My time must be almost up."

Messemer looked inside the boar's back armor and saw that Gaius' legs had almost completely disappeared.

Messer opened his mouth to say something, but fell silent in the end.

Gaius looked at Wuming who was still fighting the hippopotamus in the distance and smiled:

"Your new friend is good. The curse of immortality suits you, the immortal snake. I, the cursed son of platinum, can't stay with you for much longer."

Messermo lowered his head and remained silent.

"Kud is good," Gaius said. "He will definitely be able to defend the city, the depository and the village."

"Why don't I wait a little longer," Messemer said, "wait until I give this old thing like you a final break before leaving."

"Don't wait. Opportunities disappear while waiting." Gaius said, "I am going to die eventually. You golden people still have a long lifespan. Don't regret that you missed the opportunity one day in the future."

Messermo was even more sad. The two of them were silent and could only drink.

Wuming flew over at this moment and fell upside down in front of the two of them. Wuming pulled himself out and was very frustrated:

"No, it seems that I have no chance of living things. I don't have a horse in my life, and I can't force it, whether it's a war horse or a hippopotamus - what are you doing? I'm so embarrassed, am I the one who doesn't have a horse?"

Messemer is not in the mood to interrupt Wuming:

"Gaius is nearing the end of his life."

Nameless observed Gaius:

"It's not hurt."

"Son of Platinum," Gaius said.

"Oh, a congenital disease that shortens your life, right?" Wuming understood, "It's no big deal, just let Greg reattach a limb."

Messermo widened his single eye:

"Gerrick can also cure this?"

"This is the only cure--" Wuming said halfway, and suddenly realized that this sentence seemed to imply that Greg couldn't cure the witch, and quickly changed the subject, "Anyway, Greg's first treatment was the son of platinum. Several big guys cooperated, and outside the shadow land, we have overcome this problem. Platinum's chronic disease is no longer a problem."

"So amazing?" Gaius's state of being a late hero just now was swept away, and he was very surprised, "Is it true?"

"We have reattached Latan's legs." Wuming was confident, "From demigods to civilians, we have successful cases."

"La Tarn? His leg is broken?" Gaius was even more surprised, "Who can break his leg?"

"He was corrupted, he had a fight with Marenia before." Wuming said, "Come to think of it, did you fly with the wild boar before? It looks like a gravity move, did you learn it from Latan?"

"Latan is my junior brother." Gaius said, "We both learned from the White King."

"Latan's senior brother?" Wuming looked sideways, "Then you are really able to survive."

"So I have no regrets in death." Gaius said, "But you broke the atmosphere as soon as you came. Well, I don't mind living a few more years."

Messermo looked at Wuming deeply:

"Thank you."

Wuming didn't know what Messermo was feeling before, he agreed with a hum and ha, and didn't care. His attention was still on the hippopotamus in the distance, staring at him, and couldn't forget it.

Gaius said, "Then I can help you defend the city. Just go ahead and get out of here."

Messermo laughed:

"Let's eat before we go. The game hunted by the Son of Platinum is rare."

The three of them sometimes ate meat and drank wine, and sometimes fought and exchanged ideas. They fought heartily before returning to the vault.

On the way, Wuming asked Messermo:

"The city defense is handed over to Gaius. Are you ready to leave the Shadow Land?"

"I'm going to find my mother." Messermo said, "Maybe I'll come back after I finish my work."

"Even if this is where you were abandoned?"

"I have nowhere else to go, right? This is my second home." Messermo stepped into the vault and sniffed the specimens, books and breath in the vault. "I watched this vault being built and have been here for a long time. Before Sid died, he said that this place not only preserves the lost civilized species, but also preserves the opportunity to reconcile with the Horned Man. It only needs a key."

"What key?" Wuming asked.

"I don't know. She died right after she finished speaking." Messermo said, "Maybe you are the key. After you came here, many problems have been solved."

"After all, the things here are not new." Wuming said, "Although it is more extreme, it has happened in the border area, and we already have experience in dealing with it."

Wuming said, "Since I have made great contributions, do you want to let me go for a few days?"

"Where are you going?" Messermo asked.

"To collect some materials." Wuming said, "The location is confidential, but it won't take long."

Messermo handed Wuming a badge with the standard on Messermo's flag, flames, winged snakes, and golden rings.

"Use this to enter and exit." Messermo said.

Giving Wuming the credentials to enter and exit, Messermo returned to his room and began to implement his plan, discussing with the Flame Knight, conveying orders, and reducing the piercing spears outside the city.

Messermo began to prepare for the end of the holy war.

He planned to start with small things to get the soldiers used to it. If the soldiers were very upset, he would have a way to calm them down - as long as he told them that he was going back to the border, the soldiers' emotions would naturally disappear.

By manipulating the joy of returning, he weakened the soldiers' fanatical war emotions and took the most fanatical people away from the Shadow Land. Perhaps the intensity of the endless war in the Shadow Land could be reduced by a few levels.

Then, there might be a chance to negotiate with the Horned People.

Messemo planned everything and steadily implemented it, preparing to announce his return when Wuming came back.

The passage back to the border was brought by the Lightless, which could also knock the soldiers' fanatical emotions and make them less hostile to the Lightless.

Messemo looked at the Shadow Tree and felt as if he had seen the golden tree of his hometown again. His prayers might have really worked. His mother really sent salvation to him and the Shadow Land.

Then, Messemo waited for his friend.

=========

The Shadow City has been a little restless recently.

Messermo ordered the reduction of piercing spears and corpses. The corpses that once majestically surrounded the Shadow City in three layers outside and three layers outside were now only one layer.

The other corpses were placed far outside the city and collected by the corners lurking outside the city.

Seeing the spoils of war that symbolized their military exploits being released, many soldiers were not satisfied.

Everyone talked about it, not understanding Messermo's intentions, and began to guess various reasons.

Some people speculated that Messermo was going to change the war strategy, and some speculated that the new group of people changed Messermo. But in the end, a speculative voice dominated the mainstream.

That was a saying that had been circulated a long time ago. A saying that was buried deep in everyone's heart and was unwilling to remember-the snake would betray the golden tree.

Messermo, betrayed the golden tree.

This rumor spread again, especially among the Black Knights and soldiers outside the vault.

The Black Knights were the main force of the Messermo Army, but Messermo was not the leader of the Black Knights. There was no leader in this legion either, because the former leader and deputy leader rebelled, but ultimately failed and were imprisoned in the underground cemetery by Messermo.

Today, only the remnants of the Black Knights remain.

That mutiny also slowed down the Messermo Army's original overwhelming offensive, and the stalemate with the Horned Man has continued.

Messermo did not execute the leader of the mutiny. The deputy leader of the Black Knights was his comrade-in-arms, and the leader was the deputy leader's father, also a general with outstanding military achievements.

Messermo understood them. They were devout believers of the Golden Tree. Their betrayal was not due to greed, nor was it caused by the Horned Man's instigation. It was simply because they were devout and they had the nature of snakes.

It was difficult for outsiders to know how much impact that incident had on Messermo. They only knew that from then on, Messermo lived in seclusion and rarely communicated with others. The only people who could communicate with him normally were the Flame Knight, his subordinate, Laelana, who had always followed him, and the Platinum Son who was also cursed.

Snake and fire, these two innate natures, made him lose his mother and his comrades.

The Golden Tree was great and would never be wrong, so he could only hate himself. The more he hated himself, the more he hated filth, and he turned this filth into the driving force of the holy war.

Messemo's killing gradually put the Black Knights who had not yet rebelled at ease. They were willing to believe in this general, and were even more unwilling to admit the guess that they had been abandoned by Marika in this shadowy land.

The soldiers could only rely on killing and the guidance of Father Golden Tree to comfort their hearts. From time to time, some people collapsed and never recovered, fighting fear with numbness.

And this fear has now been aroused again.

Because of Messemo's changes, and because of the return of two people.

In the vault, the Flame Knight moved the heavy bookshelf, blocking the main door and the switch controlling the elevator. After doing all this, he immediately reported to Messermo.

Outside the vault, the Black Knight and Messermo soldiers gathered and surrounded the vault.

Messermo was also a little surprised when he heard the report from the Flame Knight.

He guessed that the soldiers would have some resistance, but he didn't expect the emotions to be so strong.

"Is there someone leading them?" Messermo asked.

The Flame Knight nodded.

"Who?"

"Andros, the leader of the Black Knights, and Xiu, the deputy leader." The Flame Knight said, "They are back from the cemetery."

Messermo was stunned for a moment, not knowing how to react. When he heard Xiu's name, he was even a little surprised at first.

But then, gloom and despair enveloped his heart:

"Impossible, they can't escape. They are surrounded by many traps and can't get out."

"Unless someone helps them outside." The Flame Knight said.

"That's impossible." Messermo said, "Many black knights have tried to rescue them - but they don't know where I imprisoned them. The map of their hiding place is only stored in this vault. Normally, no one can get out of this vault."

The Flame Knight thought:

"It seems that only that person has left recently."

"You mean Wuming? Impossible." Messermo said, "Impossible..."

Emotionally, Messermo didn't want to believe that Wuming would betray him. But emotionally, Messermo remembered the betrayal of his former friend Xiu.

Messermo was a little confused and had difficulty thinking for a while.

After a while, he sorted out his thoughts and said:

"I'll go out to see Xiu and ask him directly, and I'll know."

"My lord, it's very dangerous." The Flame Knight was worried, "They have the experience of failure last time, I'm afraid they are well prepared."

"I'm just going to see an old friend." Messermo said, and went directly to the small door on the second floor above the gate and left the Shadow City from above the gate.

Messemo stood on the city wall, looking down, two people dressed in black knights, surrounded and standing under the city.

Even in the uniform of the black knights, Messemo recognized the identities of the two at a glance. He was still familiar with their standing posture and their body shape.

"Xiu, Captain Andros." Messemo said.

"Messemo." The two black knights also greeted Messemo, as if they were old friends.

Messemo got straight to the point: "How did you leave the catacombs? I shouldn't have left a back door for you."

"When a faded person entered the catacombs, the mechanism was triggered, and we took the opportunity to get out." The leader of the black knights Andros said, "Do you know what a faded person is? People who were once blessed, but now disappeared. I didn't expect that there are such lightless people."

"I know." Messemo only replied this sentence, feeling a little blocked in his heart, unable to speak.

After a pause, Messermo said:

"So you came back to continue that matter?"

"You know." Andros said, "We are the people of the Golden Tree, but you are not. We came here for holy war and to purge filth. And you are the biggest filth. Your birth is to deny the perfection of the Golden Tree, and it is the stain and worry of Queen Marika."

Andros slammed the giant hammer in his hand into the ground:

"What I said before, I still say the same thing now - you should end your life obediently. After all, only through destruction can you prove the perfection of the Golden Tree. The meaning of your birth lies in this."

"After I destroy it, what about this vault?" Messermo asked.

"It's also full of filth." Andros said, "It should be destroyed as well."

Messermo looked at the silent Black Knight beside Andros:

"Xiu, do you think so too?"

When the deputy leader of the Black Knights heard what Messermo said, he did not respond directly, but said slowly:

"We once eliminated the sacred beasts of the Horned Man, why do you want to build a vault now? I heard that recently, you have begun to reduce the traces of the holy war and removed the bodies of the Horned Man? You even stopped burning the Horned Man."

"I have my plan." Messermo said, "Do you know that our mother Marika has encountered new troubles at the border, and we need to return for help."

"Who did you hear that from?" Xiu asked.

"A faded one, from the border..."

Xiu said: "Have you started to believe the words of the Lightless One now?"

Messermo was speechless, he didn't know how to explain.

He himself couldn't explain why he trusted Wuming so much.

Perhaps it was because the other party was more taboo, more cursed, but more open-minded than himself.

But Messermo knew that if he said this reason, it would only make people feel that he was bewitched.

From the beginning, the two sides did not have the same cognition. As a filth, Messermo would sympathize and understand the same filth. But the Black Knight was a blessed warrior, different from his filth.

Messermo felt the desperate gap between the two sides, and he didn't know how to fill it with words.

After a while, Messermo said sadly:

"Comrade, are we going to have a second civil war?"

Andros said: "Everything is for the Golden Tree and for Lady Marika."

Andros pointed the sledgehammer directly at Messermo:

"We declare war. At noon tomorrow, we will come to clean up the filth and eradicate the Lightless. Everything is to achieve the perfection of the Golden Tree. May the Golden Tree be with us! Messermo, fight with us for honor."

Messermo left the city wall, returned to the vault, and sat down tiredly.

"There is no undeclared war, but there is still the honor of a warrior." Messermo smiled bitterly, "After all, there is no escape... this curse."

The Flame Knight stepped forward and asked for a countermeasure.

"Countermeasure?" Messermo closed his eyes and thought for a moment, then opened his eyes, "The countermeasure is, you hide well, guard the door, and I will deal with all of them."