Astartes of the Bear School

Chapter 1735. Section
This time, Menno Cuhoon did not offer any vehement rebuttal to Lane's remarks.

It was as if the spirit and courage of this famous general, who was renowned throughout the continent, had been completely worn out by the conversation just now.

Lann knew that he would carry out his orders and convey his demands to the Emperor of Nilfgaard during the post-war negotiations.

That was all the witcher asked of Menno Cuhoon.

So when the Empire's Army Marshal showed signs of softening his attitude, Lan En no longer threatened or intimidated him.

Lan En was the leader of this war, so he didn't have to do anything more.

"It seems that we have reached a certain consensus, so... Ding Ding~"

A distant but not loud crash sound was heard.

After finishing the previous topic, Lan En raised his foot and gently kicked the cursed bronze bell beside him.

"Could you also tell me how you got this thing?"

The demon hunter tilted his head, his expression somewhat curious, but Menno Kuhoon's face, full of bitterness and hatred, was more of confusion.

"This is the result of the Empire's research... Why did you use the word 'obtained'?"

Menno Coohohn had a good command of the common tongue and was sure that he had heard correctly.

'Got it', it's like the Empire picked up, found something that belonged to someone else, and then took it and used it.

But according to the information he got when he received the equipment, this curse was developed and produced by the Empire. At the very least, it should be "created" rather than "obtained", right?

"Excuse me, Your Excellency the Duke." Menno Kuhoen said indifferently, "At this point, the loser and the victor are clearly distinguished, but belittling the loser will not make the victor appear more noble and powerful. I think you should know this truth."

"Do you think I'm belittling Nilfgaard's research capabilities?" Lan shrugged. "No, I don't think so. I won't underestimate my enemies, but..."

However, if someone were to simply conduct magic research and study of curses in the magical Middle Ages and discover that a cursed vengeful ghost could be developed, Lan En would definitely not believe it.

The tattered Japanese loincloth on the vengeful ghost was still hanging on his body just now!
The cloud patterns formed by the muscles and skin on the ghost's body being twisted by the filthy power are also authentic traces of Eastern culture.

Can you Nilfgaardians come up with something like this from your research on curses?
It's just a joke!

But Lan En did not explain much. He just pulled out the dagger hanging on his waist in front of Menno Kuhn who was watching coldly.

[Wolf Fang] The blade with the Valyrian steel pattern was glowing with a faint blue light.

Menno Kuhoon was not too nervous. After all, he was already a cooperative prisoner. Based on his understanding of Lann, this man would not torture or injure anyone casually, not to mention his current status as a prisoner.

Lan En bent down and aimed [Demon Wolf Fang] at the bronze bell.

It was almost silent. There was no sound of metal colliding, tearing, or rubbing... There was no movement at all as the demon wolf's fangs cut into the bronze bell.

There was no resistance at all.

It’s like this copper bell, which is made of solid material and is quite large, is actually just a cream cake made in the shape of a copper-green bell.

One cut was made vertically, and the other was made at a slightly offset angle, leaving only the roots of the cuts connected...even Lan En's method of cutting downwards was like dividing a cake.

Lane showed Menno Coohan the thick interior section of the bronze bell he had cut open.

"This is...!" The Imperial Marshal blinked in a daze, looked at the cross section of the bronze bell, and then looked up at Lan En. "Is... is it magic? How can this structure make a bell sound?"

The appearance of the bronze bell is almost the same as the big bell in the church, but if you ignore the external appearance and look at the inside from the cross-section, you can find out what it really looks like.

The main body of the bell is two centimeters thick on average. Its interior is not made of evenly cast metal, but a piece of sparkling golden crystal!

The metal is just a shell covering these golden crystals.

These golden crystals sparkled with a dreamy gleam, which almost made Menno Kuhoon a little fascinated when he saw it. He unconsciously wanted to reach out and touch it, even though the thing was still in Lan's hand.

"Hey, wake up!"

Lan's reminder brought Menno Kuhoon back to his senses immediately. His tone was not harsh. The key point was that he was very terrified in Menno Kuhoon's heart, so the reminder seemed particularly effective.

"I'm sorry, Your Excellency the Duke!" The Field Marshal pulled back suddenly, almost tripping over himself. He looked at the faceted clock in Lan's hand in confusion, "Did it just confuse me? What the hell is this thing?"

"It can't be said to be confusing," Lan En didn't answer his question, "It's just attractive. After all, look at this beautiful golden color, who wouldn't like it?"

But Lan En knew this thing very well. It was a [Spirit Stone].

In the magical Japanese Warring States world, crystals of supernatural power, powerful spellcasting materials and solid energy are born from the disappearance of a large number of lives.

This thing shouldn't exist in this world.

Lan En also cut off the bell inside the bell, which was used to shake and collide, and directly cut it with the wolf's fang. Sure enough, there was also a spiritual stone inside the bell.

It is glittering, gorgeous and attractive.

Without making a sound, Lan En used the cloth that originally covered the rattle to cover the cut of the bronze bell to prevent the dreamy golden light from leaking out, and the entire bell was put aside again.

"You don't know how this thing is made, Cuhoon?"

"I don't know." The Imperial Marshal answered simply and helplessly, "I'm just a soldier. I think about tactics and strategy, troop combinations, and training plans. I don't understand witchcraft and curses."

"The Empire gave me new weapons and told me how to use them and what precautions to take. That's enough for me."

Lan nodded: "I understand. Then I will add one more request. Nilfgaard must tell me how you got these crystals."

"...Okay, Your Excellency."

Menno Cuhoon only pursed his lips slightly before agreeing.

After all, compared with his previous request, this matter is so small that it is not worth mentioning.

Lan En picked up the big bell and the pieces he had cut off and turned to leave.

His communication with the prisoner had achieved its purpose.

But when the witcher turned to leave, Menno Kuhn took the initiative to call him back.

"Your Excellency," the Imperial Marshal said with hesitation and caution in his voice. "Can I... ask you a question?"

"Please say."

"How did you know that the Usica Brigade was controlled by the Epe D'Arcy family, and the Magne Division was controlled by the De Witt family?"

"Read the book. It's the textbook compiled by your military academy. It contains battle records. Didn't I tell you that?"

"Please don't joke!" Menno Kuhoon suppressed his anger. "Those teaching materials and battle examples have been reviewed and revised countless times before they can be printed in textbooks."

"The Emperor wants to maintain the dignity of the royal family, and the nobles want to keep a low profile... None of them will allow others to figure out what kind of power they hold just by reading a book!"

"But I do rely on reading... ah, I see." Lan En suddenly realized and said with a smile, "But Kuhoen, our concepts of 'reading' may be different."

The demon hunter looked at the other person calmly and calmly.

"I did use some exaggerated rhetoric before, like 'there are names everywhere' blah blah blah."

"Of course, your textbook writers and reviewers will not miss such obvious things. But... everything that happens leaves traces, Cuhoon."

"Of course the messenger who went to find the Usica Brigade would not be named Epe Darcy, but if you can remember another battle report, a record of a battle about five years before the one I used as an example."

"You will find the commendation record of the herald, and the person who awarded him the honor happened to be Apple Darcy."

"There are so many things, so many twists and turns, but in the end..." Lan En smiled, "I can always find those hidden clues that build interpersonal networks, even if it's just from books."

Looking at Lan's smile, although Menno Kuhn was prepared, he still felt his throat dry and his lips trembled.

Seeing clearly the interpersonal relationships and figuring out who is friends with whom and who is at odds with whom...it sounds so simple.

But only a fool would think this is really simple. Anyone who has spent two days in an office and experienced a little bit of office struggle would not be able to say this.

Everyone can act. In an office environment where no one can pose a physical threat to each other, people can still engage in intrigue while wearing masks and smiling facetious.

So in a military situation where the lives and property of a large number of people are at stake, who would be so foolish as to truly declare who they are friends with, who they lean towards, and who they obey?
Even with Menno Kuhoon's seniority and high prestige, he only vaguely felt that there must be forces of great nobles, merchant associations, and even other messy things in Nilfgaard's army.

But if you ask him which specific troops? What is the specific proportion of troops loyal to the emperor? He can only open his mouth and do nothing.

At best he could be sure of half of it, the rest was just guesswork.

Emhyr has a higher position and more authority than Menno Quehoorn, and he has his chief of intelligence, Wattir de Lidaux, so he will know better than Menno Quehoorn.

But Lan?

Just by reading books?

Extract the clues in the battle reports that are so different from each other and span decades, and then connect them to form an interpersonal network for analysis and judgment?

...Menno Kuhn didn't dare to think further about what kind of brain power and judgment this was.

(End of this chapter)