Warhammer

Al sat at the end of the long table, wearing a mask that made it impossible to see his face, looking very mysterious.

Even though he had restrained his aura and did not seem to be planning to attack, the monks and pandaren remained on guard, fearing that the Beastman King, who had revealed his terrifying strength through just a brief burst of momentum, would suddenly overturn the table in the next second.

The leader of the Zhendan team, Zhang Wuji, also seemed to be no ordinary man, and perhaps even better than his two guards in some ways.

Faced with Al's pressure, he only took a small step back, and on the surface he still maintained the calm demeanor of a person who was having a good conversation.

Only the expression of emotion was slightly restrained, and like the atmosphere, it slowly turned into a neither too strong nor too weak solemnity.

The long hall fell into a brief silence. Only four or five breaths of time passed from the moment Al lost his composure to the moment someone else spoke.

"The messenger is wrong."

Al stood up, waved his hand, sent all the broken pieces of wine glass on the ground into the subspace, and raised his hand to signal the Zhendan people.

"I am not overestimating my own abilities and dare to make false statements: under tribal rule, all ethnic groups are equal and talents are applied according to their abilities; there is no racial hatred, isolation, or discrimination; I believe that if I have the opportunity to show my talents, I can also achieve great things; but the Egyptians and the tribes are foreign races, which I like but the people don't; the people like but I don't."

"The differences between the two countries are so great. We have formed a brotherly alliance because of the rampage of bandits. The tribe has formed an alliance with the Egyptians to fight against the greenskins. The alliance means that we will share life and death. However, we belong to different groups after all. In the future, we will drive out the greenskins and restore our homeland. I will lead the army back to Pina. The Egyptians should naturally take care of their national and family affairs..."

It was just like when Zhang Wuji claimed that he was just a "businessman" and Al didn't believe it at all.

Al himself probably didn't believe what he said.

But it doesn't matter. Talking nonsense in a serious manner about yourself and other people present don't believe it at all, and even sneer at it in their hearts. These empty words, lies, and big talk are politics, and they are also a skin for maintaining the rules.

It was impossible for Al to say in front of outsiders, even those Estalia women who had slept with him and were enjoying the pleasure of the boy's big cock, that he wanted to take over Egypt.

Even if there is even the slightest risk of an accident, he will try his best to avoid it.

Not to mention that he still couldn't even figure out the origins of this group of Zhendan people who suddenly came to visit him. He only knew that they were a guild trading base in Margarita that seemed to have the background of the Dragon Empire court. There were not many people but they were very elite. They made great efforts in the defense of Margarita, and when the Margarita City Council fell into civil strife, they helped the council make a decision as soon as possible to avoid fighting or retreating, and thus losing strength in the tug of war.

At first, Al thought that they wanted to get help or to build bridges for him and certain forces. Al seemed to be an expert on Zhendan, and it was no secret that he liked Zhendan.

When the Galaz people offered their daughter, they specifically found someone with experience in Zhendan to cooperate with El in COS, and he later recruited her into the army as a cadre of the art troupe.

Therefore, he made use of the semi-official Zhendan identity of Zhang Wuji and others.

But the development of things exceeded Al's expectations. The visitor seemed to be just here to chat with him - at the same time, it seemed that he was observing Al.

But almost before saying goodbye, an unintentional sigh revealed the secret that Al did not want to expose to the outside world at this stage. It was really puzzling.

If one were to think carefully, and the person who came was a native of Estalia, and revealed to El that he had seen through El's actions and intentions, then there were only two possibilities:

First, like the kind of people who come to seek refuge in ancient books, they have to startle others with their first words, "Mr. Ming, you don't even know that disaster is coming!" Then the master will exclaim, "Sir, how can you teach me?" So they ask for advice from wise men, sleep with their feet together, and talk by candlelight at night...

Second, it is a threat.

"We have seen through your intentions, but we need to unite the front at the moment so we can't make a big deal out of it. This will only hurt both sides. I'm warning you, don't have any bad ideas!"

If it was the former, Al would never hesitate to keep the person, reward him with a large sum of money and a high position, win him over, and monitor him... But if it was the latter, he might also pretend to be nice at first, and then dig deeper until he had a general grasp of the situation and was more than five levels of certainty, and then launch a decapitation attack with a thundering blow.

As for the consequences...

Just put the blame on the pirates. Those scums are already hated by the people and have committed unforgivable crimes. If they take the blame again, it would only mean they will be shot once more, right?

.........

Zhang Wu Ji is a smart man.

Although Al didn't know the reason why the other party came to visit and made his ambitions clear, it was obvious that this guy would be difficult to deal with if he was an opponent.

However, once the other party's attitude was revealed, the two sides were not yet at peace, at least certainly not now.

He apologized to El, saying that he "jumped to conclusions without understanding the national conditions of Estalia and the tribe" and that he spoke carelessly and asked the king not to blame him.

Of course... Al forgave him!

Therefore, both parties tacitly brushed aside this small point, which might contain infinite murderous intent, and continued to talk happily in a harmonious atmosphere.

In order to show friendliness, Al even took off his mask. His purpose was certainly not to scan his face, and he couldn't possibly scan his face on a man. He was just expressing his goodwill by being sincere.

What was unexpected was that even in the face of Al's malice, he was able to remain calm. Zhang Wu Ji, who took a half step back, stood there as if struck by lightning, and did not react for several breaths.

Al thought it was funny at first, but then he thought to himself that this guy might be a dead man.

(There are already enough in the group) Don’t want any more around you!

He felt a slight chill, but fortunately Zhang Wu Ji only lost his composure for a short time and recovered quickly. However, he couldn't help but look at Al's face. It was an obvious observation and scrutiny, not as simple as just staring at the other person in a normal conversation.

This made Al feel even more uncomfortable, but fortunately the latter's interest in conversation was immediately diverted by his face. After a few brief words, Al suggested that he would take the initiative to visit the Aurora Guild Hall when he was free. Zhang Wu Ji took the opportunity to say goodbye and left, saying that he had to make preparations early in order to entertain the distinguished guest.

------------------------------------

After saying goodbye from the long hall, Zhang Wu Ji hurried to the guild hall with two guards. Although he was very fast, he seemed a little confused and no one knew what he was thinking.

After entering the base, the man did not do what Al had expected, such as "gathering everyone to pack their bags and run away overnight." Instead, he remained calm and composed as usual.

After taking care of a few chores, he dismissed his attendants and entered the Tiange alone, going up floor by floor.

Several Dan Qi masters who were meditating on various floors of the Tiange were in a state of profound comprehension. Since the visitor was Zhang Wu Ji himself, there was no surprise that his hurried steps were delayed until he walked into the top floor and stood in front of the vermilion and purple gate carved with fairy patterns and cloud patterns.

Zhang Wuji took a deep breath, stood up straight, first adjusted his hat, then his clothes, and after tidying himself up from top to bottom, he gently shook his long sleeves, bowed to the door, and slowly pushed it open...

There was a cushion, a table, an incense burner in front of the wall, a few paintings hanging on the stone wall, and a scroll behind the incense burner. Apart from that, there was nothing else.

After Zhang Wu Ji walked to the cushion, he did not look at the painting first, but bowed politely to the person in front of him. Then he slowly raised his head to verify the "coincidence" that was like a thunderclap from above the nine-story palace of Nan Gao, which shattered his state of mind.

The protagonist of the painting in the middle is a woman.

He has white hair, a military uniform, and majestic dragon horns. He is so noble and majestic that one cannot look directly at him. He holds a sword in his left hand and a seal in his right hand. He is standing on a high platform and raising his hands to show the dragon descendants, civil officials, military generals, and millions of soldiers and civilians below the stage that he has returned from the heavenly court and received the regency item from the emperor and empress, which symbolizes the highest earthly power of the Dragon Empire.

The painting on the left shows a battle scene in which five dragons appear together, soaring above Changyuan, and leading countless soldiers in a bloody battle with millions of demons.

And the third painting on the right.

The white-haired dragon girl was standing under the flags on the high platform, surrounded by civil and military officials on both sides. The figures of the four brothers and sisters were hidden behind the eldest daughter of the Dragon Emperor. A young general was dressed as a young general, with a hideous demon head hanging from his waist. He was not wearing a helmet and looked a little embarrassed with disheveled hair, but a solemn and murderous aura arose from him.

He was carrying a large flag with a white dragon on a black background of the Weibei Province engraved on it, and was walking up the steps one by one. Before he even reached the steps in front of the Dragon Girl, he had already knelt down and saluted to the Dragon Emperor's eldest daughter, the Regent of Zhendan, who was on the high platform.

The young man in this picture only has a side profile, and only the majesty of the dragon girl is deeply rooted in people's hearts.

But on the far right side of the stone wall, there is a picture hanging.

This is the only picture in which the Dragon Girl is sitting. The young man with loose hair is standing on the right side of Miaoying, just outside the armrest. There is no one else standing behind the two of them. From the angle, the peach forest and the square courtyard seem to be above a floating city.

The young man held the armrest on Miaoying's right side with one hand and pointed to the distance with the other. His face was a mixture of happiness, laughter, and joy. Combined with the size difference between the two that the dragon girl couldn't ignore even when she was sitting, he looked like a boy acting coquettishly to his mother, asking her to see something new and interesting that he had discovered somewhere.

The Dragon Girl's expression was also very subtle, seriousness mixed with helplessness and a bit of... doting?

The painter's brushwork is rare, and he has very vividly incorporated the atmosphere between big and small, and mother and child into the painting.

There are only two characters in this painting, one big and one small, one male and one female, one human and one dragon.

However, Zhang Wu Ji knew clearly that the two people in the painting had another identity.

"One mother, one son."

The eldest daughter of the Dragon Emperor, the leader of all dragons, the regent of Zhendan, the commander-in-chief of the army, the lord of the northern provinces, the violent wind, the Jade Fire Dragon...

The leader of all dragons under the Emperor and Empress, the guardian of the empire, "Biaolong Miaoying", who led the army to defeat nomads, chaos, ogres, ratmen, zombies and all other threats to the power of the Dragon Empire countless times, and the only "eldest son" who accompanied the Dragon Girl as the "Son of Biaolong".

It is said that he was killed in a battle when Chaos invaded Changyuan before the Great War.

Since then, the Dragon Girl has become more and more cold-blooded and ruthless, with great skills. She does everything to fight against chaos, and fighting against chaos is everything.

He marched out of Changyuan and plundered the land, slaughtering countless Chaos believers and nomadic barbarians. He also launched a major purge, which played a decisive role in ensuring that the Zhendan Dynasty could stand firm as a rock in the great war.

The army should have been resting and recuperating after the war, but the Regent Miaoying insisted on leading the army twice to the north and west to sweep away all the enemies. According to legend, he learned the news from the captured Chaos Warlocks that Miaoying's only son might still be alive and was wandering aimlessly in the Chaos Wasteland.

.........

Zhang Wu Ji's body was shaking. He didn't dare to look anymore, nor did he dare to close his eyes. He slowly lowered his head, bent over, and put his forehead on the ground.

On that portrait.

The appearance of the Dragon Girl's son was strikingly similar to that of the "beast warlord" and "barbarian leader who likes the elegant customs of China":

Al.

The same.

Chapter 83: Gregory

"The South was in turmoil, with disturbances all around. First, the rats assassinated the king, then the greenskins and pirates invaded, and they led a large army across the sea, and the Egyptians could not stop them... Most of their territory was lost, and their people rose up to fight, and made peace with neighboring countries, and got the orc chieftain to send troops to help, and finally the country survived..."

From a secret message sent by Margarita to the distant Eastern Empire, if Al knew that he had made a great name for himself in this war, and that every battle was a key to determining the direction of the war, the Dragon Court envoy, who had met him once before, and the regent of Zhendan, Biaolong Miaoying,

In the intelligence sent to the mainland of Zhendan by the "Jinyiwei" and "Foreign Affairs Bureau" Estalia, the intelligence agencies established long before the war of annihilation, there are only these two short sentences, and they are purely supporting roles. I don't know whether it is funny or angry.

But he had no way of knowing this for the time being, and he didn't know how worried and conflicted Zhang Wu Ji, who sent the message personally, was feeling. Dongfang's affairs had nothing to do with Al for the time being.

He has more important things to do.

such as.

Watching the coronation ceremony of the leader of the "True Orthodox Southern Eagle"...

This matter had actually been started before Al entered Margarita. The new "Southern Eagle" from the southwest and from Bermoz was selected by Al at that time.

An ordinary country priest had the courage and charm to organize a militia to resist a powerful enemy. Of course, his courage was commendable, but it was still like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

If the tribal army had not happened to pass by and crushed the "small-scale" enemy, the priest and the militia and village he inspired would have been reduced to ashes.

Then, the excited priest asked to see Ai'er several times, hoping to get the support of the Beastman King so that he could organize an army and kill all the enemies.

In the process, Al was pleasantly surprised to find that although the priest was fanatical, he was not pious in some ways.

He called on believers in the name of Myrmidia and called on the goddess to boost morale in order to fight; he sought to see El several times and even went as a believer and priest to ask a group of beastmen who had long been looked down upon and despised by the Estalia people about the deeds and teachings of the "heretic gods" in order to fight.

In Gregory Huey's heart, everything in life is more important than anything else. As long as Myrmidia can bless his kingdom and his people, he will become the most fanatical and dedicated believer of the goddess of war without hesitation.

And when Myrmidia's protection was gone, and four mysterious and powerful great goddesses who simultaneously displayed real miracles and whose believers could receive divine blessings, and their common first apostle on earth appeared with an invincible army, Gregory was willing to kowtow to the "aliens" and "alien gods" in order to gain strength to defend his country.

A raw, simple patriot.

Gregory's love for the land beneath his feet is higher than his devotion to faith. In fact, the latter was largely born out of the former. At the same time, the silence of Myrmidia should also have disappointed this enthusiastic priest. In short, it is very rare for a priest to take the initiative to join the tribe, and this simple and loyal love was exploited by Ai'er. Of course, this is a utilitarian view.

A more euphemistic description would be: "The Son of God, through his words and preaching, helped the confused priests who had no idea how to save the country see the way forward and convert them to the right path! From then on, they saw through the fog and walked forward on the right path!"

Just like how Al helped Sister Helen to attain enlightenment.

It was all through debate and verbal attacks—and of course other means—that the priests would suddenly be enlightened and complete the transformation.

Gregory saw in the signs shown to him by the omniscient magic: "What has happened and is destined to happen: Myrmidia is dead; the blessing of the four mothers comes, and Aiel will ascend to the supreme throne that unites all races and nations. The Estalia people will obtain the highest glory second only to those beastmen who follow the Son of God in the forest when this great prophecy is fulfilled..."

This made the priest, who had been persuaded by El and believed that "everything is for the existence of man, and the existence of man is everything; kings and nobles are men, rich priests are men, peasants and soldiers are all men - first there were men, then there were kingdoms, then there were traditions, then there were the Estalia people today, and then there was everything the Estalia people had", completely discard all the old constraints of "royal power, tradition, sacredness..." and submit to the power of El and the Four Mothers.

The power of the Four Gods is not in destroying the heavens and the earth or creating everything;

Instead, they are the destination of the flow of all emotional forces of mortal beings, and the unbreakable connection between all life. Even the mortal heroes who resolutely resist chaos, stand on the side of order and fight to the death with chaos, are contributing to the Four Gods.

In this way, all living things can be corrupted, which is also the source of the Four Gods' greatest power.

The Tzeentch elements are corrupted by Tzeentch, the Khorne elements are corrupted by Khorne, the Swarm elements are corrupted by Slaanesh and the Nurgle elements...but there is no Sigma corruption, Kane corruption, or Lilith corruption.

As the saying goes:

The world is often confusing and life is full of difficulties.

As soon as a thought arises, the world becomes vast.

Gregory, who entered the new world, knelt down and pledged allegiance to El the moment he completed his ideological transformation. He did not completely join the camp of a certain goddess, but was an "eternal loyal follower of God's choice" without distinction between the four mothers. According to the division of the empire, he was a secular faction. Of course, El was the only major faction within the tribe that unified all of them, and there were no disputes over royal power and divine power.

The fourth mother is not so idle...

Beastmen like Wrathhorn, Wisehorn, Gospel Apostle, and Mother Shaman, whose material transformation has clearly revealed their faction affiliation, will worship other goddesses at the same time when they worship their own mother goddesses. The only difference is the emphasis. And Ai'er must occupy a place on all the altars dedicated to the four mothers in the tribe.

Therefore, the tribe has a strong theocratic style of rule, and religious factors can never be eliminated from the Beastmen.

However, Gregory, perhaps as a priest who once worked for the secular world, had a different view on this.

He once concealed his identity and preached to the Estalia and Beastmen in the tribe. He intentionally placed Aiel above others and preached to believers as a symbol of secular rule, source of faith, savior, greatness, and divine king, and surprisingly achieved excellent results.

Even some of the more stubborn ones, who, for the sake of reputation and self-confidence, did not take or even stop the exclusion of people who maintained beliefs other than those of the Four Mothers, and who adhered to the old faith, were also educated by Gregory's preaching and offered their loyalty and faith to the "Holy Savior Emperor - Son of the Four Mothers."

This made Al quite happy. He thought this man could be of great use, so he simply let him return to his original identity. At the same time, he secretly supported Gregory's growing reputation among the Estalia forces in the southwest, such as releasing some news: "Pastor Gregory once risked his life to deliver urgent military intelligence to the tribal army" and "Gregory Huey commanded a team and defeated enemies that were several times larger than himself with strategy and bravery." The news released by Al meant that someone was deliberately cooperating with you to make a big fuss for you, insisting that he owed you money and that you had something against him. How could outsiders verify it?

With the addition of some influential Estalia nobles who were gradually controlled by El, Gregory's status in the kingdom naturally rose. With El's secret support, it was no surprise that he became the chosen candidate for the Southern Eagle this time.

Chapter 84: Judgment and the New King's Succession

The Southern Eagle position is very important in future plans, and if Al is capable, he must keep it in his own hands.

At a time when the throne of the City Prince is vacant, the highest-ranking person in the entire Estalia is the head of the War Church. El has united the southwestern cities, wielding the sword of justice to eliminate the rebellion, and inciting the anger of the citizens to gain the support of the grassroots, so that even if there are opponents, they cannot gain public support during this period.