Chapter 6 Chapter 5 The King of Knights
While the train was passing by Marston, the steam engine on the city gate was roaring lowly, lifting the heavy iron gate.
Soldiers who had been waiting outside the city poured in. They wore black woolen military uniforms, dust masks, metal armor to protect important parts of the body, and long-barreled rifles for sniping.A one-foot-four-inch long curved hunting knife was inserted into the scabbard at the forearm.The military boots are specially made, and the thick rubber soles filter out most of the sound. When walking, they make the rustling sound like silkworms biting mulberry leaves.
The Marston Mounted Police, who were supposed to protect the city, stood by the side of the road, silently watching these black-clothed soldiers scattered into the streets and alleys, occupying every commanding height, setting up their rifles, and the engineers and soldiers stood at the important positions near the train station. Fire and explosives were planted at the intersection.So far, Marston has completely fallen into the control of this army and transformed into a fortified military fortress.
Poincaré's second in command, Lord Roster, the Adjutant, ascended the tower outside the town hall, the highest point in Marston.
A man in a black cloak stood on the top of the tower, overlooking the small city in the wind and rain below.The hood concealed most of his face except for his pale jaw, and a strand of bright golden hair escaped from the edge of the hood, fluttering in the wind.
Lord Rost was worried. If it wasn't for Poincaré's order, he would never have come to see this man with the title of "Death".This kind of ghost on the battlefield who bears the title of hero should be that kind of bloodthirsty thug?Handing over Marston to this kind of thug... Really?Even if it is for the national interest.
Contrary to Rost's expectations, the other party expressed a friendly intention.The man didn't look back, but reached out and pressed the brim of the military cap under the hood as a compliment.He wore a thick iron ring outside his white gloves, and the emblem on the ring was the sharp sword that crucified the poisonous snake.
"Sword of Uriel", this is the name of the sword.
According to the sacred scriptures approved by the Messianic teaching, God first created man and placed them in the Paradise of Eden. However, the first ancestors of mankind, Adam and Eve, were tempted by the snake incarnated by the devil and stole the fruit of the tree of knowledge. expelled from the Garden of Eden.Since then, Paradise has been closed to humans. God has set up a burning holy sword at the entrance of Paradise to prevent humans and snakes from passing through.Uriel is the controller of the sword. He is the angel in charge of the flames of hell. He has a hideous face and a roar like a lion.Mortals are burned by his fire before they can see him in person.
For such a sacred thing, ordinary organizations should not be used as badges at all, for fear of being suspected of trespassing, there is only one organization exception: the Bureau of Inquisition directly under the management of the Holy See of Messiah.It is not an army, but it has force no less than that of an army.It is not a court, but it has the power to convict.It has only a thousand people, but it is at the same level as the 100,000-strong Crusaders.
It was the executive officers of the Inquisition who took over Marston's defense, and the man who watched all this from the tower was perhaps more terrifying than all the executive officers put together.
"It's a great honor, a great honor, Deputy Director." Lord Roster said with trepidation, "We will do our best to cooperate with your actions."
"Don't mention my name tonight. Remember, the army of the Papal State has never appeared in the neutral city of Marston, and the deputy director of the Bureau of Inquisition will naturally not appear here." The man whispered.
"Yes! I was negligent!" Lord Roster turned pale with fright.
"Don't worry, our task is only to ensure the safety of that train. As long as it successfully returns from the front line, we will withdraw quietly, and no one will know that we have come. The Gawain Republic has never assisted the Pope, and the neutral country contract It has not been violated either," said the man.
"Yes! Yes!" In the face of this famous man, Lord Roster could only nod and bow, "We don't know anything! We don't know anything!"
The man turned around silently and continued to look at the city in the rain.Only then did Lord Roster see the sharp blade on his back. It was a long curved knife from Fusang, and the scabbard with intricate patterns looked like a monster's bone.
In the church, people sat in groups of three and five, talking in low voices.
Poincaré prepared red wine, snacks, and blankets for the nobles stranded here. The mounted police poured wine for everyone graciously. They repeatedly said that the chance of accidents is actually very low. They don't have to be nervous, and they can go home after the work is over.
The nervousness was slightly relieved under the influence of alcohol, and people still believed in the neutral country contract, under the protection of that contract they were safe.
"The mayor is too careful. How likely is it that the defeated army will attack Marston? A small probability event?"
"That's right. If it was the Crusaders who were defeated, they were all devout believers. How could they take advantage of the chaos to rob? If it was the Great Xia Army that was defeated, then they would flee eastward and would not pass through Maas at all. pause."
"Sir Allen, who do you think will win this war?" the charming Madam Leia asked the well-known Dr. Allen.
At this time, everyone still maintains the usual circle. The high-ranking nobles naturally sit together, the young nobles sit in another corner drinking wine, and the female relatives gather together, surrounded by their maids, so as not to Some people fumbled away their necks and ears and sprinkled embarrassing jewelry.Around Mrs. Leia, a unique small circle was formed.Lady Leia is Marston's salon queen, twenty-eight years old, voluptuous and beautiful, her husband died young.Such a widowed and beautiful lady is a great opportunity for men, so the art salon of Mrs. Leia's house is the most lively. At the moment when they are in refuge, the attentive men still choose gorgeous skirts around her. Sit around, like knights guarding the queen.
"Both sides are elite and evenly matched. It's hard to tell the outcome." Sir Allen said.
"Can the strong bows of the Easterners compare with muskets? They still ride horses. Can they compare with the speed of the Stein heavy machine?" Sir Massos next to him disagreed.
"So far, the new technology has not been able to completely suppress the traditional tactics. The power of the Easterners' mountain-breaking crossbow is no less than that of muskets. As for the Stein heavy machine, it cannot be used on a large scale due to the limited red mercury deposits." Sir Allen He talked eloquently, "You can't blindly believe in technology."
"What about the blazing cavalry?" Sir Massos was unconvinced, "What army do the Easterners have that can fight against the blazing cavalry?"
"The Blazing Iron Cavalry is indeed a cross-age super army, but there are also unfavorable rumors about them." Sir Alan's voice suddenly lowered when he said this, as if he was talking about some amazing big secret, "Listen to my story in Fei Leng Cui. My friend said there might be a problem with the manufacture of Blazing Armor."
"What's the problem?" Sir Mathos was taken aback.
"Everyone must know that the Chitian Iron Cavalry first appeared in the era of the Roman Empire. It has a history of 120 years. The total number has only increased to 300, isn't it strange?" Sir Allen looked around the crowd, "Since it is an invincible super weapon, it should use all the power to produce it, but a hundred and twenty years have passed, and they Only two hundred new ones were created."
Sir Mathos was speechless.
"And it is said that the blazing arms manufactured later are far inferior to the first generation." Sir Allen said again, "The manufacturing technology of the blazing arms has not improved, but is still regressing. It seems that it is getting more and more difficult for the Holy See to manufacture the blazing arms .”
"I've also heard people talk about similar things." Baron Mari, who has been listening, said, "I have a friend who is a state-level mechanic of the Byzantine Empire. He once participated in the manufacture of mobile armor. He said that the Byzantine Empire studied a For more than 100 years, it is still at the level of "imitation", and new designs are impossible to talk about. Even imitation is very difficult, imitation products are not as exquisite as the original ones, and they are not durable. The precise joints are very worn out, and the armor moves every year. It needs to be overhauled in more than 50 hours, and it is an overly expensive war machine. Therefore, with the national strength of the Byzantine Empire, it can only maintain about 200 Lionheart Knights at present."
"The biggest advantage of steam technology is that it can be produced on a large scale. However, as the highest masterpiece of steam technology, mobile armor cannot be mass-produced, which greatly limits its use. It may not be possible to obtain a large-scale weapon with this serious defect alone. The victory of a great war, especially against Chu Shunhua born of 'Xing Jian'," Sir Allen said.
Not far from Lady Leia's coterie, Cesare and Adele were huddled under the same blanket in a corner near the fireplace.
César occupied this warm and safe corner early in the morning, letting his sister stay inside and blocking the outside. When people realized from the chaos, they realized that the best position had been taken by this boy.The noble ladies who feel that they should be courteous have to look for other corners, taunting in a low voice and say, look, look, brother really knows how to protect his sister, such a beautiful sister can't be frozen!In the future, when my younger sister marries into a wealthy family, my elder brother will be able to climb up the ladder!
This kind of discussion will not affect César, the immediate priority is to let Adele have a safe and warm place to rest, everything else is secondary.
"If you can fall asleep, try to sleep for a while, I'm here, don't worry." César whispered.
"Hmm." Adele nodded with her eyes closed. In fact, it wasn't time for her to sleep, but she was used to obeying her brother's orders.
Cesare also closed his eyes.He was in a state of high alert and it was impossible to fall asleep.But closing your eyes helps to preserve your strength. In case of an accident, it is very important to have plenty of strength and a clear mind.
His sense of uneasiness was stronger than anyone else's, like a thorn in his back.The battlefield was less than ten miles away from Marston, and the two points on the map were almost close to each other, and the sharp edge of war brushed against Marston.Both Chu Shunhua and the Pope promised to ensure Marston’s safety, but César is not a person who is willing to believe in promises. Imagine that a knife brushes your eyelashes and cuts you off. No matter what others promise, you will tense up muscle.
During the Punic War 420 years ago, Roman cavalry rushed into the city of Canaan. The Canaanites who had surrendered believed that they could sacrifice their city and all their property in exchange for their own lives, but the Roman Senate ordered the city to be burned and condoned. Soldiers slaughtered and looted, and finally the country of Canaan completely withdrew from history and became the province of Africa of the Roman Empire.
One hundred and twenty years ago, during the war between the Kingdom of Charlemagne and Saxony, King Charlemagne accepted the surrender of the Saxons, but the communication on the battlefield was chaotic, and the order for the truce was not delivered to the front line in time, so Charlemagne's army swept across the land of Saxony like a hurricane. Massacring the Saxons who raised their hands and surrendered as soldiers, King Charlemagne only expressed "regret" in the face of hundreds of thousands of innocent victims.
Note: The Roman Senate was a deliberative body that played an important role in the government of both the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire for a long time.Although its resolutions were no more than recommendations for legal proceedings and were not laws in nature, they still wielded great power in the Roman polity.Canaan here should refer to an ancient region consisting of Palestine or its part between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, namely today's Palestine, Syria and Lebanon.In the Old Testament, it is called the Promised Land.The word Canaan mainly appears in the Bible, but it is actually what the Greeks called "Phoenicia".The Charlemagne Empire was a period of the Carolingian dynasty of the Frankish Kingdom.Saxony should refer to the Principality of Saxony or the Kingdom of Saxony, which is now a state of Germany.Interested relatives can search for the above two terms separately, so I won’t go into details here.
There are countless such regrettable things in history. If contracts can ensure national security, why do we need weapons?
This shelter is very problematic.Military technology has advanced by leaps and bounds in the last hundred years. Rocks and giant trees are no longer obstacles that can stop warriors. Fortress technology has long been outdated.
Fortunately, a better shelter, César, had already been found in advance.From the first day he arrived in Marston he began to look for shelter.This is a kind of fox-like instinct. He even drew these shelters as maps and forced Adele to memorize them.
He also knew that he was a little nervous in this regard, but on the other hand, the beast with the highest survival rate in the herd was not necessarily the strongest. It might be thin and looked tired, but it was extremely alert.Its thinness and fatigue are precisely because it is too alert, and this alertness will buy it a little more time when the real crisis comes.
If things weren't right he'd take Adele to that shelter.But before that he had to get rid of some troublesome guy... who got under his blanket a few minutes ago.Originally, there was more than enough space for two people to stay in, but because of the addition of a third person, it was suddenly so narrow that it was breathless.
The man didn't say hello before he got in, and after he came in, he sat on the floor with his knees hugged like Cecil, without saying a word, and his face seemed to say "we are a family" or "I was here early in the morning".
"What are you doing here?" Cesare whispered.
"Protect you." Mi Nei said with a serious face, "You are so weak, don't you need a strong man like me by your side? You will feel safe! Oh, congratulations, you are not expelled from school, I think the old woman I scold you in my heart, but I still treat you well in my heart."
"You protect me?" César suspected he had heard wrong.
Bossey School also teaches swordsmanship and fighting skills, but only for the consideration of noble etiquette and physical fitness. Minai's swordsmanship is just enough for him to cook and chop vegetables, but he is already considered a good sword compared to César. César couldn't even do the basic movement of holding an epee flat with one hand.
"Don't underestimate me, my friend! My family is also a baron, and I hide a lot of good weapons!" Minet furtively opened the school uniform to show César.
Under the school uniform, he actually wore a waistcoat made of steel wire. This kind of close-fitting armor is expensive, and it is usually worn by big figures under the dress when they attend public events, so as not to be shot by musketeers from a long distance. Apart from the body armor, there is another A hunting knife inlaid with gold, very exquisite, with a carved blade and serrated back, inserted in a deerskin sheath with excellent handle.
"Why did you come to the church with a weapon?" César found it incredible.
He also had a jackknife strapped to his wrist in case of emergencies.But he is a person with a strong sense of crisis to the point of obsessive-compulsive disorder, but Minnie is a heartless guy. Minnie can sense the danger hidden in the current situation, just like a piglet realizes that he will not escape the fate of being slaughtered Instead of eating pig food and crying silently.
"At this time." Mi Nei winked at the corner where the girls gathered, "It's time for us to show our masculinity! Didn't you hear that? Girls are most likely to be attracted to boys in a dangerous environment! So I always When I got home, I was fully armed. At the critical moment, I took off my coat and pulled out a knife. I put my arms around a certain girl and said loudly. If I want to hurt her, I have to ask my good friend first! Are they handsome? They all know Scream for me!"
César looked at this friend helplessly, and thought to himself, is this the so-called same goal by different routes?They all came to the church meeting armed with weapons for completely different purposes.
But that expensive hunting knife is useless at all. The actual purpose of the hunting knife is not to hunt wild animals. It is a utility knife used to skin wild animals or saw off bushes.A knife without blood grooves on both sides is useless. It will stab the enemy's body but not bleed, or even pull it out. The enemy will only feel pain but will not lose its attack power. Just strike when you are close. A hard blow breaks your cervical spine.Of course, in theory it can be used to cut the throat, the premise is that Meine can get into the arms of others with ghostly movements, and cut accurately from the artery below the throat. The problem is if Meine can do this, then he still Mine?
"Then you should be on the blanket with the girls, not with me. No matter how bravely you protect me, they won't scream for you," César said.
"Don't mention it, they kicked me out of the blanket... Wrong, wrong, I mean girls are important but I have to be loyal to you! Your family here is your sister, who doesn't know the place well, I have to take care of you." Minet took out the hidden cheese and gave a piece to César, "I'm your good friend!"
Very rarely, a feeling called "moved" flowed through Cesare's heart.
"I'm your good friend." Minet always said that, and César would only say when she needed Minet to promise him something, "Aren't we good friends?" In order to be loyal to a good friend, Minet had to take a step back.
César hadn't seriously considered whether Minet was his friend, he was too lazy to spend time on such silly questions, but if Minet wasn't his friend, then there would be no friends for him at Berthy College.
He is quite popular with the girls, but the girls just want to date this mysterious and handsome emerald boy, but they don't want to deliver their hearts or anything.César was not a child of a big noble family, and he was not even noticed by his family, and even his annuity was very limited.This is already known to the whole school. Of course, such a boy is not the perfect lover in the hearts of the girls.
But the girls' attention and his own indifference made him a public enemy among boys.The boys stayed away from him like the plague, and only one guy took the initiative to talk to César, and that was Minai.
At first César felt that Minet had some plans for Adele, and Minet always said things like "we are good friends, we should share all the good things, including my sister", but soon Cesare found out that Adele Dale is not Mi Xinyi's type at all, what Mi Nei really likes is the kind of "advanced development" girl.
Cesar reluctantly accepted the friend who came to his door, and he really needed more eyeliners on campus.
As long as they get along long enough, César can see through most people in Marston, with the exception of Minet.César was always puzzled as to why Minet wanted to make friends with him.One time when he seriously raised this question, Minai spoke the truth.
The truth is this, Minay’s expression at the time was very frank: “You have to know that there are too many celebrities in Berthy College, if you want to make a name for yourself here, you have to have your own way, for example, you spend a lot of money to treat everyone to eat ice cream , Another example is to invite everyone to your house for a party. If your father is an earl or marquis, then all these are saved. But I don’t have this qualification, so I can only get close to celebrities. You are a celebrity in the academy. Although boys think you are disgusting, who cares what those boys think? When girls pay attention to you, they will also notice me to some extent. I am the most shining foil by your side! This is my strategy!"
César finally understood why he couldn't see through Minets, because in a sense, Minets weren't even the same species as him.César is extremely rational, but Minet can direct his brain with desire... This is indeed a miracle in biology.
Getting rid of this jellybean guy seemed impossible, so Cesare had to increase the size of his small emergency group from two to three.
As for the others in the church, César didn't think about them.Experience tells him that sympathy that does not match his own ability is a stupid thing, and it will only harm others and himself. With his current ability, he can keep only a few people, so the first choice is Adele, himself and Mine , everyone else was included in the category of "can be sacrificed", including Annie who was not far away and looked here from time to time.Anne was very pretty among the girls at Berthe, and she wasn't annoying.If he didn't have to bear any responsibilities, César wouldn't mind having a cup of coffee with her and going shopping to spend some leisure afternoon, but she wasn't so important that César had to put her on the protection list.
In the end, everyone will understand that in this world, there are only a few people you can really protect, whether you are a humble farmer or a high-ranking king.
César slowly closed his eyes and continued to gather strength.Mi Nei played with the hunting knife on his waist, looking eager to try it, and seemed to be looking forward to what happened tonight.
The train is running between the mountains, the rain is pouring down, and the night fog rises from the valley. It breaks through the dense rain and fog like a winding black dragon.
In the depths of the carriage, Veron pulled out the cross-fighting sword hidden behind his back, and blocked a fatal blow for Poincaré, followed by a sword slashing on the brass pipe under Seraph's ribs, and the dazzling flames flickered out. , A small gap was cracked on the brass pipe, and the steam leaked out with a sharp whistling sound.No matter how sharp a cold weapon is, it can't break through Seraphim's armor, so Veron chose to use the steam pipe as the attack target. The power of the armor comes from the steam backpack on the back, and the steam mixed with red mercury passes through the brass pipe to drive the mechanical device of the joints. Well, cutting off the steam pipe of the mobile armor is like cutting off the blood vessels of a human being, and it will always have some effect.
Seraphim swiftly jumped back, gave up on Poincaré and stared at Veron, intense purple light burst out from the dark eye sockets.
From this action alone, it can be seen that he is not at the same level as the ordinary blazing cavalry. He is as agile as a cheetah, and maintains an excellent balance in the air. The Blazing Knights are just violent and fast.They can also make seemingly delicate movements, but those movements are routine, and when they are asked to adapt, they show the clumsiness of being a metal machine.
Silently, Seraphim's other wrist stretched out a sharp straight blade. This seemingly thin straight blade just chopped the fighting sword in Veron's left hand into pieces. He slowly opened his arms, Like a giant eagle ready to pounce.
"He just woke up from hibernation, and he is still dreaming! Now he can't tell friend from foe!" Veron kicked open the wooden box next to him, took out a two-meter-long blunderbuss and threw it to Poincaré, " Shoot him! Don't spare the bullets!"
The sound of gunfire was like a blizzard, and the barrage hit Seraph's body, splashing a dense flower-like flame. In an instant, dozens of shell casings were ejected from the bullet return port, turning into dense rain of brass.Poincaré did not hesitate, because he knew very well that in just a few seconds at night, Veron's head would fall from his neck.
He had just learned about Seraphim's assault speed, and he himself was once a Seraph, one of Irubor's extremely limited super fighters.But he couldn't even see Seraph's movements clearly, let alone dodge.The moment before he saw the ice crack, and the moment after that he was choked, and there seemed to be no time interval between.
No wonder the Holy See has never announced the existence of the Seraphim. All countries feel that the technology of their mechanics is improving with each passing day, and they have created mobile armor close to the Seraph Armor.ridiculous!It's so ridiculous!For hundreds of years, human beings have spent a lot of money to actively manufacture only imitations of Seraphim, and even the ones made by the Holy See are also imitations!What is the difference between imitation and imitation?In front of the real decisive weapons, they are all crushed goods!
In the sacred scriptures of the Messianic religion, Seraphim is the highest-ranking angel in the kingdom of heaven. Its Latin title is "Seraphim", which is the core of light and heat. Sometimes it is transformed into a six-winged human form, and sometimes it is Burning dragons, humans will be burned to charcoal if they look directly at them.The Holy See called the earliest blazing cavalry "Seraphim", which has already explained that the difference between him and other mobile armors is the difference between heavenly weapons and human weapons!
Seraphim was pressed back by the heavy fire, shaking like a drunken person.
This blunderbuss is probably a forbidden weapon made by the Minerva agency. It is said to be of the same origin as the Seraphim. According to this rate of fire, it can spit out hundreds of projectiles within a minute. If it is other weapons, it is simply different If you want to suppress the Seraphim, even the Crusader Guards, the standard configuration is only three-shot and five-shot firecrackers, and it will not be better to switch to a mechanical crossbow.
The only problem is that it is too heavy. A continuous shooting gun with a length of more than two meters and a weight of more than forty kilograms can only be handled by a knight like Poincaré whose physical strength is close to the limit of human beings.Ordinary soldiers would have been blown away by the recoil, but who was this weapon originally designed for?Poincaré thought about it for a moment and figured it out.What he mastered was one of Seraphim's special weapons. The Seraph he was facing was not in a complete state, to be precise, it was in an unarmed "streaking" state. The two straight blades on his wrist seemed dangerous, but they were The protective weapon used for emergency when the weapon is out of hand is similar to the combat knife worn by soldiers.
If this monster gets its own exclusive weapon, wouldn't it be possible to cut off this train?
What Veron means is that this monster will be nervous for a while after waking up from a dormant state. There is no way to wake him up, so he has no choice but to blow the Seraphim in front of him into scrap iron. .The value of the Seraphim is amazing, but if both the Gawain Republic's secret envoy and the Pope's secret envoy die before the operation begins, the price will be even higher. In short, it will be sent back to the Minerva Agency for repair.Back then those guys could build it, now it's always possible to fix it.
Poincaré soaked the barrel of the repeater in the icy water of the coffin, then fired, approaching slowly.
While shooting, he observed the heat level of the barrel and the length of the remaining ammunition chain. The reason why the continuous fire gun has not been popularized so far is not the biggest problem. , even if this blunderbuss has a full twelve barrels, it cannot completely solve the problem.
Fortunately, Seraphim was pressed firmly against the steel wall by the barrage and could not move at all. It is estimated that this continuous firing gun can finish him before the chamber explodes.
"Don't get close to that thing!" Veron sprinted back and shouted in shock when he found Poincaré approaching with a shot.
He involuntarily grabbed Poincaré's cloak, pulled him back and caught the continuous firing gun at the same time, but he had no idea of taking over from Poincaré's shooting at all. Throw it out and hit Seraph.
The moment the shooting stopped, a chilling light flashed in Seraphim's eyes, it bounced off the steel wall, thick steam spewed out from the cracks in the armor, the mobility doubled, and the stormy barrage He broke many copper pipes on its body, but failed to cause fatal injuries to it. The surface of the armor was scarred, but none of the bullets could penetrate it.
Poincaré understood what Peron meant.Seraph was deliberately showing weakness before, it didn't lose its ability to move at all, it just waited for Poincaré to approach so that he could be killed instantly!If Veron hadn't been more familiar with this kind of monster, Poincaré would have been decapitated now.This camouflage was seen through by Veron, it suddenly increased the steam pressure, forced out higher power, and wanted to fight Poincaré and Veron at the same time.
Fortunately, Veron threw out the blunderbuss. That super-heavy blunderbuss can be regarded as a 50-kilogram iron block, and the result of being hit by it head-on should be no less than being bombarded head-on by a shell.Seraphim swung the straight blades around, and Veron dragged Poincaré and ran backwards. The last time Poincaré looked back, it was the two straight blades that shattered the blunderbuss. Flying hail hit the walls of the carriage like that, splashing dense flames, but the carriage was intact. The structure of this carriage seemed to be able to block the frontal bombardment of heavy artillery!
The ammunition chain was also cut, and after the gunpowder detonated, a chain explosion occurred, and the dazzling flames engulfed Seraphim.
But Veron and Poincaré didn't stop to take a breath in relief at all, what a joke, that is a monster that can't even shoot a gun head-on bombardment!Can a mere gunpowder explosion hurt him?They ran and fled, the roar of a lion echoed in their ears.Poincaré originally thought that the armor should be some out-of-control knight, but hearing the voice, the thing in the armor looked like a mythical dragon or devil!
The door at the end of the carriage has been opened, and Veron left briefly to open the door. He threw the burst gun to Poincaré, hoping that he would buy time for him to open the door. Poincaré hastily misunderstood that Veron wanted to open the door. He got rid of Seraphim.
There was heavy rain outside the carriage, and the two of them had just rushed into the rain when the carriage door was closed.
Less than a second later, there was a deafening crash from inside the carriage, as if a shell hit the carriage door.Poincaré thought that the door would collapse immediately, but it persisted, only a vague human figure protruded slightly, and the Seraphim was behind them, only a few meters away, and slammed into the door of the carriage because it was too late to stop. .
It was right for them to run wildly regardless of everything. At that time, as long as they stopped for a while, or even ran and looked back, they would be overtaken.
Fortunately, they are all knights, they have received strict training, and they can use their will to fully stimulate their potential. For ordinary people, this running style will definitely sprain their ankles and strain their muscles. He took out the silver cigarette case from the windbreaker pocket with trembling hands, took out two cigarettes tremblingly, handed one to Poincaré, Poincaré took it with trembling hands, and the trembling flames illuminated each other Both of them froze for a moment, then laughed dryly.They were all handsome men, but when they laughed at this time, it seemed that their facial muscles were spasming.
The Papal State's envoy and the Gawain Republic's envoy finally established something close to a "friendship" after narrow escapes. This kind of common experience is not comparable to a handshake.
The whole carriage was vibrating, and it was obvious that the out-of-control Seraph was slamming against the wall of the carriage.Clear fist marks appeared on the outside of the compartment door, but the metal that made up the compartment door was not only strong but also extremely tough, without any cracks at all.
"Don't worry. The Minerva agency used 12 centimeters of steel to cast the car wall, and the outside was reinforced with a mithril layer. Some railways can't bear the weight of this train. After driving over, the sleepers will break. If there is no weapon That thing can’t be opened.” Veron smoked heavily, panting heavily, “What we have to wait for is for it to run out of power, and it will only take a few minutes with this kind of tossing.”
"Isn't this carriage designed to defend against external attacks?" Poincaré also gasped, "Is it to prevent such accidents?"
"Yes. A train full of seraphim is not afraid of any attack at all." Veron nodded, "For the same reason, the Minerva agency did not develop a steam backpack with a larger capacity, but did not give this thing a longer time to move. If you have a vicious dog who can't be controlled, you don't want him to eat too much and fight you too vigorously, right?"
"You actually called the first-generation Chitian Armed Forces a vicious dog. Your chief knows that your rhetorical skills are so superb, so he should transfer you to a civilian job?" Poincaré smiled bitterly, "Should this kind of thing be regarded as our army or a friendly army? ? Can you really entrust it?"
Despite his psychological preparation, Poincaré was shocked.Seraphim's powerful rage and mystery are far beyond his imagination. In this way, his five years in the Seraph Iron Cavalry were in vain. He has never touched the core of the Seraph Iron Cavalry. How can this kind of armor be called Blazing Armor?Just a child's toy.
"How do I know? I'm an outsider just like you." Veron spit out the tobacco residue in his mouth, "My job these years is to transport them to the mission site and recycle them afterwards. I have no right to ask insiders. Sometimes I feel that I'm sorry to call myself a blazing cavalry, but to be precise, my identity should be 'the follower of the true blazing cavalry'."
The train started to slow down, and there was a lodging forest in front of it. The rails should be newly laid, and there were no road signs on the side of the road.
The vibration in the carriage finally stopped, and Veron glanced at his watch, five minutes had passed.The steam pack was exhausted, and the invincible war machine turned into a pile of scrap iron.
Veron and Poincaré pulled open the iron door together, broken steel pipes and fragments of wooden crates scattered all over the ground, and bright purple electric sparks flowed from the exposed wires.This train has a complete power supply, and it is probably the work of the Minerva agency, and it is the same level as the Blazing Armament.
Seraphim was sitting in the ruins. A moment ago, it gave people the impression of a demon, an out-of-control machine or a metal beast, but now it exudes a human breath, and its tired sitting posture is like a man who is exhausted and has nowhere to go.
Poincaré suppressed his fear, and carefully looked at this incredible ultimate weapon. He had seen it through the ice layer, and was almost pinched by it. It chases and kills like a shadow, but until now the incredible details on it are clearly presented in front of Poincaré. Its craftsmanship can only be described as "ingenious workmanship", and its shape seems to refer to some other world. biology.
The armor equipped by this generation of Blazing Knights is "Spider Knight IV".炽天铁骑Ⅳ型”已经相当成熟，那是身高2.47米的重型动力甲，战术强化之后高度甚至能达到2.70米，正常人在他面前必须抬头仰望，如同凡人仰望巨神，骑士们与其说是穿着甲胄，不如说是操纵着巨神的躯壳，用于增长腿部的外附肢体总让庞加莱觉得像是踩着高跷战斗。
但作为机动甲胄的原型，炽天使却只有两米出头，精致贴身，外形更接近真正的甲胄，只不过背后沉重的蒸汽背包和暴露出来的黄铜细管和精密轴承昭示了它的真实身份。它的造型极具工艺之美，狰狞古奥，斑驳的表面给人一种龙鳞的质感，乍看是青铜般的颜色，侧对着光则呈现出极其幽暗的金色。很难说清这件甲胄给人的感觉，它既是一件配得上尊贵君王的帝王式甲胄，又像是从恶魔身上血淋淋拔下来的鳞片。
庞加莱有种很怪异的感觉，这种初代甲胄的制造者必然是在什么地方，看过某种不属于人间的生物，模仿着那种东西造出了炽天使，凭空想象是绝对造不出这东西来的。
“龙德施泰特骑士殿下，您现在感觉如何？”贝隆轻声问。
这是贝隆第二次提起龙德施泰特这个名字，第一次是炽天使意外苏醒袭击庞加莱的时候，贝隆大吼说：“龙德施泰特！住手！那是高文共和国的密使！”庞加莱听得很清楚。
那具甲胄确实是有个人的，现在他已经摘下了头盔，露出了真容。
龙德施泰特骑士，炽天骑士团团长，也许是世界上最强的骑士，整个西方的权力者都知道他的名字，但曾亲眼见过他的人极少极少。传说他是位完美无缺的美男子，但很少有人敢直视他的眼睛，因为那里面恶鬼般凶猛的战斗意志会让你觉得心脏瞬间停跳，连经历无数修罗场的老将军们也不例外。
正常人想象炽天骑士团团长的生活，肯定会觉得他穿着笔挺的骑士服，披着猩红的大氅，腰悬象征尊贵身份的佩剑，出入各种顶级的场合，拔剑能杀人，收剑就能和名媛们翩翩起舞。即使奔赴前线也该打起战旗，前呼后拥。谁也想不到龙德施泰特会藏身在铁质的棺材里，以接近冰封的状态，被人像是送尸体那样送到前线去。
贝隆开玩笑地说“守时是皇帝的美德”，就是暗指那列火车上的客人是龙德施泰特，在当今的世界上，如果说谁是骑士王，十个人有九个都会说是龙德施泰特。
但真实的龙德施泰特看起来完全不配“骑士之王”这个称号，他确实很英俊，五官精致到无可挑剔，但极其消瘦，苍白得不见一丝血色，仿佛在冰雪中封冻了几百年。他看上去非常之年轻，甚至有点腼腆，像个十八九岁的大男孩，却又透出极其苍老的气息。他的长发苍白，湿漉漉地垂在额前，应该是刚才的战斗给他的身体带来了很大的负担。看他此刻的状态，根本无法想象几分钟前他如猛兽般扑击，整个人像燃烧起来的魔神，几乎要了贝隆和庞加莱这两个“老”骑士的命。
“时间？”龙德施泰特没有回答贝隆的问题，而是嘶哑地提问。
贝隆看了一眼怀表：“圣历1888年4月24日，晚上9点27分。”
"Place?"
“我们在'约尔曼冈德'号列车上，列车已经经过马斯顿，正开往我们的目的地。”
"Task?"
贝隆迟疑了几秒钟，说出了他们此行最大的秘密：“杀凰。”
“什么是杀凰？”龙德施泰特这才第一次抬起头来。他的瞳孔清澈，但目光迷惘。
“狙杀楚舜华。”贝隆轻声说。
庞加莱下意识地环顾四周，好像生怕这个秘密被别人听去了，但环绕他们的只有沉重的铁棺。
他和贝隆都知晓这个秘密，但从见面直到现在，他们都是用各种隐语来说，生怕消息外泄。任务的名字是“杀凰”，龙雀是凤凰的一种，以杀死楚舜华为目的的任务就是杀凰。
恰如艾伦爵士所说，教皇国对于取得这场战争的胜利并无绝对的把握，十字禁卫军从无败绩，但楚舜华也没有。不败的传说遇到不败的传说，总会有一个传说就此破灭，教皇并未狂妄的认为破灭的必然是楚舜华。
西方君王们对楚舜华的畏惧很难说清楚，他是一位极有谋略的政治家军事家，又是大夏皇帝的哥哥，这些都很了不起，可单凭这些楚舜华还无法成为君王们心中那根拨不出来的尖刺。
楚舜华身上最可怕的东西，是“运势”。
在他横空出世之前，西方君王们都认为大夏联盟是个衰老的巨人，几十年内东方浩瀚的国土必将逐步纳入西方的控制中，但这时候楚舜华出现了，他一个人就遏制了整个西方的野心。他无数次冒险行动，对内镇压大夏皇庭中的反对派，对外则展露出凶猛的态势。
在获取权力的道路上，楚舜华无数次冒险，每次失败的都是他的对手。用东方人的话来说，楚舜华“出得山来无敌手”。这种不可思议的胜利一再重复之后，西方君主们提到楚舜华的名字就有种芒刺在背的感觉，在楚舜华的面前他们的高傲和信心会被强烈地压缩。渐渐地有种说法流传开来，说楚舜华是禁忌之子，他那位曾经担任“”的母亲把异端魔法的力量注入了他的身体，而他那位皇帝父亲则把皇朝的气运注入了他的身体，身兼这两种原本冲突的力量，他无法继承大夏的皇位，却是隐形的皇帝，有他在的一天，就无人能动摇大夏的根基。
教皇和教皇国的最高权力机关“枢机会”是不是相信这样的传闻，贝隆不知道，但他很想除掉楚舜华是毫无疑问的。如果能成功地抹杀楚舜华，这场战争的胜利自然也归属于教皇国，从此征服东方的道路就被打通了。
“杀凰”被制订出来，能够执行这一任务的只有炽天使，百年前，是炽天使铸造了教皇国的命运，开启了全新的时代，百年后它将再度代表西方的命运、去撞击东方的命运。
龙德施泰特沉思了很久，轻轻地出了口气，“我觉得好多了，刚才我做了一个可怕的梦……真是……太可怕了！”
他轻轻地捂住那张让绝大多数青春少女失魂落魄的脸，很久都没有把手拿开。
庞加莱想起贝隆刚才说炽天使解冻的时候会有一段时间处于“发梦”的状态，看起来这种情况不是第一次发生了，所以才把炽天使置于冰中封存，并用铁棺和铁质的车厢禁锢他们，他们醒来的状态跟梦境有很大的关系，但什么样的噩梦能吓到龙德施泰特呢？他可是战场上最恐怖的鬼神啊！
庞加莱很感兴趣，但他什么都没问，首先贝隆也未必知道，其次贝隆知道也不能告诉他，什么是炽天使，知道核心机密的人在这个世界上也不会超过十个，一般人知道得太多，就来不远了，尽管是高文共和国的密使，但庞加莱没觉得自己有资格知道那个秘密。
“非常抱歉给您造成了麻烦，请接受我诚挚的歉意，贝隆骑士。”龙德施泰特微微躬身，后背部分的鳞甲在弯曲的时候发出细微的摩擦声。
“小事情，我已经习惯了，如果不是庞加莱骑士对状况还为熟悉，本来就不会有什么损失。”贝隆耸耸肩，“您没事就好，龙德施泰特殿下。”
“也向您致以我真诚的歉意，庞加莱骑士，我知道您是炽天骑士团的前辈，微笑的庞加莱，这是个令列国骑士都尊重的名字。”龙德施泰特转向庞加莱，又是微微躬身。
他的声音略显稚嫩，但是用词很有古意，简直不像是生活在这个时代的人。庞加莱急忙躬身还礼，以龙德施泰特的身份，本来不该对他们行这样的礼。贝隆称呼他为“龙德施泰特骑士殿下”因为龙德施泰特的骑士头衔是“圣殿骑士”，这一尊号令他的身份足以比肩各国王子，而庞加莱和贝隆只是普通的骑士罢了，这位骑士之王竟然如此多礼，庞加莱没有想到。
“那么从现在开始，我将接管指挥权。”龙德施泰特缓缓地挺直了身体，改为端坐的姿势，他的眼神显而易见的锐利起来，瞳孔深处透出诡异的紫色微光，这种状态下他才无愧于炽天骑士团团长的身份，世间最神秘也是最强大的骑士，绝对意义上的战场统治者。
列车缓缓地停下了，他们到达了指定地点，外面一片漆黑，贝隆听见了雨声。
Notes:
Notes: