Chapter 11 Chapter 10 The Wind

"Marshal? Marshal?... Marshal!" The memories of that scene flooded the sky and almost overwhelmed him.After a long time, the urgent voices around brought Marshal Phidias back to reality from the distant memories. "Ah?" He whispered subconsciously, turned around and saw the anxious face of the young guard Albert next to him.Turning his head, he found that the pedestal had landed from the orbit, and the soldiers on the tarmac were raising their hands in salute to the Supreme Leader. "Long live the Empire! Long live the Marshal!" Suddenly, the Imperial Marshal had mixed feelings and was speechless for a long time.

"Marshal, please go to the Fourth Conference Hall. President Kulik has been waiting for a long time." The adjutant, Major General Alex, stepped forward to salute and report, while looking at the time with some eagerness-it is not usual for such things to be late. It could have happened to Phidias!But the marshal was too abnormal today, he was in a trance for so long, and he didn't care about everything outside. Could it be that you are too tired for the past few days? Marshal Phidias was still in a trance, but he slowly got up from his seat and walked out of the cabin.He nodded slightly to the soldiers waiting in line at the airport, and walked forward quickly.Looking at the enthusiastic and admiring eyes of the soldiers around him, the head of the empire couldn't help but smile—he had never looked at any leader or elder with such eyes in his life, even to Marshal Disraeli, the "God of War" who founded the empire. I don't think so either.

Perhaps, it was his disrespectful and daring character that led to a coup d'état and ascended to the commanding heights of power in one fell swoop, right?But... what about the top? Desolate and precipitous, the sky wind howls, goshawks circle around, but there is no human breath!Even the distant land under my feet cannot go back.A person who has long been accustomed to climbing up, suddenly finds that there is no peak to climb, and can only look up to the sky and sigh! So, what will the thirty-four-year-old Phidias fight after Hein's death?Could it be that he can only become a full-time politician after forging swords and laying down weapons for plowing fields after he quells the fighting? —that toilsome, never-ending work!

The marshal frowned tightly, snorted coldly, and walked from the elevator into the entrance on the ninth floor where the conference hall was located. "Has your Excellency arrived at last?" Suddenly, he heard an all-too-familiar voice sounding coldly.Looking up, he saw the female minister waiting for him in front of the reception desk holding a pile of documents. Alicia looked at him coldly with her beautiful blue eyes, and turned around to lead the way without hesitation for a moment: "Mr. Kulik has been waiting for more than half an hour! Marshal, please hurry up!——This is the meeting Please have a look at the summary." The Director of Economic Affairs said while putting a document into her husband's hands, his voice was as flat and clear as an official document.

Marshal Phidias lowered his head and quickly glanced at the document. The large amount of content on it made him frown again—for some reason, work has never disgusted him as much as today. Hearing the business-like words of his wife beside him, the marshal's blue eyes suddenly burned instantly! —— "Get a divorce, Alicia—why bother?" Suddenly, he heard his own voice resolutely and relentlessly in the air. The documents were scattered all over the floor in an uproar.The female director stopped in her footsteps, and subconsciously let go—as if a bullet had shot through her slender body in an instant.After a long time, she bent down and picked up the scattered documents page by page: "Your Excellency, please talk about this kind of thing after the business is over."

Her voice was as calm as water, as if the man next to her was just saying, "Go get a cup of coffee." Albert, who was dumbfounded, finally came back to his senses at this moment, and hurried up to help pick up the official documents all over the floor. At the same time, he was surprised to see that the marshal of the empire also bent his straight waist, bowed his head to pick up a page of documents, Gently place it in his wife's hand. "It's been six years, right?... Thank you for your hard work, Alicia." Phidias' voice was unexpectedly gentle—even as a "wife", it was the first time she heard it. !

"You and I are both proud guys who never bow their heads - from this point of view, we are indeed a good match!" A wry smile floated on the marshal's handsome face, and he sighed softly, "Okay, let me do it today Let’s admit defeat first! We were all wrong, Alicia, you can’t marry a job for the rest of your life—” He suddenly raised his hand, and patted his wife’s shoulder lightly like a comrade-in-arms: “Go chase yourself Be happy, Alicia!" Then, as if forgetting that there was a very important meeting waiting for him, the Marshal turned around and strode to the other side of the corridor, his steps were fast and determined.

"Marshal! Marshal!" Albert stood there at a loss, looked at Marshal Phidias and his wife, finally made up his mind, and ran after the marshal, "Where are you going? marshal!" "Don't follow me, Albert!" A cold and majestic voice came from behind the Marshal, and the guard stopped helplessly, and stammered, "Where are you going, Marshal? Will... the meeting... " The hand in the white glove was raised over his shoulder, and he waved it lightly, indicating that there is no need to say more, but the marshal left without stopping. "Bishha!" When Marshal Phidias stepped on the elevator, he suddenly heard someone behind him speak—it was actually his wife, the wife who always only called him "Marshal" or "Your Excellency"!

The footsteps stopped abruptly at the elevator entrance, and Marshal Phidias did not turn his head and waited for the man to finish speaking - ten years ago, he would never have been like this.But now he can finally stop for others. "I, I... For me, the so-called 'happiness' is to be able to work by your side, Bixia!" The proud voice choked slightly, and said to him, "Don't you understand? " Marshal Phidias suddenly turned his head and looked at her in surprise. In the long corridor of the Rembrandt Palace, the husband and wife stood silently looking at each other with complex expressions.Faced with this embarrassing situation, Albert would only respectfully stand aside against the wall, lowering his head desperately, not daring to look or listen.

Seeing the tears streaming down his wife's always proud face, the marshal suddenly had an almost "gentle" expression in his eyes, and murmured, "Will there really be 'happiness' around a husband like me?" After a long time, he asked in a low voice: "Alicia, you really did it for me..." "You are not just my 'husband', Bisha—you are the master of this country, you are my comrade in arms, my comrade." Although he let the tears fall, the voice of the Director of the Military Empire Economic Planning Department Still trying to keep calm, "Bixia, you won't let someone who needs your distraction and care stay by your side, right? I, I have tried my best all the time to walk side by side with you all the way to the present— —You also know how difficult and dangerous this road is? If, if I don't feel 'happiness', will I persevere? Once I leave Your Excellency, where else can I go to pursue my 'happiness'?"

Marshal Phidias stood at the elevator entrance in some astonishment, turned his head, and stared blankly at the tears streaming down the face of this always strong and capable woman.The journey of standing together through thick and thin for more than six years and climbing to the peak of power is suddenly vivid in my mind-I always thought that this unusual woman had the same desire for power and conquest as myself, so I was with me. Even after Daisy's death, after using the method of "marriage" to sign a permanent covenant with this indispensable assistant, from the deepest part of his heart, he still respected her, and even felt a little jealous of her—because she The extraordinary wisdom and insight that have been shown over the years, and the always calm and cold, unpredictable mood. However... Could her real heart be like this? "Yes, I am a person who wants to save face. You have been alienating me, and I don't want to please you," Alicia looked at him quietly, her voice trembling slightly, "Bixia, I know that person is very important to you." It's important, but I'm not afraid. I know that you and her are not on the same level after all - if she tries to keep up with your pace, she will definitely die of exhaustion; and if you slow down for her, then you will eventually Nothing will be accomplished! Bixia, you must know that only those with strength can accompany you for the rest of your life!" Marshal Phidias did not speak, but looked at the beautiful female minister with complicated eyes. "I've actually wanted to tell you these words for a long time, but I always feel that one day you will understand yourself, and I... can help you fulfill your dreams while waiting..." By the time I said this, the tears had gradually faded away. Disappeared from her face, the female minister regained control of her emotions—indeed, for her who has always been strong and proud, shedding tears in front of others, even in front of her own husband, is too cowardly and Hypocritical behavior! "But today, you actually want to divorce me because of her..." Alicia couldn't continue, and she burst into tears again, "Bi Xia, are you finally giving up? Could it be that all our efforts have been in vain for so long?" Meaningless?" Marshal Phidias finally walked back slowly, looked at his wife who had known each other for six years but was the first time to speak to each other, his eyes changed complicatedly, and he suddenly sighed: "Alicia, this is terrible. It really doesn't sound like something you would say..." He raised his hand and gently wiped away the remaining tears on his wife's face: "I'm sorry." The headmistress looked up with electric shock and looked at her husband—the warmth from his fingers stayed on her face for a long time. "I'm really... really ashamed to hear you say that." The marshal's green eyes flickered, he sighed, and shook his head, "But, but... well, you won't understand—goodbye Yes, madam." He took his wife's hand to his lips and kissed it lightly, then he let go of her hand and turned to leave. "Bi Xia! Bi Xia!" The beautiful and reserved female minister finally couldn't help shouting, "Come back!" However, the Imperial Marshal walked into the elevator without looking back, and the elevator door slowly closed.Alicia leaned against the wall weakly, and her back seemed to touch something.When she turned her head, she saw the famous "Legend of the Fallen Sun" on the wall. "Get out, get out!" The usually noble and reserved female minister suddenly became furious, and tore the famous painting off the wall of Rembrandt Palace!The frame of the picture fell to pieces on the synthetic marble floor, but Disraeli's hand was still tightly pressed to his chest in the picture. "Ma'am, madam!" The poor guard didn't know what to do for a while, so he hurried up and snatched back the famous painting that was luckily undamaged in the frame - as far as he knew, this painting was the marshal's favorite. When he lowered his head to pick up the painting, he suddenly felt that something cold had splashed on his hand, one drop after another... The guard suddenly didn't dare to look up, and didn't dare to look at the sad face of the usually noble and reserved first lady. "It seems that he is never going back... He has always acted recklessly and disregarded other people's feelings!" He heard his wife whisper, with deep despair and sadness in his voice, "Get out! Never come back!" Albert didn't understand, it was just a quarrel, why is the marshal's wife so desperate? Two and a half months later, when the news of the death of the Marshal of the Empire came from the distant planet Hihuatra, the bodyguard officer who had just turned 20 years old and the whole country fell into shock and mourning together - at that time, he realized that maybe With her keen intuition and understanding of her husband, the moment the Marshal left, the First Lady had already had a premonition of eternal farewell, right? In fact, the scene in the corridor of the Rembrandt Palace is also the last touch left by this man as the "Marshal"... This day is January 5th, 44th year of the cosmic calendar. No one thought that the supreme ruler of the military empire would suddenly leave his crown, leaving behind a huge empire and a war that had not really ended—he left without any warning: on the day of his disappearance, he had just inspected the building under construction. Institute of Military Technology. However, after not seeing the marshal for 8 hours, everyone started looking around, but what they found was a box of recorded farewell messages and a neatly folded uniform in the marshal's office.At the same time, the captain of the Eleventh Fleet of the Second Corps reported that the Marshal ordered to call a "Aurora" space shuttle with the most advanced performance and capable of jumping in four-dimensional space, and drove it away by himself. Running away——now everyone knows that the marshal who has always been rebellious has left without warning! In the confidential conference hall, a few leaders of the empire read the farewell words left by the marshal. After leaving a few brief explanations, the 34-year-old Marshal Bisha von Phidias actually said: "Everyone, I am tired... I am really tired. All the things I have been chasing with all my strength before The dream seems colorless now—without passion, there is no sense of responsibility. If I continue to do it reluctantly, I'm afraid I will screw up this country. "So I'd better leave - all the rest, you are free to solve! "I walk away... Farewell, my people, my comrades." After saying these words, the Marshal of the Empire on the screen raised his sword eyebrows, and the corner of his mouth showed his signature expression that was half a smile - such a simple sentence, actually completely shirked the responsibility of being a marshal! When everyone was bewildered or devastated by this sudden major change, Admiral Ulysses Kennan touched his chin, which had not been shaved for several days, and looked at the neatly folded suit in front of him. Looking at the neat uniform of the marshal, he couldn't help but wryly smiled when he saw the second gold button missing. What he had been worried about for a long time finally happened: after the tragic death of the red-haired girl, he had been worried that Bi Xia would suddenly become another person. "Really, just one accident, let this guy slip away smoothly—'You can deal with the rest freely'——What a relaxed tone, Bixia! Don't you even designate a successor?" Yu Fei The admiral, who Dias has known for more than ten years, muttered a little angrily, and punched the wall hard, "If I find you, I will beat you to the ground!" "The so-called 'successor', I think it is Your Excellency and me?" Suddenly there was a cold and calm female voice beside him, and General Kennan looked back in surprise, and saw the director of the Military Empire Economic Planning Agency: Alicia · Mrs. von Phidias, "Why hesitate? The Marshal may never come back." Her beautiful eyes are sharp, and there is a sneer on the corner of her mouth: "There is no power vacuum in the country - let alone the war has not really ended yet! General Kennan, you are the highest representative of the military after the Marshal , Your Excellency, please turn the tide at this moment and lead the army to continue fighting for the unfinished cause of the empire! Other domestic affairs, let me handle them!" Although he has always known the courage and talent of the marshal's wife, General Ulysses Kennan was deeply shocked when he saw the behavior of this woman who had just lost her husband. After an emergency cabinet meeting was called, the government quickly reached a consensus.Immediately, the Rembrandt Palace issued an emergency decree, announcing the disappearance of the Imperial Marshal, and announced that if the Marshal was unable to perform his duties, he would be temporarily replaced by Admiral Ulysses Kennan, and appointed the Director of the Economic Planning Agency Mrs. Alicia von Phidias is the Secretary of State, and she is in charge of the domestic and foreign affairs of the military empire during this extraordinary period. Of course, the search for the missing Marshal is also being carried out secretly. The security department has sent a large number of special forces personnel and spy personnel, and there are constantly true and false information sent back from all corners of the universe.However, because Phidias has mastered the superb four-dimensional space flight technology and piloted the most advanced aircraft in the Milky Way to shuttle between the two spaces, his whereabouts cannot be accurately grasped at all. Nothing for many months. ——The irony is that the first definite information about the Marshal that the Military Empire Security Bureau finally got to know was the sad news that the Marshal was assassinated on the planet Hihuatra! No one knew why Phidias went to that distant planet—the only reason, perhaps, was that it was the home of Marshal Karl Disraeli. However, why would the Imperial Marshal, who has always been known for his rebellion and disregard for authority, go there? Phidias was assassinated by a suicidal method by a well-trained female assassin from the Alliance.According to the surrounding survivors, the assassin was a red-haired woman in her twenties. After she approached the Imperial Marshal in the crowd, she triggered a bomb installed in her body, causing Phidias to die on the spot—of course, with her body as the The assassin who bombed the Marshal of the Empire was also blown to nothing. The day when the tragedy happened was April 7, AD 44, only four days short of the thirty-fourth birthday of Bisha von Phidias. "Look, this indiscriminate guy has finally suffered a loss, right?" When the bad news reached the Rembrandt Palace, the Marshal's wife, who was already the Secretary of State for the Military Empire, sneered at Kenanda who was standing still with the information. The head of state said, "To die at the hands of a woman! ——It's really a glorious way for a famous general to die!" But when she said these words sharply, the eye sockets of the female secretary of state were involuntarily moistened.She gritted her teeth hard to keep the tears from falling. Ulysses Kennan, the head of state, was also shocked by the murderous news like a thunderbolt from the blue sky, his hands trembled slightly—Bi Xia, Bi Xia actually died?That high-spirited, talented senior; that legendary soldier who never left his hand with a glass of red wine and was undefeated on the battlefield; that marshal to whom he has been loyal for more than ten years—is he dead? ! It has never been imagined that a person like Marshal Phidias will die one day—even if he is going to die, at least he will die in a way that is not inferior to that of Governor Miguel Hein, right? However, now, like those ordinary people, they are dead when they say they die? He fixedly looked at the information from the urgent report—— "The assassin's name is Margaret Claudia, who was originally the captain of the Seventh Unit of the Rapid Response Force of the Ninth Army of the Solar Federation, with the rank of lieutenant colonel. After the governor died, he immediately applied for retirement and was reported missing again. According to investigations, she underwent plastic surgery, changed her name to Cathy Silver, and immigrated into the Empire under a false identity. Three months ago, she stayed in Koppel .” In the photo, a red-haired woman is smiling softly—a familiar but somewhat unreal smile.It's just that behind the smile in the same blue eyes, there is a needle-like cold light. Looking at the two photos before and after plastic surgery, one left and one right, Kenan let out a low cry of surprise—— Yes, he should have seen that person after plastic surgery somewhere!It's that waiter at that Fedora Officer's Club!That waitress who looks so much like Daisy! "By the way, Kenan - what happened, the truce agreement with the alliance can be torn up completely, we already have a very good reason to send troops. After so long, the war should be in our hands Is it really over?" The shock and grief lasted only a few minutes, and the female secretary of state quickly concentrated her energy and began to discuss state affairs. Kenan nodded wordlessly. Bisha... You were supposed to do it yourself, to enjoy the supreme achievement of dominating the galaxy, right?There is only a little distance left, and you just say that you don't do it! Ha, it really seems to be your usual style... You have always been so arrogant and disregarding other people's feelings!Choose the strongest opponent as you like, and fight without any constraints.On the contrary, he never stays for anyone, nor thinks of anyone-what an extremely self-centered guy! But why do tens of billions of people mourn for you when you are gone?The troops you fought in, countless comrades in arms and subordinates mourned for you?Even those who have been hurt by you will shed tears for you? ——You are so self-willed, why do you let everyone feel pain for your death? Perhaps, this is your unique charm as a generation of famous generals, politicians, and strategists?As me who has to inherit you, all of these may be obstacles that I will never be able to overcome! Bisha, damn it. "Admiral...oh, no, Marshal, then the funeral of the former Marshal Bisha von Phidias, as planned by the Ministry of Culture, will be held on the 19th of next month?" The Secretary of State's voice sounded a little sad , "The arrangements for the personnel attending the military circle and the mourning activities, please leave it to your Excellency - when the time comes, please also ask your Excellency to deliver a speech on behalf of the army at the memorial service." "Okay." Kenan nodded heavily. Bixia... never thought that there would be such a day that I would be the one to deliver the eulogy for you! How can your thirty-four-year-old life allow me to express it in hundreds of words?Your record, your talent, your heart, I may be able to give a brief account of our ten years of friendship, but - what about your rebellious, free, passionate and restless soul behind the halo?That soul that comes and goes freely like the wind, without any constraints, even I can't really touch it. In fact, in this galaxy, the only person who can look at and communicate with you on an equal footing, and who can truly and comprehensively touch your inner world is Miguel Hein, who is your strongest opponent, right?Except for the guardian warrior with black eyes, even me, your wife, and even that red-haired girl who is of great significance in your life, all you know about Bisha is just the tip of the iceberg of your soul. However, that soldier fell first, just like the red-haired girl. You must be lonely to leave here——since those two people left one after another, this vast galaxy is already empty in your eyes, right? Once you find that what you hold in your hand is no longer attractive to you, even the entire galaxy, you will throw it away without regret.Completely disregarding the thoughts of others and the fate of the entire empire, as if just leaving an old lover behind... Bisha, that's too much. But this kind of you is the real and true you! "Admiral... No, Marshal Kennan, sometimes I think, what kind of person is Bixia? I have known him for many years, but I never know what he will do next." In Kenan When I was in a daze, Alicia's sad and slightly confused words came from my ears, "Even as a 'wife', I can't accurately say what the 'husband' thinks in my heart—I don't know what to say." What kind of epitaph will be left on his tombstone..." Epitaph? —— "Free as the wind." Suddenly, the words of the acting head of state blurted out without the consent of his brain. Free as the wind?Alicia's beautiful eyes dimmed slightly - for a moment, deep in her heart, there was indeed a windy figure passing by, the person who hurt her pride like that, the person she loved deeply all her life. "Free as the wind..." The female secretary of state and the marshal's widow murmured and repeated, with a long sigh. In the 44th year of the cosmic calendar, the second Marshal of the Military Empire: Bisha von Phidias, like the wind that no one can hold back, easily blown away from thousands of hands holding him up. On May 19, 44 AD, the coffin of Marshal Bischer von Phidias, surrounded by prominent figures in the military and political circles, passed through the square where tens of thousands of people gathered, and was buried in Koppel Cemetery of Imperial Generals. Since then, a name shining with golden cold light has been added to the tall monument in the cemetery: "Bishia von Phidias" - and the supreme ruler of another empire "Karl Disraeli "Parallel together. Although such a situation is somewhat ironic, due to the outstanding performance of these two people, everyone who looks up at the monument can't help but be blinded by the two names. On May 21 of the same year, at the Rembrandt Palace, the acting head of state, Admiral Ulysses Kennan, took over the golden long sword symbolizing the supreme command of the army, and officially took the oath of office as the head of the military empire. At the same time, he also promoted And a new batch of military and political personnel was appointed, including Mrs. Alicia von Phidias. On November 25th, 45th year of the cosmic calendar, the Galactic military empire captured Lamer, the capital of the Solar Federation. This day became an important day for all historians to divide the history of the Milky Way. From that day on, the Galactic Government-in-Exile and the Solar Federation Both regimes ceased to exist. On December 15, 49, the Rembrandt Palace held a grand ceremony for the marriage of Mrs. Alicia von Phidias and Damien Couric, president of the Federation of Independent Planets. On January 1, 50th year of the cosmic calendar, the Federation of Independent Planets announced that it would officially join the Galactic Military Empire as an autonomous dominion, and the military empire finally incorporated the last independent region into its territory. A page soaked in blood and fire for hundreds of years in the Milky Way has finally been turned over, and a rare period of peace and prosperity has begun since then.The regime of the galaxy has been handed over to a new generation of leaders, and the Phidias family, which lasted for more than forty years, is finally gone forever...