I was a knight in the Middle Ages

Alpha's fingertips gently stroked the patterns of the Crownless Ring, and the candlelight cast flickering shadows on his angular outline.

"I see." Alpha murmured softly, his voice ending in an imperceptible tremor.

Memories came flooding back like a tide, the power of the commandments that he had sealed away in the folds of time.

The force of shock can twist steel into powder, the undercurrent of the power of silence is enough to tear apart barriers, and the power of thunder is like a thorn in the flesh, wrapping around the weapon, tempering every blow into a devastating killing move.

These forces, which once terrified the Vatican's enemies, are now like idle divine weapons, covered in dust by the erosion of time.

Since retreating to the strategic center, Alpha has been controlling the overall situation more with a strategizing attitude. The power of the commandments that require close combat to exert have gradually become echoes deep in his memory.

Alpha looked at his left hand wearing the ring. The mysterious runes flowing on the surface of the Crownless Ring seemed to be mocking his ignorance.

This legendary treasure, which is said to be able to suppress the power of all commandments, still lies silently in Alpha's fingers like an undeciphered code.

"Don't worry, everyone." Alpha stood up and walked towards the French window. He looked southwest, and it seemed as if the night wind from the Greek peninsula, carrying grains of Aegean Sea salt, brushed against his silver-gray temples.

"The future battlefield will be dominated by magic spears. The power of discipline, so proud of the Church, is but a mantis trying to stop a chariot in the face of super-energy weapons." Alpha's eyes swept across the searchlights that had once been burning all night in the distant mine, which had now become a defensive outpost.

The core components of the magic pool that were smuggled out from the Ottoman Empire Magic Association's cooperation project are now hidden in a shock-proof box in the underground laboratory.

The blueprint of the Magic Spear Project has already filled the entire strategy room. The only unresolved issue is how to break through the limits of human physical endurance.

In the conference room, the tactical board displays the latest prosthetic modification data.

"Continue to advance the research and development of the magic mechanical prosthesis." Alpha's voice echoed in the empty conference room, and the tactical gloves made a crisp sound when hitting the table.

"The bloodshed left over from the cold weapon era shouldn't carry over into the new era." "Alpha will promote the rapid advancement of magic spear technology."

"Yuan Yi, the protection of the cyborgs must be upgraded." Alpha turned to the hill-like man standing in the shadows, "They are not consumables. Once the mechanical prostheses in their flesh and blood bodies are damaged, a more complete emergency repair plan is needed."

Yuan Yi nodded slightly, his eyes behind the glasses as precise as a scalpel: "Leave this to me."

Seeing that Alpha was so concerned about the cyborgs, Yuan Yi also expressed his relief and a sense of belonging. After all, if they were in the outside world, they might be monsters and would not be accepted by everyone.

As everyone filed out, silence returned to the conference room.

Alpha stared at his own reflection in the floor-to-ceiling window, and the starry sky of the mining city shattered into thousands of points of light in his pupils.

This game between technology and magic is far from as simple as it seems.

The remains of the ancient magic pool secretly excavated underground in the mining city, the technological barriers hidden by the Ottomans in the rune array, and the uncrowned ring whose power has not yet awakened, are all waiting for the moment that can change their fate.

"Evelyn, Darwin," Alpha suddenly said, his voice as low as the sea before a storm, "wait a minute before leaving."

The moonlight penetrated the clouds, casting Alpha's silhouette on the long table covered with strategic maps, like a god carrying fire in ancient Greek mythology.

Alpha leaned back in the bronze armchair, the candlelight casting dancing shadows on his angular face.

His fingertips unconsciously stroked the dark-patterned magic gun at his waist. This was a product of the mining city's magical technology. The grooves on the surface of the metal bullet seemed to still be congealed with the blood of the enemy.

Alpha looked up at his two capable assistants in front of him, his voice as deep as a steel blade tempered with ice: "Darwin, Evelyn, you have already seen the underground ruins. Have you found anything else about the ruins?"

The moment the words fell, Evelyn subconsciously took a half step back, and the hem of her skirt swept across the Persian carpet on the ground.

Evelyn certainly knew that Alpha had no expectations for the ruins looted by the Vatican, and his amber eyes were filled with vigilance and suspicion.

"The ruins are enormous. We've sent people down to search for possible clues, but there are no clues yet." Evelyn lowered her eyes and replied. The pearl earrings on her ears swayed slightly with the trembling, reflecting tiny fragments of light in the candlelight.

Darwin pushed his gold-rimmed glasses, but his gaze behind the lenses remained steady.

The young scholar brushed away the silver hair that fell on his forehead, and his fingertips unconsciously stroked the faded leather notebook - which was densely packed with records of all the secrets of their rise to prominence.

"We saw some clues in the murals of the ruins," Darwin opened his notebook, and the dried cornflowers rustled between the yellowed pages.

"Those totems depicting astrology and magic circles may be related to the rise of magic in the Ottoman Empire. However, all key technical information on the murals has been deliberately erased, and the traces show obvious acid-etching characteristics, which clearly indicate professional treatment."

Alpha's fingertips tapping the armrests suddenly quickened, and the bronze material emitted a dull humming sound under the heavy pressure.

Alpha turned his head to look at the blood-red sunset outside the window, and the figure of the dark elf sentinel was looming on the battlements of the city wall.

After a moment, Alpha stood up from his chair, his black cloak sweeping across the candlelight on the floor: "Continue to expand the search range, and check all possible hidden compartments and mezzanines."

Before he finished speaking, more than a dozen fully armed mutant warriors appeared in front of the door in a line. The scales on their necks glowed a strange blue-green in the firelight, which was a sequelae of the injection of strengthening drugs.

Darwin solemnly tucked the notebook into his arms and looked at Alpha. The blood-soaked boy had become a hegemon controlling multiple city-states, and their relationship had long since transcended mere friendship.

"I'll be going downstairs then, Alpha." As Darwin turned, the old injury in his back began to ache again, a sign of the thrilling opportunities they had encountered along the way.

Evelyn was about to follow when she was suddenly pulled into a hot embrace by a strong force.

Alpha smelled of a mixture of gunpowder and tequila. His palms were clasped tightly around her slender waist, and his other hand pinched her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"Why have you been deliberately distancing yourself from me these past few days?" His hot breath sprayed on Evelyn's ear, and a dangerous undercurrent surged in his amber eyes.

"No... I'm just too tired lately." Her voice was caught in Alpha's passionate kiss.

The candlelight flickered behind the two people, casting their entangled figures on the wall, like gods and demons fighting in ancient murals.

The moonlight shines through the carved window lattices, casting a fine silver glow on the blue brick floor.

Alpha slowly stood up from the brocade quilt, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the silk quilt that still had some warmth.

There was still a faint scent of jasmine lingering there, sweet with a hint of coldness, the unique scent of elves, but Evelyn had already left.

"Stars." Alpha called softly.

"Lord Alpha, what can I do for you?" Fanxing walked over in small steps.

"Let Mashu come over." Alpha gathered his long hair, his eyes as calm as water.

When Mashu hurried over, the sky was already turning pale.

The morning light shone obliquely into the study, stretching the two people's figures.

Mashu looked at Alpha leaning against the carved desk and noticed that Alpha had specially changed into the black armor today. The silver breastplate shone coldly in the morning light.

"Mashu, can you find the commander of the Pirate Alliance?" Alpha turned the gilded pocket watch in his hand, and the goblin totem on the dial appeared and disappeared with his movement.

Mashu frowned slightly and said vigilantly: "Lord Alpha, are you going to assassinate the enemy commander, or do you have other purposes? According to intelligence, there are twelve shadow guards around Philos. If you want to get close, there are countless dark guards..."

"I want to meet him alone." Alpha raised his hand to interrupt, "Tonight at midnight, at the observatory ten miles outside the city. Tell him it's for the glory of the empire."

Mashu was stunned for a moment, then realized that this meant peace talks.

Alpha walked to the window, looked at the gradually brightening sky, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Perhaps, there is really a possibility of a peaceful resolution to their battle with the Pirate Alliance.

After all, on that moonlit night, Alpha had touched the softest part of the enemy.

That means the enemy has lost its sea cover, which means the pirate alliance that entered the mining city will become rootless and drift with the tide.

The dusk was as dark as ink, gradually permeating the East Gate Camp.

Evelyn's heartbeat fluctuated violently with the flickering candlelight. She clutched the corner of Alpha's clothes, her emerald eyes filled with worry.

"Lord Alpha, you can't go there alone. It's too dangerous." Her fingertips trembled slightly, and the elf Evelyn's voice was filled with anxiety that was hard to conceal.

Alpha stopped wiping his sword and looked up at his lover.

Moonlight shone through the carved window lattices onto Evelyn, casting a soft glow on her long silver hair.

At this moment, Alpha is not only the leader of the elves, but also Evelyn's man.

Thinking of this, Evelyn's uneasiness grew stronger. How could she watch him take risks?

"Don't worry, I'm not going there to fight, but to cooperate. You can't tell anyone else about this." Alpha sheathed the Holy Sword of Light, his voice steady but revealing unquestionable determination.

Meeting with Philos of the Pirate Alliance is a dance on the edge of a knife. The fewer people who know, the smaller the risk.

Evelyn bit her lower lip, her eyes filled with worry: "But the Ottoman Empire..."

"It is precisely because the Empire has so many eyes and ears that we have to proceed with caution." Alpha gently held her hand.

"Once the news leaks out, all of us will be doomed." Alpha paused, a cold light flashing in his eyes. "By then, I'm afraid we will have no choice but to flee far away."

"Melissa will monitor from the sky, and Mash will hide in the dark. If Philos doesn't behave, he will go to hell." Alpha stroked Evelyn's head, "I have no intention of taking his life, but I must be on guard against him."

As the night deepened, Alpha mounted his horse and galloped towards Blackrock Mountain.

The sound of horse hooves was particularly clear in the silent night. Evelyn stood at the entrance of the camp, watching the familiar figure gradually disappear into the darkness.

Evelyn tightly grasped the magic wand at her waist and prayed silently: "You must return safely..."

In the night, Black Rock Mountain looks like a dormant giant beast, and the surface of the mountain seems to be glowing with a strange glow.

Alpha reined in his horse, looked up at the eerie pavilion on the top of the mountain, took a deep breath, and tightened his grip on the hilt of the sword at his waist.

The darkness of night fell heavily on the rusty mine cart, and Alpha's black iron boots rolled over the gravel, making a crisp sound.

In the pavilion on the top of the mountain, General Philos leaned against a vermilion column, his gilded armor gleaming brightly in the moonlight. He gently swung the silver wine cup in his hand, rippling the amber wine. "I can't believe I actually saved the mining city for you. That's truly remarkable! Alpha Knight."

The mountain breeze blew past the tattered flags. Alpha took off his helmet, his long silver hair fluttering in the wind, and his ears were faintly visible in the shadows.

Alpha looked at the rows of factories in the distance and said indifferently: "What do you mean by success? This is my territory, but now it's occupied by you. How can this be called success?"

Before he could finish his words, the copper bells on the eaves of the pavilion suddenly jingled, startling a flock of jackdaws.

Philos raised his eyebrows and chuckled, slamming the wine cup heavily on the stone table: "Oh, it seems that you don't care about the mining city. Then why do you want to destroy our relationship with the Ottoman Empire and rush here from thousands of miles away?"

Alpha took off his cloak and casually draped it on the stone bench, revealing the chain mail with a dark star pattern embroidered on the inside. "The mining city is not important to me. Rather than being occupied by you or giving it to the Empire, it's just an exchange of interests."

Alpha glanced at the distant mine entrance, where children seemed to be passing by carrying bamboo baskets. "Compared to the mining town itself, I care more about the people here."

"Since it's not important, let me empty the mining city!" Philos suddenly stood up, shaking the wine cup on the table to the ground. The scarlet wine flowed along the stone veins like blood.

Over the past few days, the Pirate Alliance has almost completely dismantled all the smelting equipment they can, but they're wary of Alpha's ambush outside the city...