Atlas Battle Song

The morning of the West Plateau came again.

As the night passed, Trand barely slept.He lay down, listening to the footsteps of passers-by outside the courtyard, and the market gradually became lively.

"Assassinate the governor, aren't these local lords afraid of angering the empire..."

That's right, Trand thought to himself, a lord dressed in gold and silver like Antuo didn't care whether such a stupid provocation would bring disaster to the common people.Since there is going to be a fire, it is best to put out the flames tonight.

What about Egg...?He hesitated.

There was no doubt that Egg was a fighter of fighters—with excellent swordsmanship, feline dexterity, and the monstrous speed and strength of a Sybyl.In a place like the West Plateau, if Yi Ge wanted to kill someone, it was as easy as going to the street to buy vegetables... Fortunately, the young master didn't know how to buy vegetables.But Trander was really worried that Egg would be involved.

"Hey... Let Egg stay in a safe place until the situation subsides."

Trander decided to go to the city first to find out the truth.

On the surface, the lord An Tuo greeted him politely and with a smile on his face, but actually sent someone to monitor him.Before walking out of the courtyard, Trander spotted the stalker.

"Ha, no one can beat me at the game of cat and mouse."

He smiled, flicked up a copper coin and caught it—one side of the twin snakes, which means north.Trander walked to the market in the north, intending to get rid of these ignorant stalkers there...

However, after walking to the square, the astonishing scene in front of him immediately made Trander stop thinking, to exaggerate, even stop breathing.

On the floor of the central square, there is a big picture of a little lion dancing.

"Well!"

Trand was almost suffocating.

"This painting style...could it be Egg..."

Many onlookers gathered in the square.People were discussing this evil god-like graffiti in horror, talking about a series of inexplicable events that happened last night.The two people monitoring Trand were also shocked, and followed to watch the excitement.It seems that things are very serious.Surprised, Trander mingled into the crowd to listen.

"Goddess...what is this graffiti about? It's too scary..."

"It looks like a tiger is gnawing on a human head! Come on, who would paint such a horrible picture, it's still blood red, it's really unlucky!"

"Mom, it's a little lion."

"Kids don't look, let's go home."

Trander smiled awkwardly... If Egg didn't show him every time he drew "animals that he thinks are cute", he would also think that the "little lion humming and dancing" painted on the floor "Actually, it's an evil graphic that summons a monster.

People whispered.

"Hey, have you heard... overnight, this evil lion pattern appeared all over the city."

"Hey, are they everywhere? When I went out in the morning, I heard that the house of Acilua in the east was being targeted by villains... Someone put a gold necklace on his cat, and a note was pasted on the cat, saying 'Fourth'... is said to be the order of assassination, and many noble families have similar serial numbers."

"Why cats, cats!"

"It must be the order of assassination."

"I've heard that what happened to Master Arlan's house was even more terrifying. Someone stole his clothes and put them on a cow. A note was pasted on the cow's back: 'Is it beautiful? This is your whole family'... …Lord Arlan is furious right now. This is a blatant insult. Such a powerful and wealthy businessman is ridiculed as 'the whole family is a beast waiting to be slaughtered'..."

The more I listened, the more inexplicable it became.Trand frowned like an old man seeing a new trend among young people.

The peddler lowered his voice mysteriously:

"More than that... Do you know who left the note?"

What?Leave a note and sign it?What kind of immoral thing is this?Wait...Trander suddenly had a bad feeling.

"The new governor!"

Enthusiastic people around rushed to answer.

"Cough...!" Trander almost choked.He smiled dryly, and slowly asked a question: "Huh...? Why, why is it the new governor?"

"All notes are signed 'The New Governor.'"

"???"

It’s over.

Trander thumped in his heart.What that guy Egg got into was all his fault.

"Ahaha... such an evil deed..."

Embarrassedly scratching his chin with his index finger, Trand also scolded the new governor in agreement.He smiled gracefully on the surface, but in his heart he panicked like ten little yellow cats racing fast on a road full of knives and traps, and the other ten little black cats were betting on the sidelines.

"I just want to know, is it still too late to resign?"

That's too late.

From the east side of the city to the west side of the city, Trand's name is written everywhere.Dear young master Egg did give him a lot of surprises.

A wild dog at the door of the blacksmith shop has a sticker: "This is a wild dog - the new governor".And the glass workshop next door posted: "There is a dog on the left - the new governor".A child from a poor family was very curious, so he ran to pull up the dog's paw, and found that there were ten imperial gold coins under it, and a note: "Look, how rich the dog is - the new governor."

This incident was regarded as a serious metaphor, and immediately spread like a thunderbolt.People are arguing, is this the new governor implying that the rich and powerful possess most of the money?Is it to suppress the local rich for the sake of the common people?Trander was so dizzy that he knew with his hair that Egg was simply interested in dogs.

However, more "metaphors" and "interpretations" appeared, which greatly stimulated the nerves of wealthy businessmen.

All the blue irises in the yard of Adofa's house were pulled out, and the lost flowers were carefully placed in Du Mi's glass vase, and jasmine branches from Lando were added to the bouquet.There is a note on the bottle: "You are better suited like this - the new governor".The three wealthy businessmen were terrified for a moment. Could this imply that the new governor had discovered their secret meeting?The fourth family that was not found immediately sent a letter, saying that the head of the family was ill and could not see anyone.Next, there were more rumors about "the new governor has many eyes and ears". The wealthy businessmen and lords who had their own ulterior motives were anxious and in a dilemma.

The mercenaries were even more panicked.I heard that last night the new governor's people unknowingly stole the swords of several mercenaries, dyed them pink, and left a note mockingly, "Do you like it, girls?" He is not a mediocre person, and has some reputation in the industry.The other mercenaries half laughed at this, and half were afraid. "This is a threat...meaning that the new governor can kill you easily." Therefore, the mercenaries and assassins in the city stopped taking jobs for the time being, and planned to wait and see what kind of man the new governor was.

Not only that, almost all wealthy families in the city were pasted with paper notes with lions drawn on them, in the ledgers, in the bathrooms, in fountains with secret passages, wine bottles and dining tables.The words on the note seem simple, but people always feel that it means something.

"You eat so well, does the next door know? - The new governor"

"Nice Carpet - New Governor"

"This glass statue is very beautiful, where did you buy it? - The new governor"

"How do you have three wives? Do they all know each other?—New Governor"

"Have you ever been a bandit in the desert?—New Governor"

"Don't like fish, don't eat it - the new Governor"

Trand inquired along the way, and in just one street, there were more than a dozen pranks of Ego pasting stickers on other people's houses, and there were not a few pranks about throwing money around.

"My God... baby Egg, my dear young master..."

Two passers-by said when they passed by: "This new governor is really mysterious enough, and he will show it to the dignitaries before he takes office."

Trand looked at the sky in despair.

People spread rumors that this new governor whose name is not yet known is a man with means, and he is probably in charge of several sophisticated assassin organizations, otherwise it would be impossible to leave a message in the whole city silently overnight.

Some people say that this man was so favored by the emperor that he was able to parachute directly to be the governor.It is also said that the new governor is not at peace with the empire, but has close contacts with the king of Omega.The girls were more curious about the new governor's appearance, blue eyes or gray eyes?Or a rare pair of green eyes?young or old?Lust or abstinence?

For a while, everyone was discussing the new governor.The envoys and merchants of various countries also sent the information back to the country as quickly as possible... Carrier pigeons, sparrowhawks, intelligence merchants, and the communication twin stones bought from the academy.The farce that aroused heated discussions in the morning had already reached the ears of kings in the south and north in the afternoon.

Prince Omega smiled after reading the letter, and handed it to Kaloyalo.The lovers had been sunbathing together on the southern seaside.Kaloyalo had a bad premonition, and after reading the letter, he was so angry that he almost fainted in the arms of the prince.

"It must be Egg...!"

After imagining the tragic scene, Kaloyalo closed his eyes in despair.

"Hahahaha, is it really your knight who did it? But Mr. Egg usually looks so calm."

Kaloyalo smiled dryly, as if the owner came home and saw the cats wrecking the house.

"If you get to know Egg better, you'll find that he's just another person if he's in a different mood. Obviously, the kid must be very happy today..."

"Oh, interesting."

The prince smiled meaningfully and put his lover in his arms.

"Tonight is Trander's first day in office. Before he had time to play a card, Egg suddenly played him a wild card. What do you think Trander will do, dear?"

"I, I don't dare to listen, don't tell me the next thing... unless Egg killed Trand, or forced him to dance in women's clothes."

Kaloyalo suddenly thought desperately that perhaps His Majesty the Emperor had also heard about this matter...

This conjecture is correct.

By the time the noon sun passed, the anecdote of the western plateau had already reached the imperial court.The female officer frowned and finished reading the letter, and the aged emperor laughed as if listening to a funny show.Although the ministers around had resentment towards Trande, they did not dare to express it in front of the imperial court.

"Trand, you always surprise me." The emperor smiled, and turned to listen to other playbooks.

The crown prince on the side was still blue and purple - this is simply a humiliation!The gift he gave Egg last night was casually worn by Trent on Amao and Agou the next day?Trand clearly wanted to tell everyone, "This beauty is mine."

The crown prince was furious and vowed never to let the bastard go.

"Ha chirp!"

A gust of cold wind blew by, and Trand sneezed unexpectedly.Probably a hundred people scolded him behind his back?

Trander guessed this, but he didn't expect that his "notoriety" had spread throughout the entire continent, from south to north.Now the kings all know-Trand Muawia, a man who acts strangely and has a flamboyant style.

"Forget it! As long as my wife is happy, I will do it!"

He could not laugh or cry.

After all the cards have been played, there is no reason to regret it, so let's think about how to play the next cards well...Trand decided to follow suit.

After noon, the sun fades.

The streets of the Golden City are bustling, but life goes on as usual.

After throwing off the stalker, Trand went to the tavern as a stronghold.His subordinates told him that Egg went back to the hotel to rest in the morning, and then left without anyone noticing after noon.Trander was very helpless, and could only confess that once he found Egg, he would be taken back to the hotel, and he was not allowed to go anywhere.

The hotel owner said: "Captain, two of the little devils you brought earlier have gone home."

"Okay. After I finish my work, I will arrange other children tonight."

It's almost time.

Trander decided to go back to Lord Antuo to see how those guys planned the assassination tonight.As for how to deal with those guys, he has a thousand ways.

To take a shortcut, he walked through the slums on the west side of the city.

Trander is very familiar with this place. After all, he was a thief when he was a child and lived in an abandoned house with a group of street children.It was like living in a gutter then, and he never got enough to eat.The same goes for other children. If they can't steal or pick up things, they will go hungry, and if they get sick, they can only lie on the ground and suffer.Trand recalled, while looking at the ragged child lying in the alley.

The child looks sick.He knelt down and put a silver coin in the boy's pocket.The boy looked feebly, and closed his eyes again.Trand touched the child's forehead.

"It's hot, where's your mother?"

"Mom..." the boy with a high fever muttered, "Mom is in the sky..."

Well.

Trand felt uncomfortable.

"Do you have any family?"

"younger sister……"

"Where's my sister?" Trand picked up the homeless boy.If this continues, the child will surely die of illness.He had seen it too many times when he was a child... the sick partner lying weak and finally dying motionless.

"In the orphanage..." The boy's voice was very low, and he barely raised his finger to the deeper alley next to the guide.

Orphanage?

Trand had never heard of it.The Golden City actually built an orphanage?It sounds unlikely... the law of the West Plateau is to live and die.Those who have no fangs will be bullied, and those who have no value will be abandoned.So he hates it here.

"Do you live in an orphanage too?"

"Um……"

"Okay, I'll take you back and use the money to buy medicine."

Trand carried the child and walked deep into the alley.

The smell of sweat and mud is getting stronger and stronger, and there are old clothes hanging everywhere in the narrow low building.The smell is really bad... There is no way, after all, water is a precious resource, and the poor are reluctant to use it to wash clothes, just hang it up and slap the dust on it.Trander remembered that back then, Egg's father treated him like a stray cat he had picked up, ordering four servants to wash him back and forth for a long time...

As he walked, Trand saw several groups of girls gathered at the corner of the alley.They smoked short cigarettes wearily, discussing something in low voices.When they saw Trand dressed as a mercenary, they showed business smiles and waved to him.

"Good sir, would you like to..."

"Hello, beautiful deer, may you be well."

The polite and personable smile of the man made the girls really happy.After greeting each other, they went their separate ways.

Trand sighed.

These girls are very young, they look only fourteen or fifteen years old, just like his sisters... But if they don't do this business, they can't support their families.He himself came from the bottom of the quagmire, and he knew from an early age that one must get used to grief and tears if one wants to live.

In the eyes of the nobles and rich people, the West Plateau is a paradise on earth like a dream.

Who doesn't love a girl with soft skin?Who wouldn't indulge in the joy of fragrance and dew?As long as an imperial nobleman first set foot on the western plateau, countless followers will immediately send him various beauties and jewels.

But how much gold and tears would it take to forge such a paradise?

Trand sneered.

Those lords and rich merchants are just a group of hyenas begging behind the imperial lions, and they don't care about the life and death of the weak at all.

As long as he recalled how his mother begged rich businessmen to borrow money to treat her illness, and how she was kicked out... his heart felt hot.

Since he was a child, he couldn't help thinking about it again and again in the middle of the night: If he and his mother had money to eat at that time, wouldn't his mother have to take the risk to take care of infectious patients?If the father hadn't abandoned them, or if he had been an older child who could earn money to support the family, wouldn't the mother have died of illness?

After so many years, Trand thought he was no longer the little street boy who stole bread to survive.

But when he set foot on this land again, he found that the sadness and anger from that year were always lingering in his heart, and he couldn't let it go.He saw life here again, saw these poor people.

This so-called "Golden City" is nothing but a hell covered in brocade...

Now, it's his turn to be the master of this hell.

Who would have thought?The boy who used to be a thief is now the Governor of the West Plateau.

But looking at the poverty around him, Trander really couldn't laugh, and he didn't feel that he had anything to be proud of.

There are still a lot of things to do, he scratched the back of his head in distress, and said to himself: "Hey... If Neil sees the West Plateau like this when he comes to play, he will definitely blame me. Before that, let's tidy up Bar."

"Who is Neil?" The feverish boy raised his head drowsily.

"Ah Neil, it's my friend, a very precious golden retriever dog. If you meet him on the road, he will come and hug you with a smile. By the way, he also has a beautiful long-haired cat named Pelias , with silver hair and golden eyes, a twisted personality that hides from people, and Mimi's cry is soft, like sugar water."

"Are there dogs and cats?"

"No, they are still husband and wife."

The boy was amused.Trand made up several jokes one after another, making the sick child cough and laugh.

After a while, they came to a mud house deep in the alley.The earth house has two floors, and the walls are plastered. It is simple but not dilapidated, and it looks like it has just been renovated.This house makes Trand Trand feel weird. It is neither the architectural style of the western plateau, nor the imperial style of residential style...

"Master, it's here."

The boy pointed to the wooden door.The door panel looked new, with three golden lilies painted on it.Trand thought it looked familiar, but couldn't remember anything special.

He knocked on the wooden door.

Not long after, the door opened, and a woman in a white robe and veil came out from the dark room. She was very thin, and she walked almost silently, like a cloud of fog.Trand noticed that on the woman's bony finger was a ring of animal bone, also carved with a golden lily.

"Ocean Star, save us."

The woman in white whispered, her voice was as vague as his face covered by the white gauze.The boy in Trand's arms also responded in a low voice: "Ocean Star, save us..."

Is this the new greeting trend?Trand felt baffled.He glanced into the room and saw eight or nine children sitting on the ground in a circle, as if they were listening to the teacher just now.A stone is placed in front of each child.

The woman in white nodded to the sick boy, "You are back, Geva."

"I'm sorry teacher, I fell down while fetching water..."

"It's okay, come back to class first."

"You still go to class when you're so sick?" Trande frowned, and asked bluntly, "What kind of place is this? What are you doing?"

"Orphanage."

The woman replied quietly, her lips didn't seem to be moving.The children sitting on the ground looked over in unison, staring at this side without moving.This feeling is not very comfortable.Trander wanted to see more clearly, but the masked woman seemed to be deliberately refusing to let him, and kept blocking the door.

suspicious...

Trander pushed the woman away forcefully and politely, "Guards of the Governor's Mansion, routine inspection, step aside for the lady."

He entered the room and saw children in clean, plain white linen tunics sitting in a circle.There is a round stone in front of each child, and they don't know what it is for.In the center of the circle is a blanket woven with three golden lilies, which seems to be where the teacher sits.Among the group of children, Trand saw familiar faces.

"It's you? Aren't you a friend of Fox Cub?"

Trand was right, it was the kidnapped boy they rescued from traffickers outside the city.Just now, Trand's subordinates said that two rescued children have returned home, and it seems that one of them is this boy.

The boy didn't speak, as if he didn't know him at all.

"Guys, what are you doing?"

Nor did a single child answer.

The woman wearing a veil came over and said respectfully: "Master Guard, I am the dean. We are responsible for adopting and educating the poor homeless children. You see, these children used to steal and cheat to survive. Now They can live in a safe and clean place and get an education."

Trand pointed suspiciously at the three-chased golden lily on the door: "What does this sign mean?"

"This is the symbol of our sect, the golden lily in the hands of the Daughter of the Sea when she descends."

"Sect? Are you a religious group?"

"Yes."

"What is the Daughter of the Sea?"

"It's the Savior, the incarnation of the beautiful snake god when he returned to the world." The woman's voice was very calm, but there was a kind of pious fanaticism hidden.

"Master Beautiful Snake..."

Trand looked around, but found no mermaid statues in the traditional beliefs of the Western Plateau, nor any incense burners or colored porcelain icons.But it is not surprising that people in the West Plateau have believed in the beautiful snake god for nearly 1000 years. In addition to the image of the main god with a human body and a snake tail, there are various religious sects and sacrificial ceremonies circulating among the people.

The woman saw his doubts: "We are a pious religious order. If you are interested, you can come here at any time. The other sisters and I are happy to explain the story of Ocean Star to you."

"..."

After thinking for a moment, Trander decided to call it a day.Tonight's matter is more important. I'd better wait until I have free time to investigate this strange orphanage and religious order.

He turned to leave, and the wooden door painted with golden lilies closed.The children's chorus sounded, getting further and further away from him.The voice sang repeatedly:

"Save us, Ocean Star..."

The singing is as pure as silver, and in the dim slums, the chorus is like snow falling in the filth.People passing by couldn't help but stop and listen a little.

"The devotees of the beautiful snake god..."

Not far away, he suddenly saw a familiar figure speeding past and disappearing around the corner.

"and many more!"

Trand chased after him.