Atlas Battle Song

"idiot!"

"I haven't brought any prey for a whole day. I've never seen such a useless 'vulture' like you."

"If you can't come up with any money, how are you going to save your friend, brat?"

There is a camp on the rocky beach halfway up the mountain, with a bonfire, and the bandits are beating and teasing a child with a smile on their faces.They stripped the boy of his tattered shirt and wiped the still-hot charcoal on his body.The boy was burned to the point of tears, but the corners of his mouth were tense, and he insisted not to cry out.

"What a waste...! We gave you this job opportunity because you begged us. Is it so difficult to attract those stupid travelers?"

"I think it's better to break his legs and use him as a beggar for money," said a bandit.

The boy yelled, "Stop talking nonsense! I'll get enough money soon, and you'll let him go!"

"Yo, are you still worried about your friend?"

The man grinned and picked his teeth: "Then you have to collect money quickly, after all, we will sell these children to Yaxu the day after tomorrow. If you can't afford the money to buy them, other men will naturally buy them back. As for We all know what to buy, hahaha." The bandits laughed wretchedly and pinched the boy's crotch.

"Go away! Just wait, I'll be able to get the money together soon!" The boy was like an irritated beast, weeping and gnashing his teeth as he let himself be kicked and beaten.

"Hehe, then you can go to the Golden City to sell it, find a noble Sybil to sleep for a night, and ask him to give you gold." The man smirked.

"That won't work. There are many beauties who go out for sale. That's the turn for a little man like him."

"Actually, you can also accompany us to make the brothers happy, and I will give you a discount on the ransom."

The bandits roared with laughter.

At this moment, the bandit leader reached out to pick up the wine bag next to him, and suddenly something happened to his arm—he turned his head to look, only to find that there was a stranger quietly beside him? !The bandit was terrified and cried out.

"Yo."

The young man was expressionless, yawned lazily, and began to look through the bandit's package.

"Who are you?!! When!"

The robbers were alarmed and drew their scimitars to attack.The boy, too, was terrified, for he recognized the handsome young Sybil from before.The boy couldn't figure out why this man suddenly appeared and sat down next to the bandits like a cat without making a sound.

The killing intent is on the verge of breaking out.

At this time, a man came from the shadows.

"Hey, why did you run to someone's side without saying hello? Did you startle him? I'm so sorry, we got lost, and we came here to ask for directions when we saw the bonfire."

Trand smiled, the rich luster of the gold chain and cloth gleaming in the campfire.

The bandits were excited when they saw the rich businessman's attire, and they saw that the young man who behaved strangely was also a first-class beauty.

The bandit leader smiled: "Oh, you are travelers? Just come here to sit and drink. We are a passing caravan. You can ask any questions." Seven or eight bandits pretended to be careless, To round up two self-trapping travelers is like a jackal smelling meat.The boy was about to shout a warning to the two of them.A robber walked around behind the boy and quietly put a knife against his back.

"Hey! That's great, sit down!" Trander sat down with a hearty smile, "I'm also a businessman, and I'm quite flustered when I get separated from my bodyguard in the wilderness. Tell me, I'll take a seat with you." With so much money, what if you encounter a robbing wild dog?"

"Oh? This is not good."

Trander enthusiastically patted the bandit on the shoulder: "Brother, what kind of business do you do?"

"To tell you the truth, I trade in human flesh." The bandit smiled maliciously, playing with his ignorant prey like a cat before eating.

"Hey! That's great, the money comes quickly, and you don't have to pay much. I also want to ask my brother if you have any good products? I heard that the empire has sent a new governor. We have to do business, right? I I just wanted to present rare goods to please the old man, but this time I was in a hurry and didn’t have time to prepare properly, so I had to bring more gold and come to the capital to see what I can buy as a gift.”

Trand took out a heavy grain of gold.

The gold was shining brightly, which made the eyes of the bandits straighten.The robbers took out the wine, and kept looking up and down at the silent and beautiful young man next to them with greasy eyes. "How much gold did you bring? As much as you can give, I'll find you good stuff. Sybil women, Omega women, young men of their time, mature young, blond, brunette, fat There are thin and thin ones."

"I have enough money, pay in one lump sum."

The bandits got closer and closer, their hands already on the knife, waiting for the leader's signal: kill this fool.

Trander waved his hand with a secretive look.

"But what I want is rare goods. Not only are they beautiful, but they also have extraordinary skills and special training. I want to be able to hold a knife at a banquet... Do you understand? Do you sell this kind of goods?"

"Tsk, you're going to assassinate the new governor!" The bandit leader became interested, "But it's not surprising, I've seen a lot of people like you, and all you do is blood-stained business. Now there are dragons and snakes in the city, assassins and prostitutes /There are as many women as there are, and they are all ready to take over the job. There will be many lords who want to kill the new governor. After all, there is only so much meat here. Suddenly a lion comes to grab the food, and the local snake will definitely not do it. I don’t care what your purpose is , I’ll tell you, I do have this kind of stuff—I’m afraid you can’t afford it.”

Trander was too lazy to speak, and directly took out a pocket—it turned out to be a bag full of gold.

"!"

"Show me the goods." Trand put the gold away again.

"Of course, of course, this is..."

"Hey wait...!" Trander suddenly stopped, rolling his eyeballs, looking suspicious and regretful.

The bandit leader was eager to get his prey hooked, so he held his temper and asked kindly like a real businessman: "What do you have to worry about? My friends are well-connected and have a full range of goods. I’m here to trouble you. But if you want to buy the services of an assassin, you have to bear the responsibility yourself. I’m only in charge of the intermediary, and the assassin is only in charge of killing, it’s as simple as that.”

Trand stroked his chin, as if he was weighing whether the deal was appropriate. "It sounds like you are up to the mark. But for the sake of caution, I'd like to ask first, where do you get your goods from? Where did this assassin hang out?"

"The empire does not allow people to trade, so most of our goods are imported from the south. Yaxu, as well as those countries in the south that are against the empire, they still have slaves, and there are also some powerful human traffickers who collect all kinds of rare beauties there. "The bandit leader took a sip of his hookah triumphantly, "As for the assassins... I can't say more, but I can introduce you to the strongest one. But then again, this bag of gold is not even enough for a deposit, you still have to What kind of property is there, where is it? Otherwise, I dare not guarantee you." The bandit tried to cliché, greedily wanting to devour more.

Trander smiled knowingly, followed the bandit's words and started bragging:

"Look at what you said, money is the easiest thing, and I don't care about it the least. Let me tell you, in Ulan Polis, I have ten dyeing workshops, ten weaving workshops, [-] fine-wool sheep, and [-] healthy sheep. Cattle, mansion, and land, I have a vineyard in Chiasso, and a winery. My bank is in Ulanpolis, Calder, Assy, and Dolan. Not only that—my wife She is one of the most beauties in the empire, a noble family, a jewel on the mirror...! Let me tell you, all the princes of the empire have proposed to my wife, but they have all been rejected. Only me, I married such a peerless beauty hahaha! Come on come on , let me sing it to you—"

The bandits swallowed and pricked up their ears to listen.

Trand shook his ears triumphantly.He cleared his throat, looked at his lover, and sang like a libertine:

"O beauty of the empire, the moon of the world—!

"How shall poets describe thee so as not to be punished by love? Poison, knife, cruel image—you are all that is fatal to my heart.

"Beauty, your shadow passed the blue wall of Balkor, the eyes of the crowd saw you, the ears of the crowd heard you, but it was like seeing stars in the desert of death. Because of your indifference, you are an executioner! Your twilight eyes make the hearts of countless suitors ashes. You are the pomegranate, the malice in the cup. Poor man, I still long for a drop of water, a grain of star sand, a word on the tip of your tongue.

"Beauty, but I see you as a conqueror sees a closed white city!

"I will embrace the flame with my hands, and I will accomplish sin with love. If I am not the overcomer, then the dream of the heathen reveals the garden of the scriptures.

"Beauty, forgive me—

"May I monopolize your love, as a man monopolizes his own death."

Hearing this endless love song, the silent young man frowned.

The bandits were dreaming, listening to the businessman's description of his wife's beauty, and also planning how to embezzle his property and his wife.Men can't stand talking about this kind of topic. A young bandit swallowed and couldn't help talking: "Then... besides your wife, how many concubines do you have?"

Trander was suddenly embarrassed, and anxiously explained like a misunderstood boy: "No, no, no! Not a single one!!!"

The young Sybil smiled: "That's okay, when you get to the Golden City, someone will give you a few more."

"I don't want any, I only have you in my heart!"

"Wow."

"I'm serious, I...!" Trander gesticulated anxiously, and suddenly lost the calm demeanor he had just played on the occasion.

"Hahaha, I really want to have a few more lovers." The young Sybil laughed jokingly, taking revenge on Trander who was bragging just now.

"I don't allow it!!!"

"Hey, the lion is angry."

"???" The bandits were stunned, not knowing why the two men suddenly started talking stickily. "Who the hell are you guys!" The bandit leader couldn't bear it anymore, and drew out his knife.

Trander glared at him impatiently, "Shut up, it's none of your business! Didn't you see that I'm busy now!"

The situation is getting more and more chaotic, the little boy is already dizzy, but the beautiful young man is getting happier: "Trand, Trand~"

"Kill them!"

The bandit leader couldn't hold back his anger, and gave an order!All the knives were out of their sheaths, the boy screamed, and the bandits, full of murderous looks, swung their knives at the two unarmed travelers.At the critical moment, these two people were still concentrating on arguing with each other, like two boys busy with anger, not taking the bandits seriously at all, as if the blade that cut the neck was insignificant.

"Don't make trouble." Trander didn't even look at the bandit who was rushing, he grabbed it, grabbed the attacker's arm and pulled it down!The attacker lost his balance, and Trand raised his knee again, hitting the enemy hard in the abdomen.Another knife came, and Trander easily snatched the blade, and knocked down a sneak attacker sideways.

"Isn't it normal for people from the West Plateau to take concubines? Don't you have a litter of lion cubs?" The same was true for the young Sibyl, who gracefully avoided the knife without even looking at it.

"I'm going to be angry!"

"Get angry, then I'll go to the island country to find the Duke, and I won't play with you anymore." The young man made a grimace.

The bandits hacked randomly, but they couldn't hurt the two of them at all, and they were all exhausted.Even the boy could see that the two travelers were skilled in martial arts, and if they were serious, killing these bandits would be as easy as chopping melons and vegetables.Seeing the savior, the teenager shouted: "Mr. Trand, please help my friend - he was kidnapped by these robbers!"

After hearing this, Trander immediately looked serious.

"If it's an ordinary bandit, I can let you go, but the thing I can't stand the most is the human trafficker."

He no longer played games with his lover, turned his head and grabbed the bandit leader's arm, and quickly pushed his prey to the ground!Agile and powerful like a carnivore.Then skillfully broke the enemy's arm——

Click!

"pain!"

The bandit leader yelled, and the bones were broken.The other gangsters looked at each other and retreated one after another. "Damn you bastard, it's you—!" A bandit was furious, and slashed at the trembling child with a knife.But before the knife fell, the man screamed and fell to his knees, with a thin dagger stuck in his eye socket.

"Ah ah ah ah ah--!"

The man wailed, and the bloody scene frightened the bandits dumbfounded.They hesitated for a while, looking at the young man who threw the throwing knife like looking at a monster.

The young man showed no expression, and took out a small knife again: "Don't bully the children."

"Monster... monster..." The bandits backed away slowly, they had never seen a real Sibyl knight.Whether it is speed or strength, Sybils are ten times that of ordinary humans.

"roll!"

Trand roared angrily.

The bandits completely lost their ambitions, and fled while supporting each other.

The hustle and bustle ended, and the wilderness returned to tranquility.

Trander angrily brought the horse over, and the young Sybil came over, but Trander ignored him and was still angry at the joke just now.

"Little lion, little lion." The young man called.

"Humph."

"Don't be angry." The young man pinched Trand's soft ears.

Trander turned around and ignored him, "You are not allowed to say that you want to be nice to others, as long as you have me as a man."

"Childish." The young man was tired and impatient, and turned to search for the bandit's tent.At this time, Trander chased after him stickily again, grabbed his lover's arm and rubbed it against his face, and said shamelessly, "Hold me, give me a hug."

"Silly lion."

The young man hugged him reluctantly, like hugging a big cat that was smiling and purring.

Enough romping, they went to find the boy.The fox boy ran to the tent closest to the bonfire. Four or five children were bound hands and feet, their eyes were blindfolded, and their mouths were stuffed with cloth.The boy knelt beside his friend, crying with anxiety, trying desperately to untie the rope. "Alan, I'll rescue you right away!" Trander walked over and cut the rope with a knife.The children spat out the dirty cloths from their mouths and began to cry.

"Most of them are six or seven years old, both boys and girls." Said the young man.

"yes……"

Trand was very distressed. Judging from the appearance of these children, they were probably abducted or sold by poor parents.He went on to say: "I also encountered human traffickers when I was a child. Then I broke the guy's two front teeth, a few ribs, and put a snake in his crotch hahaha. The guy thought it was a poisonous snake, so scared that he peed on the spot Pants."

"I sympathize with snakes."

"At that time, I was only five years old, and I could beat the bad guys until they screamed. My sisters were all proud of me, and they took turns to kiss me!" Trander was so proud that his tail was about to stick up.

"But you were still taken away by the nobles." The young man poker-faced, patted his lover's head as a reward.

"That's different!" Trander puffed up his chest, "That's your father! At that time, I was performing snake fighting in the square. Your father saw me and asked me if I would like to be a servant in your house. I think he is If you like my martial arts, you don’t want me to be a child prostitute, so you must agree. This is the path I chose. It was because I was a servant in your family that I had the opportunity to enter the Knights of the Empire.”

The young man shook his head: "I didn't fancy your martial arts. He just wanted to pick up a little lion for me to play with. The wild lion is so small, it's about the same size as a yellow cat."

"Yes yes, young master, my dear Master Egg."

Trent smiled, wrapped his arms around the young man's waist, put his face close to his lover's neck and took a deep breath.

"Ahem." The fox boy coughed twice.

The two lowered their heads and found a group of children staring at them blankly.Trander pouted, and suddenly remembered that he was an adult, so he had to act like an adult.He pulled the children up from the ground one by one, "Don't worry kids, you are safe. I am the head of the Seventh Knights of the Empire, the newly appointed Governor of the Western Plateau, and I am here to rescue you."

"Always blocked?" A child was too young to understand.

The young man smiled: "Yes, Zongdu is the kind of bad guy who specializes in causing harm to one side. It's like a big wild wolf who comes to the village to catch children."

The child burst into tears.

Trander was very angry, quickly picked up the child, and patted the child skillfully on the back, "Iggy Swards, I strongly condemn you as an irresponsible adult! You see, they are all terrified, and they can't help it." Can't tell where the parents are. Right now we have to house the kids first."

"Okay, Mother Trand."

The dark-haired youth——Iggy Swards shrugged, feeling a little bored, and stepped out of the tent to look at the moon.

The full moon is cold and bright, and below it lies the wilderness and the oasis city-state.

Egg took a deep breath, the smell of sand rolled into his lungs, it felt warm, and there was still the smell and temperature of the sun.He turned his head, and behind him was a tent with oil lamps. Trand was talking and laughing with the children. There was a cliff at his feet, and a dark landscape ahead.

Far away from the mainland of the empire, Egg subtly felt a certain lightness, which might also be called "freedom".

"This is the hometown of Trande... Speaking of which, where did father pick up this silly lion?"

Egg suddenly thought.

Now that his curiosity came, he had to go and have a look.

In the tent, Trand was distributing food to the children, which was the roast leg of lamb left by the bandits.He made up his mind, and took these children to the Golden City at dawn, and figured out how to find their parents, or resettle them.Although Trander was a knight, he was very good at getting along with children. After all, the men under him were no different from boys when they were drunk.And after staying with Neil for a long time, Trand also learned how to take care of others.

"Where's the other gentleman?" Fox Boy asked suddenly.

"Ok?"

Trander looked around, went out to search tent by tent, and looked around the camp, to see if there was any sign of his lover.

"Egg—"

He called out to the darkness, but only the valley answered.The hairy moon hung in the sky, a vast expanse, and Trand stood on the cliff, seeing nothing.

"Where did Mr. Egg go?" the fox boy was worried.

Trander was at a loss at first, and then smiled helplessly: "Who knows? This guy is always willful, he goes wherever he wants, and he doesn't like to say hello. But it doesn't matter...he can always find me, maybe tomorrow came back."

The night is quiet.

Two tiny figures turned back from the cliff, and the light spot brightened for a while in the night, and then darkened again, it was the curtain of the tent opened and closed.

The match was lit, and the thin flame curled up and went out.Ashes fell into his palm.

"Good night, little lion."

Egg turned back, and walked into the darkness again.