Volume 2: Empire Chapter 149 Engagement Ceremony
Helkkin didn't want Darikova to know the secret between him and Luke, so he said goodbye and left after drinking a cup of tea .
But Darikova still noticed something strange. She first quickly checked the place where Helkkin had sat, and then looked through the window to see that all the Ice Cave agents outside had left.
Then he said to Luke: "I know Hulkkin quite well. He must have some intentions towards you by bringing so many people here this time. Can I know what happened? Only then can I protect you."
The secret could not be known to Darikova. Luke poured tea for her and explained, "Nothing. He came just to remind me to be careful. I heard that the spies of the Golden Shield Empire have been very active recently and even stole important intelligence from our army in Snow City.
The County Alliance has been defeated in Snow City."
"What! The County Alliance was defeated in Snow City!" After leaving the ice cave, Darikova's intelligence was a little delayed. When she heard the news, she couldn't help but be surprised: "The County Alliance has an absolute advantage in Snow City. What kind of information was leaked? It actually caused such a big reversal in the battle situation!"
Luke replied: "It seems that the heating system of the Snow City battlefield was precisely destroyed by the Golden Shield Empire's spies. The cold made the County Alliance soldiers lose their combat effectiveness, and they were counterattacked by the Snow City defenders led by Queen Christina."
Darikova knew how important the battlefield heating system was to the army of the Art County Alliance: "The layout drawings of the battlefield heating system should be top secret. How did the spies of the Golden Shield Empire get them?"
Luke drank his tea and said without interest, "This is something that Hulkkin should worry about. Our job is to perfect the Titan I prototype as soon as possible.
Indoor testing has been basically completed, and the next stage is testing in complex underground environments. These tests carry a certain degree of danger, so you need to adjust your status.”
Darikova remembered that she was no longer an Ice Cave agent, so she naturally didn't need to worry about the intelligence battlefield anymore. She even felt a bit gloating and wanted to see how Herkkin would get embarrassed.
Hearing Luke's inquiry, Darikova immediately replied: "I have no problem at all...but why did you conduct underground testing first? Outdoor testing on the surface has not yet been carried out."
Luke looked out the window and said, "We don't know yet how the performance of the water molecule dual-phase steam engine will change in cold temperatures. Snowy and slippery terrain is not suitable for large-scale maneuvering tests.
Just follow my instructions on how to test it. Have some tea!"
"Yes, Mr. Luke." Darikova took a sip of the teacup and couldn't help saying, "You and Miss Angelia have met many times, but each meeting ended in displeasure. She is not a qualified partner, and she is even less worthy of you. If...
If you are willing to leave Winter City , I can arrange a safe route. With your talent, you can have everything here wherever you go."
Luke didn't expect that Darikova would encourage him to escape. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "Your behavior is treason!"
The crime of treason has left Darikova somewhat confused. She has been trained in the Ice Cave since she was a child, and the first lesson is to be loyal to the County League. Although she has left the Ice Cave now, the mental imprint still affects her.
After hesitating for a long time, she said, "If you want to leave, I'll make the arrangements. You don't have to worry about the rest."
Luke said, "You don't need to worry about this. My biggest wish is to concentrate on my research. A failed marriage may not be a bad thing for me."
"But you deserve better!" Darikova said impulsively, "Do you know that the days when I left the ice cave were the most decadent time of my life? Do you know that the first job you gave me was undoubtedly a second life for me?
Do you know... when I no longer look at you with the eyes of an Ice Cave agent, your charm is irresistible to me.
I, I know that my background is not worthy of you, you deserve a better woman!
Although sending you away from the County Union is an act of treason, I am willing to make a mistake for you...
Darikova's sudden emotional outburst almost made Luke unable to remain calm.
He smiled modestly: "It is said that polar women have a fiery heart and dare to do and say what they want. I am afraid that if you understand the real me, you will no longer have this impulse."
"I……"
Luke raised his hand to make a silent gesture to stop Darikova from talking any further. "This topic ends here. I don't remember anything you said. After drinking this cup of tea, you will go to the laboratory and supervise the workers to pack the Titan I prototype into the transport box.
Tell Major Elro to escort the prototype and instruments into the underground steam city first."
Darikova finished the tea in the cup, then stood up and said before leaving: "Sir, your engagement ceremony with Miss Angelica will be held in three days. In the meantime, if you want to leave, I can arrange it at any time.
goodbye!"
Darikova left, and the room returned to silence. Luke continued to drink his tea. Music played, and the wind outside shook the windows.
Two days later, the news of the Snow City War finally reached Winter Capital, but after various processing, the actual battle situation had changed beyond recognition.
"The frontline troops of the County Alliance in Snow City discovered that the Golden Shield Empire had signs of a large-scale concentration of troops. In order to prevent the long-fighting County Alliance soldiers from being attacked by the despicable imperial army, the military general staff decided to take the initiative to end the attack on Snow City and ordered the troops to move to the various military bases in the north.
During the retreat, Queen Christina of the Empire dared to pursue them, but was defeated by the County Alliance Army that was left behind, and fled into the Snow City in panic, never daring to come out again. "
Anyway, no matter how it is fabricated, ordinary people in At County have no way of understanding the real situation on the battlefield and can only passively accept the information given to them.
Therefore, the defeat of Snow City did not cause much waves among the lower levels of the Art County League. Everyone just felt a little sorry for not capturing Queen Christina.
However, among the upper class of the County League, the defeat of Snow City caused a great shock.
This defeat completely cut off the possibility of the county alliance achieving a decisive victory in the winter. Those active initiators of the war who boasted before the war that they could march to the city of St. Len in the spring would naturally be held accountable and liquidated.
A number of congressmen and military generals fell.
The war still had to go on, and the oligarchs who had already tasted the sweetness of the war were looking forward to the next stage of the war. So another group of spokespersons and puppets were sent to Congress and the military.
The ruling class of the County League was reshuffled in an orderly and rapid manner, and Elvis was undoubtedly one of the oligarchs who won the most.
After winter, the navy of At County Union will face the fleet of Raging Waves City. The military orders have forced all the shipyards of Harut Heavy Industries to build all-metal warships.
The water molecule dual-phase steam engine allowed Harut Heavy Industries to control the future. The Titan Project and a series of high-tech weapons projects gave Elvis a lot of political capital.
Elvis knew very well who had brought him to a higher position, and he was more actively preparing for Luke and Angelia's engagement ceremony. The County League also wanted this high-profile engagement ceremony to divert people's attention from the battle in Snow City.
Both publicly and privately, under the large-scale carpet-style repetitive information bombardment, Luke and Angelica's engagement ceremony became the only focus of the entire Art County League.
Luke was quickly deified as a genius steam engineer, and it seemed that he would soon trigger a revolution in steam technology and become a milestone figure in the history of steam science.
Everyone believed that the combination of Luke and the Elvis family would definitely create a miracle.
Time flies.
The much-anticipated day arrived amidst everyone's expectations.
The auditorium of the Grand Amba Hotel was filled with guests who came to congratulate. They were either rich or noble, almost equivalent to half of the Congress and half of the invisible government of the County Federation.
No matter what their mood was at the moment, on the surface they were all congratulating the newlyweds.
In the dressing room backstage at the hotel, Elvis, wearing a tuxedo, looked at his daughter sitting in front of the dressing mirror while three makeup artists were applying makeup to her.
The tight white dress made Angela feel very uncomfortable, and her face was full of impatience.
Elvis knew what his daughter was thinking, and he reminded her: "I don't care what you do after the ceremony, but you must respect your Elvis family identity and your fiancé during the ceremony.
otherwise……"
"Otherwise you will cut off all my living expenses." Angela looked at her father in the mirror and said with a raised eyebrow: "Besides using this trick to scare me, what else can you do?"
"As long as it works. I have been completely disappointed in you for a long time. I don't ask you to be a lady, and I don't care about the ridiculous things you do. I only ask two things of you, to complete the engagement ceremony honestly and to complete the future wedding ceremony honestly."
"You just use me as a tool to win over Luke. I don't know what's so good about that nerd that you all admire him so much."
"This is what I am most disappointed about you... You overestimate your own abilities and don't realize that without your identity as Miss Elvis, you are nothing."
Angelia turned around and said fiercely: "You don't know how powerful I am in the Underground Steam City!"
"That's because..." When Elvis wanted to continue beating his daughter, a subordinate hurried in.
"Boss...Mr. Luke hasn't arrived yet."
Elvis asked anxiously, "What happened?"
The subordinate said with a strange expression: "No, there is no accident. Early this morning, Mr. Luke entered the underground steam city to test the Titan I prototype. He said it would not delay the engagement ceremony."
"This workaholic, except for eating and sleeping, does nothing but work." Elvis was helpless about Luke's work attitude of taking advantage of every opportunity: "Send someone to urge them immediately, tell them... there are many important people coming to the ceremony, don't keep them waiting for too long."
"Yes, boss."
The subordinates ran out in a hurry.
Angelia sneered, "You are simply destroying my happiness by marrying me to such a boring person!"
…
At this time, Luke was at a testing site outside the underground steam city.
This is an open area, and the staff have installed the instruments needed for the test in different locations. In the middle of the test field, there is an oversized transport box, and the Titan I prototype is lying inside the transport box.
Due to the activities of the rebels underground, the soldiers responsible for protecting the Titan I prototype were standing very scattered.
Luke walked around the shipping crate, carefully examining its alchemical seal.
Darikova followed him and after a while couldn't help asking: "Why don't you see Rebecca?"
Luke said as they walked, "She asked for leave because of something at home. Anyway, we'll do a test and then go to the Grand Amba Hotel. There's nothing else to do today."
Darikova didn't focus on Rebecca. She looked around and asked quietly, "Have you really decided to attend the engagement ceremony? If you want to go, it's not too late!"
Luke paused and said to Darikova: "I hope this experience of ours will be a good memory for you. Please forgive me for not being able to respond to your emotions, because that will only bring you endless trouble."
Darikova looked at Luke with a reckless enthusiasm in her eyes: "I don't understand what you mean, and I have never asked for any promises from you. Everything is voluntary."
"You'll understand later. Think of this moment as a farewell. Maybe when we meet again next time, we'll be different."
bid farewell!
Darikova asked anxiously, "Sir, are you going to fire me?"
“I guess so!”
Luke once thought of taking Darikova back to Raging Storm City, but it might not be a good result for her. After all, she was once the ace agent of the Ice Cave and had too many disputes with the Imperial Secret Service. Protecting her by himself would be to restrict her, and this should not be her life.
She is the flower of this world of ice and snow, and will only wither in the warm environment of the south.
The sudden dismissal made it difficult for Darikova to accept: "I know my emotions have caused you trouble, but please don't fire me. I am a tester of the Titan 1 prototype, at least let me...
Be careful, Mr. Luke!"
When Darikova was fighting for her job, the ground suddenly shook, and then large rocks fell from above, and hideous cracks appeared on the ground.
Darikova reached out to grab Luke, but was pushed by Luke and flew backwards.
"Mr. Luke! Mr. Luke!"
Darikova shouted at , she stretched out her hand, but she was getting farther and farther away from Luke. Then she saw the ground beneath Luke's feet suddenly collapse, a bottomless pit appeared, Luke and the transport box containing the Titan I prototype, mixed with huge rocks, fell into the pit.
Darikova bounced forward instantly after landing, dodging the falling rocks and rushing to the edge of the deep pit.
Luke's figure could no longer be seen in the dark pit.
Darikova knelt on the edge of the deep pit, staring blankly below, big tears dripping down.
"Why, why did this happen!?"
