Volume 2: Empire Chapter 44: The Rear Area
After Luke finished his meeting with the eldest prince Fania, he left the Silver Manor through a secret passage, came out of an inconspicuous house, and got into a carriage that had been arranged.
Returning quietly to Special Office No. 6, the fast runner also brought news.
The leader of the Thorns, Samuel, agreed to meet at night, but he would decide the meeting place.
In the office, Luke took his clothes off the hanger and changed.
Fast Legs advised: "Governor, this may be a trap. If Samuel succeeds in assassinating you... you will definitely receive a generous reward from the Brotherhood and the Celtic Grand Duke.
Please give me some time and I will be able to determine his intentions and position."
Luke put on the shoulder strap and took out the revolver from the drawer of his desk, checked the bullets inside and inserted it into the holster on the side of the shoulder strap.
“Knowing that someone is going to assassinate me, the best thing to do is to strike first.
You have also seen the power of the Abyss Mages. Some of their secret techniques are difficult to prevent in time. The current situation facing the empire does not allow me to be on guard against those assassins all the time.
I need to convince Samuel to cooperate with me. With his intelligence, I can keep track of the movements of the Blade Brotherhood and the Abyss Temple in Saint Lun City at any time."
Seeing that he couldn't convince Luke, Fast Legs could only say, "Okay, I'll go get some weapons, and I'll do my best to protect your safety at night."
"Well, go get ready!" Luke sat back in his chair and picked up the document on the table to look at it.
Get out quickly.
After a while, Sandpaper knocked on the door, poked his head in, and then quickly came in.
"My Lord, I think I have found the location of my sisters?"
Luke wrote down his suggestions on a piece of paper and asked without even looking up, "Tell me about it."
"Hongshun and I got some information from Miss Qingkong..."
Sandpaper walked over and jumped up to sit on the chair opposite Luke, and told him in a very serious and mechanical voice about the investigation process he and Red Falcon had been conducting over the past few days.
The "defection" of the Red Falcon led to a comprehensive transfer of the Crusader R&D project of the Cross Society. As Emperor Augustine approved the production of the Crusader, the research institute and production plant were exposed.
The information that Qingkong gave to Hongkan was all prepared by Luke, but the specific location where the three sisters were controlled still needed Sandpaper and Hongkan to investigate.
These days, Sandpaper and Red Falcon went out to scout the area at night and captured an engineer from the research institute, asking him for some information about the factory.
While Sandpaper was explaining the story to Luke, he took out a map he had made and spread it on the table.
"The Crusader Manufacturing Factory is outside the city, located in a factory that manufactures armor for the Empire. The Crusader Engineering Research Institute is located underground, with four entrances and exits. The entrance for staff to enter and exit is in this well house...
There is an elevator going down into the well room. The underground research institute has five floors. The three of them are on the bottom floor, sealed in a sleeping cabin. "
Sandpaper also took out the information that Qingkong gave them, as well as the intelligence he had found during this period.
The Crusaders are an elite soldier manufacturing technology developed by the Crusaders after they obtained the four girls of Red Falcon, based on the remaining data of Greyfarious's experiment on the secret art of eternal life.
After selecting the soldiers to be transformed, they first have to undergo several rounds of body strengthening secret techniques, and then embed special metals into the bones in their bodies.
Sandpaper and the others directly replaced the bones with special metals, but the Crusader Project could not complete this transformation, so they had to settle for the next best thing. The special metal embedded in the bones of the Crusader left an external interface on the surface of the skin, and the armor made for the Crusader connected the interface to form a whole, using the external skeleton to change the direction to achieve the purpose of replacing the entire body's internal skeleton.
Finally, through repeated secret techniques, the Crusaders can gain powerful mental power.
Mental power can radiate perception outward through the armor connected inside and outside, allowing the Crusaders to have a very strong battlefield perception, be able to withstand a certain degree of mental attacks, and use the mind to quickly obtain weapons or launch attacks.
To rescue the three sisters imprisoned in the deepest part of the research institute, they can only fight from top to bottom layer by layer. The most common enemies they face are the first generation of Crusaders that have been produced.
Luke read the information Sandpaper gave him and asked, "When are you going to do it?"
"I'll listen to you!"
Sandpaper stared at Luke with his big, flickering eyes, believing that he would definitely help him.
Luke pushed the information to Sandpaper.
"I have observed your investigation methods, and I can only say that the process of obtaining this information was too easy. The location where the three sisters were imprisoned seemed to be bait for you to rescue them."
Sandpaper said anxiously: "You said you would help us!"
"I said I would help you, but I won't let you go into a place that looks like a trap. You must realize that the Cross knows that you and Red Falcon are here with me. When you want to rescue your sisters, the Cross also wants to capture you.
They didn't do anything because you're here with me, but they will definitely continue to investigate and track you. If you walk into the trap yourself, I won't have any reason to ask them to hand you over."
"But... this may not be a trap."
Luke said, "Do you believe me?"
Sandpaper said dejectedly: "I believe you, but this is the information that Hong Kusanagi and I spent a lot of effort to find. You...how can you just say it's a trap so casually."
"I didn't just say it was a trap. In fact, while you and Red Falcon were investigating openly to attract the attention of the Cross, I was also investigating the factory through other means. Your sister was indeed inside, but she was not locked up in a sleeping chamber."
"Ah! They are not locked up?"
"The Crusaders can control them with brain modification devices, so why lock them up? I think if you and Red Falcon go to rescue them, it will be these three who will lead the Crusaders to attack you.
They want to kill you, but can you kill them?"
Sandpaper thought what Luke said made sense: "What should we do?"
"Wait a minute. You've already waited for several years. You don't mind waiting a little longer. I have to deal with some things first before I can take care of this matter.
Besides , Miss Qingkong also needs to make preparations.
Don't go to that armor factory again for a while, there are things out there that are better at stealth than you guys."
"Okay..." Sandpaper said helplessly: "Although I am a little unwilling, what you said makes sense, and I believe Miss Qingkong."
"Go back and get ready. I'm going to meet someone tonight and I might be in danger. Ask Hong Falcon to find Qingkong and go with her. You follow me."
When Sandpaper heard that Qingkong had come out to support, he knew that it must be very dangerous.
"Okay, I'll go prepare the weapons now... It's a good opportunity to test the props I invented in actual combat."
Luke said with a dark face: "I said there is danger, do you really expect there to be danger?"
“No, no, no…” Seeing a fireball bigger than his face forming in Luke’s hands, Sandpaper flew up from his chair in fear: “Governor, see you tonight!”
Sandpaper goes fast.
Luke flicked his fingers, and the condensed fireball quickly evaporated and shrank, finally turning into a ball of flame that revolved around his fingertips.
"This naughty kid!" Luke saw the information that Sandpaper forgot to take away, rang the bell on the table, and called Kylena over: "These are for Sandpaper, help me deliver them to her."
"Yes, Your Excellency the Governor." Kalina picked up the information.
Luke added, "Send a directive to the Senators of Nutao City to have them form a city expansion planning team to investigate the towns near Nutao City . City funds can be used to renovate their waterways and land transportation."
Luke's words surprised Kylena: "Is Raging Wave City going to expand?"
"The cabinet has this intention, but whether it can be passed in the imperial meeting still needs to go through some procedures. But if this intention appears, it means that someone in the palace wants to take advantage of Nutao City in this way, so we can go ahead and do it boldly.
The cities around Nutao City have been affected by our radiation and their economies are doing well. This time, regardless of the process issues, we will include them in the system of Nutao City. When they make more money, we will force them to separate from us, but they will not leave!"
Kylena understood what Luke meant.
No matter what the purpose of the cabinet's proposal was, it must have been pushed by someone. And the fact that the person who pushed this proposal was in the cabinet meant that he was not an ordinary official.
The development momentum of Nutao City at this time made many people jealous. At the same time, the empire will face many wars and potential war risks in the next few years. Among the four directions of the empire, the eastern coast where Nutao City is located has become the hinterland of the empire.
The epoch-making all-metal battleship was manufactured in the City of Raging Waves. The Republic of Rio was plunged into civil strife again. The safe and stable City of Raging Waves suddenly became a safe haven for assets from all sides of the empire, and would continue to be a source of nutrition for the empire to launch and maintain wars.
The earlier you plan your business in Nutao City, the sooner you will benefit.
Since this is a major trend, Nutao City can take the opportunity to expand and subtly draw the surrounding lands in. Once the new noble forces in Nutao City are joined by the new noble forces in the imperial capital, the accomplished fact will become a reality.
As Kylena saw more things around Luke, her knowledge and perspective also improved a lot.
"Yes, Governor General. I will notify the Senate of Nutao City immediately. Can we hold an investment promotion conference in the imperial capital so that more people can see Nutao City's 'assistance' plan for surrounding cities?"
Luke's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but praise Kylena: "'Help'? That's a good word! It seems that you are not only a qualified secretary, but also capable of taking on more work.
If you don't find it tiring, I'll leave the investment promotion meeting to you and the Nutao City Office in Saint Lun City to organize it and make it a bit more grand. It would be best if Mrs. Michelle sent a new technology and new product display team to hold a large exhibition in the imperial capital to cooperate with the investment promotion meeting.
The effect will definitely be good.”
Kaileena was very happy to be valued by the Governor and entrusted with an important task: "Yes, sir, I will make a plan now!"
"Go ahead, and send someone to inform Yomington, and tell him that I want to discuss the expansion of Raging Waves City with the Prime Minister."
"Yes, sir!"
The office became quiet again, and Luke focused all his energy on his work. During this time, Kylena came in and out, handing him documents one after another for his approval.
A busy and fulfilling day passed.
In the evening, the fast runner brought in a young man.
"Governor, this is the friend I mentioned. You can call him 'Bengmu'."
The Thorn Blade Bengmu did not hide his appearance from Luke. He saluted first and then said briefly: "Hello, Governor. I will lead you to see Lord Samuel."
Luke observed Bengmu. He was wearing a very ordinary jacket and a row of metal earrings on his right ear. Each earring was connected to a metal wire that went into the ear hole.
He wore a thick glove on his left hand.
Kuai Tui stood just behind Beng Mu on his left side, staring at his left hand out of the corner of his eyes.
Luke stood up and said, "Let's go. I've been wanting to meet Master Samuel for a long time."
Seeing Luke stand up, the fast-legged man said, "Bengmu drove a car here. It's a car that has been transformed by alchemy."
Bengmu said: "For the safety of Lord Samuel, please take the car I'm driving. Of course, you can choose not to go..."
Luke knew that Fast Legs was still trying to persuade him secretly, so he said, “When Saint Lun City was first built, the Blade Brotherhood was very powerful in the Imperial Capital. They used space magic to open up many safe houses in the city, which could only be reached by using special vehicles through specific roads.
Although the Secret Service destroyed many space safe houses in its fight against the Brotherhood of the Blade, there are definitely some that slipped through the net.
The remaining safe houses are extremely valuable to Samuel. If he wants to lure me out for an ambush, there is no need to expose a safe house."
Bengmu said: "Only Lord Samuel knows the location and entry methods of all the remaining safe houses, and Lord Samuel took me to this safe house today.
I don’t know what the Governor-General meant by the words he brought to Samuel, but I can feel that it touched him deeply.”
"This fear that has tormented him for so many years cannot be told to others. He will not do anything to me until he gets the answer from me. Let's go, don't keep Master Samuel waiting."
Luke strode out the door, and seeing that he couldn't be persuaded, the fast-legged man had to follow him.
The sandpaper was waiting outside.
She put on the steam backpack which had become thinner after a new round of transformation. Bubbly tool bags were fixed on her left and right hips. Her two big pink ponytails were carefully combed to make every strand of hair smooth.
Seeing Sandpaper following, Bengmu wanted to stop him.
The fast-legged man grabbed his hand and said, "You should understand the risks that the Governor will face on this trip. You can't just consider the dangers that Samuel will face, you also have to consider our concerns about the risks.
If you have no ill will towards the Governor , don't stop us!"
Bengmu hesitated for a moment and said, "Okay, just add this one person!"
"Just adding this one person, Samuel better not play tricks!"
"You better not play tricks!"
