Hello, is this a letter addressed to Demon Fortress?

Lin Gui manipulated the staff.

He was accompanied by two girls who had changed into simple casual clothes and covered most of their faces with hoods.

It floated above the fragmented urban landscape of Carter's capital.

The howling wind tousled his black hair.

It also ruffled the hair of the two girls behind her, forcing them to reach up and hold down their hoods.

Lin Gui held a piece of paper in his hand.

His gaze swept quickly across the area before he adjusted his direction.

The staff carried the three of them deeper into the civilian district.

Where are we going?

Elvia couldn't help but ask, her voice distorted in the wind.

Lin Gui didn't even turn his head, uttering four words in a flat tone.

"Rebel Headquarters, Blood and Dice."

Elvia: "??????"

For a fleeting moment, Elvia wondered if the wind had damaged her ears.

Or maybe Lin Gui's brain was damaged by the wind!

He was clearly lying on Duke Joseph's head with me.

I heard firsthand the "Assassination Plan" targeting the Holy Maiden.

It's impossible that they didn't know that the rebels planned to assassinate the saintess.

The saint wanted him to protect her and help her escape during the rebel assassination attempt.

And what happened? You've brought the Holy Maiden herself with you now.

Walk right into their trap, delivered right to their door?!

Elvia's mind went blank.

She had been debating whether to secretly sabotage Lin Gui's protection operation so that the assassination would succeed and the Crusaders could cleanse the capital.

But now... Lin Gui's outrageous actions are practically pushing the Holy Maiden herself onto the assassin's blade.

How can I, who wanted to stab you in the back and tell you to mind your own business, bear this?

This situation is clearly extremely advantageous to me.

But a feeling of indescribable frustration and unease welled up inside Elvia.

The oak staff beneath my feet emitted a faint hum.

Lin Gui glanced at the somewhat crowded end of the staff, pondering to himself.

It seems I really need to find an opportunity to get a longer staff; it's too crowded with three people.

In stark contrast to Elvia's shock and frustration was Saint Eve.

She seemed completely unaware of the treacherous and dangerous place she was heading to.

Instead, she opened her eyes slightly wider, feeling the wind blowing in her face, carrying all sorts of scents from the city.

Beneath the hood, the corners of his refined lips seemed to curve into a peculiar arc.

This was an experience she had never had before.

Soaring through the sky, overlooking all living beings.

Elvia was sullen.

Watching Lin Gui search for an entrance in the street.

He wanted to tell Lin Gui how to enter the heavily guarded rebel headquarters, which was riddled with secret passages.

However, what happened next...

This plunged her into deep self-doubt once again.

Lin Gui landed in a dirty alley.

Skillfully moving aside several seemingly randomly piled-up broken wooden barrels, a hidden entrance was revealed.

They then knocked on the iron gate in a specific rhythm, which elicited a complex code.

He even nodded to the scarred guard who opened the door and casually greeted him.

"Old Scar, are you on duty today? Good luck, you didn't draw the lot to go to the sewers."

The guard actually grinned and stepped aside to let them in.

"It's you. Did you bring a friend today?"

Elvia watched with a chill down her spine.

This guy… how come he knows the procedures here better than she does?!

He even became acquainted with the rebel guards?!

What she didn't know was that in the past two days...

Lin Gui had already thoroughly explored the vast and complex underground network of the Carter capital.

And the node where this rebel headquarters is located happens to be a hub connecting to many key areas.

Lin Gui was searching for any hidden passages that might be concealed.

I've been in and out of here at least twenty or thirty times.

He even managed to reach a place near the underground palace through a hidden passage.

An astonishing number of alchemical bombs were discovered there...

Its explosive power was insufficient to blow through the royal palace.

However, it is still possible to blow up the entire foundation of the palace and let it sink underground.

Even though it was a matter of life and death for royalty, Lin Gui had no desire to tell Elvia.

They even secretly adjusted the bomb's position to make it more powerful.

As you go deeper inside, the filthy and chaotic interior of the casino gradually comes into view.

The air was thick with the pungent smell of cheap alcohol, sweat, tobacco, and a faint, almost imperceptible odor of blood.

Litter and unidentified stains were scattered everywhere on the ground.

The air was filled with the frenzied roars and curses of the gamblers.

Elvia covered her mouth and nose with her hand.

Even after coming countless times, she still couldn't get used to the stench.

But that noble saintess seemed completely unaffected.

She lifted her hood slightly.

They curiously observed the gamblers whose eyes were bloodshot and who were staring intently at the dice cup.

Looking at those scantily clad women moving around.

And there's the drunkard dead in the corner...

It was as if what lay before me was not a filthy and depraved den of evil, but some novel and interesting market.

She seemed completely unaware of the danger, even displaying a hint of admiration.

Elvia, who was standing by on high alert and internally ranting, felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

Step into the spacious underground casino.

Lin Gui's arrival did not cause much of a stir in the chaotic "Blood and Dice" casino.

Many people have heard that Elvia married a mage named Lin Gui.

But many people have never seen him.

The continent of Akalan is not without "image-preserving stones" that can retain images.

But those things are expensive and are usually only used by the highest-ranking nobles or on important occasions.

It is far from being accessible to the lower classes.

Lin Gui, the post office manager, entrusted everything to those in charge and rarely showed up except on the first day.

So nobody paid attention to him.

But the two people following behind him, even though they were wrapped up tightly in large cloaks, could not hide their extraordinary nature.

The slender curves were faintly outlined beneath the cloak.

An elegant demeanor that unconsciously shines through as she walks.

She was completely different from the heavily made-up, vulgar women of the night around her.

It exudes a purity and nobility untouched by the world.

And how many good guys are mingling in this underground casino of "blood and dice"?

Among them are pitiful people who have been persecuted by nobles and powerful figures, resulting in the destruction of their families and deaths, and who are single-mindedly focused on revenge.

There are also desperate individuals who purely seek thrills and chaos.

Greedy con artists, ruthless serial killers, and cold-blooded murderers who do things for money...

There are hardly any kind people here.

Soon, several malicious gazes were fixed on the two women.

A burly man with a face full of scars, broad shoulders and a thick waist, and a knife scar on his face.

He swayed and blocked the middle of the road, grinning at Lin Gui and revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth:

Soon, several burly men, drunk and with murky eyes, noticed them.

They approached with ill intentions, followed by foul language:

"Hey! You over there! Lift up the cloaks of those two girls behind you and let us men take a look!"

"Hiding it so well, is it because you're ashamed to be seen? Haha!"

"Let the older brothers see what kind of trash he is..."

Faced with this provocative and insulting taunt, Lin Gui stopped in his tracks.

Instead of getting angry, he nodded as if he were being very agreeable:

"Okay."

No sooner had he finished speaking than he suddenly reached out with lightning speed.

In a flash, he ripped off the hood of the cloak covering Elvia's head!

In an instant, a head of flowing golden hair and a stunningly beautiful face with a hint of astonishment were revealed to everyone.

The burly man who had stepped forward to provoke him froze instantly with a lewd grin.

His eyes were wide open, as if he had seen a ghost.

He stammered, barely able to utter a complete sentence.

"Seventh...Seventh Princess...Elvia...?!"

Elvia was initially stunned.

He immediately realized what was happening and turned black with anger.

She turned to Lin Gui and launched into a tirade of insults, completely devoid of any princess-like decorum.

"I'll knock your mother's ass! Lin Gui! You bastard!"

"No wonder you agreed so readily when I asked to come along! You were waiting for me here all along!"

Lin Gui raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. "What are you afraid of? Don't you know all these rebels?"

"Your face will save you a lot of trouble."

Elvia was stunned. How did he know?

Before Elvia could ask, Lin Gui replied calmly.

"That day you yelled at a high-ranking, extraordinary person."

"I thought you'd found out about me, that's why you're so confident."

"???"

Ignoring the stunned Elvia, Lin Gui walked forward, with the Saintess following closely behind.

He walked straight toward the iron gate at the back of the casino, guarded by two extraordinary high-ranking rebels.

Standing guard at the door was Ferguson, the scarred adventurer who had once served Elvia.

He looked at the three approaching people, especially Elvia.

His expression changed, but he still stood firmly in front of the door and said sternly.

"Stop right there! Get out of here if you don't want to die!"

Lin Gui rolled his eyes at him, too lazy to waste words, and simply said,

"baffling."

Before Ferguson and the other guard could react.

Lin Gui stepped onto the circular stage where strippers performed.

A scantily clad dancer swaying her hips on stage.

I was startled by the stranger who suddenly barged in.

He froze, staring blankly at Lin Gui.

The gamblers in the audience were also drawn to this unexpected turn of events.

They all stopped what they were doing.

They all looked over curiously.

Lin Gui stood in the center of the stage.

Without changing his expression, he took a simple trumpet made of thick oiled paper from his waist.

He put it to his lips, cleared his throat, then took a deep breath and shouted loudly:

"Ahem! Quiet down! Listen to me call your names!"

"Patton! 46 years old, brown hair, brown eyes, a scar on his left eye. He was a blacksmith in his hometown of Muer Town 10 years ago. He was separated from his family during the evacuation and his whereabouts are unknown."

"Your third son in Caran, Eddie asked me to deliver a letter to you. If you hear it, come up here and sign for it."

"Matthew! 35 years old, gray hair, brown eyes, and an old scar on his right index finger from sewing shoes."

"Ten years ago, I ran a shoe shop in Muer Town and often repaired shoes for poor children for free."

"Your second daughter, Sofia, in Karan asked me to deliver a letter to you saying she gave birth to twins. If you hear this, come up and sign for it."

"George! 60 years old, hunchbacked, walks with a limp, and always reminds residents to close their doors and windows when he's on night watchman's shift."

"I was evicted 10 years ago due to the reorganization of the city's garrison and did not evacuate with my family."

"Your grandson in Caran, Little Tom, asked me to deliver a letter to you."

"He said he became an apprentice there, and if you hear that, come up and sign for it."

"Anita, the flower girl! 28 years old, blonde hair always tied in two braids, with a few freckles on her face."

"You used to sell flowers at the market in Moore City every morning, and the children often called you 'the flower-picking sparrow.'"

"Your sister Lilian in Karan asked me to deliver a letter to you."

"She said she's saved up enough money to open a small flower shop, and if you hear that, come up and sign for it."

Roger! 42 years old, teacher...

He shouted at the words, pointing to the features on the envelope.

Calling out one forgotten name after another.

At this moment, only his shouts echoed throughout the entire casino.

The once bustling casino.

The entire room fell silent after Lin Gui's text message.

In complete silence.

Saint Eve's purple eyes, which had been slightly closed, were now fully open.

He looked with great interest at the unconventional figure on the stage in front of him.

A slight upturn at the corners of her lips revealed a gentle and genuine smile.

In the shadows of a corner of the casino.

A man leaning against the wall, seemingly blending into the darkness.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he stared intently at the few people who had suddenly appeared on and off the stage.

His name is Mu Ze, and he is one of the rebels that Fal rescued.

As a close confidant of Caesar, he did not directly participate in this operation.

Previously, in the dungeon of the slave trader Erwin.

He had been subjected to far too much and far too long of torture.

Although he escaped, his body was already torn to pieces.

It left behind serious hidden injuries and incurable sequelae.

It is no longer suitable for performing tasks that require extreme conditions.

But he was, after all, a core member.

All the details of the Assassin's Creed.

This includes the saint changing her itinerary at the last minute and specifically requesting that the seventh princess, Elvia, accompany her to find a saint named Lin Gui...

He was fully aware of all these latest leaked news reports.

That's why the horror in his heart was surging like a tsunami!

Elvia!

Shouldn't she be by the saint's side at this moment, never leaving her side?

How did they end up here? In their rebel stronghold?!

His gaze suddenly turned to Lin Gui's back.

Even though she was wearing a cloak, her slender figure was still clearly visible.

I'm looking at that young man with the unusual hair and eye color.

A possibility that completely overturned his understanding and made his scalp tingle.

It pierced deep into his mind!

Could it be...?

Was that young man Lin Gui?

The person standing behind him... is that the Saintess herself?

That incomparably noble Holy Maiden of Light, whom they had listed as an assassination target...

Now, she's standing right here in the heart of this rebel stronghold that wants her dead?

Mu Ze subconsciously raised his hand and rubbed his temples hard.

I feel like my brain isn't working properly, this is ridiculous!

He suppressed the turmoil in his heart.

Staggering, he retreated into the deeper shadows.

There was an old but reliable internal communication device installed there.

With trembling hands, he dialed an encrypted number.

After a brief pause, the communication was connected.

Mu Ze lowered his voice and asked urgently.

"Feed? Have you... found the saintess over there?"

A similarly low, clearly anxious voice came from the other end of the line.

"No! That's fucking bizarre! After they entered that 'lowlife post office' on the seventh floor, they just vanished into thin air."

Mu Ze tightened his grip on the receiver, remained silent for several seconds, and then asked.

"Is the Lin Gui that the Holy Maiden is looking for black-haired and black-eyed?"

"right."

Mu Ze seemed to be using all his strength to process this fact.

He then spoke, his voice dry and strained, with an incredulous tone:

"...I think I might have seen the saintess."

"What?! Really? Where?!"

The voice on the other end suddenly rose in pitch, filled with urgency.

"In a casino."

"A casino? Is it at 'The Golden Rose'? Or 'The Crown Club'? Or some secret venue run by a powerful nobleman?"

Mu Ze slowly turned his head, his gaze passing through the throng of people and the polluted air.

Once again landing on that chaotic stage, my throat tightened.

He squeezed it out almost word by word:

"In...our casino."

opposite:"……?????"

There was complete silence on the other end of the communication line.

All that could be heard was the other person's suddenly heavy, incredulous breathing.