Who are you calling a stable boy?!

"Can we get down to business now, Rider, Berserker?"

The Knight King suddenly spoke up, "You all came together, surely not just to borrow this place for a banquet?"

"Hey, don't be so nervous. Your castle is so spacious, it'd be perfect for hosting banquets! But then again..."

Sitting up straight, Iskandar nodded.

"I came here to see you, or more precisely, to borrow some documents from the Einzbern family."

"material?"

"Oh, I forgot, you and Lancer ran too fast that day, and I didn't get to hear Zheng Ge'er mention it."

King of Knights and Diarmuid had no words to defend themselves for their defeat and retreat; their faces darkened, revealing a hint of shame.

"Brother Zheng, can you say it again?"

"Ok?"

Seeing that all the followers were looking at him, Zheng Jing took a bite of the apple in his hand.

"Alas! This Holy Grail has long since deteriorated. Now it's nothing more than a thing that scatters mud everywhere and can't even be used as a chamber pot."

"...What exactly happened? Berserker, please explain yourself!"

Upon hearing Zheng Jing's words, the Knight King was taken aback, and then visibly tense up.

"In the previous Holy Grail War, the Einzbern family summoned Angra Mainyu. After Angra Mainyu was defeated, he naturally flowed into the Lesser Grail, which then touched the Greater Grail and corrupted it."

As Zheng Jing poured himself a drink, he said, "This Greater Grail used to be quite something; at least it could actually allow magicians to access the so-called 'Root.' But now it's a different story. Its originally colorless power is now stained pitch black, like a child who couldn't hold it in and peed in a swimming pool..."

"Ah, you just want to know if this cup still works, don't you?"

Zheng Jing glanced at the Knight King and scratched his cheek.

"It's possible, but this piece of junk will definitely use the last thing you want to see to make your wish come true."

"It's like you see a child with a terminal illness in the hospital today, and you make a wish to that broken cup, asking it to make the child's illness disappear. After making your wish, you think the child must be cured, so you happily go to the hospital to see—"

After finishing his drink, Zheng Jing turned the empty cup upside down towards the Knight King.

"The child is dead."

"How did you die?"

"Killed by breaking the cup."

Why kill?

"Didn't you want people with terminal illnesses to disappear? If someone is already dead, how can they have a terminal illness?"

"Do you understand?"

"What you're all arguing about now is just this thing."

Zheng Jing's words silenced the courtyard.

He neither lowered his voice nor deliberately raised his tone.

But every word he uttered was clearly audible to every Servant and Master in the courtyard.

"...What evidence do you have?"

A moment later, it was the Knight King who broke the silence.

Her face was gloomy, her voice was somewhat hoarse, and her eyes were fixed on the wine glass that Zheng Jing had placed upside down on the ground.

"Why don't you just have Emiya and Irisviel ask their families to check the records of the Third Holy Grail War? That way you'll know."

"..."

"King of Knights, judging from your appearance, you have some long-cherished wish that you want to fulfill through the Holy Grail."

With a sigh, Iskandar put down his glass.

"I understand... I know exactly how it feels to finally have a chance to realize your dream, only to have it all fall apart at the last minute!"

"But now that we know this Holy Grail War is nothing but a hoax, and the so-called Holy Grail is nothing but an evil and wicked thing, isn't what we need to do next quite clear!"

Iskandar clenched his fist.

"Let's figure out a way to purify the Holy Grail! If that doesn't work, let's smash this one and build a new one! That way, when we come back for the next Holy Grail War, we can use a better one!"

"I am willing to believe what Mr. Zheng Jing said."

Diarmuid said seriously, "How can I, Diarmuid, sit idly by and watch such a scourge of the world befall us sooner or later?"

"Hehe! I, Old Zheng, really admire your chivalrous spirit, Brother Shua! Come on! Let's have a toast!"

As he spoke, Zheng Jing picked up the half-full jar of monkey wine and clinked it against Dilumudo's glass.

"If everything is true... I... I..."

The Knight King murmured, his handsome features furrowing, his hands trembling slightly.

Suddenly, Gilgamesh laughed.

Sensing Gilgamesh's undisguised lustful gaze, as if he were examining some object, the already distraught Knight King raised his head in anger, about to speak—

"Jinhua ham, what are you laughing at?"

Turning to the side, Zheng Jing glared at Gilgamesh and pointed at the wine glass in his hand.

"So, even my old Zheng's liquor can't shut your stinking mouth? Hmm?"

Chapter 110: The Four Heroes of Yangu Castle Swear Brotherhood

"What, you monkey? Aren't you curious about what her wish is that makes her make such a delicious expression?"

Whether it was because of the jar of monkey wine or because he had grown accustomed to exchanging barbs with Zheng Jing, Gilgamesh still wore a smile and swirled his empty wine glass.

"In my opinion, this is what makes a proper snack to accompany wine."

"Hey, you've really added too much salt to this gold-packaged luncheon meat can, haven't you?"

Zheng Jing grabbed Gilgamesh's hand holding the wine glass, pointed at his face, and squinted his eyes closer.

"You're so free? Hmm?"

Gilgamesh's smile vanished, and he met Zheng Jing's gaze.

"Monkey, let go."

Surprisingly, when he said this, his voice was indifferent, but there was not a trace of murderous intent, nor much anger.

"You've already spoiled my mood once, and I haven't settled that score with you yet."

"Oh? When did I, Old Zheng, ever—ah, I mean Qili?"

Zheng Jing waved his finger at Gilgamesh's face.

"Hmph! People seek the right path, and you not only fail to help them, but also take pleasure in misleading young people. What kind of logic is that?"

"right way?"

Gilgamesh scoffed.

"Is suppressing one's true nature the right path?"

"What's wrong with being born this way?"

"Hearing you say that is much more interesting than playing with that woman."

Zheng Jing also laughed.

"Indiscriminate killing of innocent people is an evil path!"

"Evil knowledge and wicked wisdom are the most troublesome."

"With Qili's limited skills, he is indeed no match for your silver tongue."

Their eyes met; one pair was as deep as jade, the other as bright as the sun. In a daze, two shocking forces suddenly surged in the desolate courtyard at night.

First, there's the pungent, sweet heat wave sweeping in from the sea of ​​desire...

First, there was the fierce, scorching wind cast down by the blazing sun!

"Wow, you guys seem to have a good relationship. What do you say in your hometown, Brother Zheng? Mutual appreciation?"

—Looking at Zheng Jing and Gilgamesh, Iskandar suddenly sighed.

For a moment, Waver really wanted to rush over and cover his Servant's mouth.

但他不敢动.

Not only him, but at this moment, none of the Masters gathered in the courtyard dared to make a move.

Even my breathing becomes unconsciously lighter.

It's like suddenly stumbling upon two ferocious beasts confronting each other at close range, fighting for territory. Even knowing that it's unlikely to attract the attention of either side, you'll instinctively want to hide yourself to avoid getting caught up in the fight.

"Hmph, that's enough, I'm tired."

With a turn of his head, Gilgamesh vanished into a cloud of golden dust.

Of course, this was only because Zheng Jing was willing to let him go; otherwise, how could he have left in such a spiritual form?

"Hey, Gian's gone, okay, let's continue."

Turning his head, Zheng Jing picked up the jar, shook it, and found that there wasn't much monkey wine left. He couldn't help but smack his lips.

Just as he was about to take another jar, he heard the Knight King call his name.

“berserker......”

Facing Zheng Jing, the Knight King lowered his head and said solemnly, "Please allow me to apologize first for interfering in your battle with Lancer without authorization..."

"Hey! It's no big deal! I already told you all to come at me together, didn't I? I've already made my word, how could I not keep it?"

Zheng Jing waved his hand.

"If you really feel bad about it, change how you address me. What's with all the 'Basaka Basaka' stuff? I've already introduced myself, haven't I? Learn from Lao Kan! Come on! Call me Brother Zheng!"

Upon hearing this, the Knight King hesitated for a moment.

"Zheng, Brother Zheng..."

"hiss!"

Zheng Jing scratched his head and looked at Iskandar.

"Old Kan, you know what, it sounds really comforting."

"Haha! To hear the world-renowned Knight King call you 'brother,' you should feel great, Brother Zheng!"

Looking at Zheng Jing and Iskandar chatting and laughing, and then at the Knight King who seemed to have shed his bitter feelings from before, Diarmuid curled his lips, but let out a barely perceptible sigh from his throat.

"Hey bro, what's wrong? Why are you sighing? Want some more?"

Zheng Jing, who had just heard the sigh, looked at Dirumdo and shook the wine jar in his hand.

"I'm just feeling... no, to be honest, I'm envious."

He smiled at Zheng Jing.

"Perhaps it is only heroes like you who, in this day and age, can still share drinks and become sworn brothers with heroes from different times and spaces..."

"Look at what you're saying! If you call me Brother Zheng, how can I, Old Zheng, refuse?"

"Oh!"

Just as Zheng Jing was about to pull Diarmuid close and ask him to call him "Brother Zheng," Iskandar suddenly clapped his hands.

"I've got it! I saw it in the library today!"

He opened his arms wide to the assembled heroes and shouted joyfully, "Let's become sworn brothers!"

"......ah?"

Even Zheng Jing was taken aback by Iskandar's sudden suggestion.

"Sworn brotherhood! Now that the Holy Grail is in this state, we have no reason to be enemies, right? Rather, instead of being enemies, we now have a common goal, don't we? To get rid of that broken Holy Grail, or even to rebuild a working one, isn't that our common goal now!"

As he spoke, he slapped his thigh a few times.

"Instead of forming an alliance, since Brother Zheng has already acknowledged us as brothers, why don't we swear brotherhood right here and now!"

It's hard to say whether this was a secret weapon that Iskandar had been pondering for some time after reading the third of the Four Great Classical Novels in the museum today.