Chapter 669: Count Marlon Babbitt

Zong Shen blended in with the crowd entering the city and did not attract any attention.

This is the charm of Dabang City. Even in the middle of the night, there is still a lot of traffic.

However, there are not many guys like him wearing battle armor and battle helmets, who look like they are fully armed.

Especially since Zong Shen was alone, he looked like a lone wolf.

With this attire and the identity of a lone wolf, others can infer that Zong Shen is either a powerful adventurer or a mercenary who acts alone.

No matter which one it is, it all represents three words, that is: "not easy to mess with"!

In this way, Zong Shen walked towards Bangcheng in a swaggering manner.

The Nords look a little rougher than the Avalonians.

Men basically have thick eyebrows and big eyes, while women also have thick bones, especially the buttocks, which make them look like they are fertile.

Along the way, groups of cavalry can be seen patrolling back and forth on the road.

Dressed like Zong Shen, it was easy to attract the attention of the patrolling soldiers. After a while, he found a small group of patrolling cavalry following behind him, seemingly staring at him specifically.

"Something's wrong."

"For such a large city, there are definitely a lot of people coming in and out every day."

"There must be many similar adventurers or mercenaries..."

"Why are these rangers staring at me?"

Zong Shen had some doubts in his heart. He did not have any family crest on his body and did not belong to aristocratic power.

He is a very common loner, there is no reason for these rangers to stare at him!

However, although Zong Shen was confused, he did not go into it further.

Because he saw that these rangers were just maintaining a vigilant attitude, like an insurance measure.

These third-level rangers pose no threat to him.

Not to mention that the cavalry of the Nord Kingdom is relatively weak among human countries.

With his current strength, even fourth- and fifth-level cavalry can be easily dealt with as long as there are not many of them. Zong's strength has unknowingly given him the qualification to stand alone.

Thinking of this, he relaxed, whistled, and continued to follow the traveling merchants and villagers entering the city unhurriedly.

The rangers behind him still kept a close distance.

…

In the city of Wintrobon, in the lord's castle in the central area.

The local lord, Earl Marlon Babbitt, sat at the top of the meeting hall.

Originally, the earl had the opportunity to command the giant city, but Wintrobon is very special. Its significance is no less than that of the giant city, because it is the southern branch of the Liujin River, which is the last inland port of the Nivare River in the south. point.

After passing here, the Nivare River will continue southward into Avalon and join other tributaries until it reaches the sea.

Continuing to go downstream, due to the changes in terrain, it is difficult for the downstream fleet to go upstream.

There are many terrain differences during this period, as well as large waterfalls and rift valleys.

So this is a very important node.

Its material circulation even exceeds that of some giant cities with special environments, such as Wolffang Castle.

Just over an hour ago, Earl Mullen received urgent news from the Babbitt family!

King Ragnar was assassinated, and the murderer was related to the Trivasin family. It was most likely that Queen Sandina personally sent someone to do it!

This news has been delivered for half a day since the afternoon.

At present, the more powerful nobles in the Kingdom of Nord have received the news.

Among them is the Babbitt family!

Under such circumstances, Earl Malen even knew the news earlier than Marquis Sodor, the consul of Wolffang Castle. There were many ways of transmitting news on the mainland.

Those big nobles often control relatively efficient information transmission networks.

As for those fringe nobles, there is no such convenient information.

The official way of sending messages step by step in the Nord Kingdom is still through blade-winged falcons or magic book pages.

Although magic crystals are easy to use, the number of communication crystals that each communication crystal tower can produce is limited, so it is difficult to cover every corner.

And most of the communication crystals are in the hands of the great nobles.

It is destined to form only a limited number of communication paths.

So although the news is exciting, and the Kingdom of Ragnar has also issued clear instructions.

But it will take at least several days to completely deliver it to all parts of the kingdom.

Earl Marlon Babbitt planned to use this time difference to hold an internal meeting in the city.

He urgently summoned the large and small nobles in Wintrobon City, the big businessmen stationed here, and the managers of various departments.

Even several major underworld leaders in the city were summoned.

Hundreds of people sat around the giant round table in the conference room, and the atmosphere seemed a bit tense.

As a precaution, new patrol orders have been issued.

Monitor all suspicious mercenaries, adventurers, and illegal armed persons entering and leaving the city.

Babbitt is a large family that prefers neutrality.

As a member of the Babbitt family, Earl Mullen knew the meaning behind this incident.

He must ensure that the city of Wintrobon is safe and sound before the family makes a decision.

At this time, you need to be extra vigilant, especially since the Babbitt family knows that the Trevoisin family likes to dispatch mercenaries to harass and infiltrate.

As for the Lodbrok royal family, there is no need to worry. As a royal family, they have inherited the surname and bloodline of the first king, and are an out-and-out orthodox royal family in the Kingdom of Nord.

As long as they are in the Kingdom of Nord, no matter how remote the village or settlement is, everyone knows that the Lodbrok family is the royal family!

If the royal family personally ordered it, there would be a more formal process.

Of course, the Babbitt family is still waiting and watching.

From a rational point of view, they are more inclined to the Lodbrok royal family.

It's just that in these years, the Trivasin family has also been secretly managing family power.

On the surface, the giant cities directly or indirectly controlled by them have reached one-third of the total number of giant cities in the Nord Kingdom.

How many giant cities, states, and villages it controls is often an important criterion for measuring the power of a noble family.

From this point of view, the power of the Trivasin family cannot be underestimated.

In addition, they also have close cooperative relationships with many mercenary groups in the mainland.

No one can accurately say how many forces have been secretly cultivated and how many giant cities have been infiltrated.

That's why Earl Marlon Babbitt summoned all the prominent figures in the city.

Want to hear their opinions.

It doesn't matter whether the information is kept secret or not.

The way these people communicate cannot be as fast as the official information of the Nord Kingdom.

From the moment King Ragnar gave the order, this matter could no longer be considered a secret.

Everyone in the conference room was whispering to each other.

The people who came this time were all prominent figures in the city. They were all people with flexible minds and a very keen sense of interests.

They had instinctively sensed something was wrong, so they started whispering among themselves.

This time the summons was very hasty, and Count Mullen did not restrict their discussion.

On the contrary, a red-robed butler next to Earl Malen was whispering something to him. Occasionally Earl Malen would respond with a few words, and the discussion was even more lively than theirs.

It wasn't until everyone was almost there that the red-robed butler nodded and stood up to leave.

"Be quiet!"

Earl Marlon Babbitt raised his right hand.

After about two or three seconds, the conference hall became completely silent.

This conference hall has a giant round table that can accommodate about seventy or eighty people.

However, the number of people present this time obviously exceeded this number.

Many people moved chairs and sat on the edge.

This makes the entire conference hall seem a bit crowded!

"This time I called everyone here late at night because I want to announce a very important news!"

"King Ragnar was assassinated yesterday!"

“It’s within the jurisdiction of the giant city of Wolf Fang Castle!

"His Majesty the King escaped safely and is currently in the Ax Castle."

"His Majesty has issued a King's Order and a Kingdom Proclamation to the three princes and all of Nord."

"Formally declare war on the Trivasin family, and require all forces under the Trivasin family to surrender to the nearest royal family forces, and hand over the traitor Sandina Trivasin!"

"What do you think about this matter?"

Earl Malen stretched his hands forward to support his chin and looked around at everyone.

After he finished speaking, the scene fell silent...

This information is no less than a bombshell for them!

"Trevasin..."

"The traitor, Zandina Trevasin..."

I don’t know who muttered something to himself first, and the entire conference hall became noisy again like a ignited powder keg!

"Isn't Zandina the queen?"

"Is His Majesty the King's assassination related to the Trivasin family?"

"Why else would such a kingdom announcement be issued!"

A potbellied businessman analyzed loudly.

He is one of the top three businessmen in Wintrobon City, and has a place on the wharf of the dock.

He has a net worth of at least tens of millions of dinars, and millions of dinars of materials and goods are circulating.

At this time, a bald man with a scar on his face sitting on the other side sneered.

"According to my brother in the Imperial City."

"Queen Sandina has a slutty figure and often has secret meetings with the young captain of the guard."

"So there is no doubt that Queen Sandina must have planned the assassination!"

The speaker was the leader of the underworld forces in the city, the leader of the severed finger.

Broken Finger is a large-scale underworld force, which is distributed in many giant cities and state cities in the Kingdom of Nord. As long as you can see " Broken Finger Bar", " Broken Finger Casino", " Broken Finger Red" in the slums, Places like "Grist Mill" are the industry of broken fingers.

As a gangster force, in addition to these gray industries, they also work as mercenaries and inquire about information from various places.

So in a way, the underworld forces do know a lot of gossip.

Nine-tenths of these gossips come from rumors and hearsay. Of the remaining 10%, only half of them are true news, and half of them are half-true and half-false news.

If you want to add a severed finger, you have to cut off a knuckle of the middle finger.

This will not hinder the ability to hold the weapon, and can serve as a special representative symbol.

His words were very naked. Now after comparing them with the news from Earl Maren, we can know that what he said should be true.

This guy had a loud voice, which naturally attracted the attention of Earl Mullen.

"Sasen, do you know anything else?"

"You might as well say it and let everyone discuss it."

"This is the key to whether our city of Winterlow can weather the storm safely."

"Civil war in the kingdom is about to break out."

"The Trivasin family has been dormant for many years before reaching today's situation. It will never surrender to the royal family easily. As for handing over Queen Sandina, it is even more impossible."

"According to secret news from my family, Queen Sandina has long been the actual controller of the Trivasin family. The development of the Trivasin family over the years is inseparable from her help and planning!"

"As a neutral city, what we should do next is in everyone's interests!"

Earl Mullen said loudly.

Everyone present can be said to be part of the interest group in Winterlow City.

Hearing what he said, the scarred bald man named Sarson, the leader of Black Street Broken Finger in Wintrobon City, cleared his throat.

As the leader of the underworld in Bangcheng, Sasen usually does shady things.

He is even more unruly and unruly, possessing strength equivalent to that of a fifth-level warrior, allowing him to ignore ordinary minor nobles.

But this time the person asking him was Earl Mullen, a member of the Babbitt family!

He is also the consul of Winterlow State City. Due to the large scale here, the state army under Count Malen is also powerful!

Sasen quickly stood up and sorted out some of the information he knew.

"Ahem!"

"Now that Lord Malen has spoken, let me tell you the information about the severed finger."

"The most recent intelligence was several months ago."

"When Queen Sandina sent people to garrison Qiu Sui City."

"At that time, the gangsters in Sageson Imperial City heard some rumors."

"It is said that Queen Sandina had planned it more than ten years ago!"

"King Ragnar actually knows about Queen Sandina's infidelity, but His Majesty the King has never betrayed her."

"It is said to be related to an ancient legend!"

"But I don't know what the specific legend is."

"There is no doubt that this assassination was planned by the Sandina Kingdom!"

"But if I had to choose between the Trivasin family and the royal family, I would choose the royal family."

Sassen told what he knew about the relevant situation.

Of course, some information was also concealed.

Information about amputated fingers is never free.

As long as he expresses his conclusion and makes his attitude clear, Earl Mullen will naturally have a plan.

After saying that, Sasen sat down, still sitting in a carefree posture.

Decades of laziness are not something that can be broken off so easily!

After listening to his words, Earl Maren nodded.

Everyone else also started talking more excitedly.

"Lord Malen, I think we should lean towards the royal family!"

"At least the fortresses and giant cities on the southern border are basically under the control of the royal family."

"Including the giant city of Wolffang Castle!"

"As far as I know, the Trivasin family's power is mainly in the central and eastern regions of the kingdom."

At this time, a Viscount named McIntosh Ryan stood up on his own initiative and said to Earl Mullen.

The Ryan family to which he belongs is a staunch royalist faction.

And he is also one of the more ambitious among the younger generation of nobles in the Ryan family.

It has only been in the past few years that the city of Winterlow has developed.

His words still have some reference significance.

However, Earl Mullen did not express his position immediately. He just nodded to him to show that he understood.

After these two rounds of speeches, everyone’s willingness to discuss was completely released.

Everyone was expressing their opinions, telling all the news they had heard from hearsay, and adding their own opinions at the same time!

Earl Mullen did not speak again, but listened quietly.

He is only in his forties this year. He is able to hold the title of earl and take charge of Winterlow City. In addition to the power and game of the Babbitt family, his own abilities are also involved.

Compared with the leaders of other states and cities, he is a more capable noble.

It can even meet the governance requirements of the giant city.

In fact, his ideal is to develop Wintrobon City into a giant city.

This goal has a long way to go, and once accomplished, it may require the efforts of several generations.

But if it works, Marlon Babbitt's name will be remembered.

The founder of New Giant City is an infinite honor!

He listened silently, and actually had a bold plan in mind!

Civil war is about to begin in the kingdom, and in troubled times there are often opportunities for expansion and development!

It's just that he hasn't made up his mind yet, he still has to think it through!

…

Outside Bangcheng, after nearly an hour of walking, Zong Shen finally arrived at the fortress checkpoint set up by Bangcheng on this commercial road.

The Eye of Cthulhu is still more than four hours away from Zong Shen. He can stay in the city for at least three hours. During this time, he plans to take a stroll and then visit the dock and market.

The city of Wintrobang is not small. Maybe he needs to temporarily buy a horse to travel in the city.

However, when he arrived at the city entry checkpoint, he was subjected to a wave of questioning.

The team of rangers following behind immediately surrounded them, and the Nord Fury Ax warriors on duty nearby and some mages and archers were also watching closely.

The leading cavalry squad leader and the crazy ax warrior on duty took Zong Shen aside and began to ask.

We asked about their origin and purpose respectively.

Zong Shen had already prepared a set of words.

"I am an adventurer, from the cypress forest."

"Get ready to go to the city to rest."

These Mad Ax warriors stared at the armor and helmet on his body, still a little suspicious.

On the way here, he had already inquired about the strategy module and learned that Count Maren of Bon City was convening prominent figures in Bon City to decide which side Winterlow Bon City would fall to.

The alertness at this time is related to that incident.

Not only Zong Shen alone, almost all mercenaries and adventurers were questioned.

Hearing what he said, the Ranger team leader and the Axe-Crazy Warrior team looked at each other.

Whether you believe it or not is secondary. What they want to do is not just cross-examination.

Zong Shen could see greed in their eyes.

In order to avoid trouble, he put his hand into the gap between his armor's waist, pretended to take out a small handful of dinars, and put it in the hand of one of them!

Most of these dinars are in small denominations. They seem to be a lot, but the total is only two to three hundred dinars!