The 63rd curtain

  "How are you feeling?" Panni heard the middle-aged red-robed man ask as he walked out of the oppressive meeting hall with his hands behind his back.

  "Has the commander of the Northern Legion changed?" Panni's mind was still recalling the chaos in the conference hall earlier, and he also had a direct impression of the red robe politics.

  It's much better than he imagined, at least most of the high-ranking mages in the Red Robe Association are still reasonable.

  At least on the surface.

  "Of course, the Odysseylon should pay for their failure, not just losing the Northern Legion, but also the leader of their family will step down." Zhan Huashi said slowly: "If I'm not mistaken, after a while, there will be another coup in the departments belonging to Odysseylon in Ser."

  "Failure? The word seems..." Panni muttered to herself, feeling it was somewhat inappropriate. Conspiring with a terrorist organization to assassinate colleagues and split the country - such treasonous crimes...

  "The monks can't be defined by your thoughts because it's hard for Ser to bear the consequences of doing so," said Zhan Hua, glancing at Penny.

  "So that's the compromise of the upper class?" Panni said in a low voice, and her eyebrows immediately furrowed: "But if so, similar things will probably happen constantly in the future."

  "This kind of thing has never stopped before." Zhan Huashi said calmly.

  It's probably because of this that the political situation in Ser is so strange. Panni thought to herself. It was clear that the six major families were using the eight universities and the Ser government as a chessboard for their struggles, with many moves being tolerated out of fear of causing a complete collapse. This kind of political system - no matter how you looked at it, seemed like it was on the verge of collapse.

  But this situation has lasted for over 400 years, and it seems that it has become a tacit understanding, transforming into an alternative set of unwritten rules. This incredible state of affairs left Pan Ni deeply perplexed.

  "In fact, this is the essence of the Red Robe Society. Some people tried to gain higher power through struggle but failed, and those who dominate the order are not willing to let the losers jump into desperation, that's all."

  "Struggle?" Penny somehow noticed this word.

  "Of course, it's a struggle. Odysseiron hopes to use the power of the innocent to further undermine the prestige of the Death Lord and also hopes to take power out of our hands, so he used all sorts of means, but it's just a struggle after all." Zhan Huashi looked at Penny's expression: "And we won, but the opportunity came from you, which is something that no one in Feras wanted to get."

  "Hmm..." Panni rubbed his nose: "Actually I was thinking..."

  "Don't worry, no one knows it was you who did it, at least not for now." Zhan Huashi said calmly: "The intelligence agency of the Sel people has long been infiltrated by various factions, so if we want to investigate the news, relying on them is useless. As for the trusted followers of Jastri Lao, for a mage, preventing prophecy magic is not much simpler than preventing espionage."

  "So Feras needs some trusted people for private jobs?"

  "Hmm... you don't even count."

  "It seems I overthought it." Panni curled her lip, knowing she had been overly sentimental. Having just left the reserve team, she had only caught a glimpse of the true nature of the red robe, and yet she was already treating him like a trusted confidant. Was Fulas brain-damaged?

  "You really thought too much, I just wanted to see your skills, but you gave me a surprise." Zhan Huashi's long gown fluttered as he strode with open steps towards the west corridor.

  Pan Ni followed him up.

  "I haven't taken good care of my daughter."

  Suddenly, Zhan Huashi said a sentence, Penny was stunned for a moment, and then heard the middle-aged man continue to say.

  "She didn't receive the education that a noble girl from Ser should have, she doesn't understand all the things that a normal noble girl should know, and as for serving her husband, she's completely clueless. As a life partner, she needs to be tolerated, taken care of, comforted, and protected selflessly, and her background dictates that her partner must be a Red Robe Master... The Dean spoke in a detached tone: "But my current, past, and future colleagues, I'm afraid most of them won't have anything to do with those kinds of behaviors."

  "I understand." Penny's mood gradually became solemn in the director's narrative, and when the director finished speaking, she nodded seriously: "What you're worried about won't happen."

  "That's not necessarily true." Zhan Huashi smiled: "Everyone is changing with time."

  "But the core will not be shaken easily."

  "Is that so? Earlier, when you were going through those materials, you were so focused that it surprised me. I suppose you've memorized all the key figures in the six major families who hold power." Zhan Huashi shook his head slightly: "Compared to before you went to Beidi, there's more desire for power in your heart now."

  "I think a certain amount of ambition is necessary for survival in this world."

  "Not bad, not bad." Zhan Huashi nodded: "But are you prepared to fight for your ambition?"

  "Of course." Penny was about to nod when he suddenly heard a commotion coming from the left. He turned his head in that direction.

  On the other side of the courtyard, two young red-robed apprentices were dueling under the arrangement of an instructor. The loser was already lying on the ground with his body burning all over, and the instructor did not intend to put out the fire, but instead said coldly:

  "You're actually thinking about other things during a battle, idiot. Once someone becomes an enemy, don't think about past friendships. For us, that's the most unnecessary thing."

  The meeting hall at the top of Ser Mountain is just below an apprentice academy, where only apprentices with some special qualities are qualified to practice, and all apprentices who come out of here will become members of certain special departments.

  Of course, training is also extremely harsh, and excessive training that can even cost lives is not uncommon.

  But this kind of thing is not new to Penny, he has seen it in middle school and even participated in it. However, as a perennial winner, he usually maintains a certain degree of restraint.

  But just as he had walked out of the council hall and saw this scene again, a strange discomfort arose in Penny's heart.

  Struggle, struggle everywhere.

  "Do you know what Ceylon was like over two thousand years ago?" the principal asked suddenly.

  "At that time, it seemed that one of Serd's disciples opened the portal to another world, which led to the Beastman Gate War......" Panni furrowed his brow, recalling this period in history.

  Seldrake, the first recorded sorcerer lord to rebel against Mulhorand.

  After his rebellion failed, he was put to death by the Mulhorand theocrat, and his followers were also eliminated. His several disciples did something crazy - set up a transmission gate connecting to another time and space, which brought the beastman tribe and the beastman god system's invasion of Faerun.

  Then came the Beastman Gate War, which would be remembered in history books. Several important gods of the Mulholland Enzer pantheon fell in battle, and the two great empires began to decline.

  "Not bad, although the actions of that predecessor left the Mulhorand Empire severely weakened and unable to exert strong control over Selt, leaving a glimmer of hope for the fledgling Wizards' Guild. However, our ancestors also fell into endless troubles after that." Zhan Huashi continued slowly: "Do you know what kind of world those wizard predecessors and the local Mulan nobles who were abandoned by their homeland faced after the Beastman Gate War?"

  He saw Penny's serious and attentive expression, and continued to narrate in that unhurried but dense and heavy tone:

  "Under the massive divine power of the Beastman pantheon and the Mulhorandi pantheon, a vast wasteland and highlands were formed. Ninety percent of the region was occupied by tens of thousands of beastmen and wolf-like humanoids. The area had been abandoned by all human civilizations, and our ancestors, those disciples of Sel?ne, along with the local nobles and commoners who were abandoned by the Mulhorandi Empire, numbered only in the tens of thousands. No one was willing to help us at that time."

  "Now Ser has over 30 million humans, and the werewolves and beastmen are either fleeing to remote mountains or becoming our slaves. Do you know why?"

  For over a thousand years after that, our ancestors struggled to gain living space. The remaining Mulan nobles were willing to put aside their differences with our mage ancestors to deal with foreign tribes, until they gradually merged. From then on, the concepts of Ser and Mulholand began to take shape.

  So after Ser stabilised, the Mulholland Empire tried to recover us using various means of division, enticement and separation, but all failed without exception. Other differences were resolved in the nearly thousand years of struggle that followed, with Mul returning to Mul and Ser returning to Ser, they finally had to acknowledge us as an independent nation.

  "The order of today's world was established in the more than two thousand years of uninterrupted and unceasing struggle."

  Zhan Hua smiled: "Our neighbors have always found our belligerence incomprehensible, but it's actually not surprising at all, because this is our civilization."

  As Zhan Huashi spoke, an indescribable sense of heaviness weighed down on Penny's heart, until he was breathless and speechless.

  It wasn't until now that Penny clearly realized that where he was wasn't a location in a game, but a civilization.

  A civilization shaped in the struggle against various enemies over more than two thousand years.

  Dark, extreme, brutal and ferocious, but cannot be ignored.

  And he is a member of this civilization.

  The branding in the bloodline since the day of rebirth.

  Penny Xien suddenly felt that this world was even more real, and the memories of her past life seemed to be rapidly turning into a dream.

  "Struggle!" Zhan Hua said firmly, "The ship of fate will not always bring the power to steer to your face. If you don't take the initiative to fight for it, drifting with the tide will only lead to sinking. We advocate struggle and believe that we can get everything we want through struggle. The Law Society provides such an environment - Zhan respects anyone who struggles for their own interests, whether they succeed or fail. As for those who do not want to participate in the struggle but still hope to gain benefits from other beings, Zhan thinks that being a slave is the most suitable identity for them!"

  "I... understand." Panni slowly exhaled, lifted her head, and her gaze gradually became determined.

  A deep red high wall appeared in front of him, with a small door in the center that seemed insignificant.

  Like a crimson curtain dyed with fresh blood.

  ……

  Kiss your right hand

  Wishing you blessings always

  Your gaze with both eyes

  Seeking the direction of hope

  Follow your light

  Guidepost of Wealth

  Wishing for a glittering cloud of golden coins

  Illuminate our path

  The twanging of the harp strings, splashing out water flowers from the silver coin pool, the chanting of the singers, the pastors' magnificent long gowns, and the temple's jade-like luster.

  A young girl holds a brand new silver coin, standing quietly in front of a brand new idol, the lady's right hand slightly stretched out, as if gently stroking the girl's head.

  She was very uncertain in her heart and didn't know if her prayers would be answered.

  Perhaps just praying for peace of mind.

  May those cherished, departed and missed be blessed with protection.

  Wandering, lost, and never finding direction can all receive guidance.

  Whether it is in the past, present, or future.

  "This year is indeed more interesting than last year." Veeka shifted her small waist, her gaze moving away from the girl's back and towards the middle-aged man with a glittering appearance beside her, but behind this middle-aged man was a bald-headed man wearing a red robe.

  The man in red robes followed closely behind the middle-aged man with a respectful attitude.

  Being able to get a red-robed Taoist priest to follow him, this middle-aged man's identity is unquestionable.

  "Of course, apart from formal work, one must properly develop the lady's faith." The middle-aged man smiled and faced the tavern owner: "Ms. Vika, it wasn't easy to complete the task you entrusted, but to be honest, it wasn't difficult to gather the amount you needed, no need to go through such great trouble..."

  "Cut to the chase." Vika's eyebrows rose, her tone not one bit polite: "Once the trade route is opened up, you'll naturally get what's due to you. Your contributions, I'll also remember them."

  "Uh...alright, it's my honor to serve you anyway." The middle-aged man rubbed his nose awkwardly.

  Vika let out a sigh, as if she had thought of something unpleasant, her expression gradually becoming gloomy.

  The middle-aged man shrugged his shoulders towards the red robe beside him.

  A group of eccentric treasure hunters, the red-robed wizard muttered to himself, but his face remained expressionless, until the next moment when a huge radiance burst out from the temple.

  "Thank God!"

  Everyone inside and outside the temple let out bursts of exclamation, gazing at the temple engulfed in light.

  Vika and the middle-aged man looked at the temple, with different expressions on their faces.