Chapter 789: Chapter 672: You’re Much Smarter Than the Other One_2

That was the aura emitting from their bodies, some as solid as mountains, while others as light as the wind.

The battle ended quickly.

However, during the time it took for them to have dinner, they were attacked by wolf badgers twice.

The scent of blood permeated the area around the lake as the mercenaries efficiently dealt with the battlefield, burying the excess beasts they couldn’t handle away from the campsite.

Seeing this, Sola frowned and said, “It seems we really won’t have a peaceful night’s sleep.”

“Wolf badgers have a habit of hibernating. Now that it’s getting cold, they need to prepare their food reserves before hibernation,” Xu Shuo explained.

“You seem to know a lot about these miscellaneous topics?” Sola suddenly said with a hint of curiosity.

“When I have nothing to do at home, I read all kinds of books, and occasionally I encounter these situations when hunting. I’ve seen a lot, so I’m used to it,” Xu Shuo replied with a smile.

“Oh…”

The damn nobility.

Although she complained inwardly, the young girl might not have realized that she had subconsciously relaxed a bit more.

…

After dinner, everyone planned to rest.

They needed to continue their journey early the next morning; it was not a time to stay up late.

After greeting Sola, Xu Shuo entered his own tent, which was very close to hers, though they would not rest in the same tent.

He wasn’t in a hurry to rest, simply leaning on the soft couch to continue reading his magic book.

Time passed slowly.

The footsteps of the patrolling mercenaries echoed, accompanied by occasional soft voices, as they suffered another wolf badger attack along the way.

After the battle outside ended, a light breeze suddenly blew into the tent.

Zuo Fang’s figure slipped in quietly.

He first let out a contented sigh, then lay down directly on the soft bedding.

The tents prepared by the Mercenary Corps were excellent, with dried branches and foliage underneath, but a layer of soft, thick bedding on top.

There was even a couch inside the tent.

This was luxury-level camping in the wilderness!

Even just for one night, the Order of the Sun Knights couldn’t bear to let their Pope endure hardship, so all the goods prepared in the carriage were actually for improving the Pope’s living conditions.

Xu Shuo, who was reading, glanced at him.

“Did you come in just to sleep?”

“Are you the only one allowed to sleep in warm bedding, and I can’t even lie down?” Zuo Fang looked at him with resentment.

The knights following them in secret were miserable. Since they were traveling light, they hadn’t prepared enough food, nor had they arranged such comfortable accommodations.

To avoid startling the enemy, they couldn’t even set up camp in the woods and had to make do sleeping in the trees for the night.

The loyal knights did so without complaint or regret.

But he, the so-called defector, did not.

Of course, he didn’t come specifically to enjoy the warmth of the tent.

Propping his head with his hand, Zuo Fang asked, “We’ve been on the road for a day, and news of the Black Dragon Island incident has been out for three days. By all logic, the Empire should have taken some kind of action by now, right?”

Xu Shuo didn’t speak but raised his hand and conjured a Jade Token, sending it over to him.

Zuo Fang was taken aback and quickly got up to catch the Jade Token.

As he tried to probe into it with his spiritual power, he saw the information contained within and was somewhat surprised.

Of course, the surprise was one thing.

Zuo Fang looked Xu Shuo up and down with suspicion and said, “Doesn’t sending this thing require the Church’s Array of Light? How did you manage to receive it on the road?”

Xu Shuo sat on the couch, chin propped on his hand, looking down at him with a smile, “Drawn on the spot, of course.”

Zuo Fang: “…”

Thank you, I feel looked down upon.

He immediately stood up from the bedding, then looked down at Xu Shuo, who was sitting.

Then he said earnestly, “Although you’ve made preparations in two ways, the Pope’s carriage heading to the Royal Capital will eventually be found out to be fake. It seems we need to hurry to resolve the matters of The North.”

Xu Shuo spoke lazily, “Even if it hasn’t been discovered yet, the Empire isn’t likely to sit idly by and wait for the Holy Court to reach the Royal Capital.”

Upon hearing this, Zuo Fang’s eyes flickered, and he leaned in close to Xu Shuo like a conspirator, “As a Papal figure, have you discovered any preparations he may have made at the Royal Capital?”

“What do you mean?” Xu Shuo raised an eyebrow.

“I suspect the Pope of Light has long intended to make a move on the Empire’s royal authority. Whether it’s seeking the giant dragon race or the Duke of Silver you mentioned before, it seems he was preparing to overthrow the royal authority. Given that, he couldn’t possibly have made no preparations in the Royal Capital,” Zuo Fang contemplated seriously.

At this stage, their actions are actually all based on the script mission—”Overthrow the sovereign rule of the Varo Empire.”

Therefore, their actions don’t feel the slightest bit out of place.

But in fact, the main mission of the script also reveals a piece of information, which is that this battle between camps might have also occurred in the original world.

So, if the Holy Court had long intended to make a move against the monarchy, could it be that they had already planted many secret chess pieces before the players entered the game?

If so, just by triggering these secret chess pieces that the original camp had buried, players could definitely accomplish more with less effort!

But if they can’t find the secret chess pieces…

They would probably have to go to great lengths.

It’s like setting a whistle at a crossroads before the game starts, but players entering the script unaware, and when they pass the crossroads, they simply miss the whistle.

Which means they miss out on the intelligence that the whistle holds.

Zuo Fang feels that this person, Xu Shuo, has an exceptional ability in gathering intelligence, and also has the highly significant identity of a pope.

He would certainly have the chance to obtain more information.

“Do you have it? Do you have it?!”

Zuo Fang, growing more certain by the moment, excitedly asked.

Xu Shuo smiled and gave him an approving look, “You are quite a bit quicker on the uptake than that someone else.”

Zuo Fang was taken aback, “Who?”

Why suddenly compare him with someone else?

Is there anyone worthy to compare with him?!

“Forget it, someone rather dumb.”

“Someone I know?”

“You should know him.”

Xu Shuo thought to himself that since Zuo Fang was also a part of Hong Rao’s circle, then these students would definitely know each other.

Of course, that didn’t include himself.

After hearing this, Zuo Fang showed a disdainful expression, “If he’s an idiot, then don’t compare him with me. He’s not worthy.”

Xu Shuo looked at him and said nothing.

This person always had a bit of arrogance and self-satisfaction, but his actions were clear and organized, with evident initiative and purpose. His abilities were indeed a match for his pride.

And compared to another person, who was so dumb that they had maxed out their luck.

Xu Shuo shook his head, dismissing these messy thoughts from his mind, not in the mood to speak, and then condensed another Jade Token.

The Aura of Light fluctuated slightly and then dimmed.

In this period of time, the diligent and studious Xu Shuo had already mastered precise control of magic energy, not allowing a trace of Qi to leak out.

Zuo Fang took the Jade Token and started to read it.

It contained information about Princess Nineteen of the Varo Royal Family, as well as the various church forces of different sizes distributed in the Royal Capital. It even included dozens of nobles who had been recruited by the church.

The reason why the Varo Empire could stand for a thousand years was because, hundreds of years ago, the empire had reclaimed the rights of noble lords to foster their own private troops.

It was a significant upheaval of power.

At that time, it was the Church of Light that helped the Varo Royal Family eliminate the entrenched noble power on the Imperial Continent.

In exchange, the empire facilitated the birth of the Church’s army.

This choice was correct hundreds of years ago, trading the interests of one private army for the elimination of hundreds of private armies.

The empire gained far more than it lost.

However, like a centipede that doesn’t fall dead when beheaded, the noble families have bided their time for a hundred years and never gave up the struggle for power, especially now when the Varo Royal Family is increasingly dim-witted and foolish.

This time, the deal made between the church and the noble lords was to return the right of private armies to them.

Seeing this, Zuo Fang was stunned, “Is the church… setting itself on fire?”

Xu Shuo laughed at his words, “Not necessarily. The Church of Light, which has been watching indifferently for a thousand years, won’t fail to realize just how dangerous the threat of noble lords can be to the development of a kingdom.”

Zuo Fang paused, “Then double-crossing after crossing the river?”

Xu Shuo chuckled, “What a joke. Even if the church’s army is powerful, it can’t compare to the power of hundreds of noble families.”

Hearing this, Zuo Fang’s mouth twitched as he looked towards the youth on the couch with a teasing expression.

This isn’t it, that isn’t it…

This guy is just making fun of him, right?

…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com