In the tunnels covered with all kinds of vines, Duke Wakewood and others led the team in front, the Bishop of Beritz led the way to Pope Constance, and Bode and other low-ranking guards were in charge of breaking the rear. Constance had understood how the nobles had erected themselves as puppets through the bishops, since the moment she saw Bode. There were some small bugs in the tunnel, which suddenly flew up because of the disturbance, startling Constance. She had lived in the clean Holy See since she was a child, and at the moment she could not stand the darkness and dampness of the tunnel. She stood on her tiptoes, but the white robe would be stained with the sludge of the tunnels anyway.

The brown-haired guard Bode was now at the end of his cautious march. Constance looked at him uneasily. Bode lowered his head, as if deliberately not letting Constance's eyes meet him. Constance had no intention of questioning Duke Wackwood at this moment, and she was struck by the contrast between the duke's handsome appearance and the deep city.

"It's almost there. Conradin, the son of the Duke of Savalon, said coldly and pointed to the water droplets on the wall.

"The tunnel exit leads to a stable. The Bishop of Beritz pulled out his map and said as he walked. Constance, who had never been out of Frost City, was a little out of breath, and took advantage of this gap to say, "Can you take a break?"

"No, the Knights will soon discover the dungeon passages. Duke Wickwood said. The light of the torches shone on the duke's face, which looked cold and eerie.

Constance could only hold on, while the elderly Bishop of Beritz was panting and puffing. And the two dukes and the other two dozen knights, who were still wearing armor, were not tired. The sheer number of people makes the tunnels even narrower. Constance endured the dampness of the tunnel and the stench of sweat of the knights.

The tunnels gradually leaked dead light. Duke Wakewood, who was at the front, suddenly raised his hand to stop. Everyone dared not come out. Constance faintly heard someone talking. Duke Wakewood pointed to the uphill slope ahead of the tunnel. He pointed again.

"There are people in the tunnels. The Bishop of Beritz whispered.

The Duke of Wykewood and the Duke of Savaloon discussed in a whisper, only to see the Duke of Wykewood waving his hand at Bode. Bode squeezed from the back of the line to the front, Constance as far as he could. She was a little scared of the mercenary.

"Bode, scout ahead, you have more experience than a knight. ”

"Yes, sir. Bode stooped down and walked forward.

"Isn't he a knight?" the Duke of Savaloon wondered.

"He's a mercenary no less than a knight. Duke Wakewood said with a smile. Pod first took off his heavy and dazzling armor, and then slowly pushed up the stone from the exit with his scabbard. Bord peeked through the weedy exit. Several soldiers were resting by the stables, armor and helmets, swords set up by the campfire. Several warhorses were eating fodder in the stables. The owner of the stables was helpless to serve a few GIs.

Bode looked closely, it was the outfit of the Papal Guard, but he had taken off all the heraldic smocks on his body. It looks like a deserter. Bode returned to the tunnels and reported to Duke Wackwood.

"Go up first, Your Holiness the Pope can't stay in this stinking tunnel. Talk to them. Duke Wickwood said.

"Damn deserters, I'm afraid Frost City has fallen. Duke Savaloon sighed.

Pod crawled out of the tunnel. Slowly approaching the riders. The Duke and the remaining dozen men were outflanked from the flank. The Bishop of Beritz remained at the exit of the tunnel to accompany the Pope. In addition to the deserters' horses, there were a dozen skinny horses in the stables. Bode clasped his hand on the hilt of his sword and approached silently.

"Good morning, everyone. ”

The riders around the campfire stood up, their swords unsheathed, and stared coldly at Pod.

"Relax, relax. Bode raised his hands.

"Who are you and what are you doing?" asked the rider nervously.

"I have a dozen more companions. They all fled from Frost City. We need horses and food, you guys don't mind us getting from this stable......"

"Get out. This stable is ours now. The deserters were not frightened by Bode's "dozen companions". "We will use our own horses, and if you want to flee, tell the old man. ”

The old man in the stables looked at the quarrel and shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "I only have some skinny horses, and the officials of Frost City are greedy for the money to raise horses. You and your companions can take it away if you want, and don't leave it to the barbarians of East Viria anyway. As for me, I'm going to flee too. ”

Bode glanced at the stinking lean horses, which looked like they were going to die of exhaustion after not running for miles. But the deserters were fat and strong. The deserters saw Bode looking at their own horses and said angrily: "What do you want to do?"

"I think......" Bode made a pre-prepared gesture with his left hand behind his back. The Duke's Guard, hidden behind the bushes, knew that this was an indication of a failed negotiation.

"What do you want?"

Bode drew his dagger with his left hand and stabbed the throat of the first deserter. His companion was stunned for a moment, and in an instant, the ambush man sprang out from behind the bushes and slashed at the deserters with his sword. Bode drew the dagger from between the dead man's throat and wiped it on the dead man's clothes. He didn't need to do the rest, because these noble knights were merciless when dealing with their former own people. After a few minutes, only the brightly armored nobles remained, and the deserters were all killed. The owner of the stables was so frightened that he went into the woods behind the stables, but no one cared where he went.

"It's all villains, and it's not a pity to die. Duke Savaloon walked past Bode and looked at Bode, "Boy, you're bold enough. ”

"It's no good to delay, sir. Pod said.

The Bishop of Beritz followed Constance. Constance saw the dead bodies all over the ground, his face was pale, and he looked like he was about to vomit out in disgust. She stared at Bode, her eyes full of disgust.

"You didn't have to use force. Constance said to Bode.

"If they don't know how to share, sooner or later we will be caught up by the cavalry of the Knights, Your Majesty. Pod said.

"There weren't enough horses, and only the horses of those riders were useful. Duke Wickwood said with a frown.

"Then make sure that His Majesty the Pope arrives at Varina Castle first......"

"Woo woo!" the horn sounded suddenly. The crowd in the stable camp fell silent in fear. The sound of the trumpet was close at hand. The sound of horses' hooves, accompanied by the shouts of people, came from behind the forest.

"Knights. Pod said, pointing to the flag looming behind the tree. Black sword on white background. The cavalry of the Order found the fleeing Pope.

"Prepare for battle!" Duke Wickwood drew his sword, "Protect His Majesty the Pope!" The knights surrounded the city in small circles, forming small circles around the campfire. Constance looked at the cavalry of the Knights slowly coming out of the dense forest, and in his heart he would rather die early than endure the shame of being captured.

Deman led a group of knightly cavalry along the main road through the snow-covered pine forest. Most of the battles in Frost City are nearing their end. The remnants of the Papal Guard were either routed or routed and fled outside the city. Outside the gates of Frost City, the roads were filled with refugees. In contrast to the storms in the North Sea a few days ago, the sky was cloudless, and the harsh northern sun was shining directly on the riders' backs. Snow splashed on the horse's hooves. When the refugees on the road saw the cavalry rushing towards them, they fled in fear into the pine forests on both sides of the road. Deman and his men galloped along the road covered with snow and things left behind by the fleeing.

Before leaving the city, the soldiers had already reported that Kramard had discovered tunnels in the dungeon. Deman didn't expect them to catch up with the front team from the tunnels. After all, the Pope and others have already gone a long way.

An old man in the shape of a horseman hurried on the road in the opposite direction of the fleeing crowd. Deman sensed something was wrong and ordered the cavalry to capture him. The old man was quickly surrounded by the cavalry and fell to his knees in fright.

"What's up ahead?" said Deman.

The old man replied incoherently, "I...... My lord...... Murder in front!"

"Who's killing?"

"The lord of the guards...... Fight with a dozen other masters. All killed...... Kill...... Kill!"

Deman continued, "What do those dozen people look like?"

"All well dressed. It's all like aristocrats. My lord, I'm just a horse ......."

"Tie him to his horse and take him away!" Deman waved his hand and ordered the team to leave.

"Yes. ”

Following the direction indicated by the groom, the cavalry ran forward for half a mile and then entered the woods. Deman ordered one of the scouts to explore the way first. Deman's heart became uneasy, and the cavalry set out in a hurry, with only a dozen knights, and the rest were hired East Virgian riders. He didn't know if such a cavalry of nearly 100 men would be able to defeat the unknown number of papal troops. In his panic, the groom only knew "a dozen people". There may be an ambush behind the Pope's loyal guards.

The scout dismounted and headed deep into the pine forest. A few minutes is as long as years. Deman had a dozen riders behind him dismount and take their crossbows. After a while, the scout returned.

"The deputy commander, there are only a dozen people, none of them are on their horses, but they are well equipped, and it seems that there was a battle just now. ”

"Do you see the Pope?" asked Deman eagerly.

"No, but I saw the knights of Duke Wickwood and Duke Savallon. ”

"That's them. The space in the woods was small, and Deman motioned with his hand for everyone to dismount and move forward, allowing the crossbowers to walk to the first row and prepare to strike first. Deman slowly moved forward, lying down when he saw the stable. The cavalry took cover. There was the sound of a man talking in a small clearing in front of him.

“...... We don't have enough horses......"

“...... The duke said that the safety of the pope should be guaranteed first, and that the pope and nobles should go first. ”

"Haha, I remember that mercenary's expression......"

Deman raised his hand, and the trained riders quietly walked to the edge of the pine forest with crossbows in hand. The scene in the clearing was clear, a dozen knights stood scattered, and by the stables were the Duke of Wickwood and the Duke of Savallon. Deman had already instructed the Pope to capture him alive, and the two dukes had better take prisoners - for the large ransom would cover part of the cost of the expedition.

"Put!"

More than a dozen crossbows flew towards the camp. The two knights who spoke first were hit by several crossbow arrows in an instant, and even though they were wearing heavy armor, the steel arrows of the crossbow at a distance of more than ten yards could still penetrate the armor lightly. Not far away, there were two knights at the campfire, and they were just about to stand up and sound the alarm when they were killed by a second round of crossbows. The raised sword fell to the ground, the dying man screamed, and the rest finally woke up.

"Prepare for battle!" shouted both the people in the camp and in the woods.

Deman's dismounted cavalry, armed with swords and shouting war howls, rushed into the camp from all sides of the stables. (To be continued......)