the last king of darkness

Chapter 35 Emotional Intelligence
This is really bad news that couldn't be worse.

For a moment, Rhodes didn't notice the sunny and peaceful Uptown Town.

The air here is clear and clean, and the buildings are scattered and orderly. Looking up, the black mist is very high and far away, like a dark cloud in the sky.

Rhodes finally felt the atmosphere that a normal city should have. You can see sparse pedestrians on the street, you can see horseless carts like them, you can see bakeries, cloakrooms, beautiful restaurants on the street, unique Flavored Tavern, and the Station for Horseless Carts, and the Innless Inn next to it.

This is a human city in his understanding.

Rhodes saw a group of people standing on the side of the road with a sign, and he couldn't help asking, "Do you also have public... carriages?"

Lauren looked at him with gray eyes, as if saying why do you still care about this at this time, but he still explained:

"Of course, the hearse is one of the important means of transportation in Wangcheng."

"Are there any in the lower city?"

"Of course, the lower city is dozens of times larger than the upper city, and it would be very inconvenient without a hearse. However, public hearses are only open in the lower city on suitable days."

Can you change your name, people in the whole city are riding in hearses, is this because they are afraid that the death is not thorough enough?
Rhodes didn't know how to complain, so he had to forget the word in his mind and call it "uncoded car".

The hearse circled a few blocks and entered a castle-like complex of darker tones.

With its sharp towers and thick walls, it is at odds with the light and bright atmosphere of Uptown.

The hearse drove into a castle in the center of the complex, and stopped in an underground graveyard where countless hearses were parked. Rhodes followed Lauren into this fabled horror institution.

The interior of the Internal Affairs Tribunal is not as eerie as it looks from the outside. It is brightly lit and peacefully colored. The simple and straight corridors divide one room after another. There are lights on the walls on both sides every ten steps, illuminating the room Looking at every corner here, most of the people coming and going are also wearing neat robes, which looks like an ordinary workplace.

However, Rhodes saw a gloomy underground passage in a corner, wailing and screams could be heard vaguely in the air, and a man with blood on his robe was gloomy nearby, as if waiting for the next one prey.

When Rhodes approached, their malicious eyes cast over.

But fortunately, Lauren didn't stop here. They walked straight forward and came to a huge luxurious room.

A thick red carpet was laid here, silver carvings were hung on the gorgeous mahogany benches, and the quiet incense floated in the air. The four chief judges were all waiting for him here.

They sat at the top, and a long black table was filled with paper materials, special crystal balls, and their identity plates.

Rhodes stood behind Lauren quietly and looked at them.

The one on the far right is a middle-aged man with blond hair. His face profile is indeed similar to that of Cassan. He also has the same blond hair and blue eyes. The nameplate says Mipole Prosmoore.

Then there was a guy with red hair and an iron mask. His nameplate read Manolobana Gula, a surname that reminded Rhodes of the fat red-haired man called human shit.

On the left is an old man with dark hair and light eyes. He has few wrinkles on his face and a peaceful expression. The nameplate reads Ali Gaili Dan Black Bear, but he doesn't seem to have any connection with the black bear.

It seems that this is Lauren's teacher, one of his big backers.

Although Rhodes is not very clear about how they became backers.

The one on the far left is a woman of indeterminate age. She has strange blue hair, delicate features, thin lips, and a cold light in her long and narrow eyes. Her nameplate reads Lesha Blue Moon.

Behind them stood many guards in black robes, and the nameplates on the guards' chests uniformly said "crow".

Lauren bowed slightly to the four and sat sideways.

Rhodes stood alone in front of the long table, under the scrutiny of the four.

Among them, the blond-haired Mipole has the most complex eyes, full of father's hostility, helpless friendliness, purer appreciation and indifference and neutrality representing the Internal Affairs Tribunal.

There was only pure malice and hatred in Manolobana's eyes.

The eyes of Hei Xiong and Lan Yue are relatively calm, and they can't see anything.

Rhodes knew it well and was not so nervous.

"Rode of Redstone Village."

The iron mask of the suspected human dung father spoke.

"Let me give you a suggestion, don't quibble anymore, take the initiative to confess everything, and I will make a suggestion to the president to send your ashes into the holy flame."

Rhodes said lightly: "Why don't you confess?"

The eyes behind the iron mask narrowed: "Do you want to say that I am your accomplice?"

"No, I am innocent, you are the murderer."

A crow behind shouted: "Pay attention to your attitude! This is Your Excellency the Chief Judge!"

Rhodes said calmly: "If you don't allow me to speak, then I can shut up."

Iron Mask sneered: "I don't think it's necessary to continue the trial, just use the special review. I will carefully pry open his soul and dig out every secret of him."

The black bear on the side said softly: "Gula, you can listen to his reason."

Mipole said coldly: "You tell me."

Rhodes said loudly: "You all know that I just ignited the fire of my soul not long ago. I was just an ordinary person before. How could the doomsday cult choose an ordinary person to help the migration team that murdered hundreds of people?"

The iron mask sneered, "Although you were not a fire bearer before, you can also master extraordinary power."

Rhodes wisely bypassed this unfamiliar area: "My lord, please use your wisdom to think about it, if I did this, why should I stay where I am alone? The incomparably wise Miss Lanbai..."

Lauren coughed:
"It's the guardian Ali Gaili Dan Qingyu."

Rhodes immediately changed his words: "Then, why did Your Excellency Qingyu, the guardian who combines wisdom and beauty, let me go who is extremely suspicious? She even allowed me to have a certain degree of freedom in the royal city. Isn't she afraid to let someone else go?" Will doomsday believers move freely in the royal city and cause huge damage?"

Iron Mask said coldly: "Maybe there is some shady trick in this."

Rhodes sneered: "Yes, everyone is a bad guy, but you are a good guy. Do you think you run a winery?"

Although Iron Mask didn't know what opening a winery was, the irony in his words couldn't be more obvious, and his tone became even colder in an instant.

"Eloquent sophistry is useless, you are the only survivor at the scene, but you claim to have amnesia, and the doomsman gray cat Alai still has your letter in his pocket, and you also killed the priest of lies, Bass, and silenced him , broke our most important clue. All the evidence points firmly to you, I don’t understand why Your Excellency Qingyu would cover you, maybe I should propose to the king to re-discuss her candidate’s identity.”

As soon as the voice fell, the atmosphere became very delicate, and everyone's faces looked a little unnatural.

But Rhodes is certain in his heart.

Sure enough, this was not only a dispute over the merits of the case, but also involved something deeper.

Then, he will not be easily given up.

"I think we'd better get back to the case."

Black Bear broke the awkward silence with a slightly aged voice.

"Catching the traces of the polluter sect is our most important thing. I don't think any of you want to see them destroy our warm home and the only place to live?"

His light-colored eyes swept over everyone, and there was a strange power in his peaceful eyes, which calmed everyone down.

Meepor said with his jaw:

"I agree with His Excellency Black Bear. The royal city and the holy fire are everything to us. No one can destroy our home unless they step over my corpse. Be careful about Rhodes' trial. We who have great power, any point A little willfulness is a mountain of despair when it falls on a person. If the only homeland no longer loves him, I can't think of a second way except suicide or darkness."

Blue Moon said appreciatively:

"Miepoor said it very well, and this is what our king advocated, making home everyone's home, not someone's home."

A trace of disgust flashed in Iron Mask's eyes, and he said indifferently: "We still have a lot to do, so let's inquire directly."

Black Bear nodded slightly, turned his gaze to Rhodes, and said calmly, "Rhods, please answer all my questions truthfully."

Rhodes nodded.

"Do you remember your relationship with Alai the Gray Cat, the clerk at the Moss Street Office?"

Rhodes shook his head: "I don't remember."

"Do you remember that you lived for three years in Baker Street, the second largest district in the outer city?"

"do not remember."

"Why did you kill Buzz?"

"I didn't think about it that much. I was dragged into the unknown space. I was very scared and didn't know his importance. Lord Lauren's battle was very unfavorable. He was besieged by many glass-like giants. I was very worried that he would be killed. kill, so I shot Bass as soon as I saw him."

Iron Mask's cold voice cut in.

"Why can you see Bath, which is hidden by advanced spells?"

"Because my tinder ability can help me see through phantoms."

Iron Mask sneered: "But your fire name is Black Idiot, and the Engineering Research Institute uses ancient technology. It can identify the most subtle waves in your soul, find the essence of your soul, and display it in the most suitable words. You can't fool us."

Mipoor frowned and said: "Your Excellency Manolobana, the tools of the Engineering Research Institute are not very reliable, and they often have strange malfunctions. For example, the characteristic of my soul is the shock of the spirit, but the first time I tested it At the time, it was displayed as a "troll", and it was changed for me later by a university scholar who found relevant records in the big library. This cannot be used as evidence."

Lan Yue suddenly asked: "How much is your spiritual vision?"

Rhodes thought for a while and replied, "It seems to be eighty."

With a flick of Lan Yue's slender fingers, a small mist blocked her hand: "What's the number on my hand?"

Rhodes turned on his spirit vision, and then turned on his soul eyes. When he looked up, the mist had turned into a tiny flash of light, and her shiny hand was compared to a "two" gesture.

"two."

"now what?"

"six."

Lanyue removed the mist and showed a bright smile: "It seems that Jinworth College has another shining star about to rise."

All three of them showed a little smile, only the iron mask looked stern.

"The stronger the enemy is, the more dangerous we are." He said indifferently: "Such inquiries are meaningless. We should find the items delivered by the gray cat Alai earlier. In the face of iron facts, sophistry is useless."

He got up and left, leaving only three people in the seat.

But the iron mask's departure didn't affect them, and the three looked at Rhodes with a smile, like looking at some treasure.

Suddenly Mipole said, "Would you mind if I speak to him alone?"

The two of them slightly sideways their hands, indicating that they are welcome.

Suddenly, Rhodes found that he had come to a white space, where there were only him and Mipol.

He immediately came back to his senses and bowed politely: "Uncle Mipoor, hello, I am a student of the tenth department and tenth group of Jinworth College. The group leader Kashan must be your daughter? She inherited your Your beauty, your wisdom, your kindness, your tolerance, everything about you is your daughter."

Although these words were too explicit, Mipoor couldn't hide his smile for a while.

"Young man, don't just play lip service..."

In the middle of speaking, he suddenly couldn't continue.

Rhode thought for a moment, and immediately said: "I admire your daughter Kashan very much. As the leader of the tenth group, she helped me a lot. We are students now, and our studies are the most important thing for us. Sister Kashan is very good. I understand that our current task is to study hard, become the successor of Fire King City, and contribute to the cause of Fire, I agree with her thoughts very much, and I respect her will very much, please rest assured."

Mi Boer's expression was very complicated, and he knew very well that this was simply his daughter's nemesis.

After a long time, he sighed and said:
"I just have one request, don't let Cassan get pregnant, we'll talk about it after graduation."

The white light dissipated, and Meeple walked out melancholy.

Rhodes found him standing there, with Black Bear and Blue Moon looking at him.

There was a cunning light in Lanyue's eyes, she seemed to have guessed something, and said with a smile: "Little guy, it seems that you are not an embroidered cover, and the inside is also very good."

Rhodes smiled and said, "No matter how good I am, I'm not as good as my sister."

Lan Yue laughed wildly: "Such an interesting little guy, I really can't believe he is a doomsday cultist."

The black bear looked at him with light-colored eyes, and said slightly seriously: "Lesha Lanyue is our chief judge. She graduated from Jinworth College as early as 1301. You should call her auntie."

Lan Yue covered her forehead with her slender hands.

"Uncle Black Bear, this is why you don't like Sister Yueyue."

Rhodes interjected in a timely manner: "You are as young as your heart is, and I really can't tell her age."

Lan Yue suddenly smiled like a flower blooming.

"Little guy, based on your words, unless I find a death certificate, I will never believe that you are a doomsday cultist. Come on, I really want to see a new star rise."

She winked at Rhode playfully, and walked out briskly, not at all like a high-ranking chief judge.

The crows also left with her, and soon only Black Bear and Lauren were left in the room.

The two were looking at him with a new look.

But the black bear also quickly smiled, which made Rhodes feel a little nervous.

"Little guy, don't be nervous, I just saw a shadow on you..."

He didn't go on, but said instead:
"I hope you can really surprise us. It is my happiest thing to see seedlings like you thrive."

He patted Rhodes on the shoulder lightly, and then left.

Lauren was alone in the room.

He said appreciatively: "Rhode, your performance has exceeded my expectations, and you have won the support of the three chief arbitrators, but don't take it lightly. If you are found with real evidence, they will not favor you. The governor of the second district is a very important witness, let's go see him now."

These words chilled Rhode's heart a lot, I have worked so hard, can't you give me a gold medal for avoiding death?

But what made him feel even more chilled was that he found that the consul of the second largest district in the outer city was a very beautiful woman.

He has seen.

In Caramon's crystal ball.

(End of this chapter)