The expedition begins

Six in the morning.

After a two-hour morning exercise, Godwin came out of the bathroom and wiped his blond hair neatly with a bath towel. He had just changed his clothes and used magic to evaporate the last bit of moisture when there was a sound at the door.

"Captain. Breakfast, breakfast—" Debbie held a small muffin in her mouth, holding two trays in her left and right hands, and squeezed the door with her feet.

The relatives of the two parties in Tumbleweed decided to help each other and take turns being a listener for each other's mental health—especially in the last two months of the expedition, Godwin Lopez completely broke the habit of eating breakfast alone.

Unlike in years past, the content of breakfast today changes daily - the butter cubes on the top of the muffins are slightly melted, the creamed vegetable bisque is steaming, the semi-solid frying The eggs and bacon are fried to perfection, and the pear juice mixed with ice cubes is sweet and refreshing.

"You mean, really no other team will attack Ollie?" Debbie poked the broccoli in the thick soup with a fork worriedly. "They are indeed still the black seal of the mercenary guild, and no one will be their opponent, but..."

"In the current atmosphere, except for the sensitive Miss Savage, the members who kill the tumbleweed can gain a lot of popularity. However, there should be no one who will act before the decisive battle with the Demon King, which will be foolishly reduced. Surface forces."

"I'm afraid that they really take 'Tumbleweed to keep in touch with the abyss privately' seriously, and it's too early to shoot."

"...that's the truth," Godwin said matter-of-factly, chewing on the bacon.

“…”

Debbie swallowed the broccoli on the fork silently, choked for a long time before continuing: "If there is a conflict too early... Well, since he has convinced you, why can't Oliver go to a few big man..."

He didn't lie - this is still under the premise that Horizon has an investigation basis, and for those 'big guys' who are afraid of death, they will not trust Cross at all from the beginning."

Drinking half a glass of juice, Godwin twitched the corners of his mouth: "I'm Oliver's blood, and the Horizon investigation won't be accepted, you know. If he chooses to make the facts public, that alone won't work. The power to control, the expedition will be happy to deal with him first."

"It's the first time I've participated in such a, um, I don't know how to describe the plan. If I knew it would be so difficult to meet Nemo, I should have gone back to Road Sign Town a few years ago."

Godwin choked on his pear juice and coughed.

"Two years, Captain, you should almost get used to Nemo he's-"

"No, hold on...I need more time to get used to it."

"Okay, alright. It seems we can only maintain the original plan." Debbie shook her head, her slightly raised hair swaying along with her movements. "Maybe our hostility is a little bit more hostile, and others will be more willing to wait and see a good show."

As it turns out, Miss Wright got an excellent hostile trigger before the meeting. So—

"Who is that young girl? Do you know him, Captain?" Debbie asked in a low voice, grabbing Godwin's cape.

"…" Godwin shook his head silently.

He knew that, Godwin grimaced helplessly - Oliver must have tried his best to show his jerk, but he really didn't think of this way.

As the leader of the tumbleweed, and without registering an assistant in advance, Oliver should have come to the meeting alone. However, when Horizon arrived at the door of the venue early and was about to enter on time, the figure of the head of the tumbleweed appeared at the end of the street—

The knight in black armor rides his equally pure black horse, and the face under the skeleton helmet is expressionless. There is no cape behind the legendary "Ash Knight", but a white ukulele.

That's not all.

The horse was followed by a beautiful and lovely girl. She did not sit on the horse obediently, but followed the dark horse with a fast walk. She looked in her mid-twenties, wearing a civilian-style dress, with two braids hanging down her chest, and her milk-white skin was sprinkled with playful freckles.

The girl's expression is ugly, her face is drawn long, anyone can see that she is reluctant.

She's obviously following Oliver Lopez, but…

"He won't even let her on the horse, cold-blooded bastard." A whisper came from a few steps away.

"That's not a member of the Tumbleweed at all. There is a woman in the Tumbleweed. Ann Savage doesn't look like that."

"I want to take this girl in." Oliver got off the horse, handed the boss's reluctant dark horse to the receptionist, and pointed to the girl with braids not far behind.

"Sorry, Mr. Lopez. No civilians allowed here—"

Oliver stopped talking, just looked at each other silently. The young man who received the reception did not know what to think, and his face gradually turned pale as he watched.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Mr. Lopez. I'm talking too much, and of course you can bring in your love, er, close friend."

The face of the head of the tumbleweed was slightly distorted, and the girl rolled her eyes. The receptionist simply didn't say more, and shivered to get out of the way.

Debbie rolled up her sleeves and followed her aggressively. Godwin had to tighten his cloak and enter the door with her.

"This is the trick you've been playing, huh?" The girl's tone was cold.

"Almost."

"It seems to work." The girl said evenly and casually, "But don't get me wrong, Oliver Ramon. I don't want you to think about Nemo Wright, just because..."

"I know, it has nothing to do with Nemo. We just use each other and get what we need. This is not any form of affection."

"It seems that we agree." The braided girl played with the delicate pendant on her chest. The sturdy metal pendant kept flashing, and the orange rutile on the pendant reflected warmth in the sunlight. spot. "By the way, this chain is really good, and I have to thank you."

"Just a little sincerity, it suits your look better than a worn leather rope."

"Calm down, Debbie." Godwin grabbed the back collar of the First Horizon Mage. Debbie was moving her fingers, snapping her knuckles. "Think about your eldest brother's identity, Oliver, he won't..."

"Patrick Sr. taught us, 'Always maintain a certain level of skepticism, especially with good looking young men.'"

Debbie said earnestly, pushing Godwin's hand away firmly.

"Nemo is my big brother anyway. He's not here right now, I have to help him figure out-"

Before she finished speaking, Debbie strode towards Oliver. Godwin received an exhortation that he might not need in his life, and his hand stopped awkwardly in the air.

"He's not here right now", listen to this, it's like Mr. Wright was just going to the next town for a few days. Godwin wiped his face and gave a wry smile.

"Mr. Lopez."

Now Debbie is a lot longer and can pat Oliver on the shoulder relatively naturally. She glanced at the other participants who were trying to watch the excitement, her face tightened, and her tone was rather unpleasant.

"Long time no see." She said nonsense word by word, "Is this the new member of Tumbleweed?"

"Oh, Miss Wright." Before Oliver could answer, the girl laughed first. "You should know the truth, you are still thinking about 'brother', this reaction is a bit interesting-"

"No, wait." Oliver clearly noticed something. "I don't think she meant that, Debbie, she..."

Debbie turned the short and delicate staff in her hand, raised her eyebrows, and released a little murderous aura.

"This is Della, you should have heard of her... He, forget it, whatever."

Oliver rubbed his temples.

"I don't care if it's Della or Sarah, even if Nemo and you are separated... Wait, Della? Is that the Della I think?"

"I don't like people calling me Della." The braided girl said lightly.

In the blind spot where others can't see, she raised her head slightly, and one eye suddenly turned strange blood red.

Debbie coughed awkwardly. He took two steps forward and gave Oliver a whisper.

"Sorry, Ollie. You guys were having a bit of a conversation... I'll buy you a drink when the meeting is over," she said.

"No, it doesn't matter, after all, there are so many ears listening, and we also have intentional elements."

"...Sorry, you continue." The female mage of Horizon raised her voice, took a few steps back blankly, and returned to Godwin. "Let's go, Captain."

Godwin, who was very close, noticed the breath of the abyss magic, his eyes swept over the braided girl, he frowned in the direction of the two, and finally no longer had to disguise hostility. .

The surrounding murmurs became more intense.

"I have to say, I have a feeling of being underestimated. She didn't even ask a few more questions when she heard the name." After the two of Horizon left, Della Layne shrugged. , whispered softly.

"After all, the sage of the abyss is famous."

" Then again, Debbie Wright would actually worry about such a thing. She obviously put Mr. Wright first over you, who was born a human - that little girl really put the pillar of the world When my brother saw it, her thoughts were definitely interesting."

"Don't hit her, Della Layne. I'll say it beforehand, Nemo cherishes her." Oliver's tone was a little more warning.

"Well, I'll be patient." The demon replied softly.

At noon, the meeting begins.

However, during the entire expedition meeting, the infamous Oliver Lopez only said two words.

"Since I have to come forward, I have only two things to say. First, this girl will go with the tumbleweed to the abyss."

His voice was cold and determined, full of impatience, leaving no room for rebuttal.

“…Second, tumbleweeds will not obey anyone.”

Then he left, leaving the uproar of leaders behind, ignoring the accusations that "you want her to die" and "extremely ridiculous".

Too much, he also rudely pulled out the braided girl who seemed to want to stay. The braided girl looked at the one-eyed dwarf who was presiding over the meeting regretfully, and then looked at the direction represented by the horizon, and finally let herself be pulled out.

The young girl definitely wanted to ask for help, and the human representatives let their imaginations run wild and quickly perfected their version of the story.

The entire combat meeting continued for several days, and Oliver Lopez was never seen again.

And when the meeting was completely over, I saw Oliver in casual clothes with an apologetic face, and the abyss sage with a human body and a mocking face. Godwin has been able to basically maintain his inner peace.

In an hour.

"The meeting plan is like this." Debbie sipped the ice juice after dinner, and the head of Horizon dipped his finger with the water on the outer wall of the glass and drew on the table in the dining room. A trail of water marks. "Listen, I'll only say it once..."

"One time is enough," said the girl-like demon.

Godwin's hand stopped, his eyes narrowed, the hostility still not dissipated.

"You are still sitting here peacefully because Oliver himself vouched for you."

The head of Horizon lowered his voice: "Personally, I still care about your purpose - your body is in the abyss, and it is reasonable to say that you shouldn't do this."

"I have never participated in a human expedition, how many intelligent races have come to today's meeting? I think about the elves of the Mormo forest, the one-eyed dwarf who will never miss the expedition, a few dragons , even the top gatekeepers. What a fun experience."

Godwin tapped the table with his fingertips: "I'm afraid it's more than that."

. The abyss sage held the juice in both hands and responded while drinking.

"...then let's move on." Godwin shook his head and made a few strokes before the water stain dried.

"This is the beginning of meeting planning, Oliver, and the official beginning of your personal planning—"

…

Godwin's retelling was not wrong, and in just half a month, all the simple strokes were turned into reality.

The semi-dry water marks turned into pieces of the army, and the juice with a little color turned into the abyss.

The little out-of-the-way dining room and the slightly dirty wooden tabletops are long gone, replaced by the dim lights of the return town, and the dark rocky cliffs.

An astonishing number of troops are gathering on a wide stone platform, waiting to set off to the carrion forest where the first large teleportation formation is sleeping. The powerhouses from all races are crowded together, as dense as flowing moss.

Looking at the scene in front of him, Oliver grabbed the reins in his hands and pulled his dark horse "The Pope" back two steps.

The tumbleweed was divided among the human ranks, and a few members were glued to the tail of the army. The horizon is clustered in the first row, far apart. As the temporary leader of the human team, Godwin's voice has been amplified by magic, calm and firm, with a little soothing power—

"The expedition officially begins."

The commander of the first surface mercenary regiment, Godwin Lopez solemnly announced.

"In less than a month, you will face the most terrifying creature in the world. Thank you Mr. Carapan of the Mooney Church, and please keep in mind the valuable information he brought."

"The nineteenth generation of the demon king 'The Lord of Illusions' is the most powerful generation of demon kings so far. At present, we have only discovered one of its skills - imitating the breath of the past demon kings. According to this inference, Perhaps it can also replicate the abilities of previous demon kings. The changes in the landscape at the bottom of the abyss have also been confirmed. You are all elites of human beings, so please be vigilant at all times.”

Then his voice cooled, and Oliver seemed to hear Godwin grinding his teeth.

"Finally, for some of you, I want to say... Put away the smiles on your faces, this is no child's play! No matter how powerful people are, they will die in small omissions, don't be too selfish Big, don't stop watching."

Others sounded like sarcasm, but when the words reached his target's ears, the meaning changed completely.

"He's caring about us, so sweet." Jesse blew a kiss at the team leader.

"I'm afraid that's not caring, I think Mr. Lopez means 'please pay attention to the people around you, don't let them die because of negligence'." Adrian said very calmly.

"…and, Mr. Ramon, maybe you really need to put a smile on your face."

The author has something to say:

Oliver: The expedition has begun, tense! (The corners of the mouth rise wildly)

Debbie: Can I approve family leave?

Godwin: ...I don't want to be the leader. (stomach pills)

——

The nineteenth generation of demon king "Lord of Illusion" is the most powerful generation of demon king so far. Now please look back, his fiancé is behind.