Chapter 287: Persuasion

It is a major matter to detect a chaotic spy in the army. As the main general, Ashu Rufate personally inquired about the interrogation and met the arrested spy. The key reason why the identity of the spy was confirmed was that someone discovered a magic pattern on him. With this evidence, his identity could no longer be hidden.

Ashu Rufate had seen this pattern. In fact, it was the pattern he had drawn on his chest before - the pattern that was drawn on his chest by Ashu Rufate himself under the supervision and guidance of the Chaos Wizard Marvin.

Ashu Rufate remembered very clearly that the magic pattern on his chest was lifeless, just a pattern drawn on his skin - no matter how much symbolic the pattern had, the pattern itself was just some paint painted on his skin. He picked up a stone from the stream and grinded it off his chest.

But this time, what he saw in this spy was a magic circle that was actually working. This pattern was not as simple as painting on the skin. It was connected with many wonderful magic flows - so complex that it was dizzy.

Moreover, as Marvin said before, this magic circle connects human vitality. Because of this, unless this person is killed, the pattern cannot be erased (at least it is extremely difficult to erase). According to the records in the church, due to the existence of this magic circle, the spiritual connection between humans and evil gods is closer, in other words, it makes it easier for evil gods to control their human followers. Only the most fanatical Tsengqi believers will tattoo such things on themselves.

The arrested spy quickly cried and confessed. He admitted that he could not stand the temptation and joined the ranks of the evil god believers. But at first he just wanted to get some benefits and escape immediately. Unfortunately, after being painted with this pattern, he realized that he could not remove it. Then it turned into his handle and fell into the other party's hands. The Chaos believer threatened to "expose your true identity" and forced him to provide information from the army to the enemy.

He did not ask about the details of the next ones, so naturally some relevant personnel asked in detail, and finally summarized them and reported them to his book case. But Ash Rufate suddenly realized one thing, that is, maybe Luo Jin, the Chaos Wizard who made continuous spell casting errors and finally self-destructed himself - it was not the casting errors at that time.

When he was fighting with Chaos Egg, the Chaos Wizard named Luo Jin used multiple spells to attack him in succession. All spells did not take effect. At first, Ash Rufate could only understand that it was a mistake in casting. Although multiple magical mistakes were rare in succession, no one could say that it would not happen. Maybe it was just such a coincidence? However, Marvin's magic pattern on his body... was completed under the personal guidance and supervision of Marvin.

This thing should not go wrong, right? However, it is just ineffective on itself. The effect of "connecting human vitality" that should have was not effective at all. It was wiped off with a slight stone.

However, Ashu Rufate was convinced that he was not magical and immunity. Because he had been attacked by magic before. For example, he had been attacked by a priestess in the church before... Although the magic was relieved by him, the burning sensation on his skin told him that if he was hit that time, even if he did not die, he would suffer serious trauma.

But... Chaos magic is ineffective. What's going on?

Who am I?

Someone gently knocked on the door of the room. Asu Ruffatt raised his eyes and saw Beller pushing open the door with a smile on his face.

This is the conference room, but because the meeting ended, everyone else had left.

"Hey, general." Berel said with a smile. "It seems that your... is a little uneasy. This is not OK... We are soldiers who are ready to go, and we are about to go to the ghost place that regards life as dust and is called the "battlefield". What's the old saying? 'A general is incompetent and exhausts the three armies'!"

"Ah, is it that serious?" Ashu Rufate tried his best to make himself smile.

"As long as you are not blind, you can see it." Berel came to the nearest chair of Asu Ruffat and sat down. "Are you confused?"

"It's just a little...confused." Ash Rufate replied. "It has nothing to do with war, it's some of my private affairs."

"Since you are a general, you have no private matters." Berel seemed to sigh. "Your thought can lead to the life and death of thousands of people...what happened?"

"His Excellency Beller, do you remember the last time you met me...I mean the one I had before I lost my memory... Do you think there is anything special about me?"

"What's special? Hell! You are Thomas' disciple, this matter is special enough! Thomas was over 80 years old when he died. If he wanted to teach his own knowledge, he would have at least hundreds of students under his disciples! But as far as I know, it seems that he only has you."

"I'm the only one..." Ashu Rufate shook his head. "Thomas... why did he choose me?"

"Of course it's because you have this talent." Berel replied. "Maybe you still have sincerity, eloquence and means of pleasing people, but the most important thing is talent. You have the talent conditions, or potential to command the army."

"Is it my honor to be able to receive such praise from you?"

"This is not an honor." Berel replied seriously. "If it weren't for the recognition of your abilities, I wouldn't have stood here. Although the honor of victory is important, my life is even more important. Don't look at me like this, I'm actually very afraid of death. When I was expeditioning to Kalean, I became a deserter many times..."

"But didn't you win in the end?"

"Yes, so I can now mention these things with confidence without blushing." Berel didn't care at all. "If I doubt your ability, I would find all kinds of excuses to leave... After all, if I was defeated, no one dared to guarantee that I would be safe and sound... I originally thought that even if I were asked to be the commander, I would not do better than you, and the facts also show this... Well, let's not talk about these things, but we'll go back to the main topic. General, what are you confused?"

"..." Ashu Rufate wanted to answer, but found that he could not say anything in the end.

"Do you know, many new recruits, especially officers, will be confused before going to the battlefield. The most common thing in this "confusion" is that they don't know why they fight. Many people, especially those who don't know the world and are confused, often cannot understand the concept of "enemy". The so-called "enemy" is of course first "enemy" and then "people". But these new recruits do not understand this, and are obsessed with "people", but forget to add an "enemy". Unless these people witness the cruelty of the battlefield, such as burned villages, raped and murdered women and children, and executed civilians, they can burn the courage to fight and put all their strength and wisdom on the killing... Of course, these refer to new recruits. Veterans do not need these."

Beller looked at the other person with his eyes, his gaze was penetrating, as if he could see the doubts deep in Ash Rufate's heart.

"As people fight more, the blood in their hearts will slowly calm down. Even if they don't witness those angry crime scenes, they can fight calmly. Because they don't need to understand, and they don't need to see with their own eyes to know what war will bring. Calmness is often more effective than anger - because anger is always combined with fear, they are both sides of one. Calmness is another thing. Experienced generals will regard veterans as their main force and elite, mainly for this reason. Of course, there is another kind of person, such as me." Berel pointed at himself. "I already believe that I am just--no external evidence, nor do the enemy prove his evil. I always believe that I am fighting for justice.

.So when I play tricks or arrange traps, I never hesitate or have any psychological burden. If I ask my subordinates to make sacrifices, I will believe that this is a sacrifice that I have to make, and I will be sad for the soldiers who have fallen, but if time goes back, I will still give the same order and let them die. Because I am just, my orders have no choice, and the sacrifices they have made are necessary and meaningful. If I am not a commander, if I am just an ordinary soldier, holding a spear, standing on the front line, facing the oncoming enemy, I will believe that I will kill the other party—whether it is a good opponent, injured opponent, or even the opponent who begs for mercy—is in line with the needs of justice.”

"I don't know what you are confused about, General, but I want to remind you. In any case, you are the commander of this army now, because of the various achievements you have made in the past, and now this army...the lives and future of 100,000 people are entrusted to your hands. This is power and responsibility. Can your confusion surpass the responsibilities you are pressing on you at this moment? If the answer is not... to be honest, I also know that this is your only answer, then you should let go of the doubts in your heart."

"It's hard for people to let go of their worries." Ashu Rufate replied. He smiled. This was no longer the forced smile he had shown before, but a relaxed smile. "Do you know, Lord Berel, among the words you said just now, you regard yourself as a 'veteran'..."

"Others say that I have experienced many battles, but it is not that exaggerated. Even if I count all the big and small battles... Even if I even count the small battle against Chaos Wizard this time, I only fought forty-seven times." Berel replied. "But this number is enough for the title of 'veteran'. Just now, it was a veteran's advice to another veteran."

"Ha... it's right. It turns out that I'm a veteran too." Ashu Rufate replied with a smile. "I don't know how many times I've fought. If I included the dream, maybe there were so many times."

"In the dream?" Beller frowned a little, but he immediately let go.

"Some dreams that are obviously illogical but are quite real." Ashu Rufate didn't go into the topic. "So sometimes I'm confused whether I've experienced some... something... that humans can't imagine."

"Nothing is unimaginable to humans." Berel smiled. "Even the most cunning deception and the most profound schemes are derived from human wisdom."

"Maybe that's the case," Ash Rufate replied. Suddenly, he felt that the burden in his heart had been removed - at least part of it.

"What are you going to do next, General?" asked Beller.

"Continue to be confused," Asu Ruffatt stood up from his chair and came to the window. It is located at the height of the castle, with a bird's eye view of the city's center. As mentioned earlier, the city of Niustria was a veritable large military camp. "But, first of all, we must fight this battle."
Chapter completed!