Chapter 58 02.0058: "Silent Mystery"

The sword, a symbol of infinite glory, hung in a scabbard on Horatio's belt, swinging back and forth with his steps.

Horatio followed the two officers along the tall and extravagantly spacious corridor.

"Your Excellency..." Lieutenant Sterling, Brigadier General Edward's first mate, suddenly leaned close to the brigadier general's ear and said something.

"Well, let's go first." The brigadier general nodded, adjusting the Victorian silk scarf at his collar.

Then he turned and said to Horatio, "We need to meet with Lord George Anson, your principal, to discuss some naval matters. You can walk around and wait for our news."

Brigadier General Edward handed Horatio a communication rosary and bowed.

"Yes."
-
In a building in a remote corner of Vegas, the dim flickering candlelight on the table is the only light in the room.

Even so, this little firelight could not dispel the darkness. Instead, it was constantly eroded by the darkness, and only dimly illuminated the dim lower half of the faces of several elderly men in black robes.

These men in black robes are not the protagonists of this rally. With their tongues cut off, they are merely tools to convey the will of their master.

They took turns writing, and it was impossible to infer how many speakers there were.

Behind them, a theater-like pavilion was covered by thick dark curtains. The real protagonists sat on velvet armchairs inside. These people did not necessarily speak, and did not know who was sitting opposite them, but they all came for the same thing.

[+The Navy...has intervened in the Vegas area+] A Silent One wrote on the paper.

[+They can't succeed. The chaotic Vegas area is the best poison pool and the most perfect cover+] another silent person wrote.

[+Although we serve different masters and have different missions, we all face the same threat+] the third Silent One wrote.

[+If you still want to keep your position, we must work together to thwart the fleet's conspiracy and force them to give up+] The fourth person continued to write.

[+Let them encounter resistance, become complacent, and be satisfied with the status quo. When they have weighed the pros and cons, they will not go any further.+]

[+The last time we messed up, the navy kept on nagging us. We are on the same ship, you know what I mean+]

[+You must disappear from their sight. As an insurance killer, you and your people do not need to participate in the following matters. We will provide you with cover+]

[+Strike a fatal blow when they are careless, let them go back and lick their wounds, then we will be safe+]

[+The plan will begin soon. Let us use fierce destruction to disrupt their goals, destroy their actions, and scare them with blood and skulls+]

[+Throw the blame on the scapegoat, use the dazzling changes to interfere with their analysis and cause misjudgment+]

[+We know their weaknesses, let us start with their closest people, let them feel despair and fall into depravity+]

[+If losing one cannot destroy their will, then let them lose the second, and the third, until they are defeated by themselves+]

[+Everything is for His (unknown number) will+]

The silent ones wrote down this sentence on paper together, like an oath before a war.
-
[We still have to find a way out. Although the Navy Intelligence Department is already investigating the enemy's movements, it won't be as fast as the underground intelligence network.]
Horatio walked out of the solemn and dignified auditorium while thinking deeply.

There are many tall sculptures in the square.

Since this is the exclusive campus of the Navy Zhongtsugu and is adjacent to the Gothic Fleet Admiralty, the statues are mainly portraits of officers and warships.

He was indeed safe here, but the cultists' conspiracy and the revelations in his dreams always made him uneasy and he wanted to take the initiative.

Horatio sighed dully and looked around. This place looked like a classical aristocratic military school, completely opposite to the Storm Campus which was filled with militaristic atmosphere and lifeless atmosphere. It had the flavor of the 'Knight Academy' established by Louis XIV.

The 'Institute of Knights' was established by Louis XIV for the descendants of the soldiers of the Guards who died in battle. It is both an orphanage and a military school. The students trained there will basically become royal musketeers. The students are relatively free and easy-going, and the management is relaxed.

He didn't know if it was an illusion, but Horatio felt that the sun above the Naval Academy campus was brighter than that above the Storm Zhongsi campus across the way.

He walked up to the Naval Memorial Sculpture Group and saw the statue of Admiral Speyer standing behind Admiral Lord Ravensberg.

When he heard that Admiral Speyer was his ancestor, he felt a sense of unreality.

He believed that he was a legendary hero, a descendant of a legend, and after eight years of struggling in Xiachao, he was able to enter Zhongsi College in good health.

He looked at the huge statue that was 15 meters high. Admiral Speyer had a majestic and solemn expression. His left hand was on the power saber at his waist, and his right hand was pointing to the right front, as if he was commanding the fleet.

Behind Speyer's sculpture, there are dozens of such sculptures, all of them heroes of the Gothic Fleet.

There are many vacant pedestals on the road leading to the main building behind these statues, which are reserved for future heroes.

Horatio knew that by 999.M41, ten years from now, the place would be full and many heroes would appear.

Suddenly, Horatio felt a tap on his back.

"Hey! Hello, can you take a picture for me?" A young man with natural curly hair of light blonde mixed with brown and a short ponytail tied with a black ribbon at the back of his head walked forward politely. He smiled shyly. He was about the same age as himself, but slightly shorter than him. His light blue eyes looked at him curiously.

He was wearing the official naval cadet uniform, a non-commissioned officer, and on his head was a plain bicorne hat without any trimmings. This was not an official uniform, but looked like something he had brought from home.

"No problem." Horatio smiled and took the camera from the young man.

The camera looks like it has been used for a long time, the copper parts have been polished to a glossy shine, and its appearance is very similar to the classic Leica M3.

The young man stood under the statue of Admiral Speyer, one hand on his dagger and the other on the top of the sculpture's base.

Click——

Horatio gave the 'OK' sign.

"Thank you very much." The young man walked forward quickly, smiling gratefully, with obvious dimples on his face.

"You look so excited, are you a new student?" Horatio handed him the camera.

"You figured it out. I just started school today and wanted to take some photos to show my mother."

"Aren't you Tadashi?"

The young man smiled and shook his head, saying, "I am a preparatory student of the Military Academy."

Horatio nodded thoughtfully. He had just heard Brigadier General Peru talk about what a preparatory student at the Officer Candidate Academy was.

A group of people who are not Chuji, but are madly working for the establishment of naval candidate officers.

"Thank you! I'm Archie Cuthbert Collingwood from the Fleet Maritime Department. What's your name, sir?"

Horatio could tell because the man also had a command neural hub implanted in the back of his head.

"Horatio Cochrane, the heir of the Navy. I am also in the Fleet Maritime Division. You can just call me Horatio."

"So we are classmates! Just call me Archie." The young man grinned excitedly.

He took the camera, took off his bicorne hat and tucked it under his armpit, then saluted Horatio.

Horatio took off his bicorne and returned the salute.

"Let's take a photo together. You are the first classmate I meet." The young man requested.

"no problem."

Archie placed the camera on the pedestal of the statue in front of him and aimed the lens at the two of them.

Horatio stood up straight, striking a straight and dignified pose like Archie, like two naval officers.

Click—the picture froze at this moment.

Archie ran over to the camera and flipped through the photos: "These are great photos."

Horatio looked at the camera. Archie chose a good angle, capturing the two of them looking very energetic, with the tall memorial statue of Admiral Speyer behind them.

"Do you like Admiral Speyer very much?" Horatio asked with a smile.

"Of course, he is my idol and the idol of many people! A Gothic hero, a light in the darkness, a representative of the indomitable will of mortals, and a true man of action." Archie was very excited. He looked up at the tall sculpture and couldn't help muttering.

"Thank you, I'll go somewhere else to take some photos." Archie said and ran towards the teaching building.

Horatio walked to the school grounds.

The class method here is similar to that in university. Students of different subjects have their own timetables and arrive at the corresponding classroom on time.

Although the Navy has many disciplines, common courses account for the majority, and students from many disciplines study in the same classroom.

Of course, attending classes and taking exams are not enough to earn enough academic credits. Students spend most of their time outside fully armed carrying out missions rather than just studying hard.

This also means that as long as he gets permission for the mission, he can go out immediately and rely on the resources of the Imperial Navy to build a network to deal with the cultists.

[I will discuss this with Lord Peru later. As a mission, send me out to rebuild the Vegas underground intelligence network that serves the Fleet Military Intelligence Department.

This way, you can kill two birds with one stone by accumulating learning points and gaining insight into the enemy, and it can also allow those who once risked their lives for you to find a loyal job serving the empire again.]
Giving people the opportunity to serve the Emperor is far better than being coaxed into serving evil gods by heretics.

(End of this chapter)