“Strong as he may be, let him be strong. A gentle breeze brushes the hillside. Forceful as he may be, let him be forceful. A bright moon shines over the river…”

“Master the harmony of heaven and earth, control the six qi, and roam limitlessly…”

“Zhao Ku’min wears a Hu hat… Ten steps to kill a man…”

“…”

“What are these? Mysticism?”

Sigurd put down several manuals, massaging his temples in a headache.

Two sword manuals, one boxing technique, one light-foot technique, and one pure heart technique – five manuals in total.

They were all quite complete, but their exact hierarchical order was hard to determine.

At the very least, the variety was relatively comprehensive.

All the techniques were written in classical Chinese, which was understandable, given that they were created by people from ancient times.

They also needed to consider the issue of exclusive inheritance, so there was a certain level of reading threshold… but the content was too abstract!

Poetic and philosophical concepts, how do you translate them into practical physical models?

No wonder Otto and Fu Hua had been working together for so long, yet neither of them had learned any martial arts. Schicksal had also not produced any remarkable martial arts masters.

Sun Tan mentioned that these techniques relied on comprehension.

From Sigurd’s perspective, this meant thinking abstractly enough to match the logic of the manuals, allowing the practical applications to be deciphered.

Furthermore, whatever insights were gained would likely only be useful for the individual who comprehended them.

Attempting to convey those insights through words would likely be futile.

After going through them once, assisted by his broad knowledge, Sigurd felt like he was getting somewhere, but it was still vague, and he had a hard time grasping it.

On one hand, this was due to the writer’s insufficient level of skill – the explanation of fundamental principles was lacking.

On the other hand, there was the problem of outdated ideas that hid some secrets, mixed with a lot of unnecessary content.

“I need to find a martial arts school and observe it firsthand. Alternatively, maybe I should come up with a way to invite that ancient hero from 50,000 years ago?”

Sigurd pondered, considering the possibility of recruiting people from Otto.

Speaking of which, Fu Hua’s goal is to protect the land of Shenzhou.

This is something Sigurd could potentially handle, and there might be room for negotiation…

Buzz~

Suddenly, a message appeared on Sigurd’s phone.

“Third floor, northern balcony.”

The sender was Cocolia, the message containing only a location.

This indicated that the long-awaited Brolon Albert had arrived after waiting for two to three days.

…

Following the instructions, Sigurd arrived at the mentioned location.

At this high altitude, the moonlight was exceptionally bright.

The spacious balcony had been cleared of tables and chairs, except for a three-meter-wide round redwood table.

Three expensive-looking black leather sofas were arranged around it, set up for a tripartite conversation.

Cocolia and a robust old man with a black hood had already occupied two of the seats.

The remaining seat was undoubtedly prepared for Sigurd.

Sigurd calmly took his seat, picked up a tall glass, and swirled it around.

It contained a richly colored red wine, exuding a subtle sweetness – undoubtedly quite expensive.

After thinking for a moment, Sigurd decisively poured the wine to the side, then filled the glass with an opaque reddish liquid, about half a glass.

Next, Sigurd shook the crystal-clear glass again.

The liquid remained reddish in color, emitting a faint sweetness, but the bubbles in the glass were particularly prominent.

“I’m underage, so I don’t drink alcohol. I’ll have cola, is that fine with you all?”

Sigurd raised his glass and casually asked.

Cocolia was speechless.

After all, they were meeting with a high-ranking figure on the other side, who was acting so nonchalantly – quite impressive!

“Hehe, heroes rise from the young; of course, it’s fine.”

Brolon replied in a voice that was elderly yet vigorous.

Sigurd then took a sip of cola, enjoying its sour-sweet taste.

Back in Siberia and in Europe, he liked the tea from Shenzhou.

Now that he was in Shenzhou and had climbed the ancient Huangshan, Sigurd felt that cola was quite nice. Perhaps, he actually enjoyed these unique pleasures?

“Alright, I don’t like to waste time. Since we’re here to meet, Mr. Brolon, what do you want to discuss?”

“I want to propose a cooperation.”

“What kind of cooperation?”

“A desire for Gems.”

Brolon’s words were understated, as if he were discussing something trivial.

Sigurd’s motion of shaking the cola paused, and Cocolia’s expression stiffened for a moment.

“Aren’t those things at the headquarters of Schicksal?”

Cocolia questioned.

Going to the Schicksal headquarters to seize the core of a Herrscher – that would be akin to digging a hole in the ground and burying oneself while putting up a stone tablet saying, “As soon as the suona horn is sounded, the feast begins!”

Sigurd wasn’t that surprised. He finished the cola, replenishing it using invisible drones, and asked:

“Tell me about your plan.”

Brolon glanced at Cocolia with a meaningful smile. Then, he turned to Sigurd and slowly continued:

“A few months ago, a major event occurred in the Mediterranean region. The majority of Schicksal’s forces were assembled there, along with our Lord, the former leader of the Kaslana family. A great battle changed the landscape for dozens of miles, bringing about two weeks of unusually hot weather.”

“After the battle, the Anti-Entropy headquarters was relocated, and Schicksal’s network system was paralyzed for two weeks. It’s clear that both sides suffered, and these two organizations have been busy with internal affairs ever since. I have access to more information than the average person, but I can’t provide an exact representation of reality. However, I guess… the matter concerning Schicksal’s network system is related to you, right?”

While Brolon claimed to be guessing, his tone sounded more like he was certain.

Sigurd inquired:

“How did you come to that conclusion?”

“Hmph! Tesla and Einstein were indeed geniuses, but I know the extent of their capabilities. I believe that they could infiltrate Schicksal’s system. However, to directly cripple Schicksal’s network and even influence the course of the war… if they had that capability, Anti-Entropy wouldn’t have developed like sewer rats all this time.”

“Well, that makes some sense. Please continue.”

“Since I’ve determined that they don’t have such an ability, there must have been variables introduced during this incident. In Anti-Entropy, the biggest variable during that period was undoubtedly you, the newly emerged Executor. And you, we are well aware, are the true inventor behind Cocolia’s remarkable technologies. Isn’t everything becoming clear now?”

Sigurd nodded, finding that it did indeed seem to be the case.

“And then? How does this relate to your plan?”

“…Cocolia, you should leave now.”

Brolon didn’t address Sigurd but rather looked at Cocolia, coldly saying.

“Don’t be too arrogant, old man. Things are different now. In the past, I could easily manipulate you, but now… Would you like to see the view of hell?”

Cocolia raised her wine glass, her lips curling into a smile, and a dark aura seemed to emerge behind her, formed by countless tormented spirits.

“A pretty vase with a bit of thorniness, but still a vase. You’re just like this, Cocolia. In the face of real power and authority, you’re far from qualified. The following conversation is not something you’re entitled to participate in… have a bit of self-awareness. This way, your beauty will be preserved a little longer.”

Brolon advised nonchalantly, speaking in a gentle tone, as if he were caring for a junior.

Cocolia smiled, a charming and alluring smile, as gentle as water – a sign that she was about to take action.

Then, Sigurd raised his hand.

“Enough, you can go rest now, Cocolia.”

“You look down on me too!?”

“No, I just find your plan intriguing and wanted to hear more. Whether or not you need to know, I’ll decide after I’ve heard it.”

“Hmph!”

Cocolia shot a disdainful glance at Sigurd, then without looking at Brolon, she got up and left.

“That’s right. Little kitten, don’t involve yourself in the affairs of adults. Focus on where you’re going to sleep and what games you’ll play today, and follow your master’s orders.”

In Brolon’s benevolent and smiling voice, Cocolia paused for a moment, then left without looking back.

With a subtle expression, Sigurd glanced at Brolon.

This guy was truly audacious, whether it was the plan to steal the Herrscher Gem or the repeated provocations against Cocolia… In the original story, he either attempted to steal the gem and got taken down by Otto without much fuss, or he became a stepping stone in Cocolia’s rise.

Either way, it probably wouldn’t end well for him.