"..."

"..."

A long silence permeated the dim tent, like a descending night, shrouding the hearts of the two Honorable Nobility. After a while, Mountain Clan Chief Izel squatted down, under the cautious gaze of Luwei Clan Chief Xintle, and struck the firestone with a "click."

"Click... Click!... whoosh!..."

The campfire slowly ignited, bringing light into the darkness. Old friend Xintle moved like a ghost, until his shadow in the tent overlapped with Izel's shadow. The two sat face to face on the muddy ground, looking into each other's eyes, and at each other's hands.

"Xintle, your skills seem a lot better than before?"

"Ha! Izel, if you were on the front line, risking your life daily against the Zapotec people, your skills would also improve greatly!..."

"Is that so?... But with just our skills, even adding dozens of confidants... trying to wield daggers in an army of tens of thousands... it's probably hard to achieve any objective, right?… Furthermore, I don't wish to be a tool for others, especially those hiding in the shadows..."

"Hmm... Izel, I don't want to be someone else's tool either. But sometimes, the Divine King may not offer us any choice. Think of Tzompantli Clan Leader Xochitl's death in battle! Think of Strait Gold Clan Leader Pachjo's sacrifice!... Not to mention, have you forgotten? You, me, and Pachjo once chose that 'Jade Blade'? Now, he's already close to the Divine King's heart..."

"... Xintle, that 'Jade Blade' is favored by the Divine King, living more luxuriously than before, not necessarily wanting to risk everything for 'revenge' on his former master. Besides, he might not trust us, nor succeed in the assassination..."

"Izel, we, the older Mexica Warriors, always value life and death lightly. For certain beliefs and honor, we can give up everything, even our lives. You young warriors might not understand. But trust in me and Pachjo's judgment, he will surely be a 'good knife for revenge'!..."

Xintle's expression turned somber, slowly lowering his head. He avoided the firelight, hiding himself in the shadows, like those weathered carvings resisting the sunlight, still living in the past of the 'Flower Battle.' His voice was equally deep, like the whispers of an old shadow.

"Chief Divine's protection! What's more, apart from that 'Jade Blade'… there's another 'Cloud Serpent Dagger' for revenge, together with the 'Jade Blade.' We all know that person's identity. His hidden wife and children, the last Cloud Serpent Divine Descendants, are within Spruce Clan Chief Huitzilihuitl's fief, already watched by us..."

"When the time comes, capturing the family of the 'Cloud Serpent Dagger' leaves him no choice. Revealing his identity means death, none of his family survives. And revenge, at least can leave his wife and children, leave the Divine Descendant's bloodline… for both public and private reasons, he has no choice but to 'revenge'! For 'Cloud Serpent,' for vengeance on clan annihilation!"

"And once he moves, the 'Jade Blade' who shelters the 'Cloud Serpent Dagger,' will also have no choice. Once exposed, the Divine King will not forgive him, only a path to death... He can only 'revenge'! For his family's revenge, even if doomed to die!..."

"...!"

Upon hearing this calculation of hearts, Izel shivered again, revealing surprise on his face. His surprise wasn't because of the existence of the 'Cloud Serpent Dagger,' but...

"Spruce Huitzilihuitl?! This man collaborating with the Divine King to kill Tzompantli Clan Leader Xochitl, is he also one of 'us'?..."

"Yes. He joined recently."

"Trustworthy? Could he be a plant by the Divine King?..."

"No, he's the Divine King's rag. Used up and discarded... From Tzompantli City State, he was transferred to Tlaxcala Land, originally thinking he profited, gained a large fief... But Gillim interferes everywhere in Tlaxcala Land for the Little Prince, intercepts migrating subjects, focuses on developing the Little Prince's direct fief… Thus making 'Spruce' have empty land, but no farmers, suffering silently, worse than before the transfer..."

"And after this Southern Expedition, recently stabilized Tlaxcala Land, is to provide food for the southern expedition army... the conscription falling on his shoulders, whether food or civilian labor, exceeds his tolerance!... His dissatisfaction with the Divine King has reached its peak, aligning perfectly with 'us'..."

Xintle lowered his voice, narrating the undercurrents within the Mexica Alliance. Each name thrown out, genuine City-State Great Nobility, all harmed seriously by the Divine King's strong centralization and expedition, filled with resentment...

"Besides 'Spruce'… also those two Southern City-State acquaintances you met today... Behind them are Flower Tree Clan Leader Huochiku'a, Pan Mang Clan Leader Moyahualo. These two Southern City-State Honorable Nobility not only had half their fief management stripped by the Divine King, but also had their inheritance rights interfered. And during this Southern Expedition, continuous conscription of food and civilian labor, suffocating their fiefs!..."

"Flower Tree and Pan Mang? They two, joined us formally? I only heard their complaints while talking with acquaintances, didn't hear deeper implications..." 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"... They haven't formally joined yet. But once a change occurs, they will become 'us'! So will most City-State Great Nobility! Because 'our' demands are the same!..."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Izel frowned, pondering without speaking. He contemplated for quite a while before asking again.

"Xintle, according to you, the so-called 'us' currently includes only 'you, me, Spruce'? Plus two blades and daggers hard to control?"

"Can we achieve anything with such strength? And even risking great peril, if carried out, what reward would there be?… Just stretching into the fire for cooked nuts for others!..."

"... What a strange metaphor? Is it a new poem from the Capital City again?..."

Xintle was momentarily speechless, initially mumbling vague replies. Izel persistently questioned him.

"Xintle, are you blinded by hatred? Just goaded by 'those hiding in the shadows,' ready to become a sacrificial 'Stone Knife'?… Or is there something else you're hiding from me? Do you also wish to use me as a tool?..."

"Oh!… Old friend, we are the closest allies! How could I treat you as a tool?… I indeed have other plans, but they're not finalized, not yet negotiated..."

Xintle pressed lips, instinctively touched his dagger at his waist, but quickly released. He sighed, looked into Izel's suspicious eyes, sincerely explained.

"Indeed, there's another 'they' might become 'us.' As I mentioned before... the Asar Lineage Royal Family secretly sent envoys, tested contact with me…"

"Behind them is an entire Western Army main force, occupying a third of Mixteco Cloud..."

"Of course, more importantly, once a change happens... after the Divine King and Prophet, the most powerful, the one with Alliance succession rights, able to rightfully accept Royal Legion and return various City-State nobles' autonomy... is their Asar Lineage!..."

"Asar Lineage Royal Family? You mean Monte and Yu Yan? No, the one with succession rights, only Montezuma II!… Hiss! Are you saying? It's not just one blade, but two?..."

Upon hearing this, Izel inhaled sharply, his eyes flickering continuously. This time, Xintle turned serious, approached and questioned closely.

"Izel, what kind of reaction is that?… Who do you think 'those from the Temple' most want the dagger for?… And 'those from the Asar Lineage,' who must they eliminate?..."

"Despite the many disputes caused, Divine King and Prophet still stand together, centralizing power against us!… To restore Great Nobility's autonomy, restore our lands and inheritance… we must remove two suns, shoot them down together!..."

"And afterwards, whether it's Asar Lineage, Little Prince Lineage, or Divine Son Lineage… whoever wants to ascend must compromise with our City-State Nobility, return our original, Divinely granted governance rights!..."

"But if the Prophet remains alive, inherits everything from the Divine King, merges the power of two suns into one... all our efforts benefit him instead? In the end, change nothing, might even worsen!..."

Saying this, Xintle reached out again, gripping Izel's arm tightly, staring firmly into his eyes! At this moment, his cold, low hiss resembled a venomous snake unable to bear the sun's heat any longer!

"The Southern Expedition is the best opportunity! Two suns together, almost never apart! If we can take down one, the other follows naturally!..."

"And this Southern Expedition is the only chance to let both suns fall simultaneously! Once they return to Lake Capital City, once the two suns divide... we no longer have the chance for simultaneous Sun-shooting success!..."

"Izel, open your eyes, see clearly your position! You're like me, like us, with no choice! Only Sun-shooting!..."