Chapter 461: This isn't an Assassin; this is clearly an old lecher! (Requesting Subscriptions, Monthly Passes)

Many players, upon seeing Assassin's Creed, were undoubtedly drawn in by the handsome Assassin attire, the assassination gameplay, and the meticulously crafted game setting and scenery.

As players progressed through the game's content, they would soon discover the rich plot core hidden beneath all of this. They would also come to feel Ezio's increasingly complex character.

After assassinating Uberto, Ezio and Cristina secretly stole his family's bodies and cremated them on a boat.

Next, Ezio hoped Cristina would go with him to Spain. However, Cristina, unable to abandon her family, refused Ezio.

In the end, Ezio could only give Cristina a pendant, then bid a hurried farewell to his mother and sister.

Originally, Ezio intended to escape to his family's villa in Monteriggioni to settle down temporarily.

However, he unexpectedly encountered Vieri's ambush along the way. Through their conversation, Ezio learned more information: Vieri's family was also part of the conspiracy that killed his father and brothers.

Fortunately, his uncle, Mario Auditore, appeared in time, saved their family, and brought Ezio back to the manor.

Mario then fully revealed the secrets between the Auditore family, the Assassins, and the Templar Knights to Ezio, including Altaïr's scattered journals.

Mario hoped Ezio would continue his father's work and join the Assassin Brotherhood, but Ezio refused.

He insisted on fleeing to Spain with his mother and sister. In response, an enraged Mario abandoned Ezio, taking men to San Gimignano alone to try and eliminate Vieri.

However, just as Ezio was preparing to leave, he inadvertently overheard his subordinates saying that Vieri had been continuously harassing Monteriggioni recently because of Ezio.

Feeling a pang of shame, Ezio changed his mind and rushed to San Gimignano.

Upon seeing Ezio, Mario was somewhat surprised, but mostly delighted.

So, everyone arranged a plan: Mario and the others would draw the soldiers' attention in the city, diverting them, while Ezio would seize the opportunity to assassinate Vieri.

After Mario and his men created a commotion, Ezio seized the chance to charge at Vieri. After a brief battle, Vieri was defeated by Ezio.

Ezio tried to extract some useful information from his old adversary, but Vieri remained stubbornly tight-lipped, refusing to reveal anything useful even in the face of death.

In a fit of rage, Ezio began cursing Vieri's corpse.

"You are not Vieri! Do not become like him," Mario said calmly, observing the furious Ezio.

After dealing with Vieri, Ezio returned to the manor.

During this period, the content players encountered also became richer.

For example, they learned more Assassin techniques, and incidentally, from his sister Claudia, unlocked a manor gameplay mechanic through which they could earn money to better furnish the manor and upgrade various buildings.

Horses could also be unlocked; there were mounts available in the game as well.

However, what truly concerned players was the subsequent storyline.

Two years later, Ezio returned to Florence to gather information about a conspiracy against the Medici family.

Compared to Ezio's flashback storyline in the original Brotherhood, Chen Xu directly integrated it into the main quest here.

When Ezio returned to Florence for the first time two years later, the first person he went to see was Cristina.

But like many people's first loves, Ezio's first love did not have a happy ending.

When Ezio met Cristina again, she told him that she was already engaged due to pressure from her father.

After a brief conversation, Cristina sadly said she thought Ezio would never return.

Looking at Cristina before him, Ezio felt his heart almost breaking.

When Ezio learned that Cristina's fiancé was being hounded by creditors, he quickly rushed to the scene, eliminated the creditors, then ordered the fiancé not to gamble again and to be faithful to Cristina, or he would hunt him down to the ends of the earth.

After handling this matter, Ezio returned to Cristina. Looking at his beloved, and after a 'kabedon' in the alley, Ezio had a momentary urge to ask her to come with him. But then he remembered his identity as an Assassin. In the end, he merely told Cristina that he had resolved the issue and her fiancé would treat her well from now on. With that, Ezio turned and left, under Cristina's disappointed gaze.

"So it was just a first love after all!" Song Ren, playing the game up to this point, couldn't help but sigh with regret, his face filled with melancholy and emotion.

This scene's storyline reminded him of the relationship between Mary and Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption.

How similar it was!

And how many first loves truly end up together?

Due to their respective identities, families, and various other reasons.

However, after his moment of reflection, Song Ren quickly snapped back to reality.

What was he even lamenting?

Damn it, he hadn't even had a single relationship in his entire life!

Was this even right!?

"But looking at this situation, there probably won't be any more interaction with Cristina in the future. This time, it's truly over," Song Ren muttered, pushing the story forward.

Compared to Cristina's role in the game, Ezio's good friend Leonardo da Vinci clearly had a stronger presence.

Using Altaïr's manuscripts provided by Ezio, Leonardo da Vinci crafted the dual hidden blades. He also introduced Ezio to La Volpe, the local Thieves Guild leader. With La Volpe's help, Ezio entered an ancient tomb and discovered that the Templar Knights and the Pazzi family were planning to assassinate members of the Medici family to gain control of Florence.

Armed with this intelligence, Ezio ultimately thwarted the conspiracy of the Templar Knights and the Pazzi family, and earned the friendship of the Medici family.

After completing this task, Ezio went to find Leonardo da Vinci. He eventually located him in the Apennine Mountains, where he also saw Leonardo's unfinished flying machine.

The two then planned to travel together to Forlì to board a ship for Venice. However, they were ambushed by Templar Knights on the way. Ezio told Leonardo to go ahead while he stayed behind to kill the pursuing Templars, then proceeded to Forlì to rendezvous with Leonardo.

At the docks in Forlì, Ezio was unable to board a ship to Venice because he lacked a pass. Just as the two were at a loss, a woman's cries for help came from a small island in a nearby lake.

Ezio went towards the sound, rescued the woman trapped on the island, and learned through conversation that this beautiful woman was named Caterina.

Caterina then used her influence to allow Ezio to board the ship to Venice as a token of her gratitude.

"Perhaps we will meet again. Next time you come to Forlì, I will be delighted to welcome you," Caterina said with a smile to Ezio as they parted.

"I look forward to your hospitality," Ezio replied with a smile.

Having boarded the ship, Leonardo da Vinci, looking at Caterina on the dock, cautioned, "Ezio, be careful, do you know who that is?"

"My next target?" Ezio raised an eyebrow.

Hearing Ezio's words, Song Ren in the game felt a string of question marks appear in his mind.

What's going on? Ezio, what did you just say?

"I don't think so, Ezio! She is the daughter of the Duke of Milan, and her husband is..." Leonardo chuckled, but was cut off before he could finish.

"Husband?"

"Yes, her husband is the local lord. Although that woman is young and beautiful, she is definitely a powerful and dangerous individual," Leonardo said earnestly.

After hearing this, Ezio merely smiled faintly: "Sounds like my kind of lady."

"No, your first love just ended not long ago! Ezio... what the heck?!" Song Ren in the game was utterly stunned.

However, what stunned him even more was the subsequent plot: after a brief modern-day segment introducing the objectives of the Templars and Assassins, Desmond, outside the Animus, actually saw Altaïr's memories.

However, these memories were somewhat improper: under guidance, Altaïr and a woman named Maria went to the top of a watchtower for an open-air emotional exchange.

Then the perspective returned to Ezio. After arriving in Venice, Leonardo went to arrange his workshop, while Ezio approached Emilio Barbarigo's palace, planning how to climb in.

Just as Ezio was at a loss, staring at the high wall, a group of thieves climbed up but were shot down by soldiers.

At this moment, Ezio rescued the female thief Rosa among them and brought her back to the Thieves Guild, where he met its leader, Antonio.

The two hit it off immediately and began planning how to kill Emilio and liberate the commercial district.

But during this journey, what left the deepest impression on Song Ren was Ezio's behavior.

Originally, after parting ways with Cristina, Song Ren thought Ezio might be a deeply devoted person. Of course, at that time, he overlooked Ezio's initial statement about getting involved with Vieri's sister.

First Caterina, now ambiguous flirtation with the female thief Rosa, hooking her chin with his finger upon meeting her – this behavior left Song Ren utterly speechless.

This isn't an Assassin; this is clearly an old lecher!

Especially when Ezio then made a cute gesture, holding his hands over his heart – it was simply unbelievable!

However, this series of plot developments did lighten the game's somewhat heavy story considerably.

It also made Song Ren feel more optimistic.

After all this time, all the bad luck has been on the Templars' side. The subsequent storyline should be much lighter and more pleasant, right?

(End of Chapter) <>