GDK 472: In the Know
In the underground world, the dark elves reigned supreme. But once they emerged to the surface of the Profound Continent, they became prey for humans.
The beauty of the female elves, and the expertise of the male elves with enchanted weapons, made for a great temptation to humans. On the Profound Continent, never was there a shortage of hunters that specialized in capturing elves, especially female elves, which the nobility loved.
This beautiful dark elf named Kroely actually remained a virgin among the dark elves that had an innate tendency to be wanton, which greatly aroused Han Shuo’s interests. As soon as they left the underground world, Han Shuo asked, “Kroely, why is it that Shialan and the others wanted to give you as a present to me? Did they threaten you?”
Kroely was terrified, and dropped to her knees for Han Shuo, saying, “Master, you are a benefactor of the dark elves. It is my honor to be able to serve you.”
Han Shuo gestured with his hand, and did not continue asking. However, throughout the journey, he nevertheless held doubts in his heart. He always felt as though he was already acquainted with Kroely. Yet, after long, careful thinking, he was still certain that he had never met her before.
“Bryan, I’d like to have a few words with you alone!” After walking out from the underground world, the patriarch of dark dragons Gilges suddenly spoke.
Han Shuo stared blankly for a short while before nodding. He then said to Kroely, “Leave us for a moment!”
Kroely shot a glance at Gilges, then respectfully replied, “Yes,” and distanced herself from the rest. After Kroely left to a long ways away, Gilbert put down the cage that imprisoned his grandfather. After shooting a glance into the distance at Kroely, Gilges creased his brows and said, “Bryan, I feel that there’s something wrong with this dark elf. I sense some kind of familiar smell coming from her body.”
When Gilges said so, Han Shuo jolted, and cried in surprise, “You felt that too?”
“I don’t know why, but I noticed that while we were in the tunnel earlier, this dark elf repeatedly sized me up surreptitiously. It felt as though she wanted to harm me,” Gilges said in a low voice with his brows still furrowed. Soon after, he appeared rather embarrassed and admitted, “But perhaps it’s because I’ve gotten old, overly sensitive!”
Han Shuo, however, didn’t feel this way. The older one got, the more particulars one would notice, possessing insights that young people usually did not. With regards to this Kroely, Han Shuo himself had felt that something was wrong with her to begin with. And now with Gilges’ warning, he was on the alert.
Gazing at the slender, elegant, lovely dark elf standing afar, Han Shuo couldn’t help but carefully release his consciousness to slowly sense the aura on Kroely. There was indeed the absence of that lewd taste that female dark elves were usually tainted with.
However, when Han Shuo really sensed with his consciousness, he nonetheless felt that Kroely truly was somewhat atypical. It was precisely because her aura was so vastly different from that of an ordinary dark elf that Han Shuo felt suspicious. If he were to shut his eyes, merely based on his other senses, Han Shuo would never consider her as a dark elf.
As Han Shuo slowly observed Kroely with his consciousness, dark dragons patriarch Gilges mumbled to himself, “It’s rather baffling actually. Although I have lived many years in the underground world, I haven’t made much contact with dark elves. It was only that Adele who we imprisoned that spent a relatively long time with us. Why is it that from this young dark elf, I sense a familiar taste?”
“Grandpa, you must have gotten that wrong. I also knew of that Adele. She had a promiscuous taste to her. You could immediately tell that she was a slut with just one glance. But this Kroely, however, feels pure and clean. If it were not for her dark elf appearances, I would’ve taken her for a forest elf!” dark dragon Gilbert butted in.
Han Shuo was startled. His eyes shone as he gazed deeply at Kroely standing a distance away. He put on a thoughtful expression.
“Alright, let’s stop discussing this!” Han Shuo suddenly interrupted, and waved towards Kroely who was quietly standing far away. When Kroely came over, he said smilingly, “We have some business to take care of and it’s not suitable for you to come along. Here, take this coat of arms, and walk to Brettel City. With this, nothing will happen to you while you are in Lancelot Empire.”
“Master, but I don’t know the way. What if someone captures me in the Dark Forest?” Kroely looked timidly at Han Shuo, seemingly losing her head out of fear.
“From here, just head north all the way. After two days you will reach Valley of Sunshine. Should any problem arise, take my coat of arms to Trunks and tell him you are my servant. You are a dark elf, so you don’t need to worry about your life even if you are captured. With this badge, my friends will let you go, and my enemies will keep you alive to extort me. In short, you won’t die! Be at ease!” Han Shuo reassured her.
After Han Shuo was bestowed the title of Marquis, he naturally received a complete set of emblems that represented his identity as a nobility. This coat of arms, which had a beautiful escutcheon on it, was an identity mark exclusively for Han Shuo. It even contained a magical imprint, which no ordinary person could forge. And of course, those with the capacity to forge wouldn’t do such things senselessly.
Kroely anxiously looked towards Han Shuo. Although Han Shuo seemed polite and amiable on the surface, his manner of speaking was staunch. She knew that as a mere servant, she was in no position to discuss terms whatsoever. Even if Han Shuo were to kill her on the spot, that would be her fate. Hence, this sharp-witted Kroely could only take the badge. She replied weakly, “Yes, master. Your humble servant wishes that there will be a chance to meet your Lordship again!”
“Certainly!” Han Shuo affirmed.
After Kroely left, Han Shuo chuckled grimly, “Wanna play this trick on me? Those dark elves must have been tired of living!”
“Bryan, what’s the matter?” The patriarch of dark dragons Gilges could tell that something was up from the start, and by now he could not resist asking.
“On Kroely, I sensed the aura of those dark elves who worship the evil goddess Rose. Back then, I nearly got killed in a sneak attack, which I believe was the work of that so-called spider goddess Rose. It seems that this Kroely is yet another attempt to attack me,” Han Shuo explained to Gilges gloomily.
Gilges was very shocked at Han Shuo’s bitter experience, but did not question any further about it. He knew that if Han Shuo did not speak of certain things, it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to ask about them.
“Let’s go!” Han Shuo instructed Gilbert and headed for the Cemetery of Death.
But in the end, after carefully weighing in his heart, Han Shuo did not bring the dark dragons to the Cemetery of Death. Although Han Shuo believed in Gilges the patriarch of dark dragons, there wasn’t just one dark dragon inside the cage. Han Shuo could not be sure that none of them, at any point in the future, would divulge the location of the Cemetery of Death.
Although the Cemetery of Death was indeed enveloped in a mighty boundary, and there was absolutely no way to open it without the skeletal staff, nothing was always absolute. Han Shuo didn’t believe that the Cemetery of Death’s boundary was almighty. Otherwise, those wicked necromancers that did their research there all those year ago wouldn’t have suffered such disastrous losses from the encirclement and extirpation campaign against them.
Therefore, Han Shuo did not bring the entire race of dark dragons to the Cemetery of Death, but placed them in the forest trolls’ village, and returned to the Cemetery of Death alone.
Over the previous several years, the forest trolls had always lived under the arrangements of dark dragon Gilbert. The forest trolls had long regarded Gilbert and Han Shuo as the messengers of their God, Datara.
The Valley of Sunshine wasn’t far from the Dark Forest. When Trunks was still fighting for power over Valley of Sunshine, he even utilized the forces of these forest trolls through Gilbert. After the event, the forest trolls and Trunks had established a good relationship. There was even a portion of forest trolls that explicitly migrated to live in the canyons around the Valley of Sunshine to better cooperate with Trunks.
After grasping authority over the Valley of Sunshine, Trunks’ mercenary band grew richer and more powerful with each passing day. For the purpose of exacting revenge, Trunks had invested all his effort into strengthening himself. With Han Shuo’s backing behind the scenes, Trunks also established a good commerce relationship with various races of the underground world, including the dark elves and lizardmen.
Through the business transactions with the underground world all those years, Trunks had reaped impressive profits. With Han Shuo’s introduction, Trunks became the second best friend of the dwarfs. By gifting large quantities of goods and supplies, Trunks obtained large quantities of bladed weapons from the dwarfs in exchange.
With Gilbert’s assistance, there existed a close cooperation between the Valley of Sunshine and the forest trolls. Trunks provided weapons, armor and foodstuff for the forest trolls. By making use of the strong network of intelligence he had in the Valley of Sunshine, he provided the forest trolls with the trade routes of caravans that were either disloyal or disobey him for the forest trolls to carry out lootings.
Having experienced a round of inhumane torment, Trunks, who was hardly a benevolent person to begin with, became even more ruthless and decisive. In the prior few years, with the help of Han Shuo, Brettel City, Phoebe, Emily and the others, Trunks had completely grasped power over Valley of Sunshine in his hand.
Banding together the Soul Destroyer Mercenary Band, forest trolls, the dwarfs, lizardmen, and even Janet’s bandit group, Trunks, with the Valley of Sunshine and the edges of Dark Forest at the center, has become a powerhouse that no country would belittle!