Chapter 511 - The Tribesmen's Doubts
At that moment, tribesmen had already begun to depart from the eastern parts of the tribe in large groups under the direction of the elven warriors some time ago.
These elven warriors were further supervised by the few Elders who remained behind to oversee the procedure while the rest led their own groups and families to collect valuables from the Elder Tree's crown.
The tribesmen's departure could be seen forming a long line that stretched all the way to the outskirts of the Great Forest while elven warriors were stationed sparsely on both sides as they guided them.
Mixtures of complicated emotions could be felt when the tribesmen passed the burning forest point, billowing with clouds of black smoke.
"Move quickly and orderly, people! Do not dilly dally around here. You are holding up the people behind you! This smoke is not good to breathe in!" An elven warrior urged with care.
"You have a long trek ahead of you all! Please continue on your way! Time is of the essence!" Another elven warrior spoke.
"Sorry about that, noble warriors. We will be on our way now."
The tribesmen shortly expressed their apology before continuing on the guided path through the gap in the burning forest the elven warriors have created.
At the same time, the leading group of tribesmen ahead finally exited the Great Forest before they witnessed the fire-lit road ahead of them.
The distance to the Great Wall was not far for trained Awakeners with their enhanced physiques and greater stamina.
But for ordinary elves like them, the journey ahead could be considered quite far and strenuous. Not only were they traveling by foot, but they were also carrying many things when there are hills ahead to cross.
"Are we really traveling through the night? How long will it take us to reach the Human Domain?" A tribesman wondered curiously.
It was the first time leaving the Great Forest for many tribesmen, let alone seeing what the outside world was like.
They expected to see the big wide world, but it was limited by the darkness of the night and two distant dark walls on their sides.
Only the road ahead was clear to them.
"Where are the rats, though? I heard from a warrior who shall not be named that the plains outside are swarming with them." A female elf mentioned carefully.
"Eh? So secretive. Who is that warrior? Why can't he be named? Are they still keeping secrets about the situation from us, even in a time like this?" A male elf queried unhappily.
The tribesmen began to whisper amongst themselves before their concerns reached the ears of the nearby elven warriors.
"There's nothing to hide. The rat tide is beyond those dark walls you see in the distance to your left and right. I'm not afraid to also tell you that those walls are made from rat carcasses!"
"You all better stick together and not wander off!" Another elven warrior warned.
Although the elven warriors were stationed to keep them in check, there was no telling when a few mischievous kids or naughty children will slip past their guard and sneak off on their own.
"These walls aren't precisely firm, so you all best not have any designs on going near them and mess around! Is that clear?!"
"Yes, sir!"
The tribesmen answered.
They were greatly astonished to learn to such tall walls were built from the bodies of rats. Just exactly how many rats were out there?!
While many tribesmen decided to comply obediently, there were also some who had their doubts.
"How many rats would it take to build these walls? And it's supposed to reach the Human Domain as well? Doesn't that sound a little too ridiculous?"
"It does! Even if the surrounding tribes combine their population, it might not reach such a number! Has anyone even seen a single rat? What if we are being fooled into leaving our homes?"
As the tribesmen spoke their doubts, it began to grow like a disease, spreading to other tribesmen and infected them with the same doubts.
The elven warriors noticed this situation before they glanced at each other with the same look. They must quickly quell the disorder before the tribesmen rile out of control!
"Ahh! Help! The warriors are attacking ordinary folks!" A tribesman with a loud mouth suddenly cried within the crowd after getting grabbed by a high-level elven warrior.
While pressing the tribesman's head into the ground, the high-level elven warrior spoke fiercely with sternness, "We spent a lot of effort cleaning the field to give people like you a more comfortable time traveling! You might not be able to see the rats from here, but you can still smell their pungent stench in the soil, can't you?! Exactly what are you plotting by sowing chaos in the crowd?!"
"You are slandering me! I am not trying to sow chaos! I am just voicing my doubts! What is wrong with that?! You—ow, ow! You are hurting me! Let go! Are you trying to silence me to hide something?!" The tribesman said defiantly while being forced to grovel in the ground.
"Hide something?" The high-level elven warrior snorted coldly before his eyes flickered with a fierce glint and exerted more force
Ka-cha!
The tribesman's arm being held behind his back was snapped before he cried painfully, "Ahhh! You broke my arm! Save me! These warriors are abusing their powers!"
"So, what?"
The high-level elven warrior could not care less and stepped on the tribesman's back, pressing further into the ground before gazing at the surrounding tribesmen with an oppressive glint.
"You all better listen carefully. As we speak, my brothers and sisters are risking their lives to lure the rat tide away out there—just to keep you all safe! The least you can do is to cooperate nicely and not cause any trouble. Is that too much to ask?!"
The crowd immediately quietened down.
Those who intended to raise the voices to help the oppressed tribesman immediately cowered from the high-level elven warrior's intimidating aura.
"It's true… it's faint, but there's a stench of blood in the ground. That noble warrior might be speaking the truth." A male elf spoke after sniffing a handful of soil.
The high-level elven warrior snorted at the word 'might' before barking, "You have all wasted enough time! Now continue on your way! We are doing this to save you all, so stop being f*cking idiots and making our jobs harder!"
There would always be pessimistic people like this. Without confirming with their own eyes, they would always assume the worst of things according to their own imaginations.
Shortly after the tribesmen fell back into order and continued treading on the guided straight path ahead, a distant rumble from the Great Forest was heard.
The high-level elven warrior glanced back to look but failed to see anything due to the dense clouds of black smoke and dark sky obscuring his vision.
"I wonder what is happening back in the tribe…" He mumbled with a frown.
Meanwhile, a group of royal guards returned to the royal palace on the Elder Tree's crown back in Elvengarde before Silver barked, "Arf, arf!"
The royal guards paused some distance away from Princess Faelyn and Princess Thessalia after being warned before one of them spoke respectfully, "Your Highnesses, everyone has begun to leave to the tribe. Please come with—"
Rumble!
The Elder Tree's sudden large movements shook the entire space.
"What's going on? Who infuriated the Guardian Spirit?" Princess Thessalia wiped her face before asking with startlement.