Zhang Song sat on the treetop of the Wood Elf Village, watching the busy Wood Elves around him, jumping back and forth on the thick treetops that resembled small paths, completing tactical transfer training. A helpless smile couldn't help but appear on his face.
"None of this is useful, right?" Just behind Zhang Song, a voice sounded, causing Zhang Song's expression to freeze slightly, and he quickly stood up.
"Yang Zong." Zhang Song respectfully bowed his head and waist to the person who had arrived behind him.
"Don't be so polite." The person who arrived was Yang Di, but at this moment, his face carried a weary expression, and his usually neat and handsome face now appeared somewhat dishevelled because he hadn't washed his face or trimmed his beard.
After all, since they retreated to the Wood Elf Village last night until now, Yang Di had thought a lot, but he couldn't think of any way to resolve the current predicament.
This was truly a desperate situation, like falling into the Abyss.
"Zhang Song, I think we were all mistaken back then. We didn't expect that the Deherim owned by this guy named Shen Mu, the Human Clan force he possesses, is the true formidable force."
Yang Di couldn't help but smile bitterly now: "Back then, when he dealt with the Diesel Company, I already sensed something was wrong. I didn't expect that guy to possess such formidable power now. Even the commander's legion of the Black Arrow Tower Seventh Dynasty's attack on him didn't work."
Yang Di didn't want to continue speaking at this point. He closed his mouth, the weariness in his heart becoming increasingly unbearable, making him, already over 40 and approaching 50, truly not know what else to say.
There really was no way.
Last night, the Undead Legion of the Black Arrow Tower Seventh Dynasty mobilized nearly tens of thousands of troops, but in the end, didn't they fail to even charge onto the city walls?
They didn't even succeed in their strategic concept of attacking the Town Area, slaughtering the Blue Star Humans in the Town Area, or destroying the Town Area.
Not to mention the best-case scenario they envisioned, which was for them to also capture the Castle District, with both sides attacking from inside and outside to completely destroy Deherim.
But now, everything had vanished into thin air.
Their plans had all failed.
"Yang Zong, perhaps it's not that bad. After all, we still have the Wood Elf Plane as our foundation protecting us. Why don't we contact the Wood Elf Plane again and see if they can provide us with some more help?" At this moment, Zhang Song slowly spoke, offering his suggestion.
But when he said this, even Zhang Song himself didn't have much hope.
Because after this grand plan failed, the Wood Elf Plane had already announced the closure of the portal and would no longer receive this group from the Wood Elf Village. The meaning was also very clear: the Wood Elf Village had lost its value, and they were not planning to continue investing in them.
It was like a project they had invested in before had failed, and it was a crushing defeat with almost no possibility of recovery. They had to cut off the project completely, like a warrior cutting off his own arm.
They couldn't continue investing in it.
Otherwise, it would be like a sunk cost.
Continuing to invest would be like throwing money away.
"You can think of it, I can think of it, and the Wood Elf Plane can also think of it. They won't continue investing in us. After all, we failed too miserably this time, losing 80% of our main elite troops. Wanting to recover in the future is almost wishful thinking." This Yang Zong also showed a bitter smile here.
When he was alone, he had also contacted the Wood Elf Plane, but his former permission to freely enter the Wood Elf Plane had been revoked.
As the village chief of this Wood Elf Village, he was actually unable to enter the Wood Elf Plane again.
It's important to know that in the past, because his Wood Elf Village was firmly rooted in the core Bali River Street of Long City.
He was also the first to discover the secret hidden within Long City, the secret about the fall of a deity, and even became a honored guest of that Grand Elder.
But in just one night, simply because he lost most of his chips at the gambling table and became a penniless, disgraced gambler, the Wood Elf Village side had lost all its permissions within the Wood Elf Plane.
That Wood Elf Elder, who had once been very kind to him, had also chosen to avoid seeing him.
This contrast in status made Yang Di feel increasingly helpless and stifled.
"Zhang Song, why don't you just leave? You can cut off ties with the Wood Elf Village, and as long as you're alive, you can lead these Wood Elves to become Spiritual Realm Commanders and live in this end-of-days." Yang Di slowly spoke at this moment, his tone containing a bit more calmness: "Life always has its ups and downs. Perhaps now is the time to know when to lie low. After all, even the powerful Diesel Company is finished. My Green Leaf Group should also go with the times. When it's time to exit, just exit cleanly, and that's enough."
"Yang Zong." But Zhang Song's face carried a look of emotion at this moment, looking at this Yang Zong who had supported him since he was young, tears almost welling up.
In the past, Yang Di was full of vigor and high spirits. How could he have such a dishevelled moment?
Zhang Song, who was also nearly 30, truly didn't want to forget the kindness this Yang Zong had shown him.
So he slowly opened his mouth and said through gritted teeth: "It's all because of that damned guy Zhang Bo's grand plan that you, Yang Zong, are in this situation now. I will absolutely not let this guy off. Although he is my cousin, all of this started because of him, and I want to avenge you, Yang Zong."
"What is there to avenge? The grand plan that kid Zhang Bo devised was indeed good, but there were problems with the details, and wasn't it us who didn't complete the specific details of this grand plan?"
Yang Zong, however, showed a smile at this moment, gently shook his head, and comforted Zhang Song by saying: "Don't think too much. That kid Zhang Bo was actually thinking for us, but we didn't coordinate well on the details. If we were stronger, wouldn't we have been able to break through the defenses in the castle main building, successfully kill our way up to the castle main building, eliminate this Shen Mu, and complete the beheading plan? So, it's not Zhang Bo's reason, it's our own reason."
"But if that guy Zhang Bo had given us more detailed information or intelligence, then we wouldn't have been ambushed by those Human Clan soldiers in Deherim like this, causing us heavy losses, and even being unable to save the Green Leaf Group."
Zhang Song's face carried tear streaks at this moment. Although he usually appeared resourceful, he was, after all, just a young man of twenty-eight or twenty-nine.
At this moment, he couldn't help but grit his teeth and say fiercely: "Now I seriously doubt whether this guy Zhang Bo is still a member of our Green Leaf Group, or if he is still our friend. And whether he is truly loyal to you, Yang Zong, or if he has betrayed us."
Because the failure of this grand plan had too great an impact.
And at that time, everything in the so-called grand plan that Zhang Bo had devised went very smoothly, so much so that they didn't see any flaws. As a result, the execution of the grand plan turned them into turtles in a jar.
They were subjected to a classic ambush by Deherim, suffering heavy losses, to the point where it could be said that not a single soldier was left.
This was simply something that only an insider in Deherim could accomplish.
And now, even though Zhang Bo and he were related by blood and were legitimate relatives, in the current situation, no matter how Zhang Song thought about it, he could sense that there was something strange going on.
Everything was planned too smoothly, including their ambush, which was also too easy.
Furthermore, the Human Clan troops in the Castle District were firmly guarding the most crucial positions, either on the city walls or at the key points within the castle main building.
This made it impossible for them to lead the Wood Elf Sword Dancers to kill their way onto the city walls to capture the walls or gates, nor could they charge into the castle main building within the Castle District to search for Shen Mu and carry out the beheading operation.
All of this was too coincidental, so coincidental that it felt as if there was a conspiracy in the world.
Therefore, Zhang Song now truly suspected whether Zhang Bo had seen that the guy named Shen Mu's Deherim had a large population and better development prospects.
And thus chose to jump ship and escape.
Using all of them from the Wood Elf Village's Green Leaf Group as a sign of allegiance.
Deliberately staging such a scene.
"And now I really suspect Zhang Bo, and I also plan to meet with Zhang Bo. If he really dares to betray us, Zhang Bo is not the only spy we have left in Deherim. At that time, we will go for a complete showdown and have someone assassinate him directly." At this moment, Zhang Song's teeth were slowly grinding, making a gnashing sound.
"Don't be so extreme, Zhang Song, you are being a bit extreme now." But in response to Zhang Song's words, Yang Di's face showed a faint smile. He neither admitted nor denied it, but instead said gently: "You and Zhang Bo were both children I supported whose character and studies were both guaranteed. I believe you. You've also believed in your own children, especially since my child is overseas, whether he can survive now is another matter. So, I have already come to see both you and Zhang Bo as my own children."
"But Yang Zong, don't you see what Zhang Bo is doing now? I really suspect he has betrayed us." Zhang Song clenched his fists.
"That's why I said you shouldn't be so extreme, Zhang Song. You are not the same person you were back then. Calm down and think carefully, what benefit would Zhang Bo gain even if he betrayed us?" Yang Di slowly sat back in his chair. He said somewhat helplessly: "Even if he wanted to offer a sign of allegiance, this would be too cruel. I don't believe Zhang Bo is capable of doing this."
"But it's already a fact, Yang Zong." Zhang Song still didn't want to give up. His heart was still filled with resentment.
Because after returning to the Green Leaf Group, he had also thought about the relevant issues.
But no matter how he thought about it, he found.
Unless Zhang Bo had informed them.
Otherwise, how could the defenses in Deherim be so tight, as if the soldiers were specifically deployed against them?
"Then just find Zhang Bo and ask him." Yang Di's reply at this moment was still very calm: "Just like before, arrange for our people to go outside Deherim and request a meeting, and then set up a few more sentinels outside the safe house. If something really happens, Zhang Bo will definitely bring people to destroy our safe house. Wouldn't that test him?"
As he spoke, Yang Di's tone also carried a hint of loneliness: "If our safe house is truly destroyed, it means that kid Zhang Bo indeed has the intention of jumping ship. But it doesn't matter. Who would want to sink with a sinking ship?"
Before hearing Yang Di's last sentence, Zhang Song was still able to maintain his composure.
But when Zhang Song said this last sentence, Zhang Song was truly enraged: "If he chooses to jump ship at this time, Zhang Bo is absolutely ungrateful! After all, he is the one who caused this ship to sink, he must bear the main responsibility!" And at this moment, Zhang Song's eyes were bloodshot: "Even if you, Yang Zong, don't hold him accountable, I will hold him accountable. After all, this kind of ungrateful behavior has disgraced our Zhang family's reputation. He must pay the price!"
"Oh, you." Yang Di couldn't help but sigh upon hearing this, but he didn't say much more. He just reached out and patted Zhang Song's shoulder, saying sincerely: "Zhang Song, you are a good child. If things reach a point of no return, then I order you to leave the Wood Elf Village, leave the Green Leaf Group. If you can avenge the Green Leaf Group, then do so. If you can't, then live well. If you have the chance, create a new Green Leaf Group; it would be considered inheriting my legacy. Do you think you can do that?"
"Yes." Zhang Song wiped his eyes with his sleeve at this moment, his voice choked with emotion as he said: "I will do my utmost to complete the revival of the Green Leaf Group."
There was nothing more to say at this point. Zhang Song understood that this was the trust that Yang Di, this Yang Zong who had supported him from junior high, high school, college, and even finding a job after graduation, was placing in him.
Because Yang Zong was a Spirit World Lord.
Everyone could surrender, including Spiritual Realm Commanders, but for a Spirit World Lord, surrendering was not an option.
Because a Lord who had lost his territory, could he still be called a Lord?
However, just as the two were silent.
Suddenly, a Wood Elf quickly arrived from outside.
Holding a box in his hand, he said with an extremely nervous tone: "There's a letter from Deherim! An urgent letter!"
