“Understood.” Lezalit and Bestour nodded.
Of course, they knew that the best time for their raid should be at night. This way, the enemy would not only be in a more relaxed state, but most Wood Elves would also be asleep.
If they chose a crucial time, perhaps even the Green Leaf Group's management personnel would be asleep.
Only then would the raid have the element of surprise.
“Alright, you two go prepare.” Fatis waved them off, as he still needed to set up camp here.
This place would serve as his base of operations, where he would command Lezalit and Bestour, and await Shen Mu.
According to the plan, Shen Mu would return to New Uxhall in the evening, then come here with Bandak at night. He would also instruct Bandak to lead his troops to a temporary camp not far from the Green Leaf Group, to deter them.
“I hope everything goes smoothly.”
Fatis watched Bestour and Lezalit each lead their troops, beginning to maneuver deeper into Bali River Street, and a sense of vigilance quietly grew in his heart.
After all, this was a war.
There could be no slackening.
… …
Hooves trod over the increasingly rugged dirt road. Zhang Bo reined in his horse, signaling the team to stop at the top of the slope. He knew this was a sandy area formed by the Spirit Realm's rules beginning to change the Blue Star World. However, compared to the sand that appeared like a neighbor's yard around New Uxhall, which was the old site of the Diesel Company, these lands, accumulated from soil, appeared much more natural.
Of course, Zhang Bo also knew this was because of the Wood Elf Village's presence, forming an oasis in the desert.
“We’re here, the Green Leaf Group is just ahead.” Sun Zhiru looked up at the green expanse appearing amidst the dilapidated apartment buildings and structures ahead, and slowly spoke, reminding them.
The others also looked over.
It was already around ten o'clock, and under the sunlight, the Wood Elf Village was clearly visible, like a dormant giant beast, encircled by a ring of gnarled, intertwined ancient trees over 10 meters tall, forming a circular wall.
Huge vines also wove natural protective nets between the branches, or formed special passages like climbing nets on a ship.
“No wonder Respected Lord Shen Mu wants to incorporate them. Just looking at the Wood Elves nimbly moving on those trees and vines, you can tell these guys are not ordinary.” A negotiator also spoke with emotion at this moment.
Clearly, they held some awe for those Wood Elves.
“Indeed.” Sun Zhiru also nodded lightly, his eyes filled with surprise, especially at the figures leaping among the treetops, their agility causing his pupils to contract slightly.
Because those Wood Elves ran barefoot on slanted branches, their longbows always strapped to their backs. Whenever they leaped to another tree, not a single feathered arrow from their quiver fell out due to the violent shaking.
They displayed extremely high flexibility and balance.
However, in this process, they also walked towards the Wood Elf Village. Awe was awe, surprise was surprise, but none of their faces showed any fear.
Even if these Wood Elves were strong, what of it?
Weren't they still the defeated opponents of Deherim?
They were here now because Deherim had severely wounded the Wood Elves' raiding party, nearly annihilating them, letting them know who was the strongest ruler of Bali River Street and even Long City.
Moreover, if it weren't for Respected Lord Shen Mu's recognition of the Blue Star World, Blue Star Civilization, and Blue Star Humans, he would have long since brought his powerful troops to directly crush this Wood Elf Village.
He would have directly destroyed this Green Leaf Group.
Therefore, their negotiation team came as victors, to bestow mercy upon these defeated Wood Elves, to be the key figures granting them the grace to live.
So, what did they have to be afraid of?
Thus, as they approached the wall formed by the trees, they sat up straight on their horses, puffing out their chests.
Their imposing presence could not be lost.
“Alert!”
But just as they approached the tree wall, which was the Green Leaf Group's Wood Elf Village, to about 30 meters, two Khergit Mounted Archers suddenly drew their bows and pointed to the left, issuing a stern warning.
Everyone followed the arrow tips and saw, on the treetops to the front left, three Wood Elf sentinels had appeared at some unknown time. They squatted like owls on the ends of thin branches, their bows already drawn and feathered arrows nocked, appearing ready to shoot at them at any moment.
“Be on guard!” Then the other 18 Khergit Mounted Archers also shook their reins, urging their steppe horses forward, protecting Zhang Bo, Sun Zhiru, and the other 10 negotiators of the negotiation team in the center.
And one by one, they also raised their Nomadic Bows, drawing feathered arrows from their quivers and nocking them, aiming at the increasing number of bow-wielding Wood Elves in the treetops.
The atmosphere instantly solidified.
“Lower your bows!” But at this moment, Zhang Bo slowly raised his hand and gently said to the Khergit Mounted Archers, “It’s alright, don’t be so nervous. This is the Wood Elves’ warning etiquette. An arrow on the string but not fully drawn means they are only deterring us, a warning to us.”
“Ha, a warning to us?” Zhang Bo’s words immediately brought a scornful smile to one negotiator’s face: “What right do these Wood Elves have to warn us?”
Immediately, the other negotiators also burst into laughter.
Zhang Bo’s eye twitched slightly at this.
Insulting the Green Leaf Group now was tantamount to insulting him, wasn't it?
But Zhang Bo couldn't really let this attitude show. Instead, he said to the Khergit Veteran Mounted Archers who obeyed his orders: “Put away your bows. Since we are here to negotiate, let’s present an image of peaceful intentions.”
“Understood.” The 20 Khergit Veteran Mounted Archers nodded slowly without saying much, and put away their bows.
They did indeed obey Zhang Bo's command.
And at this moment, they had already seen that the Wood Elf sentinels on the tree wall merely lightly placed the arrow nock on the bowstring without applying force. Their bodies swayed with the rising and falling branches, as if resonating with the entire forest, merely striking a graceful pose, without any aggressive action.
Both sides remained in a standoff.
At this moment, Zhang Bo slowly pushed away the Khergit Veteran Mounted Archer protecting him, rode his horse to the very front, looked at the Wood Elves on the tree wall, and loudly said, “Is this how you treat envoys who wish to engage in peaceful negotiations and bring peace?”
Following Zhang Bo’s words, there was a 10-second silence on the tree wall in front of them.
However, with a rustling sound, a figure appeared on the tree wall. Before he had fully emerged, he had already loudly responded to Zhang Bo’s words: “Of course, we Wood Elves always love peace, and we love envoys of peace.”
Then Zhang Song’s figure emerged from within.
Zhang Song and Zhang Bo looked at each other, their eyes filled with complex emotions, their hearts a tangled mess. Yet, no expression appeared on either of their faces.
Because their relationship could not be casually exposed, especially with the Human guards from Deherim and Lord Shen Mu’s loyal subordinates following behind Zhang Bo.
“That’s excellent. I represent the peaceful aspirations of Lord Shen Mu and Deherim.” Zhang Bo spoke loudly again at this moment, slowly saying to Zhang Song on the wall, “Is this how your Green Leaf Group, your Wood Elf Village, welcomes us, the envoys who wish to bring peaceful aspirations?”
“There’s no need for us to argue over words,” Zhang Song slowly began, “You say you’ve brought peaceful aspirations, that you are envoys of peace.” He said faintly, “But why don’t I believe it?”
As he spoke, the Wood Elf sentinels beside him tightened their grip, pulling back the strings of their bows once more.
The glinting arrowheads were aimed directly at Zhang Bo and his group below.
However, at this moment, the 20 Khergit Veteran Mounted Archers behind Zhang Bo showed no fear whatsoever. Instead, they too raised their Nomadic Bows, nocked their cone-tipped arrows, and slowly began to draw their bowstrings.
Both sides faced off once again.
However, even Sun Zhiru and the 10 Negotiation Experts showed no fear at this moment. Instead, they stood tall with their chests out, coldly observing the nearly four to five hundred Wood Elf sentinels on the tree wall.
“Very good, very good, truly worthy of being people from Deherim.” At this moment, Zhang Song on the wall spoke with a grim expression, and he proactively extended his hand, signaling the Wood Elves and sentinels beside him to put away their bows and arrows first.
This clearly indicated that he was the first to yield.
“We truly come for peaceful negotiations. If we wanted to truly conquer you, your tree wall, barely 10 meters high, would not be able to stop our Deherim trebuchets and ballistas.”
Zhang Bo spoke again at this moment, but this time his words were quite impolite: “Moreover, you should have already witnessed that the heavy cavalry and heavy infantry units, as well as the formidable Crossbowmen, that we possess in Deherim are already far beyond what your Green Leaf Group and Wood Elf Village can contend with.”
Zhang Song did not deny this at all; instead, he asked, “You said you wanted to come for peaceful negotiations. How do I know if it’s real or fake?”
“What right do you have to ask if it’s real or fake? If you were going to negotiate, with the strength of our Deherim troops and the power possessed by Respected Lord Shen Mu, we would have already destroyed your Green Leaf Group directly!” Sun Zhiru spoke loudly at this moment.
Clearly, he was still a bit displeased with Zhang Song and the Wood Elves’ current hostility towards them.
The Negotiation Experts behind him felt the same way; they thought Zhang Song and these Wood Elves were being ungrateful.
Now was not the time for Deherim to beg these Wood Elves for negotiations, nor for them to beg the Green Leaf Group to agree to peaceful exchanges. Instead, Deherim now held an absolute advantage and was willing to give them this opportunity out of pity, as they were also members of the Blue Star World.
This was an opportunity for salvation.
They truly hadn't expected the other side to be so ungrateful and adopt such an aggressive stance.
As Sun Zhiru spoke so impolitely, the Wood Elves on the tree wall, as well as the Blue Star Humans, including Zhang Song, all seemed to be silenced by his words.
This was indeed the truth.
So, on the tree wall, Zhang Song seemed to have made a decision. He looked up at Zhang Bo and said, “Are you truly here for peace? You know, we did some unfriendly things before.”
As soon as he finished speaking, their guilt was laid bare.
It also showed that they had wavered.
“That’s right, we are here for peace. Lord Shen Mu has said that the children of our Blue Star World are all inheritors of the Blue Star Civilization, all Blue Star Humans. No matter how bad things get, we at least share this identity.” Zhang Bo spoke again, sounding extremely sincere.
“Good.” As if moved by Zhang Bo’s words, Zhang Song on the tree wall slowly nodded, then reached out, grabbed a nearby vine, and actually jumped directly from the 10-meter-high tree wall.
And he came before Zhang Bo.
The two looked at each other.
Both saw the complex emotions flickering in each other’s eyes.
But now was not the time to acknowledge their relationship, and Zhang Song said in a deep voice, “In that case, I choose to believe you, and I am also willing to believe Respected Lord Shen Mu and Deherim.”
After a brief moment of contemplation, he turned around and waved to the people on the wall, saying, “Open the gates. Let our friends, these envoys of peace, enter our Wood Elf Village.”
A response came from the tree wall.
Then, the area that was originally tightly arranged, like a wall formed by trees, now had a gap between the treetops, just wide enough for one person to pass through, as the trees shifted.
“This is truly wonderful.” Zhang Bo also spoke, praising the tree wall of the Wood Elf Village.
“We Wood Elves are extraordinary beings in the spirit world, naturally possessing an intimate relationship with nature.” Zhang Song now explained, almost boasting, “It’s just that there isn’t much extraordinary power in this Blue Star World right now, otherwise our combat power wouldn’t be limited to what it is now.”
Of course, this was also a way for him to elevate his own status. (End of Chapter)
