Elf Kingdom: Game of the World Tree-Chapter 386 - 369 Stupid!

The Underworld, Shanatal City State.

This was an ancient city-state located in the upper region of the western area of the Dark Territory, separated from Blade City by an underground lake.

It was said that this Underground City was initially established by the Dark Dwarves during the early Silver Era and was destroyed during the mid-to-late Silver Era war, only to be rebuilt on its original site by the Underground Dwarves three thousand years ago...

Like Blade City, which was situated at a commercial node, Shanatal City State was also a commercial-oriented Underground City, and its structure was very similar to Black Rock City in the Deep Rift Cave.

However, unlike Blade City where dark dwarves specialized in selling armor and swords, Shanatal City State also sold similar equipment, but the Mage Robes woven from Earth Cave Spider silk by the Underground Dwarves here were more renowned in the Underworld...

Of course, this was also why the siege by the Dark Alliance army had become low-intensity, and even though players could no longer quickly earn experience points by killing undead, there were still so many new players who, even if it meant dying once, found ways to scrounge a set of equipment.

No wonder, Mage equipment was just too damn good! And too damn scarce!

Of course, while the players were enjoying themselves, the higher-ups of Shanatal were not so delighted.

At this moment, the current chief elder of the city-state, Katera, lay in bed, expressionless, looking at several Shanatal higher-ups in front of him.

Among them were the city’s financial controller, intelligence officer, military minister, a diplomat who had enlisted the help of elf volunteers, and the successor to the next chief—Duoruru.

Even though the city defense battle situation seemed promising, the atmosphere here was very grave.

Everyone faced the chief lying in the hospital bed, listening timidly to the financial manager’s report:

"Chief..."

The financial manager’s voice was quite bitter:

"Since the elves joined the war, although our pressure has significantly reduced, the expenditure has been increasing at an frightening pace..."

"Within one week from the time the elves joined the battle until now, we have exhausted all stored spider silk Mage Robes and armor equipment and have already incurred a debt exceeding twenty million in gold pounds, along with an additional five thousand sets of spider silk robes..."

"This... has already amounted to our city’s income for nearly twenty years."

Deathly silence.

Upon hearing this number, Katera’s face turned ashen.

He coughed a few times and then looked at the military minister, coldly asking:

"Tell me about the situation of the defense battle, especially the condition of the elves."

The military minister, who was a dwarf, nodded and said in a deep voice:

"Chief, currently, the city defense situation is good. After the elves joined the battle, our soldiers’ casualties have drastically reduced, and the pressure on defense has significantly lessened, but... the elves’ casualties are somewhat alarming."

He paused for a moment and provided an astonishing number:

"According to our statistics, nearly one hundred thousand elves have joined the battle over the past week."

"One hundred thousand? That’s impossible! There are at most twenty thousand elves defending on the city wall!"

Duoruru couldn’t help but exclaim.

Only when Chief Katera gave him a cold glance, did he shudder and awkwardly close his mouth.

Then, the military minister explained:

"Lord Duoruru, the reason you only saw twenty thousand is because these one hundred thousand came to support us one after another, and most of them have ’fallen in battle.’

"Fallen in battle?"

Duoruru’s expression was remarkable.

He had not been involved in the city defense battle and truly did not understand the elves’ combat.

"That’s right, but they did not all die in battle against the undead; quite a few accidentally fell to their deaths from the city walls... but, I am more inclined to believe they committed suicide."

*Suicide? How could this be possible?*

Duoruru felt incredibly absurd.

Noticing Duoruru’s dazed expression, the aged chief snorted and looked at the female intelligence officer of the city-state:

"Shana, tell him what information you have gathered."

"Yes, Chief."

The underground dwarf named Shana bowed respectfully. She glanced at Duoruru, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes, and said lightly:

"We have already uncovered the background of these elves and have learned the true situation of Blade City’s defense battle."

"These elves... hail from the ground world. They abandoned their belief in the World Tree and turned to worship a life goddess named Eve, who is said to control the domains of nature and life."

"It is said she is a newly ascended Divine, seemingly supported by the great Hela Crown, inheriting the domain of the World Tree. Of course, some speculate she is actually a True God Avatar created by the Death God in the ground world..."

"These elves are ’believers of the Life Goddess,’ and they are not only numerous but also possess the ability of resurrection. Once they die, they revive in another place..."

"They changed their faith, and it seems they also changed their nature."

"During Blade City’s defense battle, reportedly eighty thousand elves participated, but the number of elves defending on the city wall never exceeded twenty thousand, much like our city-state..."

"After the battle, Blade City incurred massive debts of gold pounds and equipment, all needing to be paid to the elves."

"Additionally, a large number of eyewitnesses testified that they saw familiar faces repeatedly receiving equipment among the elves who had recollected their battle gear..."

*Life Goddess? Undying? Resurrection?*

Duoruru was stunned.

After the female intelligence officer finished her report, she respectfully stood to the side.

Chief took a glance at the stupefied Duoruru, a trace of disappointment flashing in his eyes.

He covered his mouth, coughed a few times, and sighed, saying:

"Everyone else, leave. Duoruru, stay."

The financial minister and others quickly left the room, leaving only Chief Katera and his grandson Duoruru inside.

"Duoruru, have you figured out what’s going on now?"

Chief said coldly.

Duoruru’s expression changed, and he gritted his teeth, saying:

"I know, we’ve been tricked by these supporting elves! They even used their abilities to swindle our wealth!"

"Foolish!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he was met with the chief’s furious roar.

The aged chief was trembling with anger. He coughed a few times and angrily said:

"Didn’t you realize something was wrong with these elves right from the start?! Didn’t you communicate with the envoy sent to Black Rock City?!"

"Although Blade City successfully defended against the attack, didn’t you understand their situation? Even if you were unaware of specific intelligence, didn’t you know to investigate?!"

"You rashly signed an agreement with the elves just like Blade City’s without understanding everything. Isn’t that foolish?!"

"These peculiar elves are certainly as cunning as humans, but your foolishness is the biggest reason for our city-state’s current predicament!"

The old chief roared angrily.

Duoruru, on the other hand, was in a panic, keeping his head down and not daring to speak.

Seemingly tired, the old chief took a deep breath, shook his head deeply:

"Alas..."

His voice was very weary.

After a moment of silence, the old chief looked at Duoruru once more.

This time, his gaze was very serious and very stern:

"Duoruru, now tell me, what should we do next?"

Upon hearing the chief’s words, Duoruru raised his head.

When he saw the city-state chief, who was also his own grandfather, with those stern eyes, he instinctively looked away. frёewebnoѵēl.com

But soon, he gathered his courage, gritted his teeth, and said:

"*They are deceiving us!*"

"*So to speak... these elves are actually just twenty thousand continuously dying and resurrecting?!*"

"*In this situation, we have absolutely no reason to pay the promised rewards! Not only that, we should even reclaim the money we have overpaid them!*"

Upon hearing Duoruru’s words, the old chief’s face turned more ashen.

He picked up a cane in front of the bed, smashed it on the other’s face, and roared angrily:

"Foolish!"