Elf Kingdom: Game of the World Tree-Chapter 334 - 317: Something’s Not Right

If you ask players why they like "Elf Kingdom," some might say it’s because of the realistic graphics, others might say it’s the intricately detailed settings, some might say it’s because of the lifelike NPCs that subconsciously feel like a real world, or perhaps it’s the almost limitless freedom the game offers...

However, if you ask players what their favorite task in the game is, most would likely choose the wars in "Elf Kingdom"!

The summer event’s battle with the Half-Beasts already gave many a taste of war addiction.

This grand battle involving thousands is irresistibly attractive to the players.

Unlike wars in other games, in "Elf Kingdom," players genuinely felt like they were in the midst of a battlefield.

They could truly experience the madness and thrill of the battlefield, the heroism and passion, which other subpar virtual games couldn’t compare to.

Not to mention, what best highlighted the epic feel of "Elf Kingdom" were its various wars.

The more people involved in the battle, the more spectacular the scene, the more exciting the adrenaline rush became.

The sense of realism, the epic ambiance, the unprecedented sense of immersion and participation, and the satisfaction of chasing NPCs in the Goddess’s buff; the intense melee combat, the tense excitement, the dazzling remote "fireworks," had long made players who participated unable to stop...

Of course, besides these subjective feelings, another reason was that those war-related tasks were undoubtedly the fastest way to gain experience.

Every major battle allowed a lucky group to level up like a rocket, and most players made a great fortune during the task.

Achievements and contribution points, which usually required grinding for a week or two, could be earned in a single battle.

So... knowing another great battle was coming, almost all players were thrilled.

Everyone spread the news and eagerly chose to participate in the battle.

Even the normally unpopular Black Dragon Castle began to gather more and more players as time went on.

Many players, worried about missing the initial battle, even started idling in the castle days in advance, afraid of missing the best opportunity.

At this moment, while the high-end combat players either remained in Fengye City or infiltrated the mercenaries, those staying in the Elf Forest had become different from before.

After some effort during this period, many mid- and low-level players also broke through.

Level 21 was already the median server level, and many of the hardcore Second Test Players and Third Test Players gradually approached the threshold of Black Iron Upper.

Undoubtedly, after completing this task, they would certainly advance to Black Iron Upper and enter the first tier.

Soon, many players were expected to reach the level cap of 40 in "Elf Kingdom."

Everyone eagerly anticipated the upcoming war, their eyes alight with excitement, making Alice and the native elves sigh knowingly:

"These Chosen Ones... are really too belligerent."

"Mother Goddess above, do they have Beastman blood in them?"

Meanwhile, as the players geared up for battle, the mercenary group hunting the elves gradually approached the Dark Mountain Range...

This task’s general location of the Black Dragon Nest was already known to everyone from the bustling intelligence of Fengye City before departure.

The Dragon Nest was situated at the intersection of the Dark Mountain Range and the Elf Forest, in an abandoned ancient castle!

Although the location wasn’t precise, given that the Black Dragon often hovered in the sky, the Scouts roughly determined its specific coordinates based on its activity area.

The entire mercenary team, led by the Scouts, got closer and closer to the target.

Among the mighty Black Dragon crusade.

Kains, the leader of the Bleta Mercenary Corps, stood on a large boulder by a signpost, looking at the map in his hand, frowning slightly.

"In less than half a day, we’ll reach the Dark Mountain Range. What? Judging by your expression, are you scared?"

Beside him, Cynthia was polishing her bow while smilingly saying,

Kains ignored the sarcasm in her words, merely glancing at her and saying in a deep voice,

"No, I just feel something doesn’t quite add up."

"Doesn’t add up?"

Cynthia raised her eyebrows slightly:

"You’re worried about the Black Dragon’s power? It’s not even at the Golden Rank yet. Considering it’s a dragon, its strength certainly can’t be compared to ordinary silver magical beasts, but we have more than a dozen silver-level members!"

"Moreover, the two of us are Silver Upper. Together, with our various preliminary preparations, shouldn’t we be able to handle a mere immature Black Dragon?"

After hearing Cynthia’s words, Kains shook his head:

"No, it’s not the Black Dragon."

"Not the Black Dragon?"

Cynthia paused for a moment, then chuckled lightly,

"If it’s not the Black Dragon, is it the Black Dragon’s clansmen? What are you worried about? It’s just a young dragon. At most, it might keep some Goblins or Kobolds, or at most some wandering Half-Beasts. With the background of our two mercenary groups, surely there’s no problem."

An adult Black Dragon could probably easily raise a group of clansmen numbering in the thousands. However, they were dealing with a young Black Dragon at the moment, so Cynthia felt that with their five-thousand-member mercenary group, it was enough.

After speaking, she glanced at Kains again, only to find that he was still frowning at the map in his hand.

Cynthia felt something stir in her heart, and her expression became more serious:

"What’s going on? Is it not clansmen either?"

"It’s the Half-Beasts."

Kains said in a deep voice.

"Half-Beasts?"

Cynthia frowned.

"That’s right."

Kains nodded and then gestured on the map:

"According to my observations over these few days, the Black Dragon’s nest is most likely here, here, and here... These three places should all belong to a medium-sized Half-Beast Tribe—the core area of the Rock Cave Tribe. And we have actually already entered the main activity area of the Rock Cave Tribe."

"Rock Cave Tribe?"

Cynthia’s expression became stern.

The Owl Mercenary Corps’ activity area was not here, so she wasn’t very familiar with the nearby distribution of forces. However, even under such circumstances, she had heard of the famous Rock Cave Tribe.

It was a well-known Half-Beast Elf hunting tribe with various dealings with humans, not particularly powerful, but numbering in the thousands.

Thinking of this, Cynthia also frowned:

"Now that you mention it... it does seem a bit odd. Based on the Half-Beasts’ habits, if we’d entered their activity area, they might have issued a warning by now."

"But... forget issuing a warning, we haven’t even seen a trace of Half-Beasts around here."

"That’s why I said something’s off."

Kains said in a deep voice.

After speaking, he raised his head and looked forward:

"If I’m not mistaken, once we cross the hill in front, we should be able to see the Rock Cave Tribe. Let’s be careful—I suddenly feel a bit uneasy."

As he spoke, he closed the map.

Cynthia wanted to say something more, but seeing him gradually walking away, she remained silent.

With time, the entire team gradually got closer to the real target.

However, after crossing the hill ahead, the two mercenary leaders simultaneously widened their eyes.

What met their gaze was not a Half-Beast Tribe.

But a scene of ruins.

——————

Second update coming late at night, goodnight everyone.