Sail Shadows in the Sea of ​​Fog

Chapter 164 Preparing to Divide the Troops
"What about these elves and dark elves?"

Inside the tunnel, Yavso asked the most crucial question at hand.

The pointy-eared elves that Cheng Lang and his group just brought back were alright; at least they were all adults, and they weren't as eye-catching as the dark elves.

But the dark elves were different; some were already almost as big as Yavso, and some hadn't even been weaned yet.

It's clearly unrealistic to expect these dark elves to accompany them to the Elven Duchy to receive the tree's approval.

Such a large group, regardless of which race they disguise themselves as with hypocrisy, is far too eye-catching.

"They really can't follow us."

Cheng Lang said, "Even if we have enough hypocrisy and the blood of Poseidon, it won't work. So many people are too big a target, especially since there are children among them."

“What if we let them stay here?” Shenba asked.

"The buildings on the surface are now completely charred."

The elf who had just lost her husband said, “The food in those two carriages is not enough to last us long, and we can’t hide here forever. Gentlemen, ladies, or pirates, please help us.”

"It seems the captain already has an idea?" Yun Ji asked.

"yes"

Cheng Lang looked at Gerta as he spoke, "Mr. Gerta, I need you to take our newly recruited sailors and split up with us."

“Thank you for your trust,” Gerta said readily. “Where shall I take them?”

"Go to Frostflower Harbor, to our shipyard."

Cheng Lang said, "I need you to take them there and then send a message to Yun Hai, or to the pirate brothers, and tell them to send a ship to pick them up immediately."

After a slight hesitation, Cheng Lang whispered in the other person's ear, in a voice only the other person could hear, "Also, have them prepare enough sailors and captains to wait for us in the waters near Fengmo Island. As for you, you wait for us in that hotel."

“I will wait for you all until you all return,” Gerta said, accepting the dock key that Cheng Lang had secretly handed her.

“Mr. Fan Hart, please pilot the Tunneling Beetle to dig another tunnel that will allow them to leave this place,” Cheng Lang said, turning around.

“Captain, if you are willing to give me a little trust, I might be able to make these elves’ escape journey a little easier.”

"What kind of trust?" Cheng Lang asked curiously.

"Why don't you let me modify these three carriages?"

"Of course, there are also the spoils of war; I need to pick some out of them," Van Hart said.

“The mask of hypocrisy and the blood of Poseidon won’t do,” Yavso said first. “These are the keys to the Dark Elves’ survival.”

"Of course, I don't need those things."

Fan Hart said with great enthusiasm, "One night is enough. You can take this time to rest."

"Alright," Cheng Lang nodded, giving the other party a chance to perform.

After receiving permission, Fanhart immediately cheered and called on the big Shenba and several adult elves to help, and they began to get busy.

"In that case, let's set up the tents and get everyone some food first," Cheng Lang said.

Upon hearing this, Shenba and Kruk immediately set up their hunting tents, while the fleeing elves also set up an exceptionally luxurious hunting tent with an absurdly large interior space.

"Where did this hunting tent come from?" Cheng Lang asked curiously.

"We found it on Viscount Shenfei."

One of the elves said without reservation, "We also found a boat bottle on him."

As he spoke, the elf summoned a dark elf who looked to be about the same age as Yavso and asked him to bring out the ship bottle.

Without any hesitation, the dark elf lad reached into his pocket and pulled out an elf-style boat bottle, handing it to Cheng Lang.

This ship-shaped bottle was clearly not meant to be broken, because outside the glass, there was a golden protective shield with a large tree pattern and the emblem of the Elven Kingdom cut out from the glass.

Even though the bottle filled with water doesn't actually contain a boat, it seems to be just a container, a container to signify status.

"I'll give you this boat bottle, along with that luxurious hunting tent and carriage."

The elf suddenly spoke up, "It would be too dangerous for us to carry these things if we were discovered. This is not something we can keep."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Lang readily accepted the gift. He knew the other party was right. He even knew that the other party was using this impeccable excuse to "buy" him—just to make those black spirits come to life.

That's why, after accepting the two gifts, Cheng Lang immediately made a promise to do his best to send them to a safe place.

The two clever men completed the deal to buy lives, and Yun Ji killed several goats and divided them according to Yafso's request.

Yafso, the head chef, leads the skilled sailors and the pointy-eared elves in cooking delicious food together.

At the same time, Fanhart also directed Shenba and several elves to unload all the supplies from the three carriages and dismantle them.

What followed was completely incomprehensible to everyone, but that didn't stop them from treating the busy Fan Hart as a source of amusement and entertainment. They gathered around him in small groups, enjoying their dinner while offering their "professional opinions from laymen."

"Let's continue talking about Viscount Shenfei."

Cheng Lang, who was sitting with Yun Ji and Yun Lan, said that he could only discuss this matter with these two people. Others either didn't have brains or had brains used for other purposes.

"A viscount shouldn't be so high-profile."

Yun Lan picked up the gold-inlaid boat bottle and spoke first, "These kinds of things are commissioned by royal families from various countries to Gotland, or they are given as gifts by Gotland. That's why they usually don't contain a boat, especially for elves, boats are meaningless."

Setting down the boat bottle, Yun Lan pointed to the luxurious hunting tent not far away, "That's a palace-level hunting tent, only those with the rank of earl or higher are qualified to use when traveling."

"For example, that Marquis Shenqi?" Yun Ji asked.

"That's right"

Yun Lan nodded. "Then there's that carriage. Even though Viscount Shenfei is showered with affection, he would never take such things out, just like..."

"As if he's afraid people won't recognize him as Viscount Shenfei?" Cheng Lang said.

"Back then, Bo'erlan was almost overthrown because of its hypocritical facade. It seems this tactic is still effective today," Yun Ji said meaningfully.

“Besides, we have more hypocrisy than we can use right now,” Cheng Lang shook his head. “Is this also fate’s arrangement?”

"I don't know which side fate is on," Yun Lan sighed.

“At least we’re still alive,” Cheng Lang said. “Let’s talk about the next steps.”

We have enough masks of hypocrisy, but changing the user of a mask of hypocrisy requires consuming half of Poseidon's blood, and giving a new user a new face requires consuming another cup of Poseidon's blood.

So even including the Poseidon blood we possess, we can only change the face of a maximum of 40 people.

That's enough for all of them.

"It's hard to guarantee that we won't encounter dark elves again along the way," Yun Ji warned.

“That’s right,” Cheng Lang said. “So we can only be stingy and give one to each of the dark elves, but we can’t give any to the other elves.”

“Giving the other elves masks wouldn’t help,” Yun Ji said. “The marks of their imprisonment on their hands haven’t faded yet.”

"What's the use of that brand?" Cheng Lang asked curiously.

“It’s not very useful, but in the Elven Duchy, the brand on your wrist is checked when you enter or leave the border,” Yun Lan explained. “However, this rule only applies in the Elven Duchy.”

"They probably won't have time to deal with these things soon."

Yun Ji said, "Just give the mask to the Dark Elf, and then the food. I think, given that our captain has become a complete glutton, we need to get more food."

What does it mean to be a complete idiot?

Cheng Lang, who had already filled his mouth with bread and roast meat, grumbled as he picked up a bowl of vegetable soup. Ever since the earring got into his ear, his appetite had indeed increased.

“If Teacher Magic Mirror were here, he would definitely give you a decent and very pleasant explanation,” Yun Ji said bluntly.

"Mr. Magic Mirror would never use the word 'idiot' to describe Mr. Captain."

As Yun Lan spoke, she opened her backpack and pulled out a sub-mirror that allowed the Magic Mirror to pass through. "Although Mr. Magic Mirror cannot appear in this mirror, it is at least a mirror."

Why are you carrying this mirror?

Cheng Lang looked at himself in the mirror, his cheeks bulging from eating, and asked in confusion.

“I tried to communicate with the people inside the Void Dock from outside, but I failed,” Yun Lan said. “I can’t just throw it away.”

“You could have let me reopen the lock and put it back,” Cheng Lang said, having already finished his portion of soup.

“It’s alright. We’ll be in the carriage the whole way, so it won’t be a hassle to carry it. Besides, ladies are supposed to carry a mirror with them anyway,” Yun Lan said, stuffing the mirror back into her bag.

"Next up is this boat bottle, no, this one."

As Cheng Lang spoke, he put the ship bottle that the elves had given him into his pocket, then took out his own ship bottle that he originally used to hold red wine, and then turned to say, "Mr. Gerta, please bring another plate of roast meat."

"Good captain"

Gerta responded with a simple and honest voice, got up and brought over a large plate of roasted meat, then sat down at Cheng Lang's gesture.

After pouring the other person a glass of fruit wine, Cheng Lang casually slipped the bottle into the other person's pocket and whispered, "I've changed my mind. After you send those elves into the dock, just send a message to the pirate brothers to send people and ships to wait around Windmill Island. You need to do something else for me."

"What is it?" Gerta asked in a low voice.

"You need to help me buy a lot of fish oil in Frostflower Town, enough to fill that ship's bottle," Cheng Lang said in a low voice.

“This is easy to discuss,” Gerta agreed.

Sea fish oil isn't considered expensive in the Frost Duchy. Many tribes on the Arctic Ocean have a tradition of whaling, and sea fish oil is simply a byproduct of whale meat.

This needs to be done quickly.

Cheng Lang said in a low voice, "The sooner the better. After filling the ship's bottles, you must immediately go to the Elf Capital and meet up with us."

"Is there anything else I need to prepare?" Gerta pressed.

"Is there anything you want to bring or take back?" Cheng Lang asked Yun Ji and Yun Lan.

Seeing the two shake their heads, Cheng Lang clinked glasses with them. "That's all, Mr. Gerta. You can discard the ship bottle if necessary, but you must ensure the safety of you and the key."

I will be careful.

Gerta downed the wine in his glass, then got up and returned to his original spot, sitting down again with Yavso and the young sailors.

Only then did Yun Lan ask curiously, "Captain, what do you need so much fish oil for? Is it for that burrowing beetle?"

"That's right"

Cheng Lang nodded. "Although Fan Hart said that the undead can be used for power, look at the undead archer behind you. If the other side also has someone like Fan Hart, the undead are not a safe option."

"I don't know why, but I suddenly have a bad feeling," Yun Ji said. "Do we really need to go to the Elf Kingdom?"

"It is necessary"

Cheng Lang replied, "Do you still remember that invisible compass?"

"I remember," Yun Ji nodded, while Yun Lan looked completely bewildered.

That's the reason.

Cheng Lang said, "I also have a premonition, a strong premonition, that once we gain the approval of that big tree, I will be able to use the true function of that compass."

Upon hearing this, both Yun Ji and Yun Lan wisely refrained from asking what the compass's true function was.

Cheng Lang offered no further explanation, but instead, with an insatiable appetite, picked up a large piece of roasted meat and took a big bite.

After he finished eating, some of the dark elf imps who had already eaten their fill had returned to their hunting tents and entered a safe and peaceful dreamland.

Of course, Fan Hart, who no longer needed to eat, finally completed his transformation work.

After his modifications, the three carriages became much less noticeable.

Now, all three traveling carriages have been converted into four-wheeled vehicles. The original style of cargo bed and canvas canopy has been transformed into an inconspicuous little wooden house with four wooden wheels. These carriages, which look quite similar to the "ancient Chinese carriages" in Cheng Lang's memory, are even decorated with some orc-style totems.

Not only that, even the draft horses that originally pulled the cart were transformed by him into deer that were not much smaller than horses, but had huge tree-forked antlers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to introduce myself."

As Fan Hart spoke, he opened the wooden door on the side of the carriage and pointed to the inner compartment, saying, "There's nothing special about this place. The space is cramped, the cargo capacity is limited, and because it's pulled by a moose, its speed and endurance are far inferior to a horse-drawn carriage."

The only advantage of this carriage is that the interior is relatively comfortable and warm; even traveling on the icy seas of the Arctic, one wouldn't feel cold. Furthermore, I've prepared ice sleds on the roof, ready to be attached to the wheels at any time.

After a brief pause, Fan Hart pulled out a pin on the inside of the carriage door, opening the door outwards from where it could only be pushed inwards.

It was only at this moment that everyone noticed that there was a small wooden door inside the main door.

Opening the small door, Fan Hart pointed inside and said smugly, "I've hidden a hunting tent inside this door. Anyone standing outside who wants to inspect the carriage will be distracted by what's behind the door as soon as they open it."

Although the space inside the hunting tent might shake slightly as he opened the door, once the door was locked from the inside, even if someone outside discovered it, they wouldn't be able to open it.

After closing the door again, Fan Hart said, "All three carriages are like this, and I've expanded the interior space of the hunting tent. Even if it's just one, it'll be enough to fit everyone here."

Most importantly, these carriages weren't like the junk the elven royal family had modified themselves; they could be packed away at any time.

As he spoke, Fan Hart placed a wooden box, no bigger than a fist, on the ground. One of the carriages, pulled by a moose, automatically walked over and grew smaller and smaller until it finally squeezed into the box.

“Of course, in this situation, the people inside the hunting tent must come out, otherwise they will die inside,” Fan Hart concluded.

"Thank you, Pirate Queen Eleanor"

Cheng Lang couldn't help but mutter to himself, only realizing at this moment how much of a surprise Fan Hart was!
(End of this chapter)