Steel torrents pioneering a different world

Chapter 167 Commissioner Smith and the Intelligence Network! The Shock of the Elven Prisoners! (Please Subscribe)

In the modern world, the Octagon is the center for intelligence gathering and processing in the East!
A strong cup of coffee paired with a pizza from Raphael's Pizza will be Peter's lunch for working overtime tonight.

Although the intelligence center has plenty of delicious food, well...

That damn Hayek guy, for the sake of his employees' health, made all-vegetarian food. As a result, during the night shift, everyone would rather eat freshly made food nearby than go through the trouble of going to the cafeteria.

ding dong~
My phone rang. When I opened it, I saw it was a message from my fiancée telling me not to stay up late, as she was going to visit her aunt.

Seeing that it was already one o'clock, Peter replied with a heart emoji.

"Damn holiday, terrible weather, ruined my wedding, ruined my holiday!"

Due to the recent extreme weather, many places have experienced large fires, and the hotel they rented for their wedding and subsequent honeymoon was burned down.

The couple, who had planned to hold their wedding in Hawaii, had to postpone it for two months.

The wedding was canceled, and so was the vacation. Now I have to pay off the debt that was supposed to be a trip. It's so stressful!
Peter not only had to work overtime, but he also had to think about making some shady money to cover the tens of thousands of dollars in wedding losses.

"Sir, breaking news!"

"Okay, tell me!" Peter closed his eyes and gestured for his assistant to report the latest news.

"Sir, it's from the East. Some of their content creators—yes, the information we gathered from them..." Seeing his boss Peter's unpleasant expression, the assistant cut to the chase, "Our remotely fostered little dogs discovered this... Look!"

The so-called remotely raised puppies are naturally those who, after countless years of technological, military, and cultural hegemony, have developed a spiritual worship of the United States, and after a series of maneuvers, have finally become their loyal dogs.

They often refer to people who acquire their citizenship as playful little puppies.
Of course, there are also some flexible types who simply handle matters based on grain availability.

For example, a certain supervisor~
Anyway, these kinds of people consider themselves smart, but with the rise of the internet and the faster flow of information, they are not very respected at the University of Tokyo or overseas.

The Octagon held them in utter contempt, yet it had no choice but to exploit these despised individuals.

Peter watched a video message that had been translated from Chinese to English. It was from a content creator who mainly talked about economics, praising Western economics as gospel and belittling other people's economics as rubbish.

This video is quite simple; it mainly analyzes the construction of Zhurihe New City from various aspects.

In short, the construction of Zhurihe consumed countless resources but had little practical use, and it was also detrimental to urban clustering and overall planning in the long run.

In short, they practically belittled Zhurihe to the point of being idle.

"and then?"

"And then this!" Peter's subordinate announced regarding the construction of the Zhurihe underground tunnel.

"Many rational people within the University of Tokyo are analyzing and discussing this, and they all believe that building an underground tunnel in Zhurihe is extremely extravagant, because groundwater and similar resources can be obtained through surface construction. They once suspected that there was some unspeakable secret there, or that the other party was building something for military purposes under the guise of civilian use."

Another document placed in front of Peter was about the construction of an underground tunnel network from Zhurihe to several nearby cities, such as Baotou and Hohhot. This tunnel project not only included underground engineering but also drinking water projects.

Peter had seen this. In order to investigate the Zhurihe New City, they analyzed it with their own agricultural experts and some experts who stayed at Dongda University. They confirmed that Dongda University had once again made some huge investments with extremely slow return cycles, but which may have far-reaching impacts in the future.

Although Peter and many experts and professionals know that Dongda University is never thinking about short-term gains, they are planning for urban development and regional construction for the next few decades.

Just like the idea they once participated in—to develop the University of Tokyo by taking a detour through the subway.

Then, less than two years later, the other party's building complex and bus station were completed.

This unprecedented construction project, which defied convention, kept many intelligence personnel busy for several days!
In the end, the information they came to was quite simple: it was a large-scale project initiated by the University of Tokyo to boost the economy and strengthen infrastructure.

Looking at the data and thinking about the dwindling amount of capital in his pocket, Peter thought for a moment and finally said, "I understand. I also think this matter is very valuable intelligence! You summarize it, and I'll organize it and submit it to General Johnson later!"

"it is good!"

Peter returned to his desk, opened his dedicated software, and quickly joined a gossip chat group. Following the tags, he successfully found several informants.

"Here's a task: you guys create a news report about Zhurihe and send it out! Create some drama."

"...Okay, boss, what about the payment?"

"Once it's done, advertisers will contact you for $5000!"

"Okay, boss is generous!"

After ending the call, Peter began writing a new PowerPoint presentation and a funding application plan.

He quickly finalized an action plan worth $15.

Under normal management, the superior would approve an activity fund of approximately $5. After going through several intermediaries and with some bribes, he could probably get a share of the bonus of $5000.

"No, that's not enough. We need to do something more!"

Peter scratched his head, unable to find a better reason for the moment, or what action plan could increase the funding for the campaign, and then he could become Commissioner Smith himself.

Just as my mind was blank, my phone rang again.

Upon opening it, I found a message from General Johnson.

Darling~ Do I look beautiful today?

White stockings legs.jpg
Peter's lips twitched when he saw the boss's offspring, who was physically male but psychologically female and actively trying to become a girl.

I checked the time and realized it was already 2:30 a.m.

Young people have boundless energy.

Peter stared at the bright white close-up on his phone screen and the explicit "Darling," his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.

It's not that I'm envious, it's that I feel nauseous!

But considering that the other party is the child of my direct boss...

"Great! But you need to rest now! You can't overwork your body when you're young, or you'll feel uncomfortable when you get old."

He carefully chose his words and typed the line with a mixture of concern for his superior's child and a touch of distance.

The message was replied almost instantly.

"Haha, it's okay, darling~ I, Old Deng, have left again. No one's home today either. Come visit sometime~"

Peter slammed his phone face down on the table, as if some monster or demon would jump out of the screen.

He dared not reply again, fearing that if he said even one more word, he would really have to "visit" that night.

The office air conditioning was on full blast, but Peter felt a fine layer of cold sweat seeping down his back.

He scratched his head in frustration, his gaze returning to the PowerPoint presentation about Zhurihe.

Tunnels, infrastructure, water conservancy... these things are too practical and too boring. At most, they can only squeeze a few thousand dollars in bonuses out of Johnson, which is just a drop in the bucket compared to his tens of thousands of dollars in wedding losses.

No, that's too little!

His gaze involuntarily drifted back to the black cell phone.

White stockings... Tokyo University...

An absurd yet highly feasible idea shot through his mind like an electric current.

Peter's eyes lit up instantly.

He sat up abruptly, his fingers flying across the keyboard, producing a series of crisp sounds.

A brand new PPT title was born from his hands—

[An in-depth analysis report on how Tokyo University uses textiles such as black and white silk to culturally infiltrate and aesthetically influence the Chinese people]

After writing this title, Peter couldn't help but laugh.

He cleverly combined this absurd topic with his previous serious analysis of the Zhurihe infrastructure project, thus creating an action plan that was half true and half false, a perfect fit for his superior's peculiar tastes.

"Hopefully, the general will step up his game this time," Peter muttered to himself, his eyes gleaming with a thirst for money.

The next day, General Johnson arrived late, accompanied by a strong fragrance, when the clock in his office had already struck 9:30.

I was half an hour late again.

Peter inwardly scoffed, but on his face he plastered on the most respectful smile. The man quickly stepped forward and handed him the thick stack of documents.

"Sir, you look very well. This is the latest project briefing. There are some unusual developments at the University of Tokyo that warrant attention."

As they drew closer, the familiar scent of perfume grew stronger, wafting into Peter's nose.

He felt that the perfume smelled very similar to a perfume his fiancée had worn before.

I don't even know what kind of person the other person's lover is!

Is this guy still able to farm at his age?
Hmm, perhaps Johnson's lover is actually a man?
Thinking of his biologically male but psychologically female child, Peter quickly retreated to a distance.

"Abnormal?" Johnson yawned, a hint of sleepiness still lingering in his eyes. He took the document and lazily flipped through it.

His brows were still slightly furrowed as his gaze swept over the dry infrastructure data, but when he flipped to the back and saw the eye-catching headline about "black stockings and white stockings," his sleepy eyes suddenly lit up.

“Cultural infiltration…aesthetics of the masses…” Johnson’s yawn vanished instantly, and he looked at Peter with interest. “Very good, Peter, this is a very novel approach. The methods of the East are indeed getting more and more strange.”

Peter's heart began to race, and he tentatively asked, "So you mean, this project can be approved?"

“Of course!” Johnson slammed the document on the table, his tone tinged with excitement. “However, the funding you requested is too little!”

Peter was taken aback.

"Sir?"

"Freedom, an expensive and dream-filled value, we need it to roam every corner of the world, not to be defined by those damned Easterners."

"The other side's actions are very dangerous, extremely dangerous! They pose a great threat to us!"

“I think we need at least two million dollars in funding!” Johnson said decisively, a strange glint in his eyes. “Peter! This is a battle for the aesthetics of our next generation! It’s a bloodless cultural war! We must fight back!”

Two million! US dollars!

A war without bloodshed?
General Johnson is truly a man of great vision!
Peter's mind went blank, as if he had been hit by a huge surprise, and he was completely stunned.

He calculated carefully.

As is customary, he is guaranteed at least $100,000 in commission!

Not only can the financial hole from the wedding be covered, but it can even generate a huge profit!
Okay, maybe it's $100,000. Anyway, if this project succeeds, he can at least get a lot of kickbacks.

Hehe ~
"Sir, you are truly wise and far-sighted!"

Peter suppressed his overwhelming joy, his voice trembling slightly with excitement.

“Go, Peter! You’re in charge this time!” Johnson waved his hand, his face beaming with a sacred sense of mission. “All for our great America!”

Peter, holding the signed approval document, walked lightly out of the office.

He looked down at the exaggerated number on the document and suddenly felt a sense of absurdity.

I was just trying to raise some funds, so how did the leader suddenly start a special, sacred activity?
"Hmm, it seems the boss has put me in full charge this time. Does this mean he's planning to promote me and entrust me with important responsibilities?!"

Thinking about this made Peter even more excited.
-
In the modern world, Zhurihe is a logistics coordination and management department.

"Snapped!"

Li Weiguo slammed a thick folder shut, the crisp sound particularly jarring in the quiet office.

"A bunch of ungrateful bastards!" He looked at the new list compiled by his subordinates, his face turning ashen.

These people enjoy the best resources and peace in their own country, yet they turn around and worship cherry blossoms, their words full of flattery.

They're all liberal arts students, yet they insist on pretending to be economists, and they even speak with such arrogance and sarcasm, like Zhu Rihe.

It must be said that sometimes, some heretical practitioners, by trying to undermine Zhurihe New City from other angles, almost succeeded by sheer luck.

If it wasn't confirmed data, then those guys were just spouting nonsense. Li Weiguo genuinely believed that Zhu Rihe's secret had been leaked by those brilliant minds.

"Ugh, this is so annoying! I can't clean it up now!"

Although these people are mentally part of the Sakura people, some of them need to be used for strategic purposes.

In the future, if the University of Tokyo really has a conflict with outsiders, these are probably the first people to jump out and act as collaborators.

Given the current situation, is it foolish for them to act in this way?
No, it's not stupidity.

Li Weiguo rubbed his temples and pushed the list aside.

These people believe they have grasped the truth of the universe, living in their own information cocoons, and scoff at any well-intentioned reminders from the outside world.

Peel back that shiny outer layer, and you'll find it's rotten inside.

He pressed the intercom button, his voice as cold as ice: "File this newly collected list and organize the other party's gray data."

A respectful reply came immediately from the other end of the phone: "Yes, Mr. Li."

The so-called archiving is simply handing it over to a unit specifically responsible for keeping records in a black book.

Because I have to follow certain rules and earn money from everyone, I won't bother with these clowns for now.

But every single expense must be remembered clearly.

Liquidation naturally requires a thorough inventory and liquidation.
After dealing with these upsetting things, Li Weiguo's mood improved slightly.

He opened another document, and when he saw the title, his tense lips finally relaxed slightly.

The special equipment made by Taoists was successfully activated after two verifications.

The document details the achievements of the "special seal".

In the picture, a stamp, barely larger than a palm and covered with intricate energy patterns, is being stamped on a yellow piece of paper.

The cinnabar mark was bright red and glistening.

The newly printed special consumable items are very fresh.

These fresh, consumable paper items combined to form an absolute line of defense for the soldiers' lives and minds.

“A person with abundant energy can produce five hundred sheets a day…” Li Weiguo read out the key data in the report in a low voice, his smile growing even wider.

This is a qualitative leap!

You should know that in the past, we relied entirely on the hand-drawn sketches of special consultants. It was considered an extraordinary achievement to produce fifty high-quality consumables a day, and we often failed because of the excessive mental strain.

Now, the ceremony and stamping are completed in one go, with a success rate of almost 100%.

From handmade production to small-scale industrial mass production, and finally to direct mass production, this is progress, and it is what the University of Tokyo excels at.

With these standardized consumable items, the troops' defensive capabilities have been greatly improved. Now, Tokyo University is also actively researching offensive methods against otherworldly energy entities.

At that time, the safety of frontline soldiers will be greatly improved, and their attack power will also be greatly enhanced.

He signed his name at the end of the document with satisfaction, and then picked up the next document from another world to read.

It was a proposal submitted by Su Mingjin.

[Feasibility report on releasing the elven captives and attempting to contact the forest kingdom behind them].

Li Weiguo looked at it very carefully.

Su Mingjin's plan was bold, but she also took the risks into account.

He pondered for a moment, picked up his pen, and wrote his comments in the comments section.

"We can try. But remember, goodwill needs to be upheld with overwhelming force! Ensure the safety of our personnel as much as possible!"

After putting down his pen, Li Weiguo picked up the large tea mug on the table, blew on the tea leaves, and took a leisurely sip.

His gaze swept across the scrolling latest battle report on the screen, and his brows furrowed involuntarily again.

The undead scourge of the far north has returned, though not on the same scale as before, they are still as annoying as a persistent nuisance.

This time, the troops finally wiped them out with their overwhelming firepower, but the list of ammunition and supplies consumed made his eyelids twitch.

His gaze finally fell on the bright red number in the logistics system—the reserves of otherworldly artillery shells were sufficient, but not enough to cope with large-scale wars.

"It's still too fragile."

The foundation of the military-industrial complex remains in the modern world. The production lines hastily established in this other world are only barely adequate due to the unique chemical materials used in this world.

Once the conflict escalates, the firepower advantage will be difficult to maintain.

The painful lessons of decades ago have deeply ingrained the "fear of insufficient firepower" in the bones of every soldier at Dongda University.

They abandoned armor-based missile countermeasures and embraced integrated information and fire systems.

In another world, faith and fire are one—this is also the future.

Their most reassuring sense of security comes from crushing the enemy into dust with an absolute torrent of steel.

After approving the combat troops and compiling the list of rewards, Li Weiguo began to organize other data.

If those guys at the Octagon continue to intensify their reconnaissance efforts over Zhurihe, they'll have to be prepared.

"The fake network is somewhat unstable, so perhaps we can adopt some news awareness and cognitive chaos response measures."
-
The sun in this other world hasn't fully risen yet, and the weather is still gloomy today. It's likely to be another day with little sunshine for most of the time.

The sky was just beginning to lighten, and the cold wind was biting.

The humans began to notify the elven captives to assemble outside.

All the elven captives were brought out of their respective cells by the guards and gathered on the open snowfield.

The cold wind of this other world was as biting as ever, whipping up the fine snow on the ground. Although it didn't hurt when it hit people's faces, it was still very uncomfortable.

The elves huddled together, some scanning their surroundings, some lost in thought, and some rubbing their bellies, clearly hungry.

However, most of them were expressionless, their expressions unclear whether it was from the cold or fear. Seeing so many of her kind gathered together, Lani's heart sank; a sense of foreboding gripped her instantly.

Yesterday's exchange has ended. Is this the time to announce their future fate?
Are their lives about to come to an end?
Or, as in the legends, were they sold as spoils of war to a distant continent, where they became playthings of dark creatures?
Lani's face turned deathly pale at the thought of that tragic future.

“Mother Goddess…please forgive your humble follower, Lani can no longer serve you in the forest.”

She closed her eyes in despair, but another thought stubbornly surfaced in her mind.

Yesterday's experience echoed in her mind as she thought about it all...

just in case……

What if this really is a misunderstanding?

This thought was like a spark in the darkness, faint yet stubbornly refusing to be extinguished.

All living things have a survival instinct. Lani was no exception.

Having overcome the initial emotional turmoil, she has now moved past that phase.

At this moment, her desire to live grew even stronger.

"Swish, swish—!"

A tremendous, seemingly tearing sound came from the horizon, growing louder as it approached.

Upon hearing this sound, the elves looked up sharply.

One after another, ferocious steel giant birds stirred up the swirling snow and landed steadily on the open ground not far away with unparalleled momentum.

The wind whipped up by the propellers nearly knocked everyone off their feet, and the elves let out suppressed gasps, their faces drained of all color.

These giant steel birds reminded them of the bad experiences they had gone through.

These giant steel birds, accompanied by human warriors, outflanked and surrounded them, turning their carefully laid traps into a pathetic joke.

Those giant steel birds are far more powerful than the stubborn cave-dwelling centaur airships next door; they fly faster and can launch attacks from a distance.

The elves' arrows couldn't even damage the opponent's transparent glass.

Looking at the steel monster that was faintly visible in the snow, Lani's pitiful hope was almost completely blown away by the gale.

The hatch opened, and Su Mingjin and Yu Qiwen stepped out one after the other.

Su Mingjin's gaze calmly swept over the faces of the elves, some terrified, some angry, and some trying their best to appear calm. She exhaled and then nodded slightly to Yu Qiwen beside her.

Yu Qiwen cleared his throat, stepped forward, and spoke in an increasingly fluent, even somewhat standard, otherworldly savage language.

"My fellow elves."

His voice, amplified by a loudspeaker, was clearly transmitted to the ears of each elf.

"After communicating with everyone yesterday, we found that you seem to have some...deep-rooted misunderstandings about us."

The elves below were deathly silent, with only the howling of the wind and snow.

Yu Qiwen paused for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts, and then continued in an extremely sincere tone: "From the moment we arrived in Zhensheli, to the time when you launched your attack on us, everything could have been a huge misunderstanding."

"Fellow elves, we are a race that loves peace, cherishes life, and is dedicated to developing agricultural production!"

"We love farming more than anything in our lives!"

"I dislike fighting!"

These words caused a small commotion among the elven captives. Several young elves wore undisguised complex expressions, while others wore mocking expressions.

Love of peace?

Dislike fighting?

Dedicated to farming?
Did they use that terrifying magical device to burn the forest to the ground, and then kill the undead scourge that plagued countless people like chickens and plant them in the fields?
Their birds have witnessed many humans capturing undead servants and then subjecting them to all sorts of cruel tests.

Even if it kills me, I'll still make a fuss!

More demonic than the legendary demons.

These cruel humans, who blast their fellow forest creatures into pieces, claim to love peace and dislike fighting.
This was the most shameless and absurd joke they had ever heard!
If they truly love peace, why have they produced and developed countless war magic devices specifically designed for killing, large-scale killing, and even wiping out almost all living beings?
Bah~
Humans are so shameless!

Yu Qiwen seemed oblivious to the disbelief on their faces and continued, "Our long history has proven countless times that only communication and exchange can bring true peace! There is no irreconcilable blood feud between us and you!"

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone turning cold.

“We learned some information from Chief Jinhe of the Ice River Tribe.”

"According to the traditions of the human powers in the Southern Kingdoms as you know them, the best fate for elven prisoners of war is to become slaves; of course, they might also be thrown into the mines to work until they die."

“But we are different.” Yu Qiwen’s tone softened again. “We are a kind and peace-loving race!”

"We are willing to show you our goodwill. We do not want to be your enemy."

"Ladies and gentlemen, misunderstandings need to be resolved through communication. Therefore, after careful consideration, our superiors have decided to select nine lucky individuals today to send you back to the Forest Kingdom."

“You will be free to leave this place and take our goodwill back to your forest kingdom.”

"Lucky guy?"

"Release us?"

The elves looked at each other, their suspicions deepening.

"As for the others," Yu Qiwen spread his hands, a hint of apology on his face, "I'm sorry, given the nobles' continued strong hostility towards us, we need to temporarily detain you all as hostages to ensure the safety of our envoys who are going to communicate with us. Please understand!"

hostage!

These two words were like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing the illusions in some people's hearts.

Humans are indeed cunning.

Show goodwill first, then deliver a blatant threat!
If the lucky ones who leave cannot persuade their own kind, will all these captives become outcasts of the kingdom?

Will the humans' revelation of the Forest Kingdom's arrangements to Jinling chill the hearts of the elf captives?

Regardless, this human method is far more inhumane than traditional methods such as arrest, interrogation, and enslavement!
This is an extremely evil tactic.

However, this tactic has taken advantage of the wishful thinking of many elves.

What if I get selected?

This is incredibly dishonorable and utterly selfish!

Before the elves could process this huge amount of information, several staff members carried up a locked wooden box.

Yu Qiwen patted the box, making a muffled sound.

"Alright, everyone, it's time to show your luck. Draw lots. If you draw a lot, you can leave; if you don't, you'll have to stay here for now. Although you've lost your freedom, at least your lives are safe!"

"Let's draw lots! Let's see who will be the nine lucky ones to return to their hometowns!"

The elves faced each other, then their gazes fell upon Lani, who remained calm.

Lani's gaze swept over the tense yet expectant faces, and she finally nodded slightly.

"Go."

With permission granted, the elves seemed to relax their tension and swarmed around.

What humans call the lottery box is now seen by the elven captives as both the Holy Grail of hope and the abyss of despair.

A long, beautiful elf's hand reached into the box, groped around, then clutched a small wooden ball and trembled as she withdrew it.

"Snapped."

The ball made of an unknown material was squeezed open.

Inside was a folded red paper strip.

The elf's face instantly turned ashen, and the light in his eyes went out as if all his strength had been drained away.

Another sprite opened the ball.

A touch of green comes into view.

Her eyes widened in surprise, but realizing it was inappropriate, she quickly covered her mouth to prevent a gasp of delight from escaped. However, the light in her eyes was impossible to hide, so she could only lower her head desperately, not wanting her companion to see.

Joy is so selfish that it seems particularly glaring at this moment.

A few are happy, but most are sad.

The atmosphere was so oppressive that one could hardly breathe.

Lani looked at the ball lying quietly in her palm, then squeezed it open with her fingertips.

A striking splash of red.

She felt relieved, her heart calmed down, and she simply bit her lip lightly.

Staying seems to be the only logical thing to do.

"Lani!"

Eileen suddenly appeared, grabbed her wrist, and without a word, shoved a green tag into her palm before taking the red tag away.

The action was so fast that there was no room for refusal.

“You must go back! The elders need news of you!” Eileen’s voice was low, but every word was resolute.

Lani opened her mouth, but looking at Eileen's resolute face, all the words of refusal stuck in her throat.

She understood that this was not a sign of humility, but a choice.

Eileen chose to let her bear the hopes of everyone.

Lani possesses a great deal of magic and has many connections in the forest kingdom.

Sending her back might save more of her companions.

In the end, she said nothing, but simply reached out and hugged her companion tightly.

it is more than words.

The draw ended quickly, and the nine lucky individuals were called out individually by the human soldiers and lined up in a row.

Not long after, Tang Huanzhu and the other female humans came over carrying a pile of neatly folded clothes.

Those were the clothes they wore during their captivity.

Lani immediately spotted her familiar dark green soft nail polish and fitted, warm clothes.

Aside from his poisoned dagger, longbow, quiver, precious magic cloak, and the bottles and jars used for disguise and healing, most of his other belongings were still there.

Thinking of the humiliation of being stripped naked while she was unconscious, and looking at the expressionless human women in front of her, the nausea in her heart subsided a little.

At least, humanity has retained a shred of decency, allowing women to do this.

She looked around and noticed some fruit and water pouches next to her clothes. These must have been the dry rations and water they ate during their few days back in the kingdom.

How ridiculous! Don't humans know that elves can find food anywhere in the forest kingdom?

How thoughtful of them, they even prepared food for the journey.

Are they really going to let us go like this?

Just then, the man named Su Mingjin said something, and Yu Qiwen immediately cleared his throat and translated in Elvish: "Gentlemen, in order to ensure the safety of the warriors escorting you, and for your own safety, all those who have been chosen, please wear this."

As soon as he finished speaking, several tall human soldiers carried over a heavy box and opened it...

A pile of shackles and handcuffs, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen, were revealed.

It was exactly the same as the one that had locked them up in the interrogation room before.

They are extremely sturdy, restricting movement and locking wrists, turning them into sitting ducks who can neither run fast nor swing their fists.

"Those who want to go home, please bring your own clothes and food, and then board the plane!"

Although Yu Qiwen had a smile on his face, what he said was like a cold stone.

The pile of cold shackles and handcuffs lay scattered on the ground, reflecting a cold, metallic sheen.

The chosen elves did not move; their gazes once again unconsciously converged on Lani.

Lani raised her eyes and met the gaze of the human woman named Su Mingjin.

"What about the others? Will you release them?"

“That depends on the future attitude of your Forest Kingdom!” Su Mingjin’s answer was watertight. “If your compatriots continue to harbor malice towards us, then they will continue to be imprisoned until we find an opportunity for them to work.”

Job opportunities?
Lani sneered inwardly. How nicely she put it. Wasn't it just another form of enslavement?
She pressed on, "How do you guarantee their safety?"

"As long as you don't do anything out of line to our soldiers, we can guarantee their safety, and... their most basic dignity," Su Mingjin promised.

dignity?

It is particularly ironic that this word comes from a human mouth.

Legend has it that humans, especially evil humans who believe in evil gods, are known for being two-faced and full of lies.

Will they really allow the elves to maintain their dignity?

Lani's gaze slowly swept over her companions who had not been chosen; their expressions had returned to calm after a period of adjustment.

But Lani could see their disappointment and unease.

Her eyes searched the crowd eagerly and found Annies standing in the distance.

Annies... she wasn't chosen either?

She took a deep breath, refrained from speaking to Anise, and instead went to the squad leaders who were still imprisoned and gave them a tight hug.

"While you're here, try to understand humanity, gather more clues about the base, and memorize their weapons." Her voice was extremely low, yet every word was clear and carried an undeniable power. "Wait for me, we will definitely come back to save you!"

After saying that, she resolutely turned around and walked towards the shackles without looking back.

Under everyone's gaze, she bent down and picked up a pair of shackles. The cold touch of the metal sent a shiver through her.

Click~
She fastened the shackles to her ankles with her own hands without the slightest hesitation, and then the handcuffs.

Click~
Another crisp sound rang out, binding the hands that had drawn the longbow countless times.

After doing all this, she straightened up, grabbed her clothes and food, and was the first to walk toward the steel bird that had once terrified her.

The remaining elven captives watched Lani's resolute departure, their emotions a mix of envy, worry, and anticipation, ultimately settling into silent farewell.

No one wants to lose their freedom, but fortune has not smiled upon them.

Su Mingjin watched all this, satisfied with the result, and turned to leave.

"Everyone, please board the plane! We will take you back to your forest kingdom," Yu Qiwen urged again.

Upon boarding that steel behemoth, a strong smell of engine oil mixed with a wave of scorching heat hit us.

Lani was placed in a window seat, and a human soldier pointed to the restraints next to the seat, indicating that she should put the shackles back on.

This time, the shackles were thicker and directly connected to the metal frame of the cabin, completely eliminating any possibility of a sudden attack.

The young soldier in charge of locking her up seemed a little nervous, his fingers fiddling with the lock several times before finally getting it right. Lani could smell the faint scent of sweat on him, and she found it somewhat amusing.

It is clearly prey, yet it inspires such fear in the hunter.

As the final latch closed, all the soldiers on guard retreated to a safe distance, but they never lowered their weapons.

The helicopter's massive rotors began to spin, emitting a deafening roar.

Yu Qiwen clasped his hands in a fist salute to them, his voice somewhat muffled by the noise: "Gentlemen, I'm sorry, it's all for safety reasons."

Lani ignored Yu Qiwen's polite words.

The hatch slammed shut, cutting off the last glimpses of their companions outside.

She simply pressed her cheek against the cold porthole, feeling the tremors of the giant steel bird beneath her.

With a violent tremor and a teeth-grinding noise, they felt their vision change.

Beside him, a young elf couldn't help but let out a short gasp and gripped the seat tightly.

The feeling of weightlessness, a sensation she had never experienced before, a feeling of being forcibly ripped from the earth, made Lani's stomach churn.

She suppressed her discomfort and greedily looked outside.

The view was rapidly changing high above. A hideous, enormous scar appeared on the snow-covered north.

That was the human camp.

No, describing it as a city is more appropriate.

The roads, arranged like a chessboard, divide the entire area into countless squares.

On the black road, countless enormous steel worms moved swiftly, dragging long boxes as they sped into the distance...

This was a scene that shocked the ignorant elves and terrified Lani, who had thought of the potential for war!
(End of this chapter)