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Chapter 305 We dwarves can sing and dance too! (Please subscribe)

As Le Bon Hammer stood in the shadows of the ridge, the biting mountain wind chilled his face.

He looked into the distance.

Hidden in the mountains below are more than a thousand elite dwarves and their retinue.

They are the kingdom's strongest shield, the dwarven heavy canned goods that once caused considerable harm to humanity and were coveted by all.

The runic power armor worn by each dwarf, if it were to encounter human soldiers at close range, could instill despair in the human side.

Aside from using a mutually destructive explosion, humans have virtually no way to win a one-on-one fight.

They are one of the special mobile forces that were urgently mobilized by the Dwarf Kingdom in the past week.

In order to rush to the aid of Pangule Fortress, he led this large army on a forced march day and night, covering nearly 900 kilometers in six days.

If it weren't for the dwarves' naturally strong physique and the support of expensive magic potions, this army would have collapsed halfway there.

They thought they had arrived just in time, but they didn't expect they were actually too late.

The seemingly impregnable fortress and military base couldn't even hold out for half a month!

Even though a large number of elite troops were transferred to the outskirts of the kingdom, in Le Bon's eyes, their performance was no better than that of useless soldiers!

Without logistical support points, if they continue fighting, they will likely face shortages of ammunition and supplies, and then be easily destroyed.

That won't do!

We must find a solution.

The current troops can still hide —

Le Bon suddenly raised his head, squinting at the few black dots that were faintly visible in the clouds six kilometers away.

They are the iron birds of humans, as described by the elves, a powerful reconnaissance tool that can soar through the sky without wings.

Thinking about the strange abilities of these things, Le Bon's expression turned very ugly.

"Damn it! The humans released so many dwarves, they've probably already tracked them down, haven't they?"

"Those dwarves are a trap to draw their reinforcements' attention!"

Under their watchful eyes, his thousand-plus elite troops were probably no different from a few broods of rabbits in the mountains.

"Ancestors above—"

Thinking of what the dwarves and long-eared men said about the kind of magical cannons that humans possessed, which could be fired from a distance but were far more powerful, Le Bon let out a dry grumble.

He pressed his knuckles firmly against his throbbing temples once more.

He then turned around and strode back to the makeshift command tent without the slightest hesitation.

"Activate magical communication! I need to contact the capital and all support units!"

The expensive magical communication device was activated, and a deep blue arcane energy flowed within the crystal array, emitting a low hum. Every second it operated consumed a massive amount of magical crystals.

He needed to inform the capital that the fortress and Tranquil Harbor had fallen, and that the corruption of the Mithril clan was far beyond imagination. He needed to immediately allocate troops to conduct internal screening of several other important dwarven fortresses.

If a problem is found, perform a cold-weather cleaning immediately!

The reinforcements coming here must be kept dispersed, and the soldiers must not huddle together.

As for the king's side—

His Majesty the King has a very close personal relationship with the patriarch of the Mithril Clan. If—!

A terrible thought uncontrollably rose from the depths of Le Bon's mind, sending a chill down his spine.

Do not!impossible!

Le Bon shook his head violently, trying to shake this very ominous guess out of his head.

That was the king to whom he swore allegiance, the pillar of the High Mountain Kingdom!

The king and his men command the kingdom's most elite fighting force. If they were all gone, the kingdom would be in its most perilous moment.

I must be overthinking it!

Yes, I was overthinking it.

He took a deep breath and began to expend his precious energy to quickly transmit the news from here to the rear.

Only then did he force himself to turn his attention back to how to communicate and interact with humans in the future.

Two important towns fell within five days.

This is terrifying!

Based on concrete clues, humans used a form of spatial teleportation magic.

This magic can only be mastered by the most powerful civilizations.

Most importantly, humans actually used spatial teleportation magic on the God-abandoned Continent, and on a large scale.

To the dwarf Le Bon, this was a complete disregard for the powerful restrictions once placed by the ancient gods of the Forsaken Continent.

Humans who can easily use this technology probably have a lot of trump cards up their sleeves. Even if they are physically weak, how should humans deal with them?

What could the mountain dwarves, weakened to the point of near extinction due to a series of wars, use to fight back?

Should we offer our heads as spoils for the enemy?

While Le Bon was still confused, he suddenly heard a buzzing sound.

Then came the sounds of panic from the crowd.

【Dwarven friends, we have discovered you all! We are friends with your ancestor Gazul! We are not enemies. The dwarves we released earlier should have already conveyed this message to you.】

We'll meet at the Three Peaks Mountain Range ahead in an hour!

We'll meet at the Three Peaks Mountain Range ahead in an hour!

As the iron bird slowly descended, its voice booming for kilometers around, Le Bon's expression turned extremely grave.

"Humans have indeed mastered some advanced technologies!"

"Damn it, this means that unless I use the invisibility cloak with long ears to travel, otherwise—"

The thought of the difficulty, cost, and scarcity of the invisibility cloaks for the Long-Eared Ones filled Le Bon with immense anguish.

To deal with humans, perhaps we should do something similar to what we are doing now: sneak in quietly, get closer to everyone, and then wage a large-scale meat grinder to achieve a Pyrrhic victory.

This combat method requires the use of a large number of elven invisibility cloaks.

While invisibility cloaks are useful, they are difficult to make, expensive, and very rare!

The entire kingdom could probably only have five hundred pieces at most.

Even elves rarely produce this.

"Senior citizens?"

The voice of Joel Fisher, the squire, rang out from beside them, his face a mixture of dwarven honesty and confusion: "Are we—at war or at peace?"

This question was like a small hammer, striking precisely at Le Bon's nerves, which were taut to the point of breaking.

He slowly turned his head and looked at his loyal servant, a sense of indescribable absurdity welling up inside him.

Still thinking about war?

war?

What will we use to fight?

Are we going to use our two thousand-plus men to break through their impenetrable wall of armor that can easily transport large armies?

Should we use our own flesh and blood to test those weapons that are many times more terrifying than magical cannons?

Le Bon vividly recalled the images of his freed dwarf brethren, their faces radiating relief at surviving such a catastrophe, and the mixture of awe and fear they held when describing humanity.

Humans are powerful!

Their actions were entirely just!

Humanity has so far raised its banner openly and legitimately—"To cooperate with the great ancestor Gaizul, to deal with the corruptors, and to save the mountain kingdoms of the abandoned continent from peril."

When they discovered their reinforcements, instead of immediately erasing them from the map with those terrifying weapons, they politely sent prisoners to deliver a message, and now they've even taken the initiative to invite them to a meeting.

What magnanimity!

They helped you get rid of the termites and traitors in your house, and incidentally dismantled your two most important fortresses, and even told you that you're welcome, that we're friends.

Are the dwarves going to be so foolish as to charge forward and use their battle axes and shields to tell the other side that they don't understand your humor?

Okay—the most crucial point is the phrase "We are friends of your ancestor Gaizur".

The ancestors' manifestation is a belief ingrained in the dwarves' very bones, a sacred belief that transcends royal power!

To go against the will of one's ancestors means that death may not be accepted into the ancestral temple, which is even more terrifying than dying in battle.

Le Bon's thoughts raced, and an incredibly clear image formed in his mind.

They should immediately lay down their weapons, their faces beaming with the warmest smiles, perhaps even dancing and singing while banging their shields, celebrating the successful resolution of the corruption crisis by their friendly human neighbors.

Yes, that's how it should be!

They might even raise a banner—"We mountain dwarfs are also good at singing and dancing!"

The thought of a group of burly, bearded dwarf warriors awkwardly swaying their massive bodies and singing off-key hymns before humans made Le Bon's lips twitch uncontrollably.

The scene was too beautiful for him to imagine.

He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, suppressing the pent-up frustration and humiliation in his chest. The pain and helplessness in his eyes finally settled into a strange kind of resoluteness.

As commander, he was responsible for the lives of more than a thousand of his people.

"Joel." His voice calmed down, carrying an undeniable composure.

"Yes, elder!" Joel immediately straightened his back, awaiting orders.

Le Bon's gaze passed over him and fell upon the mountains of supplies piled up in the camp.

"How much wine and meat did we carry on our march?"

"..——"

Joel Fisher was completely dumbfounded.

liquor? Meat?

Elder, we're here to fight, not for a picnic!

Why are you asking this at such a tense moment?

But he was a servant, and these inner monologues were quickly hidden.

"Elder, I'll go gather some meat and wine immediately to prepare for the emergency!"

"Hmm!" Le Bon nodded. "Tell the long-eared ones that they can follow us remotely."

But you must follow my instructions!

"good!"

Human Frontline Command Center.

Dozens of high-definition images are displayed in real time on the huge electronic screen.

On the largest screen in the center, a dwarf army symbol, framed in red, stands out prominently.

Bi Shengli rested his chin on his hand, tapping his knuckles rhythmically on the table, his gaze calmly scrutinizing the moving red dots on the screen.

"Has the quantity of the latest canned food arriving from the dwarves been confirmed?"

"Reporting to Commander Bi! 1,200 heavy infantry, plus an equal number of elite rune infantry." The intelligence officer's voice came through the internal communication, clear and crisp. "They have been completely dispersed, broken into smaller groups, and are hiding in the mountains and forests."

An operations staff officer frowned, scribbling on the tactical tablet: "The enemy is very vigilant and adept at maneuvering. In this terrain, to completely annihilate them, we'd need at least ten tactical truths. That's a bit too costly!"

"Those are heavily packaged canned goods! I don't think the dwarves have many. If they wipe out so many at once, the dwarves will probably collapse."

A younger officer nearby couldn't help but speak up: "Commander Bi, the broadcast has been going on for fifteen minutes, and they haven't responded at all. Shouldn't we show them some sincerity?"

Bi Shengli's gaze shifted from the red dots representing the dwarf soldiers to an enlarged image of the unit's insignia—a warhammer engulfed in flames, the emblem of the Molten Clan.

The intelligence services have already drained the basic political structure of the High Mountain Kingdom from the captured, corrupt dwarf population.

The Molten Clan and the Mithril Clan, who are close to the king, have been mortal enemies for hundreds of years.

The composition of this support force is quite interesting.

Bi Shengli slowly shook his head: "Truth is most valuable when it's on the launch pad."

"We've already made contact with Gaizur, and now we're attacking their elite troops? Wouldn't that be a slap in our own face?" He paused, a hint of mockery in his voice. "Besides, they're not in a hurry, so why should we?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than the soldier in charge of drone reconnaissance suddenly shouted a report.

"Reporting, Boss Bi! Target spotted! A small group of dwarves are moving towards the agreed location!"

The scene changes instantly, zoomed in to the extreme.

Everyone in the command center was drawn to it.

On the screen, a small team of a dozen or so dwarves is walking on a rugged mountain path.

The dwarf in the lead had an extraordinary air about him, and his physique was considered robust among dwarves.

He was Le Pen, the commander of this unit.

They were carrying weapons, and several dwarves were huffing and puffing as they carried large chests, while two more dwarves were working together to carry a heavy-looking oak barrel.

There was a two-second silence in the command room, then someone couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"That—that's the food they brought, right?"

"Look at the style of that wooden barrel, it's the same as the one we captured before! Could this be some kind of fine liquor brewed by the dwarves? Are they here to invite us for a picnic?"

"That's interesting! They're also extending goodwill!"

As Bi Shengli looked at the uniquely styled negotiation team on the screen, his tense lips finally relaxed, revealing a genuine smile.

"Not bad, you're on the right track."

He stood up, clapped his hands, and attracted everyone's attention.

"Inform the diplomatic team that our envoys may depart."

"Tell them that our friends have come from afar, bringing fine wine, and we cannot be impolite." Bi Shengli's eyes gleamed. "Bring them our best meat and—well, our best Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor)."

"Also, tell the warriors that those who can drink should prepare some non-toxic medicine beforehand! Hopefully, the dwarves won't go on a drinking spree."

"OK!"

"Reporting to General Bi, we previously discovered elves, and those elves communicated with the dwarves. They didn't send any elves this time, could it be—?"

Bi Shengli shook his head: "Investigate more and see what's going on."

"OK!"

This time, the person in charge of receiving the dwarf envoy at the front line was Yu Qiwen, and his deputy was Li Han, who was also a seasoned negotiation expert.

Oh, right, Li Weiguo's assistant, Wang Kaixuan, who has now been transferred here, is also in there.

Yu Qiwen is erudite and knowledgeable. He is not only good at communication, but also a master in the fields of language and writing, and even has a solid foundation in the fields of archaeology and art.

Aside from the inability to fight, it's excellent in every other aspect.

Besides Yu Qiwen, there were also elite special forces soldiers led by Zhao.

Zhao has a stable personality and a kind appearance, much gentler than the butcher with scars on his face.

However, he has a good tolerance for alcohol and is quite eloquent.

During their previous contact with the Jinhe tribe, their special forces squadron learned a lot of the otherworldly human languages ​​from the savages.

In fact, the human language is similar to Portuguese, while the elves and dwarves use a variant of English, but the details are quite different.

These languages ​​do fit the style of these Western fantasy species.

It was all designed by Westerners, wasn't it?

After Yu Qiwen got off the armored vehicle, Zhao and his team quickly set up simple but technically sophisticated outdoor tents in a sheltered spot.

The tent is semi-transparent and thin, but it can keep out the wind and rain.

In addition, food such as grilled meat and fruit, which had been prepared beforehand and only needed to be simply grilled, was set up around the area.

Fine wine, delicious food!

Everything was in place.

Watching the soldiers busily at work, Yu Qiwen tightened the wireless earpiece on his ear, and the intelligence officer's hushed voice came through clearly.

"The target is getting closer; it's now one kilometer away!"

"The stove can be lit now."

"Wait—Special situation detected! Haha—It's elves. They really came. There are three of them, following behind the dwarf group. They've activated their previous invisibility spell."

The new information coming through the earpiece made Yu Qiwen pause for a moment.

They've finally arrived!

"Xiao Zhou!" Yu Qiwen called out to someone not far away, "Get some more fruit from the car and make a few vegetable salads."

"Huh? Salad?" Xiao Zhou, who was on guard nearby, was taken aback, but immediately realized what was going on and ran over. "Okay! I'll get it done right away!"

The elves love to eat fruits and sweets.

It goes without saying who it's for.

Yu Qiwen turned to a tense young man beside him: "Wang Kaixuan, are you nervous?"

"Teacher Yu, it would be a lie to say I'm not afraid. My heart is pounding the whole time, I'm just afraid those idiots will come at me at the slightest provocation."

The tin can in his mouth represents the dozen or so dwarves who are about to arrive.

Those were elite dwarven soldiers. Their armor, combined with shields, could withstand close-range fire from rifles and even 12.7mm heavy machine guns.

They moved like the wind, their running and jumping power was extremely strong, and when they rushed into the crowd, they really took down a kid with one blow.

Their heavy power armor allows them to easily generate several tons of force.

You have to understand that a tiger's paw strength is less than a ton!

In a close-quarters fight, modern humans wouldn't even have time to react.

Although we seized the Warrior's Potion from the Corrupted Dwarves, humans haven't used it yet.

Those drugs are still being sliced ​​and studied in the laboratory.

"Don't worry, Mr. Bi has everything arranged." He lowered his voice, glancing at the armored vehicle they were in. "Multiple vehicles, dozens of tons of explosives, and sub-nuclear weapons! All can be detonated in multiple modes. If they dare to renege on their promises, we'll all be flying in. Oh, and Truth is keeping an eye on things too."

Wang Kaixuan swallowed.

He paused, then added with a hint of ruthlessness, "Did you die a quick and painless death?"

"Um!"

The situation is simple for humans: once negotiations break down and the dwarves attack them, humans will initiate the final, mutually assured destruction plan.

As they spoke, the peculiar group finally revealed itself in full on the distant mountain path.

The leader of the dwarves had already displayed his magnificent armor.

This time, instead of wearing his signature heavy rune power armor, he donned a more luxurious molten-colored rune armor and a scarlet cloak draped over his shoulders.

His meticulously woven black and red beard fluttered in the mountain wind, making him look like a walking mass of lava, dazzling and eye-catching.

The dwarf warriors following behind him wore armor with a low-visibility dark finish, but the bright red Molten Clan emblem was branded on their chests and shoulder armor.

Their battle axes and shields, their weapons, were all neatly hung on their backs or waists.

When these people arrived, their heavy footsteps and the clanging of metal from their armor all proclaimed that this was an elite force ready to be deployed into battle at any moment.

Of course, the most eye-catching were the dwarves in the middle of the group carrying large chests and oak barrels.

They were also fully armored, yet they did hard labor.

Humans waited silently, and before Le Bon, who was approaching from afar, could get close, the rich, irresistible fragrance had already entered his nostrils.

The aroma has extremely rich layers.

There's frozen grilled fish, a specialty of the northern ice fields, its oil sizzling under the high temperature, emitting a unique caramelized aroma. There are also tentacles of giant deep-sea squid, grilled until slightly curled, brushed with an unknown sauce, their salty and fragrant aroma irresistible.

There was also a type of roasted meat he had never smelled before, with a faint milky aroma that made his mouth water.

Of course, there's also the flavor of a blend of various spices that the dwarves are most familiar with.

Humans have prepared a very abundant feast.

They still have good intentions!

With goodwill shown and no conflict resolved, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

As Le Bon's thoughts raced through his mind, his gaze swept quickly across the scene.

Besides the mouthwatering barbecue feast, the air was also filled with the rich aroma of fermented alcoholic beverages.

He took a second look at the semi-transparent tent not far away. It was as thin as a cicada's wing, yet it kept out the wind and snow. Through the tent walls, he could vaguely see the neatly arranged tables and chairs inside.

Is that where the negotiations will take place?

Yu Qiwen, dressed in a form-fitting suit and with a warm smile on his face, performed a standard dwarf chest-touching salute with neither servility nor arrogance as the dwarf delegation approached.

The soldiers behind him stood motionless, like javelins driven into the frozen ground, their sharp eyes scanning their surroundings. Their menacing presence seemed completely out of place amidst the delicious food and wine.

Le Bon felt a chill run down his spine and returned the gesture in kind!

"Welcome, dwarf friends." Yu Qiwen's voice was gentle, carrying a scholarly air.

A knife-wielding man?

Le Bon wanted to lash out on the spot and denounce these alien visitors who had invaded their territory.

But when he thought of the other party's unpredictable methods and overwhelming firepower, he forced down the anger that was rising in his throat and forced a smile that was hardly more like crying.

He returned a dwarven greeting: "Human friends, thank you for entering our kingdom under the guidance of the spirits of our ancestors and rescuing our besieged people."

The way they're saying this makes it sound like they invited humans to come.

Yu Qiwen's smile remained unchanged, seemingly oblivious to the barb in the other person's words.

"We're friends, so helping each other is only natural. By the way, my pen name is Yu Huanshui, and I'm in charge of this exchange."

"Le Bon Hammer, the negotiator for this round."

After a brief introduction, Le Bon's smile broadened. He stepped forward, attempting to seize the initiative: "Thank you again for your generous assistance. Our Molten Clan's army will arrive soon! They will then take over the defenses from you and ensure the well-being of our people."

The implication is that you can pack your bags and get out of here.

"Oh dear, I'm afraid that won't work." Yu Qiwen spread his hands with a troubled expression. "Mr. Le Bon, we have reached some in-depth cooperation agreements with your ancestors. In order to ensure your future safety and stability, and for the peace of the entire continent, our human pioneering team needs to build a permanent security base here."

He paused, then gestured for us to sit down: "Friend, it's so cold. Why don't we sit down, eat, and chat?"

Le Bon's smile froze as he stared intently at Yu Qiwen: "Mr. Yu Huanshui, is that so? For the sake of our friendship, I formally inform you that this is the territory of the Dwarf Kingdom! We welcome friends who bring fine wine and delicious food, but we absolutely do not welcome those who want to stay without permission."

Before Yu Qiwen could answer, Le Bon's voice suddenly rose, tinged with mockery: "It's like you're living in your own house, and suddenly a stranger barges in and says that for your own good, he's going to live in your bedroom permanently."

This is against the rules!

"Mr. Le Bon, you are mistaken." Yu Qiwen sighed, his helplessness genuine. "Our reclamation team prefers to farm, do research, and live a peaceful life."

"But—" Yu Qiwen's voice rose sharply, "We all live on this God-Forsaken Continent, like living in the same house. We just wanted to live peacefully on our own little plot of land, but some of our dwarf friends' actions almost set the whole house on fire!"

He pointed in the direction of Panguler Fortress, making a pointed remark.

"For the safety of the building, we are here on the orders of the building's original owner—your ancestor Geizur—to ensure that the security measures are in place!"

Le Pen's face darkened completely, and his breathing became heavier.

Gaizul!

These guys dare to call our ancestors by their names!

I really want to chop someone up!

Yu Qiwen seemed oblivious to the murderous look on his face and continued slowly, "We never intended to seize someone else's house. We are simply honored guests invited by your ancestors to fulfill a sacred agreement."

As he spoke, he took out a document wrapped in an exquisite cover from his pocket.

That wasn't parchment, but a kind of paper that was incredibly white and smooth, with writing so neat it looked like it had been carved with a ruler.

This is something that Lin Li created before.

"This is a copy of the 'Agreement on Perpetual Peace and Common Development' that we signed with your ancestor, Gazour."

Yu Qiwen unfolded the document, cleared his throat, and read aloud: "The agreement stipulates that the human pioneering team will have the right to freely build new cities and settlements within a range extending one hundred kilometers inward from all of your coastlines, as well as in strategic locations such as Pangula Fortress."

Le Bon's pupils suddenly contracted!

One hundred kilometers! Still stuck in traffic!

What's the difference between this and directly ceding territory?

He was about to roar when Yu Qiwen's next words silenced him.

"And the price we humans will have to pay is—" Yu Qiwen drawled, enunciating each word clearly, "to ensure that all our fellow dwarves at the bottom of society can once again enjoy the free education, military training, lifelong medical care, and old-age security that dwarves deserved during the Silver Age's golden age!"

After he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.

Le Bon's mouth was agape, but he couldn't utter a single word. He only felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

How can we ensure that our fellow dwarfs at the bottom of society enjoy the benefits of the Silver Age?

This agreement is absolutely ruthless!

"Sir, I'd like to take a look myself!"

Yu Qiwen nodded: "Please!"

Le Bon gestured to the servant behind him to take the document.

As soon as he picked up the paper, his eyes were immediately drawn to the two languages ​​at the top of the document.

One type is human-made square characters, while the other is ancient and sacred dwarven runes.

[Regarding the signing of a peaceful and friendly cooperation and development agreement between humanity and the sacred races of the stars]

The Holy Race of the Stars!

Le Bon's pupils contracted slightly.

This title has been sealed away in the oldest epics and ancient texts. Apart from the members of the Council of Elders and the chieftains of a few ancient clans, even the dwarves of today have forgotten this self-proclaimed title that represents supreme glory.

It commemorates the glorious past of the dwarves, who were not the native race of this world, but rather descended from among the stars and took root here.

Many dwarves knew they descended from the stars, but they knew nothing more in detail.

Because much of history was monopolized by the dwarven intellectual aristocracy.

Humans actually know this name!

This is not merely a testament to excellent intelligence work; it is in itself a silent display of power, a kind of oppressive force that reaches deep into the souls of the dwarves.

His gaze slowly moved down and landed on the stamp at the end of the document.

One is a complex imprint composed of square characters, exuding an unfamiliar aura.

And the other one—

Le Bon's heart skipped a beat!

That is the mark of Gezur!

But this emblem is quite different from the holy emblem that now permeates the kingdom and is enshrined in the temple. The temple emblem, after being beautified and simplified by countless generations of priests, appears solemn and orderly.

But this one in front of me exudes a primitive, rugged, and wild aura, as if it could split mountains and open seas!

Le Bon had seen this ancient mark in the clan's most core, forbidden texts. It belonged to the Silver Age, a time of heroes, a mark personally imprinted by their ancestor Gaizur!

Forgery?

impossible!

The knowledge transmission of the dwarf kingdom had long been interrupted due to several upheavals, and most of the profound knowledge was firmly held in the hands of a few nobles, becoming a monopoly of capital.

Many ancient books have become unique copies, and the markings they bear are themselves a complex combination of alchemy and magic, containing unique energy fluctuations.

Forging an ancient mark of this caliber is more difficult than directly capturing a fortress.

"This thing—" Le Bon's heart churned with turmoil. Suppressing his shock, he raised his head and said in a low voice, "This is just a copy. I need to see the original to confirm whether it was truly signed by our ancestor himself!"

Only the original document can be used to sense the residual energy fluctuations within the mark using clan secret techniques; that is the ultimate, irrefutable evidence.

Laplace's demon had already told Lin Li how to disguise himself.

Even if the dwarves compare the original with it in the future, they will not find anything unusual.

"Of course." Yu Qiwen smiled quite frankly, as if he had expected him to say this. "Your ancestors also considered this when signing the agreement. You can send your most professional appraisers to our base for inspection at any time. Oh, by the way—"

Yu Qiwen's gaze passed over Le Pen's shoulder and looked into the shadows not far behind him. A subtle smile appeared on his lips: "Those quiet friends of yours who have been behind you can also come along and be witnesses."

Upon hearing this, the breaths of several of Le Bon's bodyguards instantly caught in their throats!

Their scouts, whom they thought were perfectly hidden, had actually been exposed to the enemy's eyes all along!

Le Bon's facial muscles tightened, and he forced out a sentence through clenched teeth: "Your observation skills are astonishingly sharp!"

"Thank you for your praise; this is our professionalism." Yu Qiwen remained as calm and collected as ever, gesturing for him to proceed. "Is there anything else you'd like to ask? If not, you can take a look at the details of the agreement first."

Le Bon smiled at the other person, then took a deep breath, forced himself to lower his head again, and focused his gaze on the main text of the document.

After reading the contents, his face darkened inch by inch.

If what I felt just now was shock, now it was a chilling rage shooting straight from the soles of my feet to the top of my head!

Humans have the right to freely employ dwarven civilians within the agreed-upon area for city construction and joint defense.

This is to treat the proud dwarven craftsmen as their laborers!

"Ancestors above!"

All dwarf brethren will enjoy the same educational resources as humans and learn advanced human culture and knowledge.

Is this cultural invasion?

Is the goal to make the descendants of the dwarves forget their heritage and become spiritual humans?

If dwarves wish to receive the same treatment as humans, they must abide by the laws and customs established by humans.

Is this a demand that dwarves abandon their traditions and laws, and become completely subservient to humans?

Humanity will gain the right to research some of the dwarven technologies and the right to examine the stability of all spacetime rifts within the High Mountain Kingdom.

Le Bon's breathing became heavy, which was tantamount to laying bare the dwarves' most core technological secrets and the lifeblood of their kingdom before humanity!

What he found most unbearable was the last one.

Humans have the right to investigate any suspected corruption within the Mountain Kingdom. Humans do not have law enforcement or disciplinary power, but they do have the right to inform the dwarves throughout the land!

What a humiliation!

This is tantamount to giving humanity a knife that can stir up the political situation of a kingdom at any time!

If humans wanted, they could define the dwarves' corruption at will, and then point the finger at any clan they wanted to attack, creating endless chaos and suspicion within the dwarves!

And the term of this agreement is thirteen hundred years!

Furthermore, upon the expiration of the agreement, humans have the right to draft a new agreement with the highest levels of the dwarf kingdom!

Le Bon's hand, holding the document, was bulging with veins, as if he were about to crush the thin paper into pieces.

This is hardly a peace agreement!

This is clearly a blatant act of treason!

A contract that will forever condemn the dwarves to shame for the next three hundred years, and perhaps even longer!

He suddenly raised his head, the anger in his eyes gone, replaced by a bottomless coldness.

"Mr. Yu, the surprise you've brought me has truly broadened my horizons." Le Bon's voice was eerily calm, "but it's far beyond what I can decide."

He carefully folded the document and handed it back to the servant behind him, as if it were not a piece of paper but a red-hot branding iron.

"I will take this copy back immediately and present it to the Council of Elders of the Kingdom."

"The conditions of this agreement were not what we demanded, but rather what your ancestor, the great dwarven ancestor Gaizul, demanded!"

Le Bon: "————"

"I need to take something back to verify it."

Seeing that the other party seemed to be about to break down, Yu Qiwen's serious expression vanished, and a smile reappeared, as if the verbal sparring had never happened.

He opened his arms warmly: "Mr. Le Bon, it's a pleasure to meet you! Let's drink and have a good time, how about it?"

Le Bon's expression shifted between anger and uncertainty, but he finally managed to squeeze out a single word through gritted teeth: "Fine!"

"What about your friends behind you? Want to come along?" Yu Qiwen gestured with his chin toward the shadows behind Le Bon, where several slender figures that did not belong to the dwarves could be seen.

Le Bon simply let out a dry laugh and shook his head vigorously, the meaning of which was self-evident.

The campfire was quickly lit, and large chunks of roasted meat were placed on it. The grease dripped into the flames, sizzling and releasing a rich aroma that dispelled the chill of the mountains.

Humans brought out their finest ale and filled large wooden cups with it.

After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere finally calmed down a bit.

Le Bon swayed up to Yu Qiwen, a hint of drunkenness on his face: "Hey, where I'm from, we dance when we're happy! Come on, let's dance together!"

After saying that, he grabbed the other person's arm without further ado.

Yu Qiwen simply couldn't withstand the dwarfs' enthusiastic pulling.

Le Bon grinned, grabbed the human messenger who had brought him anger, and began to dance a comical and clumsy dance around the campfire.

Upon seeing this, the human soldiers cheered and clapped their hands in rhythm.

Yu Qiwen's old face turned a deep purplish-red. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he stiffly moved his legs, awkwardly jumping to the rhythm.

After the dance ended, Yu Qiwen's forehead was covered in sweat, whether from exhaustion or anger, it was hard to tell.

"Thank you for the hospitality, my friend!"

"Let's get together often from now on!"

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Le Bon hurriedly left with his troops and a copy of the document.

Both sides agreed that the dwarves would send a delegation to Tranquil Harbor as soon as possible to personally verify the original copy of the agreement.

The humans, of course, readily agreed.

Watching the dwarf group disappear into the distance, Wang Kaixuan, who was serving as the scribe, sidled up to Yu Qiwen and chuckled, "Professor Yu, these dwarves are easier to talk to than I expected."

"Easy to talk to?" Yu Qiwen wiped the grease stains left on his mouth and clothes by Le Pang's grip with a tissue, but his eyes were clear. "Didn't you see his expression when he was drinking? Wang Kaixuan, do you really think a dwarf general guarding the frontier likes to hold hands and dance with men?"

Wang Kaixuan scratched his head, thought about Le Pen's constipated expression earlier, and suppressed a laugh, saying, "Does he prefer watching others dance to dancing himself?"

"He doesn't like anything," Yu Qiwen sneered. "It's just that circumstances are beyond his control. That agreement signed by Gaizur is a knife held to his throat. If he dares to turn against it today, he won't be able to explain himself to the King and the Council of Elders when he gets back."

At this point, Yu Qiwen himself began to have doubts.

He still hasn't figured out what Gazul, the dwarf ancestor, did.

This minor deity, whose status among the dwarves was second only to the three main gods and who was the only one to walk among mortals, personally signed a treaty that, in the eyes of the dwarven leadership, was tantamount to treason.

The promises made in the treaty regarding education, healthcare, and elderly care were a fatal temptation for the lower-class dwarfs.

The knowledgeable nobles and bloodline rulers of the dwarf kingdom knew that once humans put these things into practice, the hearts of the common people in the high mountain kingdom would likely turn to humans in an instant.

For the dwarves, this was the end of the world!

Without dwarves, how can their current architecture continue to function?

The dwarves are bound to cause trouble in the future.

For humans, this is a windfall, and someone else has already picked out most of the toxins for you. Although eating it might cause diarrhea, it will definitely provide you with essential nutrients.

The only thing the pioneering team needed to worry about was that the dwarven nobles and knowledge monopolists, whose interests were threatened, would recklessly overturn the table.