Steel torrents pioneering a different world.

Chapter 317 In the Name of the Elf Mother Goddess! (Bonus Chapter)

Some people are born with an aura that says, "I'm the protagonist, come and fight me!" They can be accurately identified even from a great distance.

When Lin Li saw the elves leading the way in the distance, he knew he hadn't chosen the wrong people.

Lin Li shifted his gaze from the elf to the Laplace demon beside him, who was licking its fur with its paws tucked in.

"I have a question for you." His voice sounded through the mental link, tinged with confusion. "Why did you suggest I use the Space Marine persona instead of directly using Gazul's identity? Wouldn't it be more intimidating to cause trouble using Gazul's identity?"

The conceptual cat paused, raised its head, and lazily meowed at him.

Meow~

The translated message couldn't be clearer—want to know? Pay more.

"Add my ass on spacetime essence!" Lin Li almost laughed in anger. "It's all gone, not a single drop! I'm penniless now!"

He took a deep breath and decided to ignore this greedy cat that only cared about money.

The cold, alloy greatsword rested on the ground. He stretched out his hand, covered in power armor, and slowly wiped the blade.

The subtle sound of metal scraping together gradually calmed his agitated mind, replacing it with a hunter's composure.

The detailed route of this elven force took him a full five spacetimes of source matter.

The thought of that number caused Lin Li a dull ache in his heart.

Those are five source substances, not five cabbages!

However, if he kills the peacock in front of him and then follows the clues to behead the commanders of the other two units, the frontline command system dispatched by the elves will be instantly paralyzed.

At that time, panic and chaos will spread like a plague through their army.

This is enough to secure strategic deterrence for humanity.

As long as we instill fear in these elves, drag these arrogant long-eared creatures back to the negotiating table, and make them understand that humans are not pushovers to be bullied!

If you truly enrage humanity, they might just charge at you with a flying dragon.

He couldn't help but glance at Laplace's demon again.

The creature shifted its position and continued to lick its bushy tail with rapt attention, as if the bloody ambush to come was less important than a single stray hair on its tail.

"snort!"

Lin Li let out a cold snort from his nose and stopped being distracted.

"Da-da-da-da-"

Even from a great distance, thanks to his exceptional hearing, he could sense the hoofbeats drawing ever closer, and the elves' lighthearted conversation was already clearly audible.

Completely unprepared, extremely relaxed.

Lin Li's body sank slightly, his crimson visors scanning the approaching target, locking onto the neck of the leading elf.

Great, the distance is just right.

He spoke softly to the air beside him, giving his final instruction.

"You stubborn kid, it's time to get ready."

Four hundred meters away from the forest of ambushes.

Quinn Callahan sat gracefully on the unicorn's back, head tilted back, as if he were inspecting his own garden rather than marching.

His attendants and rangers, though glancing around, seemed to be on vacation.

After all, this is the heart of the Elf Kingdom, and just five kilometers further back lies the magic-controlled restricted area of ​​the royal capital.

Soon, griffin riders flew in to patrol, and birds and beasts controlled by elves served as eyes and ears in the forest, making it impossible for any enemy to infiltrate this place silently.

Even if some foolish idiot manages to sneak in, he won't get out alive.

Quinn let out a long yawn, his eyelids drooping slightly.

He's been exhausted these past two days.

Upon hearing that he was to go to the front lines, he immediately responded to the kingdom's call and went to the Breeding Temple to work diligently, tirelessly telling several fledgling female elves about the glorious history and sacred mission of the elven race, hoping to leave behind more noble bloodlines for the kingdom.

War always results in casualties.

This is an elven tradition: before a glorious death, nobles can enjoy themselves to the fullest, without regrets, and without being blamed.

Otherwise, elves would have to exercise restraint and abstinence on a daily basis to ensure the safety of their mind and body.

His self-glow lazily swept over the female ranger clearing the way ahead, and lingered for a moment longer on several agile male guards.

Those individuals were specially selected for him; they were not only highly skilled in archery but also quite talented in other areas.

Perhaps when we set up camp and rest later, we can have a deeper discussion with them about the true meaning of life.

"Never mind, business comes first." Quinn quickly dismissed the tempting idea. "Let's get going as soon as we reach the Griffin Legion's encampment. Those humans are barbaric and troublesome. Speed ​​is of the essence. Let's settle the military situation first, then we'll have plenty of time to enjoy ourselves."

The thought of the scenes he saw in the magical memory network of the sacred tree made him feel agitated.

The human army's overwhelming force of steel easily breached the two dwarven mountain fortresses, causing an uproar among the entire elven leadership.

Ironically, after discovering that the humans were merely stationing troops on the border and had not launched an attack, the elders used magic to seize the territory several more times, and the result was surprisingly auspicious.

So they thought they were capable again.

It has become a consensus to cause some damage to humanity before negotiations, so that one can stand tall at the negotiating table later.

Making humans look foolish is the only way to prevent them from making exorbitant demands!

The reason humans are so arrogant right now is because they think they have the bigger fists and can easily defeat the elves, right?

Although the images in the magical memories were indeed quite frightening—but there's always a but.

"Ugh, what bad luck! Why did they have to pick me?"

Quinn became increasingly depressed.

Of all those excellent military and political commanders, they ended up picking him and two other guys they never liked.

If I had known it would turn out this way, I shouldn't have jumped out in the parliament and shouted the call to "make humanity pay the price" so loudly.

Now, the consequences need to be driven by ourselves.

Perhaps sensing the danger of this journey, or perhaps due to excessive preparation before the expedition, Quinn Callahan, who was usually known for his composure, felt agitated and his eyelids twitched.

He tugged at the reins in frustration, and the unicorn beneath him let out a disgruntled neigh.

"Quiet down, little thing." Quinn patted its neck.

"hiss----"

The unicorn beneath him suddenly reared up, letting out a terrified, sharp cry.

This sudden jolt yanked Quinn Callahan back to reality from his agitation.

He tensed instantly, his years of military training causing him to instinctively grip the magic sword at his waist.

Unicorns are incredibly perceptive and rarely cry out without reason.

Moreover, the terrain around here is quite complex, and he instinctively sensed that something was wrong.

"What happened?"

"My lord! We've discovered something ahead—there's something ahead!" a ranger controlling a bird exclaimed in surprise.

Quinn grabbed the ornate helmet handed to him by a servant and put it on his head, ensuring his safety before looking up at the end of the forest path.

With just one glance, he felt his heart skip a beat.

What is that?

A dark green, humanoid steel construct was moving through the forest at a speed that defied all logic!

The creature was far larger than an elf, with high shoulders and a breastplate branded with the emblem of an eagle and a holy sword. Each step it took covered tens of meters, and it leaped and bounded through the mountains, stirring up a gust of wind.

At a distance of over 300 meters, the other party was getting closer and closer!

"Enemy attack! Form ranks! Stop them!"

Quinn's roar shattered the tranquility of the forest.

The elves were finally jolted awake from their vacation-like state of mind and began to stir.

The guards with shields instinctively surrounded Quinn, while the rangers drew their longbows, the bowstrings drawn taut like the moon, and the arrows shimmered with various magical lights.

Even more elven druids chanted ancient incantations, attempting to awaken the slumbering forest and turn vines and thorns into cages.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

In less than two seconds, the first arrows to be fired were several arrows covered with armor-piercing runes, accurately predicting the steel monster's charging route.

However, the anticipated scene of piercing through the enemy did not occur.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

A series of dull metallic clangs rang out. The armor-piercing arrows, capable of penetrating iron armor, merely grazed the monster's dark green armor, leaving only a string of sparks before being mercilessly deflected.

The color drained from the elves' faces instantly.

Following closely behind were a barrage of elemental projectiles: Storm Arrows, Frost Arrows, and Fire Arrows.

The steel monster simply raised its left arm, and a huge, door-like sword swept out, the wind whistling as it blocked and cleaved away all the enchanted arrows!

The remaining low-threat armor-piercing arrows clattered against the broad blade, but did nothing to hinder it.

Getting closer!

The oppressive feeling emanating purely from power and steel made Quinn hold his breath.

He acted decisively, dismounted, and took out a strange artifact encased in runic metal from his bosom.

A rich, vibrant green light emanated from the gaps in the metal casing; it was a powerful weapon crafted from the sacred tree and infused with high-quality magic stones.

This is his trump card for survival.

He quickly began chanting the incantation, preparing to activate it.

Right now!

"Hiss—Roar!!"

A roar unlike any other creature of this world suddenly exploded from the sky!

The sound was not simply loud; it was more like an invisible tuning fork striking deep into everyone's soul, carrying a tyrannical and unreasonable pressure.

Just as Quinn was about to complete the ritual, he felt a buzzing in his head, and the flow of magic instantly froze and dissipated.

The green light from the weapon in his hand also dimmed.

Dragon's Might!

The scream just now was the little dragon's unique roar.

This dragon roar can strongly interfere with magic.

Caught off guard, the elf who was casting the spell was suddenly plunged into a tragic moment.

Those who were only halfway through reciting the incantation simply turned pale and their magic dissipated.

Those who had gathered their magic to its peak and were about to release it were as if they had been hit in the face with a heavy hammer, spitting out a mouthful of blood and collapsing weakly to the ground.

Magic backlash!

The spellcasting elves looked up in horror and saw a young dragon with a wingspan of no more than five meters and covered in dark green scales begin to fly and gradually approach their heads.

The other party's cold, vertical pupils looked down at everything with excitement.

This dragon was not large, even somewhat diminutive compared to the giant dragons that are hundreds of meters long, but the effect it brought was devastating.

The magical dragon roar will cause a certain degree of magical disturbance.

Another beautiful name—Silence!

For this elite elven team, who considered magic as part of their combat power, this was tantamount to having their sharp weapons disarmed.

In that brief moment of chaos and daze, the steel giant finally arrived.

boom!

Lin Li crashed into the elves' formation like a high-speed tank.

Without pausing, he swung his greatsword horizontally and struck an elven ranger with the broad blade.

"Crack!"

The cracking sound of bones breaking was teeth-grinding, and the elf was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, instantly losing consciousness.

Lin Li swung his fist and smashed it into the helmet of a female elven guard who was trying to draw her sword.

"Bang!"

The helmet dented instantly, and the female elf collapsed to the ground.

He strode forward, ignoring an elven warrior who was enduring the backlash of magic and slashing at his arm with his sword, letting the other's magic sword leave a white mark on his leg armor.

The next second, Lin Li's iron fist was already imprinted on the opponent's chest.

"puff!"

The elf's breastplate collapsed completely, and he was sent flying backward, spitting out blood.

In the blink of an eye, Lin Li had already rushed in front of Quinn Callahan.

Facing the elven commander who was trying to retreat and activate his trump card to save his life, Lin Li grinned, revealing a set of white teeth that looked particularly eerie under his crimson glasses.

He punched Quinn in the stomach, and the latter immediately curled up like a shrimp.

Lin Li snatched the trump card from the opponent's hand, then grabbed Quinn's magnificent collar armor, lifted him up like a rag doll, and used him as a human shield in front of him, charging towards the elven guards who were hesitant to attack.

"grown ups!"

"Be careful!"

"Get out of the way!"

The elves were terrified, raising and lowering their weapons repeatedly, their formation completely thrown into chaos.

And this is exactly what Lin Li wants.

He carried Quinn like a steel behemoth that had broken into a sheepfold, unleashing a barrage of powerful blows: sword strikes, fist punches, elbow strikes, and knee strikes—

Each strike was precise and ruthless, yet skillfully avoided vital points.

Less than a minute.

The eighty elite guards responsible for protecting Quinn were all lying on the ground, their cries of agony echoing across the land.

Most of them were unconscious, and the few who were conscious had completely lost their fighting ability due to their severed arms and legs.

The entire forest path was in a mess.

Lin Li casually tossed the unconscious Quinn to his feet, his crimson spectacles sweeping over the elves who were filled with fear, anger, or despair.

He cleared his throat and, through the power armor's loudspeaker, issued a thunderous announcement.

"Elves! Listen!"

"The Mother Goddess you worship has already been severely damaged by a higher-dimensional evil god. Your Mother Goddess is now showing signs of corruption, and she is actively fighting against it. At this moment, she is completely incapable of communicating with you or conveying divine messages!"

"You high and mighty priests and rulers, for your own lust for power, have concealed many truths and treated you as slaves to extract power!"

"Today, I have come to set things right, carried by the remaining benevolent will of the Mother Goddess! The capture of Quinn Callahan is just the beginning!"

"The humans of the North are not your enemies! The corrupt royal court and its rulers, those high-ranking officials who control the Temple of Procreation, the War Council, the Council of Elders, and the clan governors, are your enemies!"

After saying that, Lin Li scooped up Quinn from the ground and, as if carrying a sack of rice, tossed him onto his shoulder.

Then, he slightly bent his knees.

"boom!"

He soared into the sky, and after a few leaps in the air, he disappeared into the depths of the dense forest.

All that remained were groaning elves and that terrifying declaration that would astound the elves and might even overturn the entire elven kingdom.

An elven ranger, whose arm had been broken but who remained conscious, stared blankly in the direction where the giant had disappeared, then looked at his companions amidst the chaos, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.

It’s over.

It's all over.

Quinn was captured by the mysterious man, right in front of the capital.

Although the enemy is strong and they cannot defeat them, they will certainly be blamed for poor guarding.

The squad leader will probably be killed along with them, and the others will probably be reassigned to front-line units.

No----

The thought of even worse scenarios comes to mind.

He swallowed hard.

However, another thought popped into his head.

That was an even more terrifying thought!

That giant is so powerful that he could easily defeat us. Could it be that what he said is true?

The elf was caught in a huge internal struggle.

Quinn Callahan was awakened by electric current.

He opened his eyes tremblingly and watched as the giant in front of him put away a black object.

"Who—who are you?"

The mysterious giant wore a helmet, obscuring his face. His voice was icy as he said, "I ask, you answer. Answer incorrectly, and I'll slice you to pieces and use you as meat in the washing pot! Understand?"

"You won't get me to betray the kingdom!"

"Incorrect answer!"

As he spoke, Lin Li raised his knife and began to cut the meat.

"No—ah—"

Soon, the cave was filled with sobbing and wailing screams.

An hour later, Quinn Callahan's headless corpse was incinerated to ashes by the little dragon's dragonfire.

Lin Li packed the other person's head back up, then looked at the things on the other person's body, thought for a moment, and placed his hand on the demon dragon.

As the blue light flashed, the man and the dragon left the area.

When the elven scouts arrived, all that remained was a patch of charred ashes and a few partially burned bones.

A lingering, acrid smell of burning still hung in the air!

"The magical anomaly is right here!"

"This is----"

An experienced elven ranger crouched down, picked up some ashes, and carefully examined the remaining bones.

His face turned deathly pale instantly.

"Damn it, those are bones from our clan!"

He looked around and saw bloodstains on the muddy ground, as well as fragments of ornate clothing shredded by a sharp blade.

It was indeed the formal attire Lord Quinn Callahan wore when he set off.

The scout ranger's vision blurred: "I'm too late!"

The other elf's voice trembled: "You mean, Lord Quinn—"

"Killed, then burned." The ranger's voice was hoarse. "Quick! Send the message to the High Priest immediately! Find the enemy, and they must pay with their blood!"

The entire scout team immediately sprang into action, as fear and anger silently spread through the forest.

They are determined to find the enemy and bring them death!

Meanwhile, more than ten kilometers away.

Lin Li's figure emerged from the shadows of a dense forest, gazing at the brightly lit valley in the distance.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

That place is the griffin breeding area of ​​the Elf Kingdom. It's also one of the more important means of transporting intelligence and personnel to the capital!

"Hiss~"

The little dragon beside him twitched its nostrils, scratched its hind legs in annoyance, and conveyed a mix of provocation and disdain to Lin Li.

In its perception, the large birds in the valley, with their mixed and chaotic auras, were an insult to flying creatures.

"Alright, I know you have noble blood and you're strong!" Lin Li patted its long neck, as if soothing a sullen child. "But you're too weak right now! I don't intend for you, an immature dragon, to fight. After I've made the arrangements, listen to my command: roar a few times at the top of your lungs, unleash your dragon might, make as much noise as you can, and then immediately hide as I told you before, understand?"

As he spoke, he took out a uniquely shaped metal horn from his storage space.

"Hold it in now, whatever you do, don't make a sound."

"Hiss!"

The little dragon nodded its enormous head, indicating that it understood.

Lin Li nodded in satisfaction, and with a flicker of his figure, he disappeared into the night like a ghost.

He then quickly arranged speakers capable of transmitting signals synchronously around the perimeter.

Two minutes later.

"roar--!"

A dragon's roar, seemingly capable of tearing the sky apart, resounded from the valley east of the lion breeding area, amplified by a loudspeaker!

Immediately afterwards, from the south, west, and north, almost simultaneously, came the same loud and imposing roar!

The roar of dragons could be heard from all directions!

Inside the valley, the hundreds of griffins that had been quietly feeding suddenly erupted into chaos.

Under the sudden suppression of their bloodline, these birds of prey in the air were completely thrown into panic, frantically crashing against the fence and crying out in anguish.

Some griffins even emitted sharp sonic booms, attempting to break free of their cages and escape.

"Enemy attack!"

"It's a dragon! It's a demonic dragon!"

"How come there's a dragon here? Didn't our magic detection devices detect it?"

"Quick! Stabilize the griffin!"

"All units, quickly begin defense!"

"Call for reinforcements!"

Having already received the warning, the elves, who were on high alert, instantly fell into chaos.

To their astonishment, they discovered that the enemy's voices were coming from all directions, making it impossible to determine the main direction of attack.

In the midst of the chaos, no one noticed a figure, like a ghost in the forest, silently sneaking into the area where the feed was stored.

Lin Li deftly tossed sugar pills, each containing concentrated poison and unable to be digested quickly, into the troughs used to feed the griffins to the pigs and sheep.

After doing all this, he quietly placed more than a dozen powerful aerial bombs near the lion's perch and the elf guards' barracks.

He then quietly left, concealing his achievements and fame.

While the elves frantically mobilized their forces and sent out scouts to search everywhere, they couldn't even find a trace of the enemy!

When the elven patrol arrived nearby, they found nothing but a scene of devastation, and no enemies.

"It's those elusive guys!"

"Damn it, those guys are so cunning and cruel, capturing our officers! What are they trying to do!"

"What else can they do? This is blatant intimidation!"

The stubborn elf, who tried to impress humans, has once again tasted the bitter fruit of arrogance!

When they encountered the same enemy the dwarves had faced before, they were truly stumped!