Chapter 53: Chapter53-Elves (Part 1)

"Why do I keep feeling like someone is watching me from the shadows, making my back feel cold?"

Helena frowned, the sensation of being watched making her particularly uneasy.

With Exiled Immortal having lost aerial control, Helena had taken on the role of the team's eyes.

As a hunter, her instincts were rarely wrong.

John turned around, lowering his voice to a whisper that only a few could hear, "We are likely being watched by the elves who ambushed us earlier."

"So what do we do? Should we try to find them?"

"We can't act rashly for now. The Elf Queen's power is formidable, probably much stronger than General Delvia. It's not wise to make her an enemy."

The elves were not as easy to deal with as Lord Calia.

If you showed hostility, the Elf Queen would not care about your player status; anything that threatened the existence of the elves would be eradicated by nature itself!

With this in mind, John continued, "If we get a chance, we should try to negotiate with them. If not, we must proceed with caution. In the [Deep Forest], the elves are a force we can't avoid. If relations turn sour, we might miss out on many opportunities."

"Sigh, how troublesome. Does this mean we'll always have to build good relations with NPCs whenever we enter a new area?"

"Most likely, yes."

This is the charm of [Apocalypse].

To players, NPCs are just lines of code, mere tools. But to NPCs, aren't players just passersby?

The purpose of this design is to make players constantly aware that every decision they make will have corresponding consequences, even affecting their very lives.

...

Deep in the Forest.

Watching John and his companions move steadily forward, the scout team grew increasingly anxious.

Whether by coincidence or fate, John and his group were heading straight toward the elves' sanctuary.

If they weren't stopped soon, they would inevitably intrude upon it.

"Elowen, what should we do? The Queen forbids us from acting on our own. Are we just going to watch them enter the sanctuary?"

"Absolutely not!"

Elowen's brows furrowed as he glared intently at John's back. She spoke coldly, "Lorien, return to the sanctuary immediately and inform the Queen of the situation. We'll delay them for now. No humans are to approach the sanctuary until the Queen decides what to do!"

"Be very careful. Those humans are strong!"

"Don't worry, we'll be fine."

Gazing at John's calm expression, Elowen found himself in an internal struggle.

The Goblin Invasion of Calia city didn't need verification, as they had already dispatched several scout teams to investigate the situation.

The grotesque and foolish creatures had launched a frenzied attack on human territories, a highly unusual event.

John's words had undeniably planted seeds of concern.

"Why should I believe you?"

"Because right now, I'm still trying to persuade you rather than kill you. You're right in front of me, in the treetop. The scent of an elf is easy to recognize."

Hearing this, Elowen's heart tightened.

During the conversation, she had changed her position several times to confuse John and his companions.

Yet, this human had pinpointed her location, proving he had a way to track her all along but chose not to attack.

Once they lost their home-field advantage, elves were known to be significantly weaker in combat.

"...You've convinced me."

Finally, Elowen put away his arrow and leaped down from the treetop, walking slowly towards John.

It must be said, elves were indeed a beautiful race.

With fair skin, delicate features, a well-proportioned body that combined strength with grace, and those particularly noticeable pointed ears, they were truly striking.

"However, if you wish to meet the Elf Queen, you will need to bind your hands. The elves can no longer afford any risks."

"No problem."

John agreed immediately, without even a thought of bargaining.

Gaining the elves' goodwill was already a significant achievement.

As for binding their hands, it made little difference to John and his companions. John had already shared a small trick with Helena and the others.

Whenever players disconnect from the game, their status bars are refreshed upon re-login, clearing all negative statuses, including but not limited to poisoning, bleeding, and paralysis.

Unless inflicted with a fatal wound like Qing's, which leads to unavoidable death, a simple disconnect and reconnect can solve many issues.

This is why there are areas and zones where disconnection is not allowed.

Following Elowen's instructions, John bound his hands with vines, finally letting out a sigh of relief and revealing a gentle smile.

"I'm glad I could convince you. I really don't want to be at odds with the elves. Also, regarding the earlier unpleasantness, here is some compensation. Please accept it and give it to the elf who was accidentally injured, as a sign of my sincerity."

"...You better not be up to any tricks."