Chapter 74: Chapter74-The Traits of Humanity

Upon returning to the elven habitat, John noticed that the vines covering the palace had receded.

After a moment of hesitation, he decided to check on Elaria.

He had witnessed her earlier torment and appreciated her resilience in enduring it.

Entering the palace, John found Elaria back to her usual composed state.

Yet, when she caught sight of John, a fleeting hint of joy flashed in her eyes before quickly disappearing.

"Where did you go just now?"

"I went to prepare something. Your problem might be related to whatever is sealed deep within the labyrinth. I'm working on a way to deal with it."

Hearing this, Elaria felt a warmth in her heart.

"Th-Thank you."

"Thank me for what?"

"You know why. There's no need to ask. By the way, about what we discussed earlier, are you ready?"

"You mean helping to reorganize the elves? I've been ready for that."

"Actually, the problems the elves face are quite simple--no more than two points."

Before Elaria could finish, John interrupted, "First, the habitat. Second, combat strength. Right?"

Elaria was momentarily stunned, then nodded helplessly.

"You're right. The issues facing the elves have been accumulating for a long time."

"In essence, it's the same issue. The elves are too weak. In terms of combat strength, you're even inferior to goblins. At least they have the advantage of numbers. How many among the elves are as strong as you? The most pressing matter now is to quickly enhance the combat strength of the elves."

Unlike players, NPCs can't continually level up by gaining experience points to boost their combat abilities.

Since their inherent capabilities are lacking, the solution must come from external aids.

"Take a look at this. It's something I've developed that might be useful."

With that, John produced a seemingly unremarkable piece of soft armor and presented it to Elaria.

"How do you use this?"

"It's simple. No technical skill required. Just wear it and charge it with chant essence..."

As John spoke, he demonstrated for Elaria.

Not that he needed them. With all alchemy knowledge in his mind, as long as he had the materials, John could probably handcraft a transformer if needed!

Seeing the bright sunshine outside, John exhaled deeply, planning to set aside his tasks and enjoy some sunlight.

Just then, a completely unfamiliar face suddenly appeared before him.

John didn't recognize the face, but the annoying look in the eyes and the smug grin on the lips unmistakably identified the person as [Deception Apostle].

But how did he appear here, and why did he switch to a different player as a vessel?

A flood of questions overwhelmed John's mind, leaving him momentarily frozen, his brain struggling to process.

Seeing the confusion in John's eyes, [Deception Apostle] smirked and said, "As you can see, your safe house couldn't contain me. I didn't like the goblin vessel, so I just picked another one. No problem, right?"

"What else have you done?"

"What else could I do? Leaving without permission and switching vessels already pushed your limits. What more could I risk doing?

Anyway, we're still allies, right? Please give me a bit more trust, or I'll feel quite hurt."

"Allies? That word from your mouth is incredibly ironic."

John sneered, his eyes filled with disdain. But at this point, what good would blaming [Deception Apostle] do? It wouldn't change the outcome.

"Enough talk. Let's get to the point. How long until [Lust] awakens, and what about [Betrayal Apostle]'s whereabouts? Don't tell me you found nothing while you were out wandering."

"Of course not! Don't underestimate me. Before coming here, I visited the Abyss to check on my old buddy [Lust]. He'll definitely awaken within three days at most. As for [Betrayal Apostle], unfortunately, I couldn't locate him."

The lies slipped effortlessly from [Deception Apostle]'s tongue, and John had no reason to doubt him, merely nodding slightly.

"Three days... enough time for me to prepare."

"John, what do you plan to do when [Lust] awakens? Are you still not going to tell your companions the truth?"

"It's not the right time yet. This matter doesn't concern you, so don't worry about it. I'll find a reason to keep them here. When the time comes, only you and I will face [Lust]. Can you handle it?"

"It might be tricky, but we will win."

"Let's hope so. Do you have any other business? If not, you can leave. A stranger suddenly appearing in the elven habitat might raise suspicions. How do you plan to explain your presence?"

"Don't worry. No one will notice me except you, not even the elven queen. But you're right, staying here is indeed boring. We'll meet in the labyrinth in three days. In the meantime, I need to relax. It's been a while since I've felt this free!"

[Deception Apostle] turned, looking at the blue sky, a smile flickering in his eyes.

"Being stuck in that dark, dreary world, I almost forgot the sky was blue and how warm the sunlight feels on your skin."

"You care about things like that?"

"Of course! Before becoming an [Apostle], I was human too. Do you know what the greatest trait of humans is?"