Elf Kingdom: Game of the World Tree-Chapter 180 - 174 The Doubts of the Dark Dwarves

Chapter 180 -174 The Doubts of the Dark Dwarves

“I didn’t expect the players to attract the attention of the Dark Dwarves so quickly.”

Eve was somewhat surprised.

However, this also indicated that the settlement of the Dark Dwarves was probably not far from here…

“It seems that the map of the Dark Dwarves might be opening soon.”

She thought for a moment and temporarily enabled the language blocking function for the team named Fried Tomato, screening out related terms that might reveal her true identity, like the World Tree and Yggdrasil.

*Although players have currently accepted the setup of keeping the true identity of the Goddess a secret, who knows if any player might suddenly act erratically, so it’s better to be cautious.*

Of course, only the language conversion was blocked.

When players were summoned to the Segis World, they actually still spoke Chinese; however… as the initiator controlling the connection between the players’ consciousness and bodies, Eve could manipulate the players’ bodies.

*Players believed they were speaking Chinese, but in fact, their words automatically converted into the local language of the Segis World after they spoke, and vice versa.*

This local language defaulted to Elvish, but players could also adjust the language system to use the common language employed among various races in the Segis World.

For instance, when communicating with Half-Beasts, they used the common language.

*Although players thought they were speaking only Chinese and found the game’s official language system somewhat inexplicable, they felt it was quite appealing once they accepted it.*

As for the blocking, it essentially meant that the related terms weren’t “translated,” and players would directly say them in Chinese—naturally, the natives wouldn’t understand.

Of course, players could also learn the local language’s spelling, so even without using system language conversion or even when it’s blocked, they could still write the text…

*But… what player would be crazy enough to spend considerable effort learning a language that might just be some random creation by the game developers?*

Except for the academic owl…

Hmm, those mage players who wished to study the Array might also learn, but they mostly learned the runes in the Elvish language, imitating the originals.

Besides certain language functions, Eve also blocked the sacrificial array for one player before he prepared to draw it and informed players via a system notification.

The approximate meaning was that players officially entered the Underworld, and the sacrificial array was temporarily prohibited and would be lifted once they returned to the surface…

There were also believers of the Death God here, and if players casually used the sacrificial array, it would likewise expose them.

“The First Legion” did not yet realize that their beloved Goddess had blocked part of their language function just now.

*Although the sudden system message prohibiting sacrifices underground was somewhat surprising, it was merely a bit surprising.*

They had already engaged in combat with these fearsome giant scorpions.

The players were seasoned in field battles, having only drawn three giant scorpions into the fray. Even though they were Black Iron Upper demon beasts, they did not panic.

*After many days of fighting, they were no longer the rookies they were at the start of the game, and dealing with grouped demon beasts was old hat to them. It was simply a matter of testing the attack mechanisms and weak points of a new type.*

Mages prepared their Fireball Techniques; with the Spider Queen Rose leading, they already knew that fire and light attribute magic had the highest destructive power against most underground demon beasts…

Melee players surrounded the attracted giant scorpions, conducting hit-and-run attacks with remarkable synergy.

Even Eve, watching, had to admire the rapid progress of the players…

*Indeed, upon reflection, it made sense.*

*For players, this was just a game; the greatest psychological barrier for recruits—fear—was no longer an issue.*

Moreover, they could reduce pain sensitivity and even revive, which subtly enhanced their courage and tolerance for mistakes.

Thus, after dying several times, players rapidly improved their combat skills.

This increasingly satisfied Eve, making her feel that constructing a “Catastrophe Army” that could make other true gods tremble seemed not far off.

Meanwhile, a small presence that had been secretly spying on players from a concealed cave walked through a narrow, man-made tunnel, eventually emerging in front of a small town made of stones!

The entire small city was built with black stones, featuring a rugged style. Under the glow of luminescent stones on the cavern ceiling, it appeared solemn and murderous.

A group of dwarves wearing coarse, dark-brown hemp clothing with dark skin carried pickaxes or balanced goods on their heads as they moved back and forth within the town…

This… was a city of the Dark Dwarves!

The Dark Dwarves that resembled scouts weaved through the town, greeting familiar faces while swiftly making their way to the most majestic three-story stone building in the town’s center…

“What? You say you saw a group that might be elf mercenaries from the surface? Over a hundred of them?”

In the stone building’s hall, an elderly dwarf listened in astonishment to the scout’s report.

Just like common Dark Dwarves, he was short and stout, with a ring of long, messy facial beard, dark skin, and a bald head.

The old dwarf gazed at the dwarf scout reporting before him, a hint of speechlessness crossing his face,

“Iron Hammer, have you had too much beer? This is the Dark Territory; where would elves come from? And a hundred of them… mercenaries?”

*Elven identities are so sensitive. How could they boldly become mercenaries? Especially in such numbers!*

*While there were cases of elves discreetly hiding their identities as mercenaries across the continent, those were exceptions!*

*Not to mention… what would elves be doing in the Dark Territory?*

The old dwarf did not believe it at all.

“Really! Grandpa Balin, I definitely didn’t get it wrong! Pointy ears, very tall, and very beautiful, surely elves! They’re over by the Dark Forest!”

Called Iron Hammer, the dwarf scout declared, blushing with certainty.

“Impossible!”

The old dwarf shook his head,

“The Dark Forest is full of monsters, though it connects to the surface entrance guarded by that terrifying giant spider, so surface creatures can’t come down without our guidance.”

“Really! Grandpa Balin! I swear to the Death God, I absolutely didn’t mistake them! They are truly elves! Their armor is stunning, more exquisite than the Human World’s, not inferior to our craftsmanship, definitely elves.”

Iron Hammer drew a symbol on his chest representing the Death God and Lord of the Netherworld.

*Swearing to the Death God…*

Upon hearing this, the old dwarf was momentarily stunned; his expression turned slightly solemn.

*In the Segis World, where true gods prevailed, swearing by their deity was the most rigorous form of oath; no intelligent being dared to lie on this matter.*

“Were their hair colors the same?”

The old dwarf asked.

“No, it’s all different colors…”

Iron Hammer shook his head.

“Not consistent…”

The old dwarf frowned and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

“So, it wasn’t a forced relocation of an underground Elf Tribe. Fully armored… could they really be mercenaries? But how did they come down? What were they doing here?”

“Don’t believe me… You can go and see for yourself; they are over there fighting the giant scorpions!”

Iron Hammer insisted.

Hearing this, the old dwarf was taken aback,

“Fighting giant scorpions? Why are they fighting those creatures?”

“It seemed that an elf accidentally wandered into the mushroom forest of the Dark Forest and got eaten by those giant scorpions, so the other elves got enraged and started fighting fiercely!”

The old dwarf: …

“Are they strong? Didn’t the war gods and pantheon curse them thousands of years ago, making their strength drop to Black Iron?”

He asked again.

Iron Hammer scratched his head,

“I didn’t investigate closely, but they didn’t seem particularly strong, appearing to be around Black Iron Lower.”

The old dwarf: …

*A group of Black Iron Lower elves picking a fight with Black Iron Upper giant scorpions—are they crazy?*

Balin admitted that the elves’ silver culture and crafting skills were top-notch across the continent.

Even after a millennium, other races on the Segis Continent couldn’t surpass them.

Even the craft-savvy dwarves merely compared to elves in regular smithing; for higher-level magic equipment, they fell slightly short…

*But civilization was one thing, and crafting skill was another; neither determined a race’s combat strength.*

*Elves’ weak combat power was notorious at the same tier.*

*Before their rank fell, elves could rely on higher starting points, better equipment, and hard strength to prevail, but that was no longer the case…*

*And… sacrificing more people for one dead comrade?*

*Is it worth it?*

*No wonder those long ears are doing worse and worse…*

He shook his head, contemplating, and said,

“Take me to see them.”

He was quite curious about the elves.

Dark Dwarves might not have been the friendliest, but elves were different…

*Those were a famously naïve, stubborn, and easily duped race across the continent, utterly harmless. If they really were elves, the old dwarf wouldn’t mind communicating further; he always admired some of their manufacturing techniques.*

Under the guidance of Iron Hammer, the old dwarf Balin quickly reached the place where he had previously spied on the players through a dug-out tunnel.

When Balin arrived here, he peered through a small hole in the tunnel and saw players battling the giant scorpions.

Needless to say… the First Legion was indeed seasoned.

The three demon beasts posed no challenge to them. Even though they were Black Iron Upper, after losing five players, the First Legion wiped them out.

Considering the sacrificial array couldn’t be used, and the giant scorpions didn’t seem to have anything of value besides pincers and stingers…

So, when killing the giant scorpions, the players set “experience points acquisition” to 100%, not leaving any spoils. The entire scorpion was drained of life by “war sacrifice,” turning into ashes…

Seeing the substantial experience points received in the status bar, the players were thrilled.

*The experience points from these giant scorpions were so high!*

This was for a reason, as the conditions in the Underworld were far harsher than aboveground, meaning the demon beasts surviving here generally had more tenacious vitality.

The “war sacrifice” instinct that Eve granted the players’ bodies relied on absorbing life force!

Additionally, since the players opted not to retain any spoils and directly absorbed 100% of the experience points,

*the data received was unexpectedly high, which was entirely normal.*

Although they lost five players, the players had already grasped the combat pattern of the giant scorpions.

They were excited, panting heavily, eagerly continuing to lure and fight the monsters…

The old dwarf saw the players kill the giant scorpions, then toss several fireballs into the mushroom forest, drawing in five giant scorpions and engaging in battle once more.

The sight of excitement, anticipation, and unabated joy from a distance made the old dwarf pause in amazement.

*These elves…*

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*What on earth is going on?*

*This doesn’t seem like a fight for revenge at all?*

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com