Chapter 71 The Continuation of the Winter Games and the Beginning of the Alliance...

Ilandil's slightly mocking remark, "I won't hold back," immediately ignited the competitive spirit of the residents of Hope Town, who were still reeling from the earlier shock.

"Hey, listen to this! Even the elves have spoken!" Uncle Stonefist was the first to jump up. He pushed up his rabbit earmuffs, revealing two bright red ears, pointed at the elves opposite him, and shouted with spittle flying, "Come on, let's show them what real power is today. I want to see if our sweat is tougher, or if their magic is stronger."

Seeing that the atmosphere was right, Lin Yue immediately seized the opportunity and said loudly, "Everyone, the crisis is over. Put your minds at ease, our home is safe."

"I know everyone is terrified. But fear won't solve anything. Today's events have made us all realize one thing: we must become stronger. Only when we are strong can we deter those wolves and tigers from baring their teeth at us."

“However,” he changed the subject, a relaxed smile spreading across his face, “that’s something to think about tomorrow. Today is Hope Town’s festival, our sports meet. We can’t let a bunch of inconsiderate flies spoil our fun.”

He then pointed to the ethereal elves behind him and said loudly, "What's more, today we welcome distinguished guests, friends from the Silvermoon Forest. With them by our side, what is there for us to fear?"

Yes, even the legendary elves are on their side, so what do they have to be afraid of?

"Alright, stop standing there like idiots." Lin Yue waved his hand. "The tug-of-war was only halfway through and it got ruined. How disappointing. Let's continue the competition."

"To promote friendly exchanges among the people of Hope Town and our friends in Silvermoon Forest, the upcoming tug-of-war will be conducted in a mixed team format. Humans, Silent Ones, Dwarves, and now our Elf friends will also be included. Everyone can freely form teams and rearrange them."

Soon, two brand-new tug-of-war teams, boasting all-star lineups, were formed amidst cheers and laughter.

On one side was the "Macho Alliance," consisting of Li Ge, Amu, Kailan, the elf guard Lorian, and Uncle Stonefist, who was chosen by the crowd to represent the strongest force in Hope Town.

On the other side was the "Beauty is Justice Team," consisting of Gray, Druid, several agile Silent youths, and a helpless-looking Ylandir.

"Lord Ilandil, please don't hold back!" Lin Yue shouted through a megaphone with ill intent. "This is a battle for racial honor."

Looking at the group of humans before him, who seemed to have been injected with adrenaline, and then at his own hands, which were more accustomed to holding a longsword and sensing the pulse of nature, a helpless yet somewhat amused expression appeared on his face.

With the sound of a whistle, the game began.

The result was as expected.

With barely any effort, Elendil simply planted himself firmly in a horse stance, his arm muscles bulging slightly, emanating an aura of imposing strength. The opposing "Macho Alliance" felt as if they were pulling a thousand-year-old tree rooted deep in the earth; no matter how red-faced they became or how much effort they exerted, the red ribbon in the middle of the rope moved relentlessly towards Elendil.

"Hey! Stop! Stop! Stop!" Seeing that they were about to lose, Lin Yue, the head referee, immediately blew his whistle against them. He ran over to the "Men's Alliance" side and shouted righteously, "It's not fair! It's so unfair! Lord Ilandil, you're so good, we need to add more people to our side!"

After saying that, without waiting for the other party's agreement, he pushed the two burly men behind Li Ge and his men.

Looking at Lin Yue's shameless behavior, Ilandil merely raised an eyebrow and remained silent.

The game has restarted.

The result... was still the same.

No matter how many people Lin Yue added to the other side, the rope seemed to be under a spell, steadfastly moving towards Ilandil.

"Add two more! Add two more people!" Lin Yue was anxious and pushed Old Barton and Old Beaver up.

The rope continued to move slowly.

"You...you cheated, didn't you?" Lin Yue finally couldn't hold back his shamelessness any longer, pointing at Irandir and accusing him with a face full of grief and indignation.

Ilandil just watched him quietly, a hint of mockery in his eyes, without saying a word.

The surrounding elven guards were dumbfounded. In their eyes, their Ranger was always synonymous with aloofness, strictness, and unsmilingness. When had they ever seen their lord so indulgent towards a human's erratic behavior in front of him?

In the end, Lin Yue succumbed to the calm, unwavering gaze of Irandir. He coughed, his face flushed, and announced, "Ahem... alright, I declare the 'Beauty is Justice' team... the winner."

The audience erupted in good-natured laughter.

Turning his head, Lin Yue immediately abused his power and added a new competition rule on the spot: "Given that our Pokémon friends possess mysterious powers that we cannot understand, in order to ensure the fairness of the competition, from now on, all Pokémon are prohibited from participating in any competitive events that require a contest of strength and speed." This undoubtedly meant that Pokémon were excluded from all sports this season.

Irandir: "..."

Thus, a group of idle elves were forced to become spectators and referees on the sidelines.

Lin Yue forced Elandil to supervise the archery competition. When he saw Gray calmly draw back the hard bow made of ironwood and animal sinew, and fire three arrows in quick succession, each hitting the bullseye, even with his discerning eye, he couldn't help but nod in approval.

“Your arm strength is very steady, and your eyes are very focused,” Ilandil stepped forward and pointed out. “But your breathing rhythm needs to be adjusted. Archery is not just about the strength of your arms and eyes, but also about feeling the flow of the wind with your heart, and making each breath you take one with the trajectory of the arrow.”

He picked up a bow himself, without nocking an arrow, but simply closed his eyes and made a slow, fluid motion as he drew the bow. In that instant, everyone felt as if he had become one with the surrounding wind and the very essence of heaven and earth.

Gray watched his movements thoughtfully, his eyes filled with a longing for a higher realm.

Meanwhile, the dwarf boss Stonefist experienced the worst day of his life.

His best chance to win the tug-of-war event was thwarted when he encountered a formidable opponent, Elendil, who emerged out of nowhere.

In the subsequent snow sprint, his short, sturdy legs barely made it ten meters before he was left far behind by the long-legged Li Ge and Kailan.

In the long jump, he tried his best, but only left a deep, short mark on the snow, like a cannon crater, which drew laughter.

Even his most confident event—stone lock throwing—was narrowly defeated by the incredibly strong but simple-minded Amu. After winning, Amu scratched his head sheepishly and said to Shi Quan, "Uncle Shi Quan, you're too kind. Maybe... I'm young and eat a lot..."

Enraged, Stone Fist almost picked up his hammer and challenged him to a real duel on the spot.

Finally, amidst cheers and laughter, the first Winter Fun Games in Hope Town came to a successful conclusion.

Lin Yue personally presented the awards to the winners. The prizes were all the most popular hard currency in Hope's Stove. The champion would receive a complete set of exquisite ceramic tableware and a brand-new iron knife, the runner-up would receive a large bag of Starlight Wheat Flour, and the third-place winner would receive several skewers of fragrant secret-recipe grilled meat.

For those participants who did not place, Lin Yue also prepared a "participation is key" award: two warm Starlight Sleep Aid Buns for each person.

Only Uncle Stone Fist, empty-handed and having gotten nothing, sat sulking in the corner. Lin Yue had no choice but to take over with a double portion of golden potato and wheat pancakes with diced meat and coax him for a long time before his dark face brightened.

After the awards ceremony, a grand celebration banquet officially began in the dining hall of Yihaodian.

Mia and her team of cooks demonstrated amazing creativity.

They sliced ​​the stone potatoes into even, thin slices, fried them in animal fat until golden brown and crispy, then sprinkled them with snow salt and fire pepper powder, creating the first truly meaningful potato chips in Hope Town. The crispy texture drove all the children crazy.

They also used starlight wheat flour, mixed with a large amount of animal milk and wild fruit jam, to bake a soft and sweet cake prototype in a brick kiln. Although the texture was still a bit rough, the sweet taste was enough to make everyone feel happy.

The main course is a hearty dish specially developed to entertain the elf guests and reward the entire town: sauerkraut, vermicelli, and smoked meat stew.

Take out the tangy and appetizing pickled cabbage from the cellar, which has been fermenting for a long time, and cut it into thin strips. Then, stir-fry it in an iron pot with smoked bacon that has a good balance of lean and fat, bringing out the aroma of the pickled cabbage and the oil from the bacon. Add rich bone broth that has been simmering for several hours, along with chewy and smooth potato noodles, and simmer gently.

The moment the lid was lifted, the irresistible aroma of sauerkraut, cured meat, and smooth vermicelli filled the air, instantly captivating everyone present, including those who always preferred light flavors.

After tasting the delicacies of Hope Town, Elendil, Lorian, and the druid were already mentally prepared. But the young elves behind them were experiencing such rustic yet delicious human food for the first time.

At first, they maintained their elven reserve, savoring the soup in small sips. But soon, they were completely won over by the exquisite flavor—tangy, appetizing, and not greasy at all. Several young elves, still quite young and never having left the forest, innocently asked Lorian while eating the pickled cabbage and vermicelli, "Captain, is everything in the human world this delicious?" The youngest elf even couldn't resist secretly serving himself a second bowl after finishing one, only to be discovered by his companions and blush deeply.

Lorian could only shake his head helplessly at their pathetic state.

They then understood why the Queen and the Ranger valued this small settlement so much. The food here truly had magic.

Everyone was satisfied with the meal, and the steaming hot Starlight Barley Tea afterwards was equally comforting.

After a full day of exercise and the shock of Karl's army, everyone felt a bit tired. The banquet didn't last too long, and everyone dispersed to their warm and comfortable homes. Soon, the entire Hope Town fell into a peaceful slumber.

Only Lin Yue, along with Elders Ilandil and Farador, remained seated around the dining table, enjoying this rare moment of tranquility.

“Lord Ilandil,” Lin Yue took a sip of barley tea and broke the silence, “thank you all for your timely appearance today. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.”

Ilandil shook his head: "No need for thanks, Mayor Lin Yue. Protecting the peace of this land is the duty of Silvermoon Forest. Besides, Hope Town is now an important ally of ours."

He paused, his tone becoming serious: "We have come here not only to convey Her Majesty the Queen's goodwill, but also to discuss with you the first formal trade between our two settlements."