After all, our status is different now; we brothers hold the trump card on the battlefield!
I can't exactly say, "I can clearly command a powerful elven army, and then I have to fawn over everyone I meet," can I? That's unreasonable, it's suspicious, and it doesn't fit the image of a pure-blooded elf!
Watching Jia Zhengyi step forward to negotiate, Xiao Linlin couldn't help but tug at Su Lin's arm and whisper in admiration, "Brother, look! Our radar is amazing! It's got the flair of an award-winning actor!"
"really."
Su Lin nodded in agreement. Jia Zhengyi was indeed very good at handling situations, skilled at communicating and performing in front of people, and he was also very adept at it.
Strangely, this guy is quite outspoken and unrestrained in front of his own people, behaving rather idiotically.
Su Lin could only see it as Jia Zhengyi's duality. After all, there are some people who are just like that: fickle, clever, and cunning in front of strangers, but stupid and adorable in front of their own people, making people grit their teeth.
Ultimately, it's just that people are less guarded around those they're close to, and they're too lazy to care about what mask they should wear.
"So they're our own people... Then what about these elves?"
The human cavalrymen nodded, and the captain, who was leading them, asked in a deep voice. Jia Zhengyi, of course, gave the answer he had already guessed: "These are my friends, responsible for protecting us as we reunite with the Duke."
"I see. You are Captain Ja from Balota, right? You have a pure-blooded elf friend, as legend has it."
The cavalry captain nodded in realization, and Jia Zhengyi calmly admitted, "Yes, my friend is resting. She found me powerful elven guards, and not long ago she repelled several attacks by orcs."
The cavalrymen nodded knowingly; they could tell from the various orc heads, ears, and tails the recruits were carrying.
Clearly, these human warriors were not skilled enough to defeat powerful orc sub-races like bearmen and werewolves; this could only be attributed to the elves.
Moreover, there were quite a few elves, at least several thousand, and each of them rode a magical deer, the kind elves only ride when they go to war.
This is no small matter!
The cavalry captain understood the gravity of the situation, and his expression and tone became much more polite in his subsequent conversation with Jia Zhengyi.
Soon, the two sides communicated effectively, and under the captain's leadership, Jia Zhengyi signaled the team to follow the patrolmen and continue moving forward.
Both sides tacitly avoided mentioning the awkward topic of why the Duke was in the wilderness instead of in the fortress.
Along the way, the cavalrymen kept asking Jia Zhengyi about the elves' origins, purpose, and size, and Jia Zhengyi answered them all appropriately. He had already received hints from Xiao Linlin and had drawn up a suitable background for the cavalrymen:
A group of adventurers passionately joined the army, only to be ambushed and killed by orcs on their way to the front lines. They also heard the terrible news of the fortress's fall. The human members of the adventure team were extremely indignant and pleaded with the pure-blooded elves in the team for help.
The elven friends were very loyal. They led the team to find the nearest elves, formed a powerful elven army, and then led the human recruits and supplies to fight their way through the blood of orcs to the Duke.
This is a heroic act of loyalty, a great adventure worthy of being recorded and celebrated by bards.
Of course, if they could help the Duke recapture the fortress later, it would surely be an extremely legendary epic chapter, worthy of being recorded in history.
Meanwhile, Jia Zhengyi kept hinting to the cavalrymen, conveying the possibility that he could keep these elven troops, hoping to gain the attention of the human camp.
After understanding the implied meaning, the cavalrymen naturally dared not be negligent. Some of them left early on horseback and galloped away.
Before long, when the group arrived at the foot of a mountain with a rugged and treacherous road, a densely packed human army was already waiting there, led by a middle-aged man standing on horseback.
He had fiery red hair, wore a magnificent suit of magical armor, and had a sword at his waist.
The man's gaze was sharp as an eagle's, his eyes deep and steady, his nose high and straight, and his figure exuded a heavy aura of sorrow.
At first glance, he gives the impression of a great hero who cares deeply about his country and its people.
No further introduction is needed. Su Lin only needed to glance at him from afar to know that this person must be the Duke without a doubt!
With that kind of presence, who else could be a duke if not him?
"As expected of a politician who has been in a high position for a long time, his aura is very convincing... He can easily gain the trust of others, and he looks like a good official."
Xiao Linlin sighed silently, but there was a hint of sarcasm in her tone: "It seems that no matter where you are, human nature hasn't changed. You can always find the perfect expression and temperament in politics. Every politician is a born performer."
Su Lin smiled and didn't say much, watching as the Duke took the initiative to ride forward, engaging in conversation with Jia Zhengyi with a reserved yet enthusiastic demeanor.
"Oh! Your Majesty! You must be the brave and loyal Captain Jia, the new glory of the empire!"
Through the conversation coming through their headsets, the team members could all sense the Duke's respectful attitude.
This was a complex mix of gratitude, admiration, and sorrow. The duke, who called himself "Bas Thorne," warmly praised Jia Zhengyi's loyalty and dedication to the empire, and subtly expressed his deep gratitude for the elven people's assistance.
Of course, these words sound like grand principles on the surface, and are official platitudes full of local flavor.
Duke Bass didn't say much, clearly knowing that this kind of thing wouldn't be accepted by people outside the officialdom. He quickly extended a warm invitation to Jia Zhengyi and the elf team to go into the mountains together to his temporary secret command post.
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