Chapter 23: Hide and Seek Begins! A chance encounter with a legendary elf? ^^……
The fence construction for "Lin's Restaurant" was like a never-ending marathon, consuming Lin Yue and Gray's physical strength and patience every day.
The progress bar moved slowly forward, and Lin Yue felt like he could almost name every single wooden stake.
The only consolation is that Uncle Shi Quan's leg injury is recovering better and better. Although he still needs crutches to help him go on long trips, he is gradually able to throw away his crutches and walk slowly in the courtyard.
Although he couldn't do heavy physical labor yet, he could at least provide more precise technical guidance from the sidelines and began to study the inferior ironware that had been captured, figuring out how to remelt and remake it.
Just as Lin Yue was diligently chipping away at the wooden stake, calculating in his mind when he could accumulate enough points to exchange for an iron axe, the long-awaited system notification suddenly rang cheerfully in his mind!
[Ding! New side quest triggered: The Elf's Trail!]
[Mission Description: The system has detected faint but unusual magical fluctuations in the nearby area, suspected to be related to the legendary elves. The host is requested to explore the designated area, attempt to find clues about elf activity, and assess their potential impact on this community (friend or foe?).]
[Mission Location: Eastern Dense Forest, Coordinates (XXX, YYY)]
[Task Rewards: 200 System Points, 1 bag of random plant seeds, and unlock the passive skill [Basic Magic Perception] (extremely low probability).]
[Mission Hint: Elves are typically secretive and skilled in disguise and stealth. It is recommended that you remain discreet and pay close attention to your surroundings. Perhaps bringing your furry companion along will yield unexpected rewards?]
An elf?!
Lin Yue almost dropped the stone knife in his hand!
Following the dwarves, is another legendary race about to make its appearance?!
Moreover, this time it's the legendary Elf race, known for their magical prowess, stunning good looks, and typically aloof and xenophobic nature!
Lin Yue's heart pounded with excitement!
These are elves! A staple race in fantasy works! They can shoot arrows! They can cast spells! And maybe they're even immortal! If you could get on good terms with elves, the benefits would be...
I can't even imagine! Maybe I could learn some magic? Or trade for some elven specialties? At the very least, it would be nice to have something to look at!
However, the system notification also mentioned that the elf is elusive and adept at stealth. Furthermore, its attitude is unclear; it's uncertain whether it's friend or foe.
What if the other party is a grumpy environmentalist who dislikes humans and shoots him with an arrow, mistaking him for a villain who destroys the forest?
Lin Yue touched his heart and felt that he still had to be cautious.
"System, are you sure you want to go? I'm so small, what if I run into a grumpy elf archer..." Lin Yue was a little scared.
[System Response: The mission has been issued. Please decide for yourself whether to accept it. Risk and opportunity coexist. Completing the mission will yield generous rewards and may unlock subsequent storylines and technology/magic paths related to the Elven race. Please seize the opportunity.]
Alright, the system has already put it this way, how can I refuse? 200 points! A random seed! And a chance to unlock magical perception! The temptation is too great!
Let's do it!
"Fortune favors the bold! For points! For seeds! For the possibility of magical girls... oops, I mean, for promoting inter-species exchange!" Lin Yue cheered himself up.
He decided to accept the task.
However, going alone is definitely not an option; it's too dangerous. We absolutely need to bring bodyguards!
He found the old man practicing his stone-throwing technique.
"Uncle Stone Fist, can I talk to you about something?" Lin Yue rubbed his hands together and approached with a grin.
"What? Trying to slack off again?" Shi asked without raising his fist.
"No, no!" Lin Yue quickly explained, "It's the system... uh, it's just that I think it's not good for us to stay near the restaurant all the time. We need to explore a bit further away to see if there are any new resource points, or... potential dangers." He slightly repackaged the system task.
Shi Quan looked at him suspiciously: "Where do you want to go?"
Lin Yue pointed to the east: "That dense forest over there, I think the trees there are particularly lush, maybe there's something good there."
Stone Fist frowned: "Over there? Too deep, dangerous. There might be... a big one."
"It's alright! We'll just check the outer perimeter, we won't go too deep!" Lin Yue patted his chest to assure him. "Besides, we have Gray with us! He's so capable!"
Mentioning Gray softened Stonefist's expression slightly. He did acknowledge Gray's skills. "Hmph, you go if you want, my legs aren't fully healed yet, I'm not going!"
"No, uncle!" Lin Yue quickly used his trump card, "Think about it, what if there's some really good timber in that forest? Or stones that can be used to make new tools? Or... something good that can be traded for salt?"
Stone Fist's ears twitched, clearly drawn by the words "salt exchange." "...Really?"
"Of course! It's very likely!" Lin Yue confidently assured him. "You're very experienced, so if you come with us, you can help us make an assessment, right?"
Ultimately, under Lin Yue's persistent pleading and the lure of "bright prospects," Uncle Shi Quan reluctantly agreed to the exploration of resources in the eastern dense forest.
So, the Lin family, in a moment of folly... oh no, I mean, their exploration team assembled! This time, it was a full-scale operation!
Lin Yue was responsible for leading the way and providing "magical perception," although it hadn't been unlocked yet.
Gray was in charge of guarding the way and clearing the path.
Shi Quan was responsible for "technical guidance" and long-range fire support.
Xiao Fen... is responsible for being cute and... the "unexpected gains" prompted by the system?
The group headed towards the eastern dense forest, following the coordinates marked by the system.
The further you go, the denser the forest becomes, and the dimmer the light. Towering ancient trees block out the sun, vines entwine, and the ground is covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, making no sound when you step on them.
The air was filled with a damp, fresh scent of plants, occasionally punctuated by the clear chirping of birds.
The environment here is significantly better than the area around their small restaurant, and is much closer to the scene Gray described before the cursed land.
"This place feels... different," Lin Yue murmured as he carefully parted the vines blocking his path. "It seems... cleaner? More vibrant?"
Gray nodded, his eyes filled with a hint of wariness and...nostalgia?
Shi Quan frowned, looking around, occasionally tapping the ground or tree trunk with his cane, as if sensing something.
Just then, Xiao Fen, who had been following Lin Yue's feet excitedly, suddenly stopped, pricked up her furry ears in a certain direction, made a low "woofing" sound in her throat, and trembled slightly, seemingly both uneasy and curious.
"Xiao Fen? What's wrong?" Lin Yue squatted down and comforted the little one.
Xiao Fen raised its head, looked at Lin Yue with its big, shiny black eyes, then barked twice in that direction and pointed with its little paw.
Lin Yue looked in the direction it pointed, but saw nothing but dense trees and vines.
"Is there anything over there?" Lin Yue asked, puzzled.
Gray and Stonefist also became alert, carefully observing that direction.
[System Notification: Partner 'Fenrir' has sensed an abnormal energy fluctuation! The special power contained within its bloodline is being activated! Please observe its reaction!]
Bloodline abnormality? Special power?
Lin Yue looked at Xiao Fen in his arms in surprise. Could this little one really have some hidden talent? Like… being able to sense magic?
He remembered the system task prompt saying, "Bringing your furry little companion along will bring unexpected rewards"... Could this be what it refers to?
"Xiao Fen, over there... is there anything that scares or intrigues you?" Lin Yue asked tentatively.
Xiao Fen tilted its head, seemingly trying to understand him. It whimpered twice in that direction, then rubbed its little head against Lin Yue's hand, as if to say, "It's over there, a little strange, but it seems...not bad?"
Lin Yue's heart skipped a beat. Could it be... the elves are over there? And Xiao Fen can sense their presence?
He decided to trust Xiaofen's intuition.
"Gray, Uncle Stonefist, let's look over there!" Lin Yue said, pointing in the direction Xiao Fen indicated.
Although the two were somewhat puzzled, they still followed Lin Yue cautiously and stealthily over there.
They moved quietly, trying not to make a sound. Xiao Fen nestled obediently in Lin Yue's arms, but her ears kept twitching, alertly sensing the movement around her.
After walking a few dozen meters further, they came to an ancient tree that was exceptionally thick and required five or six people to encircle.
Just then, Xiaofen suddenly let out a low whimper and began to struggle, as if she wanted to jump down.
Lin Yue quickly calmed it down, while his eyes darted around rapidly.
Then, he discovered it!
Near the thick roots of the ancient tree, a small patch of moss bears extremely slight, unnatural signs of trampling.
Moreover, on the tree trunk, about two meters above the ground, there appears to be a very hidden, rune-like mark wrapped with some kind of silver thread.
[System Scan: Faint traces of residual magic detected! Energy nature: Peaceful, leaning towards nature. Marking symbol: >90% similarity to known tracking/communication symbols commonly used by 'High Elves'!]
High elves?!
Lin Yue's heart started pounding again.
It really is an elf, and a high elf at that, which sounds much more awesome than ordinary elves.
They were... very likely nearby just now! Perhaps... even secretly observing them?!
Lin Yue subconsciously looked up at the dense canopy of trees and felt a chill run down his spine.
Gray and Stonefist had clearly also noticed the traces and markings, and their expressions became extremely serious.
“…Elves.” Gray uttered the two words in a low voice, his voice filled with deep apprehension.
Stonefist clenched his fists nervously and lowered his voice: "Hurry up! Elves usually don't welcome outsiders! Especially us dwarves..." He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence and looked around warily.
It seems the relationship between the dwarves and elves is... not very harmonious?
Lin Yue knew this place was not a safe place to stay. Although he was a little disappointed that he hadn't been able to see the elves directly, he had at least confirmed their existence and discovered the clues they had left behind.
More importantly, based on initial assessments, these elves don't seem to be showing any obvious hostility? Otherwise, they would probably have turned into hedgehogs by now.
"Okay, let's retreat!" Lin Yue made a quick decision, carrying Xiao Fen, and signaled to Gray and Shi Quan, and carefully returned the way they came.
The three of them breathed a sigh of relief after they had traveled a long distance from that area.
[System Notification: Side Quest [Traces of the Elves] Completion 50%. Successfully discovered clues to elf activity. Preliminary assessment: The elves active in this area are wary of unfamiliar intruders, but have not yet shown strong hostility. Please continue to monitor the situation and try to find opportunities for further contact.]
[Additional Note: Your companion 'Fenrir' exhibits unusual sensitivity to magical fluctuations, suggesting his bloodline may not be that of an ordinary orc. It is recommended to monitor his subsequent growth and ability development.]
Although this exploration did not yield any direct material gains, it was of great significance!
Not only did they confirm the existence of the elves and make a preliminary judgment on their attitude, they also unexpectedly discovered Xiaofen's hidden talent! This fluffy little guy seems to be more than just a mascot!
More importantly, this experience made Lin Yue realize that this cursed land was far more complex and mysterious than he had imagined. Humans, orcs, dwarves, elves... different races intertwined on this land, each hiding their own secrets and stories.
And he, Lin Yue, and his small Lin Family Restaurant seem to be getting drawn into this vortex step by step.
Will the future be full of opportunities or fraught with crises?
Lin Yue didn't know.
But he knew that his mischievous... no, his heart for exploration and construction was completely unable to be contained.
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