Yun Zhe hid in a large tree, gazing at a fork in the road in the distance—the only way out of the western gate of Donic City. If he didn't see the elves at this fork, it meant they hadn't reacted yet.
As if to confirm Yun Zhe's statement, a cloud of dust suddenly rose, and a dozen horses appeared at the fork in the road, each carried a fully armed elven rider. However, the elves did not cross the road and continue towards Yun Zhe's direction. They lingered at the fork for a long time, then gradually split into two groups, seemingly arguing. One rider, with thick, golden hair that shone brightly in the setting sun, rode a white horse, pacing back and forth at the fork, shouting something agitatedly at the rider on the other horse. The other rider, on a chestnut horse, also seemed to be gesturing wildly and speaking at the same time.
The distance was too great for Yun Zhe to hear what they were saying, but judging from their gestures and movements, the white horse rider was probably trying to stop the chestnut horse rider from giving chase. Sure enough, after a few words of argument, they all turned their horses around and left the fork in the road.
Yun Zhe breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed the elves wouldn't pursue them today, giving them at least another day to relocate. A full day had passed since they braved the rain to relocate and defeat the two supply convoys. At Yun Zhe's suggestion, Serena began moving towards Skano village. After all, that was the only relatively rugged area in the entire Donic territory, with its hills and slopes. Moreover, its proximity to the supply route made it a good location for both offense and defense.
Yun Zhe, on the other hand, was to remain there to keep watch until the elves actually launched a pursuit, or two days later, before he could finally leave completely. This was a difficult task, but Yun Zhe declined the requests of others to come with him. He arrived alone on horseback, carrying only a water bag and provisions.
Yun Zhe jumped down from the tree, picked up two pheasants that had been drained of blood, walked to the makeshift trap he had set, and threw the pheasants in.
"We should try to attract some bigger animals tonight," Yun Zhe said, wiping his hands as he reached into his pocket, pulled out a piece of elf bread, and started munching on it.
That's right, Yun Zhe didn't come out alone this time to be a hero, but to take the opportunity to have a good meal.
Incidentally, I also want to step out of that small group that's already blinded by the small victory we've just achieved, and think more calmly about what's happened during this period, as well as the actions and intentions of various forces on the land of Donic and the Lunlang family right now.
The main force of the elves should currently be on the Lunlang family's lands, so if the Duke's troops were to take advantage of this situation and attack...
What's the current state of the battle between the elves and the royal army? Has neither side gained a decisive advantage, or has one side achieved a decisive victory?
Will the Duke remain inactive, waiting for the royal army and the elves to clash while he launches a surprise attack? That raises the question of the war potential of both sides. Is a force of around ten thousand men a drop in the ocean, or the full force of their elite troops?
Yun Zhe gently rubbed his temples, calming his head, which was about to explode.
"War is really difficult," Yun Zhe couldn't help but sigh. Theoretical discussions are nothing compared to experiencing it firsthand.
But this wasn't the time to think about these things. Yun Zhe swallowed the bread in a few bites, slapped his cheeks hard with both hands to clear his head, and then started scribbling on the ground, listing all the possible scenarios and judging the probability of each one.
Working until dark, Yun Zhe still hadn't figured out a definite solution. But fortunately, he had sorted out several possibilities. And the best part was that, in the initial complex situation, they could all lie in a corner and watch how they played their game.
Yun Zhe had just relaxed when he sensed someone watching him, a feeling that made him extremely uncomfortable. The place Yun Zhe had chosen was exceptionally secluded, not at all conspicuous. The fact that this person could still find him here speaks volumes about their abilities.
Yun Zhe didn't make any further moves. He wiped the drawing off the floor with his foot and then began tidying up his sleeping area. But in his mind, Yun Zhe was trying to determine the possible origin of this person. An elf? Or someone sent by Serena to secretly follow him?
As Yun Zhe was pondering these questions, some noticeable movement came from the woods—very slight, but very cautious footsteps.
Yun Zhe was horrified. The only thing that could get this close without him sensing any of its thoughts was probably one of its own kind.
Yun Zhe turned around abruptly, and the two crossbow bolts in his hand were instantly fired. A familiar female cry came from the woods.
Yun Zhe drew his longsword and charged forward. Then, next to a tree, he saw an elf lying on the ground. It wasn't the elven vampire, but Akdina.
Yun Zhe frowned. "Why are you here?"
Akdina looked resentful as she abruptly pulled the crossbow bolt from her arm. Looking at the wooden arrowhead, she threw it viciously at Yun Zhe's feet.
"I've been here all along, I'm here. I want to ask you, how did you get here?" Akdina's voice still carried a hint of anger.
Yun Zhe was taken aback. "Aren't you going north to go home?"
Akdina seemed to have been punched hard. She sighed, but didn't say a word. She just curled up on the ground, like a little girl who had been upset.
Yun Zhe frowned. "Could it be that the war has also made it impossible for you to go home? I might believe you if you were an ordinary person, but you're a vampire. Who would believe you if you said you were blocked?"
"How long have you been here? Have you encountered any elves?" Yun Zhe sat down on the ground and asked, staring at her.
Akdina shook her head, then stared at Yun Zhe for a long time before slowly asking, "Do you think it's possible for me to become an elven soldier?"
After hearing this, Yun Zhe looked at his own clothes and suddenly understood what Akdina meant.
"If you want, of course you can, but..."
"Just what?"
"Humans are currently at war with elves. I don't deny that you can kill enemies on the battlefield, but on the battlefield, where blood and flesh are flying everywhere, can you control your bloodlust? Also, if you join the elven army now, you will actually be making an enemy of me."
After hearing Yun Zhe's words, Akdina didn't reply. She hugged herself tightly and then shook her head. "Never mind then. When will the war end?"
Yun Zhe suddenly felt a warmth in his heart. This girl had obviously let go of the suicidal desires of the elf vampire and now desperately wanted to integrate into society like him. However, she rejected his rare and good plan because she did not want to be his enemy.
"Why do you have to be a soldier? Go to the land of the elves, even if you're just a waitress in a tavern, that would be great," Yun Zhe suggested.
Akdina looked up at Yun Zhe with a puzzled expression.
"Didn't you know that vampires can't enter elf territory?"
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