Because of Usha's unexpectedly high level of magic, what should have been a short meeting lasting only half an hour stretched to nearly three hours, until the moon was high in the sky before everyone gradually left. Andrew was the last to depart, bidding a reluctant farewell to his child, as Wood had also followed his arrangement and become one of Yun Zhe's attendants.
Yun Zhe didn't quite like the atmosphere of farewell between Andrew and Wood, as if his father or he was going on some dangerous mission. Actually, judging from the current situation, they would have a long time to spend together in the future.
Of course, Yun Zhe hadn't forgotten his plan to catch a tongue from the elf. After everyone left, he discussed it with Ellie for a while and decided to try catching a tongue anyway.
When Yun Zhe and Jelock arrived at the elven camp, it was already deserted. The entire camp was completely empty except for some wooden stakes that had not yet been removed and broken fences.
They even dismantled the simple pontoon bridge, leaving only the simple bridgeheads on both banks.
On the opposite bank of the river, scattered lights meandered in lines.
The river flowed swiftly, and Yun Zhe stared blankly at the distant elven torches, speechless.
They left so quickly? If Yun Zhe hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would have suspected that the person who said that had been drinking fake alcohol.
The elves fled in panic? That seems both yes and no. The elves appear very anxious. What are they so anxious about? Has the royal army already cut off their retreat? Or are they planning a surprise attack on the royal legion?
Yun Zhe already knew that another elven force had gone to attack the Lunlang family, but he wasn't clear on the exact number and situation. Based on the current circumstances, the most likely explanation was that the other force had encountered problems, and Yun Zhe was on his way to their rescue.
“Let’s go back,” Yun Zhe said softly, his heart filled with regret. “It’s a pity that I’m uncertain about nothing right now. If I were certain about even one thing, I wouldn’t be in such a passive position…”
The news of the elf's departure spread throughout the village the next day, along with the news that Sind had run away to the Duke's side.
When everyone heard the news, their first reaction was to look at Andrew. Andrew was expressionless, as if Sind was a complete stranger to him.
Then everyone heard an even more horrifying piece of news from Nuremt: Duke Salder was plotting to overthrow the royal family and establish himself as king.
Things have become more complicated and interesting. That was Yun Zhe's first reaction.
Serena became sullen again. She had just heard the good news that the elves had retreated, and less than five minutes later, she was ruined by two pieces of bad news.
So what should we do now?
"While everyone is still caught off guard, let's get back to Donic. No matter what, we need to let everyone know that this land is still in the hands of the Donic family, and that members of the Donic family are protecting it!" Blake looked at Serena urgently. "Seize this opportunity. Since everyone covets this land, we can't afford to lose it. This is our last bargaining chip!"
Serena looked at the emotional Blake and nodded repeatedly. She hadn't figured out many things yet, but one thing she did know was that the value of this land was now greater than it appeared.
She is the owner of this land.
Seeing Serena nod, everyone's emotions were quickly ignited, and they all began to prepare to return to Donic City.
A few days later, they arrived safely near the city of Donic. On their way back to Donic, they gathered up the fleeing soldiers and the scattered farmers, and their numbers gradually increased from about two hundred to over a thousand. Although most of them were farmers, they were already quite a force to be reckoned with.
Moreover, as the army gradually expanded and the elves retreated, news of the count continuing to rule the land spread. Although most people were not optimistic about the army returning to Donic at this time, it was still somewhat inspiring from an emotional perspective.
There is no single, universally accepted explanation for why the elves withdrew.
Moreover, whether the elves will return is also a question worth considering.
Therefore, those who dare to step forward to support Serena and follow her at this moment are either too naive or too deeply in love.
Soon, their choice faced a severe test, as the emerald green elven banners still fluttered over Donic.
When the scouts delivered this terrible news, they had already been traveling under the elves' watchful eye for three days.
The reason the elves didn't choose to launch a preemptive strike wasn't because they only had 360 men—120 cavalry and 240 infantry. Rather, they were bewildered by the intelligence of these men. Did anyone really believe that the elves had crossed the river and left no troops behind? Judging from their three days of marching, they genuinely believed there were no elves left in this land. This almost anti-intellectual, abnormal behavior actually suppressed the elves' urge to charge in and teach them a lesson.
Their reason for stationing themselves here was simple: it housed a large number of siege weapons, and it was the closest and best-preserved castle on the important supply route nearby. Their presence here served as a sentry post.
Seeing Chad return with a worried look on his face, Yun Zhe immediately understood Donic's situation. The castle had been occupied by the elves, and it seemed to have been rebuilt quite well.
No one knows who leaked the news, but soon the news of the elven army ahead spread throughout the entire group.
Morale was low again; many farmers, fearing conscription, fled in droves. Many soldiers also took the opportunity to desert. Had Andrew not discovered this early, the hard-won troop would have completely disintegrated once more.
Yun Zhe had actually mentioned earlier that the elves might not have completely retreated, but at the time, almost everyone was blinded by the news he brought back of the elves crossing the river, firmly believing that the elves had all left. This optimism, coupled with the fact that not a single elf was found in the first few days, reinforced their belief that there were no elves left in the area. Their immediate priority was to race against the Duke and be the first to announce that they had driven the elves away…
At this moment, the green elf banners on the walls of Donic completely shattered their plans.
"Approximately how many people are on the other side?" Yun Zhe asked.
Chad scratched his head. He and his brothers didn't dare to get close. They ran back as soon as they saw the flag in the distance.
“Elves usually have a habit of defending a city: a squad of infantry, half a squad of cavalry... about three or four hundred men. If the city is important, they double that number…” Andrew said worriedly.
“With the capabilities of Donic City, it can only accommodate a maximum of two thousand soldiers to hold out for a year. Even if the elves don’t value this castle, I think there should be at least six or seven hundred people…” Philby added.
Yun Zhe stood under the shade of a tree, looking in the direction of Donic Castle, and sighed softly.
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