Death Notice Book 8: Chapter 24: The Road Ahead

Release Date: 2026-06-03 15:23:04

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The migrating group of over a thousand elves, including women and children, had eighty percent who could fight. This showed the terrifying war mobilization potential of the Elven Race. It was a pity their ability to have children was very poor. Otherwise, even during the time of the Great Elven Civilization, after many wars, humans could not have replaced the elves to become the new rulers of Faerûn.

The core of the migrating group consisted of the leaders of the two large migrating tribes. They gathered most of the elven Mages, Priests, and Druids. There were also some great antlered deer pulling covered wagons. These wagons carried a small number of backup weapons and arrows, but most of the space was for food supplies.

The horses of the Moon Elf Tribe were too precious, but the great antlered deer in the forest were plentiful. These animals were gentle and their stamina was not worse than horses. Besides not being suitable as mounts, they had no problems pulling wagons and carrying things. As for the covered wagons, they were even simpler. The elves did not lack skill. Every one of them could build a tree house from nothing, so a small covered wagon was naturally no problem either.

Qin Lun initially wanted to join the patrol Rangers on the outskirts. Although he was now an awakened descendant of the royal family and could attend the Council of Elders, he was still a hunter, not a physically weak Mage or Priest. There was no reason for him to stay in the inner part of the group and receive protection.

However, Great Elder Adeline asked him to stay by her side. The patrol teams on the outskirts wouldn’t miss one more or one less person. His role was more significant staying with the Great Elder.

Due to the poor relationship with the Qiongdus Kingdom, the Qiongda’er Elves had not stepped out of the forest for a long time. Even an experienced elven Great Mage like Elder Adeline was now somewhat unclear about the human world. She did not know to what extent the humans outside the forest had developed.

The Moon Elves allowed the Sun Elf Diplomatic Mission to follow them, not just to leave a way out for their people, but also to use the human mercenaries of the Sun Elf Diplomatic Mission. Of course, compared to the Sun Elf Diplomatic Mission, the current Qin Lun was more trustworthy. After all, he was their own Moon Elf royal descendant.

“Firal, the Great Elder is calling us over.” Iristin, who was talking with Qin Lun, reached out and caught a small kingfisher flying from behind. She listened carefully for a moment, then turned her head and spoke.

Actually, even without her saying it, Qin Lun could vaguely understand the beautiful bird song of this little kingfisher. After Elf Whispers merged with the Moonlit Summoning ability, he had gained the power to communicate with animals through his mind. But after all, he had not lived in the forest for long. He could not understand animal language accurately and quickly like Iristin could.

After walking through the camp for a while, Qin Lun and Iristin arrived in front of a large tent. They bent down and entered the tent. This tent was much larger than the surrounding ones. It had a very spacious interior and was the place where the decision-making layer of the migrating group held meetings.

At this time, several Nightlight Crystal Lamps were placed around the tent. A huge animal skin was spread in the center, with several people sitting around it. In the main seat was Great Elder Adeline, dressed plainly and holding a Dove-headed Staff. To her left sat an elven old Mage with white hair and beard. This was High Priest Menon from the other large Moon Elf migrating tribe, the Moonshadow Tribe.

Below Menon was a golden-haired elf with sword-like eyebrows and eagle-like eyes. Qin Lun recognized this elf. When he saw Kelly before, this elf was standing in the middle of the Lost Novices group. He originally thought this was one of the Lost Novices, but it turned out he was Prince Milleras of the Sun Elf Diplomatic Mission.

Compared to the two Elf Princes Qin Lun had met, both Milleras and Coris were outstanding members of the young elven generation. But compared to the sharp and prominent Coris, Milleras seemed much more reserved. Only by paying attention to him for a long time could one discover the occasional sharp light flashing in the golden-haired elf’s eyes.

This was a sharp sword hidden in its scabbard! Qin Lun smiled slightly and shifted his gaze away from Milleras, looking at a human woman beside the Elf Prince. This woman had beauty not inferior to an elf’s. She habitually squinted her eyes with a sweet smile, giving people a gentle and warm feeling.

From Iristin, Qin Lun had already learned that this was Robin, the leader of the mercenary group hired by the Sun Elf Diplomatic Mission. This mercenary group was similar to the plot mercenary group the Fortress Team had taken over. They served as guides and protectors, but in essence, they were the Lost Novices group.

Qin Lun did not see Kelly present, but thinking about it, that was natural. That Female Tyrannosaurus was fine as the team’s hidden ace. But for this kind of public appearance, she was neither willing nor suitable. Otherwise, this beautiful Robin wouldn’t be the leader of the Lost Novices group.

Besides these few people, the several elves sitting on the right were mostly elders and priests from the two Moon Elf tribes. Among them were also High Rank Rangers and Druids responsible for leading the guard teams. In the last few seats near the tent entrance, Qin Lun also saw Nicole.

Their eyes met briefly, then they each looked away. If Qin Lun still had any flaws, the only flaw now was actually his original mercenary identity. Once the Lost Novices group found out he was once a member of a mercenary group, his Apostle identity would definitely be exposed.

Qin Lun had already talked to Iristin beforehand, asking her and Elder Adeline not to reveal to others that he and Nicole were once hired by King Testiel. If anyone asked, they should just say they were Moon Elf tribesmen who had been mercenaries outside.

Iristin and Elder Adeline thought this was because Qin Lun and Nicole were concerned that their employment by the Elven Court would raise suspicions among other Moon Elves. Actually, it was just because Qin Lun and Nicole were afraid of having their Apostle identities exposed by the Lost Novices group.

After Qin Lun and Iristin entered the tent, they saw Great Elder Adeline smiling and gesturing for them to come sit to her right. This position’s status was quite high, second only to the Moonshadow Tribe’s High Priest and the Sun Elf Prince who sat in the first and second positions on the opposite left side.

Seeing the seating position of Qin Lun and Iristin, Robin, who was sitting below the Sun Elf Prince, frowned slightly, then relaxed again.

Actually, Qin Lun and Nicole did not know that they had already come under the notice of the Lost Team. Back when the Lost Team seized the Main Plotline of the Sun Elf Diplomatic Mission, they paid a considerable price. Naturally, they were unwilling to share the benefits with other Apostle teams early in the journey.

Nicole’s identity wasn’t really a secret. The person she took over, Emma, was just too conspicuous. Many elves in the Magic Cup Court knew of her. The Lost Apostles only needed to ask around a little to confirm her Apostle identity.

But Qin Lun’s identity was harder to find out about. As a rather unnoticeable member of the original elf merchant caravan, ordinary elves simply didn’t know he existed. When entering the city, only Iristin alone knew about him. And his other identity as a royal descendant was a sensitive topic within the Magic Cup Court. Whether it was King Testiel, Prince Coris, or the Moon Elf tribal elders, none would voluntarily reveal it. The Lost Novices group had no way of finding out.

Robin initially had suspicions about this so-called elf mercenary who had been outside. But now, seeing his close relationship with Iristin and sitting side by side next to Great Elder Adeline, her doubts began to fade.

Although the Shattered Starry Sky could allow Apostles to take over the bodies of deceased plot characters, it could not assign Apostles a high plot status. Plot characters with higher status had a greater impact on world history. Even if such a person had just died, the Star Void did not have the ability to directly arrange for an Apostle to take over the corpse. An Apostle’s status among plot characters could only be achieved through their own later efforts.

After the Lost Team entered this world, they had also hoped to use the elf identity of one of their team members to gain some advantages.

For example: that female Apostle who used the Beastmaster Hunting Bow had a very pure Moon Night Elf Bloodline. Unfortunately, she simply couldn’t get close to Prince Milleras using that. Instead, it was Kelly, a human, whom the Sun Elf Prince both respected and feared, completely under her thumb, which made Robin feel both amused and exasperated.

Since relying on Elf Bloodline couldn’t gain the trust of Plot Characters, and the Fortress Team entered the Magic Cup Court even later than the Lost Team, Robin didn’t think Qin Lun could have made such significant contributions to the Moon Elf Tribe in just a few days to earn his current status.

The only possibility was that this elf mercenary was originally an important figure of the Moon Elf Tribe, who had indeed just returned from outside.

“Firal, we are already at the forest’s edge. Tomorrow we will enter the Golden Plain. You are more familiar with the situation outside. Where do you think the humans will attack us?” After Qin Lun and Iristin sat down, Great Elder Adeline took out a simple map and asked with a smile.

The map in Adeline’s hands was from her adventuring days when she was young. But this Great Mage’s youthful adventures were from two to three hundred years ago. This map was already completely outdated, and most of the location markers on it were unreliable.

When the Fortress Team rescued Nicole, they spent a lot of money to buy a projected map of the area within a hundred miles around Elbad. Qin Lun used it to help her correct most of the map markers, truly serving as a guide.

However, the journey from Qiongda’er to Ank Forest was nearly five hundred kilometers. This map needed further adjustments later on. Fortunately, the Fortress Team, following the Magic Cup Court’s royal guards, were almost two days ahead of them. They could relay road condition information to Qin Lun at any time.

Although they were too far apart to communicate through the Team Channel, the Qiongda’er diplomatic mission to Ank had Prince Coris. It was still possible for Stark and the others to direct one or two elven Knights to come and deliver map information.

Actually, when the Magic Cup Court’s diplomatic mission set off, Qin Lun also saw Prince Coris secretly give Iristin a magic signal. He told her to use it if they encountered great danger.

Although King Testiel gave the diplomatic mission orders, telling the royal guards not to assist the Moon Elf migrating group, if Coris turned back regardless of the consequences, the royal guards would probably have to play the role of reinforcements. They couldn’t just watch the Elf Prince walk to his death.

“If we follow the route we discussed earlier, then this place would be the most likely location for an attack!” Hearing Adeline’s question, Qin Lun’s eyes flashed, and without hesitation, he pointed to a certain spot on the map.

«Volume 8 Chapter 23: Departure

Index

Volume 2 Chapter 31: Combat Model »