Chapter 337: Chapter 299: Orc-Controlled Elf City_1
As the first batch of visitors to Frostleaf City after the Orc occupation, Yan Xing was grandly welcomed into the city.
This was also his first encounter with an Elven-style city.
Elves revere nature. In Snowland, they generally choose tall, straight trees to build treehouses, which, when linked together, form an Elven village.
This style is also brought into the architecture of Elven cities.
Without tall trees, Elves use stone to construct pillars as the foundation for buildings, then erect wooden houses atop these stone pillars. Some large structures require several gigantic stone pillars.
Vine bridges connect the wooden houses.
The roadways within Elven cities are therefore extremely complex. Their three-dimensional traffic network makes street fighting easy to defend but difficult to attack. Elves are proficient with bows and arrows and are light on their feet, making them very adept at this kind of jungle-like defensive warfare.
If the Orcs hadn’t launched a surprise attack when Frostleaf City was at its most vulnerable and relaxed, they never would have been able to take the city so easily.
The Eternal Domain’s convoy entered Frostleaf City through the city gates.
The Werewolf Warriors on the sleds stood tall and proud in standard military posture, clutching shields and battle-axes. Their freshly cleaned fur fluttered in the wind, bringing a breath of fresh air to the city that now reeked from the Orcs’ arrival.
Orc soldiers were scattered around, watching this procession enter the city.
They wore no uniform clothing, and their armor was mostly tattered; some even wore ill-fitting garments.
Shivering in the cold wind, they looked like a beggars’ convention.
Seeing the state of these Orcs, the Werewolves’ expressions grew even more defiant.
Our lord provided us with clothes in four layers. The innermost layer, a thermal undergarment with excellent elasticity, is very comfortable and doesn’t restrict movement. The middle layer is a cashmere sweater, then a down vest. The outermost is a cotton Snowland camouflage combat suit. Over the combat suit is a protective vest, and one of its pockets contains an alchemical item called a self-heating patch; you just stick it wherever you feel cold. Our marching backpacks contain a woolen blanket and a warm sleeping bag. Each sled also hauls a military tent and enough supplies for a squad of Werewolf Warriors to live on for a week. We wear cotton gloves and cotton-lined leather boots. Even our helmets have an insulated lining. And on top of all that, we have our fur. We want to take off a layer, but we can’t. After all, there’s a special kind of cold: the kind the Lord *thinks* you’re feeling.
And so the Werewolves entered the city.
Although the Orcs didn’t understand the style of this attire, the fact that the clothes covered nearly the entire body still drew their covetous gazes.
If not for Great Marshal Mome’s order, some Orcs would likely have already made a move.
The day was indeed bitterly cold.
The convoy, led by a squad of Malevolent Wolf Cavalry, moved towards the Lord’s Mansion of Frostleaf City.
Yan Xing looked through the window at this Elven city, so different in style from Nuta City.
It was evident that the Orcs’ arrival had caused significant damage.
Many wooden houses had been violently disassembled.
Many Elven corpses hung from the vine bridges.
Orc soldiers rampaged throughout the city. They violently kicked open the doors of wooden houses, and cries and screams soon emerged from within.
Witnessing the scene before her, Arlanda’s expression was one of deepest sorrow.
Yan Xing asked her, "Are you familiar with Frostleaf City?"
"My siste—" Arlanda quickly corrected herself. "Many of my sisters and I trained here. I’m very familiar with this place."
"Training? As in assassin training?"
Arlanda replied, "Yes, My Lord. The Snow Elves’ covert organization is called Dark Night. They select a group of Elven children each year for training, and those who meet the requirements are allowed to join Dark Night. I am a Night Elf."
Yan Xing said with surprise, "No wonder you identify spies infiltrating the Eternal Domain so easily. So you’re formally trained. Since you were trained here, Dark Night must still have a presence in Frostleaf City, right?"
Not understanding why Yan Xing was asking, Arlanda answered truthfully, "After the Orcs captured Frostleaf City, they likely didn’t massacre the inhabitants. There are still many Elven civilians here, and among them, there might be Night Elves. My Lord, what do you wish to do?"
"Nothing in particular, just asking..."
Just as Yan Xing and Arlanda were discussing the situation in Frostleaf City, Arlanda suddenly shouted to the Werewolf driving their sled, "Please stop!"
The convoy came to an immediate halt.
Arlanda pushed open the carriage door and rushed out.
Snow swirled in through the open door with the wind. Yan Xing brushed the flakes from his face and then saw clearly what was happening outside.
More than a dozen Elves were being herded by a squad of Orc soldiers, passing by the side of the convoy.
All of these Elves were wearing only thin clothing and were turning blue from the cold.
Among them were a few Elven children.
Facing this sudden situation, Li Zhua asked Yan Xing, "My Lord, what should we do?"
"Do what you have to do."
Yan Xing lit a cigarette for himself and sat watching from inside the vehicle.
Li Zhua stepped off the sled and let out a short, powerful howl to the Werewolf Warriors...
Arlanda ran towards those Elves.
Since entering Frostleaf City, her heart had been heavy.
Every part of this place reminded her of the times she and her sister had spent here.
Although the training was incredibly hard, they had been happy.
Her time here was the period Arlanda cherished most.