Chapter 286: Main Quest Completed, Trial and Alliance

Chapter 286: Main Quest Completed, Trial and Alliance

As the team took a break, Lu Heng gathered all 20 Human Mystics who participated in this mission for a meeting.

"I've gathered everyone here because there's something important to discuss, something that could be a matter of life and death..." Lu Heng began, scanning the group before delving into the main topic.

"I believe you've all heard a secret through various means, about the Moonwell Spring Water. But I must remind you that this Moonwell Spring Water must be delivered to the Moonshadow Forest."

"Let me be clear, whoever dares to lay a hand on the Moonwell, I will take action, and it won't be pretty."

"Whether it's the Abyssal Summoners, demons, or any other force, if they make a move, it's an act of hostility, and there will be no room for reconciliation."

The group fell silent, each contemplating Lu Heng's words.

"Is it true that the Moonwell Spring Water can upgrade skills?" one person asked.

For Lu Heng, upgrading skills only required sufficient Divine Energy and mastering the skill.

However, for ordinary Mystics, skill upgrades were only possible by completing World Quests.

Lu Heng nodded, confirming, "Based on the information we have, it's true. The Moonwell Spring Water can indeed upgrade skills."

"But I advise against such thoughts. First, consider how you came to know this secret and why everyone has heard of it."

Xie Shi En spoke up, "It's quite obvious that the Elves intentionally leaked this information to us."

"Why would they reveal such a secret?" someone asked, puzzled.

Lu Heng explained, clearing the group's doubts, "The Elven Civilization has been fighting against the Abyss for seven hundred years, and countless Summoners know the secret of the Moonwell.

"In other words, the Elves no longer care if another civilization learns this secret.

"Even if they wanted to keep it hidden, they couldn't do so for long.

"So, they don't mind leaking this secret and using it to test us.

"Yes, I'll tell you directly. This mission is a clear test to see if we are thieves.

"We've been in this world for twenty days, and you should have obtained information about the previous batch of Human Mystics.

"Yes, among the previous batch of summoned Human Mystics, there was a group of Raiders.

"This group of thieves attacked many Elven locations and stole numerous treasures.

"The Elves didn't start off hostile towards us, which proves their friendly nature.

"However, the previous batch sowed seeds of distrust, and we must bear the consequences.

"This escort mission is also a test.

"If I'm not mistaken, there should be an elite Elven squad following us.

"If we attempt to plunder the Moonwell Spring Water, we'll face the Elves' pursuit.

"At that point, this Abyssal Battlefield mission will be considered a failure.

"Remember, we were summoned here to aid the Elves, not to become their enemies.

"This is the fundamental logic of the World Will's summons, and by following this goal, we will receive our just rewards.

"Even if you seek shortcuts, they must not contradict the purpose of the summons.

"From a civilizational perspective, plundering the Moonwell Spring Water has no positive impact on resisting the Abyss.

"The Elves possess the Moonwell, yet they couldn't repel the Abyssal invasion.

"What difference will our theft of the Moonwell Spring Water make?"

Lu Heng continued, "I know some of you might think that by taking the Moonwell Spring Water, you can become stronger.

"But let me reiterate, this Moonwell Spring Water must be delivered intact to the Moonshadow Forest. Anyone who dares to touch it will face the consequences!"

His tone was stern with the final words.

The group fell silent.

Tao Yalun, Wu Weibing, and the other seven, being from a military background, were disciplined. After hearing Lu Heng's analysis, they pledged, "We obey orders, Captain."

Rong Xincheng also quickly expressed his agreement, willing to follow Lu Heng's plan.

Among the 20 people, Lu Heng could control 16 of them, leaving only 4 as true wildcards.

Supervising 4 people with 16 was not a difficult task.

Moreover, there were over 4 Sensors among the 16.

One-on-one surveillance was manageable, and even if these 4 had other intentions, they had enough strength to control the situation.

Once everyone present had internalized the rule of not touching the Moonwell Spring Water, Lu Heng continued with additional information:

"There are other possible scenarios we should discuss.

"You've all experienced many Abyssal Battlefields and know that the situation can change over time.

"This mission to escort the Moonwell Spring Water might not only attract the attention of the Abyssal Summoners.

"In other words, some Summoners might receive the task of attacking the escort team.

"So, we must be vigilant against the possible appearance of Abyssal Summoners or other Abyssal demons during this escort mission.

"Let's take this opportunity to complete our first challenge task."

Lu Heng's words not only discouraged the Mystics from stealing the Spring Water but also provided them with a way to earn rewards.

With rules in place and a method to gain rewards, the carrot-and-stick approach ensured their obedience.

...

Meanwhile, five kilometers behind the Moonwell Spring Water escort team, another Elven squad was secretly tailing them.

This elite squad was led by General Fiona, the Queen's Guard of the Elven Queen.

Not long after the human mystics concluded their meeting, an elven arcanist approached Fiona and reported, "They've seen through our plan. That human named Lu Heng has ordered the others not to fight over the magic spring water."

Fiona, riding atop a Horned Eagle, strolled leisurely on the ground. Upon hearing the arcanist's report, she sighed, "As expected, the trap was too crude. But it doesn't matter as long as we complete this escort mission."

After saying this, she handed over the squad to her deputy and tugged on the reins of the Horned Eagle, causing it to soar into the sky.

The Horned Eagle was swift, and it didn't take long for them to reach the escort squad above.

Fiona leaped from the eagle's back, tumbled a few times in the air, and landed gracefully. She waved at Lu Heng and said, "Let's talk."

Lu Heng patted Su Muyu's back lightly and jumped off the mechanical tiger, following Fiona into the withered forest by the roadside.

As they walked, Fiona snapped a branch from a withered tree and examined the break, saying, "Do you know? When I was very young, this place was a vibrant jungle, filled with Wild Steel Blossoms. Now, only dead branches remain."

This environmental change was caused by the Abyssal pollution, making it difficult for plants to survive.

However, such a significant environmental shift couldn't have happened overnight; it must have taken at least a century.

Indeed, General Fiona's childhood was likely centuries ago.

It wasn't just this withered forest; many places on the continent had undergone similar changes.

The environment deteriorated, vegetation diminished, animals migrated, and the entire world was in decline.

It seemed that the Abyssal pollution made the environment inhospitable, but the situation wasn't absolute.

While the environmental changes caused by the Abyssal pollution made it harder for elves, humans, and even Blackiron Dwarves to survive, it didn't affect all life forms in the same way.

Abyssal races, such as demons, the Bloodline Clan, and Abyssal worms, thrived in these polluted environments.

From the perspective of the Abyssal races, the pollution made more worlds suitable for their survival.

Observing Fiona's expression, Lu Heng said, "If we can't find a way to purify the Abyss, I might experience what you've been through."

Fiona turned and sighed, "I'm so envious of you, born in a world untouched by the Abyss, breathing the purest air, and tasting the most pristine river water."

When she was born, the Abyss had already swallowed half of the Quel'dore continent. She could only hear stories of the elves' past prosperity from the elders; she never had the chance to witness it herself.

Lu Heng smiled helplessly and said, "At least the elves have magic to resist the Abyssal invasion. The human world lacks magic energy, and its descent into the Abyss is much faster than that of the elven world."

Although the Quel'dore world was ravaged by the Abyssal pollution, it had endured for seven hundred years, and the elven civilization had managed to preserve its heritage.

The elves had Moonwells, and even though they were affected by the Abyssal pollution and their numbers were dwindling, the elven race used the magic energy from the Moonwells to slow down the Abyssal invasion.

The human world was different.

The technological civilization lacked the magical power to resist the Abyssal invasion, and they couldn't find a way to defend against it.

If the current situation continued, humanity might fall into the Abyss before the elven civilization.

In other words, the human world was experiencing an accelerated version of the Abyssal invasion.

Fiona's gaze grew complex as she looked at Lu Heng.

She knew what he was referring to.

In the past seven hundred years, the elves had been summoned to many worlds and had witnessed countless civilizations falling into the Abyss.

They tried to stop it, they tried to help, but none of those worlds were spared because they couldn't find a way to purify the Abyss.

Fiona bent down and pulled a stinkbug from a tree stump, but instead of crushing it, she returned it to its hole under the tree roots and covered the opening with dead leaves.

She recognized it as a native insect of the Quel'dore world.

In this land polluted by the Abyss, even the once-disliked stinkbugs seemed a little more endearing, as long as they weren't from the Abyss.

Straightening up, she turned and asked, "What do you think we should do to purify the Abyss?"

Lu Heng remained silent for a long time before answering, "I'm still searching for the answer."

Fiona continued, "Then, when summoned to other worlds, do you think we should help those civilizations resist the Abyss or plunder them to strengthen ourselves?"

Lu Heng had pondered this question many times, from his previous life to this one, and he had an answer, but it wasn't the solution to the Abyssal invasion.

"I believe the will that summons us wants the intelligent beings of various worlds to unite and find a way to purify the Abyss..."

This was Lu Heng's current answer, but there was more to it.

Because no one knew if this approach could truly purify the Abyss.

Perhaps, in the end, they would realize that the Abyss couldn't be purified, and the summons were just futile resistance.

If someone knew how to purify the Abyss, it wouldn't be a difficult problem; they could work towards that known solution.

The unknown nature of the Abyss made this calamity hard to resolve.

Perhaps humans, elves, Blackiron Dwarves, and other civilizations were striving towards a hope that didn't exist.

Fiona exhaled slowly and asked, "Do you think the world of the gods holds the answer to purifying the Abyss?"

"Lu Heng didn't know the answer, and he never found it in two lifetimes."

"Compared to the few years humans have been in contact with the Abyss, the Elven Civilization has been resisting the Abyssal Invasion for seven hundred years."

Such a long time, if it were humans, they would probably have already lost hope.

Relatively speaking, the Elves might have even less confidence.

They have witnessed the fall of countless civilizations like shooting stars, and humans are just one of them.

This is also why the Elves don't show hostility towards humans.

In their eyes, if humans are a shortsighted civilization, it won't be long before they follow the path of those extinct civilizations, completing their decline and demise within a few years.

In their eyes, such a civilization is pitiful, like a summer insect incapable of understanding ice.

Are humans as shortsighted as summer insects? Perhaps not all, but there are definitely shortsighted individuals.

Lu Heng looked up at the hazy sky in the distance and said, "I hope to see the outcome, whether it's light or darkness. Even if I eventually fall into the Abyss, at least I've tried my best."

Fiona sensed the unique quality in Lu Heng, and with interest, she said, "You're different from the previous batch of humans summoned here. There were bandits among them."

The existence of raiders among human mystics is an unavoidable fact.

The Abyssal Battlefield is a lawless place, and the only standard of conduct is morality.

But morality, this intangible and ethereal concept, only exists within civilizations.

It is a set of behavioral norms born from the wisdom that nurtures civilization, yet lacking in substance.

Lu Heng didn't deny her accusation, calmly replying, "In any civilization composed of multiple individuals, there will always be evil ones."

This statement is a truth applicable to any civilization, including the Elves.

A smile appeared on Fiona's face, and she extended her hand, saying, "Let's get to know each other again. I'm Fiona, General of the Queen's Guard and Diplomatic Envoy of Foreign Civilizations for the Elven Queen. Greetings, ally from the human world. I hope we can work together to find a way to purify the Abyss."

Her choice of words shifted from "friend from the human world" to "ally from the human world."

This was a significant change in attitude.

Lu Heng was surprised to have gained the trust of the Elven General so quickly and reached out to shake her hand.

The handshake, a gesture of human civilization's etiquette, was something Fiona had learned from the previous batch of human mystics to express friendliness.

At that moment, Lu Heng saw the first main quest change to completed.

The first main quest was: Seek the Elven Capital City Kolos and establish diplomatic relations with the Elves.

After helping out in the forge workshop in Kolos City for many days, Lu Heng's reputation among the Elves had increased significantly, but the first main quest remained uncompleted.

Unexpectedly, the quest conditions were met at this moment.

The quest required the Elves to acknowledge their ally status for it to be completed.

Not only did Lu Heng's quest show as completed, but all the humans summoned to the Queldore Continent, the mystics, simultaneously completed this quest at the same time.

This quest was a collective task, intended for all human mystics to work together to establish diplomatic relations and form an alliance with the Elven Civilization.

Normally, this quest should only be completed when meeting the Elven Queen, establishing the alliance.

However, Fiona's identity was special, and she was on a secret mission from Queen Aureana, with the additional role of Diplomatic Envoy of Foreign Civilizations, allowing her to represent the Queen in diplomatic matters.

When she left Kolos City, Queen Aureana granted her the authority to decide on matters concerning humans.

She saw a unique quality in Lu Heng and witnessed his ability to unravel the trap in the magic spring water escort mission.

So, she decided to form an alliance, but for now, she only trusted Lu Heng as the representative of humanity, not every human.

The quick formation of the alliance wasn't solely due to this conversation.

In Kolos City, Lu Heng helped the Elves with tempering their weapons, and his team members, Su Muyu and Lin Zeyu, also assisted.

Additionally, the information provided during the audience with Queen Aureana, combined with their multiple reputations, led to this outcome.

Furthermore, another factor pushing for the Elves' diplomatic relations was time.

There were only ten days left until the end of the Abyssal Battlefield.

In other words, a crisis was bound to occur within those ten days.

The Elves, having been summoned to many Abyssal Battlefields, understood the rules well and knew this crisis was imminent.

They needed human help to prevent this crisis.

But not every human could be trusted.

The Elves needed to quickly choose a trustworthy human mystic.

Hence, the escort mission for the magic spring water.

Before Fiona left Kolos City, Queen Aureana's command was to choose an ally from among the humans who could withstand this test.

Lu Heng gathered the human mystics and, in advance, solved this test.

Thus, the alliance was formed.

Just as they shook hands, two cries echoed in the sky.

One was from a Celestial Phoenix, and the other from a Horned Eagle.

"They're here!"

Fiona put her fingers in her mouth and whistled, summoning the Horned Eagle to dive down. She leaped onto its back, soared into the sky, and shouted to Lu Heng on the ground, "The escort team is under attack! Fight first, and we'll discuss the rest later!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end