Laisa opened her mouth, only to find herself at a loss for words.
Silver hair indeed held a special status among the elven race, but she truly could not guarantee that a silver-haired elf was definitely a Windrunner.
Unlike the stubborn and conservative elves in the Elven Forest, Laisa had been active outside for ten years, so she naturally knew that some of her tribe's consensus was not absolute.
She fell silent for a long time before finally letting out a sigh.
“Little mage, don't blame me for being tense.”
“Silver-haired elves are far too special in my race. They are both a symbol of noble status and a mark of a traitor.”
“If she really is of the Windrunner clan...”
The Forest Elf took a deep look at Theia, her voice low.
“It would be best to kill her right here.”
“The gene of betrayal is deeply engraved in the bloodline of this clan.”
“For the sake of selfish desires, they will do anything!”
“Therefore, for the safety of the journey ahead, I must confirm your companion's identity.”
Laisa gripped her bow and arrow, intending to step forward.
Lin Gui blocked her path once again.
“May I ask, what exactly did the Windrunners do to make you view them as traitors?”
Laisa said through gritted teeth, “They colluded with the Demon Race! They even bore children for them!”
“Giving birth to half-demons who spread despair and misfortune—is that not betrayal?”
Lin Gui's expression turned odd as he asked Laisa, “According to you, the Windrunner clan colluded with the Demon Race, so they are seen as traitors?”
“Is that not betrayal?” Laisa questioned.
“Did the Windrunners lead the Demon Race they colluded with to invade the elves?”
“...”
“Did the Windrunners' collusion with the Demon Race damage your position in the Alliance?”
“...”
“Did this so-called betrayal cause losses to your tribe? Did it cause casualties? Or did it merely tarnish your reputation?”
Lin Gui's questions left Laisa completely speechless.
In the twilight, Theia's silver hair shimmered with a soft glow under the fading sky.
She straightened her back, her pointed ears twitching slightly, as she firmly met Laisa's scrutinizing gaze.
Lin Gui looked at everyone, his voice clear and resolute.
“As a human, my understanding of betrayal is—”
“A son killing his father, a brother killing his brother...”
“Relatives slaughtering one another just for a mouthful of food.”
“A hero who champions the weak, only to be sent to the stake by the very people they protected.”
“To fight over the fruits of victory, to live the luxurious life they once loathed...”
His voice suddenly turned freezing cold.
“Plunging a blade into the back of their savior.”
Lin Gui's gaze swept over every team member before finally locking onto Laisa's face.
“I understand your concerns, and I am not trying to defend the Windrunners.”
“I just want to tell you that Vera is trustworthy.”
“She is far more trustworthy than any race, even more so than the dragons known for their spirit of contracts.”
Theia lowered her head slightly, her fingers gently brushing over the dagger at her waist.
Underneath her disguised face, no one could see her true expression at this moment.
Lin Gui calmly added, “Of course, if you still cannot put your mind at ease, we can part ways here.”
Night had completely fallen, leaving only the chirping of insects and the crackling of the campfire in the forest.
Everyone's eyes focused on Laisa, waiting for her decision.
Laisa stared intently at Lin Gui, her emerald eyes flickering with a complex light.
After a long silence, she finally slowly lowered the longbow she had been tightly gripping.
“If we were to let the three of you leave on your own like this...”
Her voice carried a hint of helplessness. “It would be no different from killing you with our own hands.”
“You just did the caravan a massive favor...”
The Forest Elf took a step back, slung her bow and arrows back over her shoulder, and said, “Elves do not do such ungrateful things.”
She took a deep look at Theia, ultimately choosing not to press further about that conspicuous silver hair.
Theia crossed her arms and rolled her eyes in dissatisfaction, muttering softly, “Who is she looking down on...”
“We dare to wander right under the nose of a Legendary demon. Do you guys dare?”
Lin Gui raised his hand and gave the back of Theia's head a gentle smack, saying, “Keep quiet.”
Theia immediately covered her mouth, though her eyes still held a defiant look.
Freya stepped forward at the right moment, her ice-blue eyes sweeping over everyone.
“Since the misunderstanding has been cleared up, let's prepare to set off.”
“Traveling under the cover of night is indeed a good choice.”
She turned to Lin Gui, her tone filled with trust. “We'll do as you said.”
Everyone immediately sprang into action.
Lin Gui stood at the very front of the train, his hands gently pressing against the cold vehicle body.
Theia came to his side, her emerald eyes gleaming faintly in the darkness.
She narrowed her eyes slightly, her sharp gaze piercing through the layers of night to take in the terrain ahead.
Eve stood quietly on Lin Gui's other side, her hands folded over her chest.
Soft Holy Light flowed within her palms, ready at any moment to replenish Lin Gui's depleted mana.
The scholar Eli stood slightly behind them holding the map, his fingers gently sliding across it. “Follow this direction and avoid those marked red zones.”
Betty followed closely by Lin Gui's side, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on his spellcasting movements.
She muttered in a low voice, “So Levitation can control airflow like this...”
Freya leaped gracefully onto the top of the middle section of the train.
She spread her arms, her long ice-blue hair fluttering in the night wind.
Ancient incantations flowed from her lips, and invisible magical ripples rippled outward with her as the center.
Deputy Captain Aubrey led the other team members in a final check.
The beastkin Grom pulled the last strap tight with force, while the barbarian warrior Barton looked around alertly.
The scout Alvin and the assassin Dulu had already vanished into the darkness to scout ahead.
The Forest Elf Laisa stood alone at the end of the team, her fingers unconsciously stroking her bowstring.
She would occasionally look up in Theia's direction, a hint of doubt still lingering in her eyes.
“Everything is ready,” Aubrey reported in a deep voice.
Lin Gui took a deep breath, applying a bit of force with his palms.
The Wheelless Train rose silently, floating half a meter off the ground.
Under Theia's guidance, the train glided smoothly into the dense forest like a swimming fish.
Freya's concealment magic perfectly enveloped the entire train.
The twenty-meter-long steel behemoth traveled through the darkness without making the slightest sound.
Only the occasional startled birds proved their passage.
The night was deep as the train silently forged ahead through the dense forest.
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