Clotina was completely bewildered.
Lin Gui, likewise, felt a hint of confusion toward this hostage who had suddenly "warned" him.
Why... why was this little elf helping the enemy?
However, regarding the fact that he was being targeted by the elven warriors behind him,
Lin Gui wasn't surprised in the least.
He had mastered Soul Magic, and soul energy naturally flowed within his body.
While he couldn't clearly sense the ordinary elves whose soul energy was faint,
For the several warriors whose soul energy was exceptionally solid—clearly elites during their lives—
Their existence was as clear as torches in the darkness.
Lin Gui didn't turn around, but he had already "seen" their positions.
Yet he didn't shift his gaze.
Because directly in front of him,
That elven woman with the strongest soul energy and extreme beauty was staring fixedly at his every move.
Her steps were light, yet her position was imperceptibly and slowly shifting forward.
Every time Lin Gui's gaze drifted slightly, she would move a few inches closer, soundlessly.
Her intention was more than obvious.
[Ding! Letter sign-off +1]
[Ding! Letter sign-off +1]
Inside his mind, the system's notifications chimed one after another.
Lin Gui’s right hand clenched slightly as the oak staff silently floated to hover behind him.
He used the pinky of his left hand to lightly hook the side of the area near him.
He gave a tug on the hem of Eve's skirt, who had finished reading all the names on the list.
Eve’s eyes flickered, and she naturally stepped closer to him.
The stack of lists in her hand was tucked into her sleeve in one smooth motion.
This subtle interaction didn't escape the elven warriors who were staring intently at them.
And it certainly didn't escape,
Alyia.
Her pupils contracted suddenly.
Her soul body tensed instantly, like a fully drawn bow.
Planning to escape?
The sense of strangeness in Alyia's heart grew heavier and heavier.
Was this human... really here to hunt elves?
But his "hunting" process was so full of holes it felt like a farce.
And now, before the "prey" was even in his grasp, it seemed he wanted to run?
What made her even more uneasy was that,
Amidst the waves of anger from her kinsmen, some... strange noises had started to mingle in at some point.
"Th-this handwriting..."
"Impossible... this is my sister's touch!"
"Wait, the secret code mentioned in this letter... only he and I know it!"
Alyia turned her head sharply.
She saw familiar elven script faintly glowing on the letter papers floating before the eyes of several elves.
Those kinsmen, who had been full of fury, were now wide-eyed.
Shock, bewilderment, and a trace of... unbelievable excitement were intertwined on their faces.
They stared fixedly at the letters, their soul bodies trembling slightly.
It was as if they were looking at something that should absolutely not have appeared here.
Alyia's heart suddenly sank.
Something was wrong.
Something was very wrong.
One of the elves stared intently at the letter, his voice trembling:
"Impossible... my sister was in Blackwater City at the time! That was the front line of the Dark Tide!"
"How could she... still be alive to send a letter?!"
A nearby elf whispered, interjecting:
"Could it be... she's just like us, and has become... a soul?"
Another elf murmured the sentences in the letter:
"...This black-haired mage is only a messenger and will not harm anyone; please do not make things difficult for him..."
"He also says... he hopes we can set aside our hatred and look at the sincerity within the letter..."
"This... this really is my uncle's tone..."
"Nonsense!"
A tall elven warrior suddenly interrupted, his voice filled with fury:
"How could a human help elves?!"
"They are greedy! Evil! They would sell out their own kin for gold coins!"
"How could they risk the dangers of crossing the wilderness just to deliver a few letters?!"
"By what right?!"
From the side, Lin Gui actually nodded with deep conviction.
"Mm, well said."
All the elves turned their heads in unison to look at him.
Lin Gui added with a face full of sincerity:
"Humans truly are quite evil; their inner desires are bottomless pits."
"For money, for women, for power..."
"Killing one's own father or brother isn't even uncommon."
He paused, as if giving an example.
"Just like a human princess I know."
"She can't wait for all her siblings to drop dead."
Elves: "..."
Their expressions shifted from anger to bewilderment, and from bewilderment into a deep sort of confusion.
This human... was he helping them insult his own race?
Lin Gui seemed to realize the atmosphere was off. He coughed dryly and straightened his face.
"Ahem! Anyway—those letters are all fake! I made them all up!"
"Hurry up and finish reading them so you can obediently become my slaves!"
"Let's just hurry up and get through the process, alright?"
An elf couldn't help but whisper under their breath:
"But you clearly don't know the elven script... how could you make them up?"
Lin Gui was choked for words.
His lip twitched, and finally, as if giving up on himself, he waved a hand.
"Just pretend I do! Is that alright?!"
"Hurry up and read! Sign off once you're done!"
"I'm in a hurry!"
The air was silent for two seconds.
Seeing that the sign-off notifications had suddenly stopped, Lin Gui immediately waved the wooden stick in his hand and pulled Clotina in his arms a bit tighter.
He worked hard to make the expression on his face look more "hideous," his voice intentionally gravelly and rough:
"Don't be fooled by those flowery words in the letters!"
"Believe the facts right before your eyes!"
"I, a very, very bad human,"
"Have kidnapped your little elf! I am currently extorting you!"
He paused, noticing the elves' attention was starting to drift, and hurriedly raised his volume:
"So now! Hurry up and read! Finish reading already!"
"Read those... right, the Slave Contract Letters!"
"I'm busy! I don't have time to waste with you here!"
As he spoke, his eyes quickly swept over the elves who had yet to read their letters.
Faced with his shouting, several elves subconsciously shrank their necks and dropped their gazes back to the papers.
However, even more of them looked up, watching him with increasingly strange gazes.
In those eyes, anger remained, but it was now mixed with an unshakeable... confusion.
"Um... are you... going to leave?"
Inside his embrace, Clotina asked softly.
Lin Gui looked down, meeting those innocent, large eyes.
Then he glanced up at Alyia, who was staring intently at him from ahead.
"Yes."
His voice was very low.
"I'm heading to Shadowmoon City soon."
"To deliver letters?"
Clotina followed up in a whisper.
Lin Gui was stunned for a moment.
"How did you know?"
"My father mentioned you in the letter."
"...Oh."
Lin Gui understood.
No wonder this little one had warned him just now.
"Although I thank you for the warning,"
His tone was flat.
"Don't just go believing a letter that might be forged."
"Especially since this letter... passed through a human's hands."
Clotina looked up and asked again:
"Then... are you a bad person?"
Lin Gui nodded without hesitation.
"That's right."
"The very bad kind."
Clotina blinked and said softly:
"Um... you were holding me a bit tight just now."
"Can you... loosen up a bit?"
Lin Gui paused.
Then, the strength in his arms really did relax somewhat.
Clotina gripped the wrist Lin Gui was using to control her, her expression becoming even more strange.
...He really did loosen up.
She hesitated for a moment and then probed further:
"Um... I have an urgent need to go, can I..."
Lin Gui looked down wordlessly at the pale blue, transparent little elf in his arms.
"You've already turned into a ghost, and you still have those kinds of needs?"
He didn't expose the clumsy attempt.
He merely glanced at the sign-off rate in his mind that was about to reach the target.
"Hold it in for a bit."
"It'll be over soon."
The sign-off notifications rang out densely once again.
Lin Gui no longer hid anything; the oak staff floated steadily behind him.
He turned sideways, signaling for Eve to sit on it.
Right then.
Clotina struggled for a moment before suddenly squeezing out a sentence, soft and urgent:
"Can you... actually kidnap me?"
Lin Gui: "????"
"Why?"
"I saw the advertisement outside your post office... you'll be returning to Blackwater City later."
Clotina's voice was very soft, yet clear.
"I want you to take me with you."
"I miss my father very much."
Lin Gui’s first reaction was to refuse.
Reuniting separated kin was certainly more meaningful than simply delivering letters.
But.
He had too many "customers."
Taking one or two commoners across the wilderness was something he might be able to do.
Like when he had taken that young lady from New Covenant City.
But a hundred? A thousand?
Most were ordinary souls who couldn't hide their features and hadn't been trained.
Migrating with that number through a wilderness where demons ran rampant?
Even Title Rank experts wouldn't dare guarantee success.
Furthermore, if he made an exception for one person, it would be unfair to the other souls who yearned just as much for a reunion.
As if sensing Lin Gui's concerns, Clotina hurriedly added:
"I can shrink into a glass bead!"
"You can stuff me into your pocket; it won't take up any space."
"Besides... I did help you out by being your 'hostage' once."
"In return... can you fulfill this tiny request of mine?"
Lin Gui’s lip twitched slightly.
Clotina softly added another point:
"And... you don't want to arrive at Shadowmoon City,"
"Only to have to kidnap an elf all over again to force the letters onto them, do you?"
Lin Gui’s movements paused.
He looked down, carefully sizing up the little elf in his arms.
This little one he had "abducted" at random...
Didn't seem all that simple.
He narrowed his eyes.
"I can disguise myself as an elf,"
He said in a low voice.
Clotina looked up, carefully studying his face.
Then, she shook her head very seriously.
"No, you can't do it."
Lin Gui raised an eyebrow.
"Why? Wouldn't just wearing a pair of long ears work?"
"Even if you wear the ears, it won't work."
Clotina’s tone was calm, as if stating an objective fact.
"Because you're too ugly."
Lin Gui: "............"
"Among male elves, there are none as ugly as you."
Lin Gui: ".................."
"Pfft!"
Beside him, Eve, who had been quietly listening to the commotion, finally couldn't hold it back and let out a laugh.
Clotina remained calm and continued her analysis:
"Even if some kinsman really is blind enough to think 'an elf this ugly might actually exist,'"
"An elf's language, habits, common knowledge, and the details only known within the race,"
"Could all expose you."
"If I'm there, I can help you cover those up."
"As long as you... take me to Blackwater City."
One had to admit, Clotina's suggestion was very practical.
But Lin Gui didn't want to break the rules he had set for himself.
Nor did he want to truly become a villain who "kidnapped elves."
He took a deep breath, preparing to refuse.
However, the System's voice suddenly rang out in his mind:
[Host, give her a hand.]
Lin Gui was expressionless, replying in his mind:
"I don't want to break the rules."
[You can break them quietly; just don't let anyone see.]
"That wouldn't be fair to others."
[That's why you do it in secret.]
The System's tone actually took on a hint of mischief.
[Just like when you secretly opened customers' letters and felt all smug to yourself when you saw them praising you.]
Lin Gui almost lost his composure.
"Who was feeling smug?!"
He wordlessly supported his forehead with his hand.
"This matter is not up for discussion—"
"Unless you count it as a commission for me."
The System was silent for a few seconds.
Just when Lin Gui thought it had given up—
[Ding!]
[Special Commission has been triggered.]
[Content: Safely escort Clotina Ronas Muduo Shadow to Blackwater City.]
[Route: Deepwood Outpost → Shadowmoon City → Gloomlight Forest → Mirror-Shadow City → Valley Town → Highwall Town → Silverstream Town → Blackwater City.]
[Time Limit: 30 calendar days.]
[Reward: Random Mysterious Potion × 1.]
Lin Gui: "...?"
It really triggered a commission?
The System’s voice rang in his mind.
[Well? Is it alright now?]
There was no joy on Lin Gui’s face.
Instead, his brow furrowed slightly as he asked back in his heart:
"Just what exactly... are the prerequisites for you triggering a commission?"
It wasn't as if he hadn't tried to trigger them intentionally before.
Whether it was the half-demon dwarf in Black Street or Eve's wish.
They had all failed.
Yet, simple unintentional actions,
Like during the journey of delivery, or helping out casually,
Would inexplicably trigger a task.
The more Lin Gui thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong.
"There couldn't... be a catch in this, could there?"
[You can choose not to accept it.]
The System's tone sounded very "innocent."
[There are no penalties for refusing.]
Lin Gui rolled his eyes.
"I accept."
He paused and added:
"However... it's a bit troublesome."
Because this meant that,
What was originally a fake kidnapping would now have to be done for real.
But that elven warrior named Alyia had clearly already sensed the anomaly.
She must have heard part of the conversation between him and Clotina.
Moreover...
Lin Gui’s Eyes of the Netherworld could "see" it.
In the few seconds he had been conversing with the System,
Alyia's soul body was closing in on them at an alarming speed!
Lin Gui sat astride his staff.
The sign-off rate in his mind was already nearing 70%.
Completion was right before his eyes.
Just as he was planning to exert his full strength for a Levitation spell,
Alyia's voice suddenly rang directly in his mind.
It was a soul transmission.
"My warriors have blocked all paths of retreat."
"Flight is no difficult feat for soul spirits."
"You cannot escape."
Lin Gui’s lip curled, and he was about to say "then just try me."
As a result,
Alyia immediately continued:
"If you want to take Clotina with you, you may."
"But, you must take me as well."
Lin Gui: "???"
He almost thought he had misheard.
"I will persuade the warriors of Deepwood Outpost to let you leave."
After Alyia finished speaking, she didn't wait for Lin Gui to respond before turning her head.
She spoke a passage in elven quickly and clearly.
Her voice wasn't loud, yet it carried an unquestionable authority.
Lin Gui didn't understand the content, but he saw the results.
Several soul-shadows that had been lying in ambush on the rooftops, behind windows, and in corners revealed themselves one by one.
They drifted out from various tricky positions, their faces filled with confusion and bewilderment.
However, they still obeyed her words and gathered around Alyia.
Alyia unfurled her own letter, pointing at a few lines within, and whispered a few more words.
The several warriors leaned in for a closer look, their expressions shifting from tension to complexity.
They exchanged glances, and finally looked at Lin Gui.
In those gazes were scrutiny, vigilance, and a trace of... an indescribable compromise.
Then, they silently stepped back to both sides,
Clearing a path that led to the exit.
Rate on N.U.
