Why did Lin Gui choose to use “kidnapping” as his method of delivering letters?
Because the elves in Blackwater City had told him long ago.
An elf's hatred for humans was carved into their very bones.
Every time he arrived at a city-state, his practice of delivering letters at a low price invited endless suspicion.
“Seven copper coins? Crossing the wilderness? How is that possible?”
“There must be some kind of conspiracy!”
Not to mention when he appeared in his human form.
The label of “enemy” was already nailed firmly to him.
Even if he forced the elves to finish reading the letters at this moment...
The vigilance in their eyes did not diminish in the slightest.
If he had used a gentler approach, these letters might never have been delivered.
Lin Gui knew exactly what humans had done to elves.
So now, looking at the path opening up and the surrounding elves who looked as if they wanted to speak but hesitated...
he actually became even more vigilant.
“Why?”
He stared at Alyia, his voice cold.
Seeing his reaction, Alyia actually let out a sigh of relief.
“Don't misunderstand.”
Her tone remained firm.
“We have not lowered our guard against you, human.”
“The crimes committed by your race... we have never forgotten.”
With that, her soul form swayed slightly.
Surprisingly, she actively shrank and slipped into the side pocket of Lin Gui's loose robe.
Her movements were so natural... as if she had planned this all along.
The eyes of several nearby elven warriors turned sharp, their soul power faintly fluctuating.
They stared intently at Lin Gui's every move.
It was as if they would instantly pounce on him at the slightest sign of trouble.
Things were taking an increasingly bizarre turn.
Lin Gui frowned. First, he stuffed Clotina's glass bead into his other pocket.
Then, he whispered to Eve,
“Cast the Holy Light Barrier.”
Eve replied softly,
“I'm afraid it won't be very effective against souls.”
“It's fine.”
Lin Gui's gaze swept over the surrounding elven warriors.
“I will reinforce the barrier with Soul Attachment.”
“It should hold them off for a while.”
Eve nodded and closed her eyes to chant.
A soft white light emanated from her body, gradually expanding into a translucent dome of light.
At the same time, Lin Gui also chanted in a low voice,
“Soul touch as the bridge, spirit endowment as the reality.”
“Soul Attachment, bind!”
Faint gray soul power surged from his palm, merging into the dome of light.
Fine gray patterns immediately began to ripple across the originally pure white barrier.
The eyes of several elven warriors flickered slightly, but they did not stop him.
They merely watched in silence.
Lin Gui hesitated no longer.
With a wave of his left hand, under the control of Levitation,
miscellaneous items in the post office—such as small wooden stools, canteens, and blankets—floated up one after another.
They gathered in front of Lin Gui and were then put away into his storage space.
Once everything was packed up, he sat astride his staff sideways.
Eve followed closely behind.
The staff floated up slowly, passing right through the middle of the path cleared by the elven warriors.
There was no obstruction.
Only gaze after gaze remained locked tightly on him.
As they passed the civilian elves, a wave of suppressed anger surged once more.
An elderly elf glared at him, his voice hoarse:
“My daughter... was kidnapped by you humans...”
“She eventually committed suicide.”
His soul form trembled with agitation.
“If Clotina and Elder Alyia suffer even the slightest harm...”
“even if my soul is shattered and scattered...”
“I will cross the mist to find you.”
“And tear you to pieces.”
“You filthy human.”
Sitting on his staff, Lin Gui smiled upon hearing this.
“I understand.”
He paused, then suddenly asked,
“By the way, those slave traders and hunters who harmed your daughter...”
“do you know their names or what they looked like?”
The elf was taken aback, his gaze turning sharp.
“What... do you mean?”
Lin Gui's tone was flat, as if he were asking about the weather.
“If I help you find the humans who drove your child to her death...”
“and make them pay the price,”
“the next time I return,”
“will you treat me to some elven flower tea?”
The old elf froze completely.
He opened his mouth but could not make a sound.
Lin Gui, however, had already turned away, waving his hand.
“Just speaking hypothetically, don't mind me.”
“If they were from Blackwater City...”
“they've probably already been torn to pieces by the angry residents.”
With that, he lingered no longer.
The staff vibrated slightly, carrying the two of them through the final line of elven defense.
They floated up toward the gray, snowy sky.
Behind them, the purple silhouette of Deepwood Outpost gradually blurred.
In his mind, the system's notification chimed in at the right time:
【Ding! Deepwood Outpost Node Weekly Commission completed!】
【Delivery Rate: 93%】
【Rewards being distributed...】
【Mana Reserve +100】
【Current Mana Reserve: (9002/10100)】
【Random Novice Magic x103 has been converted into proficiency.】
Lin Gui glanced at the magic spells he had received.
There were no new spells.
He withdrew his focus, looked ahead, and switched to his flying vessel in mid-air.
Then, following the map provided by Blackbeard, he flew toward Shadowmoon City.
The notification in his mind rang out.
His mana rose slightly, and a few more rather useless minor spells were added to his Novice Magic pool.
Lin Gui glanced at them, then paid them no more attention.
The flying vessel was summoned, speeding through the air.
Shadowmoon City was not close to Deepwood Outpost.
But at the flying vessel's full speed, the journey felt exceptionally short.
Especially since both city-states were located on the outskirts of the Wall of Sighs.
Just a few more kilometers to the east, and they would be out of this forbidden zone of death.
Along the way, there were almost no territories belonging to demons of Legendary Rank or above.
Lin Gui was able to accelerate to full speed.
Seven minutes later.
The flying vessel pierced through the gray mist, and the view ahead suddenly opened up.
It was a city-state that was far more exquisite—yet also far more ruined—than Deepwood Outpost.
Slender, towering buildings constructed from pale purple stone rose like a forest of spires, their elegant contours still visible even in collapse.
Carvings of vines and stars could be seen everywhere, though most were now covered in frost.
Shadowmoon City.
Lin Gui was in no hurry to land.
Hovering in mid-air, he pulled two glass beads from his pocket.
With a gentle shake,
the soul forms of Clotina and Alyia drifted out and materialized.
The moment the two elves materialized, their gazes fell upon the city-state below.
Both of them froze in unison.
Clotina rubbed her eyes, her voice dazed:
“Th-this place is...?”
Eve, her face still slightly pale, softly added,
“Shadowmoon City.”
Alyia stared at the purple ruins, remaining silent for several seconds.
“How long... did this flight take?”
Lin Gui waved his hand dismissively.
“Alright, now that we're here, before we go in...”
“you two need to do me a favor.”
He looked at the two elves.
“Help dispel the elves' hostility toward me and get the letters into their hands.”
He paused, then proposed a more direct solution:
“Or better yet, why don't you two step forward and deliver them on my behalf?”
Actually, on the way here, Lin Gui had been thinking about how to deliver letters to this group of elves who harbored deep-seated hatred toward humans.
With that, letters addressed to Shadowmoon City flew out of his storage space, floating in mid-air.
Alyia looked at the letters, her gaze complicated.
When she was at Deepwood Outpost, she had also received a letter from a loyal subordinate in Blackwater City.
The secret codes, ciphers, and confidential matters regarding the Shadow Clan mentioned in the letter...
left her with no way to doubt the letter's authenticity.
It also forced her to believe...
There really was a human who was conveying thoughts for the elves, asking for nothing in return.
But why?
She raised her eyes, looking at Lin Gui.
“Why are you doing this?”
“The elves have messengers too, but resources are precious, and they would never deliver personal letters for commoners.”
This was not the first time Lin Gui had been asked such a question.
He fell silent for a moment, then simply replied flatly:
“Just think of it as a personal hobby of mine.”
“So,”
He looked at Alyia.
“for the sake of my deliveries, could you help me deliver these letters?”
If it were only Clotina, it might be difficult to gain the trust of her kin.
A low-level little elf appearing alone in Shadowmoon City with letters from Blackwater City...
would be far too suspicious.
But if Alyia was there...
The captain of Deepwood Outpost, a warrior powerful enough to traverse the mist.
Everything became much more reasonable.
Alyia took the floating letters, her fingertips tightening slightly.
She asked in a low voice:
“Are these... truly not ‘Slave Contract Letters’?”
Lin Gui curled his lips.
“That was just something I made up on a whim. How could such a thing exist?”
“If those letters actually existed, why would there be so much backstabbing and betrayal in the human world?”
“The city-states would have become the playthings of the nobility long ago.”
“Though, to be fair... they pretty much are already.”
Alyia's gaze fell on his gray eyes.
“Then the soul pressure I felt earlier...”
Lin Gui pointed to his own eyes.
“It's just a little spell.”
With that, he willed it so.
The Eyes of the Netherworld deactivated.
The invisible pressure surrounding Alyia instantly vanished.
He activated it again.
The pressure descended once more.
A flash of astonishment crossed Alyia's eyes:
“What kind of magic is this?”
Lin Gui waved his hand.
“That's a personal secret.”
“Anyway, if you're willing to lend a hand,”
“I would be very grateful.”
Alyia fell silent for a long time.
Ultimately, she gripped the letters in her hand tightly and nodded.
“I will deliver the letters.”
“I will deliver these letters to our compatriots. I swear it in the name of Elune.”
Holding the stack of letters, Alyia's soul form appeared exceptionally distinct in the snowy forest.
She looked back at Lin Gui with a complex expression, but said nothing more.
Turning around, she floated toward the purple ruins of Shadowmoon City.
Reaching Shadowmoon City had been her objective in the first place.
Delivering the letters was just a convenient task along the way.
Her soul form drifted further and further away, eventually disappearing into the silent cluster of buildings.
Standing beside Lin Gui, Eve said softly:
“She will finish delivering them.”
“An elven oath... once made, is rarely broken.”
Lin Gui let out an “mm.”
He had heard of elven oaths before.
Their credibility was legendary.
Even the haughty High Elves were no exception.
“No rush.”
Lin Gui leaned against the edge of the flying vessel, his gaze drifting back toward the path they had come from to the west.
“We still need to stay here...”
“and wait for a few people.”
Eve was slightly taken aback, but quickly understood.
“Do you mean... those hunters from Whitestone City?”
Lin Gui nodded.
“It takes less than a day to walk from Whitestone City to here.”
“The time we spent delayed at Deepwood Outpost is more than enough for them to have reached Shadowmoon City.”
A look of comprehension flashed in Eve's eyes, followed by a faint smile.
“Are you going to make a move against them?”
Lin Gui's tone was flat:
“Just a convenient task.”
Eve's smile deepened, a glint of light passing through her purple eyes.
“One High-tier Transcendent and four Mid-tier Transcendents...”
“while you are only a High-tier High Rank mage.”
“Without Theia, are you sure you can defeat them?”
Lin Gui nodded and said:
“I can, but it will require some planning.”
Eve leaned close to Lin Gui's ear and whispered:
“Do you need to use that ability of mine?”
Lin Gui turned his head to look at her.
Her ability.
The one that could temporarily elevate her to the Legendary Rank.
Actually, there was a question Lin Gui had been curious about for a very long time.
But he had never found the opportunity to ask.
“That magic of yours that allows you to jump from Low-tier Transcendent... to the Legendary Rank.”
“What exactly is it?”
As far as he knew, magic capable of bridging an entire major rank...
simply did not exist.
Even the highest-tier forbidden spells or dark arts could only elevate one's strength by two or three minor realms at most.
Eve blinked, a hint of playfulness in her smile.
“It's not magic.”
she said softly.
“It's a ‘price’.”
Lin Gui raised an eyebrow.
“A price?”
“Yes.”
Eve raised her hand, her fingertip gently tapping her chest.
“The ultimate means... used by the Holy Church to ‘arm’ their Saintesses.”
Her tone was light, but a faint shadow flickered in the depths of her eyes.
“The divine artifact... the Hall of Heroic Spirits.”
“Using a secret technique, the Holy Church reserved an ‘interface’... right at our hearts.”
“When needed, we can burn a portion of our soul and lifespan to temporarily connect to the Hall of Heroic Spirits.”
Lin Gui's eyes narrowed slightly.
“The Hall of Heroic Spirits?”
“Yes. One of the three great treasures of the Holy Church of Light, a divine artifact located in the sky city.”
Eve's voice was very soft, as if she were telling a story that had nothing to do with her.
“The souls of past Saintesses sleep there, along with the power they accumulated.”
“Through the ‘interface,’ I can temporarily borrow that massive pool of power.”
“And thus... cross the boundary of ranks.”
Lin Gui fell silent for a moment.
“If an Epic Rank expert were to borrow that power... could they reach Demigod Rank?”
Eve smiled, though her smile held a trace of bitterness.
“Theoretically... yes.”
“But the higher the rank, the greater the price to pay.”
“If one were actually at the Epic Rank, the moment they connected to the Hall of Heroic Spirits...”
“they probably wouldn't even last half a minute before being consumed by it.”
“Their soul... would be assimilated, and they would become just another heroic spirit within it.”
Eve raised her hand, palm up, catching a falling snowflake.
The snowflake melted into icy water, turning her fair skin slightly red from the cold.
“Right now, I am a Low-tier Transcendent.”
Her voice was very soft, as if she were talking to herself.
“For every minute I use it, my lifespan is reduced by half a year.”
“The Holy Church ordered me never to use it unless it is an ‘absolute emergency’.”
“I am forbidden from activating it.”
She paused, her lips curving into a smile so faint it was almost imperceptible.
“After all, performing ‘Divine Prophecy’ requires the support of the Hall of Heroic Spirits.”
“And ‘Divine Prophecy’ represents the absolute core interest of the Holy Church of Light.”
Listening to this, Lin Gui stared at her with dead fish eyes.
“An absolute emergency?”
His tone was flat.
“Then when you helped Theia ‘kidnap’ me...”
“did that count as an ‘absolute emergency’?”
Instead of being embarrassed, Eve's smile grew even brighter.
She tilted her head, a mischievous light twinkling in her purple eyes.
“Well, who told Mr. Lin Gui to be... so good at running away?”
“Even when bound with ropes, you almost slipped away.”
“Sometimes, I think...”
Eve's smile suddenly became seductive.
Yet dangerous.
She tilted her head slightly, her purple eyes rippling with a look bordering on obsession.
Leaning close to Lin Gui's ear, her voice was as soft as a sigh:
“Should I just lock you in a basement forever...”
“tightly, so you can never escape?”
“Just... stay and keep me company forever.”
Faced with Eve's temptation, Lin Gui suddenly turned his head.
Leaning close to Eve's fair cheek, his breath almost brushed her earlobe.
His voice was pressed very low, yet crystal clear:
“So,”
“do you really want to call Theia ‘Big Sister’?”
With that, he quickly withdrew his body.
acting as if nothing had happened.
Eve froze completely in place.
In the next second, with a whoosh,
her entire face, from her neck to the tips of her ears, instantly turned bright red.
Rate on N.U.
