On a dark stretch of land, two groups were racing one after another.
At the front was a single figure, his body hovering eerily a few meters off the ground. A pair of translucent white wings extended from his back, and each flap carried him a great distance forward.
Behind him came a group of knights!
These knights rode upon enormous spiders — eight bristly brown legs tipped with barbs, ice-blue stripes running across their bodies, and compound eyes brimming with bloodlust and killing desire.
These were Frost Cave Spiders, the mounts of elite warriors among the Dark Elves.
And those riding the Frost Cave Spiders were, as expected, not human. Their skin was fair and delicate, their builds tall, and whether male or female they all possessed exquisitely androgynous faces. Their ears were slightly pointed, and their eyes gleamed an ethereal silver, allowing them to see freely in the darkness.
"Bang!" The fleeing figure ahead suddenly turned his head, revealing a handsome face and pointed ears. Then, without hesitation, he began chanting something under his breath and flung his hand backward.
Five blazing crimson fireballs shot from his fingertips and detonated in midair. The Frost Cave Spider knights dodged them, but the blasts tore enormous craters in the ground.
The one fleeing was himself a Dark Elf!
"To think they've even dispatched the Frost Cave Spider Order — they certainly think highly of me!" The figure kept running, but he couldn't shake the spider knights behind him.
Frost Cave Spiders were not only incredibly fast but perfectly suited for subterranean travel. Mountains, plains, even steep ravines — nothing could impede their advance.
"Memphis! You dare betray the honor of the Dark Nobility! I will offering your head to the Matron Mother — die!"
The lead knight wore a suit of armor so thin it looked like a work of art. The Frost Cave Spider beneath him was visibly larger than the others around him, its body adorned with golden stripes.
He drew a deep breath, and his mount surged forward with a burst of speed.
Then he drew his bow and nocked an arrow in one fluid motion. Mysterious runes along the arrowhead flickered to life, glowing one after another.
Whoosh!
A streak of black light shot from his hand. The arrow sliced through the air and reached Memphis's back in an instant!
"Aah!"
A layer of fire-red light membrane materialized behind Memphis, but under the black arrow's assault it didn't last even a second before shattering into fragments.
The black arrow, its momentum barely diminished, plunged into Memphis's back and burst through his chest.
Memphis let out a scream. The luminous wings on his back vanished in an instant, and his entire body crashed to the ground. A pool of blood — crimson laced with threads of silvery white — spread steadily beneath him.
"Hsss, hiss!"
The Frost Cave Spider knights surged forward and surrounded him.
"Take his head!" The lead knight swept his hand forward with a cold expression, and two Frost Cave Spider knights stepped up.
But just then, the leader's face changed. "No good — retreat!" It was already too late.
Boom!
An overwhelming surge of energy erupted from Memphis's body. He had unfurled a scroll.
Two enormous spheres of energy shot out, accompanied by a woman's sigh. The two knights from before were instantly blown to shreds, and a massive plume of dust and smoke rose into the air.
When the blast subsided, the leader stepped forward with a grim expression — but Memphis was gone from the ground.
"Find him!"
The leader's face twisted with rage. "He's been hit by my curse — he can't have gotten far!"
…
Vilin nocked an arrow, took aim, and released. The shaft flew with a sharp hiss and struck the boar monster dead ahead.
The great boar let out a roar as blood poured from its body, and Vilin drew his Cross Sword and charged in.
"Haha! Uncle Vilin's gift for Jenny is as good as secured!"
After a tense battle, Vilin stood over the enormous boar on the ground, a wide grin splitting his face.
Just then, the churned-up earth at the side was swept clear by the aftermath of the fight, revealing a figure beneath.
"Hm? What's this?"
Vilin stepped forward and curiously turned the figure over, exposing a pale, handsome face…
Two hours later, Jenny stared at the Dark Elf Vilin had brought home, clutched her forehead, and let out a despairing groan: "You absolute fool! We've gotten ourselves into massive, massive trouble…"
Faced with Jenny's accusations, Vilin scratched his head in utter innocence. "I couldn't just leave him there — he looked so pathetic…"
"Pathetic? Do you have any idea what he is? A Dark Elf! He's a pure-blooded Dark Elf!"
Jenny's face flushed red.
"We're in the borderlands! If anyone finds out what you've done, it could bring catastrophe on the entire town!"
Over the past three years, the Dark Elf Empire's movements had grown increasingly frequent, making many people uneasy.
Jenny hadn't thought that far ahead. The moment she saw the Dark Elf's lavish attire, her only thought had been whether this elf, like herself, might belong to some great noble house — hunted down after losing a power struggle.
But once that association clicked into place, cold sweat began streaming down her back.
She now understood the ruthlessness of political struggle firsthand, and she knew that no matter where this elf tried to hide, relentless pursuit awaited him — and all of them would be caught in the crossfire!