Chapter 609, Reminder.

Accompanied by the melodious sound of trumpets, piercing through the morning mist like a sheer veil, the army of elves arrived. The golden and green scale armor clung to their bodies, just like the morning sun gently caressing the emerald leaves, exuding a tender beauty that symbolized the power of protection. Unfortunately, it was deep autumn now, and the leaves were supposed to be yellow. Moreover, the surrounding vegetation had long been burned to ashes by the dragons, making the appearance of the elven army resemble drifting fallen leaves, adding a sense of desolation and melancholy.
The pigs, sheep, and wine were warmly welcomed by the vanguard soldiers and quickly brought into the underground cave, where they underwent inspection, cleansing, and registration by the priests of the People's Temple. The cook is sharpening his knives; they are all vanguard soldiers, responsible for cooking skills and also for taking care of the kitchen.
In order to continue the defense work of the position, the wine cannot be distributed. Only the wounded who are being treated and the soldiers who are about to finish their shifts and go to sleep can receive a small cup, and they must first give a little to the elves. Pigs and sheep cannot stay overnight. The vanguard did not prepare feed for them. It would be extremely heartbreaking to let them endure hunger, so let's trouble the teeth and digestive system a bit...
In front of the Vanguard Army position, Nadir and Da Gong meet again, and Secret Nanomylus expresses heartfelt gratitude for Winter Country's help. They are so grateful that almost every sentence can't be mentioned without the word "thank you." They even seem to have "please leave quickly" written on their faces. Da Gong also understands and has been emphasizing that there is no grass growing on this position and it is not suitable to stay here. Moreover, people from the Northland have begun to miss the snow and warm nests of winter days, along with the contentment of eating and drinking.
Nadir will not quip that there is not a blade of grass alive here; the once lush and thriving forest has been reduced to ashes. He is not foolish, and the dragonkin responsible for the arson lies not far away, sizing up the elves with their fiery red, golden, or blue-violet eyes, as if counting the number of gemstones embedded in their armor...
"Sigh, these pigs and sheep are not enough for one bite of a dragon." Dagon made a pained expression and said, "They are also difficult to serve. Although they can transform into human forms, wouldn't it be better to eat as humans? But look, they are all staring at me in dragon form. As soon as I look, they rub their bellies and point at their throats... Now I can only use elemental energy to sustain them, or else I might become sacrificial prey."
"Don't worry, don't worry, I will definitely make sure you all eat enough! It's not easy for you to come here, and I apologize for neglecting you before! However, you should also consider the current situation of the elves. Mina Millis is still in the hands of the monsters, and we are also struggling. It's not like we can afford to raise dragons either!"
"Speaking of which... Winterland has also been attacked by monsters. The capital, Jianjing City, has been struck by meteorites nearly thirty times in a year. It's so annoying! Nadir, you also know that dragons belong to the race of world destroyers, and we need to use some means to appease them. Why don't we share the responsibility?"
"How come you're trying to share responsibility with me?" Nadir shook his head slowly, thinking to himself that Dagon was too cunning. Clearly, he was the dragon, and anything related to the dragon clan was his concern. Why did he have to drag me into this? However, he had to maintain politeness on the surface, so he said, "You may not be aware, but only the Five Tribes Alliance Council is qualified to deal with the dragon clan and resolve various issues related to them."
"The Five-Clan Alliance? Forget about it, you know very well it's just a wooden armor frame that anyone can dress up. In the past, it was mainly equipped with armor by two parties, one from the elves and one from the ancient clan. Now you and I are standing here, can't we decide the resettlement of three or four dozen dragons? After all, this is not a discussion about the entire dragon race." Dagon said, "I am responsible for filling their stomachs, and you are responsible for making their beds. Gems and such cannot be eaten, and they can't supply magical needs like elemental crystals, so keeping them is nothing more than a burden."
"Ah ha? Your idea is really innovative!" Nadir patted Dagon's hand on the back, and their other hand had been clasped together since they met, without any intention to let go up till now, even under the scrutiny of others. "Dagon, you have both dragon and ancient heritage in your bloodline, but you are also a son-in-law of the elves, so you shouldn't be too biased, right?"
"Ancients, elves, and dragons are all long-lived races with patience and historical memory, so many things don't need to be done now, I can wait."
"Then I know." Nadir let go of his hand, and Dargon also let go a second later. The soldiers of the Vanguard cheered, while the elven army continued to maintain its elegant silence.
Don't be deceived by the fact that the armies of the Elves and the Winter Kingdom are standing together; there is not much trust between them. The people of the Winter Kingdom have not forgotten the arrogance of the Elves' flying city, "Ruling the North", and they are well aware of the true attitude and methods of the Elves towards all non-Elven races. The Elves still believe that the inhabitants of the North are a group of barbarians, and the resurgence of the Kangu tribe is the last thing they want to see. Although the arrows are still in the quiver and the bullets are not loaded, the bowstring is taut and the gunpowder is ready at all times.
The elves didn't want to stay for long, and the vanguard didn't want the elves to linger near their positions, so both sides found excuses to separate quickly.
"We still have to go receive Minamiris."
"We are also busy packing our luggage. Winter is coming, and there isn't even a single blade of grass here..." Dagon chuckled and said, "We had quite a few wounded soldiers before, so we can stay here for a few more days and keep an eye on anyone trying to take advantage. But you need to be careful, as the monsters in Naminilis still retain considerable strength. You have to be extremely cautious."
"I will not underestimate the resilience of the monsters and I am prepared for a tough battle. No matter what kind of enemy awaits ahead, this is already our best opportunity."
Nadil is also right. The strategic-level summoning technique of the spirit card and the Vanguard's position have greatly depleted the power of the monsters. Now is indeed the weakest moment for the Hemnanymilis monster. There is no better opportunity than this. In order to eliminate the monsters and for the overall situation, Dargon proposes a suggestion to have a portion of the Vanguard carry mortars and firearms to assist in the battle, but it was rejected by Nadil.
"The task of retaking the capital of Minamilis must be carried out by the elves."
"From a political perspective, Nadir's choice is correct. He needs to use the accomplishment of retaking the capital to unite domestic elven forces and minimize the possibility of a civil war. First, ensure the nominal integrity of the 'kingdom,' then accumulate the power of the new royal family and establish alliances to gradually strengthen their rule - this is also a common tactic for every generation of elven kings."
However, from a military perspective, rejecting the aid of the vanguard army is a huge loss, and an even greater mistake is not paying attention to the dragon race. The elves know that the great dragon is in the vanguard army's territory, and they also know that the great dragon hates monsters and likes precious jewels and gold, but they still did not make any expressions. Dagon believes that hiring the dragon race to reclaim Minas Tirith would not damage the elves' reputation, so he finds Nardil's choice difficult to understand.
"I can proactively offer to help the vanguard, but I can't ask if the Dragonkin can assist." Dargon later said to Thogins, "I cannot make decisions on behalf of the Dragonkin, nor can I show them that I view them as mercenaries, as that can easily be interpreted as contempt and insult towards the mighty dragons. I mentioned to him the food and treasure that dragons like, and Nadil, being an intelligent person, should understand."
"I understood everything, and I am also puzzled by this matter," Tohens shook his head, picked up a halfling sausage, took a bite, and thought carefully while chewing. "I still can't understand. Even if the elves always think they are noble, do they behave like this in front of dragons? Spending some money shouldn't be a problem! Dagon, it can't be that the elves ran out of money, right?"
"Ssss... Perhaps your outrageous speculation is closest to the truth," Dagon stroked his beard and said, "I have heard from Xiloai that the Elven Royal Family has been in desperate need of money during the later stage of the Ascension Plan. Considering the two defeats in the captivity of the Black Tower and the loss of the capital, it is worth questioning how much is left in the Elven treasury."
“呼……虽然很好奇，但万一问错了会影响咱们和精灵本就脆弱的关系，所以暂时就先这样想吧，总比想不通头疼好。”托亨斯摆了摆手，算是将这个话题扔掉。“达贡，你之前的提议是对的，咱们应该撤了。接下来精灵和魔物的战斗已经没有咱们插手的余地，而且咱们也没必要插手。能帮的都帮到了，是该见好就收。”
Dagong nodded and said, "Hmm, it's time to withdraw, but what you said makes sense. We've come all the way to the Elven Kingdom, and we'll definitely regret it if we don't leave our mark. Even if we're criticized, we should set up a nail in advance. I think the Astheriel family estate is a great place, and we can definitely station a military force there, nominally called the Lady Commander's estate guardians."
Toghensh haha laughed heartily and then shook his head slowly, saying, "No, this reason won't do - unless it's for telling jokes. Let's just say we were entrusted by our elf friends to help defend their homeland, so no one can find fault with that! But you better ask the Asnierel family politely and try to get their consent. I know Shiloh will have no problem, but she isn't the one in charge of the family."
"Well, I will be mindful of the situation. As long as you agree to this plan, I will send a letter to Sherlois and discuss it with her first."
"Of course, it's necessary to discuss it." Tohens said, "Since we have determined this matter, it won't be long before we leave here, right?"
"Yes. Tonight is the final celebration, and we will start evacuating gradually tomorrow. We'll first ensure the safe transfer of the wounded to New Yaya Village. We will spend this winter in the North, to be honest, I kind of miss the snowy scenery there."
"It's better not to miss it so early. For example, I prefer the winters in the south - with a bit of chill but not too much, cold but not bone-chilling. In simple terms, it's a cozy winter. I just don't know if there will be another chance to return to Jiangu city..."
"What's the matter? Do you feel pessimistic?"
"Are you kidding me! We, as the vanguard, are invincible. Now that we have joined the Dragon Clan, nothing can stop us! I'm just worried that you will be obsessed with developing the North and won't want to go South. And on the way, there will be traditional allies like the Jingu Clan, humans, and elves. You are softhearted and unable to take action. So our Winter Country will only be a powerful nation in the North, at most, developing into a multi-ethnic country with the Jingu Clan as the core in the northern region, rather than a world-class..."
Dagon waved his hand and asked Hengst not to continue. "My goal has never been just to establish a northern kingdom, but to change the whole world and guide everyone onto the right path of progress. I won't let anyone stand in my way, but first, I need to strengthen myself. Our Winter Country has strong muscles, but little fat and a weak foundation. We can win battles but can't sustain the consumption. This situation needs to change first."
"Okay! It's good that you have this awareness. I think you will have a great opportunity to return to Kongucheng as a victor in this lifetime," Toghenes said with a smile as he stroked his beard. "Although you have become the supreme commander and Dongguo is much larger than Kongucheng, we never forget that you are the rightful heir of Kongucheng."
Dagong nodded with a smile. He was moved and grateful for the perseverance of the Windchaser Clan, and had no intention of refusing. On this matter, he chatted with Tohens for a while, inquiring about his biological father's past. He had already heard many stories countless times, and had them memorized by heart. Bringing it up now was not to hear them again, but to seize the opportunity to prepare.
Key tasks for the final phase of the raid on Mina Miris, setting the Elven Forest on fire, and intercepting the monster campaign: the prophecy of a major earthquake.
Right in front of Toghens, Dagon suddenly straightened his body, convulsed his limbs, rolled his eyes upward, and spewed saliva and nonsense from his mouth. Toghens was startled and called Burt in a sharp voice, and told Caesar to find more priests from the People's Temple.
While Bart rushed in, Dagon quickly ended his performance, "regained control" of his body, and sat on the ground panting heavily. Torgensen may not be able to tell in the chaos, but Bart would definitely cast a healing spell and immediately know that Dagon was physically healthy, mentally sharp, and up to no shenanigans. That's why Dagon dared to perform for only three or four seconds before Bart arrived and then cast a healing spell on himself to immediately shut Bart up.
"It's nothing, it's nothing... Some information about the future entered my mind," Dagon scratched his scalp, his face showing innocent confusion, and said, "This shouldn't be happening. I've already given up my divine power and no longer have the ability to predict the future. Besides, even when I still had divine power, I didn't have this ability."
"Commander, are you really okay?" Bart has already cast four consecutive healing spells, but they were completely ineffective, indicating that Dargon is physically healthy, he just doesn't dare to trust easily.
"I feel a bit dizzy, because I've come across some alarming news." Dagon deliberately furrowed his brow and said, "I've seen natural disasters emanating from underground, with continuous and intense tremors that have devastated many cities. I've witnessed people displaced, starving, and monsters taking advantage to run amok..."
"Disasters coming from underground? What does that mean?" Tohens had a series of questions to ask: "Have you seen the city of Jianjing? Have you seen the ancient city of Jiangu?"
"I didn't see any specific cities or villages, no iconic buildings – at least none that I'm familiar with. I also don't know how to explain it, many details are unclear, but what I'm certain of is that we must be prepared for significant dangers, especially strong earthquakes."
"This is really bad news... Eh? Dargon, do you think this could be a hint from the God of power, Olympos? You gave him your divine power, so he is still in some way connected to you?"
"You saying that..." Dagon stroked his beard, purposely frowning as he slowly nodded, "there is a possibility, but the relationships between deities are quite delicate, so it's better not to mention him. Just say that I sense something ominous and we must be prepared. Our Winterland will surely be fine, but I think we should also warn everyone else—except for the demons."