Real Mount and Blade Game

The Sleeping Echo is the ultimate defensive measure taken by the Wood Elf plane when facing a devastating crisis. By greatly reducing the core operating frequency, the entire plane is made to be as "synchronized" with the surrounding dimensions as possible, blending into the background energy fluctuations, and achieving near-absolute concealment.

It's somewhat similar to the resonance between humans on Earth and beings in the spirit world at the soul level, allowing one to get closer to the rules of the spirit world.

However, the synchronization of different planes does not conform to the rules of the spirit world.

Instead, it aligns with the current astral plane!
However, the cost is enormous—all development comes to a near standstill, and the power of the elders is severely restricted, only able to maintain the most basic dimensional barrier and core existence.

Once inside, it may take hundreds or even thousands of years to safely exit.

Alegros's silver-grey eyes gleamed, clearly indicating that he was also carefully considering the proposal.

He slowly shook his head, but his tone was far from relaxed: "Complete slumber... that's the last resort, meaning utter surrender and passivity. We still have the capacity to maintain the basic 'veil of tranquility' and strengthen the disruption and shielding of dimensional coordinates. There are three points to keep in mind."

He held up three fingers, his voice leaving no room for argument:

"Mobilize all reserves of natural essences to prioritize repairing the cracks in the barrier caused by the activation of the Roots of the Barrier. Elder Galadriel, you are in full charge of this matter. Spare no expense to reinforce the 'Emerald Veil'."

“Completely sever all tentative connections with all known and unknown sub-worlds. Cancel all energy probes to the outside world. Minimize the ‘presence’ of Eriendor, making it ‘background noise’ in the dimensional turbulence. Elder Ilmarion, you will lead the operation and deepening of the ‘Silent Veil’.”

"All resources should be directed toward the core of the World Tree. Cease unnecessary energy consumption, especially large-scale spells and expansionist activities within the plane. Elder Karis, please use the power of your roots to weave the most secure 'cocoon of roots' to envelop the core and assist its slow self-healing. Elder Thorindir, oversee the allocation and flow of all life essences to ensure that every bit of power is used here."

His gaze swept over each elder, carrying an unprecedented chill: "During this period, any act of establishing an energy or mental link with the outside world without the unanimous consent of the council... regardless of the purpose, will be considered a betrayal of Eriandor, and I will personally carry out the purification!"

In the context of the Wood Elves, the "purification" he speaks of often means complete annihilation.

The elders nodded silently.

No one objected.

Allegro's decision was clear, decisive, and the only viable option for stopping losses and protecting himself.

The failure of Balihe was like a bucket of ice water, completely extinguishing their illusions of expanding outwards and finding "new buds".

Now, all that's left is to cower and protect ourselves, waiting for a recovery that may be a long and uncertain one.

The psionic projection in the center of the council chamber was extinguished by Alexstrass's wave of his hand.

The last glimpse of the world of Balihe vanished, along with the burning villages, the struggling ancient war trees, the desperate Yangdi, and the ruthless Shenmu Legion... all seemingly completely isolated in another distant, unrelated nightmare.

The light emanating from the enormous dome, composed of living tourmaline leaves, remained gentle, but it reflected only deep weariness and solemnity on the faces of each elder.

The Emerald Temple returned to its eternal tranquility, but beneath this tranquility, the entire plane was facing an imminent survival crisis and a heavy burden.

Eriendoll, this lost Emerald Land, was forced to close the tiny crack that had quietly opened, sinking deep, deep into the depths of the dimensional sea to begin a long and arduous "hibernation."

The Deherim lord Shen Mu was the one who ignited the flames of war in the Twilight Realm of Balihe, causing the Wood Elf plane to pay a huge price before being "cleaned up."

His figure, unintentionally, became a footnote filled with apprehension and vigilance in the memories of this higher plane.

As for Deherim's next move, it has nothing to do with the Wood Elf plane's temporary "retirement".

Shen Mu's gaze was focused on the blueprint for the newly acquired [Elf Forest Outpost], and on Zhang Bo, who had survived being stabbed by Yang Di and was now awaiting interrogation.

A brand new and more powerful Wood Elf unit type is about to take root in the land of Balihe, and the source of this power seems to have some mysterious connection with the distant Middle-earth...

Above the ruins of the Wood Elf village.

The first light of dawn pierced the eternally oppressive fog of dusk over Balihe, staining the sky red, but it could not dispel the thick aura of death on this scorched land.

The giant crater that once stood here, proof that the ancient war tree had been completely wiped out, now appears even more deep and cold in the morning light, like an unhealable scar on the earth.

The charred soil, mixed with congealed blood and ashes, emitted a nauseating stench.

The flames in the distance were not completely extinguished, and wisps of black smoke stubbornly rose, painting a bloody backdrop for this Pyrrhic victory.

The soldiers of Deherm were like tireless worker ants, operating efficiently under the cold commands of their commanders.

Bandak's heavy infantry, like cold millstones, continued to grind towards the edge of the urban jungle, guided by Khergit horse archers.

There, the last remaining resistance forces of the Green Leaf Group and the Wood Elves roared and fought back in despair, like cold water splashed into boiling oil. Each outbreak was accompanied by fierce fighting, shrill screams, and the muffled sound of sharp blades cutting into flesh.

However, faced with an overwhelming torrent of steel and a barrage of precise arrows, such resistance was doomed to failure.

The sounds of battle were sporadic and brutal, like the last few mournful notes of a musical movement, quickly fading into silence amidst the fierce slaughter, leaving behind a mess of corpses and trampled weapons.

The Swadian soldiers under Rezarit's command acted as sheepdogs.

They coldly tapped their scabbards and used their heavy shields to drive away the surviving humans from the ruins and corners of Earth.

These people, dressed in rags, pale and emaciated, with empty and numb eyes, gathered in a temporarily designated open space like a flock of frightened sheep.

Fear and exhaustion rendered them powerless to resist, leaving them only able to cower under the soldiers' cold gaze.

The number of people in the open space grew at a visible rate, forming a depressing, silent sea of ​​people.

Then, under the supervision of Khergit horse archers or Swadian heavy cavalry, after resting, they set off towards Deherim.

After all, construction work on Deherme is still ongoing.

The two newly built urban areas, West Outer District and East Outer District, are just the right size to accommodate these Blue Star humans captured from the Green Leaf Group.

At the heart of the battlefield, Shen Mu merely glanced indifferently at the distant cleanup operation.

His entire being was now immersed in the architectural blueprint shimmering with emerald light deep within his consciousness—the Elf Forest Outpost.

The vision in the blueprints stands in stark contrast to the scorched ruins of the actual battlefield, a scene akin to heaven and hell.

A platform in the forest, bathed in soft light, is an exquisite building gracefully supported by the branches of living trees, exuding an aura of eternal peace. An elven archer, clad in silver-moon-like armor, stands atop a hidden arrow tower, his eyes sharp, his posture upright as a pine tree, his longbow seemingly blending into the moonlight.

The stronghold's entrance, hidden at the base of a giant tree, blends seamlessly with nature, its sturdy wooden fortifications covered in moss. A forest elf scout, clad in grey-green tight-fitting armor, moves silently through the shadows, his movements as agile as a spirit of the forest, the twin blades in his hands gleaming with a deadly cold light.

Unimaginable long-range technology, the speed to traverse the forest like the wind, and an extreme perception and utilization of the natural environment...

These images were deeply imprinted in Shen Mu's mind, carrying a completely different aesthetic of war—elegant, deadly, and efficient.

A strong sense of possessiveness rose in Shen Mu's heart.

This is the forest power he truly needs! Power sufficient to replace those wood elf villages that have long since become garbage dumps!

Such an outpost must be erected as soon as possible on Deherem's territory; it will be a crucial step in his path to a higher foundation of power.

With a slight thought, the system's cold notification message flowed through:
[The Elf Forest Outpost template is unfolding...]

[Selected Location: The area adjacent to the 'Park Wetland' on the east side of the core area of ​​the territory (this area has some points of convergence of natural forces, recommendation index: A-)]

[Construction Countdown: Start Once Ready...]

A barely perceptible smile appeared on Shen Mu's lips.

resource?

Having integrated everything that remained of the Wood Elf village, Deherim's treasury is bound to be expanded.

As for special materials…

His cold gaze fell upon the silhouettes of high-rise buildings further into the city of Long, where countless industrial relics from before the apocalypse lay dormant.

These will all be the "mines" on Deherim's future journey.

"Lord Lord."

Fatis's deep voice pulled Shen Mu back to reality.

The knight commander remained by his side like the most solid rock, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any potential threats, especially in the direction of the huge pit. His vigilance did not lessen in the slightest as dawn approached.

"Speak." Shen Mu's gaze did not leave the system interface.

"Target Zhang Bo, the devout followers of Aidengard have stabilized his condition. However, he has lost too much blood and is in a deep coma. Bandak has ordered his men to keep a close watch on him to ensure that he cannot commit suicide or be disturbed by others. The expected time for him to wake up is uncertain."

Fatis's report was concise and precise, like describing the condition of a tool: "Yang Di is being treated, his vital signs are weak, and his mind is on the verge of collapse. The devout followers of Aidengard are trying, but the effect... is likely to be limited. His last moments of consciousness seem to have suffered severe damage at the dimensional level."

"Understood." Shen Mu's voice was completely flat. "Keep an eye on Zhang Bo. I won't allow him to die before he speaks. As for Yang Di..." He paused, his tone as if judging the disposal of garbage: "Let fate decide."

"Yes!" Fatis replied without hesitation, then whispered a few words to the messenger beside him, who then stepped back to relay the order.

Just then, a Swadian sergeant in charge of mopping up the battlefield ran over quickly, knelt down on one knee in front of Shen Muma, and presented him with an item that was charred black, with almost carbonized edges but still had its main structure intact.

"My lord! This object was found while clearing the battlefield ruins! It's located about thirty paces northeast of the ancient war tree pit, beneath the scorched earth layer of the ruins!"

Shen Mu's gaze fell upon it.

It was a small wooden box, made of a peculiar material that resembled wood but was not. Despite being burned by a raging fire, the main body of the box was not completely destroyed.

The box's surface was covered with peculiar patterns, now mostly obscured by black and gray, but a faint, almost extinguished glimmer of light could still be seen flashing by.

This radiance was not the glow of flames or elements, but rather the faint yet pure echo of a life about to be exhausted.

[Item detected: 'Ancient Tree Seed Embryo' suffering from severe contamination and physical damage (vitality <0.1%, dimensional imprint residue has been pulverized)]

[Source speculation: Before the core of the Wood Elf lord was forcibly plundered, the last pure essence (fragment) that was naturally stripped away by the natural will of the Wood Elf plane was accidentally lost and buried deep during the war...]

[Value Assessment: Nearly dead. Contains an extremely faint trace of primal natural life laws. Potential for extraction as a 'Fairy Forest Outpost'.]

A cold, insightful understanding surfaced in Shen Mu's eyes.

It turned out to be the case.

The "child node with unlimited potential" that the elder in the Wood Elf plane mentioned is probably this.

That ancient war tree itself was nothing more than a "fumigation" forcibly stirred up by Yang Di.

But this last pure seed... is now like a rotten stone carelessly abandoned in the mud.

The slight curve of Shen Mu's lips carried a chilling mockery.

He didn't reach out to take it, but just gestured with his eyes.

Fatis, who was standing nearby, immediately stepped forward and took the broken box with his fingers, which were clad in mithril armor.

The box was icy cold to the touch, and the faint sense of life it held was almost imperceptible.

"Keep it safe and send it to Ms. Liuna in Deherem." Shen Mu's voice was calm and even. "Let her do as she pleases."

“Understood.” Fatis replied succinctly, handing the charred wooden box to a Holy Tree Knight behind him who was in charge of escorting special items. The Knight carefully accepted it.

The pre-dawn light seemed to brighten a little more, illuminating the weary yet resolute and cold faces of the Deherim soldiers, and also illuminating Shen Mu's young, stern face, which now reflected a deep and far-sighted mind that held the future in its grasp.

He took one last look at the enormous pit that symbolized failure and end, then turned his horse around, and the hooves of the Sacred Tree Steed trampled across the scorched, blood-soaked earth.

"Pass the order."

Shen Mu's order was clearly heard in the slightly chilly morning air.

"After the entire army completes the battlefield cleanup, assemble and rest. The heavy infantry will escort the prisoners back to the core area of ​​Deherem first, where they will be registered and verified by Sun Zhiru's men. All captured supplies will be handed over to the Chief Steward Manid for preliminary sorting. One company of Bestur's horse archers will remain as outer scouts, the rest will return with me. Objective—"

His gaze turned toward Deherim, the place where the foundation lay and where new power was born.

"Prepare for the construction of the 'Elf Forest Outpost'."

Fatis accepted the order, and the commands of the Holy Tree Knights were swiftly and efficiently relayed.

After a satisfying act of destruction, Deherem's war machine did not cease its operation, but instead began to rumble in a low and resolute manner toward a new and more ambitious direction.

At the rear of the group, on a tightly guarded stretcher, Zhang Bo, his chest rising and falling slightly, remained unconscious, his face pale to the point of being almost transparent.

In a makeshift tent further away, Yang Di let out a weak whimper, like a wild beast being choked.

The Wood Elf Village is a thing of the past; the plane behind it has been forced to close its gates.

Meanwhile, Deherim's new Forest Claws, already on the blueprints, unleash their chilling sharpness upon the city of Long. (End of Chapter)