It's so painful! So hard! So difficult!

"But is this really all you desire? I don't think so. You dwarves have your own lives and your own culture. Although I've only met twelve of you, I've gotten to know you. As a race, you undoubtedly possess the strength to fight for a peaceful existence. Your members are also very diverse, each with their own ideas and lives."

"So, whether I'm your hero or not is still debatable. Perhaps I need to spend a little more time with you... have a few words or something? Or maybe, I just need to think for myself."

Bai Lin thought about it and glanced at the poet beside her, who gave her a look of affirmation. Then Bai Lin looked at the confused Snow Bear in front of her with great determination. She raised her hands and patted the other's shoulders. Then, Bai Lin said,

"But whether I'm your hero or not, I'll definitely do my best. If you have any problems, just tell me. But as for the reward... hehe, I don't work for free."

Bai Lin was always like this. If you asked her which part of her body was most sensitive, it would definitely be her wallet. She was truly terrified of poverty. She'd worked hard for over a year to renovate some of her equipment and supplies, including her armor. So, she wouldn't miss any opportunity to make money, even while making this kind of statement.

Her hair, freed from the helmet's cover, flowed naturally in the windswept, frosted sky. The gentle snowflakes trickled down her cheeks. Though not as bright and dazzling as sunlight, the gentleness tinged with cold determination was already outlined in her bright golden eyes.

This couldn't help but make Snow Bear, staring at Bai Lin, fall into a moment of daze. Her gaze was piercing, seemingly gazing at the distant horizon, through the strange light of the stars and the sunset. It was as if she had recalled long-forgotten memories. But when she came to her senses, she was still standing before him, the Son of God, the hero who had declared this to her with a confident smile.

Finally, Snow Bear returned her expression. She rubbed her eyes quickly, then looked at Bai Lin and said,

"Excuse me. While my question to you just now was indeed a question, your answer has made us even more convinced that you are the hero we have been waiting for."

"Son, no matter what you think, in our eyes, you are already a hero."

This was somewhat unexpected for Bai Lin. She scratched her cheek a little embarrassedly and then replied,

"Uh... is this also a test? But what I just said was from the bottom of my heart. You guys are good people, and I can't just take it for free and then leave you alone. I don't mean to gain your trust with those words."

Seeing this hero who was sometimes clumsy in his words, everyone couldn't help but laugh to varying degrees. This time, the first one to stand up was Fire Eagle. She patted Bai Lin's shoulder, then looked at Bai Lin and said,

"Don't worry, what you just said was great. None of us would think you were just being nice. It wasn't really a test. It's just that your answer exceeded the full score, giving us another powerful shock."

"Yes, Holy Son, you said it very well."

"Don't look so embarrassed, hero. Just laugh when you're praised. But, this is also good..."

Amidst the crowd's echoes, Xue Xiong actually revealed a faint smile. She raised her head slightly, looked at Bai Lin, and then said,

"Everyone likes you, Holy Son. However, we also understand that this isn't a one-sided matter. As you said, perhaps after more consideration and interaction, it will be more appropriate. And we really need you to stay with us for a few days."

"In our tribe, there's a legendary place that only legendary heroes can visit. For hundreds of years, none of us have crossed the border and set foot there, so we know very little about it. In the next few days, it will be up to you to uncover the secrets of that place. We believe you can do it easily."

Isn't that the classic scene? It sounds like another test. I imagine it's some kind of ruins, perhaps containing something truly remarkable.

Bai Lin thought so after hearing Snow Bear's words. But on closer inspection, no one had been here for hundreds of years, and the dwarves themselves weren't entirely clear on why they were waiting for the hero. There were too many mysteries here, so Bai Lin wouldn't dare venture into it. At the very least, he had to be prepared to reopen the place at any time, just in case he died after entering.

However, the current situation naturally does not need to be considered according to common sense. After all...

There is a prophet by my side.

Thinking of this, Bai Lin nodded very affirmatively and replied to Snow Bear,

"Is that so? Then it seems I must stay a while. I'll surely get a definitive answer as to whether I am the hero you're waiting for."

"No matter what the answer is, in our hearts, you are a true hero. So, you don't have to worry too much about this. We don't know what will happen there, and it may not be a difficult test."

Snow Bear nodded slightly and said this to Bai Lin. Then, she turned around and gave orders,

"Now, lead the way for our hero!"

-

Although it wasn't too late today, considering that they had fought a battle today and what they would encounter tomorrow was completely unknown, and that there was still some information that needed to be collected and sorted out, Bai Lin decided to rest and make some preparations.

Now, she and the poet were in the room that the dwarves had arranged for them. This room didn't seem to be a temporary one, but had been prepared long ago, just as the dwarves said, for the hero who would come.

Chapter 789: Let’s Listen to Two Sentences of Analysis

However, it is not a luxurious single-family villa, but is located together with the dwarves' rooms, just slightly larger, with many functional contents, and transportation... is also very convenient. Speaking of transportation, we have to mention the dwarves' architectural style. After all, Bai Lin has never seen such a practical design.

First, to describe the dwarven dwellings as houses would be an understatement. Or, to put it another way, "too fragile." Not a single inch of their buildings is wasted. The seamless steel fortresses rise like a jungle within the city. At first glance, it's an endless torrent of steel, perhaps even a bit dizzying.

After all, apart from the lights, there are very few other colors. Unlike a normal living city-state, which pays attention to streetscapes and greenery, apart from the necessary streets and transportation corridors, buildings have already filled this space.

The convenient transportation Bai Lin mentioned involved a series of alternative zip lines weaving through the buildings. They looked quite high-tech, easily accessible wherever they went, with automated routes to prevent collisions. They also separated access by privilege, allowing only those of Bai Lin's rank to use them 24/7. It was a very systematic system.

Carrying several large bags of equipment and moving along a zipline like this, it takes really strong arm strength.

Such a place undoubtedly felt too solemn and terrifying. While the roar of metal wouldn't reach your ears and disrupt your rest, facing these walls of iron felt like pressing your head into molten iron. It was suffocating, and the smell of metal and the scorching heat completely filled your brain, making it impossible to breathe.

Even the sky was completely devoid of form. Above the dome, a pitch-black, mottled layer of metal, like a dark cloud, was spread. Above that, a few light sources, like flames, blazed brightly in the sky. This continued 24 hours a day, making it impossible to distinguish between day and night.

Only the interior was slightly more subdued. Overall, it looked similar to the human equivalent, more like a modern hotel. Clean bed, clean furniture. Bai Lin's room was purposely enlarged, so there were many rooms, but even so, no room had any unnecessary functionality, and the same was true for the furniture.

When the curtains were drawn, the orange-red wall lamp would emit light from the iron-colored wall. It looked a bit dark and simple, but it was very comfortable as a residence. Bai Lin exhaled, leaned back on the sofa, and sighed.

"These dwarves are really good. I've seen underground city-states before, but their tech tree is so advanced, yet they just pile up so many iron lumps here. I really don't understand."

Yes, the dwarven city-state is also underground. That unusual ice sheet above...acts as a natural heat sink for their iron city. It's a truly well-chosen location.

"Because for them, beautiful scenery isn't important. After all, this kind of base isn't a place for enjoyment. As long as it meets its function, it's fine. It should be reassuring, reliable, and not noisy."

"Furthermore, the dwarves don't find this sight unsightly. That's a cultural difference. Not all races are like humans, who find natural scenery so comforting."

The poet replied to Bai Lin in a very formal tone. Now she was like a tour guide, introducing the local customs and folk customs. Bai Lin waved his hand and replied,

"Well, I didn't say it was a sight to behold. This room is quite nice, it fits its purpose and is comfortable to live in. As for the view outside, I don't really care much about it. I'm just used to traveling, and it's a bit strange to be back in this kind of environment all of a sudden."

You know, Bai Lin has been a little mouse in a dark and damp place for a long time. She has never thought there is anything wrong with living in such a place. Even on her journey to the other world, she has seen many wonderful sights, both necessary and unnecessary. Her nature will not be changed so easily.

Moreover, this room was a good two hundred square meters, with all the necessary facilities, so it couldn't be said to be uncomfortable to live in. In her original world, pigeon coops weren't necessarily better than the scenery here in the dwarves, and living in them was even more uncomfortable, but some people couldn't afford it in their lifetime.

Oh, or in other words, most people can’t afford it in their lifetime.

So overall, Bai Lin was very satisfied with the room the dwarves had arranged for her. If she could skip saving the world and go straight to enjoying her retirement here, she would definitely be very happy. But unfortunately, this time she was only staying for two days.

"That's good. Then, let's not talk about this anymore. While you're resting, let's clear your mind. Holy Son, what do you think of the current situation?"

When the poet heard Bai Lin say this, he sat on the small sofa next to Bai Lin, raised his hands, and asked. But Bai Lin didn't even think about it and replied directly,

"Where do I begin?"

Bai Lin's question was indeed correct. Why did the dwarves live in such an underground city-state? What was the situation of the wolf pack they encountered earlier? All of this was completely new to Bai Lin, so if he forced himself to express his opinions, it would be too disjointed and impossible to express them all at once.

"Then let's first talk about the city-state they settled in."

The poet soon understood her guidance. Bai Lin smiled knowingly, raised a finger, shook it twice, and replied,

"I do have something to say about this, because I have made a significant discovery."

"Oh? What is that?"

Bai Lin, who was trying to take credit, seemed a little proud as if she had discovered a new world, but in front of the poet with precognitive ability, she seemed to be just like a person excitedly telling an adult about the "common sense" she had just discovered. The poet was very cooperative and asked along with Bai Lin's words. Bai Lin paused and said,

"That ice field up there is special. You and I can both see that. The intensity of the snow and wind doesn't quite match the natural flow."

"A normal snowstorm should have some intermittent winds. The wind shouldn't always blow in the same direction. This is clearly unnatural."

"We all know that the dwarves built their city-state underground precisely for the snowfields that serve as a natural heat sink."

Chapter 790: A Meeting

After all, Bai Lin was well aware of the human condition. Unless they personally experienced something unexpected, humans often had no intuitive understanding of so-called invasions, and most people were concerned only with protecting themselves and those around them. Even Bai Lin himself initially shared this perspective.

So, Bai Lin thought for a moment and quickly replied,

"Although the dwarven city-states are large, they still cannot compare to the human collective. Within the collective called humanity, there are countless ideas and cultures. Naturally, there will be certain differences between each region. It is unlikely that there will be a unified ideology..."

There was nothing wrong with what Bai Lin said. Humans are creatures like this. People often don't understand each other. Growing up, thinking patterns, and even different surnames can cause conflicts between them. However, the direction of her answer was wrong from the beginning. She only heard the poet interrupt,

"That's not what I wanted to hear. While it's true that most races aren't as diverse internally as humans, the dwarves clearly possess a considerable degree of individuality. Due to their strength, they can explore far more areas than humans today, and their technological level is far superior. Yet, they clearly have an interest in various forms of entertainment, yet they don't pursue them."

"So what I want to talk about is actually why the dwarves are so self-disciplined. Obviously, in those blank centuries before this dark period began, they may have faced something. Even though they have forgotten it today, it still has a deep impression in their subconscious. This is why they feel they must wait for the arrival of a hero and must work so hard."

The poet's theory is simple and perfectly plausible. Everything has a cause, and every cause has an effect. To have so many troops, so many factories, so many standardized military equipment, so that everyone is a soldier, yet they display no ambition, and there doesn't seem to be any major crisis around them—this is clearly abnormal. Don't the dwarves just live their lives?

Bai Lin frowned slightly and thought about it. She placed her palm flat on the small table and chair next to the sofa and said softly,

"You mean... maybe they've encountered something bigger?"

"uh-huh?"

The poet didn't offer a clear answer, further confusing Bai Lin. Her eyes sank into a moment of bewilderment. Although Bai Lin had only recently traveled through time, she had read some historical records dating back hundreds of years. If the records were complete, then nothing had happened in the past hundred years. This was far greater than humanity being driven to near extinction in such a short period of time.

If the dwarves had seen something larger, what would it be? Clearly, the Silver Dwarfs had always been around this size in recorded history, so there shouldn't have been any major changes to their population... but during the Dark Ages, that was indeed a question.

Just as Bai Lin was lost in her chaotic thoughts, a knock on the door sounded outside, interrupting her thoughts. She immediately stood up and walked towards the door.

Forget it. As long as we're on the right track, we're good enough. Guessing the specifics of the situation based on just these few snippets is impossible. Forcing connections between known information will only yield imperfect answers.

As soon as the door opened, there were, as expected, two little dwarfs. One in front, one behind, standing in front and behind. The one in front... judging by her appearance and her cool, calm eyes, Bai Lin recognized her identity. It was the one codenamed Yu Mu.

As for the person behind, it was naturally Xue Xiong. Their presence at this hour clearly meant something was up. Yu Mo was seen holding a black, lunchbox-like box in her left hand, and a large metal bucket half her size in her right. It was noticeable that, in addition to her standard military uniform, she was wearing a pair of gloves, covered in a black substance that looked like ash.

She raised her hand and asked Bai Lin,

"May I come inside?"

"Ah? Hmm? Of course, please come in."

Perhaps because the other party's words were not so official, and it was Yu Mo who spoke first, not Xue Xiong, Bai Lin was slightly stunned. But she quickly extended her hand, made way, and invited the two in. The two walked around the entrance and walked straight into the dining room of this house. Yu Mo put the things directly on the table, then turned to Xue Xiong and said,

"I've brought everything. Shall I retreat first?"

"No, you stay. We still need to chat with Shengzi and the others. Shengzi, to be honest, we're just here to deliver food and chat with you. If you mind, we can make an appointment later. However, there will be a meeting this afternoon, so it's best for us to explain the content clearly before the meeting."

"Meeting? Oh, I understand. No problem, let's chat. I'm free right now anyway, and I have some questions for you guys."

Bai Lin immediately realized that coming to a different race like her, being hailed as a legendary hero, receiving such good treatment, and being the center of attention, how could she just sit there and do nothing? She had to meet the right people. Although the silver dwarves seemed to be unconcerned with formalities, the process, however brief, still existed.

The mention of banquets and conversations reminded Bai Lin of business gatherings. They were usually filled with a huge table of food, and everyone would chat furiously, exchanging pleasantries, all dominated by intrigue and scheming. It wasn't a place for you to eat. But looking at the dwarf's scene...

Looking at the two iron buckets Yumo had brought, they looked like ordinary boxed lunches, plain and simple, very dwarven in style. Clearly, today's conversation wouldn't be that serious, nor would it require much brainpower. Besides, they'd be filling. Bai Lin was quite satisfied with this.

"Then I'll get straight to the point."

After the four of them sat down, Xue Xiong spoke directly to Bai Lin in a calm tone.

"As you already know, for all of us dwarves, you are our long-awaited hope. Therefore, it's inevitable that no one wants to see you. However, generally speaking, only representatives above a certain level would want to see you today. You only need to greet them and explain everything. The poet and I will handle that. There's no need to feel too much pressure."

Bai Lin nodded. This was all within her expectations.

Chapter 791 Facing it calmly

After seeing Bai Lin's response, Xue Xiong also continued to preach.

"Besides that, there's actually some controversy about whether the poet can enter that place. Although the poet herself has assured that there won't be any problems, and her words are indeed very convincing, there are still some issues."

"Although we dwarves are not rigid and inflexible, we haven't set foot there in hundreds of years. Even the great Stella Pulgerd, we can't completely trust. After all, that's a place none of our own people have been able to set foot in for hundreds of years. Now, we're being asked to add one person outside the rules, and we can't even send anyone in ourselves. This will certainly make people feel a little uneasy."

Xue Xiong's eyes suddenly sharpened when she said this. She raised her head slightly and looked at Bai Lin, and said,

"When the time comes, you'll just have to face it calmly, or even apply direct pressure. The backup recording of our conversation has already been passed on to the dwarves, so generally speaking, everyone will trust you, and the controversy surrounding this matter won't be that significant. As long as you stand firm, everything will be fine."

Obviously, Xue Xiong was on Bai Lin's side. What she said was very pragmatic and there was no doubt that she was providing strong support to Bai Lin. In response, Bai Lin naturally thanked her.

"Thank you, Snow Bear. If I hadn't asked, I really wouldn't have known about the situation in your tribe. Thanks to you, I was able to prepare in advance."

"It's nothing, just my job. I've already said that even if you're not the hero we're waiting for, you're still a shining being. And we dwarves have been inseparable from the existence of heroes since our birth. Only those who are qualified can possess a stronger spirit and soul, allowing us to create powerful weapons for them."

At this point, Xue Xiong changed the subject, her eyes slightly tilted, and she said in a slightly weaker tone,

"But for the past few hundred years, we've been mass-producing products. You can see that in addition to living areas, buildings like military factories, mineral processing plants, magic engraving plants, and chemical plants are everywhere. Perhaps we were once the best craftsmen, but now, in this kind of life, we may have forgotten the original intention of creation."

"Seeing through a person's life... seeing through their essence, then condensing it into a form, making it their second life. This kind of thing has indeed been done for a long time."

Clearly, Snow Bear still felt a bit sentimental about the dwarves' dark times. She mentioned this, seemingly suggesting that even if Bai Lin wasn't the one they were waiting for, she could still take her equipment. It's just that the dwarves might no longer be able to do that, so Bai Lin could ask them for something else. This was the dwarves' respect for the existence of a hero, unrelated to any other interests.

Looking at the snow bear, Bai Lin seemed to have some emotion. She had also let go of many things before. But now, she was fully aware of this. So, she sat up straight and replied,

"Don't worry too much, just go for it. Heroes have made it this far by following their hearts. If you don't protect others or lend a helping hand because you're worried about failing, you might wake up one day, but at the moment you make a rational decision, you're no longer a hero."

"To this world, we are always insignificant. No matter how powerful an individual born in this world is, they may not be able to bear the weight of this world. The only thing that can bear the heroic, reckless, and even foolish identity of a hero is not great strength, but a heart without limits."

Bai Lin's tone was light and humorous, yet powerful. It was like the warm afternoon light, a bright core of light running through the lazy sunshine. She continued,

"To be honest, I'm still hesitant about this. I might not be a qualified hero. But I have to do it. If I could just sit there and figure it out, and then become a hero, there wouldn't be so many heroic epics in this world. Instead, there would be more beautiful fairy tales."

"The same goes for you. Just let go and create it according to your own ideas. You have already given it your all, just like a hero who has devoted all his energy to his goal. Only when you are determined to do something can you achieve success."

"Besides, even if I fail, so what? I'm not the hero you're waiting for anyway. Didn't you say you haven't worked in a while and you're worried your hands might be rusty? Just treat it as practice, a little practice for someone who's coming later. I'm sure I'd be happy to see you practice on me. After all, it's free, so I won't lose anything."

Bai Lin's words were truly unique. As the saying goes, a rough statement can be a good way to convey the truth, and a rough ending naturally has its own effect. The poet sitting nearby couldn't help but smile. Snow Bear, sitting across from him, naturally raised his head.

Bai Lin, speaking in this way, exuded a strong sense of power, both in her words and in her very being. Perhaps this was why the dwarves immediately recognized her as a hero.

This wasn't the first time Snow Bear had been inspired by Bai Lin. Just like her words, they were gentle yet confident. This seemed to give Snow Bear a strange sense of familiarity. With an inexplicable impulse, it rushed from her chest, like a warm current, into her eyes.

When she came to her senses, the warm feeling almost rushed out of her eyes. Snow Bear, who noticed all this, immediately reached out to wipe the corners of his eyes and looked at his wet palms in surprise. On the other side, Bai Lin asked in surprise,

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

"No...it doesn't matter. You said it well, Holy Son. Sincerity doesn't guarantee success, but only with a purpose can one live up to the title. Confusion and anxiety will only lead you into a worse negative cycle. I should have known this very well, but when it comes to such a major clan event, I'm a little confused. It's really a bit inappropriate."