Chapter Fifty-One: I Must Rescue the Queen First

After the communication ended, Eve jumped up into the tree.

"Little Prince, Little Prince, wake up!"

She nudged Linlei, who, half-asleep, turned over with a murmur.

"Mmm... mushrooms... mushrooms... I'm too full..." he mumbled in his sleep, making Eve both amused and exasperated—after causing such a big scene, he was still dreaming about eating mushrooms. Hadn’t he had enough of being poisoned?

"You won't wake him like that, you're too gentle," the leopard opened its eyes. "Watch and learn."

With that, it suddenly raised a paw and kicked Linlei, who was lying on top of it, straight to the ground.

"Ouch!"

A human-shaped dent appeared in the earth. Eve stared, wide-eyed, as Linlei quickly sprang back up from the pit.

"Snowy!"

Linlei leapt onto the oak and kicked the leopard off in return.

...

Eve was stunned.

Half an hour later, while Linlei and the leopard were washing up at the stream, Eve relayed the two messages to him.

"What? Zombies have surrounded the city?" Linlei paid no mind to the Archmage, focusing only on the interesting part. "Then let’s go back and have a look later. I want to save those night elves—whatever else, those civilians are innocent!"

Eve shot him a cold glance, not believing for a moment that Linlei was so kindhearted. "What sort of game are you planning now?"

"Ahaha." Linlei continued splashing his face with water. Cunning women were really hard to fool—she was already starting to see through him.

"Before you play your games," Eve sighed helplessly, "I should tell you: Gran City was developed out of war. At first, it was just a clinic for wounded night elves. The injured night elves bore children there, and only then did it slowly become a city."

"Little Prince." She fixed Linlei with a sharp gaze. "That city was built from the blood of our forest elves. An enemy is an enemy. As long as the night elves remain our foes, you must show them not a shred of mercy!"

Eve knew her history well. The forest elves had tried to make peace with the night elves several times—only to be betrayed every time.

"They know nothing of loyalty. Meaningless compassion is merely gambling with our soldiers' lives!"

Linlei looked at Eve in surprise. "You hate night elves that much?"

He didn't feel pity for the night elves; in fact, the word "pity" was rather foreign to Linlei. Still, he found Eve's words a bit too intense. She seemed so ladylike, yet her hatred for the night elves ran so deep.

"My parents died on the battlefield," Eve said coldly. "Your elder brother, the so-called God of War, despises the night elves even more than I do. More than once, he’s planned to annihilate the entire night elf kingdom."

Linlei's eyes widened. "My brother? The God of War!"

What? Linwen could fight? Wasn’t he always buried in paperwork with Father?

"Good grief, so he’s not just a bookish fool."

"The Crown Prince is no mere scholar. He showed remarkable military talent from a young age," Eve replied, somewhat helpless. "The night elves attempted to assassinate him precisely because they feared what he would become. After that incident, the Crown Prince drafted several plans to wipe out the night elf kingdom."

Linlei listened with great interest. "Why didn’t he go through with them?"

"He was too hasty; the casualties would’ve been severe. His Majesty didn’t approve," Eve answered. "His Majesty thinks the Crown Prince is too extreme, while Lady White is more steady. So he forbade the Prince from approaching the battlefield and appointed Lady White as Lord of the Dark Forest."

That holy lord was an outstanding commander. In recent years, as the wars intensified, the forest elves’ front line had advanced under her command, and casualties were at a historic low.

"I see. So Lady White handed command to me..." Linlei stroked his chin. "My brother must be terribly envious of me."

Eve didn’t reply, though she was sure Lady White and His Majesty had exactly that intention. The timing was perfect; they wanted to see what Linlei would do.

"My brother always acts the refined gentleman. I've been putting up with his airs for too long. This time, I'll truly surprise him." Linlei felt he'd found an entertaining toy. "Eve, what secrets is Lady White hiding? Is she after the Twin Moons Wheel?"

Eve looked at Linlei. "Why do you think it's the Twin Moons Wheel?"

"It’s what she talks about most with me." Linlei gave her a look that practically begged for praise. It wasn’t a hard guess—Lady White had mentioned the Twin Moons Wheel more than anything else. She clearly wasn’t just telling him of its existence.

"She wants me to seize the Twin Moons Wheel?"

He pressed further.

"Not exactly... but close enough," Eve replied, surprised and delighted by Linlei’s sharpness—he kept exceeding her expectations. "In truth, Lady White received a letter from a high noble of the night elf kingdom. He wants us to help rescue the former night elf queen and return the Twin Moons Wheel to her."

That was the intelligence she’d received last night—she’d already memorized the noble’s identity and contact method.

"Rescue Big Sister Queen." Linlei liked the sound of that. "But... why shouldn’t I just keep the Twin Moons Wheel for myself?"

Sentiment is sentiment, but when it came to real value, Linlei was clear-headed—the Twin Moons Wheel was a treasure. Why not keep it for himself?

"The Twin Moons Wheel is bound to the night elves. It represents their very will—no other race can take it," Eve shot him a look. If the Twin Moons Wheel could be stolen, someone would have done so long ago.

Whoever possessed it would control the night elves; even demigods would be tempted. But the current Twin Moons Wheel was not what it was in ancient times. It had formed a symbiotic bond with the night elves—outsiders couldn’t even touch it, much less control it.

"But if we can’t take the Twin Moons Wheel," Linlei asked, puzzled, "why should we rescue Big Sister Queen?"

"That noble promised that if we rescue the night elf queen, she will sign a permanent peace treaty with us and deliver the Twin Moons Wheel to our royal palace," Eve replied. The forest elves couldn’t control the artifact, but if it lay in their palace, it was as good as controlling the night elves.

Linlei laughed aloud. "Lady White actually trusts such a promise?"

His elder sister was a master schemer; Linlei didn’t believe she’d keep her word for a moment.

"No—Lady White doesn’t trust it," Eve said, meeting Linlei’s eyes. "This is just intelligence. How to use it is the commander’s duty—the commander is you now."

She couldn’t even bring herself to smile; Eve had no faith in the promise, but she knew Linlei would certainly meet with that noble. The reason was simple: he loved playing games.

"Right, I’m in charge now." Linlei stopped laughing. "You said Gran City’s been taken by zombies?"

"By monsters, not zombies."

"Whatever you call them, they’re zombies to me..." Linlei waved dismissively and stood, his spirits high.

"Tell the other commanders to prepare food and weapons. Await my orders. Be ready for total war."

Eve stared at Linlei in shock. "You’re planning to start a war?"

This wasn’t the response she’d expected.

Linlei stood with hands on his hips, grinning. "No, I’m going to rescue Big Sister Queen first!"

He was overjoyed—Lady White had given him a wonderful game, and now he could have all kinds of fun tormenting his dear elder sister. After all, she had tricked him first.