Chapter 534: What Year Is It Today?

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

As the battle in the valley gradually subsided, with the last approaching deviant ghost falling under the blade, Anina also returned, her face showing some excitement.

“Lord, I’ve found some footprints on the cliff over there, as well as traces of someone lying in wait.”

Ji Chen’s expression grew serious. There were actually humanoid beings in this icy wilderness?

“Where did they leave from?”

“It should be to the northwest.”

Heading deeper into the icy wilderness in the northwest direction, it seemed that there was indeed a settlement of natives hidden in inconspicuous places.

Ji Chen felt it necessary to find them. As residents of this land, they might know clues about the divine relic.

“Clean up the battlefield.”

After slaying all the approaching deviant ghosts, the Ocean Crown team entered the holes on both sides of the valley. After a simple exploration, they found nothing of value except for some deviant ghost hatchlings and a large number of corpses used as provisions.

However, in the inconspicuous corners of these dark and damp caves, some broken weapon and armor fragments were found, but it was difficult to determine whether these were stripped from the bodies of believers by the deviant ghosts or obtained from elsewhere.

There was no significant gain, and Ji Chen quickly led the army to the location where unidentified traces were found, following Anina.

At a cliff on the left side, although some had been wiped away by the wind and snow, it was still possible to faintly see that more than ten humanoid creatures had recently lain in this place, peering into the valley where they slaughtered the deviant ghosts.

Ji Chen’s expression slightly brightened, finally some traceable clues. He didn’t stay long and waved his hand.

“Alice, lead the knights and lobster guardians who can’t land ashore, and follow beneath the ice.

The rest of the legions and units follow me, following the traces to find these natives!”

With a relatively clear goal, their pace quickened considerably as they rapidly advanced along the still visible traces.

After traveling for more than ten miles, the remaining traces finally disappeared. The other side probably realized this as well and began to conceal the traces they left behind.

Ji Chen wasn’t too disappointed. Since the other side wanted to erase the traces they left, their pace would inevitably slow down. If they were lucky enough, they might even catch up to them.

“Divide into teams of ten, spread out in a fan shape towards the northwest.”

The army quickly dispersed under his command and explored the area ahead.

“Ding- Your army is in combat mode.”

The system prompt came, and Ji Chen’s eyes lit up as he looked in the direction slightly to the northwest.

Under his control, all the scattered armies converged towards that direction, and more and more combat alerts indicated that the unidentified group had been surrounded and engaged.

Ji Chen, along with a group of heroes, quickly rushed over and soon saw the Ocean Crown team encircling a snowy slope without attacking.

A group of more than ten elves wearing white robes were trapped on the slope, looking desperate.

Ji Chen’s face suddenly became strange. The group that was spying on them earlier turned out to be elves?

Arlin held her bow and aimed it at the enemies trapped on the slope below her. Although her expression remained calm, a hint of despair welled up in her heart.

She hadn’t expected this army to catch up with them so quickly; they were even better at tracking than those savage orcs!

Looking at these peculiar soldiers with powerful auras and a strong martial presence, it seemed unlikely that they could return to their village now.

Arlin managed to keep her composure, but the other young elves were trembling with fear, their hands shaking as they held their bows. They heard stories of their fellow elves being captured by humans or orcs and tortured beyond recognition.

Ji Chen walked out from among his troops, revealing himself to the elves.

With a gentle smile on his face, he proactively expressed goodwill.

“Stranger elves, hello, I’m Ji Chen, the lord of this army, and I mean no harm to you.”

Arlin hesitated for a moment, signaling the young elves to lower their bows and stepped forward to say, “Human, if you truly mean us no harm, then let us leave.”

Seeing that they still appeared wary, Ji Chen smiled and said, “There’s no need to be so cautious. In the main world, we humans have a good relationship with your elven kin. We’ve engaged in trade cooperation, and I even know the ambassador and military attache from your presence in the Maple Principality, as well as the highest commander of an elven fleet.”

After speaking, Ji Chen noticed the confusion on the mature elf leader’s face. Considering that this icy plain was once a battleground of gods and ancient wars, he had a sudden realization.

It seemed that these elves had long lost contact with the elves of the main world, completely unaware of what had happened outside, and the time span might not be ordinary either.

With this thought in mind, Ji Chen took out the piece of elven envoy token from his backpack and showed it to the elves.

“If possible, 1 would like to visit your gathering place. This was given to me by your kin from outside, and it can serve as proof of my goodwill.”

Arlin looked at the elven envoy token with a puzzled expression.

This was undoubtedly an item of the elven race; there was no mistaking it!

Could it be that this human truly had friends among the elves from the outside world?

In the end, Ji Chen let the group of elves go and asked them to return with a message, instructing his army to wait in place..