After all, the dwarf jumped off the wooden chair and strode towards the door.

Zelin and Jaques watched Groyin leave, and Virginia stood up too.

"I'll talk to other people. They are here for the first time and need a guide."

With that, she stood up and walked out of the room quickly.

After the door closed again, Jaques let out a long sigh.

"War, Master Demon Hunter."

He picked up the teacup: "I used to think that this piece of land is all. Until recently, I realized that the power of loyalty to another demon occupies more land."

"Land does not mean everything, Jaques, I thought you knew this a long time ago. Some barren places are ten times wider than those prosperous areas, but the resources that can be produced are only one-tenth of the prosperous areas." Ze Lin sighed, "Do you and your men have any thoughts?"

"Maybe we should stay." Jaques whispered: "Some of my knights think that this land will become the last refuge, a paradise away from the hoarfrost, provided that we can get it and get a piece of survival. A place. It’s unrealistic to go to war with the world, and there is a better way to get it, so why choose another, more difficult method. I have studied their history. The land is very wide, but there are few residents, so you can go everywhere. Do you know about colonial activities, Zelin, this place reminds me of the original landing of human beings. The land of Guangrao and a small number of aborigines."

"No, this is not the same as the original landing, Jaques." Zelin shook his head: "The people here will not retreat like Ain El, nor will they tolerate it like the Mahakam dwarves. Or, tolerate. A hostile outsider. Not to mention, there is another powerful demon who wants to conquer this land."

"So, I didn't see the crisis of the world being swallowed by Hoarfrost, but everything would be better without Sauron." Jaques took a deep breath: "So, is our world in trouble?"

"Not yet."

Zelin thought for a while, and then said: "Unless you think that the North-South War is a problem that threatens the world."

"Very well, even if the winter gets longer day by day, people will kill you and die for a piece of land." Jaques said coldly: "I stay here with my knights. According to the history of the locals, outsiders provide Help, you have the right to colonize a piece of land. Between the solitary mountain and the iron hills, there is a wilderness that crosses the road along the river. I talked with the king in the valley city, if my knights are in the next war Fighting in the north, the valley kingdom and the dwarven kingdom will recognize my rule over that land. And to the south of that land, a group of savage tribes live, and it is a land of no ownership."

Zelin chuckled lightly, looked at Jaques with slanting eyes, and said half-jokingly: "It seems that you have been eyeing that land a long time ago, eh? But you actually didn't choose to attack directly. I thought you would be like As before, do it right away if you plan."

"I used to overestimate my own strength." Jaques didn't mind Zelin mentioning what happened in Vizima: "Then I realized that I was just a frog floating up from the water and seeing the top of my head. In the last circle of the sky, I thought I had discovered the truth, but I didn’t know that someone had left the well. My knights attacked Vizima, and it almost made Tamoria and Redania form an alliance against me. With the world The price of war is too great. Breaking the rules requires more than strength. As you said, Sauron, known as the Demon Lord, has such a strong power, but he has not been able to defeat the coalition forces. Now he only needs to make a comeback. It is a sign that the races in this world are about to start uniting against him. I don’t want to get adult people to scream and beat the street rats in this shelter."

"If you were in Vizima back then, you could have such an idea." Zelin sipped the tea in the cup in front of him, put down the cup, and covered it: "Many things will change afterwards. I remember my first success. When fusing the mutants, there is an illusion that I suddenly get a very powerful force, but in fact I can’t even smash a piece of thick glass. If you want, just let it go. But remember, don’t underestimate this. Anyone in the world."

The armory in River Valley City is full of armors and weapons from Lone Mountain. In fifty years of peace, they have been with dust all day long. If they are cleaned, pieces of shiny armor will be placed in the town. On the square, distributed to citizens willing to join the army, young and middle-aged people lined up to take their own armor, and then walked to the weapon rack on the other side and took off a spear. Some hunters carried their own bows, shields and short swords. It was allocated to another group of more robust citizens.

"This force has not been trained."

Altea crossed her arms across her chest, looking at the armed citizens on the square: "Giving armor and weapons to fishermen and farmers does not mean that they can immediately ban, execute tactics, or fight to death like well-trained soldiers. Retreat."

"You're right, ma'am." Brand stood on a high platform facing the wind, the wind rolled the hem of his cloak, and a black eagle stood on his shoulder: "But fifty years ago, this city was still A ruin, my grandfather Bud led the refugees from Long Lake to come here. Their number was less than one-tenth of the current number, but they defeated the powerful orc army, in this scarred city. Everyone here A citizen is determined to resist the invaders. Maybe we don’t have an army, but we are full of soldiers."

"Resolve does not represent weapons, Your Majesty." Altea looked at the people who lined up to register at the long table where the recruiter was. "If the enemy surrounds this city, you don't even have a source of water. You are too dependent on the river outside. "

"Our dwarf ally is on the opposite side. No matter which city the enemy attacks, they will be attacked from the back." Brand raised his arm and pointed to the distance: "With the help of a knight, we can hold on to the wall, or rely on the wall. On the arrow tower, fight the enemy in front of the city wall."

"Stick to the wall? No, your Majesty, please allow me to say that. It's really not a good decision. Holy...Ah, why not send a knight regiment to be stationed in the wilderness outside?"

Altea stretched out her finger to the wilderness on the other side.

"Back on the big lake, build a strong camp, which can be defended when attacked. At the same time, the troops of the other two cities can outflank from behind. If there are too many enemies, you can also withdraw across the lake and go to the forest on the opposite bank. Wait until the enemy When abandoning the camp and attacking the city, the knights in the wild can return by boat at any time and launch a sneak attack when they attack the city. It is not very reliable to pin all their hopes on the wall and the determination of the citizens, Your Majesty."

Brand frowned, and he thought for a while.

"...I want to talk to my tax officer."

"Altea!"

Suddenly, the Duchess heard a shout from the side, she looked over, and Virginia came over with her staff: "Has Zelin not come yet?"

"Not yet, what's the matter?"

Virginia turned her head and glanced behind her: "Joseph sent an apprentice who fell in the castle...well, here it is."

Chapter 2376: Retreat as Advance

Early the next morning.

The wind blows from the lake, bringing some coolness to the heat in early July.

The Third Age, July 9, 3018——

"Why are you dragging me when you go out on vacation..."

Wearing tight leather armor, Amelia lay listlessly on the battlements of River Valley City, looking bored at the bustling and beautiful scenery of the wilderness, her white curly hair was wet with sweat and stuck to her forehead.

"Because on-site training is the best effect." Gnaiya slapped Amelia **** the shoulder: "Who allows you to rest at this time? Get up, the size of the city is just right for training, keep running, No breakfast is allowed before going around the city."

Amelia opened her eyes wide in disbelief: "Are you going to kill me?! No, I want to go back, I want to tell Joseph that you are deliberately retaliating..."

When everyone had just passed through the portal and arrived at the mutant stronghold of Jaques, Joseph sent Amelia by the way. She said that she almost forgot about it, but Gnaiya agreed directly and provided field teaching for Amelia.

Yusevka didn't stay much, she went back the same day. She can ask other people to do this, but it's hard to tell whether other people don't have free time or just wanting to find a reason and opportunity to take the opportunity to take a look at a place that has been talked about by others for many days.

"Shut up! Don't think I didn't see you secretly stuffing several pieces of fruit bread into your pocket at the dinner yesterday." Gnaiya snorted, "Since Joseph has asked me to train you, you will follow me. , I will arrange your physical training in the spare time of fighting. Fighting skills without strength are all meaningless decorations. Don't worry, only today."

"Only today?" Amelia showed a skeptical look: "What the **** are you thinking?"

"No idea, because we are going to leave in the afternoon." Ganya folded her arms on her chest: "So I left equestrian training in the afternoon. Originally, Zelin was going to ride his gryphon to the Shire, but Because they set off with the dwarves, they have to go to the river to get on the boat. We can ride horses..."

Before Gnaiya could finish speaking, Amelia bent down and rushed out from her with a swish. The dagger hanging around her waist hit her thigh, making a pop.

"Today is over!"

Amelia's figure disappeared into the crowd below in a blink of an eye.

Gnaiya's expression stiffened on her face, the corners of her mouth twitched, and then she sneered.

"You like hide-and-seek, don't you?" She said to the air, moving her fingers and making a crisp sound: "No problem, your equestrian training in the afternoon has been cancelled, and I will guarantee you can only lie on the horse!"

In the afternoon, Groyin stayed in Longhu Town with his son Jinpi and two other dwarves, ready to set off. According to the plan, they would first go south along the river, arrive at the old dense forest road, and reach the Anduin River after passing through the dark dense forest. Cross the river from the old ferry and cross the mountain pass to reach Rivendell, where King Elrond is located. This road is not too dangerous now. Under the command of King Thranduil, the Silvan elves in the dark dense forest have been cleaning the spiders in the forest. Now these spiders have retreated to the south of the dense forest.

"What's wrong with her?"

Zelin frowned, looked at Amelia lying on the horse, and sighed heavily: "This is really not a vacation. If she doesn't feel well, she can stay here. If it's dangerous. , Just go back from the portal."

"It should be okay." Gneia turned to look at Virginia, who was putting on a riding attire in her robe, who was adjusting her collar: "That's what I think, Zelin. Let Virginia stay. Next? I stay here for two days, with Amelia, and then we follow from behind. With Virginia showing the way, I will definitely be able to catch up with you. I was in the Lonely Mountain yesterday and inquired about it for a day, The dwarf artisans here make a kind of chain mail, which they claim is invulnerable."

"It's not a claim, a human girl, it's a fact." Golden Thunder said loudly: "Our craftsmanship has always been the best. A good dwarf warrior can chop off a few pieces of chain mail in one go. Ten half-orc heads, and they won't get hurt!"

"Me? Why me?"

Virginia was caught off guard by the Dragonborn's words.

"Because only you know the way here." Gnaiya said of course: "Or can you send things to the designated place instead of Zelin?"

"No, only I will do the best for this." Zelin directly denied Gnaiya's other statement.