Chapter 275 A man who knows the current situation is a hero
The shadows of the trees outside the forest became sparse, and the air was filled with a strange atmosphere. The Sand Ridge Tribe’s envoy finally arrived near the Demon King’s military camp.
Standing at the edge of the woodland, Thea gently pulled down the hood of her storm cloak, revealing her light brown golden scales and her slender amber pupils.
She narrowed her eyes, stared far ahead, and whispered to herself.
"We are finally here."
Nirma stood quietly behind Thea, like a gray-brown statue, with coldness and alertness in her dark green eyes.
Her scales change subtly with the color of the environment, so that standing in the shadow she almost blends in with the surrounding trees.
At this moment, her eyes were fixed on the busy skeleton soldiers and corpses in front of her, her voice was low and hoarse, with a hint of fear.
"These guys are all "sleepless ones". Do we...really want to be with them?"
The so-called sleepless ones are the undead.
In the culture of the Janna continent, people who do not have strong faith will be abandoned by the gods and have nowhere to go after death. They can only wander in the wilderness like lonely ghosts.
Thea did not look back, but responded softly.
"But think about it from another perspective, they can even accept the undead, why can't they accept us who are alive? That demon king is not an undead, we saw it with our own eyes."
On that day, they were on the nearby mountain during the decisive battle between the Holy Armored Dragon Kingdom and the Demon King's Army. Not only did they witness the entire process, they also captured several deserters from the Holy Armored Dragon Kingdom.
Later, they chopped off the heads of the Ankylosaurus tribesmen and put them in the trailer containing the heads of the Holy Ankylosaurus Kingdom’s envoys, and counted them as a gift to the Demon King.
"I'm just worried...they will turn us into that." Nirma whispered.
Thea was silent for a moment and said softly.
"Don't rush to conclusions, Nirma. Since we are here, let's see with our own eyes what kind of existence the Demon King is, and then it's not too late to make a decision."
If she can exchange her own safety for the prosperity of the entire tribe, she has no complaints.
But Thea felt that she would not encounter any danger.
A lizardman from the Windhowler Tribe landed near this camp, and didn’t he leave without incident in the end?
Different from the Holy Armored Dragon Kingdom, which cuts the head and heart of the envoy at every turn, although these outsiders who call themselves the Demon King's Army are extremely brutal on the battlefield and do not give the enemy a chance to breathe, they have no precedent of killing the envoy.
The two slowly stepped into the outskirts of the camp, secretly observing the place where the Demon King's army was stationed along the way, but the more they looked, the more shocked they became.
· Large tracts of forest were cut down into wide and flat open spaces in a short period of time. The huge burrowing spiders brandished their sharp claws and mouthparts to uproot dense trees.
On the hill, a fortress was quickly rising from the ground, and the city wall made of huge stones was entrenched like a recumbent dragon... She had never seen those buildings before.
What shocked Thea even more were the strange-shaped instruments scattered around the camp. Some of them could lift huge stones, and some could quickly transport a pile of wood from the east to the west of the camp.
This is incredible!
There are also those huge metal tube-shaped weapons...I don’t know if they are those things, which rained fire like heavenly punishment on the position of the Holy Ankylosaurus Kingdom.
She felt an indescribable oppression.
That was not based on any extraordinary power, but the shock brought by pure power.
Thea was silent for a long time and sighed softly.
"No wonder the 30,000 elite members of the Holy Armored Dragon Kingdom were easily defeated by them... This power is really amazing."
Nima wrinkled the scales on her brows, with a hint of uneasiness in her voice.
"Is this kind of power really trustworthy? If they turn around to deal with us, how can we resist?"
Thea was silent for a long time after hearing this, and a hint of helplessness flashed in her soft vertical pupils.
She turned her head to look at Nirma and whispered.
"There is no doubt that we can't resist it, just like we can't resist the Holy Armored Dragon Kingdom. They are all forces that can destroy us instantly... The only difference is that lizardmen can be seen in the Demon King's army, although they are a species we have never seen. But on the contrary, have you seen the Sand Ridge clan on the land of the Holy Armored Dragon Kingdom?"
"They have never accepted us, driving us from the mountains to the forest, depriving us of water sources, driving us into deserts with no vegetation, and preventing us from going to the Sun Staircase Mountains to worship the Mother of the Earth... The Demon King's army is certainly not trustworthy, but is the Holy Armored Dragon Kingdom trustworthy?"
Nima was silent.
Indeed.
Her mother died in the war with the Ankylosaurus clan.
Thea paused and continued.
“…The great mother of the clan saw through that hypocritical Holy King at a glance. In the past thousand years, they had not thought of the ancient contract. It was not until today that they couldn’t win that they suddenly remembered that we had an agreement to jointly maintain the Great Barrier. Even though they pretended to be generous. Proposing the alliance is just to consume our strength, let us die first, and then crush us completely at the last moment. In this case, we might as well surrender to His Majesty the Demon King, maybe there is still a chance of survival. "
The reality is so cruel.
In the face of powerful tribes, weak tribes do not have the right to decide their own destiny. They can only choose the one who eats more elegantly.
Determining the fate of the continent of Janna and all lizard people is an ambition that only the Ankylosaurus Kingdom is qualified to have. This is too luxurious and too far-fetched for the Sand Ridge clan.
Their only goal is to survive.
Slowly raising her head, Thea looked at the fortress that was about to be completed, with a bright light in her deep vertical pupils.
"I have a strong premonition that this will be a storm that sweeps across the continent of Janna. The annihilation of thirty thousand armored dragon soldiers is just the beginning of everything. Even the power displayed by the Demon King is just the tip of the iceberg of his entire strength. "The continent of Janna will undergo drastic changes in his hands. No one can escape. We can only try to find our place in this storm and gain a living space for our Sandridge clan."
Nima was silent for a moment, and finally a trace of recognition appeared in her eyes. She nodded slightly, regaining her usual coldness and calmness.
"I understand."
Thea smiled softly, adjusted her cloak slightly, and her tone became soft and calm.
"Let's go... The Demon King is waiting for us in front, your expression can be more natural."
Nima nodded slightly, trying to make his expression look more natural.
At this moment, a tall lizard-man ghoul slowly walked towards their direction with heavy steps.
The scales on his body were gray and dim, his eyes were sunken, and there was a faint green soul fire behind the amber pupils, and he looked lifeless. However, Thea noticed that every step he made carried a heart-stopping sense of oppression.
"Welcome, both of you." Octor said in an emotionless voice, "His Majesty the Demon King agrees to meet you, come with me."
The moment he met the sight of the corpse, Nirma's eyes suddenly froze, and her body tensed instinctively.
Different from other undead around him.
This undead, which is suspected to be a corpse, exudes a powerful aura, which is not inferior to the strong men in the Sand Ridge clan, or even worse!
Could it be that this undead soul has also awakened extraordinary power? !
But...how is this possible? !
"This undead is very strong." Getting close to Thea's back, Nirma whispered, "His strength may have reached the level of a holy general...maybe even a level of a divine general!"
The level of a divine general? !
Thea glanced at Nima with some surprise. She knew that Nima would never make such a judgment easily, and she was secretly shocked.
But neither of them would have thought that this undead lizard man, who was so powerful in Nirma's opinion that it was unnerving, was nothing more than a silver-level ghoul according to the power system in Osland, and could only be regarded as the backbone of the force, and could only bully the adventurers.
Although he is very powerful in the Demon King's army, he is only a BOSS on the first level of the maze, and cannot be said to be a strong person in the first echelon.
Thea suppressed the surprise in her heart, nodded slightly to Octor with a gentle face, and said politely and softly:
"Thank you for introducing us, can you tell us your name."
"Octor."
Octor turned around lifelessly, and said a sentence without saltiness.
"Follow."
"Yes..."
Thea followed him obediently without any more nonsense.
Nima still didn't say a word, just clutching the cloth bag containing the head of Trakel, the envoy of the Holy Ankylosaurus Kingdom, and subconsciously restrained his steps to make his breath look smaller.
When the two followed Okdo into the camp, the nearby players who were busy with their own affairs raised their heads curiously, looking at the two unseen lizard man species with interest.
"Hey, look, there are two NPCs coming in over there, why haven't you seen them before?"
"These two lizards look like they are not locals, and their skin colors are different. Are they new forces?"
“Perhaps it’s a new quest line!”
“But having said that, don’t you think that rich lizard girl with golden scales is pretty?”
"No, I'm serious. Take a closer look, that light-colored lizard man's facial features are very detailed! He still has an oval face, but the front is flatter."
h "Say you are from the international server!" In the Ganges River, it's sealed."
"%￥#@!"
The players' comments came one after another. Although Thea's expression remained calm, her tail still tightened slightly and gracefully wrapped around her side. Nima glanced at the undead coldly, instantly shutting up the laughing players.
It’s not that I’m afraid.
Mainly because I don’t want to lose the favor of the new NPC.
"Tsk, this cool lizard lady has such a strong aura."
"Don't look around, this is probably the envoy from the Sand Ridge Clan, the distinguished guest of Lord Demon King."
"Sand Ridge Clan? The new map is finally going to be opened!"
"Official website update You didn’t read any of the information..."
Amidst the whispers and speculations of the players with great interest, Thea and Nirma slowly walked through the center of the camp and followed Okto to the tent where the Demon King was.
…
In the tent in the center of the camp, the dim lights swayed, making the figure sitting on the tall chair even more mysterious and majestic.
Thea and Nirma slowly walked into the tent. Almost the moment they saw the Demon King, they felt an indescribable oppression and majesty.
This is not the first time they have faced a powerful existence, but the devil in front of them seems to have an endless abyss hidden behind his indifferent smile, which makes people instinctively awe.
Saint general level?
Or... the strongest divine general?
Thea could not evaluate his strength, she only felt that even the shadow reflected on the ground revealed an unfathomable power.
She quickly calmed down, bowed her head and saluted respectfully.
"Your Majesty the Demon King, my name is Thea, and this is Nirma, my bodyguard... We are from the Sand Ridge Tribe, and I would like to offer you my sincere respect on behalf of the Sand Ridge Clan."
She gestured to Nirma, who lowered her gaze and silently placed the bag containing Trakel's head on the ground.
Thea paused for a moment and continued softly.
"For a long time, our Sand Ridge clan has been oppressed by the Kingdom of the Holy Armored Dragon. They brutally slaughtered our clansmen and used us as sacrifices to the Dragon God. They did not care about our situation at all, and now they persuade us to become your enemies. The respected clan mother saw through their evil tricks and cut them off immediately. "We hope to surrender to you, and please give us a chance to prove our loyalty and value to you."
Luo Yan narrowed his eyes and looked at the two Shaji tribe envoys in front of him with a somewhat interesting look.
Their scales have a faint luster under the light, with light brown to gold and dark brown complementing each other, which is very different from ordinary lizard people.
The silk robe and the bone fragments with totem carvings were also quite exotic, a style he had never seen before.
Don't get me wrong.
Luo Yan looked at the value of these two lizardmen purely from a human perspective... just like when he saw the messenger from the Fenghou Tribe.
If the Windhowler clan is more similar to the pterosaurs in Jurassic Park, then the prototype of the Sand Ridge clan is probably the chameleons living in arid areas.
They have slender bodies, big eyes, and pointed chins. They are somewhat exotic and even more in line with human aesthetics than the geckos who have lived among humans for many years... But this is not the point.
The point is that their skin can adjust its color according to the surrounding environment, and even completely blend in with the surrounding environment, just like optical camouflage.
These guys are simply born assassins!
Luo Yan recalled in his mind the information about the Sand Ridge Clan that was tortured from the Ankylosaurus captives.
These lizard people, who are closely related to chameleons, live in the vast and desolate central desert of the Janna continent, located in the hinterland of the Ankylosaurus Kingdom.
Their social structure is similar to that of the "Shadow Weaver Clan". They belong to a relatively primitive matrilineal clan, ruled by a leader called the Clan Mother, and the tribesmen worship the ancient being known as "Atea, the Mother of the Earth".
According to the knowledge he learned at Demon King Academy, this Ateaa is probably the God of the Earth Element in the First Era, and one of the gods who disappeared in the long river of history.
The Sand Ridge people are good at stealth and concealment. The most elite warriors are called "Quicksand Assassins". They possess quick and deadly fighting skills and often assassinate enemies by surprise. Although their extraordinary power is not outstanding, with their extraordinary hiding skills, it is difficult to find opponents in the desert.
Of course, this is also related to the "thin spiritual energy" of the Janna continent, and there are no overly powerful extraordinary beings.
Putted in a maze, these quicksand assassins can at best be elite adventurers or elite monsters.
Looking at the two envoys who bowed before him, Luo Yan smiled softly and spoke with interest.
“…I’m very curious, aren’t you afraid that I will be like the Holy Armored Dragon Kingdom and sacrifice the Sand Ridge clan?”
Thea was also slightly startled, but soon her expression returned to normal, her eyes were clear and soft, and her voice was respectful.
"I did have such concerns before meeting you, but after meeting you in person, all the doubts in my heart disappeared."
Luo Yan: "Oh?"
Thea nodded slightly and continued respectfully and elegantly.
"I feel the majesty and power from you that are not inferior to the gods. Why does a supreme being like you need to serve other mysterious spirits? The throbbing from the depths of my soul tells me that you are a living god. And we believe that compared to our flesh and blood and souls, we who are alive will be more helpful to your great cause."
Luo Yan laughed out loud after hearing this.
"Interesting answer."
Luo Yan did not think that this guy could sense Yuyou's existence as well as himself, but the second half of her sentence was indeed correct.
Living people are more useful to him.
Especially these chameleons with their own optical camouflage skills.
It's not a problem if the soul level is a little bit low. My own godhead can just make up for the shortcomings of the Sand Ridge clan for thousands of years.
As long as they devote their loyalty and faith to themselves devoutly.
· Thea was keenly aware that Luo Yan was quite satisfied with his answer, and quickly lost no time in striking while the iron was hot.
"When we come this time, we not only bring you the head of Trakel, the messenger of the Holy Armored Dragon Kingdom, but also a hundred of the most outstanding young talents of our clan. Including the Nirma next to me, they are all the leaders of the younger generation of the Sand Ridge clan. They are both powerful hunters and excellent incubators, with excellent combat effectiveness and fertility."
"Out of admiration for your majesty, we all voluntarily join the Demon King's army. As long as you nod in agreement, we can immediately join your command. From then on, you can drive us as you please." After Thea finished speaking, she lowered her head respectfully and waited quietly for the Demon King's reply.
The tent fell into brief silence again.
Luo Yan leaned back gently on the chair with a thoughtful expression on his face, looking at Thea who bowed her head respectfully and Niima who stood nervously behind her.
This is a good suggestion.
Following the gecko clan, players now have another species of lizardman to choose from, and it comes with optical camouflage.
He nodded slightly and said in a gentle tone.
"I accept your loyalty, but you have to know that to gain our asylum, it is not enough to offer a hundred young talents."
Thea nodded.
"We are ready to dedicate everything, no matter what request you make...even if our clan mother comes here in person to swear allegiance to you, or even become one of your concubines."
Sara, who was originally distracted, suddenly became sharp in her eyes.
Luo Yan coughed slightly and raised his hand to stop this guy.
"That's not necessary."
He admitted that these lizardmen were pretty and handsome, but he was not so picky about their food that he was not picky about their race.
"I need you to regularly provide us with lizard eggs that can hatch children, and to convert to our faith."
After a pause, Luo Yan continued.
"Of course, you can keep your traditions and sacrificial activities, but you must not resist or hinder the acolytes of the necropolis from preaching in your living area."
Thea only hesitated slightly, then bowed her head and agreed.
"No problem."
Being able to retain the original traditions and rights of sacrifice is the best outcome for the Sand Ridge clan.
If it were the Holy Armored Dragon Kingdom, those arrogant guys would definitely not give them a chance to choose their fate, but would wipe out their traditions and bloodline from this land.
As for the tribute of lizard eggs, that's nothing.
They themselves will occasionally eat some eggs that are not very well developed, or even kill weak babies to ensure the overall strength of the group and the quality of their blood.
Looking at Thea who agreed to all the conditions, Luo Yan nodded slightly and ended the negotiation with a happy voice.
"I'm very happy to see you making the right choice, so from now on, the fate of your Sand Ridge clan will be tied to my throne."
Hearing Luo Yan's promise, Thea's tense look on her face finally relaxed, and she nodded gratefully.
"Thank you for your kindness. Our clan mother will come to your camp as soon as possible to swear loyalty to you, but... this may take a while."
Luo Yan looked at her playfully and said with a smile.
"It seems that you still have something to report to me."
"Yes... I definitely have no intention of hiding it from you, but I think you may have guessed that our current situation is not optimistic."
Thea looked at Luo Yan with a troubled expression, lowered her head, and continued cautiously.
"Although we have been very careful, the news that we intercepted the Holy Ankylosaurus Kingdom's envoy still spread to Assam City, and angered the arrogant false king. In order to frighten other tribes, they sent us A hundred thousand troops were sent out... With the current strength of the Sand Ridge clan, we are simply unable to resist this attack." When speaking of this, Thea humbly put her head on the ground, with a hint of prayer in her pleading voice.
"We beg your Majesty the Demon King to lend a helping hand... Only your power can save our family from destruction."
Luo Yan guessed what she would say.
Furthermore, this is actually the brilliance of the Sand Ridge clan.
They saw clearly the Demon King's army's plot against the Janna continent, and the conflict with the Holy Armored Dragon Kingdom had reached an irreconcilable level.
If the Demon King's Army wants other tribes in the Janna continent to submit from the heart like the Sand Ridge Clan, they will definitely not leave the Sand Ridge Clan alone.
Although he was used once, Luo Yan didn't hate it.
He likes smart people, but hates guys who think they are smart and act like wallflowers.
Since the Sand Ridge clan has risked everything to stand on his side, how could he let down these loyal servants?
"Don't worry, they won't be able to jump around for a few days."
Thea and Nirma were surprised when they heard this and looked at each other. Although they don't know why His Majesty the Demon King is so confident, now they can only believe that... this adult is serious and is not trying to make trouble with them.
Otherwise, the mission under her command may be the only remaining bloodline of the Sand Ridge clan...
The mother of the clan has certainly considered this, so she entrusted the young talents of the clan and the direct bloodlines of each family to her hands.
But if possible, she hoped that the worst case scenario would not happen.
Looking at Thea, whose thoughts were spinning rapidly in her head, Luo Yan didn't intend to explain nonsense to her. He stood up from his seat and spoke with a hint of interest.
「现在，带我去看看你的族人们吧……让我瞧瞧她们的本领如何，顺便也见识一下你们沙脊一族的能力。」
迅速收起了复杂的思绪，西娅不敢怠慢，恭敬颔首说道。
"As you command...please follow me."