Chapter 331

In the early morning hours, golden strands of sunlight filtered through the forest canopy as they wove through the branches and leaves before gently caressing the dew-kissed grass beneath the ground.

Soft tendrils of water vapor, exhaled by the trees, gently floated in the air like white veils, reflecting the golden sunlight with a misty ethereal glow.

Occasionally, the melodious chirping of birds echoed from afar, which was then accompanied by faint sounds of trickling springs, adding a touch of vividness to the serene and beautiful landscape of the Elven Forest.

Transformer Ji Gang was just strolling through these mystical woods.

He was wearing his newly acquired shiny legendary golden-grade Iron armor, whilst carrying freshly picked herbs on his back and hopping along the way as he followed the trail shown upon the minimap on his system navigation.

As a child who had spent his entire life in the bustling embrace of a big urban metropolis since childhood, the verdant expanse, alive with the whispers of ancient trees and the vibrant hues of nature's palette, captivated Ji Gang.

The delicate fragrance of flowers mixed with the earthy aroma of pine needles as the grasses below softly caressed his legs, provides him a faint refreshing scent, completely different from the exhaust fumes that never seemed to dissipate in the big city.

Each time he ventured into the forest to fulfill a task, Ji Gang always found solace in the leisurely and cheerful tunes of the game system, as he marveled at the lush greenery around him and breathed in thr air fresher than anything reality could offer.

In these tranquil moments, he always felt his very soul thoroughly relaxed and immersed, as if all his troubles back in reality had been cast aside, rendering them inconsequential.

In this virtual world of Elven Kingdom, it seemed his every worry dissolved, and an unprecedented calm settled upon him, soothing his mood like never before.

"Spring is here..."

Watching the wildflowers sprouting on the grassland and the beautiful butterflies frolicking among the flowers, a smile unconsciously appeared upon Ji Gang's face.

Spring had arrived.

Half a month had passed since the last questline that involved countering the invasion of mercenary groups.

As usual, the players successfully completed the quest with flying colors, wiping out all the attacking mercenaries with relative ease...

—No, to be more precise, it wasn't really that easy per se, since halfway through the battle some of those mercenaries were suddenly contaminated by a mysterious force.

Later on, those corrupted mercenaries all turned into Scaled Monsters and the the players found themselves fighting desperately against them, which were then compounded by Meryer's disappearance, deepening the turmoil on the players' side.

Luckily, for some unknown reason, those transformed mercenaries suddenly panicked and became confused, giving the players an opportunity to tip the scale of the battlefield in their favor.

With help of Little Shota Aél and Big Sister Zero, they eventually managed to defeat those Scaled Monsters one by one...

Ji Gang subsequently learned from some first-beta players who somehow got wind of an inside story that it was the result of the Goddess defeating the Evil Dragon God, who was the real mastermind behind the scenes, leading to the mercenaries' side falling apart just like that.

After that Questline, like many players that participated in the event, Ji Gang also gained a lot of experience and contribution points, and acquired plenty of valuable equipment for himself...

By now, he was already level 30, just a step away from advancing into Peak Iron-rank.

Glancing at his nearly full EXP bar, Ji Gang's mood became even more pleasant.

He hummed along with the background music and quickened his pace.

His shoes glimmered faintly as he activated the [Acceleration] special effect that came with the shoes.

Immediately right after, Ji Gang's body became lighter, as he effortlessly glides through the dense forest canopy.

As he pressed forward, the trees on either side gradually receded into the distance, their presence fading into the background as the wind whispered past his ears.

Up ahead, the scenery slowly unfolded, revealing familiar landmarks.

Ji Gang's eyes lit up upon seeing it.

"I'm almost there."

He quickened his pace yet again, skipping and hopping, as he continues to move forward at high speed.

Soon, faint voices gradually came from up ahead, and through the gaps in the trees, the spires of a church gradually revealed themselves.

Ji Gang began to slow down, transitioning from a gallop to a brisk walk.

After passing several towering ancient trees, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a beautiful city constructed of pristine white giant stones.

The infrastructure style of the city was reminiscent of archaic elven architecture, adorned with exquisite and intricate elvish patterns. Verdant grass and flowerbeds dotted every corner of the city, imbuing the landscape with a sea of green, brimming with vitality and vigor.

This is Florence, the former holy city of the elves, now serving as the new homeland wherein most of the returning natives currently reside.

Various Elves dressed in silk robes bustled about within the city, each of them appearing to work diligently.

Radiant smiles illuminated their faces, as their eyes sparkle with hope for a brighter tomorrow—a stark contrast to their once-numb and despairing expressions from just a few months prior.

Occasionally, tall slender figures adorned in magnificent armor could also be spotted, either brandishing weapons like greatswords or donning elegant robes while wielding flashy magic staffs as they walked through the city streets.

Like the natives around them, they too were elves, but they appeared to be more like warriors and mages of the elven race.

However, upon a closer inspection, besides their combat-oriented clothing style and generally stylish appearance, the cadence of their walking seemed somewhat peculiar...

Some couldn't resist skipping and hopping a few steps, while also using spells like [Acceleration] or [Haste] to speed up their movements, and some even chose to take unconventional paths, specifically opting for rough and challenging terrain just to take a shortcut.

Some passed through the city in hurried strides betraying a sense of urgency, while some also looked to be simply relaxing as they eagerly surrounded a robed native with smiles and laughter.

Elsewhere, makeshift stalls sprung up along the sidewalks, as their owners enthusiastically showcased their wares to anyone who happened to pass by.

Overall, it was quite a lively scenery as Ji Gang looked around and took a deep breath before entering the city.

Along the way, he often saw elven natives stop in their tracks and smile at him, before bowing slightly, then drawing a tree-shaped symbol upon their chests.

In response, Ji Gang would inadvertently smile back in return before resuming his journey through the bustling city streets.

At times, the sound of cheerful laughter would reach his ears, and Ji Gang would spot several lively and adorable young elves playing among themselves.

Some of these elven kids would then dashed forward, while others giggled and pursued them in what appeared to be a lively game of tag.

One particular difference from the norm, though, was that the kids in front were wearing homemade mercenary paper armor, whereas those from behind were dressed as cute elven warriors, waving wooden toy swords.

From time to time, their sweet and melodious voices would echo from afar saying things such as:

"Evil mercenaries, halt! I am the brave Chosen One! Come and fight me!"

"As a Chosen One I won't let any of you to destroy our forest!"

"Begone Scaled monsters!"

Listening to their crisp childish voices, Ji Gang's lips couldn't help but curl upwards.

This is probably what it feels like to become a legendary figure in a story, right?

Ji Gang's gaze softened, and for a moment, he even forgot that this world was just merely a virtual game, and his footsteps unconsciously slowed down.

Suddenly, one particular elven kid at the front failed to notice a stone in their path and was on the verge of plummeting into the ground...

Ji Gang furrowed his brow slightly and swiftly activated the [Acceleration] special effect in his shoe, darting forward to catch and stabilize the child before they could tumble completely.

Startled, the young elf Ji Gang was holding blinked rapidly, his gaze lifting to meet the one who had caught him.

Then, as his eyes locked with theirs, a luminous gleam ignited within the kid's watery eyes, which reflected a myriad of wonder and gratitude.

"Ah! It's a Chosen One! Thank you, Lord Chosen One!"

The kid's voice, filled with innocence and a hint of yearning, resonated with admiration.

"Be more careful when walking."

Ji Gang murmured gently, his voice softening unexpectedly as the words left his lips, catching even himself off guard with their tenderness.

Yet...

Looking at those incredibly adorable face and those pure, innocent eyes, wouldn't anyone naturally feel a bit more soft and gentler, right?

"Okay! Lord Chosen One!"

The young elf giggled, bowing to Ji Gang and clumsily drawing a tree-shaped symbol on their chest.

"Go on and keep playing."

Ji Gang said gently.

The little ones all nodded and then chattered away as they resumed playing.

Watching their retreating figures, a hint of smile crossed Ji Gang's face.

He felt...

He might never be able to quit this game, Elven Kingdom in his lifetime.

— 331 —

[ THANK YOU LORD CHOSEN ONE ]

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