The Book of Hibernation

Those necromancers might be scary as mages, but they're pretty unprofessional as kidnappers.I'm afraid they don't realize it themselves.

For example, the necromancer sent Winter Thistle to negotiate, but the discussion could not be finished at one time. The two sides still need to negotiate many details, such as the method and location of the hostage exchange, such as how to transport the donated materials, and so on.

As the party that put forward the conditions, the necromancers did not design these in advance.

The kidnapper should plan all the links in private, put forward the requirements and restrictions in one go, be direct and forceful, not accept negotiation or compromise, and let the other party only agree.Even if it is difficult to realize certain requirements, it should be thrown to the other party to have a headache.

But necromancers don't do that.They put forward a general intention first, and then send someone to chat in detail, and if the chat is ok, continue to the next step... So procrastinating, trying to probe, and being cautious, they are obviously afraid that the other party will bargain, so they are not very confident when bidding... ...It's like a farm boy who went to the market to sell his own local products for the first time.

This style may have something to do with them being mages.When a mage does research, he needs to have a general idea first, and then try to move forward step by step, instead of making all the requirements and rules by himself, and it is impossible to design all the details in one step.

They are mages after all.Both the temple and the Chamber of Commerce often come into contact with mages, and mages are like this. The words cunning and simplicity seem to be contradictory, but they can coexist in them.

After the general chat, the others left the house, and Dong Ji stayed in the house to rest.He said that he wanted to sleep for a while, and he had to walk a long way again tonight, so he needed to save some energy now.

When the others opened the door, Dong Ji lay down and got into the bed, deliberately not watching them.

Not because of anything else, he just felt embarrassed.Both Ryan and Aldin looked back at him, and he didn't want to meet their eyes.

After leaving the house, Aldin, Glora and the pastor went to the village hall, and they had to talk about some things.Lane and the other knight did not participate in the ensuing conversation.

The three did not talk for long.When they came out again, Ryan immediately walked across the small square to meet them.He looked like he was patrolling around, but in fact he was just walking around aimlessly.

When the pastor came over, Ryan seemed to want to ask something, but in the end he didn't speak, but politely bowed sideways.

The pastor had already seen his worry, so he took the initiative to say to him: "I know you are worried, don't be afraid, your brother only has a positioning spell on him, and he knows it himself. Besides, he is not under control, and there is no magic spell on him. Spells of peeping and eavesdropping."

Lane nodded.

The vicar said, "It's better to avoid him, though, when we're talking about important things. There's no harm in being cautious."

The pastor's words were reserved.Ryan didn't say anything, and watched her walk to the temporary house.

Ryan looked back, just in time to see Aldin smiling.

Ryan approached him and asked in a low voice, "Why can't some things be said in front of Winter Thistle? Do you doubt that he is really working for the Necromancer?"

Aldin said: "That's not the case. Didn't your scouts just say that it doesn't hurt to be careful."

Ryan said: "Winter Thistle will not collude with a necromancer. He is only soft-hearted, and he will never distinguish between good and evil."

"He won't be the best, but it's not impossible," said Aldine. "Well, it's not a matter of good or evil. Don't you know what your brother is like?"

Ryan first shook his head in disdain, and then he suddenly understood what Aldin was referring to.

Of course he remembered about the Elf Rescue Squad.

"Don't worry too much, it's business as usual. You don't have to worry about it," Aldin said.

Ryan lowered his head and frowned, his face was quite ugly: "I understand. Indeed... the more he is like this, the less he can win the trust of others. You see, even you don't trust him anymore..."

Aldin couldn't help sighing.Ryan's impression is slightly different from before, but there are many places that have not changed at all.

Aldin said: "I trust him, which is not contradictory to my guarding against him. In fact, it is not just him, but it is the same for many people. Maybe it is difficult for you to understand, but it is the truth."

Ryan didn't say anything, just walked away with a sullen face.It just so happened that Aldin didn't want to discuss this topic any further.

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When the setting sun climbed into the distant sky, a guard soldier came to the village hall to announce that the half-elf mage had woken up and was about to leave Hammer Village.

A winter thistle cannot stay in the village forever.The necromancer asked him to leave at sunset on the same day. After leaving a certain distance, the golem bird would take the initiative to find him and guide him.

Winter Thistle has a positioning spell placed on him. If he removes the spell privately or fails to return as required, the other hostages will suffer.

In the village office, everyone had a good chat, and basically reached a consensus on the next arrangement.So Aldin decided to send Winter Thistle.

Aldin specifically asked Ryan if he wanted to go with him, but Ryan refused, saying that he was busy with other things.

Aldin walked into the former private house, opened the door, and saw Winter Thistle was tying the laces of his boots.

When Winter Thistle awoke, she found that the shoes she had brought beside her bed were gone, and had been replaced by a new pair of boots.The old shoes were given by a necromancer, with uneven soles and pinched toes, and Winter Thistle really hated them.The new boots were very good, very soft leather, with a light fleece lining, and the soles were a little larger than the ones the Winter Thistle had worn, but they fitted perfectly with the woolen socks.

Winter Thistle looked up and saw Aldin, then looked down at the new pair of boots, nodded knowingly: "Thank you."

"So sure I brought it?" Aldin asked.

"There will be no one else."

Aldin said: "I sent people to the city to buy them temporarily, and there is no guarantee that they will fit."

Of course Winter Thistle guessed correctly, Aldin bought the new shoes.When the winter thistle was carried into the village in the morning, Aldin had already sent people back to Fessisit to buy shoes, the distance was not far, and he could ride a horse in time.

Aldin has also trekked through forests without roads, and he knows how disgusting shoes that are too hard are.

"Thank you," Winter Thistle repeated, "By the way, I just remembered that there is something I need to tell you."

"what?"

"The dew is in Fesisit City, at Gray Goose Station. If you have time, you can take it back. Originally, I wanted to leave it in the sea of ​​trees, but in the end I brought it here."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it. You can ride a horse now?"

"Yes, I can ride a horse, as long as I don't run too fast. It was the tree sea elves who taught me."

In fact, it was Duo Lin who taught him, but Dong Ji felt that there was no need to mention it.He always felt that Aldin either didn't like Dorin, or didn't remember Dorin.

The two walked towards the north entrance of Hammer Village, talking about unimportant topics casually while walking.

After being separated for such a long time, they suddenly met today. They were either talking about business or chatting like this. Neither of them had much emotional fluctuations, and the atmosphere was a little strangely peaceful.

When passing by a camp, Aldin asked Winter Thistle to wait for a while.He went and brought out a dinner wrapped in oiled paper, which contained warm bread and grilled sausage, and a metal jug filled with water.

He handed these to Dong Ji, and sighed: "Did the Necromancer starve you on purpose?"

Winter Thistle said, "Probably not. They can't get anything good for themselves."

"Then you have to remember to finish eating on the way, and don't take it back, lest they be snatched away by them."

Winter Thistle laughed.Aldin looked at the smile on his side face, and suddenly felt that this face was a little strange.

It's not that Dong Ji is unfamiliar, but this expression is very strange.

When he was in Harbor City before, he seemed to seldom see him.

The two of them had already reached the forest path outside the village.Aldin planned to send Winter Thistle for a while longer, until he saw the Golem Bird, he would not follow him any further, and Winter Thistle did not refuse.

After walking for a while, Winter Thistle pointed to the tree crown not far away: "Look, here comes the golem, those two bright lights like fireflies."

"Okay." Aldin stopped in his tracks.

Winter Ji also stopped subconsciously, and did not move forward immediately.

Aldin first confessed a few words to be careful, and suddenly, a thought flashed in his mind, so he asked, "By the way, what are your plans for the future?"

Dong Ji froze for a moment, and asked, "How long in the future are you talking about?"

"After leaving Fesisit."

Dong Ji smiled: "I don't think about these things for the time being. Rescuing the hostages is the most important thing, let's talk about other things after getting over the immediate difficulties."

"That's right," Aldin said, "If you have time in the future, I hope you can go back to Harbor City a few times."

Dong Ji was taken aback for a moment, and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Don't be nervous. I'm asking you for the group of people in the Western Suburb Workshop. Didn't you leave the spell notes to them? They said they wanted to ask you something, and they mentioned it to me several times."

Winter Thistle wanted to say "I'm not nervous," but that was a lie.

When Aldin told him to go back just now, he was breathless and didn't recover when he asked "what's the matter".

After calming down for a while, Winter Ji said: "They should be able to understand it, right? I heard that several workshops of the Chamber of Commerce have developed into large-scale factories, and weapons that simplify enchanting can be officially mass-produced. Fang can also make short-term enchanting tools by himself. The methods should be those in my notes."

Because of this, many people recently believed that the Chamber of Commerce must have obtained "Haman's spell book".Strictly speaking, it did get it.

Aldin said: "Of course they can understand, otherwise they can't do anything. But they still want to ask you some detailed questions. I can't describe the specifics, and I'm not a mage."

Dongji said: "Okay, I'll go back and have a look in the future. But I may only go to the western suburbs, not necessarily going to the city, and I won't go back..."

He was on the verge of saying: he wouldn't go home either.

But that's not true.That was Aldin's residence.Not his house.

"It doesn't matter, it's up to you," Aldin said.

He paused for a moment, and then said, "Winter Ji, you don't have to worry. Between us...it won't be the same as before."

Winter Thistle stood shoulder to shoulder with Aldine.Hearing this sentence, he subconsciously turned his head to look at it. Now that the sky was getting dark, he couldn't see Aldin's expression clearly, so he turned his head back quickly.

"I understand," Dong Ji nodded, "I'm just confused... Facing these things, I'm actually quite nervous."

"Well, I see," Aldean said.

"Then it's time for me to go. Thank you."

After Winter Thistle finished speaking, she immediately walked away from Aldin, without turning her head to meet Aldin face to face.

Because he found that his eyes were a little wet, if he didn't leave, what would happen if tears came down.

He may come back soon, and continue to be a negotiator... He can't cry in front of Aldin, it's nothing, it's too strange.

The strangest part was that he didn't know what was wrong with him.Did he recall the unpleasant things in Harbor City?Are you afraid of the dangers in front of you?Is it sad to think of Kanai?Is it still nostalgic for Aldin?Could it be because I miss Ryan too much... None, none of these.

Aldin did not turn back immediately.He continued to stand where he was, watching Winter Thistle disappear into the forest.

Seen from behind, Winter Thistle kept smoothing her forehead hair as she walked.

Aldin could see what he was actually doing.

If Aldin turned and walked back, he would pass through an overgrown area, and the cloak would rustle distinctly as it grazed the vegetation.

Winter Thistle didn't go far enough to hear the voice, so she didn't dare to look back.

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Lane stepped out from behind a tree just in time to block the approacher.

The dead hunter stopped and looked Ryan up and down.

Ryan didn't wear any armor, and the ax was carried directly in his hand without a holster. No wonder he could move silently, which didn't look like a Temple Knight at all.

The hunter breathed lightly, probably laughing. "What's the matter?" he asked. "Lost? Need my help?"

Lane had seen this man not long ago, the time after a team member went missing.

The dead hunters don't show their faces, but they can be identified by the style of their clothes and masks, and the hunter's accent is very distinctive and easy to remember.

Lane said, "You can't keep following that half-elf."

"why?"

"I know what you want to do. You want to follow him to find the necromancer and kill him right away."

"Can't you?" The hunter put one hand on the hilt of the dagger at his waist, "If you are interested, you can go together."

"You can't keep following that half-elf," Ryan repeated, "not because of anything else, but because it's pointless. He's very alert, much better than you think. When you get to the other side of the hill, you will Lose him. In this way, not only will you not be able to find the necromancer, but you may also startle the snake."

"how do you know?"

"I know the half-elf mage very well, his abilities, and his character. He is not a necromancer himself, but he wants to facilitate successful negotiations between the necromancer and the city-state."

The dead hunter pondered for a moment, then threw a bell towards the crown of the tree.The sound made by the bell is not crisp, but similar to a long insect.

After the sound, there was a rustling in the nearby forest.The hunter signaled his companions, and everyone stopped following.

The hunter moved closer to Ryan. "If the negotiations are successful, the necromancer will go to the North Shore. Then there is nothing we can do."

Ryan said: "The north bank is nominally the territory of the Frostlands, under the care of Ai Ruben. According to the old system of the riverside countries and the temple regulations, our execution team cannot cross the river to enforce the law. Why, even you can't go there?"

"Yes, unfortunately, we can't either," the hunter shook his head, "but it's not because of any regulations, but because of those frost people. Due to some messy reasons in history, those tribes hate Otarot believers, probably more than hatred Necromancers are even worse. If we go there, no matter what we do, we may conflict with them, and before killing the necromancers, we have to fight against all the tribes of the Frost Plains, the gain outweighs the loss, there is no need."

Ryan chuckled. "I was deeply surprised."

"what?"

It turns out that you are also sensible, and I am deeply surprised.

But Ryan changed to a less ironic statement: "I mean, I thought you would have some special method. Have you ever thought about asking the Knights of the Temple for help? I mean your temple."

The hunter said: "Unfortunately, the Great Temple of the North Star City also has an ancient agreement with the Frost Plains tribe. Unless they have a good reason, they cannot go to the land on the north shore. The definition of 'good reason' is very strict."

Ryan nodded, with a smile on his face.The hunter asked: "Why, do you have any ideas?"

Ryan said: "It's not a good idea. I'm just thinking that the city-state side may have different ideas from yours."

"Of course it's different. They just want the necromancer to get out of the gem forest. It's best to leave as soon as possible. Anyway, it doesn't affect their money."

"But you are different," Ryan said, "You hope that the necromancer will never leave the gem forest."

He is right."What about you?" the hunter asked.

"I only have one request."

"You said."

"Don't touch that half-elf mage, others don't care."

The dead hunter nodded.

Not only to express his agreement, but also because he tasted other meanings from this sentence.

"Are you busy now?" the hunter asked. "If you're not busy, let's continue our chat in another place? This place is too close to your camp, and someone may pass by, so it's not convenient for us to have a long talk."

After speaking, he turned sideways in an inviting gesture.

Ryan nodded politely: "Okay, you will lead the way."