20. The Foolish Sacrificer (III)

"I never meant to look down on everyone, nor am I being overly protective with my considerations."

Li Lin has responsibilities similar to a nanny, but when it comes to personal safety, the elves trust and rely on their own strength to protect themselves. Li Lin doesn't object to this and doesn't worry about it.

What he truly can't feel at ease with is a problem that he'd never voice out loud and, even if he did, wouldn't immediately be improved.

So he prepared an unrefusable reason that wouldn't be doubted as perfunctory.

"I can't just let the animals be unattended, running around chaotically in battle, and watch these four-legged creatures get lost or die, right?"

After a few seconds of silence, the elves, who had lost their sharpness, looked at Li Lin somewhat embarrassed, then turned to look at the long-haired cattle that didn't care about the discussion concerning their fate and were just chewing on grass. Seeing this carefree group, their foreheads' sweat glands quickly excreted cold sweat.

In a rural family, a cow might be their entire property, and oxen and horses would receive treatment as family members. In a village, a thief who steals property would be hung up and beaten severely at most. Cattle thieves, on the other hand, were often beaten to death when caught.

Losing such a highly valued animal would be hard to explain upon returning to the village. Moreover, after a battle breaks out, untrained oxen like warhorses would certainly be frightened, and their chaotic running would have equal killing power to both friends and foes. Nobody would want to see the scene where these gentle and slow herbivores turn into terrifying high-speed killing machines charging at them. Even more so, nobody would want to be the unfortunate one who gets toppled by a bull's horn and trampled into sludge.

Someone has to watch over the goods and animals, not just to prevent loss and straying but also for their own safety. So the elves need to stay put behind Li Lin obediently, and forget about any reckless actions like rushing to the front and fighting the enemy fiercely.

Disappointed and helpless, the elves still accepted Li Lin's arrangement since the reality was presented right before their eyes. They couldn't afford the heavy price of their naive and violent ideas.

Having perfectly dismissed all objections, his reasonable arrangements concealed the real issue—their overly lax style.

Generally speaking, the young elves had excellent archery skills and were strong and powerful, making them brave fighters. However, to military officers, these stubborn and self-righteous child soldiers were no doubt a nightmare, only slightly better than border guards who had loose military discipline, roamed around, and barged into residents' homes to demand cattle, food, and weapons with no regard for who was involved or what they desired.

Expecting this group of children, who had not received any military training and only relied on their limited experience and courage, to directly fight with a huge enemy with numerical advantage while ready to ambush their opponents in selected positions? What kind of mindset would a commander need to approve of this crazy idea?

Li Lin had a plan for the elves to accumulate combat experience through actual battles when the time was right. Now was far from the "right time". The elves should be content with sitting on the bench and not get involved in other matters.

Moreover, if they were lucky enough to encounter the 30% probability of an ambush, they wouldn't be too bored. Li Lin was the type who would never let himself be idle—artificial life that doesn't need leisure and refuses to waste time would never miss such a great opportunity for a real battle experiment.

As the elves scattered to pack up the tents, put out the bonfires, lead the cattle away, and load the goods after receiving instructions on returning, they were so busy that they didn't notice a sneaky figure retreating rapidly in the opposite direction as the shrubs in the distance shook slightly.

[Engagement probability increased from 30% to 65%. Contingency plan A4 given priority preparation.]

Amber-colored camouflage pupils narrowed into a dangerous slit as the life reaction gradually left the detection range, and an elegant smile rose again.

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If one had to describe this room, it would definitely be a "luxury item warehouse".

The thick wool carpet, like lush grass, the gold plates on decorative cupboards and in corners, the wide chairs wrapped meticulously with silver foil, and the turquoise-embedded oil lamps emitting a decadent aroma of fragrant oil.

—These were all high-priced luxury items with little practical use. Visitors, besides marveling at their extravagance, would also frown at the bad taste and vulgar style of their arrangement. The owner should have spent more time adjusting and decorating the room itself, at least improving the lighting and ventilation, rather than decorating a dark room where oil lamps are needed in broad daylight with their poor taste.

The attention of the owner and the guest were not the least bit distracted by the remarkably bad room layout. On one side was the familiar scene, and on the other side was the intolerable vulgarity of the nouveau riche. The most important thing was that the focus and theme of their conversation had nothing to do with the room, but with—business.

"I want this kid to disappear from the world."

In the huge chair that could easily serve as a double bed for an ordinary family, Francois Monet's enormous fat body leaned back. His oily skin, coated with fragrant oil, reflected a nauseating, slimy luster. His loose triple chin shook incessantly as he spoke in a stifling tone.