CHAPTER 141: Worshipping The Oracle

Han Shuo's arrival brought a round of cheers from the forest trolls. The old priest trembled and knelt on the ground, crying out with hot tears in his eyes, "The mighty Datara and Liaison, you've finally returned!"

Taking in the sights around him, Han Shuo felt strange emotions in his heart. Logically, these forest trolls were the greediest of robbers. Han Shuo should have despised them, but when he saw how the forest trolls treated him like an oracle of the gods, listening to all his commands, Han Shuo suddenly felt that they weren't so evil after all.

Raiding and plundering was the innate nature of this race. Their actions were acceptable according to the rules of survival in the Dark Forest. Just as some of the larger magical creatures would naturally hunt some of the lower magical creatures, so did the forest trolls.

As he looked out over them, all the forest trolls, old and young, looked at him with great expectation and longing. It was the most pious and reverent kind of faith that a religious follower would have that was present in their eyes. It was as if one of his commands would cause them to rush headlong into death without a second thought. That kind of feeling made Han Shuo feel a little strange.

"Don't worry, your mighty Datara would never let you down." After surveying the surroundings, Han Shuo opened his mouth gravely after remaining silent for a moment.

The old priest translated this sentence into a cry of celebration as hot tears filled his eyes. All the forest trolls raised their empty bags and cheered loudly, as if a guarantee from Han Shuo was enough to make them forget their current plight.

Han Shuo took hemp sack after hemp sack of rations from the space ring and piled them on the snow-cleared stone floor. All sorts of thick blankets and necessities filled the space in front of the forest trolls, blinding their eyes. This made the forest trolls, who were suffering from the harshness of winter, squeal with joy.

"These items have been prepared for you to help you survive this winter. The several storehouses full of rations are enough for you to get through this winter without having to go out and raid. The mighty Datara made this journey to prepare these items for his people." Han Shuo's deep voice echoed through the forest troll village.

As the old priest led the way, tears of gratitude streaming down his face, all the forest trolls knelt in homage. The old priest then gave orders, and the chief of the forest trolls led the way in lifting up the rations and daily necessities and storing them in a cave at the back of the village.

Han Shuo followed behind the old priest and arrived at the newly refurbished temple within the village. Not only had a small sculpture of the little skeleton been erected, but there was even one of Han Shuo. This made Han Shuo feel even more strange, as if he'd unwittingly become their protector.

"When I arrived just now, I saw the traces of battle outside the village. Have those pesky elves started another war?" After walking in with the little skeleton, he gave an order and the little skeleton flopped down into the head seat. Han Shuo sat down next to the little skeleton and looked at the old priest inquiringly.

"In response to the oracle, it was indeed those pesky elves who have come to start another war, but rest assured Oracle, your brave people will never allow the elves to win. Beneath the splendour of the mighty Datara, the elves will surely retreat once more in great defeat". Light shone from the old priest's face as he spoke with great confidence.

Waving his hand, Han Shuo stopped the old priest's boasting and thought for a moment before instructing, "The rations and necessities I've brought should be enough to last you all through the winter. If any merchants wish to trade for the strange items in your possession, you may trade with them.

"Also, don't go out raiding this winter without my instructions. If we're going to rob someone, it will be a big robbery, not one of these little jobs. The mighty Datara will let you know when he's found a suitable target. Don't worry, you'll have nothing to do. How many did the elves bring with them this time, and when did you start fighting? Tell me all the details.

The old priest didn't ask why after receiving Han Shuo's instructions and agreed to his request. He immediately instructed the forest troll warrior beside him to relay Han Shuo's two points to the chief.

The old priest then gave Han Shuo a detailed account of the entire battle with the elves. From the old priest's explanation, Han Shuo understood that the elves would always have a big battle with the forest trolls every winter. This was because that was when the forest trolls were likely to be short of rations, necessities, and weapons, and that was when the forest trolls' fighting power was at its weakest.

The elves had followed the same strategy as last year, taking advantage of the fact that the forest trolls couldn't raid during the winter to launch an attack. However, their numbers weren't as great as the forest trolls', so they couldn't occupy with absolute advantage. They'd just made a feint when they retreated to discuss the next steps.

From the old priest, Han Shuo knew that the forest trolls had many large and small tribes within the Dark Forest. Because of this tribe's duty to protect the sacred ground of the mighty Datara, and the fact that it had around five hundred forest troll warriors, the old priest's tribe had a certain authority over the other forest troll tribes in the Dark Forest.

Because of the little skeleton and Han Shuo's appearance, the old priest had used his name to issue an order, commanding all the forest trolls scattered throughout the forest to gather and teach the elves a painful lesson.

Since the mighty Datara was the forest trolls' god, the impact of the little skeleton's appearance was immeasurable. Over the course of ten days, more than three hundred forest troll warriors from four small tribes had rushed to bask in the presence of the little skeleton.

According to the old priest, the forest trolls from the various tribes of the Dark Forest would soon gather. By then, not only would the elves' attack not have the desired effect, but they would also suffer heavy casualties.

Han Shuo had feared that the elves would kill a large number of forest trolls, but he had not thought that the charisma of the little skeleton would cause the forest trolls scattered throughout the Dark Forest, who normally had no relationship with each other, to rush here as if on a pilgrimage. From the old priest's words, Han Shuo understood that if all the forest trolls gathered together, they would number more than two thousand.

As for the elves in the Dark Forest, there seemed to be only a few hundred of them. Although they had a few divine archers and mages, it was very possible that they would suffer such a severe setback that they'd lose their shirts.

Rubbing his head, Han Shuo had a slight headache. He thought for a moment and then opened his mouth, "It looks like it is the elves who should be worried this time. Mm. It's said that the elves are very rich, I think we should rob them all."

"The meaning of the connection is...?" The old priest began and asked, perplexed.

"Do you know where the elves live in the Dark Forest?" Han Shuo thought for a moment and then asked.

The old priest was stunned, then thought with a furrowed brow before finally saying, "We know the general location, but we have never been inside."

Nodding, Han Shuo smiled, "Very well, when the forest trolls from the other tribes arrive, have them stay and keep the elves at bay. Our tribe can travel to where the elves live and use that time to raid their homes."

"But Liaison, why don't we stay here and meet up with the brothers from the other tribes and kill all the elven warriors? These elves are truly evil. They are always making mischief and sabotaging our operations. They also fight with us every winter and have killed many of our tribesmen over the years. The old priest paused and asked in confusion, not blindly following Han Shuo's suggestions for the first time.

"The nature of us forest trolls is to raid, not kill. Besides, the elves in the Dark Forest aren't their entire tribe. If we kill all the elves here, it will only cause more trouble for us. There's no need for that." For Han Shuo, there was really no point in letting the forest trolls and elves fight each other to the death. Besides, he didn't want all the elves to be killed. What he needed now was wealth. He needed large amounts of gold coins to support his demonic magic and his magic practice. So he made this suggestion.

Although he still did not fully understand, the old priest did not continue his questioning. After a few more days, as more forest trolls gathered from all over, Han Shuo and the little skeleton received a tsunami of cheers and pious adoration before leaving some of the forest trolls behind to fight the elves. Han Shuo, the little skeleton, and the five hundred forest troll warriors of the old priest's tribe set out to visit the elven village.

On this cold winter's day, the five hundred forest troll warriors brought with them sufficient rations, thick blankets, and sharp weapons as they made their way into the deeper reaches of the Dark Forest.