Ji Liu was riding on top of Xiao Su when he saw a clearing filled with blood and 4 Orc carcasses. Seeing the scene, he got down and asked Xiao Su to scout the area. He then summoned his 3 available monsters again.
'5 Orcs? That's strange.' Ji Liu was surprised because he knows that uncontracted Orcs are solitary monsters and disliked grouping up. 'Are these contracted Orcs then?'
He commanded Zhao and Mr. Krabs to dismantle the carcass while he and Xiao Cike looked for other evidence or trail of the battle that happened. He called Jinao while doing so.
"Jinao, do you know any reason why would Orcs group up aside from being contracted?" Ji Liu was using his sword to cut branches and other things blocking the way.
{Hmmn.. If there happen to be a large group of Orcs in the same area then perhaps a tournament is ongoing.}
"Would that result to them killing each other and leaving the corpse behind?"
*Chop* *Chop* *Chop*
{Nope, tournaments are pretty organized, Orcs wouldn't leave corpses as they tend to eat their defeated enemies. Why did you ask anyway?}
"Thanks, I just found 5 Orc carcasses killed with swords and arrows so it got my interest"
{Is that so? Then be careful as even I don't know why they are gathered.}
"Okay, thanks for the info." Ji Liu ended the call.
After a while, he arrived at a dense forest area and saw a blood-soaked Elf with one of her arm lying not far off and was battling against 5 Orcs. He decided to not act rashly and observe the situation since he was wondering where the humans are if they are indeed contracted Orcs.
"Xiao Su, head to my position and look for humans around the area." Ji Liu used the communicator to command Xiao Su, he also sent a mental signal to Zhao and Mr. Krabs to head there and prepare, but don't come too near to avoid detection.
******
An Orc slashed down towards her but the Elf rolled to the left to dodge but just when she was about to stand up, another Orc was waiting and sent a horizontal slash to behead her.
The Elf responded by crouching again and gathered all her strength left to drive her sword to the Orc's throat. As the Orc fall with the sword still stuck on its throat, the Elf's legs finally gave up and she was forced into kneeling. Fatigue taking her over.
The 4 remaining Orcs backed away for a moment, looking if the Elf is just baiting and looking at the progress of the situation.
"It's over Elf, all your monsters and allies are dead. Give up! We will spare you if you tell us the location of the village." An Orc approached the kneeling Elf, preparing to behead her.
"I'd rather die than let you brutes set foot in the village." The Elf closed her eyes and raised her head showing her throat.
"HMP. Let's see if you still talk that way after we—FUCK!" the Orc's supposedly lengthy speech was interrupted when it saw its fellow Orcs' head fall one after the other and it too experienced it shortly afterward.
The Elf was surprised thinking that the Orc meant what it just said. She felt extreme despair and horror when she felt hot liquid spraying on her face and body that she did not dare open her eyes.
******
Ji Liu arrived and ordered Xiao Cike to kill the monsters quickly when he noticed that the Orcs have no Blood Collar. He is unsure whether the one-armed Elf is crazy or dangerous so he left her alive but he also did not approach her right away.
Ji Liu was unsure of what to do as the Elf did not move an inch, so he decided to wait for his other monsters to arrive. Before he would talk to the Elf, he waited for Xiao Su to notify him whether there is anything else near the vicinity or not. While waiting, he sent the dead Orc bodies back to The Base to be dismantled, and also sent his other monsters back when they arrived.
"Are you okay?" Ji Liu asked while being prepared to attack and defend. He waited for a while, but after seeing that the Elf is not responding, he added, "The Orcs are dead by the way."
Hearing a different voice after a while, the Elf slowly opened her eyes and saw a young man with monsters surrounding her. She was unsure if the guy is the Orc's leader and came to try to do a different approach after the Orcs failed to get anything, so she remained silent and just stared at the young man.
Seeing the Elf open her eyes and not talk, Ji Liu asked, "Can you understand what I'm saying? My name is Ji Liu, what your name?" he forgot that the Elf may use another language so he asked if she can understand him.
Taking a quick glance at her surrounding, the Elf saw that the Orcs were gone. 'He must really be the leader since the Orcs left.' She decided to falsely cooperate and deceive the man.
"Yes, I can. My name is Goldberry" She nodded.
"You're heavily wounded, what happened here?" Ji Liu was still not approaching Goldberry fearing she has a trick or two.
"The Orcs were trying to get to the village so they attacked us. I'm the only survivor." Claimed Goldberry.
"Is that so? I think it has nothing to do with me so why not let me treat your wound and we separate our ways?" Ji Liu decided to not get involve seeing that it looks complicated.
'I knew you were plotting something. Now let's see, if I refuse, He gathers his monsters and I'll be used as bait against the village. If I accept he can put a tracker on me to find the village. Wait! I know what to do.'
Goldberry thought hard for a while and then answered, "If you don't mind, please help me treat my wounds and I'll guide you to our village."