It was afternoon when Ji Liu and Goldberry arrived near the village. Along the way, Ji Liu did not bother Goldberry and just let her rest after giving him the direction. When Goldberry recovered, she told Ji Liu some basic info concerning the village.
"The village has no name unlike your human cities, we also have tamed monsters, but they are not contracted to us." Goldberry told Ji Liu.
"How do you control them then?" Ji Liu's researcher mode started.
"We follow the way the old humans tame their pets. We raise them from birth and train them along with us."
"I see." Ji Liu nodded then followed up, "So there is no guarantee that they would fully obey commands? Were there incidents of the monsters going on a rampage after experiencing unwanted events?"
"We treat them as part of the family, an equal, and they treat us the same way. If they think a command is wrong, they won't do it. They are free to decline commands, unlike your monsters."
Ji Liu was impressed. Although the way the Elves tame monsters need a lot of time, the Elves themselves can entrust their backs to their monsters like a soldier trusting their back to their allies.
Around 4 O'clock, the village came into sight. The Elves calls it a village but when Ji Liu saw it, he was shocked. 'It is more accurate to call it an excavation site.' He thought as he looked at the village from above on top of Xiao Su.
The village is located at a top of a small hill where there are no trees and there were monster bones surrounding the village acting as a fence rather than a wall and an unknown monster's shell used as a gate.
The village is made out of what the elves call the 'ancestral grounds' surrounded by houses made out of monster materials. There is also a distinct house made out of the earth that Goldberry said to be the where the Elf Elder resides.
No one knows it, but the 'ancestral grounds' in question is actually an abandoned Laboratory used to research and develop monsters that closed down before the 3rd world war begun. The key to enter the building is passed down to the Elf Elder, but there were no record of anyone entering as far as the Elves know.
When Xiao Su landed near the village gate, a number of guards stationed quickly responded and surrounded the monster, but when they saw Goldberry, they lowered their arms and made a salute then a man stepped forward.
"Captain Goldberry, what happened to you? Where is the Young Miss?" the guard asks as he was sizing up Ji Liu.
"There is an emergency, I need to meet with the elder." Goldberry then walk past the guard and whispered quickly, "I am suspecting this man as the leader of the Orcs or perhaps an accomplice, keep a close eye on him. I am not sure yet so don't immediately put him in the underground cell."
The guard nodded and told Ji Liu to follow him to an empty hut.
******
Goldberry gave a brief report on what happened to the Elf elder and told him of her suspicions about Ji Liu.
"Since the Young Miss is missing, either the Orcs have caught her or she is still carrying out the mission to seek human help. We should interrogate the kid about this." The adviser of the Elf elder said.
"That may be the case." The Elf elder agreed. "But concerning the matters of the human kid, I believe he is innocent in this matter."
"How so Elder?" Goldberry asked.
"If he is working with the Orcs, I believe they have no use for you if they have my daughter and If they don't, they would be looking for her instead." The Elf elder explained.
"Then what about getting information where our village is?" Goldberry was eager to prove that her suspicion is right.
"They already know our location. The Orcs appeared at the outskirts when you were away. We don't know how either." The Elf elder's Adviser said, shaking his head.
******
Ji Liu was resting at a bed made from a jelly-like material, wondering what it was made of when he heard a voice from the outside.
"Visitor, The Elf elder invites you to dinner, please follow me." A kid's voice was heard.
When he got up and went outside, he was surprised that the person owning the kid's voice was actually a young man.
Ji Liu smiled and said, "Lead the way."
The Young Elf was quiet the whole way so Ji Liu wasn't able to talk to him. When the two arrived at the Elf elder's house, Ji Liu thank the elf before entering.
"Welcome visitor, sorry for not receiving you earlier, our village is currently under some troubles you see. Anyway, come and have a seat, we hope you enjoy our food." The Elf elder greeted Ji Liu. "I'm named Greenleaf, but everyone calls me Elder. This is my adviser, Jefferson."
Ji Liu greeted the two and took a seat on the dinner table. "Is the trouble you are referring to concerning Orcs?"
"Why yes, it is. Have you met them on your journey?" The Elf elder asked while eating.
"Yes, in fact, when I found Goldberry, she was under attack by Orcs."
"Oh, so did you dispatched them? Or did you scare them away?" Jefferson asked curiously.
"When I got there, there were 5 and Goldberry killed one then I asked my monster to kill the others."
"You killed them? Then you must have a Gold level monster?"
"No, my monster is at the 7th stage Silver level, but it's good at assassination."
"Oh.." The Elf elder was disappointed since he thought he could get Ji Liu to help fight the Orcs. So he decided to change the topic. "Is that so, what brings you to this area I wonder?"
"I was just passing by to train my monsters while on the way to a faraway city." The three finished their meal.
"You can spend the night here if you want to since you helped Goldberry." The Elf elder suggested as he walked Ji Liu out the door.
"Thank you."
Just as Ji Liu was leaving, a guard was running towards. "Elder an emergency! A large force of Orcs is approaching. They number about 300."