The desolate wilderness strewn with broken bones doesn't exactly make for a pleasant dining spot, but without food, one wouldn't even have the strength for a scrum. Filling up on the sight of bones littering the wild and thousands of miles of desolation doesn't sound too inconvenient.
"Ugh... Honestly, I don't really fancy eating in this hellhole."
After swallowing mouthfuls of bread and dried meat, comparable to timber in texture, Thor takes crude mouthfuls from his canteen, which seem to help dilute the taste of the overly-dry food.
Eating too much would hinder their mobility, being full to about sixty or seventy percent is enough. In a situation where an enemy could strike at any moment, the notion of dining etiquette or slow, deliberate eating is unthinkable. Elves, always ready for combat, don't have the luxury for it.
Comparatively, Li Lin, who was silently chewing on his dried meat while leaning against the wagon, was perhaps a bit too "relaxed."
The elves harbored no resentment or objections to Li Lin's composure on the battlefield. His formidable strength clearly in view, a powerful individual like him naturally deserved special treatment. Questioning Li Lin's composure equated to questioning his strength and intellect, indicative of dubious intentions or mental incompetence.
"Huhuhu~~~~~ open your mouth, let me feed you my dried meat~~~~~~~"
Freya's unclear murmuring interrupted, accompanied by a piece of dried meat stretching towards Li Lin. Even if one is not particularly hungry, the innocent pleading gaze of a young girl might leave them with no choice but to indulge. But Li Lin had no intention of biting into the piece of dried meat that was hanging on Freya's lips.
If Li Lin succumbs and eats the dried meat, even if he is biologically alive, he's essentially a dead man walking.
Li Lin was already being darted with cold, harsh stares from all around him just as the meat was waved in front of his face.
No, it's beyond harsh. It's pure murderous intent.
"Defectors will be killed."
"I want to explode, I want to explode, I want to explode, I want to explode, I want to explode."
"I am blinded..."
"So jealous, so envious."
"A clueless dude."
The whispers were obviously sliding into curse territory.
Guys who stick together don't necessarily form a companionship. They could be an "anti-couple" club. Or maybe the two are one and the same.
Strong, proficient in various martial and magical arts, coming from wealthy or powerful families — at least two of these conditions should be met. Otherwise, you'd better be prepared to be riddled with holes if you dare to dazzle a group of single, hot-headed guys with a romantic relationship.
Li Lin, almost a victim of Freya's dried meat ruse, despite being an emotional idiot, wouldn't commit a foolish act like stirring up public anger and getting isolated, particularly when refusing the girl's offer could come across as heartless and give rise to criticisms later on.
"I've had enough."
Polite refusal with an air of a gentleman seemed to be the right way out. His slender physique supported his excuse for declining. But questions like "Do you eat too little and are thus too busy?", and "Can it last you through the day?" often lead to new troubles.
"Are you sure? We may have to fight again soon. Don't overdo it. I have some more dried meat here. If you don't mind... "
The actions of Brynhild were gentle, the tone sincere, but the energy behind her — isn't that a bit too strong? From the looks of it, this was not a "lighthearted shared lunch," but more like a "fight for my life to win" kind of women's battlefield determination!
"Plenty of dried meat here, darling~"
Freya leaned over from the other side with the dried meat still in her mouth, her seductive expression nearly touching Li Lin's cheek. Her face wore a suspiciously bewitching smile as her eyes ignited with a strange competitive zeal.
The eeriness that once veiled the skeleton-strewn wilderness dining scene had dissipated, replaced with an intensifying atmosphere of danger and feminine allure. Sensible guys no longer whispered strange things, but wisely retreated from the electrified battlefield, standing safely behind the lines for a biased view.
What ruthlessly disloyal guys...
Tyr sighed inwardly, taking a glance at Li Lin who was clamped between the two girls, and couldn't help but hide a smirk.
With delicate magic manipulation and strategic combination, he effortlessly killed a renowned magician, numerous henchmen, and poisonous insects. But such a formidable youth was left embarrassingly flustered by two girls who were close allies. It's really confusing whether to envy him for his romantic encounters or sympathize with him for being a victim of a terrifying female calamity.
"Damn it! I can't take it anymoreeeeeee! Take your romance somewhere elseeeeeeeee!"
A stranger's repressed rage made an immediate difference, rescuing Li Lin from his predicament. Eyes filled with guardedness, dissatisfaction, empathy(?), etc., and full of other implications, turned their attention towards the intruder.
Light.
The intense light that stimulated their retinas made the elves instinctively cover their eyes. As their eyes adapted to the harsh brightness, they saw a U-shaped hairline, a bald head gleaming like a smooth mirror, reflecting the sun.
Because the forehead was so brilliant and left a deep impression on everyone, other elements like the wrinkled rosy skin beneath the forehead, the sideburns, the buck teeth, and other details don't seem to stir up any sensation. They only reach a conclusion about the creature.
"A bald monkey."
Thor mumbled under his breath, the others shot a glance at him without a word, indirectly admonishing the lout's lack of tact, yet silently agreeing with him.
"Yes, a bald monkey."
"You—-! What indecent thoughts are you conjuring up?"
The sleazy man howled out an ominous accusation, making the elves slightly uncomfortable, because his suspicion-induced accusations were highly accurate.
——To the parties involved, it was an utterly infuriating truth.
"Nothing much, we're just enjoying the wilderness scenery after our meal," said Li Lin in a polite and tactful manner, steering the elves' impolite comments about other people's appearances into an unrelated distraction, effectively clearing them of any blame and receiving unanimous agreement from the elves—- being labeled as "disrespectful" was not something they enjoyed at all.
Generally, in situations where the conversation has already been guided in a certain direction, both parties would be smart enough to let the matter rest. However, this time the engaging party is an overly sensitive and suspicious neurotic. Li Lin's insincere cover-up only serves to fuel the fire.
"What kind of wilderness is worth watching... No offense! But what wilderness are you talking about!!!!!"
"See, all we're saying is that we're just admiring the landscape in front of us, all the while enjoying our rich, saliferous meat meal."
"Bastard! You're doing this on purpose, aren't you! You've been talking about baldness since the beginning!!!!"
The middle-aged man's face turned from a livid pallor, as he anxiously clutched the sparse hair remaining on his temples.
"I admit it! I've been under self-hypnosis for a month, hoping to cure my alopecia condition!"
"It's not a big deal. Even a staunch believer will eventually start to shine from the top of their head. No, only by shedding their hair can they enter the sacred domain. Yes, I do see it; the golden warm light radiating from the top of the head and behind it, namu-amida-butsu—"
"Stop it! Your gloating ends now!!!"
Anguish etched all over his face, the middle-aged man raised his head in defiance, letting loose a wounded beast-like roar towards the young men.
"Just like you! Don't think I don't know you guys have been calling me a bald monkey behind my back! For people who only know how to cause trouble and don't take care of their hair, like you, your hairline will recede rapidly after puberty! Especially you! Dark-haired lad! A mean-spirited person like you will go bald in no time! If you want to laugh, laugh now! Laugh to your heart's content! Laugh! Laugh! Damn it! If you won't laugh, I will! Oh, hahaha!!!!"
The chaotic scene left the elves unsure of how to react. Li Lin knew how to handle cases of traumatic stress disorder, but why should he help the enemy?
Li Lin was never the selfless good guy, nor did he feel the need to prioritize the ethical concerns of the societal structure.
The only issue was that the fighting spirit was completely spoiled. The elves were distracted by the inexplicable situation, their will to fight completely vanished, and some even felt a touch of undeserved sympathy-——
What is going on? Even Li Lin was perplexed.
Luckily, there is always a key role player to step up when the situation calls for it. This time, the Deus Ex Machina was on the enemy's side. A middle-aged bald man was set as a comedic scapegoat to defuse the tense situation.
Slap—!!
An unhindered hand gesturing and a crisp slap to the back of the bald man's head silenced his laughter, creating a chilling aura.
It seems like the situation is starting to normalize...
The elves regained their composure. The seriousness and nervousness slowly seeped from their young faces, the novice fighters struggling to maintain their front.
From the moment Li Lin demonstrated his unique mana control magic, a suffocating seriousness began to press on their shoulders, making the first appearance on the battlefield.
"I see, not only the team leader is a remarkable person but also the other members are sharp-minded fledglings," she remarked.
The elderly voice emitted from the constantly moving lips was as sharp as a knife edge. The tone, devoid of any emotional wavering, exuded a metallic magnetic force and an undeniable rigidity.
"The idea that you are just ordinary country kids – is a mistaken belief held by those – whether they are my employers or my subordinates – who have no vision and are arrogant. It's precisely because they are so full of themselves that they end up making huge mistakes leading to the loss of their lives," she said with a resolute face hardened by the trials and tribulations over the years, which exuded an aura of authority, stifling the young elves into silence.
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Critical Junction's Mini Theatre
Nidhogg: Huff Huff... Today, Li Lin remains the same old sadistic self—the light of perversion glowing brightly!
Li Lin: Really? I thought I was only communicating with facts.
Nidhogg: Even that is sadistic! Ahhhhhh – I really want to see Li Lin-senpai disciplining people with her high-heels and whip... Ah, no candles please!
Li Lin: Aren't I just trying to satisfy your request?
Nidhogg: How exciting! No, that's terrifying! May I ask, what is a Deus Ex Machina, Li Lin-senpai?
Li Lin: Deus Ex Machina is a phrase originated from Greece. Translated in English, it means God from a Machine, arising from a theatrical plot device where a desperate or unsolvable situation is abruptly solved by an unexpected intervention. The literal translation refers to the act of using machinery (a crane or lift) to depict a god arriving on the stage. This artificial technique results in a surprising and unanticipated turn of events in the plot.
Nidhogg: Thank you for the explanation!