At this moment, the Hell Legion was still unaware of the impending danger. After all, they had already conducted a thorough exploration of this interdimensional realm prior and had conquered most of it, leaving only a few stubborn strongholds to defend.
This Treefolk stronghold was one such place. These Treefolk were powerful, with strong recovery abilities, and the natural energy they wielded was in contrast to the hellish energy, complicating their conquest. They had no choice but to report to their lord and request additional Hellhounds for assistance, which surely diminished the lord's impression of them.
Race Name: Hellhound
Level: LV2
Physique: 6
Strength: 8
Agility: 12
Spirit: 10
Talent:
Hellish Race: Emits hellish aura that affects nearby normal beings.Canine Creature: Agile in movement with keen sense of smell.
Skills:
Rapid Charge: Maximizes speed towards a target, increasing agility by 100%. (Cooldown: 1 hour)
Hellfire Ball: Launches a fireball filled with hellish energy to attack a target enemy. (Cooldown: 10 minutes)
Description: The cannon fodder vanguard of the Hell Legion, but they cannot be underestimated.
Race Name: Treefolk
Level: LV2
Physique: 14
Strength: 14
Agility: 1
Spirit: 5
Talent:
Affinity for Nature: Skilled in utilizing natural energy, representing nature itself.
Bark Shield: Reduces incoming physical damage by 50%.
Pseudo-Immortal: Can continue to grow without dying.
Skills:
Restorative Light: Uses natural energy to provide healing energy to allies; can heal 5 teammates at once. (Cooldown: 1 hour)
Photosynthesis: Can restore its own vitality during the day through photosynthesis. (Passive)
Description: A tree-based life form with powerful abilities, capable of using magic. Without the disadvantage of slow movement, it would be a perfect race.
This was the thought process of the commander of the Hell Legion—the Hell Messenger. This race evolved three times from the Demon Race. They were stronger than the Demon Race and the lower-level Hellhounds, and most importantly, they possessed intelligence, which often made the Hell Messenger the commander of the hellish lords in the outside world.
"But if I can obtain the Treefolk's treasure, I can surely become one of the great generals under the lord, just like the Lich King."
While the Hell Messenger was daydreaming, he suddenly saw a large number of flying objects appear behind him; these were the energy explosive bullets fired by the Mechanical Race.
In fact, a small squad of Mechanical warriors was preparing to launch the upgraded Type 002 cannon. This was another classic work employing energy diffusion technology. It had high damage, fast firing speed, and was easy to operate—requiring only two people to use. Of course, the two people referred to here were the squad members of the Mechanical Race, each with ten members, meaning five large cannons were currently aimed at the Hell Legion.
Equipment Name: A002 Cannon (Upgraded)
Damage: Fires 3 rounds per minute. Each shell deals fixed damage of 9500 points. Explodes on contact with the target or ground, causing continued burn damage of 10 points per second for 3 minutes.
Function: A high-damage weapon manufactured using energy diffusion technology.
While the Hell Messenger was in a daze, the attacks already came one after another, scattering the entire formation of the Hell Legion.
He immediately wanted to command the Hell Legion to launch an attack on the unknown targets to stop such an assault, but he had no idea how fast Luo Luo's army could fire. Just as the Hellhounds were preparing to use Hellfire Balls, Luo Cai's Spirit Dragon also started using the energy disruption skill on the battlefield, causing many Hellhounds' fireballs to explode while still forming in their mouths, affecting a large number of hellish soldiers nearby.
The bullets fired by the Mechanical Race no longer exploded as neatly as before; a lot of energy overflowed, while some energy was enhanced. This was the terrifying aspect of the energy disruption skill, which could occur in various locations.
Of course, in other locations, the energy disruption state was formed through natural phenomena, usually referred to as anti-magic zones. What Luo Luo was creating now was an artificial anti-magic zone, where no one dared to use magic.
However, the anti-magic only affected the targeted area where the Hell Legion existed. As long as they were outside this area, they were not affected. The energy explosive bullets emitted by the Mechanical Race would only exhibit the energy disruption phenomenon upon entering this zone. Luo Luo didn't care whether these energies above the Hell Legion were extinguished or enhanced; after all, it was not his people getting hurt.
But the Hell Legion suffered greatly, as large swathes of their living forces were quickly eliminated. They could not retaliate; after all, using magical energy would only result in self-harm, which was exactly the effect Luo Luo wanted.
Moreover, the attack commanded by Luo Luo's Mechanical Race extended from the outskirts of the Hell Legion inward. If they ran outward, they would be eliminated even faster. If they pressed inward, it was merely a slow death. The observers saw the dire predicament of the Hell Legion, trapped between a rock and a hard place, and couldn't help but marvel at Luo Luo's tactical maturity and the strength of his faction; it truly earned their respect.
While they could see the battlefield clearly, the Hell Messenger was unaware of the critical situation surrounding him. He only knew that the area was packed with soldiers from the hellish race, and no matter how he urged them, they were unable to push outwards; the external attacks grew stronger and continued to compress inwards. The fire damage circulated in layers within the area, making it very uncomfortable for the Hell Messenger, who found that the entire Hell Legion was out of control and his commands no longer effective.
"Are these still the Demon Race that doesn't fear pain and the Hellhounds that go mad at the sight of life?"
This left him puzzled, but the battlefield did not afford him much time to think. Luo Luo's extended attack was about to reach him.
Due to the energy depletion factors on the outskirts, some attacks extinguished upon touching the anti-magic zone, not causing harm to the hellish creatures in those areas, allowing them to break out from the gaps.
However, Luo Luo was not foolish; he would immediately follow up with supplementary attacks when such a situation arose. Thus, only a handful of dozen hellish soldiers managed to escape the anti-magic zone, where they faced the Evil Goblins, Shadow Clan assassins, and Spirit Dragons lying in wait.
In less than an hour, the entire Hell Legion was nearly annihilated, with not a single fish escaping. The bodies of the hellish soldiers, charred from the flames, were collected by Luo Luo and his team.
Although the hellish aura was disgusting, the corpses of the dead were treasures, excellent raw materials for crafting weapons and special gear. Luo Luo also intended to use his divine power to analyze these hellish creatures to see if he could obtain anything useful.
When the Treefolk saw their enemies suddenly being eliminated, they were momentarily stunned, but upon the appearance of Luo Luo and his team, they quickly became tense, looking at them with fearful expressions. After all, these were the ones who had swiftly eliminated the Hell Legion.
The Hell Legion had been in a stalemate with the Treefolk for quite a while and had almost exterminated them. To see such an effortless resolution at the hands of Luo Luo and his group made the Treefolk wary; if these newcomers held any hostile intentions, they might not have even a sliver of resistance.
However, upon seeing the elves and Spirit Dragons accompanying Luo Luo, they relaxed their guard slightly. These races had a strong bond with the Treefolk, sharing a love for nature. The Treefolk could distinctly feel the rich natural aura emanating from them, in stark contrast to the sulfurous stench of the hellish race. From this, they could deduce that this group was not aligned with the hellish race.
At that moment, the rustling of leaves could be heard as the Treefolk parted to make way. An elderly Treefolk emerged, his branches yellowing and his exterior wrinkled, but his aura was very serene, calming the tension in the air.
The old Treefolk carefully observed Luo Luo and the others, first glancing at the Wood Elves and Spirit Dragons, noticing no signs of coercion. Next, he turned his gaze toward the Mechanical warriors, who they had just seen delivering the lethal attack that had obliterated the hellish soldiers.
Now, everyone present fell silent.
After a moment of reflection, the old Treefolk broke the silence, addressing Luo Luo's group: "Children, although I do not know where you come from, I can feel the aura of peace about you, which is a stark contrast to the previous races that emitted strong offensive scents.
"I believe we need to understand each other better. After all, your appearance here must have a purpose. You have seen our tribe suffering from the invasion of these otherworldly beings. This places us in a very awkward and dangerous situation, and we need external assistance. This is our basis for effective communication; what do you think?"
Luo Luo and his team were astonished by the old Treefolk's wisdom.
"Your insight is impressive, and we completely agree with your proposal. The ones who attacked you before were from a race called the Hellish Race, and they have failed this time. Next time, they may send even stronger enemies to the battlefield, and we are explorers who truly need your help."
"Oh, that's wonderful! It seems we have reached a mutual understanding. Please, follow me; the Treefolk extend to you a warm invitation."
Luo Luo and the others exchanged glances and then followed the old Treefolk into the Treefolk tribe.
They did not simply accept the old Treefolk's invitation based on his words alone.
This was mainly influenced by the information they had read; the Treefolk were known for their honest demeanour, friendliness, and love for natural energy, and they opposed killing and war. This provided a significant reason for Luo Luo and his group to gladly accept the Treefolk's invitation.
After all, they were their saviours, and they would likely not act contrary to their gratitude.
Of course, this was not the primary reason; more importantly, Luo Luo and his team were confident in their own strength.
"If I can easily annihilate a Hell Legion, then I could easily wipe out Treefolk with combat power similar to theirs."
Such strength was their greatest assurance in personally accepting the invitation; the strong have nothing to fear.
At this moment, in a central tree hollow of the Treefolk tribe, there was an arrangement of fruits and a small portion of salted roasted meat. After all, the Treefolk did not require food; they could sustain themselves through photosynthesis and even produce food to nourish other small animals.
Upon deciding to host Luo Luo and his group, the Treefolk gathered many fruits and, considering they were a humanoid race unlike themselves, prepared some roasted meat as a treat for their guests. This was truly unprecedented. The Treefolk typically would not take the initiative to harm other creatures.
Seeing their confusion, the old Treefolk said, "The meat comes from animals trampled to death in the chaos caused by the Hellish Race's attack in the forest."
After some of Luo Luo's group tasted the food and found it non-toxic, they began sampling the Treefolk's delicacies. The fruits were juicy and sweet, and the flavour of the roasted meat was distinctive. The Treefolk used high-quality fruit wood for roasting, simply adding a bit of salt. Each bite of meat carried the fragrance of the fruit wood, providing Luo Luo and his group an unprecedented taste experience.
After feasting, the formal conversation commenced. After all, no one knew when the next wave of attacks from the Hellish Race would arrive.
"Humans from an unknown world, I am the chief of the Treefolk. Could you please share the purpose of your visit?"
Name: Chief of the Treefolk
Level: LV3
Physique: 19
Strength: 19
Agility: 1
Spirit: 12
Talent:
Affinity for Nature: Skilled in utilizing natural energy, representing nature itself.
Bark Shield: Reduces incoming physical damage by 50%.
Pseudo-Immortal: Can continue to grow without dying.
Skills:
Restorative Light: Can use natural energy to provide healing energy to allies; can heal 10 teammates at once. (Cooldown: 1 hour)
Photosynthesis: Can restore vitality during the day through photosynthesis. (Passive)
Description: A tree-based life form with powerful capabilities and magical abilities. If not for their slow movement, they would be a perfect race.
"How do you know we come from beyond Green Star?"
"Green Star is neither large nor small. I have seen many races on Green Star, and I recognize all of them. You differ greatly from the local humans and lead those strange creatures. These do not belong to Green Star, so you must have come from elsewhere."
Luo Luo didn't confirm or deny this but continued to ask, "What is the current status of other life forms on Green Star?"
"I am not sure if the last few strongholds of humans resembling you have been breached. However, I can feel that the Elves over there are still resisting the invasion of those monsters."
The chief of the Treefolk sensed the probing gaze of Luo Luo and the others and slowly continued, "This is a disaster. Those monsters appeared a year ago. At that time, Green Star was the domain of humans and Elves. We, the Treefolk, lived comfortably under the protection of the Elves."
"But the changes came suddenly. An epidemic began to spread within the human empire, causing those infected to go mad soon after, attacking and biting anyone nearby."
"This turned the vast Northern Empire into chaos within just a few months, bringing it to the brink of collapse."
"Yet the surrounding countries turned a blind eye to this situation. They seized the opportunity to swallow the Northern Empire for themselves. Thus began six months of chaotic battles. They fought back and forth in the territory of the Northern Empire, one day claiming a city, the next taking two."
"Humans became fewer and fewer, while the number infected with the disease continued to rise. Eventually, a mysterious figure in a black cloak appeared, gathering the previously disorganized and easily defeated Demon Race to begin invading the human settlements. Oh, the Demons are precisely those humans infected by the epidemic. Their bodies emanate an evil aura, leading us to call them Demons."
Unexpectedly, the definition of Demons on Green Star was quite clear, much like the outside world.
The chief continued, "We, the Treefolk, and the Elves value peace and initially did not wish to involve ourselves in the internal strife of the humans. However, through our experiences, we realized we were wrong. How can one expect to be safe when the nest is destroyed?"
"The epidemic eventually spread from human territories to ours. Some of the Elves began showing signs of madness. Even with the Elves' holy water to suppress it, it was only temporary."
"This did not resolve the epidemic from its source. This caused infighting among the Elves, with some wanting to seal off the forest and completely cut ties with humans. But others believed they should help humans unite all living forces to resist this strange virus."
"In the end, the isolation faction gained the upper hand. After all, sending Elf troops to assist humans would inevitably lead to casualties, which is unacceptable for a race with a low birth rate. After all, helping humans brings no benefits."
"But soon, we paid a terrible price for our decision. After humans found no help, they abandoned most of their lands and infected companions, relocating the remaining survivors to some remote places. They built walls day and night to isolate themselves from the sun. Unable to easily breach these strongholds, the Demons began advancing towards the forest."
"We had no customs of building walls, which meant that when the Demon Race attacked, we lacked sufficient defensive equipment to fend off these mad enemies. Even though our attacks were fierce, eliminating countless Demons, they continued to swarm our encampments with wave after wave of attacks, which exhausted our warriors and weakened our defenses."
"Finally, a month ago, the Demon Race breached our encampment. I led the Treefolk to this location, while the surviving Elves struggled to resist in the vast swamp on the other side."
"All our surviving locations are interconnected. At least until the day before yesterday, before the monsters attacked our stronghold, the last four human strongholds and the Elves' single stronghold had not been breached. But I think it is only a matter of time, until you appeared."
The chief's detailed recounting was very helpful to Luo Luo and his team. At least they now understood the current situation on Green Star.
This was precisely the kind of scenario Luo Luo and his team wanted to see. If the Treefolk were the only ones left, they would have advised them to leave with them. However, if there were still so many resisting forces in this world, they would consider eliminating the Hell Race.
After all, the resources of an entire planet were far more valuable than the resources of just the Treefolk.
Luo Luo and his group began discussing quietly. The Treefolk chief was not in a hurry; he did not urge them but waited silently for their discussion to conclude. They had already reached the edge of a cliff, and stepping back would mean falling into a bottomless abyss; these people before him might be their only hope for survival.
Although they knew that placing their hopes in the hands of others was a very dangerous idea, they had seen the enemy's attack intensity gradually increase during these days of fighting against the Hell Legion, while they had no backup forces to sustain them until the war's end.
Not to mention achieving victory; even protecting themselves was becoming increasingly difficult. They had to seize any potential lifeline; that was the wisdom of the elderly.
At this moment, Luo Luo's group concluded their discussion, and Luo Luo addressed the Treefolk chief: "We can protect you completely and even help you annihilate your enemies, but we have conditions."
"Oh, what conditions?" The Treefolk leader was not surprised. After all, when one seeks help, some price must be paid. Conditions are a good thing, as they indicate this group is capable of providing assistance. This was excellent news for him; what he feared most was having no conditions—that would be the worst case.
"We need your race to send a group of potential Treefolk to pledge loyalty to us and become our subjects."
Upon hearing this, the old Treefolk suddenly looked shocked. Subjects! That was a term from a distant past.
Luo Luo didn't expect that simply mentioning the term "subjects" would astonish the old Treefolk so much. It seemed Green Star had once been home to deities; otherwise, he wouldn't have reacted so strongly to the word "subjects."
The old leader's subsequent words confirmed Luo Luo's suspicion.
"Are you all deities?"
"It seems the history of Green Star is more ancient than we imagined. So, the question arises: where have the deities of Green Star gone?"
Luo Luo posed the question to the old Treefolk.
"Unclear. When I was young, I only knew that Green Star once had deities, something I heard from the elders of our clan. He was the oldest Treefolk in our tribe. When I was newly born, my favorite thing was to listen to him tell stories. The legends of the deities were learned from him. It is said that there were many deities on Green Star before, but they all perished due to a natural disaster, and the tribes that believed in them simultaneously vanished. After that, no amount of prayer was of use."
"That elder said that when the deities existed, he was not a follower of any deity. So when the deities vanished, he survived. Those who had deep faith suddenly died that day, which is why the elder speculated on the cause of the deities' fall."
"However, the elder was not happy about his survival. He often reminisced about the past era. It was a time of peace, where all beings coexisted harmoniously—no wars, no deaths, no hunger."
"Moreover, it was a world ruled by the Elves. Humans were merely primitive beings living in tribes, little better than beasts. They had no magic and even lacked strong bodies. This kept the ancestors of humanity at the bottom of the social hierarchy on Green Star."
"At that time, the Elves didn't even consider enslaving humans, highlighting how weak humanity was. But over time, their development accelerated, especially after the deities fell. The Elves, having lost the protection of the deities, began to decline, and their population growth became very slow."
"Humans, on the other hand, were just the opposite. They learned the magic that the Elves had previously looked down upon and traded with us Treefolk for techniques to strengthen themselves. This enabled them to rapidly rise and become the new masters of Green Star, while the Elves were left with only this forest under their control."