CHAPTER 664: CHAPTER 407: SPACE CONTINUOUS SLASH·REVISED

The nights in Kolos City are always particularly enchanting.

The faint glow emitted by the Magic River casts a veil of mystery over the entire city.

In the southeast district of the city, there is a small lake shaped like a claw mark, thus called Claw Print Lake, which is rumored to have been created by the footstep of a Giant Dragon.

Claw Print Lake serves as the main water source for Kolos City, with all the magic rivers converging here.

Every night, groups of Mana Floating Dragons gather on the surface of the lake.

During the warm seasons, one can see dozens of male Mana Floating Dragons chasing a female Mana Floating Dragon, playing and frolicking over the lake, resembling a ribbon of light dancing in the sky.

After the playful frolicking, the female Mana Floating Dragon lays eggs in the lake, embarking on a journey of new life.

Under the moonlight.

Queen Orelana stands by the lake, scattering magic pollen into the air, attracting swarms of Mana Floating Dragons to feed.

This Elf Queen occasionally comes to Claw Print Lake at midnight when no one is around to feed the Mana Floating Dragons. This is her way of relieving inner pressure.

The mirror-like surface of the lake reflects her beautiful visage, captivating anyone who lays eyes on it.

Lu Heng came out from the Dungeon, seeking a quiet place to practice the newly learned Sword Saint’s Ultimate Skill.

Ordinarily, Claw Print Lake is quite peaceful, but today there is one more person.

"Your Majesty seems to enjoy feeding little animals." Lu Heng remembers the first time he saw this Elf Queen up close was by the magic fountain in the palace district, feeding Mana Floating Dragons.

Queen Orelana didn’t turn around. She had noticed Lu Heng coming from the Magic River.

She spread her palm open, letting the magic pollen float, attracting swarms of Mana Floating Dragons to drill above her hand, competing for the pollen.

"Usually, you may call me by my name."

Referring to the queen is a sign of respect.

By granting Lu Heng the privilege to call her by name, it signifies a closer relationship.

In the Elf Clan, normally only friends, comrades, and close acquaintances address each other by name without honorifics.

Queen Orelana looked at the Mana Floating Dragons vying for food and said with a sigh: "Seeing these creatures makes it clear that life itself is a miracle."

Life indeed is a miracle, not like stones, nor like soil. Life has thoughts, emotions, desires, and anguish and anger.

These miraculous emotions and thoughts are housed within flesh and blood, how wondrous.

Lu Heng discerned the anxiety in her words.

"You are very worried."

Queen Orelana turned her gaze upon Lu Heng for a long while before nodding in acknowledgment: "I’m indeed very worried. My people have reached the crossroads of destiny, and a single misstep could lead to eternal damnation."

"Indeed."

Lu Heng sighed: "Isn’t it the same for humans too?"

Perhaps the Human World isn’t as severely polluted by the Abyss yet, but the current predicament of the Elf Clan could very well be humanity’s future.

Not just the Elves, but also the Black Iron Dwarves, the Banshees, the Sea Demons, the Sikes Civilization, every world suffering from Abyssal Contamination faces the same problem.

"Our plan will succeed, right?" Queen Orelana’s words seemed like a question, but she knew Lu Heng could not offer her an answer, merely seeking a semblance of emotional solace.

Lu Heng understood what she worried about.

According to the established plan, they needed to trick the raiding team of the Creator Organization into unsealing the depths beneath Xiling City, releasing the Abyss Pollution Source inside.

If at that time there is no way to purify the Abyss Pollution Source, the natural environment of the Queldorei Continent will become even more dire.

Lu Heng understood her anxiety but knew she did not require comfort from others.

As the Queen of the Elf Clan, she is more resilient than most.

Lu Heng was surprised that she displayed such a vulnerable side before him.

"If we set the goal to defeat the Abyss, we have many hurdles ahead, and this operation is merely a small checkpoint, unnecessary to worry about."

Upon hearing this, Queen Orelana displayed a slight expression of sentiment and helplessness: "Indeed, if the goal is to defeat the Abyss, then there is no need to worry about this minor obstacle."

Her tone revealed an uncertainty about the future.

For she, too, knew not where the future of the Elf Clan would lead.

When her father, King Talnas, was still alive, he organized the powerful Anti-Demon Alliance Army, yet ultimately failed to defeat the Abyss, causing the Elf Clan to gradually decline to its present state.

The more she revered her father, the less confident she felt about the Elf Clan’s future.

Because she did not believe she could do better than her father, who failed to accomplish it, she was even less capable.

Lu Heng detected the lack of confidence in her tone and, after some thought, said: "Your Majesty lacks confidence in the future."

Queen Orelana smiled helplessly and replied: "Quite helpless."

The Elf Clan has spent such a long time unable to find a way to defeat the Abyss.

Her single word of helplessness is laden with seven hundred years of the Elf Clan’s struggles and rise and fall.

After pondering for a moment, Lu Heng said: "Has the Elf Clan ever tried to unite with other civilizations to jointly seek a way to defeat the Abyss?"

Queen Orelana contemplated for a while before responding: "Indeed, attempts have been made, but every world invaded by the Abyss tends to be caught in its own struggles, rarely able to offer aid to other civilizations.

"Over hundreds of years, we’ve witnessed many civilizations disappear amidst the Abyssal invasions, seemingly every attempt is nothing more than a fruitless effort."