Chapter 372:
In the dark underground cave of the little earth spirit, the blurred vision kept shaking.
In the darkness, the only thing that provided a faint light was a large pot that was simmering. The wood burns fiercely, and the heat is transferred to the pot through contact, heating and boiling the soup and meat inside.
As the bubbles burst, a strange smell emitted, which was trapped in the underground cave for a long time.
The three sisters in the forest gathered around the cauldron and took deep breaths. They stared greedily at the undulating ingredients on the ground and swallowed their saliva.
For the people of Velen, the Lady of the Forest is a trinity of goddesses like the goddess Meriteri. They have the ability to make the people of Velen have abundant harvests and have many children, and help people overcome difficulties.
Although the Lady of the Forest's gifts always require a price, or "sacrifice."
But worshiping a "god" that requires sacrifice is far more comforting than worshiping a lord, isn't it?
However, no one in Willen knew that the three witches in front of them were the true appearance of Lady in the Forest.
Mrs. Lin Zhong is just the "honorable name" they gave themselves. Their real names are: Zhi Po, Zou Po and Ni Nan Po.
They existed long before humans arrived on the continent. When they discovered humans, they were delighted at the help this new creature could give them, and quickly began to spread their "belief."
Naturally, these creatures that are older than humans are not very in line with human aesthetics. The painting in the "church" is nothing more than a façade used by the three sisters to deceive the people of Willen to gain respect. Their true appearance is just like this -
distorted.
...
Nima Po is the eldest of the three sisters. She has a short and thick neck, a round head, a torso like a hemp pole, and arms as thick and long as a gorilla.
She carries a shoulder bag with arms attached to her all year round, and it looks as if she has a hand growing out of her abdomen - no one knows who or what creature that hand comes from.
At this moment, she picked out an ear from the chopping board, put it to her head and listened for a while with her eyes closed. After a long while, he threw it into his mouth and started chewing it.
"I haven't heard anything... The little baron is still on guard against us. There aren't many sacrifices hanging in his crow's nest." Nanny shook her head, "If you ask me, all humans in Velen should sacrifice an ear. Give it to me, then I know everything - how can I wait for the little baron to tell me that there is ancient blood coming to Wellen?" ... Standing in front of the chopping board is
Zoupo
, she is tall and plump, as if she is an upright bird. wild boar. The exposed skin was a strange tender pink color, and the surface was covered with wrinkles, stacks, and sores, like mud.
As her name suggests, Zoupo is very good at cooking ingredients and can even inject magic into them. At this moment, she was holding a huge bone-chopping knife and was chopping vigorously.
"Don't eat raw food directly, sister." Zoupo emphasized dissatisfiedly, "It's not healthy!"
Throwing Veserad's head aside, Zoupo threw the newly processed meat into the pot, and it was boiling inside. It's bright red blood.
What an original soup!
...
Zhi Po was the youngest of the three sisters. She stood beside the cauldron, swallowing her saliva as she looked at the boiling meat inside.
She is also the most human-looking of the three sisters. Physically, she looks like a "normal" skinny old woman.
——If you ignore the fact that flies are flying out of her eyes like a beehive.
"The soup that the little guy flying out of your face likes very much." Boil Po laughed heartily at Zhi Po, "This will definitely be a good pot of soup!"
Nao Po slurped the remaining blood on her hand and nodded repeatedly. .
"The lord of Willen, the blood of the Baron. The soup made with this ingredient can help us better communicate with the forest and the land, and deal with the ancient blood." "It's not easy to raise him so
big, I originally wanted to keep him until I shared it with Illerys at some witch night party." Zhi Po yelled, "But now it's eaten in advance... What a waste."
Zhi Po said nonchalantly: "Soon we will have better ingredients. ...Blood of the Ancients! Hey!"
Po Po's words made Po Ni, who was still regretful at first, nod her head repeatedly. She stared at the cauldron that was being cooked and murmured to herself: "The blood of the ancients cannot be shared with the Wild Hunts of Illerith, it is too delicious..." The
sisters had already begun to have sweet dreams and kept swallowing their saliva. Zhi Po took her eyes out of the pot.
"Even if you drink the soup made by the young baron, it's still not easy to deal with the blood of the ancients, right?"
Po Ni nodded thoughtfully: "...That's right."
Po Po suddenly woke up when she heard that her sisters doubted the power of her cooking. Dissatisfied, after arguing for a while, he could only affirm helplessly.
She pointed at Granny Ni with her palm with only three thick fingers: "Judging from the news that my sister usually hears, this ancient blood is surprisingly powerful. The power brought by a pot of 'Little Baron Soup' is indeed not enough.
" Po scratched the honeycomb on his face and said resolutely: "Then boil a few more pots of soup and catch all the little guys in Willen! This is the blood of the ancients! People outside said that he only used it for a few years. He's so powerful that he can defeat an army by himself!"
"If we let him grow any longer, who knows how strong he will be in the future?" Zhi Po patted her belly, "We have raised Willen for so long, and now he is harvesting it. It's time."
Although Zhi Po is the youngest, Zhao Po and Ni Nan Po recognize their sister's wisdom.
"It's a rare opportunity for the ancient blood to come here alone!"
"Hahaha - what you eat is the best!"
The three sisters were cooking delicious food in the cave, imagining more delicious dishes, and making eerie, A hearty laugh.
However, just when they were all feeling proud. A small black shadow suddenly flashed in the darkness of the cave, running towards the depths of the cave.
"That's not right!" Just before the black shadow disappeared completely, the sharp-sighted Numpo suddenly realized something was wrong.
She pointed to the depths of the cave and yelled angrily: "The little dwarf is coming to cause trouble again!" "
How can he even find it here?"
The black shadow that was about to leave suddenly stopped. He was still gentle at first. The movements no longer concealed, and the speed became more than a minute faster.
Zhi Po also reacted immediately and disintegrated on the spot with a dance of her arms. Countless crows emerged from the underground caves, blowing the wind of shadow underground with the noise that filled every inch of space.
"Johnny, I can't let you talk any more this time!"
-
"Lord Duke Lannister, please allow me to ask more." The lord steward carefully rubbed their palms together, "Have you seen our Lord Baron? ?"
Keira was one step ahead of Lan and replied with a sneer: "We should have asked you this kind of question!"
The leader's housekeeper was immediately speechless and blushed as he looked at the sorceress in front of him and the one who never looked at her. The man who glanced at him glanced at her and walked away dejectedly.
What is Lan doing?
He was sizing up the troops gathered in front of him.
In the open space outside the crow's nest, the Willen local guards gathered here under the baron's order finally arrived.
Their quality is naturally incomparable to that of the blue-clad iron guards behind Lann. But as natives of Velen, they are able to take advantage of the forests and swamps that outsiders do not have.
Those advantages were just what Lane needed. But having said that, even if Lann and others were mentally prepared, the army in front of them was too "mixed".
Lan frowned and looked at it for a while, then his eyes suddenly lit up: "You - yes, it's you. Soldier, come out!"
A soldier with a big beard trembled all over, then puffed out his chest and responded.
"Philip Strenger, Lieutenant of the Willen Guards, salutes Duke Lannister!"
The voice was loud and energetic.
...
Lan En looked at the person in front of him for a moment, and he looked more and more familiar, and he was sure that he had found the right person.
In the original history, Baron Veserad fled after the invasion of Nilfgaard, and the ownerless Velen had another ruler - Philip Strenger in front of him.
He had considerable prestige among the local soldiers in Velen, so he seized the opportunity to quickly occupy Crow's Nest, and then further became the local emperor of the entire Velen.
Because of his violent style and murderous character, Philip came to be known as the "Bloody Baron".
But the man with such a wild title is a real hotshot. The Bloody Baron quickly took over the responsibilities of Velen after occupying Velen. After several trials with Nilfgaard, he quickly started negotiations and eliminated the war that threatened civilian life.
After a short period of peace ushered in, the frightened locals quickly realized that the people of Willen, who had already experienced war, actually lived a more prosperous life than during the time of Baron Wesselad!
They discovered that although the Bloody Baron quickly began to enjoy life after taking office, he had a very important trait: he did not act like a monster.
Enjoy life and do nothing else - this style of the Bloody Baron has already made him surpass 99% of the nobles in the mainland.
Of course, compared with the real bloody baron in Lan's impression, the officer in front of him was much younger, at least his beard was not white yet.
And even if something happens to Baron Wesselad, Viren, who is still under the rule of Temeria, will not let a low-level officer with a mud-legged background become the emperor.
This Philip can no longer become a "Bloody Baron", but at most he can become a "Bloody Lieutenant".
Unless he has other opportunities - such as the present.
...
After calling out Phillip, Lan frowned and glanced around the Crow's Nest guards.
It was a pity that he could not find another soldier with a slightly better spirit.
"Okay, Lieutenant Phillip, only you can take on the important responsibility next."
Phillip immediately puffed up his chest after hearing this.
As the Temerian closest to Cintra, he had also heard many legends about the Lion, and he had long been envious of the Gwent card that Baron Veserad was rumored to have collected.
"Please give me your orders, Duke Lannister!"
Lann nodded: "You should know the purpose of Commander Roche coming here - to eradicate the evil monsters disguised as wild gods in the depths of Velen." "
Originally I also wanted to ask you to collect intelligence about the other party, but that is not needed now." "
In the near future, we will start a war with the other party. And your task is to evacuate the nearby residents as much as possible, so that the people here can Stay away from all swamps and forests to prevent being affected."
Philip was stunned when he heard this, and looked embarrassed: "But Duke Lannister, there are swamps and forests everywhere in Wellen." "
That's why I found you to find a solution. ."
Lann pointed at the blue-clad iron guards behind him, implying that he didn't need to use these local crooked melons and jujubes at all.
"You - no, can you accept this order? Lieutenant Phillip?"
Philip took a deep breath: "Yes! Duke Lannister!"
After hesitating for a moment, Phillip asked hesitantly:
"Duke Lannister, Can I know how many troops you need to mobilize to annihilate that... Lady in the Forest?"
"The problem is not with us, but with them." Lann shook his head, "As a native of Willen, don't you know that... Can the middle lady draw strength from swamps and forests?"
Philip blushed: "I don't pay much attention to these magical things... Even if I hear them, I don't think they are credible." "
Now you have a chance to understand again . "Lan shook his head. "As for our military strength, I can only say -"
Lann pointed to the sky: "She is one of the participating parties."
Phillip looked up in the direction of Lann's finger in confusion.
In their sight, a mobile biological bunker in the sky broke through the clouds and fell like a meteor in their direction.
"Ouch!"
Perhaps he was used to being domineering in Mahakam, and Kelturis was very concerned about his majesty in front of others. Every time she appeared, she would roar slowly and forcefully, and she would only give up when she saw the horrified expression on the ground.
Saskia once advised her, but instead the red dragon taught her earnestly: "Humans are afraid of dragons, otherwise there would be more dragon-slaying warriors."
Willen's local guards dispersed in a hurry and looked for hiding places. Only Although Phillip's hands and feet were trembling, he still stood beside Lan.
However, the blue-clad iron guards did not lose their reputation as special forces. Although each of them pressed their weapons nervously, they all maintained their formation in place.
"Hula -"
The broad wings pushed away the strong wind and washed away the mud and rocks on the ground.
"Kerturis, have you gained anything?"
The dragon was quite dissatisfied with Lan regarding himself as an aerial scout, but he still honestly threw out a small black shadow.
"I didn't find the three witches you wanted...but I found him!"
The little black figure fell to the ground and rolled a few times, then stood up in disgrace.
He grimaced in pain and kept jumping, but said nothing.
"A child?" Roche asked doubtfully from behind Lan, "Duke Lannister, your dragon captured a child? Or a mute... child?" Roche's voice became smaller and smaller, and he suddenly felt
that The child in front of me looks a little too strange.
Keira chuckled, mocking the blue-clothed commander's narrow knowledge: "This is not a child, Mr. Roche."
"He may be older than your grandfather - this is a little earth spirit!"
( End of this chapter)