Chapter 1076: Chapter 74: Searching for the Princess
Zhuo Yun sighed and said, "Let’s go. Sunset City isn’t far ahead. It’s the only major city in the Empire of Sunset City we haven’t visited yet. I hope the princess is there. It’s been over two years, and if we don’t rescue the princess soon, I fear the Elf Bloodline might be exhausted..."
Ah Dai walked up to Zhuo Yun and firmly said, "Sister, don’t worry, we will definitely be able to rescue Princess Xing Er."
The group of four followed the main road westward toward Sunset City. What kind of challenges awaited them there?
Sunset City, the capital of the Empire of Sunset City, was named for its proximity to the setting sun and located on the westernmost edge of Tian Yuan Continent. It was also the largest city within the Empire. Vigorous guards constantly patrolled atop the city walls, which were fifty meters high. The wide city gates allowed twenty people to pass through side by side. Covering an area greater than 30,000 square kilometers—twice the size of Dark City—Sunset City faced the sea. The drawbridge was lowered, with a constant stream of pedestrians and carriages bustling about, presenting a lively and thriving scene.
At the entrance of Sunset City, dozens of soldiers stood guard. Their eyes swept continuously over the passersby, inspecting anyone who looked suspicious.
Ah Dai touched the Elf Bracelet in his pocket. There was no reaction, and he frowned slightly, whispering to Yan Shi beside him, "Big brother, it seems there are no Elves in Sunset City!"
Yan Shi was startled and said, "No reaction?" Ah Dai nodded lightly.
After thinking for a moment, Yan Shi said, "This city looks very large. Maybe the range of the Elf Bracelet isn’t enough. Let’s go inside and look around. This is the last large city in the Empire. Based on Moon Scar’s judgment, which has been proven correct about ninety percent until now, it’s almost certain that the Dark Forces of the Empire are using the Assassin’s Guild to capture Elves. If so, they would have no reason not to keep the princess within the Empire, and this largest Sunset City would be the most likely place. We’ve come all the way here, winding through all the major cities in the West, and I believe Princess Xing Er must be here."
Zhuo Yun added, "Yan Shi makes sense. Let’s enter the city first. We’ve visited all the major cities in the Empire. If we still can’t find the princess, it will be difficult. Could it be that fate intends to destroy our Elf Clan?" Worry was evident on her face; she understood the importance of the Bloodline of the Elf King, which was tied to the fate of the entire Elf Clan.
Ah Dai comforted her, "Sister, don’t worry. We’ll definitely be able to rescue the princess. Let’s go into the city and see." As he spoke, the four headed toward the city gates.
When they reached the gate, the guards’ gaze immediately fell on the four of them. Although all four were dressed in civilian clothes, the unintentional aura exuded by Ah Dai and the Yan brothers still alerted the soldiers. "Stop," the leader of the guards called out to them.
Their hearts tightened. Yan Shi smiled and asked, "Excuse me, sir, is there something wrong?" To avoid trouble, both he and Yan Li had stored their weapons inside the Dragon’s Blood, so he was not worried about the soldiers’ inspection.
The guard looked Yan Shi up and down and asked, "Where are you from? What brings you to the capital?"
Yan Shi replied, "We’re from the countryside. We’ve come to the capital hoping to find opportunities to earn some money, just trying to make a living through manual labor."
The soldier hummed skeptically and said, "Brothers, search them. Let’s see if there’s anything suspicious about them."
Although the Yan brothers were not afraid of being searched, Ah Dai and Zhuo Yun could not allow it. Ah Dai carried the Sword of Hades in his chest pocket, and Zhuo Yun’s identity as an Elf was a secret.
As seven or eight soldiers approached them, Yan Shi quickly pulled out a few silver coins and stuffed them into the hands of the leading soldier, whispering, "Brother, take this to buy some drinks for the boys. We’ve got women with us, and it might be inconvenient to be searched. Could you perhaps make an exception and not search us this time?" The soldier weighed the silver coins in his hand, raised his hand to stop his subordinates, chuckled, and nodded, "Alright, I see no harm in you. Considering your kind gesture, go on in."
Relieved, the four quickly entered the city. Yan Li whispered to Yan Shi, "Big brother, why are the guards in Sunset City so strict? We didn’t face such scrutiny in other cities."
Yan Shi replied, "This is, after all, the capital of the Empire of Sunset City. It’s normal for the security to be tighter. Alright, let’s find a place to stay first. We must be cautious; the fact that the Assassin’s Guild has tried to track us down a few times already shows that our whereabouts aren’t exactly a secret. It’s best to keep a low profile. Huh? Ah Dai, what’s wrong?"
Ah Dai suddenly stood still, his hand pressed against his chest, his face showing utter shock. Zhuo Yun seemed to sense something as well and leaned close to Ah Dai, whispering, "Is the bracelet reacting?" Ah Dai nodded and led the four to a secluded corner, taking out the Elf Bracelet from his pocket. The bracelet shimmered with an unusual radiance, a vivid green signaling that Elves were nearby.
Yan Li exclaimed joyfully, "That’s great! There’s a reaction, which means the Elf Princess must not be far from here. Now, it should be easier to find her."
