Chapter 258: Chapter 57 Sheng Xie’s Deterrence_1
Seeing how courteous the other party was, Ah Dai hurriedly returned the greeting, saying, "Please, no need to be so polite. We are just passing through. Uncle Aldos didn’t give us any special instructions."
Taken aback, Xiphil, hearing the young tone of Ah Dai’s voice, asked doubtfully, "May I ask, which elder are you from the Mage Guild?"
Yan Li proudly said, "My brother was recently granted the title of elder by Chairman Kary."
Yan Shi pulled his brother aside since he knew Yan Li was too straightforward and Ah Dai too reticent. He then made the explanations himself, "Commander, nice to meet you. We indeed came from the City of Light, but we are not messengers. We just want to cross the military camp to reach the Empire of Sunset City. When we were in the City of Light, Lord Aldos gave us a token, saying that with this token we can pass through any camp of the Empire of Huasheng."
Xiphil let out a sigh of relief, thinking that it wasn’t a new directive from Governor Aldos. Having ascertained their identities, he was still curious about the trio, especially the one dressed as an elder from the Mage Guild, "In that case, I will send someone to escort you out of the camp later. Have a rest in the meantime and grab something to eat. Come, prepare food for our three guests."
Ah Dai raised the hood of his cloak, gratefully saying, "Thank you, Commander." They had been traveling for half a day and were indeed a bit tired.
All the commanders inside the headquarters were shocked at Ah Dai’s youthful appearance, including Xiphil, who exclaimed, "Elder, you’re so young."
Embarrassed, Ah Dai gave a wry smile, "Actually, my magic level is not that great. I merely got lucky to attain the position of elder."
Xiphil laughed heartily, "Strength proves everything. How could you be an elder of the Mage Guild just by luck? You truly are outstanding at such a young age! Take your time to rest. I will send escorts to guide you through the camp when you leave." He then ordered his soldiers to lead Ah Dai and the others away from the headquarters.
After Ah Dai and his companions left, Xiphil sat back down with a frown. Having a cautious nature, the presence of such a young elder from the Mage Guild had raised his suspicions. But since Ah Dai’s party indeed had a token from Aldos, he was in a dilemma.
The aide standing by seemed to notice the commander’s dilemma and stepped forward, "Commander, I find these three individuals suspicious. Although I know nothing of magic, I’ve heard about its vast learning curve. That young man seems to be under twenty. How could he possibly possess the abilities of an elder from the Mage Guild? Something is amiss. Perhaps, they are spies of the Empire of Sunset City residing within our borders. On seeing our well-prepared troop, they might be planning to retreat back to the Empire of Sunset City. I suggest it’s best to detain them."
The advisor’s words resonated with Xiphil. He nodded, "That’s a possibility, but how did they acquire Governor Aldos’s token? I checked it beforehand; the token is genuine. We need to handle this carefully. If the token was indeed issued by Governor Aldos and if we detain them without proper cause, the Governor might be displeased."
The aide was in a predicament as well and mused, "The Empire of Sunset City is notorious for their dark tactics; perhaps they stole the Governor’s token."
Xiphil shook his head, "Although possible, the Governor’s token is kept secure. With numerous experts guarding him, stealing isn’t an easy task. We need to tread carefully."
Sitting next to Xiphil, the commander of the Second group army, Rick, suggested, "Brother, it’s simple; we just need to test their strength to determine their authenticity."
Xiphil was puzzled, "How would we test it? Can strength prove their identity?"
Rick gave a mysterious smile, "Of course, you mustn’t forget, we also have mages from the Mage Guild here! The strength of an elder shouldn’t be weak at all."
Xiphil’s eyes brightened, "You’re suggesting..."
With a nod Rick replied, "Leave this to me. If they are spies, I guarantee they won’t be able to escape. You guys continue discussing the matters related to the Empire of Sunset City, I’ll handle this." He then walked out of the headquarters. The mage group holds a respected position within the group army. Even in the Empire of Huasheng, which holds the greatest number of mages, there are only about three hundred mages in the entire mage group. They don’t participate in military meetings and only lend a hand during wars. They are even more expensive than the heavy knight group and a hundred-member mage group has the same status as a regular ten-thousand troop army.
Ah Dai and his companions were warmly welcomed in a tent not far from the headquarters. After a hearty meal, their exhaustion disappeared. They were figuring out where to start looking for the Elves in the Empire of Sunset City when two mages walked in. Judging from their magic robes, one was a senior water element mage and the other, a senior fire element mage. Both were above sixty and at the sight of Ah Dai’s attire, their faces beamed with interest. The fire element mage, upon seeing the six-pointed star on Ah Dai’s shoulder was stunned for a moment before he respectfully said, "The third group of the Mage Guild’s group leader, Siri, salutes the elder." He, along with the water element mage, then bowed to Ah Dai.
