Passing the Trial

Even though they said everyone would be there to greet him, in reality, with Landen included, there were only five people. As the hosts, they lacked the imposing presence of the guests.

Of course, Landen didn't care about any of that. His predecessor had never been able to stand tall in front of Second Sister since he was a child.

"My dearest sister, ever since Miss Janie came to notify you last time, I've been longing to see you. Now that we've finally met, I'm so happy!" Landen exclaimed with exaggerated tone, walking towards the group standing on the flat ground not far from the bunker, while subtly sizing them up.

The most striking figure was, of course, the person standing at the very front – Landen's Second Sister, Vivian.

Snakes are inherently lustful, and Dark Elves, who live their entire lives in the Underworld, are said to be most like snakes in temperament. Cold, murderous, and licentious – these eight characters are almost the best description of Dark Elves, and the last four characters are even more pronounced in female Dark Elves.

The vast majority of female Dark Elves have more than one lover, and the higher their status, the more lovers they possess. Those who become Matriarchs of a clan invariably have double-digit or even triple-digit consorts; this is true even for Matriarch Isis. Landen's four siblings have four different fathers.

However, this situation was not absolute. Vivian was different.

Although she was a Dark Elf, her personality in this regard was more like a human's. Since childhood, she had maintained her purity and never indulged in such matters. This even made Matriarch Isis a little worried. She once asked her second daughter, "Even for the continuation of your lineage, you will eventually have to touch upon these things. Are you planning to remain ignorant like this your entire life?"

Then, Vivian, who was only in her early teens by human reckoning, directly summoned Dark Elf men and women, making them "perform" continuously in front of her for a whole day. Afterward, she calmly told Matriarch Isis, "I understand everything I need to. When I feel the need for offspring, I'll find someone to handle it."

This became one of the few humorous memories Landen had of his Second Sister.

Although Dark Elves are a matriarchal race, female Dark Elves achieve the position of Matriarch more through schemes and cruel killings. Vivian was also different in this regard; she always believed that becoming a ruler depended on absolute strength, and playing schemes was merely the act of a petty person.

It was precisely this kind of person who became the Matriarch of a city before she even came of age!

And now, it was the first time Landen was matching a real person with his memories.

She was wearing a dark red fitted outfit that perfectly accentuated her fiery figure and made her beautiful face stand out even more.

However, these were not the main points. Those who were truly observing her were not focusing on these aspects.

She was currently mounted on a short-legged underground horse, her back straight from shoulders to heels, making her appear as upright as an ancient pine tree. Her lips were gently pursed, further defining the lines of her face. Coupled with the short, dark red hair gently swaying by her ears, she exuded an aura of solemn killing intent, heroic and formidable!

She was such a woman; if one had to describe her, it would be that a woman can be as heroic as any man!

Behind her stood three people. One was an immodestly dressed female Dark Elf. Judging by the whip tied to her waist and some strange ornaments on her body, she was a priestess of Spider Queen Ros.

Another was a Dark Dwarf, whose height barely reached below the chest of the female Dark Elf. He had a large beard covering his face and wore a leather vest, leaving his arms exposed. His not-so-long arms were covered in bulging, intertwined muscles. In one hand, he carried a colossal hammer twice the size of his head.

The last person was completely hidden within a hooded robe, even his exposed hands were gloved, making it impossible to discern his race. He held a staff that looked like several thick vines intertwined together. At the top of the staff was embedded a red gem the size of an egg, its light flowing within, as if containing immense power.

Behind them were Vivian's troops – two very regular units. One unit was composed entirely of Dark Elves armed with twin sabers, and the other was entirely made up of heavily armed Dark Dwarves. Both units were sizable, with a rough estimate of over a hundred people combined.

In the Underworld, a force exceeding a hundred people was already quite substantial.

Seeing this, Landen couldn't help but be a little surprised. It seemed Vivian genuinely had some intentions towards Morata City.

"Longing for me? I can't see any longing on your face," Vivian's personality was just as direct as Landen remembered, and... to the point. "Speaking of Janie, shouldn't you tell me where she went?"

"She's really impatient," Landen sighed inwardly, but outwardly feigned surprise and retorted, "Miss Janie is your subordinate, why are you asking me? The day she came to notify me of your arrival, she said she had other tasks and left. She even refused my offer for her to stay the night here. However, judging by what you're saying, she didn't return?"

This was why the Minotaur Butler had to die – no witnesses!

Vivian's expression darkened, and her gaze turned slightly cold as she looked at Landen. However, she didn't pursue the matter further, quickly changing the subject. "There seem to be fewer people here than when I last visited."

"It can't be helped!" Landen's tone instantly became filled with sorrow. "I can't compare to my wise and mighty sister. Surviving in a place like this isn't easy. To save me, my loyal Minotaur Butler paid with his life. I will always remember him!"

Vivian's gaze grew colder, but she couldn't find anything to say. She stared at Landen, her intuition telling her that this brother of hers was somehow different from his past self, yet she couldn't pinpoint how. He was still the same prodigal, hopeless wastrel.

So, she changed the subject again, "Let's not talk about these things. We've traveled a long way to get here, won't you invite us in to rest?"

"Of course, the rooms are already prepared. It's just that my rooms are limited, so your capable subordinates will have to make do and squeeze in a bit." Landen smiled enthusiastically, feeling a slight relief in his heart. This first hurdle had been passed.