, his eyes searched aimlessly in the night, and the long-forgotten beauty of the past appeared in his mind, and the expression on his face was happy and slightly bitter.

"Eat it. ”

Xue Qi looked back to find the Duke smiling at her, she looked down at the dry food in her hand, and wanted to say thank you to him. But when she looked up, she found that the Duke had left. She glanced at the dry food in her hand, and silently followed the Duke back to the campfire.

By this time, everyone had basically finished dinner, and Gore and Sakura were talking and laughing, talking about the rainy night in their hometown. The two gray elves quietly closed their eyes to recuperate, but Xue Qi noticed that Kirsco was a little uneasy, and opened her eyes from time to time and secretly looked at the elf.

"Everyone is rested, let me tell you about the situation in charge of guarding tonight: Gore and I are on the first shift, and two hours later Bodo and Kosco will be on the shift, followed by Yuki and Sakura, Alfre and Goller, Gru, Sal and Kuser are in charge of the last shift, do you have any opinions?" The Duke looked around at everyone, everyone was silent, the Duke nodded, and was about to end the conversation, Alfre suddenly stood up, and said with a solemn face: "I think something is wrong!"

Everyone's eyes were drawn to the old blacksmith, the Duke looked at him with an inquiring gaze, nodded and motioned for him to continue, Alfrey cleared his throat and said seriously: "I don't think it is appropriate for Miss Xueqi and Sakura to stand guard together, the two girls are standing guard alone, it is not safe, it is safer to arrange male team members to be with them separately." ”

As soon as he finished speaking, Kosco stood up and said, "I agree too, it's too risky to put the two of them in charge of guarding, they are so young......" He glanced at Sakura, and saw that Sakura was staring at him with her clear eyes, and his heart beat suddenly. He mustered up the courage to continue: "I think they should be separated from the experienced male team members. ”

The Duke looked at Sakura. Looking at Xue Qi again, Sakura looked hesitant, while Xue Qi had a calm face, and it was hard to see what she was thinking. The Duke turned his gaze back to the Grey Elves and the Dwarven Blacksmith, and from their eager eyes, the Duke faintly felt it. Both of them went to Sakura, and he was not unaware of them along the way, but he hadn't figured out their true intentions yet, but he felt that he couldn't let them be alone with Sakura no matter what, and the elves were not on good terms with the dwarves or the gray elves for generations, and if they listened to their opinions, the elven girl's safety could not be guaranteed anyway, and the consequences could be unimaginable.

Regarding the duke's worries, Xueqi also has a heart. She had been pondering the motives of the grey elves and the dwarves. I'm worried that they have bad intentions against Sakura. She peeked into the duke's face, saw his sad face, and decided to take it upon herself to break the deadlock. She suddenly got up and drew the long sword at her waist, and the people around her were startled, as if they were afraid of who she would suddenly rush at. But Xue Qi was just in a standard military posture, staring at the Duke with her eyes and her long sword on her chest. "Lord Duke, I would like to assure you of the exploits and honors of my many years since the rebellion against Mondderek V. With my sword that has killed countless enemies, I assure you that Sakura and I will live up to your expectations, please rest assured!"

The Duke looked around at everyone with satisfied and proud eyes, and everyone was silent, everyone understood that Xueqi's words were defending their honor. If she objected again, she would be challenging her dignity and even the dignity of the soldiers of the human kingdom. The Duke bowed his head to Xue Qi with great appreciation: "Miss Xue Qi, I believe that you will keep your promise, please take a seat." Xue Qi glanced respectfully at his pleasant face and sat down again. A heart pounded because of his approving gaze.

Kosco and Alfrey glanced at each other, both looking a little dejected, they didn't notice that the half-orc Gru, who was sitting not far from them, had a sneer on his lips.

The Duke and Gore began to stand on the first shift, Gore had good eyesight at night and very strong hearing, so the Duke put him in charge of the entrance of the cave, and he was in charge of the cave, while the others began to find a place to rest.

The Duke stared at the dark cavern in front of him, guessing where it leads. There are many caves and tunnels in the interior of the Kodo Mountains, which were specially dug by the dwarves in order to sneak up on the elves. After the war, the tunnels were abandoned and became known to be home to monsters, demons, and gnomes. However, legend has it that there is an underground command post used by the dwarven army to station and store food and weapons, and there is a wide passage that leads to the Swamp of Sorrow, and if you can find a way to the underground command post, the journey will be much faster and much easier!

"But......" The Duke shook his head helplessly, and said to himself: "How wide the Kodo Mountains are, and how many tunnels there are, there is no way to find them......" He moved his tired body, and his eyes fell on Xueqi, who was sleeping deeply with her back against the stone wall, and Sakura curled up in her arms, sleeping sweetly. The Duke looked at the two girls who were like sisters, and couldn't help but think of his brothers, I don't know, what happened to them......

......

Sakura felt someone touch her, she sat up with sleepy eyes, and found that Kirsco was standing aside and looking down at herself, she felt a burst of hair in her heart, and subconsciously shrank back, but fell into someone's arms, she turned back in panic, and Xue Qi was looking at her and smiling.

"Come on, it's time for us to stand guard!" Yuki pulled Sakura up and said to Kosco, "It's hard work, you can go rest too, and leave it to us!" Kosco nodded reluctantly, glanced at Sakura nostalgically, and turned to his master Bodo.

The rain outside the cave had stopped, but the cold wind still persistently poured in, and the sleeping man shivered and wrapped his cloak tightly. Sakura leaned her back against the rock wall at the entrance of the cave and looked around the dark cave with her blue eyes that were unaffected by night, and there was silence around her. Sakura feels a little cold, but the elf doesn't feel cold, it's the coldness of the heart, it's a messenger sent by loneliness, Sakura remembered Kaede. Where is he now? Is it raining there too? Does he think of me? Sakura looked up at the night sky, looking at the moon hiding in the cracks of the clouds and peeping at the earth, the moonlight penetrated the damp light mist after the rain, and a cloud of longing mist lingered in Sakura's heart, and the cold and moist smell of the air seeped into her heart in her gentle breathing, turning into a long and gentle song, humming softly:

The moon without light,

Like frost in the heart,

People who are far from home.

Who can solve the confusion in your heart?

Moon Shenghui,

human thinking,

Can I complain about the month?

The bright moon looks up,

Who is with you to remember?

Wind chasing clouds,

clouds chasing the moon,

Ever remembered.

Playing with you as a child,

The bright moon reflects the heart.

The wind is gone,

cloud dissipation,

Things are not people who don't look at each other for thousands of miles,

Bask in the cold moonlight.

The singing quietly stopped, and Sakura reached out and touched the small bag tied to her belt, which contained the dry food left by Kaede, and a warm feeling came from her fingertips to the bottom of her heart, the bag of dry food that was already cold carried his body temperature. It warmed her body and mind.

All of Sakura's actions were seen by Xue Qi, she was a few years older than Sakura, she knew this kind of girl's heart, looking at Sakura's happiness, she felt as if that happiness had also been transmitted to her. She subconsciously touched the small package around her waist, and the dry food that the duke gave her was still inside. She only took a small bite before going to bed, and she didn't seem hungry at all. It was as if that packet of dry food could be eaten forever.

Sakura is immersed in the illusion of happiness with a sweet smile on her face. She heard a voice calling out to her, and she listened intently, it was clearly Kaede's voice! Sakura was so surprised that she unconsciously moved out of the cave.

Sakura...... Come here...... Come here...... Dear ......"

The voice was gentle and amiable.

Sakura...... My little darling...... Come to me......"

In a trance, Sakura saw Kaede standing a few steps away. Smiling at himself, he opened his arms to her. Sakura walked towards him in a daze, and Kaede was still calling, "Come on...... Come to me...... Let me kiss you gently...... Just like ever......"

Hearing this, Sakura vaguely felt that something was wrong, but she didn't have time to think about it. has come to the front of Kaede, Kaede's face is already clearly visible, so familiar, so kind. At this moment, Sakura suddenly realized: No, Kaede has never kissed me! She hurriedly jumped back, and asked in a shocked and angry voice, "You are not Kaede, who are you?"

"Sakura, what's wrong?" Yukiki heard the shout and turned to run towards Sakura. At the same time, Sakura's face distorted, and a bewitching banshee with demonic wings and a gray-black body rose into the air, pounced on Sakura with her teeth and claws.

"Get out of here, devil!" the elf girl's screaming voice resounded in the sky with a few "clicks", and the air around the banshee was quickly cooled, and it was immediately frozen in the crystal clear ice. Although Sakura's staff has fallen into the valley, elves are born with magical powers, and unlike the acquired training of human magicians, they are free to use magic even if they do not have magical weapons.

"What's going on?" the duke, who heard the sound, jumped up at once, and before Sakura could answer, the ice suddenly burst open, and the scattered ice chips fell on Sakura like a downpour, taking advantage of the gap between Sakura and the broken ice, the banshee pounced on her again, and the bloodthirsty claws grabbed directly at Sakura's heart.

A cry of despair echoed through the valley in the night, lingering for a long time. The banshee grabbed the hilt of the long sword that penetrated her body with both hands, and her blood-red eyes finally glanced at the people not far away, and a trace of unwillingness flashed in her eyes, which gradually dimmed and became dull. The divine energy contained in the paladin's sword completely dispelled the dark energy in her body. Sakura seized the opportunity, and a stream of spring water rushed out of the ground, straight into the sky, and the powerful impact force shattered the bones of the banshee's body, and fell heavily to the ground, and the last trace of breath disappeared completely.

The surroundings gradually quieted down, and the awakened people gathered at the entrance of the cave to watch Sakura's back, Sakura looked at the banshee on the ground blankly, and suddenly fell to her knees on the ground, crying loudly. The Duke and Xueqi hurriedly stepped forward, Sakura shook her head and cried, and after a while, she fell into Xueqi's arms and said faintly: "I, I'm fine, I'm just, just suddenly I miss him, I miss him very much......"

The Duke and Xue Qi glanced at each other, and secretly let out a soft sigh, how could they not understand the pain of lovesickness for lovers in Sakura's hearts? They helped Sakura up and let Xue Qi help her to rest. As they walked past Kosco, the gray elf looked anxiously and melancholy at the sobbing Sakura, but as soon as they met Yuki's gaze, they immediately panicked away.

"It's a succubus. The Duke muttered as he looked at the lifeless corpse at his feet. He suddenly became excited, turned around and walked to the middle of the crowd, and said loudly: "Everyone prepare for battle, succubi are creatures that move in groups, and the screams just now will definitely attract more succubi, everyone must be careful," the duke's face became very serious, and his tone was so low that the people around him felt extremely depressed, "The most important thing is to keep a clear head!"

"They're coming! over there!" Gore said aloud, shaking his long, sharp, thin ears, and everyone listened intently, and it was quiet at first, and soon everyone heard the sound of a howling wind, the flapping of countless pairs of wings, in the depths of the dark cavern behind them. I don't know how many ghostly figures flew towards the people, and the team members withdrew from the cave and stared at the entrance of the cave side by side, everyone was extremely nervous, Sakura also cheered up, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and prepared for battle under the encouraging gaze of Yuki.

Black wings roared out of the cave, sharp claws reaching everyone's throat, and the duke's majestic roar echoed in the quiet valley of the night: "Be judged, demon!"

The smell of blood and burnt paste filled the cave, and most of the succubus corpses on the ground were torn apart, or their whole bodies were charred black, and a few intact corpses were either neatly cut off in their throats, or their bones were shattered and slumped on the ground.

No one cared about the dead banshees, and the mood of the people was full of sadness and fear, and another fresh life left them, and it was the half-orc warrior Thrall who died, and the orcs frantically charged in front of the banshees who were proficient in dark magic, looking reckless and vulnerable.

The unfortunate Thrall had a chance to be rescued, but when Xueqi rushed to the succubus who controlled him and tried to kill the succubus with the holy sword to save him, the nearby succubus used magic to interfere with Xueqi's mind, and her eyes suddenly flashed in front of her eyes in the battle of Ou Rui, the terrifying sight of her father Duke Ou Rui in a different place under the greatsword of Karl Ivan , the tragic picture made her lose her courage instantly, and she fell to her knees tremblingly, until Sakura used magic to dispel the dark magic on her body, she was like a dream, but Thrall had been drained by the banshees.

Thrall was buried outside the cave in the soft soil moistened by the rain, and people gathered around to mourn their dead comrades. Gru knelt at Thrall's grave, mourning his brother, who had lived and died together, and although there were no tears in his eyes, blood was dripping from his heart.

"It's all my fault, if I had been braver, maybe I could have saved Sal!" Xueqi's voice of pain and self-blame came from behind Gru, followed by Sakura's soft comforting voice, Gru silently looked at the mound in front of him, but his teeth were clucking, in his heart, it was all the mistakes made by this weak woman, he didn't know what kind of struggle Xueqi had in his heart, he just felt that the other party was cowardly, frightened by the banshee with teeth and claws, and new hatred and old hatred accumulated into an angry volcano in his heart at the same time. (To be continued......)