January 15, 1591 in the Terra calendar.

07:00 PM.

North Wing of Whisper Plaza.

In the trading station of the ever-changing mill family, an ancient portal called the Phantom Gate stands quietly.

The façade of the door is simple and ancient, constructed of unknown materials, and the surface is engraved with intricate runes and patterns that shimmer with a subtle sheen.

This portal is not only an important channel for foreign exchanges and business activities of the Thousands of Chemical Workshop families, but also a mysterious hub connecting multiple planes, facilitating the exchange of materials and knowledge between different worlds, and it is one of the eight portals mastered by the Chaebol family of Secret Whisper Square.

The [Boundary Wedge] of the square is divided into eight by the chaebols, and the [Boundary Wedge] is equivalent to the key to the plane, and those who have the key can control the flow of logistics and people from other planes to enter and leave the Secret Whisper Square, and control the bulk trade and information exchange between the planes.

The portal is not only connected to a fixed plane, but also has the ability to adjust the frequency and connect to several different planes, providing great convenience for the family's business activities; All shipments passing through the portal must undergo strict quarantine and magical testing to ensure that no harmful substances or forbidden magical items are brought in.

Under normal circumstances, people can enter the Whisper Square by avoiding the portal through a magical ritual, but this does not mean that the portal is useless.

The Ritual of Magic simply provides a ladder to avoid censorship and go through the portal's review, reducing the workload of the key holder, and when threatened, the portal can quickly activate an emergency lockdown mechanism, temporarily close or limit the flow of ritual visitors to the portal.

The secret language square, which is controlled by the eight chaebols, has a relatively unified set of logistics and people flow control standards.

In normal periods, the flow of goods of a portal is about 2,000 ~ 10,000 tons per day, mainly including rare materials, magic items, etc., as a port that only serves regional trade, its flow may be much lower than that of an international trade hub port; The plaza has a capacity of about 800 people per day, including traders, adventurers and information exchangers.

As the Midwinter Day approaches, coupled with the increasingly harsh censorship environment and high-pressure policies in Hell's Kitchen, Whisper Square has also begun to enter a state of martial law.

The daily flow of goods is directly limited to 150 tons, and the flow of people is limited to 200 people, a new regulation that has been agreed by almost all the people involved in the eight major families.

It's just that it is very intriguing whether the workshop family, which suddenly changed the person who spoke to the person, will abide by this new rule.

Buzz –

As night fell, subtle ripples erupted at the [Phantom Gate], as if the water surface was gently stirred by the wind.

This massive portal, normally silent, is now a busy meeting point, a hub between the present world and this ancient plane. Thanks to the master's subtle control of the EVE particle interference device, the world's technological products can pass through the door and enter the heart of the Whispering Plaza without any obstacles.

At this moment, several huge container trailers are slowly driving into the portal.

They towed two standard 20-foot containers, heavy tires leaving deep marks on the ancient stone slabs.

Behind these trailers, an even larger container truck is slowly driving inward, puffing out heavy exhaust fumes. Unlike previous vehicles, the truck was towing a single 40-foot-long container with a red flammable and explosive warning sign prominently indicating the potential danger of the cargo it contained.

Near the portal, the shapeshifter members of the Thousand-Changing Workshop family were on high alert, their eyes scanning every vehicle that entered from time to time, making sure everything was under control. In particular, the container truck carrying flammable and explosive signs attracted their great attention.

Serena, the family's advisor, stood aside, her eyes tinged with a hint of gloom.

From time to time, she glanced around, especially outside the protective net of mimicry barriers and monitoring charms, and some stalkers from other families were unabashedly watching it.

In her heart, she silently prayed, hoping that the other families would restrain themselves and not cause trouble on this night that should have been peaceful.

Recently, tensions between the major families have been mounting, and frequent clashes have occurred for some bizarre reasons, making the atmosphere in the entire Whisper Square tense.

Some troublemakers threatened to use the ancient method of banishing pottery shards to banish the ever-changing mill families in the name of the gods on the occasion of the Midwinter Festival.

This is not angry talk, but a message from the other families that they cannot tolerate the Workshop family that may be at risk of rebellion, so they want to expel them from the square when Midwinter arrives.

Just as Serena was silently praying in her heart, an ominous omen suddenly came.

Whew-

I saw an eagle cut through the night sky, flew straight towards her, and then quickly changed its form in the air, turning into a human form and landing in front of her.

The shapeshifter ran up to Serena with an anxious look on his face and panting, nervously reported:

"Oh no, consultant, there's an accident near the workshop. The White Dragons, the Shadow Elves of the Shadow Blending Family, and the Ghost Wizards of the Phantom Traveler Inn Family are coming to us with their men, and our men are already confronting them. They asked us to open the magic barrier at the door, claiming to check that we were following the new rules of the Whispering Square. ”

Serena's face sank, and she understood that this was not just a simple check-up.

In this tense atmosphere, any small spark can start a fire.

She quickly collected her feelings, took a deep breath, and calmed down.

"Notify your family members immediately and be prepared. At the same time, by activating the mechanism of urgent consultations and trying to engage in dialogue with the visiting parties, we must avoid unnecessary clashes on the eve of midwinter. ”

"Don't open the barrier, we must not make any compromise posture now, once the other families see our weak attitude, they will only become more unscrupulous!" The family advisor said with a gloomy face.

"Yes!" The debriefing shapeshifter nodded nervously, well aware of the gravity of the situation. Then, he quickly transformed into a goshawk again, flapped his wings, and left the tense place to carry out the advisor's orders.

The adviser walked towards the place where the conflict broke out with his men and horses.

********

When the family advisor Serena led many members of the Ever-Changing Chemical Workshop family to the scene in a hurry, her eyes instantly locked on the situation ahead, and her heart sank. The scene was exactly what she feared most, and what she didn't want to see—a potential conflict brewing.

In the dim light of the eve of midwinter, the north wing of the Whisper Square became the stage for a tense confrontation.

First of all, the eye-catching are the four majestic white dragons, they are like divine beasts out of ancient legends, standing quietly in the center of the field, each exuding an unbeatable momentum.

The sheer size of these white dragons is intimidating. Each white dragon is between 15 and 25 feet long, its massive body casts long shadows in the night, and its wingspan reaches a staggering 20 to 40 feet.

When these dragons spread their wings, they seemed to be able to obscure the sky, and with each flick of their wings, they brought up gusts of wind that made the air around them seem to tremble.

Erin Darkweave, the leader of the Shadow Weaver family, stood like a silent shadow, not far away.

Her lilac skin looked even more mysterious in the dim light, and her long silver hair swayed gently in the wind, like the brightest stars in the night sky.

Erin is tall and tall, standing like an undrawn sword, although the troops around her are hidden in the darkness and difficult to be seen directly, her calm and confident posture, as well as the aura that cannot be underestimated on her body, make people undoubtedly feel the existence of the power behind her.

Finally, the ghost wizards of the Phantom Traveler Inn family, the Dimension Rangers, stood with an almost palpable silence and mystery.

Their figures loomed in the dim light, as if they merged with the air around them, and only a faint glow that flickered from time to time testified to their presence.

The light that shrouded these wizards was as ethereal as mist, but it contained unfathomable power.

From time to time, their eyes radiated the thaumaturgy of the [Eye of Fear], a kind of unsettling magic, like an invisible arrow that shot straight into the most vulnerable corners of the other person's heart.

Even the bravest warrior may feel a shudder from the depths of his soul under such gaze.

This silent fear, like a chill gently blowing in the night wind, made everyone in the audience involuntarily nervous.

Gollum~

Faced with these three completely different forces in the Secret Whisper Square, the family advisor Serena's throat tightened unconsciously, and she swallowed her saliva with a rumbling.

Dragon's Breath Alchemy Workshop, White Dragon Army.

The Shadow Weaver family, the Shadow Guard of the Dark Elves.

Phantom Traveler Inn Family, Dimension Rangers.

Her mind quickly went through the information of the three opposing sides:

The Dragon's Breath Alchemy Workshop, and their awesome White Dragon Army. Not only does this family have an unrivaled position in the Secret Whisper Square, but their relationship with these powerful white dragons is even more elusive. These dragons are not only the objects of their worship, but also the center of their lives. It is said that the gnomes within the family spend almost all of their income – up to 96% – on the support of these seemingly noble white dragons.

The Shadow Blending Family, the Shadow Elf Shadow Guard led by Erin Darkweaver, is known as the Shadow Weaver Force, and they are the elite assassination and espionage team of the Shadow Blending Family. They are trained to move in the shadows, using the family's special invisibility and shifting magical fabrics. Not only do these fabrics make them almost completely invisible in the night, but they can also change colors and shapes depending on the environment and even mimic the appearance of a particular character.

The Dimension Rangers of the Phantom Traveler Inn family, they are a patrol team of ghost wizards cultivated by the family, who are able to travel freely between different dimensions, and monitor and patrol the security of the plaza 24 hours a day. This team is not only able to respond quickly to various contingencies, but also to carry out covert counter-reconnaissance and jamming missions.

Standing on the eve of this potential conflict, Serena meditated on these three forces in her mind, trying to find the Workshop family's chances of victory.

However, when her gaze unconsciously fell on the four majestic white dragons, the balance in her heart seemed to have tilted.

She knew in her heart that once the conflict broke out, these white dragons would be the most difficult opponents to deal with.

The atmosphere at the scene was extremely tense, and the White Dragon Army of the Alchemy Workshop, the Shadow Elf Shadow Force of the Shadow Blending Family, and the Ghost Wizard of the Phantom Traveler Inn Family had all taken a battle stance, their cold eyes locked on the [Phantom Gate] and the members of the Myriad Workshop Family.

At this moment, dozens of Workshop family members and warriors are standing, weapons in their hands, and gestures of the Transfiguration of War, ready to respond to possible conflicts.

Pedal Pedal –

Serena stepped into the scene, and her arrival immediately attracted everyone's attention.

Her face did not show the slightest fear, but she raised her head and said in her firm and powerful voice:

"I'm Serena, the advisor of the Ever-Changing Workshop family, and we haven't broken any rules, and we're not going to open the barrier of the door without a good reason. I hope that we can solve problems through dialogue, instead of unnecessary confrontation and conflict. ”

As Serena's words fell, the four-headed white dragon army in front of them seemed to sense some kind of hidden threat, perhaps a change of command, and they began to lower their huge bodies and make a gesture ready to spew frost. Their unruly eyes flashed with a wild light, and a cold breath gradually emerged from their mouths, making the surrounding air seem to be condensed, and gradually filled with layers of cold mist.

Seeing this, the nearby gnomes began to frantically pacify the restless white dragons, holding various tools and magical items in their hands, trying to ease the tension of these dragons.

The dark elf of the Shadow Blender family stood aside, a subtle look of disgust flashing across her face.

Her gaze swept contemptuously over the White Dragon Army and the busy gnomes in front of her, her heart filled with disdain for this alliance.

In the consensus of all the realms that follow the beliefs of the Golden Court, the white dragons, especially those from the dragon god line, are generally considered to lack wisdom.

Unlike the white dragons slaughtered in the Hundred Years of the French Dragon-Slaying War, the white dragons who follow the beliefs of the Golden Court are sometimes closer to pure beasts, and their quest for power far exceeds the yearning for wisdom or civilization.

White dragons are known for their penchant for carnal pleasures, and they mate with each other mostly out of momentary pleasure rather than the reproduction of a race or a union of feelings.

This pattern of behavior leads to their extreme neglect of their offspring, with few white dragons taking care of their eggs themselves.

In the Dragon's Breath Alchemy Workshop, this task usually falls on the shoulders of the gnomes.

The gnomes are not only responsible for raising these dragon eggs, but also use special hatching techniques and flesh-promoting methods in order to breed more powerful white dragons.

However, the side effect of this method is that it makes these armies of white dragons even more brutal and animalistic, and they show little intelligence commensurate with their massive bodies.

In Erin's eyes, this kind of existence, which relies on physical strength and ignores spiritual intelligence, is a blasphemy against the noble race of dragons.

Even if they temporarily joined forces for the same goal, it was difficult for her to completely hide this resentment and contempt. In the complex confrontation field of Secret Whisper Square, each character is interpreting their own beliefs and values in their own way.

Their alliance was only to deal with the Fourth Sword-Bearer of Heaven who was so ambitious that he wanted to rule everything he could see.

They are united not out of sympathy, but only in response to a common enemy.