Chapter Thirty-Nine: Enchanting Voices of Dreams

The quest to exterminate the goblins had come to a perfect close, and Jen had also acquired everything he needed to modify the Summoning Crystal. By all rights, this ought to have been a moment to celebrate, with drums beating, firecrackers bursting, and everyone welcoming the new spring in high spirits. Yet, unfortunately, no one had the leisure for such festivities, all thanks to the information Elise had brought.

Humans had appeared.

If it were only a few wandering adventurers, it might not have been worth a second thought. But according to Elise’s description, these people were clearly well-armed, well-trained, and numerous. By no means did they resemble the kind of fools who, lured by tales and legends, marched to their deaths for glory. Torg had hastily returned to Brandon Stone Fortress with the remaining gray dwarf soldiers to relay the news to Kardec. Whatever disagreements he had with Kardec, they were united in the face of outsiders. Meanwhile, Jen led the others back to his own dungeon to discuss how they might respond to this new development. After all, the arrival of humans was no trivial matter for the Underdark—especially a force so organized and disciplined. This could very well be the vanguard of another human expeditionary army; if so, it might herald yet another war in the Underdark, and they could not afford to be unprepared.

Regrettably…

“We have far too little information,” Enoya said with a helpless shake of her head. “If we could have captured a few alive to interrogate, we might have discovered something useful. As it stands, at least we can be sure they’re not ordinary adventurers. So… what we must consider now is how to respond. It’s a pity Miss Elise didn’t leave us any prisoners to question.” At this, Enoya sighed. As a high undead, she possessed unique means of gathering intelligence—even from corpses. Whether from a brain, muscle, or innards, she could extract what she needed. But Elise had acted decisively to avoid exposing her presence, incinerating all of them to ash. There was nothing left for Enoya to work with.

Still, Enoya didn’t blame Elise. After all, this was the first time Elise had ever encountered humans, an event as momentous as when mankind met extraterrestrials on Mars. As a half-vampire, Elise could hardly expect to communicate with humans, and her actions to protect herself and erase evidence made sense.

“It doesn’t matter,” Jen said, waving Elise’s concern aside. “If those people notice someone missing, they’ll send more to investigate.” He turned to Virna. “Virna, please go to the Blackstone Watchtower and keep an eye on Brandon Stone Fortress. Report any changes to me immediately.”

Virna frowned at the order and let out a disgruntled snort. “Are you joking? We’re discussing those wretched crawling vermin, and you want me to watch the gray dwarves? I’ve had enough of this. Damn it, I am a dark elf, not a slave! Why must I do such menial work?!”

Jen remained unfazed by her protest. He simply reached out to adjust his glasses, his gaze fixed on the dark elf before him.

“This is a request, Miss Virna—I would rather not make it a command. Do not forget your position.”

“You…!” Virna clenched her fists, her eyes wide with rage as she glared at Jen. She was almost ready to explode. Who was she? A proud daughter of the dark elves. She had never wished to serve anyone, and only submitted to Jen under the weight of his overwhelming power. But now, she thought, she must show some backbone and make him see her worth. She was no lowly slave—why should she be stuck with such tasks? If it were killing, she wouldn’t complain, but this… This wretched mage! She would have to show him just what she could do!

But what’s so bad about this?

Suddenly, another voice echoed in Virna’s mind, as if someone else was whispering in her ear. Didn’t you want to kill that mage? So just do as he says. You’re not in the dark elf city anymore; no one cares what you do here. What are you worried about? Obey him, earn his trust, lull him into complacency. Once you’re close enough, you’ll have your chance to kill him, won’t you?

Virna paused, the suggestion taking root, and a strange smile flickered across her face. Yes, this was the dark elf way. Why fight the mage head-on when she could stay by his side, gain his trust, and find his weakness?

“Hmph!” With this thought, Virna gave a cold snort and turned away. “Fine, I’ll go now. Satisfied?” And with that, she swept from the study, not waiting for Jen to say another word.

She did not see the fleeting smile that passed through Jen’s eyes.

“Well, it seems Miss Virna has come around,” Jen remarked, his gaze lingering on the door before turning to Enoya, a half-amused expression on his lips. Enoya arched an eyebrow but said nothing. “Enoya, go inform Bix to lead the goblins in expanding the Summoning Crystal’s chamber to four by six. We’re going to do something big.”

“Yes, master. I will go at once.” Enoya nodded without hesitation and left, closing the heavy door behind her. The sound echoed through the silent room. Only then did Jen narrow his eyes, reaching out to trace in the air. A map of the Underdark appeared before him.

At the center was his own dungeon; to the west and south lay Brandon Stone Fortress and Onyx Stone City, respectively. But Jen’s attention was elsewhere. He extended his hand, and a series of red dots appeared—marking the site of the earlier clash between Elise and the human patrol.

The system had its uses, at least—no need to squint at a crude map for hours with no results.

From the map, the encounter had occurred at the edge of the Blackstone Abyss, one of the most desolate places in the northern wilderness. Only volcanic rock and rubble filled the landscape; no living soul could be found there. For this reason, no intelligent races ventured there, and even underground monsters rarely sought food in that barren region.

Moreover, the Blackstone Abyss was a labyrinth of winding roads and countless caves—easy to get lost in. Jen had only ever explored it briefly, dismissed it as harmless, and thought no more of it. But now, if there were a portal, it was most likely hidden deep within those dark chasms.

Jen had no intention of launching an attack on the portal at once. According to Elise, it was heavily guarded, and such portals worked both ways. Who knew what was on the other side? If he seized the portal and walked through, only to fall into a trap, it would be a disaster. The best approach was to wait until the time was right and blend in with the enemy’s team, passing through unnoticed. As long as he reached the surface safely, he would have many ways to reestablish two-way contact with the dungeon—far better than holding the portal and waiting for an assault, and much more flexible.

Of course, he needed to be fully prepared beforehand. Jen had already dispatched three xenomorphs to scout the area, locate the portal, and gather intelligence on the adventurers, ensuring he had enough information to avoid detection and assess the security. If the guards were few, perhaps he could take the portal by force. If not, he would have to consider other options. In any case, preparation was never wasted.

But before that…

Jen’s gaze swept from the Blackstone Abyss to Onyx Stone City on the map, and a sly smile tugged at his lips.

First, it was time to enjoy a good show.