Gou is a dark elf in Warhammer

"incredible!"

"incredible!"

Raine unconsciously murmured and repeated.

Just as the jungle slowly receded to the sides like a thick curtain, the city unexpectedly burst into his field of vision. His breath hitched slightly, and it felt as if something was gently pressing down on his chest. A framework buried deep within his cognition was shattered once again in that instant, and forced to be reassembled.

That was indeed a city of temples.

Because he saw pyramids, and more than one.

Rising abruptly from the lush greenery, their terraced outlines stand out sharply against the forest. The thick stone walls are covered with mottled moss and ancient, weathered lines, their contours simple yet restrained. At the top of the pyramids, a faint light slowly shifts, like long-dormant eyes half-opening, coldly and majestically gazing down upon those who come.

However, his gaze remained fixed on the outskirts of the city.

The high wooden walls meandered along the terrain, with massive wooden stakes deeply embedded in the earth, connected by beams and ropes. Simple yet functional watchtowers stood amidst them, surrounded by dense fences, and even a suspension bridge-like structure spanned the moat. The wooden surfaces were almost unadorned, the bark not completely peeled off, retaining a raw and rough texture, creating a stark, almost absurd, contrast with the smooth, cold, and seemingly eternally immortal stone structures of the pyramids.

Several spirit lizards were crouching on a wooden platform, their tails dangling over the edge and swaying gently, while they pulled on a rope net woven from vines with practiced and natural movements.

"Is...this art style right?"

Rein couldn't help but make a sarcastic remark in Darkus's tone, while subconsciously tightening his grip on the flagpole.

In all the legends and records he knew, the lizardman society should consist only of stone buildings, geometric and sacred spatial structures, and eternal ruins constructed with the help of stars and magic.

Calm, precise, and without any trace of human emotion.

But now?

wood?

Temporary fortifications?

This looks exactly like a defense mechanism that only humans would rely on...

If this weren't the Dragon Islands, and if he weren't in this humid and dangerous jungle, he would almost think he had traveled to Aubian.

"Is this really something that should appear in lizardman society?"

Imralion, standing beside Renn, took a soft breath and murmured a nearly identical expression of confusion.

Further back, Eldrasil, standing on the ancient Triceratops battle platform, silently gazed at the city. His gaze was deep and calm, as if he were examining a logically consistent yet counterintuitive puzzle, trying to find some hidden pattern within it.

Deep in the jungle, this temple city remains silent and enigmatic.

Stone and wood, eternity and temporality, miracle and craftsmanship, are crudely and abruptly pieced together at this moment, without caring whether any bystander can understand.

Of course, Rennes' confusion did not stop the team from moving forward.

With the sounds of ropes tightening and loosening, the suspension bridge slowly descended, its wooden axles and structure creaking, before settling heavily onto the ground. The group stepped across the bridge, officially entering this city shrouded in a powerful atmosphere of contradictions.

This time, it's clear that Renn wasn't the only one who felt a cognitive shock.

The spirit lizards that followed from the continent of Ruscia suddenly contracted their slender pupils, and their claws stiffened briefly as they moved, as if they had stepped into some otherworldly dream that could not be interpreted by astrology, prophecy, or logic.

As they delved deeper, the city's internal structure began to more clearly and brutally tear apart their previously solidified common sense.

The pyramids and temples still stand firmly and anciently in the heart of the city, exuding a familiar majesty and a clearly perceptible resonance of spiritual energy. That aura was not unfamiliar to Renn and the spirit lizard; it was weighty, orderly, and inextricably linked to the stars and the 'Grand Plan'.

However, what connects them is no longer the meticulously paved stone paths and symmetrical structures, but rather a network of crisscrossing wooden covered bridges. Beneath these bridges are low, densely packed rammed earth workshops and clusters of dwellings haphazardly built with rough stones and mud. The overall layout is chaotic yet practical, bearing clear traces of emergency repairs, expansions, and constant adjustments.

This in itself was enough to make the spirit lizards of Lustria uncomfortable.

What makes them even more uneasy is the 'position' of their kind here.

They saw the local spirit lizards, working in groups, carrying timber and mixing mortar. Their slender claws and sturdy forelimbs were covered in dust and grass clippings, their scales losing their usual clean luster. Beside a man-made irrigation canal, several spirit lizards were working together with a few monitor lizards, calling out in low voices as they laboriously pushed a huge wooden waterwheel. The water slapped against the blades, producing a dull, rhythmic sound. The spirit lizards communicated with each other using only short, harsh guttural sounds, prioritizing efficiency above all else, devoid of any superfluous emotion.

This one is nothing.

This is normal.

In the continent of Ruscia, and even in the jungles of the South, the spirit lizards have always been everything. They are laborers, managers, recorders, farmers, craftsmen, and messengers.

Lizards hatched from the same brood will soon learn their innate duties under the guidance of elders. Society has its own hierarchical structure, like the steps of a pyramid, progressing in layers.

It cannot be denied, nor should it be concealed.

The priestly class is the most direct and core servant of the Sran, and the de facto leaders of the Lizard society and the maintainers of the temple city's operation. They preside over rituals, interpret celestial phenomena, maintain the temple, and manage a large number of servants and affairs.

The spirit lizard leaders and warriors obey the priests' commands and plans. The spirit lizards they command are responsible for foraging, hunting, patrolling, and scouting threats, serving as a buffer and a sharp edge between the city and the jungle.

The scribe class was led by the chief scribe. Although the chief scribe did not have formal power, they controlled a vast and precise database of information, including records, star charts, history, and prophecies, which gave them significant influence in actual decision-making.

The working class, responsible for surveying, maintenance and construction, mining and dredging, included temple architects, hatchery cleaners, and experienced senior caretakers.

The artisan class, encompassing blacksmiths, artists, and various craftspeople—technicians, weapon makers, stone carvers—combined function with the sacred, ensuring that all creations conformed to ancient norms.

The agricultural class, responsible for animal training and farming, including wild animal keepers, insect keepers, and carnivore gardeners, maintained the city's most basic yet indispensable supplies.

In this meticulously planned, complex, and stable social structure, each spirit lizard has its own place, each performing its duties tirelessly.

But they act not for personal gain, but for the sake of the "grand plan." They expect no reward, nor do they seek recognition. Their only solace is knowing that they have embroidered their due thread into this eternal tapestry spanning time and space.

but……

What about those lizardmen warriors who stand aside, like guards, coldly watching the spirit lizards and giant lizards work?

Whether it was Yakadan, Inshi-Huz riding a Velociraptor, or the lizard priests atop the carriage, the accompanying Velociraptor riders, or the lizards standing on the backs of the giant beasts, what they were facing at this moment was a strong and unfamiliar logical shock, a scene that could not be digested by the existing knowledge system.

They can't understand.

In their understanding, the status of lizard people in lizard people society has always been clear and singular.

They are warriors, weapons shaped to serve the Ancients' "Grand Plan," responsible for fighting, guarding, and hunting. They know little of other matters, never question their roles, and are not expected to understand the more complex division of labor in society.

In war, ancient warriors and scarred veterans command their warbands and armies with the experience accumulated over many years and their almost instinctive judgment. Orders are direct and clear, allowing no hesitation.

When not engaged in battle, the lizardmen remain motionless in the sunlight to recover their strength; they guard their settlements and shrines, repeatedly practicing their combat skills. Those lizardmen assigned to guard duties are often in a near-dormant state, their consciousness low, only awakened by commands or threats. They also hunt alongside spirit lizards, a necessary and natural activity given the lizardmen's immense need for raw meat.

But no matter what...

It will never be like this!

On a wooden platform not far away stood a group of lizardmen warriors. Their gazes were sharp as blades, but they were not directed at the edge of the jungle, nor were they wary of the threats in the sky or in the distance. Instead, they were fixed on the spirit lizards that were working.

The gaze wasn't the sharp scrutiny of a battlefield, nor the focused tracking of a hunter, but rather a... calm oversight, as if they weren't guarding their own kind, but rather a group of living machines that needed to operate on a schedule? Were they some kind of 'flowing resource' that needed to be restrained and monitored?
Even more unusual was the indifference shown by the working lizards.

Not a single lizard looked up to meet the lizardman's gaze, nor did any of them quicken or slow their movements because of that look. Their expressions were focused and blank, their movements steady and repetitive, as if it had all become part of their daily routine. Like breathing, like scales gathering dust, like wooden wheels destined to emit a heavy, monotonous groan.

All of this seemed to have been written into the rhythm of their lives long ago.

The spirit lizards from Ruscia exchanged glances discreetly, their slender tails swaying unconsciously, revealing their inner turmoil. In their understanding, lizard people would never "guard" spirit lizards like this.

In battle, the lizardmen are the vanguard; in hunting, they are silent and reliable support; when guarding the city, they are like ancient guardians turned to stone, their gaze always turned to the outside world, to threats, to the unknown, and to the direction indicated by the ancient plan.

Instead of looking inward.

Not toward the spirit lizards that should be cooperating like brothers!
The air was filled with the fishy smell of soil that had been repeatedly stirred, the slightly acidic smell of wood that had slowly fermented in the dampness and sun, and the warm body odor of the monitor lizard, a mixture of its scales and body heat.

Labor, guarding, and a silent yet stubborn redefinition deeply rooted in daily life all permeate the air.

Everything was crystal clear in the sunlight; lines, shadows, and movements were all unobstructed. Yet, everything seemed shrouded in an unsettling mist.

It was a vague feeling of deviating from the right path but being regarded as 'normal'.

The local lizards did not stop working because of the arrival of the group. Those carrying stones continued to hunch their backs and drag their feet step by step; those turning the waterwheels continued to shout rhythmically in hoarse, dull voices. It was as if this group that had crossed the ocean was nothing more than a fleeting shadow of a bird flying over the city, unable to stir even the slightest ripple in their already numb rhythm of life.

However, when the ancient Triceratops carrying Chengyu slowly stepped forward, and when the silent, mountain-like body of Lord Huni Aitanqui on the platform, seemingly as heavy as time itself, clearly came into their view.

A certain change has occurred.

The sounds of labor hadn't truly ceased, but they had subtly shifted. The muffled thuds of stones hitting the ground were spaced out by half a beat; the groans of the waterwheel were suddenly punctuated by brief, hollow creaks. All the local spirit lizards at work, their movements not completely still, seemed to be gently pulled by invisible threads, their heads tilted slightly at an almost imperceptible angle towards Slan's direction.

Their dust-covered scales didn't suddenly become shiny, and their tired, empty eyes didn't spark with fervor or piety. However, something deeper, something more primal, was quietly awakening within their rigid, repetitive bodies.

That wasn't cheering, it wasn't kneeling, but rather... a kind of orientation, a re-established connection.

It was as if a long-dormant, sophisticated compass within them, after a long and chaotic drift, was suddenly and firmly attracted by the absolutely correct magnetic pole.

The pull was not violent, but irresistible.

Their logic, that rudimentary and direct behavioral logic honed by survival, labor, and obedience, was not overturned, but at the most fundamental level, it was gently and precisely calibrated.

Against the backdrop of chaos in their perception, a clear and stable spot of light suddenly appeared; amidst the long-standing, incessant white noise in their mental world, a pure, constant, and undeniable resonant frequency suddenly intruded.

Like a traveler lost in the eternal night, who, having long since grown accustomed to the darkness, suddenly looks up and sees the North Star, which will never shift its position. No understanding is needed, no thought is required; the center of gravity of the entire being shifts silently and completely in that instant.

They still held their tools, still stood in the mud and dust, sweat streaming down their scales. But their gazes pierced through weariness, through the numbness of day after day, clinging firmly to that ancient being. There was no obvious excitement in their eyes, but rather a near-suffocating focus.

A confirmation written in the deepest part of one's blood, needing no words.

direction.

found it!
The spirit lizards from Ruscia confirmed almost simultaneously that the lizardmen standing as still as rocks were indeed overseers! Just as the local spirit lizards were shaken by Slan's appearance and their work slowed down unconsciously, the lizardmen on the platform moved.

Their heads turned very slowly toward the working lizards, the thick scales on their necks rubbing against each other, making a subtle but grating scraping sound. The muscles in their arms, gripping the spears, bulged quietly, the veins taut beneath the scales, the oppressive feeling, not yet fully released, like low-hanging dark clouds, silently pressing down.

The intent of the warning was crystal clear! However, in the next instant... Cheng Yu

The newly formed aura of intimidation abruptly froze. The lizardmen warriors seemed to be instantly sealed by an invisible crystal; every movement—whether it was an incomplete muscle contraction or a half-step about to be taken—was frozen in the initial instant. They were as if they had truly turned into statues, with only the chilling gaze in their eyes, which had not yet been concealed, eternally fixed in their downward-looking posture.

The eerie green light surrounding Lord Huini Aitanquie seemed to ripple almost imperceptibly for a moment. An indescribable sense of stagnation filled the air, as if time itself had been gently and thoroughly smoothed and solidified in that area. Master Huini didn't even raise his eyelids, yet the laws of nature had already been rewritten for him.

Just as this strange balance between movement and stillness, intimidation and suppression was formed, a rapid and abrupt ringing sound suddenly broke into this almost stagnant space from afar.

A lizard emerged from an alleyway on the side of the pyramid, and its appearance almost stole the attention of everyone present.

"Wow!" Renn couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

In Renn's opinion, this spirit lizard's splendor was dazzling, even bordering on gaudy. If Chupakoko were here, she would probably stroke her most vibrant feathers and let out a heartfelt exclamation of admiration.

This lizard wasn't simply adorned with feathers or jewels; it was as if it had donned an entire tropical bird paradise, the essence of a gemstone vein, and fragments of a shattered star.

The rainbow toucan's tail feathers were dyed in a more flamboyant gold and silver hue, with each feather tipped with tiny, exquisitely cut emeralds or rubies that refracted dazzling light in the sunlight. Around its neck were several collars made of gold chains, shells, and polished animal teeth, layer upon layer, almost obscuring the original lines of its jaw.

His crown was a complete departure from the traditional style. It was a miniature jungle ecosystem model made of intricately woven gold and silver threads, with strange flowers carved from gemstones growing on it. The details were so elaborate that they were almost pathological.

As he ran, his feathers trembled violently, his gems clattered against each other, gold and silver shimmered and jingled, as if he were not moving a spirit lizard, but a small yet boisterous celebration. All of this formed an absurdly contrasting scene with the dusty laborers around him, with his rough-skinned, expressionless kin, and even with the unchanging solemnity of the pyramids.

He ran straight toward the ancient Triceratops, his reckless momentum making him look less like a priest and more like an over-packaged shooting star rolling toward Slan.

He was quickly stopped by Chakas.

At that very moment, Master Hui opened his eyes!

Raine glanced at the spirit lizard, then fixed his gaze firmly on Master Hui. He couldn't help it; he sensed something extremely wrong with Master Hui.

That wasn't an outward display of violent emotion, but rather a far more terrifying turning point...

Master Hui seemed to have suddenly plunged from the absolutely calm depths of the sea into a silent yet raging fury.

Then, he glanced at the spirit lizard, which was frozen in place and controlled by Chakas. He knew very well that the reason the spirit lizard was not struggling was not because of Chakas's power, but because Master Hui's consciousness had invaded the spirit lizard's mind.

He had seen that state before, and more than once.

telepathy!

At this moment, time seemed to freeze.

It solidified and lasted for a full two minutes.

There was no wind, no whispers, no unnecessary movements. Everyone's breath was compressed into their chests, and even their thoughts became slow and heavy.

"kill!"

Clear and concise words came from Master Hui's mouth.

Raine shuddered, a chill running down his spine. Then, he saw Chakas move.

Without any unnecessary movements, Chakas suddenly stretched out his left hand, which was not holding the halberd, and his thick fingers gripped the lizard's throat like iron pincers, then lifted the lizard high.

The moment his feet left the ground, the lizard broke free of his immobilized state. His hands frantically clawed at Chakas's thick arms, scraping against the scales, but finding no foothold. His mouth opened and closed repeatedly, squeezing out intermittent, silent breaths, as if urgently explaining or protesting something.

Unfortunately, his throat was being tightly choked.

His eyes rolled back rapidly due to lack of oxygen, his eye sockets became bloodshot, and his pupils became unfocused. His legs flailed erratically in mid-air, and his tail thrashed wildly, sweeping across the air but unable to grasp anything.

Fortunately, this situation did not last long.

As Chakas's arm muscles tensed again, a barely audible muffled sound came from the lizard's throat.

The struggle came to an abrupt end.

The spirit lizard was strangled to death.

After life completely left the body, Chakas's movements did not stop for a moment. He released his grip as if discarding a worthless piece of trash, letting the lizard's corpse fall to the ground.

But it doesn't end here.

Master Hui slowly turned his eyes, his gaze sweeping across the street and landing on the ancient blood warrior who had led the group to the temple city. Almost simultaneously, Chakas also turned around, his halberd tilted slightly forward, his eyes fixed on the ancient blood warrior, waiting for Master Hui to speak.

Time seemed to freeze once more.

The air seemed to be stretched to its limit.

But in the end, the execution order never came.

Chakas's body relaxed almost imperceptibly for a moment. He turned around again, picked up the lifeless corpse of the spirit lizard, and casually tossed it to the side of the street.

The body rolled in the dust, feathers scattered, gems jingling, and finally fell silent.

The team is restarting.

"What's going on?" Imralion swallowed hard and asked in a low voice.

Renn shook his head, indicating that he didn't know.

But in fact, he knew.

He knew that Slan would order the execution of the spirit lizards, as Dakous had told him, but the executions were usually spirit lizard priests, not spirit lizards of other classes.

However, the execution of lizard priests is extremely rare.

So few that even the lizard's hands, which together have eight fingers, can be counted on one hand.

This situation usually only means that the lizard priests have made a huge mistake that could tear the order apart, or that they have misinterpreted the grand plan and given orders on their own, thus clearly violating the will of the ancient saints.

It was not because Shilan was a tyrant, nor because he was in a bad mood, nor because his meditation was interrupted, nor because the spirit lizard did not appear on the beach to greet Master Hui, nor for any similar emotional reason, that he indiscriminately began to kill.

Shilan wouldn't do that.

Raine recalled the spirit lizard that had been executed.

Whether it was his almost exaggerated attire or the meticulously piled-up, unbalanced decorations, everything proclaimed one identity—he was a spirit lizard priest!
It is precisely because of this that he is even more certain that this is not an act of violence caused by emotional outburst, but a reckoning that has already been decided in the will of Slan.

But he didn't need to tell Imralion about this.

Even if I were to talk about it, now wouldn't be the time.

Moreover… he himself hadn’t fully grasped what had happened to make Master Hui make this decision. Everything here was too strange, so strange that it contradicted and misaligned with the logic of the lizardman civilization he knew.

However, this confusion did not last long.

When the procession stopped in the plaza below the pyramid, the answer finally appeared.

Master Hui, through telepathy, transferred the information extracted from the mind of the executed spirit lizard priest to Yakadan's consciousness, and then Yakadan told it to Renn.

First of all, the name of this temple city is "Shuzuma".

This island is called Asylum. Huzuma is located on the western side of Asylum.

Next comes the most crucial part.

The hierarchical structure of this temple city is completely different from that of the continent of Ruscia and the southern jungles.

After losing the control of the Slan Warlocks, the Lizardman Ancient Blood Warriors became the rulers.

The executed spirit lizard priest, whose status was second only to the ancient blood warriors, was loyal to the ancient blood warriors and was responsible for maintaining the operation of the temple city.

Below them is the Lizardman class.

The Lizardmen Warriors are directly led by the Ancient Blood Warriors, which is the fundamental reason why the Ancient Blood Warriors are able to maintain their supreme ruling position.

They possess both military power and a monopoly on order.

Below that is the local spirit lizard class.

They served the lizardmen warriors alongside the monitor lizards.

However, this is not the end.

Below that, there is another stratum.

The slave class.

This social class is extremely broad, encompassing any unfortunate species. Reckless adventurers, shipwrecked sailors, but the most numerous are spirit lizards.

Spirit lizards captured from the wild, or spirit lizards abducted from other temple cities.

They were stripped of their identities, their uses were redefined, and they became resources that could be guarded, driven, and consumed.

"No wonder..."

After hearing all this, Renn sighed softly.

He pulled out his notebook, his pen paused briefly on the paper, then began to write rapidly. He had to give Dakota a complete report of the situation here.

Once you understand the question and have the answer, many processes seem to naturally emerge.

This is certainly not a math problem.

This is a social evolution. (End of Chapter)