Gou is a dark elf in Warhammer

Eltharion picked up the drink on the table and gently shook the liquid in the bottle. The ripples spread slightly, reflecting the light and shadow on the table. His fingers slid slowly along the bottle, his eyes drooped slightly, as if he was sorting out his thoughts, or as if he was considering how to speak.

He took a deep breath, glanced at the people around the conference table, and finally looked at his brother. He could feel the complexity in the other's eyes, astonishment, hesitation, and even some unspeakable doubts.

"I have done a lot, brother." He slowly put down the bottle and folded his hands. His tone was steady and meaningful, as if he wanted to condense fifty years of experience into this short sentence. "In Naggaroth, I was active in the army, learned their tactics, and watched them rebuild their military system. In Naggaroth, I witnessed their reshaping, watched them stand up from the ashes, establish order, reshape the code, forge chaos into a sharp blade, and transform faith into the gear that drives them forward."

He raised his eyes slightly and his gaze met the people present one by one. Many people were still immersed in the shock of what they had just heard about the military system of Druch, and were still trying to understand what the information they had heard meant.

"I watched as soldiers who once worshipped bloodshed and were fanatical about chaos were reshaped into rigorous, orderly fighting machines. Every city had railroad tracks running through it, military camps were built in a few months, roads connected factories, and the logistics system operated precisely. Their way of war had undergone a qualitative change. Soldiers were trained with weapons of various types, not a single standard that had been used for thousands of years, but a wide variety to adapt to different terrains and tactical needs."

He paused, tapped his fingers on the table, and added in a low voice, "Even two-wheeled vehicles have become important equipment on the battlefield."

This sentence made the faces of many Asur who had recovered even uglier. They had heard a terrible fact from Eltharion's words. Naggaroth had undergone fundamental changes. The world of Duruchi that they once knew was moving towards something bigger, more efficient, and more... dangerous.

The Druch no longer rely solely on plunder and brutality to maintain their army, and no longer rely solely on iron-blooded rule to maintain their rule. They are building a system that is more efficient and expansive than anyone imagined, a true war machine.

"So, what role do you play in their system? Are you a soldier? An official? Or..." Alagaron's brows frowned even deeper. He stared at Eltharion, the confusion in his eyes became more intense, and his voice became lowered, as if he was restraining something.

"I am a bystander, but I am respected." Eltharion spoke slowly, his tone calm but revealing an indescribable weight. "For fifty years, I have no military rank, and I have not held any position. I have followed Malekith as his adjutant, observing, learning, and recording. Malekith and Dacreus have never asked me to become a part of them. They allow me to watch and listen, but they will not force me to be loyal, nor will they ask me to make a choice."

He leaned back in his chair, exhaled deeply, his eyes dimmed for a moment, and then regained clarity. "But there are some things that, once seen, it is impossible to pretend ignorance. There are some truths that, once touched, can no longer be ignored."

This sentence made the atmosphere in the conference room even heavier, and people even felt that the air seemed to become stagnant, so stagnant that it was as if a certain great wizard had cast a spell without anyone noticing and sucked all the air out.

Of course, this was only the feeling of the Asur sitting opposite Eltharion, but the situation was different for those sitting on his side. Those sitting on his side had had in-depth contact with Dakwus, either as friends or comrades, or on a deeper level, they had a thousand ties with him, and could not even be completely cut off. Their silence came from the fact that they knew more and understood more than the others present.

"Perhaps... I have become a part of them? When I knew I was going back to Ulthuan..." Eltharion's voice suddenly became a little low, with a hint of complex emotions in his tone that even he himself could not express.

Seeing that Eltharion was revealing some of his true feelings, or rather, his words were becoming more and more unreliable, Marlene's eyes flickered, and a trace of worry emerged between her brows. She knew that Eltharion's emotions were beginning to get out of control, and this meeting was far from the stage where emotions could be turned up. Her hand under the table silently grabbed the corner of Bel-Ahor's robe.

Bel-Ahor noticed Marlene's action, but he did not speak immediately. Instead, he waited for a moment before slowly standing up and looking around. He looked calm and composed, as if he was recalling something or organizing his own words. He exhaled gently and then spoke in a tone that was neither hurried nor slow.

"Neither of us has been treated viciously, imprisoned, tortured, or controlled by magic, nor have we been forced to make any sacrifices beyond the bottom line." He paused, his eyes sweeping across everyone's faces, "I smoke simply because I like it, not because of some compulsive habit. Our safety has always been guaranteed, and we have seats at important meetings. Our daily lives are far more normal than you think. There are too many things to do every day, and we are too busy to finish them. This is the real reason why I like to smoke."

As he spoke, he raised his hand, gently shook his robe, and took out a golden Sovereign coin from his trouser pocket, and then placed it on the table without hesitation. The gold coins made a crisp collision sound in the silent air.

"Every season, I will receive my salary. Occasionally, when we have free time, we will go to the northern commercial district of Nagarond with the accompanying Tritons to eat our favorite food and buy things that interest us."

His voice remained steady, but every word he uttered made the faces of the Asurs on the other side of the conference table grow more gloomy.

When he said this, his brother, Yelian, stared at him, his sharp eyes almost turned into a real question, as if questioning him, he has become a Druki. In the past, he would avoid, he would retreat, but now, he will not, he has found his own way, he has found his own direction, he will not retreat.

Not only Yelian, but Finnubar's eyes were also solemn. He folded his hands on the table, and his thumbs slowly rubbed his palms, his heart was full of confusion. His son had changed, and he was even unfamiliar with him, as if he had become another person, but compared to the original Bel-Akhor, he liked the current Bel-Akhor more. He had an illusion that he saw the shadow of Dacus in his son.

He didn't know whether sending Bel-Akhor to Naggaroth was the right decision or an irreparable mistake. But now, he began to waver.

Maybe... this decision is the right one?
perhaps……?
The Asur were silent, their expressions were either solemn, stern, or full of doubt. They had not yet fully accepted all of this, and they were still trying to digest the fact that the Bel-Ehor and Eltharion they once knew were no longer what they remembered.

After listening to Bel-Ahor's equally unreliable words, Marlene sighed heavily, then reached out and pressed her forehead. She shook her head slowly, then turned her gaze to Sovereign. As someone who had studied economics, she ignored Bel-Ahor's true feelings and picked up the gold coin, holding it under the light to observe it.

Eltharion looked at this scene with a slightly dim look in his eyes. He knew that he had indeed lost his composure a little. He slowly exhaled, thought for a moment, and decided not to mention Dacus for the time being, nor to mention the real purpose of his return this time. He knew that now was not the time.

He readjusted his emotions, and then continued in a calm tone, "The ten Sea Guards who followed us to Naggaroth... At the beginning, three of them died in the battle with Chaos." His voice slowed down a bit, and his eyes became deeper. "At that time, I encountered an extremely terrifying existence."

He paused here, ignoring the existence of Aris. He shook his head slightly and continued, "The rest of the Sea Guard returned to Ulthuan with us and stayed in Lothern."

"Tell me from the beginning, from the very beginning." At this time, Finnubar's voice sounded slowly.

"Yes, I had the honor of participating in a raid... a raid against Morathi."

Eltharion described this in great detail. After all, he had actually participated in it. Although he had not participated in the planning, he had witnessed the entire process from the beginning of the operation to its failure, and then to the arrow shot by Aris. As he spoke, he gestured on the table with his hands, his fingers flying, and restored every key detail of the raid under the gaze of everyone.

Every word he said was full of vivid images, allowing everyone present to witness the thrilling battle with their own eyes. His fingertips simulated the attack routes of the raider and the red dragon, but he did not mention Aris. He said that the arrow was shot by Talos.

Finally, it freezes at the moment of failure, when the action ultimately fails to achieve the expected results.

After hearing the news of failure, many Asur sighed. After hearing that they had finally failed, everyone sighed. That was Morathi, the Morathi who ran through the history of the elves.

"How many assault ships do they have now?" Aislin, who had been silent since entering the room, spoke.

Instead of commenting on the failure of the raid, he turned the conversation directly to the area that concerned him most, naval power.

As the supreme commander of the navy, he knew better than anyone that Ulthuan depended on the sea for survival.

In the past fifty years, he has fought against Druch's navy countless times, and he divided these fifty years into three stages.

The first stage was the rise of the Druch Navy.

At that time, their ships were completely different from the past. Not only were they incredibly fast, quick to turn, incredibly flexible, but they were also much stronger than expected. The Falcon ships were no match for these warships, and it could even be said that they had no chance of winning. Moreover, their warships were equipped with spellcasters. The sea wind and waves seemed to always be on their side, weakening the advantage of the Asur fleet. The range of the Eagle Claw crossbow was greatly limited, and the Sky Slasher, which once dominated the sea and sky, was also suppressed by the raider ships with a numerical advantage.

The second stage was the rise of the Druch Navy.

At that time, their fleet was larger than before, their tactics were more mature, and their combat proficiency was greatly improved.

Under various pressures, Aislin had to mobilize three dragon ships to join the battle, but when he led the fleet into the sea, he realized that the other party had already set a trap in advance.

The ships in the distance are just baits, and the real combat power is hidden in the dark. Nearly a hundred warships form an inverted triangle formation and wait quietly. Dozens of assault ships in the sky are arranged in layers, ready to dive in order at any time to encircle.

If he hadn't reacted quickly, or if Matheran hadn't responded to him, the entire fleet would have been buried at the bottom of the sea.

Reviewing the situation afterwards, he realized that the problem was far more serious than he had imagined. Not only was the enemy one step ahead tactically, they might have even known of the fleet's actions the moment they left the port.

However, the specific location was kept secret, or rather, there was no direction. As the planner of that operation, he did not know where the final location would be, when he would encounter the enemy, and how large the enemy would be.

It is a typical guerrilla tactic, or a maritime commerce disruption tactic: fight if you can, don’t fight if you can’t, and just turn around and run away.

The fleet was shrouded in magic as it moved. From a distance, it seemed as if the fleet had never appeared. From a close distance... it was already within the fleet's alert range. There were Sky-Slaying Ships patrolling in the sky. After several encounters, he also had a rough understanding of the range and flight altitude of the assault ship.

When he returned to Ulthuan, he learned... there might be spies near the port, but what was more cruel than that was faith, and he was exposed.

By the third stage, the Druch Navy had entered a period of strength.

There were many times when the warships escorted by Druki were even more numerous than the merchant ships, so he had no chance at all. All he could do was no longer attack, but to shrink his defense and prevent the coastline of Ulthuan from being attacked on a large scale. However, as Finnubar, Aedanna, and Marin had told him, the Druki navy would not appear near the waters of Ulthuan for a certain period of time unless it suffered huge losses.

It was not Eltharion who responded to Aislin's question, but Bel-Ahor, who slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, his eyes calm and almost indifferent.

"How many raiders there are depends on the population of Duruchi, not the raiders themselves. Dacus once said that even if it is a genius picked out of ten thousand, as long as the population is piled up, there will be hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands. Do you understand?"

Aislin could no longer hold back. Although he was a naval commander, he understood the meaning of Bell-Aihor's words. He did not ask any more about the situation of the Duruchi Navy, how many warships there were, how they were configured, these were no longer meaningful to him. He leaned back in his chair, as if he had lost all the energy, his eyes were empty, as if all the strength had been drained from his body.

How can we fight this? What can we fight with? What can we fight with?
The enemy was strong, while he had no men, no ships, and no money. Asur was in a state of slow death, and a decisive battle at sea was meaningless. Regardless of victory or defeat, it would only further weaken Ulthuan. The Asur navy, which was already stretched to its limits and overwhelmed, could not afford to lose anything. Every sea guard and every ship was precious.

Fortunately, Drucci had been holding back his strength. If he had hit with all his strength, he couldn't even imagine what would have happened.

What's worse is that there are people inside who are colluding with Duruchi and have unclear relationships with him. Some of them have even become high-ranking priests of the Storm Weaver Cult of Duruchi. As far as he knows, there are only five high-ranking priests over there, but two of them are sitting in front of him! Sitting in front of him!!!

But he could do nothing about it.

Asul actually took up two places! In addition to Adeanna in front of him, the long-missing Beloda also took up two places!
Matheran's daughter chose Duruchi instead of Asur, and that Darkus was Matheran's champion. He couldn't imagine how the Asurs would react if these two beings appeared in front of the Asur Navy.

There is greater sorrow than a dead heart, and no greater sadness than silence.

Aislin let out a series of low chuckles, and he couldn't control his emotions and laughed, a particularly sad and ridiculous laugh. As he laughed, he covered his eyes with his hands, using his remaining rationality to prevent the tears from flowing out.

His laughter echoed in the silent venue, with a harsh irony, as if he was laughing at his own powerlessness and despair. No one said anything to stop him, and no one showed contempt or ridicule. All he saw was sadness, sympathy and pity. After taking a look, everyone in the venue either lowered their heads, or looked at the ceiling through the faint smoke, or stared at the various items on the table, trying to avoid this suffocating atmosphere.

Depression, silence...

Then, he stood up and waved to Eltharion, pointing at the cigarette box on the table. After taking the cigarette box, he also imitated the people opposite and put the cigarette in his mouth. Then, he took the lighter handed over by Serion and turned the wheel in imitation.

When the cigarette was lit, he took a deep puff and then coughed violently.

“It’s so hard to draw!”

But he did not throw away the cigarette, nor did he put it out. Instead, he sat back in his chair and slowly savored the flavor of the tobacco. His movements seemed a little clumsy, but there was a hint of calmness in his eyes, as if the smell of the tobacco really made him temporarily forget the predicament in front of him.

Finnubar no longer had the composure he had just now. Aislin was under a lot of pressure, and he was under even greater pressure than Aislin. Every minute and every second he stayed in Ulthuan was torture.

His expression twisted as Aislin's loss of control affected him.

At that moment, helplessness, anxiety, fear and sadness appeared on his face at the same time. He seemed to have signed some documents without realizing it, causing himself to owe tens of billions of dollars in debt. He fell into deep confusion and despair.

After a long time, so long that it seemed like a moment, and also like an hour, he slowly spoke.

"continue……"

Bel-Ehor glanced at Eltharion.

Eltharion nodded and picked up another cigarette box. When he found that the cigarette box was empty, he squeezed the cigarette box and threw it on the ground, then took out another pack. When the cigarette was lit, he slowly talked about the battle of Gorond.

He talked about the Chaos Champion he had encountered, about the sacrifice of Triton, about how Talos shot the Champion to death with an arrow, about how Dacreus killed the Bride of Khorne with the sword in hand, about the Great Daemon he had encountered, about the death of Morathi, and about the death of Hellebron.

No one said that his death was good, no one commented on the terrifying strength of Dacus, and no one applauded or celebrated. There was only silence. In the meeting room, the swirling smoke exceeded the carrying capacity of the plants, and the flames danced on the candlesticks, reflecting the contemplative faces of the people and the thoughts that flashed through their eyes.

The night deepened, the revelry outside continued, but here, people were immersed in heavy silence and unspoken shock.

"What is the current religious situation in Duruchi?" Following suit, Bell-Tanya began to taste the tobacco and exhaled a wisp of smoke. Her eyes fell on Bell-Aihor through the hazy smoke. Her voice was calm and direct, but with a hint of sharpness after deep thought.

"My evaluation is very magical..." Bel-Ahor exclaimed, "I later learned that when I set foot on the land of Naggaroth, what happened that day was not just the raid on Morathi.

The interior of Duruchi had undergone a thorough reshuffle, an unprecedented reshaping. A large number of disloyal nobles were executed, a large number of officers were purged, the ruling class of the army was completely reorganized, and the entire Duruchi society was undergoing a profound transformation. That day, Dacus also gave a speech, a crucial speech. "

After saying this, he glanced at everyone present, and his eyes finally fell on Isharion.

Eltharion shook his head speechlessly, then moistened his throat with a drink. He stood up and repeated Dakwus's speech word for word. Everyone in the room listened quietly, everyone's breathing seemed to slow down, and even the fire seemed to restrain its jumping posture, just to listen to this speech with fiery passion and far-reaching ambition.

When the last word fell, the sound of gasps swept across the entire conference room like a tide.

They knew the meaning of this speech too well, and it was so inspiring that they felt their blood boiling just by listening to Eltharion's re-enactment.

"That's Daxus' style," commented Alaros, who had seen Daxus's speaking ability.

The beings who had experienced it also nodded in agreement. Kaia, who did not participate in the meeting in Athollol, also nodded. She had also experienced it when she was in Laurenlol. She was impressed by Daquus's charm. She had personally experienced that kind of charisma that could not be ignored, a power that could ignite blood, gather will, and even make her follow it at all costs.

"So...he kept his promise?" Bell-Tanya asked.

"Yes." Isharion nodded slightly, with complicated emotions in his eyes.

"He kept his promise! The upper echelons of Drucci are being reshuffled, and the lower echelons are also undergoing a thorough reshaping. Everyone is given a chance, a chance to prove their worth. Talent, wisdom, ability, and even ambition can all find a place to survive in this transformation.

In Asur society, this kind of thing is unthinkable, but Dacus did it, and he succeeded. He is not just reshaping the ruling class, but reshaping the ideology of the entire society! He did it! He did it! "Bel-Aihor took over the conversation, his tone gradually becoming passionate.

For a moment, everyone's eyes met and they exchanged thoughtful glances with each other.

"This is what is truly terrifying about the Duruchi. In Naggaroth, tradition and change go hand in hand. When they broke the shackles of the Lord of Murder, they regained their ancient glory in the process of self-purification.

Now, their social structure has undergone a complete transformation. Dakwus has set up a new religious system, so that faith is no longer just an old shackle, but has become a part of the rule. In the army, they embraced the Lord of Blades and the Deceiver, and Malekith became the bishop of the Cult of Edreze; in the field of industry, they believe in the goddess of magic and the god of forging. "

"How do they maintain their economy?" Marlene stopped fiddling with the gold coins and knocked them on the table, her tone calm and sharp.

"The silver mines of Asheril are inexhaustible, and the gold mines of Gorond are endless. In addition, the treasury reserves of Malekith and Morathi are extremely large. In addition to these, there are also..."

"I'm asking how they maintain this mode of operation. Gold and silver mines cannot determine the long-term stability of society. The distribution of wealth, the organization of production, and the labor redistribution mechanism are the key. You know what I'm talking about." Marlene shook her head and interrupted Bel-Ahor directly.

"After a thorough reconstruction, Nagarond underwent an astonishing overall demolition. A brand new city rose from the ground, and the outline of the northern commercial district gradually became clear. After the transformation was completed, Dakwus followed his usual decisiveness and foresight. Based on the length of service, he issued a considerable amount of money to all soldiers who had served in the army. Even mercenaries could receive this money. Children will be evaluated when they reach adulthood, and parents will receive a generous birth subsidy based on the rating. There, marriage must be registered. It is a system that must be registered. The relationship between husband and wife needs to be officially registered to be legal."

As Bel-Ahor was talking, he suddenly thought of something, lifted up his robe, took out his ID card from his trouser pocket and handed it to Marlene.

"Everyone has an ID card there. It is not only a symbol of identity, but also a certificate for entering the social system. It is needed for registration, inspection, transactions, and even for receiving subsidies. Once lost, it must be reissued immediately."

Marlene took the ID card and looked at it. The meaning of this thin card was far more profound than its weight. She handed it to Kaia casually, and said with a slightly playful tone, "The material from Lauren Lauren." Then, she continued, "Doing this will allow a large amount of cash flow to flow into the civilian population. How does he maintain his army? What about the nobles? How are their interests protected?"

Bel-Aihor flicked the ash from his cigarette, took a deep breath, and spoke slowly.

"As far as I know, the Duruchi nobles received an investment plan when they first developed Asheril. You know what Naggaroth was like before. Without investment, there is no place to stand and it is considered disloyal. However, Daquus' generosity and kindness ensured that the nobles would eventually reap the rewards of their investment. Therefore, when he appeared in Elsin Alvin, the group of nobles tried every means to invest in Asheril. You know what this means."

Italis lowered his head to hide his emotions. He knew very well what Bel-Ahor said. After he returned to Naggaroth from the continent of Lustria, he began to help his father with this matter, trying every means to amass wealth and sell off the family's real estate, just to maximize the investment in exchange for political and economic guarantees.

result……

After he dealt with these matters, he was summoned by Malekith, and then he became Prince of Italis.

"Generosity... Kindness... Political commitment! I always think that Daquus' generosity is also a weapon. I will think so in the past, present and future. To be more precise, it is a display of superiority! He is showing that he is the one with the advantage. He always wants to help us, help Duruchi, help everyone, and help the world, never the other way around!" Marlene sneered first, and then vented.

She paused, raised her head and took a sip of the drink, a playful smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, "This means that the nobles have no money! Apart from the worthless real estate and the expenses to maintain daily operations, they don't have a penny. Let me guess, let me guess, after the integration is completed, he fulfilled his promise? Yes, fulfilled his promise, he will do so! Those nobles who are still alive will receive investment returns, but he didn't distribute them all, right?"

"Perhaps this is why Daxus has always served as the director of the treasury." Bel-Aihor nodded and made a pun.

"Compared to court duties, I would rather devote myself to Maserlan. If it weren't for the damn politics, I would be capable enough to become a high-level priest!" Marin sneered and swept her eyes across the crowd. Then, she turned her gaze to Adeanna and Kaia, and the corners of her mouth rose slightly. "The ocean's temper is easier to deal with than politics, isn't it?"

Kaia and Adianna smiled and nodded, acknowledging the second half of Marlene's sentence. As for the first half... just laugh!
"He is more suitable for this damn treasury director than me." Marlene shook her head in self-mockery. "Since there is investment from Asheril, there will be a second round of investment. If I am not mistaken, the income from the first round of investment will flow into the commercial district and even the factory, but they do not have the right to operate, only the share used to maintain daily expenses. He transferred the risk to Ulthuan! In other words, he is sure that Druch will win in the end!

But this alone is not enough. He must have other means to recycle the wealth that flows into the private sector. He must have other means. Otherwise, the private economy is running, but he has no money. This will trigger a series of disasters. He is not so stupid. What is it? "

"Properties and farms, or in his words: reservoirs." Bel-Ahol said slowly after lighting a cigarette.

"This... a reservoir?"

Marlene was stunned for a moment. She felt a little bit unbelievable. After thinking for a moment, her pupils shrank slightly. She figured it out. "Properties and farms in Ulthuan? Yes... and Asheril! There are vast arable lands there! Do you remember Gilead? He has the claim to the Kingdom of Terenlock!"

Her tone became faster and faster, and her emotions became more and more excited. She raised her hand to signal everyone not to interrupt her, and then continued after a pause.

“He has a close connection with the Lizardmen, which is why the Slann stood behind him in Athel Loren. This is also why he can control Aesiril. His influence in Lustria is even higher than that of the elven society.

He is fully capable of causing the Slann to appear in Ulthuan, driving the energy in the spirit vein network, and resurrecting the land that sank into the sea, just like Chapeyuto, transforming the land to make it suitable for farming, grazing, and distribution. "

Morian, who knew something about Lizardmen and Slann, opened his mouth, wanting to say something but stopping himself. However, he still did not throw out his question. He knew that his student was in a frenzy of reasoning. In this state, the best thing to do was to interrupt!
"My mentor, I can tell you clearly that he can do it! The Slanns are also capable of doing it! It just depends on whether he wants to do it." After Marlene finished speaking, she looked at Morarion who was about to say something, "He won't do that. He won't let the Lizardmen army appear in Ulthuan and fight side by side with the army of Druki! In his words, the Lizardmen are used to protect this world, and the affairs of the elves are decided by the elves. Although I always think that the two are not contradictory, he insists on thinking so, unless... he has fallen into madness!"

After she finished speaking, she sighed heavily, leaned back in her chair, covered her eyes with her left hand, and rubbed her temples vigorously with her thumb and middle finger. She had originally retained a glimmer of hope, thinking that Drucci's economy would have problems, which would lead to a series of events, so that perhaps Asul would still have a chance and room for maneuver. But the fact was that nothing happened, and everything was just as it had been during the meeting in the private room.

She vaguely felt that something was wrong, as if something was missing.

"There's something missing, isn't there?"

"Yes, points! According to your logic, he transferred part of the risk to points." Eltharion said. (End of this chapter)