Gou is a dark elf in Warhammer

Chapeyuto, the Black Ark Tower of Oblivion.

The small room was shrouded in darkness and silence. In the huge ark, the location of this room could not hear the faint sound of waves, just like land.

The room was narrow and cramped, and the furniture was so simple that there was almost nothing superfluous. There was only a small, hard bed and a simple table next to the bed. The table had no matching chair, so one could only use the table while sitting on the bed. There was no sliding door wardrobe, only a few simple clothes hanging on nails on the wall, as if ready to be packed up and left at any time.

There was a clear and hurried sound of footsteps, coming from far away and getting closer. It was particularly harsh in the quiet environment. Duluqi, who was sleeping on the bed, suddenly opened his eyes. He thought the other party was just passing by, but... after hearing the knock on the door, his nerves instantly tensed up.

He turned over slowly and carefully, his movements so light that there was no sound, and rolled into the narrow gap between the bed and the wall, his back pressed against the cold wall, while his hands picked up the crossbow placed in the gap. The cold metal touch comforted him a little, and the mechanical structure of the crossbow made an inaudible click with a light click, like a long-lost old friend responding.

He took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the door, his heart beating violently in his chest, as if a silent conflict would break out in the next second. The room was small and depressing, the air seemed stagnant, and every second of silence made his nerves more tense.

The room had no windows, only a small hatch. Any movement outside the door would attract his attention. Although he had heard who was coming from the footsteps, he still didn't dare to gamble. On the Black Ark, everyone had a secret that could not be told, and he could never trust his companions. This was what his father told him when he was still alive. He always reminded himself: If he was careless, he might become a dead soul under the knife.

He raised his crossbow and aimed it at the door, the sight of the scope quietly pointing to the position of the hatch. The knocking sound outside the door sounded again, dull and slow, as if carrying some kind of obscure sense of oppression. His knuckles turned slightly white, and he secretly calculated the motives of the person outside the door.

"Tel'lan Kar, you bastard, I know you're in there! The admiral has ordered you to gather, and you'd better not bring your broken crossbow with you."

After Drucci finished his words, he stopped knocking and left. A moment later, Telankar heard a knock on the door next door, and a similar voice sounded again, but this time with a different name. He exhaled lightly, put the crossbow back on the bed, making sure it was within reach, then turned over and sat up on the other side of the bed, groped for the boots beside the bed, picked up the foot wrappings beside it, and began to wrap them carefully.

"Just a general notice, Telankar."

He whispered to himself, trying to calm his fingers that were trembling slightly due to nervousness. He could hear such knocks on the door almost every day, but whenever there was a short knock on the door, his heart would always speed up and his nerves would immediately tense up. Because here, he knew that any ordinary knock on the door might hide danger, a potential threat from companions, superiors, or even fate.

He slowly adjusted his breathing and continued to wrap his feet, slowing down his movements as much as possible, as if this could drive away the remaining shock. A few hours ago, he had just been given a vacation. As a sailor on a ship, Duruchi had been stationed in the sea off Chapeiuto for a long time for patrol. It was boring, dangerous, and always accompanied by loneliness and tension. More than once, he hoped that the eagle ship on the sea line would rush over and fight to end this damn torment. There was no so-called sense of security. Every night was cold, hard and narrow, just like the undecorated room in front of him.

"holiday."

He silently recited the word and smiled bitterly. For him, vacation was a short respite, a rare luxury, or even a blessing.

“It’s just a vacation.”

He reminded himself again, pressing his hands lightly on his boots, staring at the empty room in front of him. Small, simple, and cold, the room had almost no temperature, just like the black ark itself, ready to face storms and battles at any time, with no way out.

After putting on his clothes, he closed his eyes and felt the cold texture of Sovereign against his skin. When he opened his eyes again, he picked up the crossbow on the bed, tiptoed to the cabin door, put his ear to it and listened.

There were sounds coming from all directions: curses, snoring, questions, and the sound of boots hitting the ground. After listening for a moment, he adjusted his posture and pressed his body against the door. This was what his father told him when he was still alive. Only in this way could he close the door in the first place instead of being taken out by the force outside the door. Facts have proved that his father was right. This method saved him once.

When he aimed the crossbow at the crack of the door that was about to open, the hatch slowly opened from the inside out. He immediately looked out through the crack of the door, and there was no sudden sharp blade, no arrows, no human figures or footsteps.

This process lasted less than half a second. After half a second, his gaze had turned upwards. After confirming that there was no one hanging upside down from the ceiling, he widened the gap in the door and turned his gaze to the mirror installed opposite. After making sure that there were no ambushers in the blind spot outside the door, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Safety."

When the light shone on Telankar's face again, he stretched his arms and yawned comfortably. This was the safe zone of the Tower of Annihilation, a rare peaceful place where fighting was prohibited and killing was a felony, as it was against the admiral's authority. Although he could not completely let down his guard, at least he did not have to hold his weapon tightly all the time and be ready for sudden attacks at any time.

He straightened his clothes and walked towards the square. Thousands of Duruchi had gathered there. There were sailors, pirates, and well-trained soldiers in the crowd. Everyone had a cold look in their eyes, with the unique coldness and sharpness of Duruchi. He walked forward in the crowd, and from time to time some eyes swept over him, but he was used to this kind of indifferent gaze, and the sharp eyes like a blade did not make him hesitate at all.

He looked up, his sight passed through the black cloak and clothes, and stopped at the figure on the high platform, Admiral Randall Lastwhisper. Randall held a high position on the Tower of Oblivion, and his cold and powerful prestige caused the entire gathering area to fall into a solemn silence.

There was a hint of desire in his eyes. Years of hard training and bloody battles had earned him a place on the Tower of Annihilation, but this was far from enough. In the society of Duruchi, power and status were the criteria for measuring everything, and he knew that he still had a long way to go.

Perhaps... one day, he could stand on such a high platform, become a commander on the Black Ark, or even control a fleet, or have supreme prestige and power like Admiral Randall Last Whisper. This desire burned in his heart and became his only motivation to move forward. He took a deep breath calmly and buried this desire deep in his heart. If he wanted to survive on the sea, in addition to the protection of Matheran, he also had to stay awake for a long time and wait for his opportunity.

Randall glanced at Druki beside him and nodded. When he turned his head away, a trace of disgust flashed in his eyes. Druki beside him was the tax collector of Nagarond and a loyal follower of the Witch King. Born in Nagarond, there was no reason for him not to know this tax collector. He hated dealing with this difficult bureaucrat, and what surprised him even more was that he would meet this damn guy in Chapeyuto, thousands of miles away from Nagarond.

"Praise to Maserlan! Praise to the Son of the Sea! Praise to the Hand of the Witch King! Praise to the generous and merciful Daquus!" He quickly put away his unhappy look, took a deep breath, and his voice echoed over the gathering area like a tide. He paused, glanced around, and with a sneer on his lips, he continued to announce loudly: "The first Chapeuto Wine Festival has opened!"

"Praise Matheran!"

"Praise the Hand of the Witch King!"

"..."

At this moment, the dull atmosphere was instantly ignited. The Duruchis were stunned for a moment, and then burst into cheers, with wanton roars and cheerful laughter intertwined.

"Perhaps you villains don't know what happened the day before yesterday! But I promise you, you will know soon! Listen carefully..." Randall looked around the noisy crowd in front of him, his mouth slightly raised, quietly waiting for the cheers to gradually subside, he suddenly said sternly. His voice was low and cold, and every word was oppressive, "The holiday is for you to enjoy! No weapons are allowed. If anyone dares to cause trouble! It will bring shame to the Annihilation Tower! It's best to die on land! Otherwise!"

Randall didn't say all his words, but every Duruchi could feel the coldness in the admiral's eyes. This warning was filled with murderous intent, which frightened their hearts. They were silent for a moment, looking at each other with their heads down, and realized that the admiral's warning was not a joke. Although they were unruly, no one on the Tower of Annihilation dared to touch Randall's bottom line easily.

"Now! Go enjoy your vacation!"

The Druki with cautious smiles on their faces gradually dispersed. Telankar stood in a less crowded place and observed the surroundings coldly. He saw many Druki yawning and walking in the direction they came from. They obviously had no interest in this so-called wine festival and seemed to just want to catch up on some sleep during this rare holiday.

Soon, his eyes were attracted by other Druki. Druki was also walking back, but his steps were slow and cautious, his cloak and robe were slightly gathered up. He keenly noticed that there were weapons hidden under Druki's clothes, short blades, daggers, and even a few Messer knives on the waist of Druki were looming, but more Druki began to walk towards the docked ship. He frowned, and reason told him that the best choice was to go back, close the cabin door, lie on the hard bed and continue to sleep, and forget about this inexplicable vacation. But at the same time, curiosity surged in his heart like an undercurrent.

"Just go and have a look, go and have a look." He whispered to himself. Finally, he restrained his expression, sighed softly, adjusted his clothes slightly, and walked towards the boarding place.

"queue!"

"Are you deaf?"

"No loud noise!"

The process of waiting in line to board the ship was slow and boring. He didn't know why boarding was so slow this time, much slower than before. He stood quietly in the queue, and from time to time he heard the shouts of the Druchi soldiers maintaining order.

"What happened the day before yesterday?"

"A Kane assassin, killed a lizard..."

"Kane, the executioner is a novice..."

The crowd was full of restlessness and whispers, but he just watched, waiting cautiously and calmly. When it was almost his turn, he knew why boarding was so slow. Someone was checking, and the place where they were checking was full of various weapons suitable for concealment. When it was his turn, he followed suit and stood there, stretching his arms to be checked. The inspector Drucci first carefully checked his hair, and then checked the ornaments on his ears.

"Open your mouth as wide as possible and stick your tongue out."

Telankar did not resist and followed the instructions step by step. He knew that this was to check whether there was any weapon hidden in the mouth.

"You can shut your stinky mouth now."

After checking the mouth, Druki began to check Telankar's body. When he touched the Sovereign hidden in Kaitan, he smiled meaningfully. After the inspection, he respectfully saluted the sorceress standing beside him. When the sorceress nodded, he waved to Telankar.

"Take it."

The inspected Telankar walked slowly forward until he came to a table. Duruchi, who was in charge of distributing the signs, pointed to a black sign on the table with an expressionless face.

He took the sign in his hand and looked at it carefully. The sign was cold, hard and smooth, with a red lacquer on the top and a slight sheen on the surface. At first he thought it was wood, but the touch told him it was not. He didn't know the specific purpose of the sign, and he didn't have the opportunity to ask too many questions. He just casually folded the sign in his hand and obediently boarded the ship.

The space on the ship was extremely crowded, and the deck was packed with Duruchi. Some people had to climb on ropes and masts to find a moment of balance. As the hull swayed slightly, Telankar felt a humid sea breeze blowing across his face, with a hint of salt.

As the ship slowly sailed away from the Tower of Oblivion, he looked into the distance, feeling slightly agitated. The buildings of the Temple District were vaguely visible in the distance, and those structures seemed to be shrouded in mist, with a kind of indescribable solemnity and mystery. His sight gradually moved upwards, and fixed on the huge pyramid in the center of the city. The pyramid stood tall, solemn and magnificent in the morning light, as if silently announcing the power and history of the city.

He turned his head slightly and looked at the black arks behind him. Those huge arks were quietly moored, human figures were vaguely visible, and flags were gently fluttering in the wind. The arks were like a monster that never slept, ready to fight at any time, which made him feel an invisible oppression.

Soon after, the ship slowly approached the shore, and with the sound of the ropes being tightened, Telankar stepped onto the land. He took a deep breath, and the ground under his feet was solid, no longer the shaking feeling on the deck, and the noise and atmosphere around him were more lively.

"queue!"

"Submit for inspection."

Telankar was standing in the queue, and familiar shouts rang out around him. These instructions, accompanied by the soldiers' scolding, echoed on the dock one after another. He felt a familiar sense of tension, just like the moment before waiting to board the Black Ark, but this time the atmosphere was more chaotic and full of expectations. Not only his dock, but the docks on both sides were full of Duruchi. It was the first time he saw so many Duruchi.

"Listen carefully, you bastards who can't read the notice, hold on to the signs in your hands tightly! You can use the signs to exchange for drinks and food at the place where the black flag is raised! Free drinks and food! Free drinks and food! You damn bastards! What are you still standing there for? Why don't you thank the Hand of the Witch King for his kindness and generosity!"

The Drukis shouted and began to whisper to each other, with excited discussions rising one after another, as if everyone was thinking about how to use this unexpected wealth.

Incredulous, Telankar looked down at the sign in his hand. It turned out that everyone in this wine festival was given a redemption voucher, and this black sign was his pass to enjoy free drinks and food. The corners of his mouth rose slightly, and he cheered along with the loud shouts, and his mood couldn't help but relax a little.

"Take good care of your badges, you bastards! Not only can badges be exchanged for free drinks and food, they can also be used as passes! If you want to gamble, you must register with your badge! Of course, if you are stupid enough to sell your badges, that's up to you, but I don't recommend it, because! Starting tomorrow, the Hand of the Witch King will conduct a lottery using the badges from the previous day!"

Telankar looked down at the sign in his hand again, a trace of disbelief flashed through his mind. This sign...actually has so many uses? Not only is it a pass to drink, it even has the right to participate in gambling and the chance to draw a lottery, although he didn't know what a lottery was.

He had never had such a benefit in the harsh life of the Black Ark. He had long been accustomed to a life of repression and vigilance. It was as if this small black sign had opened a window for him to escape from the shackles of daily life for a short time, bringing him a feeling he had never expected. He had an unreal surprise. This vacation might not be as complicated as he imagined. At least in this area, he could enjoy a short period of relaxation.

"Listen up! You bunch of drunkards! No fighting, no brawls! No provoking the Lizardmen in any way! If you want your vacation to disappear, or even want to die, then just go ahead and do it!" At this moment, the cold and majestic voice sounded again.

Soon, Telankar came to a table impatiently. He knew that as long as he crossed the table, his holiday would come. He was not interested in fighting, he just wanted to enjoy his holiday. However, before that, he had to hand over the sign first. He didn't know why, but the people in front of him did the same.

A strange device was placed on the table. After the soldier took his sign, he put it into the device, and then another soldier pressed the device. When the machine was turned on, the sign was still there, but it was a little different.

As he held the sign in his hand, looking at the holes on it and pondering the meaning of the holes, he was pulled away by the soldiers.

"Don't block the way!" (End of this chapter)