Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 786 - 779: Return to Snow Domain

Chapter 786: Chapter 779: Return to Snow Domain

Luoer instructed Hu Daoke to drag the ruddy-nosed man into the hut and tie him up somewhere. He then crouched down to further examine the weapons piled on the ground.

"Did you come from the south?" Eve asked nervously as she approached Luoer.

"What makes you think that?" Luoer replied without looking up.

"You’re a Half-wood Elf, yet so powerful. I’ve never seen a Half-wood Elf as skilled as you. Therefore, you must not be from the north, as there is no environment there for you to grow," Eve explained.

"Your logic is impressive," Luoer remarked with a smile.

"So you’re from the Ancient States?" Eve continued to probe.

"No, not there either," Luoer picked up his submachine gun, stood up, and looked at Eve, "You’re right that I’m not from the north, but I’m not from the south’s Ancient States either."

"Then who are you?" Eve asked, frowning at Luoer’s response.

Luoer did not answer. He glanced at her meaningfully, then fell silent. Predicting Luoer’s reluctance to disclose, Eve did not persist with her questions.

"Do you know how to use a gun?" Luoer suddenly asked.

"You mean this magic weapon in your hand?" Eve asked cautiously.

"Why do you always see firearms as magic weapons?" Luoer couldn’t help but ask.

"Isn’t it magic?" Eve asked.

"Of course not," Luoer held up his submachine gun, "This is technology!"

"Technology?" Eve muttered this unfamiliar term to herself.

"In a way, technology is the magic of the Otherworld, only fairer," Luoer explained.

As he was speaking to Eve, Luoer referred to Earth as the Otherworld. The people of Earth refer to the Magic World as the Otherworld, and the inhabitants of the Magic World likewise refer to Earth as the Otherworld.

"Can you teach me how to use a gun?" Eve asked excitedly.

"What do you need a gun for?" Luoer asked in return.

"This way, I can protect me and my brother," Eve answered seriously.

"Your thinking is too naive. Even if you know how to use a gun, you won’t be able to afford the bullets," Luoer said, shrugging.

Ammunition in the Otherworld is often very expensive. Because tariffs are imposed at the Otherworld Gate, part of the price is absorbed by the portal, with the remaining cost borne by the consumers in the Otherworld. The only ones capable of using these weapons with ammunition are either Earth-people organizations, or powerful Otherworld groups.

As such, even if Eve learned to use firearms, she wouldn’t be able to afford the ammunition, let alone a fully automated firearm like a submachine gun. Even seasoned adventurers would only buy a bolt-action rifle or two to replace their crossbows.

"Actually, I want to return to the Snow Domain. If I sell these weapons, I reckon I can gather enough travel money," Eve finally confessed after a moment’s hesitation.

The Snow Domain refers to the area north of the Northern Domain Mountain Range and east of the Winter Mountains. It was part of the Aud Empire during its reign and was named Snow Domain due to perennial snow.

After the disintegration of the Aud Empire, Masya received the territory of the North Lead Corridor, completely blocking the land routes from Odelanqi to Snow Domain. As the Little Ice Age arrived, surviving in the Snow Domain became even more challenging. Most people left, with only the Snow Elves, who were capable of resisting extreme cold, remaining.

As the name suggests, Snow Elves are more capable of adapting to freezing climates compared to other races. With the arrival of the Ice Age, they became the true owners of the Snow Domain.

The Northern Domain Mountain Range and Winter Mountains are high and treacherous, making them virtually impossible to climb. Any attempt to enter the Snow Domain by land would require one to traverse the valley between the Northern Domain Mountain Range and the Winter Mountains in Masya’s territory. This passage is known as either the North Lead Corridor or the Ebia River Corridor.

This corridor ran from the southeast to the northwest and was the only land route into the Snow Domain. Most people chose to enter the Snow Domain in the summer, for once winter arrived, polar cold currents would invade Masya via this passage. If one were to enter at this time, they would genuinely be braving the northwestern winds for over a month.

Of course, when god closes a door, he opens a window. While it would certainly be impossible to enter via land in the winter, one could take the sea route.

On the western coast of the continent, a warm current flowed from the southwest to the northeast along the coastline, reaching the port of Luscaque in the extreme north of the Snow Domain. It was because of this warm current that even in winter, the shipping routes could still operate as usual; one could consider it a life-saving route for the Snow Domain.

Besides the sea route, there was also the air route of Ronisca in theory. However, the trade value of the Snow Domain was minimal, and the High-peak people weren’t interested in carving out an air route across the North Territory or the Winter Mountains. Hence, entering the North Territory via air was essentially a fantasy.

"What are you going to the Snow Domain for?" Luoer asked curiously.

He asked this because, like the Wood Elves, the Snow Elves also rejected half-breeds. Among the three major Elf races, aside from the Night Elves, the other two races both shunned their half-breeds.

"I simply wish to take Jora home, to his mother." After a moment of silence, Eve responded in a low voice.

"Wait, aren’t you two siblings?" Luoer paused before asking.

"No," Eve shook her head and said, "Jora is the son of a Snow Elf I know. After the Prophetic War, she was captured and sold to the red-light district, and then Jora was born. Later, she got a chance to escape and didn’t hesitate to leave Jora behind, taking only herself back to the Snow Domain."

"Then you..." Luoer hesitated for a moment, looking at her with curiosity.

"Surprising, isn’t it? I’m actually over forty years old," Eve revealed with a smile.

"I couldn’t tell..." Luoer shook his head in shock.

Eve only appeared to be in her early twenties. Although Luoer knew that her real age differed from her appearance, he didn’t expect the discrepancy to be so significant. He had regarded Eve as a young girl, not envisioning that she was already middle-aged.

Of course, it could be unfair to measure a half-elf’s age by human standards since half-elves lived much longer than humans and aged much slower in appearance.

Therefore, it was best to gauge the age of half-elves and Elf Race hybrids by their appearance. If one insisted on nitpicking over actual age, it could easily lead to discomfort for both parties.

"Looking at you, I imagine that’s what I’ll look like when I’m forty," Luoer joked with a laugh.

"So, you were stealing money to go to the Snow Domain, and going to the Snow Domain was to take Jora home?" Luoer asked after a moment of ridicule.

"Yes, as long as I’m able to take him back, I can consider my duty as done," Eve responded, looking at Jora.

"Sister, I don’t want to go back. You’re my family," Jora protested, looking up.

"And then?" Luoer asked nonchalantly.

"Afterwards..." Luoer’s question left Eve in a moment of silence.

"Have you thought it through? Leaving aside the many risks that come with travel, even if you do manage to take Jora back, will he truly be accepted by his mother?" Luoer asked.

"Of course, I believe that she still loves her child, even though he is a half-elf," Eve answered with conviction.

"A mother’s love is indeed unquestionable. However, many times, we are not in control of our own circumstances," Luoer replied, shaking his head.

The story of Jora reminded him of his own experiences. To return to Ilanadale and save herself, Nina had to leave him and Luoya behind. Though he knew that it was merely a nominal abandonment, he understood the pain Nina must have gone through.

"Regardless, it’s a better option than staying in Holy Heart City. If the Snow Domain rejects him, I will take him south," Eve stated firmly.

As the two were talking, Hu Daoke squeezed himself out of the entrance of the hut with great effort and gestured towards the interior with his thumb, "Boss, that guy is ready to be interrogated!"

"I got it," Luoer nodded and said, "You sort and pack the weapons and ammunition we have. Let’s see if we can make use of these weapons."