"Hehehehe... Good question. If you send 20,000 men to directly confront a 400,000-strong army, then, of course, it's useless. But my troops are all light cavalry, and by now, they've probably secretly crossed the Moonlit River and are ambushed at the exit of Wolf's Kiss Gorge."
The Great Elder was immediately moved.
The orc territory was a green basin surrounded by mountains on three sides. Land travel required passing through narrow valleys between two mountain ranges, and before these valleys, one had to cross a large river. This valley and river were the natural barriers that the orcs had long relied on—the famous Wolf's Kiss Gorge and Moonlit River.
If my 20,000 cavalry truly crossed the Moonlit River, they could ambush before Wolf's Kiss Gorge, cutting off the orc army's supply lines. This deployment would play a crucial role in the overall war.
"It's not that I don't believe the your words, but the orc's Moonlit River is thousands of feet wide, with a rapid and strong current, and there are garrisoned posts along the river defending strategically. Let alone a mere 20,000 troops, even 100,000 troops wouldn't easily pass."
The Great Elder's skepticism was entirely reasonable, but I simply gave him a half-smile. Perhaps my smile was too lewd, as he immediately became restless.
"Excuse me, that's an expensive trade secret. If you truly wants to know the reason, then please pay. This intelligence is worth 5,000 gold coins."
"Fi... five thousand gold coins?"
The Great Elder jumped up, his eyes bulging as if they'd fall out, a drop of cold sweat running from his forehead to his cheek. 5,000 gold coins were enough to buy several small villages. This secret was indeed very expensive; how could this poor old man afford it? He could afford 5,000 tomatoes, though.
"Hahahaha, no need to be nervous, let's sit down and talk slowly. That's right, my business dealings have always been fair and honest, and the price is non-negotiable. 5,000 gold coins is a worthwhile price."
"..."
"Hehehehe, but the Great Elder doesn't need to know the reason. In short, I'll send out a carrier pigeon, and the orcs will naturally be cut off from their supplies. If it doesn't work, I won't charge, how about that?"
"Then... what do you want in exchange?"
"Alright, I'll be direct. As a partner of the Imeloo Merchant Clan, I demand that the Holy Elf Clan grant me the privilege of developing the Silverleaf Forest."
"Hmph, so you're after the Silverleaf Forest, you brat."
This old bastard began to ponder in silence, his expression shifting.
"The Silverleaf Forest is a vast resource, but unfortunately, your elf clan doesn't know the correct way to utilize it, which is a great waste. I hope to send a few experienced rural farmers to reside in the Silverleaf Forest and work with your clan members to research the best methods for extracting valuable herbs and resources. This will benefit both of us."
The elf clan members regarded nature as their life, and they would protect this forest even if it meant sacrificing themselves. Therefore, they particularly disliked greedy humans who harmed the forest for profit. For a long time, they had patrols guarding the forest, preventing humans from easily approaching.
It was impossible for them to simply watch humans exploit the forest's resources, but if I only sent a few people to cooperate with them, there was still room for negotiation.
Given the land resources of the Silverleaf Forest and the elf clan's labor, if this cooperation plan proceeded smoothly, I would acquire a vast amount of alchemy raw materials and significantly increase the output and quality of goods. This was very important for Anfi's and my business expansion plan, and it was one of the main reasons for my visit to the elf clan this time. For the elf clan, it also provided an additional source of livelihood, making it a mutually beneficial plan.
Besides tangible benefits, it could also secure the elf clan's support for my family. For me, it was a win-win situation with no losses.
"Can you guarantee that the ecological environment of the Silverleaf Forest will not be harmed?"
"Of course, I will carefully select experienced and honest individuals for this work, Elder, you can rest assured."
"Alright, deal."
The Great Elder and I clasped hands in agreement once more. Coming here this time was certainly fruitful, not in vain after days of arduous travel and crossing rivers.
(Silverleaf Forest development rights acquired!
After waiting for several days, tonight is the time for Lily's coming-of-age ceremony.
This foolish girl, after hearing that the Great Elder and I reached a cooperation agreement, was so silly that she gleefully ran to her doom. She's adorably naive, ha!
"That's wonderful, Father has finally changed his opinion of Master."
"Not changed his opinion, in fact, he still dislikes me very much, but he's powerless against me when there's profit involved."
Though Lily looked puzzled, she was still happy that I could contribute to her clan members.
"Stand still, Lily."
"Stand still?"
"By the name of Avanti, I summon the Lustful Binding Silk Snake!"
I summoned a vivid red, golden-eyed long snake from another realm. It pounced on Lily with lightning speed. Lily gasped but still obeyed my words and didn't resist, ending up entangled by this strange snake.
"Master... what is this... help... Master..."
"Don't be afraid, darling. This is a summoned creature from the Secret Records of Lewd Arts. It has no venom and won't harm anyone, but it's very playful, especially fond of beautiful women like you."
"But... but... ah... what kind of lewd binding is this... wah... Master... it's biting me..."
I sat by the bed, smiling as Lily, bound in a ball, rolled on the floor. This crimson lustful snake was one of the lustful beasts from the Forbidden Summoning of Lewd Arts, named the "Lustful Binding Silk Snake." The Snake was over dozens of meters long, but its body was extremely slender and tough. Its skin was also different from ordinary snakes; its scales were particularly fine and dense, not causing harm when touching a woman's skin, but still maintaining a certain roughness. And after careful training, the snake could even perform various styles of binding techniques.
Just like now, the lustful snake was binding Lily in a deadly tortoise shell knot.
"Eh... my body... why... Master... help..."
Lily's beautiful blue-green heterochromatic eyes looked at me tearfully. She had probably realized that this snake was no ordinary snake, and what was injected into her body was no ordinary snake venom.
"Hehehehe... don't worry, this snake's potency won't be fatal, but it will make your whole body hot and leave you craving more."
Like the Virgin Constraint, the 'Lustful Binding Silk Snake' is a versatile, high-level lustful beast. Besides performing different bindings according to its master's training and technique, it will also inject a strong natural aphrodisiac when biting a woman. My Anvy had once, under the playfulness of this lustful snake, engaged in countless shameless acts of depravity.
The snake's effects were rapid and intense. Lily's cheeks quickly turned crimson, and her body, which had shown a slight resistance, gradually became pliant. Her breasts, bound by this snake, appeared much fuller at first glance, and I couldn't resist gently caressing and kissing them.
"Ah... Master... no... Lily... feels strange..."
"Relax, relax, you'll feel very comfortable in a moment."
This red snake with golden eyes bit Lily's neck firmly, continuously injecting aphrodisiac into Lily's body through the arteries in her neck. I believed it would soon spread to every cell in her body, transforming her from a saintess into a promiscuous woman.
I picked up Lily and placed her on her own bed, removing her clothes to reveal her enchanting body. Lily was already weak all over, lying limply on the bed, allowing me to do as I pleased. However, affected by the aphrodisiac, her long legs kept intertwining and rubbing against each other.
"So hot... Master... Lily is so hot..."
Lily no doubt, as a high-level mage who had cultivated for over two hundred years, had quite remarkable mental strength. If it were an ordinary woman bitten by the lustful snake, she would be begging for a man's cock within two minutes.
As the long night unfolded, a man of my refined taste naturally wouldn't rush things. I leisurely enjoyed watching her slowly go into heat, calculating her physique and mental strength, but my hands certainly weren't idle.
"Master... I... want..."
"Want what, Lily? You need to tell Master clearly."
"Yes... Lily... wants Master's... ah... hug..."
I chuckled lewdly, simultaneously ordering the lustful snake to tighten its grip, increasing the pressure of the binding on Lily. Furthermore, I used another function of the lustful snake: its rattlesnake-like tail sac suddenly began to vibrate, emitting a buzzing sound, which for Lily sounded like a death knell.
The tail sac pressed against Lily's lower body, and her already craving body finally collapsed. Her almond eyes suddenly widened, and she experienced her first orgasm in front of me.
This wretched snake is truly useful.
I released Lily from her bindings, letting her lie comfortably on the bed to slowly enjoy the afterglow of her orgasm. Taking advantage of her inability to resist, I stripped all her clothes off.
She had become very compliant by now, allowing me to enjoy her beautiful body.
I ordered the lustful snake to bind Lily's hands behind her back again, while also biting her wrist pulse points to inject aphrodisiac.
When I took off my own clothes, Lily was already drenched in sweat from the lustful snake's torment, continuously emitting seductive moans.
"Lily, open your legs. It's time for us to deepen our 'communication'."