Chapter 334: Red Moon’s Visit

As the second harsh winter in Nagrand neared its end and a new cycle of work was about to begin, an unexpected guest arrived.

“Red Moon? Welcome, welcome!” Wu Qingsong was surprised but greeted her warmly.

Their first encounter had left him with a terrible impression of her, but looking back, even without considering the actions of the Dark Moon organization, her personal contributions had far outweighed her earlier schemes. Furthermore, she had been effectively exiled to Gale Island for over half a year. Wu Qingsong no longer had any reason to consider her an enemy.

“I’d prefer if you called me Charlotte.” The vixen’s fiery-red fur stood out vividly against the snow-covered landscape. After months of dreary winter colors, her presence was a refreshing change.

“Xeila, long time no see.” She warmly embraced the half-elf, who, though not initiating the gesture, did not refuse it either.

“Miss Red Moon, what brings you here this time?” Ram asked.

“What’s this? Lady Ram, am I not welcome?” The vixen gave her a brief hug as well before smiling.

“Of course not,” Ram replied. “It’s just that making a thousand-mile journey in this kind of weather to visit our backwater settlement… surely, it’s not just to catch up?”

If she had departed from the imperial capital, then based on the timing, Red Moon must have set out at least a month and a half ago—right in the coldest part of the year. Crossing the Batiz Desert at such a time, even if only skirting its rocky outskirts, would have been no easy feat.

“I know how precious spring and summer are on the plains, so I wouldn’t dare disturb you then,” Red Moon said. “But yes, I do have some matters to discuss with you in person.”

Wu Qingsong waited for her to continue, but instead, she casually greeted Ling and Liuli, chatting and joking with them as they led her on a tour of Nagrand.

Ram gave Wu Qingsong a suspicious look.

“Let her be,” Wu Qingsong mouthed silently.

The Dark Moon had no reason to betray them at this time. Whatever she was withholding, she would have to reveal it sooner or later.

Yet Red Moon spent two whole days exploring Nagrand, even accompanying Wu Qingsong and Ling on an aerial patrol before finally settling into the town hall.

“When I leave, you have to escort me back,” she playfully told Ling. “Please! The journey here was an absolute nightmare.”

Wu Qingsong had a feeling she had used some of her abilities to make herself more likable, but it wasn’t excessive—like a beautiful woman using her looks to win favor. This level of persuasion was still within his tolerance.

Ling glanced at Wu Qingsong before nodding. “No problem.”

“Well then, now that you’ve seen everything you wanted to, it’s time to explain why you’re here,” Ram said.

“My, Lady Ram, you’re so harsh on me. We’re allies, after all. We even worked together for quite some time, no need to be so serious, is there?” Red Moon chuckled. “I even made a little detour on my way here and passed through Sentalus, Riniconia, and Osaga to gather information for you. Or do you not want to hear what I found?”

Wu Qingsong and Ram had always kept an eye on the situation in the south, particularly in Sentalus and Osaga.

In Wu Qingsong’s view, the elves living in luxury in Padamia weren’t much of a threat. They wouldn’t embark on a grueling journey across the continent just to deal with a vague rumor. The sheer time and effort required, not to mention the harsh conditions of the Icy Sea, were enough to deter them.

For now, the greatest threat wasn’t the elven empire as a whole but the expansionist and aggressive Sentalus. From assassination attempts to battles in the Tecks Mountains to protect the Silvermoon Wolf Clan, Sentalus had already made their hostility clear. If their involvement was exposed, they wouldn’t hesitate to send forces across the Batiz Desert to hunt them down.

Even the Yagata people might be willing to lend a hand.

However, thanks to the Dark Moon’s efforts, Sentalus remained preoccupied with Yagata. The greater concern was the outlier among the elves—Marquis Osaga. Wu Qingsong knew his personality well. The journey from Osaga to the northern plains was nothing that would deter him.

Wu Qingsong had often thought about what might happen if Osaga discovered he was still alive and had brought the Thirteenth Mercenary Corps to the northern plains. There was a real possibility that, just like in Esola, Osaga would personally set out with a small team to investigate.

And then… Wu Qingsong might have no choice but to kill him to ensure Nagrand’s safety.

But if a marquis were to die in the north, would that not attract even more elves?

Their current location was so far from the south that gathering information felt like grasping at straws. They had relied on desert bandits and Dark Moon’s trade contacts for news, but the information was often vague. The long winter made external communication difficult, and when spring and summer arrived, there were always too many pressing matters to attend to.

Not long before winter set in, they had only just secured Nagrand’s foothold in the region.

“There are plenty of rumors about you in Esola,” Red Moon finally got to the point. “Especially regarding the Riniconia heist and the Orgrimmar massacre.”

She shook her head with a smile. “Lord Tagraedi, you’ve become something of a legend there.”

“Marquis Osaga… have you seen him?” Wu Qingsong asked.

He didn’t care how many legends were circulating in Esola. The opinions of those people were irrelevant to him.

“Of course not,” Red Moon replied. “But ever since your northward escape, we’ve been steadily bribing his inner circle, gathering information about his thoughts and movements. After the incidents in Riniconia and Orgrimmar, he personally inspected both sites. According to his subordinates, he believes these events are linked to you. Even if they aren’t, he’s certain they involve the Thirteenth Mercenary Corps.”

“And then?”

“Apparently, his scouts discovered traces of a large group passing through the northern Gobi Desert near Osaga. The marquis himself considered heading north to investigate.”

Red Moon paused, briefly savoring the suspense, before continuing.

“But just then, a sudden insectoid plague erupted along Riniconia’s southern border, near the Clitharal Mountains. He was forced to turn south, and the matter was put on hold.”