Away from the clamor of the main battalion, the forest's unique, viscous silence enveloped them once more. At this moment, the silver glow of Suren's moon was gradually intensifying, dispersing some of the dark red afterglow left by Shar, casting a cold silver-gray tone over the forest. Visibility was much improved, but shadows remained dense, especially in the recesses and cracks of the rock wall. Master Ted swiftly assigned tasks, and the five newly joined Wizards began setting up triggered magic traps, trip cords, and energy disruption runes at the entrance of the passage, mid-section, and atop the rock walls. Una and Hal were dispatched to the farther areas of the forest on both ends of the passage to guard and surveil a larger range of movements. Aiven and Shadow Raven were responsible for watching over this temporary campsite and monitoring the status of the traps being triggered. Master Ted himself stayed at the center, ready to respond to any sudden situations. As for Duke, he was assigned a seemingly simple task that required patience and delicate perception. He was responsible for selecting several key positions on the side of the passage, near the misty fissure, to plant Tranquility Dust. This was an alchemical product, which, once spread, could greatly absorb and suppress the transmission of sound and energy vibrations within a certain range, specifically aimed at dealing with those highly skilled in stealth who might try to silently slip past, like dark elf messengers or small squads. The task was simple, and Duke completed it quickly, then began searching for a place to hide himself. He chose a recess in the rock wall, where his view was relatively concealed but still allowed observation of most of the passage. Time passed slowly in waiting. From the depths of the distant forest, a dull, rolling thunder-like rumble could faintly be heard, and flashes of magic intermittently lit up small patches of sky through the layers of the canopy. The battles in the other three directions had already commenced. The direction under their charge, towards the Mu Ye clan, did not yet show signs of large-scale conflict, and the Slave Legion dispatched by Master Ted was probably still approaching and clearing the outskirts. Suddenly, Aiven, who was monitoring the traps, quietly warned, "There's movement! East side, two traps have been triggered, it's small creatures. no, the energy response is very faint but very pure, like. a moonlight beacon?" Almost simultaneously, Una sent back a brief mental message from the front: "Target spotted, three of them, very fast, moving using shadows and treetops, heading towards the pass. One has a very strong energy response, possibly Level 2." They're coming! Dark elves seeking aid or attempting to escape. Master Ted's eyes sharpened as he immediately issued orders: "Prepare to intercept! Aiven, activate all energy disruption runes, cut off possible moonlight transmissions! Shadow Raven, occupy the left high point cave! Duke, come to my side, be ready for spell attacks! The rest, act according to plan, let the first one pass, take down the other two, prioritize killing or capturing the one with strong energy!" Duke immediately stood up, came to Master Ted's side, and quietly summoned a portion of metallic yellow sand, which spread like fine dust across the ground around him for several meters. Within just tens of seconds, three blurred figures, like silver gusts of wind skimming the ground and rock walls, burst out from the forest on the east side of the passage at incredible speed. The leading figure was exceptionally agile and almost merged with the wavering shadows of the trees, skillfully avoiding the most obvious trap triggers, seemingly about to dash past the mid-section of the passage. At that very moment, several pre-arranged runes on the rock walls on both sides of the passage lit up simultaneously, generating a field of chaotic energy that interfered with all orderly energy transmissions, particularly sensitive to moonlight energy. The leading figure noticeably hesitated, revealing herself slightly from her perfect stealth state: a slender elf carrying a short bow, with a flash of anger on her face. In that instant, from the high rock wall on the left, Shadow Raven swooped down silently like a real night raven, his black dagger aiming straight for the elf's back. On the right, Una and Hal's figures also flashed out from the shadows, blocking her path from both sides. The other two figures following the elf reacted a bit slower, being momentarily obstructed by the triggered traps - a paralyzing electric net suddenly exploding from the ground and a poisoned crossbow bolt shot from the rock wall, though not directly hitting, succeeded in disrupting their rhythm. One of them, an imposing elf warrior at Level two holding a Moonlight Scimitar, roared angrily, cutting down several incoming energy arrows, intent on rescuing his companion.
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