Soon, the elf's route map was retrieved.
Chu Shi looked at the route map where the elf was heading. The route showed that the elf had come from the Elf Royal City.
Chu Shi said, "Send this intelligence to the delegation in the Elf Royal City. Tell them to be careful. Suggest they find out the elf's true identity."
"Yes!" A staff member sent this information to Liao Yi and the others in the Elf Royal City.
Liao Yi and the other members of the delegation's satellite phones rang while they were strolling on the street.
Liao Yi picked up his satellite phone and looked at the information on it. The delegations nearby also picked up their satellite phones and started looking.
First, there was a simple text explanation. Then, a picture followed, marked as confidential and requiring a safe place to view.
Liao Yi and the other members of the delegation looked at each other.
Liao Yi said, "Let's go back to the hotel."
Liao Yi and the delegation returned to the hotel.
Liao Yi and several delegation members went directly into the hotel's conference room.
Liao Yi said to the person in charge of delegation security, "Ensure security. Do not let anyone, elf or otherwise, overhear the conversation in the conference room."
The delegation's guards immediately took up positions at the conference room's front door and behind the rear window.
Liao Yi said, "Good, it's safe now. Everyone, look at the information sent over."
Liao Yi opened the message on his satellite phone. It stated that a conspiracy between an elf and a dragon had been discovered, along with a photograph of the elf. The photo was taken from a low angle as the elf looked up at a dragon flying in the sky.
After reading it, Liao Yi said, "I didn't expect elves to collude with those evil dragons."
A member of the delegation asked, "Is this authorized by the Elf Queen? Does the Elf Queen intend to join forces with the evil dragons to deal with our Dragon Country?"
Liao Yi replied, "Let's not jump to conclusions. It's possible the Elf Queen is not involved. The existence of such an elf at least tells us that there is a faction within the elf race that harbors hostility towards us humans. We need to find out this elf's identity to understand what this faction is."
Liao Yi continued, "Since we have a photo, let's try to find out this elf's true identity. Everyone, brainstorm individually."
"..."
After the meeting of the Dragon Country delegation concluded, Liao Yi left the bar.
As the head of the Dragon Country delegation, he had found many sources of intelligence since arriving here.
Liao Yi, accompanied by a bodyguard, navigated through winding streets and arrived at an underground bar.
This bar was a melting pot, with all sorts of elves indulging in decadent pleasures.
Liao Yi walked to the bar and approached a drunk elf.
The drunk elf was slumped over the bar, nursing his drink slowly.
As he took another sip, the elf finished the liquor in his glass.
"Oh, out of alcohol. Bartender, another bottle."
The bartender, without even looking at the drunk elf, said, "Elf coins."
The drunk elf fumbled in his pockets and produced a single one-yuan elf coin.
The bartender said, "Not enough."
Liao Yi took out a hundred-denomination elf coin and said, "Give him another bottle."
The bartender accepted the hundred-denomination coin, took out a bottle of liquor, and did not offer any change.
The drunk elf picked up the bottle, poured a large glass, and drank it down in one gulp.
"What does a human want with me?"
Liao Yi took out a bag of elf coins and said, "Xiao Hei, the information broker, I have a deal for you."
This information broker, Xiao Hei, was a member of an intelligence organization specializing in selling all sorts of information. After Liao Yi arrived in the Elf Royal City, he had dispatched many spies to gather various pieces of information, one of which was about this information broker.
Information broker Xiao Hei picked up the bag and weighed it. He asked, "Are these all hundred-denomination elf coins?"
Liao Yi nodded and said, "That's right. This is twenty percent. I'll give you the rest upon completion."
Information broker Xiao Hei was no longer acting drunk and asked, "So this bag already contains five thousand. That's a mid-sized deal. What is it?"
Liao Yi took out an envelope from his pocket and said, "That's right. I want to know about that elf. Remember, I'm looking for information about the elf, not his whereabouts. I know his whereabouts, I just don't have his information."
Just as information broker Xiao Hei was about to open the envelope.
Liao Yi placed his hand on Xiao Hei's, stopping him. "Open it in a safe place."
The information broker withdrew his hand and said, "It seems the contents are quite extraordinary."
Liao Yi shook his head and said, "No, no. We just don't want any other elves to see the contents. The matter is in your hands now."
Liao Yi stood up and left the crowded, disreputable bar.
Liao Yi found the existence of this underground bar somewhat surprising, given the nature of elves.
However, it was also logical. Even among elves, with enough numbers, such establishments would inevitably emerge.
Information broker Xiao Hei also left the bar after Liao Yi departed.
Information broker Xiao Hei went to one of the intelligence organization's safe houses.
"Xiao Hei, what new commission did you receive this time?" said the person in charge of the safe house.
Information broker Xiao Hei took out the envelope, opened it, and said, "I received a commission to find information about an elf."
As information broker Xiao Hei opened the envelope, he found a photograph inside.
Information broker Xiao Hei was somewhat surprised by the quality of the photograph. He had never seen anything like it before and initially mistook it for a painting. He asked, "This painting is so lifelike. Is this the elf we need to find?"
The person in charge of the safe house nearby commented, "This painting technique is truly remarkable."
Information broker Xiao Hei handed the photograph to the person in charge of the safe house and said, "Have the members of the intelligence organization search for information on this elf."
The person in charge of the safe house took the photo and said, "We should get results on this quickly."
Information broker Xiao Hei did not wait there for the other members of the intelligence organization to find the information. He also went out to search for the elf's intelligence himself.
Information broker Xiao Hei walked through the streets of the Elf Royal City, observing the appearance of passing elves. He felt as if he had seen the elf in the portrait somewhere before, but he couldn't recall where. He speculated that he might have encountered this elf on the streets of the Elf Royal City.
Therefore, information broker Xiao Hei returned to the streets, hoping to find elves who resembled the one in the portrait. If he found someone similar, that elf might be a relative.