"May I ask what brings the esteemed Queen to seek us out?" Zheng Zha asked, rising to his feet with a smile.

The Elven Queen, Galadriel, remained as beautiful as ever, yet a closer look revealed that her face was still ethereally indistinct, her features impossible to discern clearly. She moved with grace toward the two men, then seated herself as if this were a commonplace occurrence. "I had intended to visit you sooner, you warriors who dared face the Balrog and forever lay it to rest in the darkness. However, matters concerning the One Ring delayed me excessively. I trust you will not mistake our tardiness for neglect."

Zheng Zha chuckled. "How could we? To be offered shelter when we are weary and bereaved is gratitude enough. Please, do not trouble yourself with such pleasantries."

Queen Galadriel nodded slightly, acknowledging Zheng Zha’s understanding with a look of appreciation. Then she raised her gaze back to them. "Lórien mentioned you to me, saying you possess powers he cannot comprehend—strengths mighty and profound. This is a force capable of opposing the Dark Lord, and he wished me to bestow upon you suitable rewards, and perhaps persuade you to continue this arduous journey alongside us. Now it seems Lórien was overly cautious; your courage and strength are commendable in their own right. You are truly deserving warriors."

Such high praise—even if Zheng Zha and the others hadn't been inclined to fight in Mordor, it now seemed they were compelled to do so.

Fortunately, the Elven Queen knew how to speak. Her words, delivered with such a soft tone, did not anger Zheng Zha; rather, they soothed him. He immediately began nodding repeatedly, a smile gradually spreading across his face.

Only Chu Xuan watched the exchange coolly. He consumed two snow-berries, then stated flatly, "If you believe we are worthy of respect... then do not use mental manipulation on us!" With that, he drew his Gauss pistol and fired with a sharp bang, shattering an ornament in the Queen’s hair. He then resumed his seat as if nothing untoward had happened, casually peeling another snow-berry.

Zheng Zha started, realizing only then that he seemed to have been under a spell—his mind entirely consumed by the Queen's beauty and the silken softness of her voice. It was only when Chu Xuan's shot rang out that he felt as if his head had been violently struck, and the previous enchantment of beauty and sound vanished completely.

The Elven Queen seemed stunned. After a long moment, she touched the now-shattered ornament in her hair. "Your wills are remarkably strong. Try as I might, I cannot perceive your inner thoughts; at best, I can only inspire a degree of goodwill... But why are you seemingly unaffected? Do you not find me..." Chu Xuan cut her off immediately. "Sorry, I felt nothing..." The Queen did not take offense. She smiled faintly. "I truly owe you both an apology. The Ring is a matter of grave import. If it were recovered by Sauron, no force in Middle-earth could stop him. I had to attempt to see your minds. I have never encountered humans of such immense power; your origins are too abrupt. I had to take a risk, and for that, I apologize again; I meant no malice."

Zheng Zha let out a breath, suppressing the slight anger rising within him. He said, "If that is the case, I forgive your actions. But, Your Majesty, a person's inner world is their private domain. If possible, I ask that you respect others' privacy."

The Elven Queen bowed slightly, still smiling. "I hope my actions do not cause you to direct anger toward Lórien and the others, as I did not seek his consent. Likewise, if you have any requests, please tell me without reservation, and I shall endeavor to fulfill them."

A thought struck Zheng Zha, and he quickly spoke up. "Your Majesty, I possess two weapons to which I have already sworn fealty. Since their rightful owners are not dead, my two companions cannot fully utilize them. I wonder if you could assist in dissolving the bond of ownership? I heard you are a sorceress of considerable power."

The Elven Queen paused, then shook her head. "I regret that, although I am also a wizard, my specialization lies in the sphere of mental magic. I am not adept with the spells of others. If it is necessary, Gandalf is the most learned among us wizards. He has wandered Middle-earth for countless ages; compared to us Elves, who favor peace and comfort, he is the truly knowledgeable sorcerer. Of course, Saruman the White should also possess such ability, but Saruman as he is now... Alas." At this, the Queen sighed deeply.

Zheng Zha sighed internally as well. Though he didn't know if Gandalf was truly dead, if he were to reappear later in the plot, as in the original tale, as the White Wizard with vastly increased power, then the White form might indeed be better suited to breaking the weapon bonds.

"In that case," Zheng Zha considered, "could Your Majesty trade us some power stones? We wish to trade items manufactured within our mercenary group for some of the power stones from your Elven realm. Would that be possible?"

The Queen looked at Zheng Zha and Chu Xuan with surprise. After a long moment, she replied, "If you require power stones for the fight against Mordor, I can offer you dozens of stones of various attributes, free of charge. Their quality may not be high, as my realm is not as wealthy as Elrond’s. I can only offer this many, and most will be fire-attributed..."

Zheng Zha hastened to correct her. "No, we do not require them immediately, nor do we only need a few dozen. That is why I proposed a trade with your realm, rather than simply soliciting those stones."

"A large quantity?" The Queen frowned. She nodded. "Indeed, our realm's mines possess power stones primarily in sheer volume; quality is not always guaranteed. But to produce a large quantity all at once..."

"Perhaps a thousand would suffice," Zheng Zha said, then amended quickly, "If not a thousand, then a few hundred would work. We can exchange them for other goods—perhaps medicines, a large supply of valuable pharmaceuticals, grains, or food. Even large quantities of metal would work. For instance, trading one ingot of refined steel for one low-quality power stone?"

The Queen grew serious then. She considered this. "My realm is indeed lacking in metals. We used to trade with the Dwarves, but since the passes were sealed, we rely on Rohan and Gondor for metal. Their forging skills are far inferior to the Dwarves', so lately, even our arrows utilize hardened wood extensively. If it is refined steel, one ingot could trade for ten low-quality fire-attributed stones, five low-quality stones of other attributes, and we would also require a large amount of medicine for when my people migrate..."

"Migrate?" Zheng Zha asked, bewildered. "The environment here is excellent. It is secluded, the entire city nestled within the forest, and it is as beautiful as a paradise. Wouldn't abandoning such a place be a pity?"

The Elven Queen offered a sorrowful smile and murmured, "But when the One Ring falls into Sauron’s grasp, or even if you succeed in destroying it, our Three Elven Rings will vanish. Then, our spirits will sink into an eternal weariness. Unless we sail to the Undying Lands across the sea, tranquility will never again be known to us. The age of the Elves is over."

A thought suddenly sparked in Zheng Zha’s mind, and he asked curiously, "Then what must be done to prevent the Elves from having to undertake this great migration? It is evident you cherish this Middle-earth. Wouldn't leaving your ancestral home feel like a bitter loss?"

The Queen sighed. "Of course, we are unwilling to leave; this is the homeland of the Elves, but—"

Chu Xuan suddenly interjected, "What if we erase Sauron's consciousness within the One Ring? Just as we dissolve the bond of ownership for a weapon, could we not remove the ownership bond from the One Ring?"

The Queen shook her head. "It is impossible. That Ring holds immense power; it is a vessel where Sauron sealed his consciousness and life entirely. Anyone who takes it will fall and be controlled by the malice within. Even that Hobbit has already shown signs of being influenced. Furthermore, no one’s mental fortitude is greater than Sauron’s..."

"Then what if we take the Ring out of this world?" Chu Xuan toyed with the crystal-clear snow-berry in his hand, looking up at the two. "If the Ring were an item, it could easily be brought into the 'Main God' space. But since it is a plot-related entity, until it is redeemed into the 'Main God' space... whoever takes it to that world would be instantly obliterated. Therefore, Sauron would die, and the One Ring would remain intact..."