“There’s nothing worth patrolling over there.” Vitter gestured toward a cluster of snow-shrouded rocks in the distance, barely visible through the drift. “We can head back.”

“What, you scared to go to Wolfhold?” Shaos’s grin looked like a sneer.

“We’ve already fulfilled our patrol quota here! No need to push further!” Vitter raised his voice, pointing upward. “It’s gonna be dark soon, and we’ve got a long ride back to the outpost.”

Shaos shook his head. “The order was clear: Scouts are to make a full circuit of Wolfhold.”

“Wolfhold’s been destroyed! It’s just a pile of rubble, littered with wolf bones! There’s nothing to patrol!” Vitter thumped his bamboo quiver at his waist to emphasize his point.

“Not until we reach Wolfhold is the mission complete.” Shaos stood firm.

“Damn southerners are all so stubborn!” Vitter threw up his hands in frustration, turning to the third man. “Fine, let’s vote. Ding Rui, what do you think?”

Here we go again…

Recruit Ding Rui felt a headache coming on. He’d thought he’d escaped this, but just a day later, he was once again the tiebreaker. This was the fifth vote in seven days. Ever since the three of them had been assigned to patrol the Outer Wastes, whenever the other two clashed, he became the deciding vote.

But before Ding Rui could speak, Shaos rejected the idea outright. “This isn’t dividing roast meat or picking a night guard. It’s a direct order from our superiors—we have to follow it to the letter. No votes.”

“Then you go alone! We’re heading back!” Vitter’s temper flared. He wheeled his horse around and gestured for Ding Rui to follow.

“I… I…” Ding Rui hated this division. Compared to Vitter and Shaos, seasoned warriors both, he was just a twenty-something recruit who’d only served the Frostwall for a hundred days. He didn’t want to anger either of them.

“Xiao Ding, come with me!” When Ding Rui didn’t respond, Vitter pressed him.

Under Vitter’s repeated urging, Ding Rui had no choice but to turn his horse. I have to side with Vitter. He knew Vitter was a man of the Frostwall Legion, while Shaos belonged to the Golden Knights. If he had to choose, he had to stand with his fellow Legion man—just like he had in the previous votes.

“Let him patrol that desolate, freezing wolf ruin alone! Xiao Ding, let’s go!” Vitter squeezed his horse’s flanks with his legs, urging it forward.

Ding Rui saw Shaos still standing motionless and hesitated. “Sir Knight…”

Shaos’s voice was calm. “You both go back. I’ll patrol Wolfhold alone. When we return to the Wall, I’ll report the truth of this patrol to Commander Orek and Lady Rae.”

Ding Rui froze. Orek was the Frostwall’s commander, and Rae was the leader of the Golden Knights—their patrol order had come from both of them. He’s going to tattle!

Ding Rui didn’t dare move. Vitter had heard too, and he rode back to face Shaos, their horses nose to nose.

“Hey, buddy, you don’t have to be like that.” Ding Rui saw the fire in Vitter’s eyes.

“I’m just doing my duty. Did I do something wrong?” Shaos didn’t flinch under Vitter’s glare, holding his gaze steadily.

Vitter ground his teeth. “Do you know how many people on the Wall are sick of you southerners? Stubborn! Arrogant!”

Shaos retorted, “What you think doesn’t matter. All I know is Commander Orek of the Frostwall has always shown our Golden Knights great respect.”

“Orek’s just being polite! You took it seriously!”

“Oh, is that so? Then what exactly do you want? Spit it out.”

“Turn your horse around and come back with me. When we report to the commanders, we’ll say we patrolled Wolfhold, same as last time—nothing but ruins, not a thing there.” Vitter spoke slowly, each word sharp.

“What if I say no?”

As soon as Shaos said it, Ding Rui felt the air around them turn cold and still.

Vitter’s eyes blazed brighter. He unslung his bow from his back, pulled an arrow from his quiver, and nocked it, drawing the string steady. His movements were slow but unhesitating.

“You want to fight?” Shaos slowly drew his longsword from its scabbard at his waist.

Are they crazy? A hunter and a knight, pointing their weapons at each other.

“Stop! Please stop!” Ding Rui didn’t care about his recruit status anymore—he had to stop this. “We’re brothers on the same side! What are you doing? Put your weapons down!”

He tried to steer his horse between the two, but his riding skills were still rough, and in his panic, the horse circled in place, putting him even farther away from the pair.

“Southern boy, don’t kid yourself! No one’s arrow is faster than mine!” Vitter snarled.

“Is that so? I could swear your arrow’s trembling.”

“I’m an old hunter! I never shake when facing prey—wolves included!”

“Don’t make me laugh. I suspect you’re the wolf.”

They’re truly mad! How can they accuse each other of being a wolf?

Ding Rui didn’t know how to stop this. He wanted to rush over and slap both of them, to snap them out of it. But he didn’t dare. He knew that even though he wore a scout’s uniform and held an iron sword, he was still just a commoner—no match for either Vitter or Shaos.

Vitter’s voice was low. “You think I’m a wolf? Then your wolf-spotting skills are terrible.”

Shaos said, “You struck first. I fight whoever strikes me.”

“What if neither of us is the wolf? What if the real wolf is watching us laugh right now?”

“Possible. But we have two votes—enough to take him out.”

Suddenly, Vitter and Shaos turned their weapons in unison, pointing directly at Ding Rui.

The shift caught him completely off guard. “You… you…”

“Little wolf pup!” Vitter growled.

“You can’t hide!” Shaos added.

Shocked, Ding Rui didn’t even have time to defend himself before he heard the twang of a bowstring.

“Wait!” Ding Rui hugged his head, ducking low on his horse’s back. His iron sword clattered to the ground.

“Ha ha ha ha!”

Laughter erupted beside him. When Ding Rui looked up, stunned, he saw Vitter and Shaos had already put their weapons away.

“Xiao Ding, see that? Good people often can’t get along.” Vitter roared with laughter.

“Finding wolves is hard, mostly because good people bicker among themselves.” Shaos shook his head, smiling. “Here’s the plan: I’ll patrol Wolfhold alone. You two wait here—I’ll be back quickly. When we report, I’ll say the scouts completed the Wolfhold patrol successfully.”

So it was all a show. Ding Rui realized he’d worried for nothing. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, forcing an embarrassed smile.

“Since you’re set on going, we’ll all go together. Three good men have no reason to split up.” Vitter tugged on his reins and rode toward the snow-covered rocks first.

Seeing the two veterans ride ahead, Ding Rui didn’t want to be left behind. He followed them, silently praying: Please, no more arguments before the day ends.

Dusk deepened, turning the sky a bruised deep purple. A thin, pale red crescent moon hung high in the heavens.

“Hey, buddy, I’ve been wondering—all those knights in your order have thick southern accents, always tacking ‘eh’ onto everything. Why don’t you?”

“I’m from the Western Marches, not the South.” Shaos replied.

Vitter looked surprised. “Aren’t the Golden Knights based in the South? How’d you end up joining if you’re from the West?”

“When I was twelve, wolves attacked my village. A knight in golden armor passed by and saved me. He took me to the South, raised me, taught me combat, and made me a member of the Golden Knights. By then, I couldn’t shake my Western accent.”

“I see. I thought the order only took southerners.” Vitter nodded thoughtfully.

“Of course not. At least half of us aren’t from the South. Lady Rae, for example—she’s not from the South either.”

“Oh, speaking of Rae, I’ve always been curious. You’re all big tough guys, so how come your leader’s a girl?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Ding Rui rode behind them, noticing Shaos’s tone had sharpened. His heart tightened. Here we go again? We just stopped arguing…

Vitter hurried to clarify. “Relax, buddy, I don’t mean anything by it. I’m just curious how she became your leader.”

“Her position was earned purely through her skill in combat and her battle achievements. So don’t call her a ‘girl’—you’re no match for her.”

“Is that so?” Vitter looked up at the pale red crescent moon. “How many wolves has she killed?”

Shaos snorted. “How many have you killed?”

Vitter laughed loudly. “At least ten wolf pups since I joined the Legion!”

Hearing that, Ding Rui felt a surge of respect. He’d heard stories of Divine Kindred hunting wolves, but he’d never fought in a wolf battle, or even seen a wolf. He’d never guessed Vitter, who was usually so glib and casual, had killed ten wolves.

His respect for Vitter was genuine this time, not just because they were comrades. Truly worthy of being a Divine Kindred—he talks nonsense sometimes, but his record speaks for itself!

The Frostwall has stood for a thousand years as the kingdom’s northern shield. Every soldier in the Legion is worth their salt!

Ding Rui felt a rush of ambition. He hoped he could master combat quickly, so one day he could take up a bow like Vitter and slay wolves.

“Half my kill count—pretty good, I guess.” Unlike Ding Rui’s shock, Shaos just smiled faintly.

Vitter blinked, stunned. “You’ve killed twenty wolves? You’re not lying, are you?”

Shaos didn’t bother to defend himself. He chuckled, spurring his horse around a massive snow-covered rock and down the slope into a snow valley.

Twenty wolves?

Ding Rui was shocked again. Suddenly, the idea of joining the Golden Knights didn’t seem so bad.