Wil followed the White Wolf King deeper into the tomb. After two turns, they entered a stone chamber where three sarcophagi stood side by side.
By wolf clan tradition, only elite wolves who had rendered extraordinary service to the clan earned the right to be buried in a sarcophagus within the tomb. Usually, a stone stele stood before each sarcophagus, inscribed with the wolf’s name and deeds.
Strangely, the steles before these three sarcophagi were blank. Wil wondered: Who lies in these sarcophagi? Why are the steles empty?
“All three sarcophagi are empty.” The White Wolf King ran a paw over a stele: “The first is for my eldest son, Bing. After he died at Jingji Village, I swore I would not inscribe his stele until I avenged him. The White Wolf Clan’s tomb is a heroes’ resting place; a white wolf who dies with unfinished business cannot lie here.”
“Now that Bing’s revenge is complete, he can finally rest in peace, and you can finally inscribe his stele and honor his name.” Wil thought: <em>So the second sarcophagus must be for Yin the Hidden Wolf.</em>
“The second is for my second son, Yin. He’s still missing. He’s likely dead, but since I never saw his body, I can’t inscribe his stele either.”
Wil nodded, thinking: <em>I wonder who the third is for? It can’t be for Little White Wolf.</em>
Watt said: “The third is for my daughter, Mei. A year ago, she went to Northern Village for her werewolf training, but she was killed by a hunter’s gun. I haven’t avenged her yet, so this sarcophagus is also empty.”
Wil suddenly recalled: Wolf had briefly mentioned this, but at the time I was preoccupied with plans to attack the Great Wall, so I didn’t ask for details. But why is Old Watt showing me these three sarcophagi?
“For ten years, you’ve shouldered the burden of leading the wolf clan, but I have to say, you’ve been an unworthy Wolf King.” The White Wolf King abruptly shifted his tone to accusation.
Is he dropping the pretense of courtesy? Wil’s fake smile vanished instantly, his face darkening. You have no right to judge me! The Wolf King lifted his head, his jaw set.
“You’ve always thought only the black wolves carry the weight of the clan, and that the white wolves hide in the rear enjoying peace. That’s completely wrong! We white wolves have been fighting too. All three of my children died fighting humans, and so have many of our white wolf warriors. We’ve sacrificed much for the clan. Do you understand?”
“I’ve never denied the White Wolf Clan’s sacrifices.” Wil’s words sounded insincere: “Black wolves and white wolves should unite—only then can we unleash our full strength and defeat the humans!”
“It seems you still don’t understand.” The White Wolf King shook his head repeatedly: “Let me be clearer. Half a year ago, you recklessly led the wolf army to attack the Great Wall, only to be crushed by the Divine Legion. In the end, even Wolf Fort was surrounded. If I hadn’t intervened privately, you’d have been ‘purified’ into a puddle of blood by the Seer’s Holy Light long ago!”
Old Watt intervened privately? What does he mean by that?
Wil’s face paled. He truly didn’t understand. He looked at his right paw, where a scar ran across the palm—a permanent reminder of that humiliating defeat.
The fall of Wolf Fort is the most shameful, unspoken, unerasable stain of my life… The only consolation was that we fought our way out with sheer courage.
Was that not the truth? The Wolf King felt a chill run down his spine.
“You don’t really think you fought your way out of that siege with just courage, do you?”
Old Watt’s words struck Wil like a sledgehammer to the heart.
“What happened? Tell me.”
“Let me be blunt. Even though I’ve been far away in the Winter Snow Valley these years, I’ve kept an eye on Wolf Fort’s movements. I watched every moment of that battle half a year ago. After your defeat at Wolf God Mountain, I knew you were in danger. So I contacted a black market merchant overnight, asking him to mediate and persuade the human legion not to kill you—at least to spare the Black Wolf King’s life. I paid a thousand obsidian coins for it. That’s why you’re standing here talking to me today.”
Wil’s mind reeled. Scenes from that battle half a year ago flashed through his head as he searched for details he’d missed.
Half a year ago, I was trapped in Wolf Fort, all escape routes blocked. We had only a few dozen wolves left, and I’d been wounded by Magician Peter. The situation was hopeless. I’d decided to surrender, but Wolf kept urging me not to. His encouragement reignited my courage, and I fought back. Finally, we broke through the iron encirclement and escaped—it was a miracle.
But now Old Watt says it wasn’t a miracle. He paid someone to let me go. Is this true? Would Old Watt be that kind to me? And does he really have the power to mediate with the human legion?
It was too bizarre to believe. Wil stared intently at the White Wolf King’s face, trying to detect any sign of deception.
“I know black market merchants value money above all else. They follow the Free Trade Laws, doing business with both humans and demons… But even black merchants have limits, right? Would they take our side in a war between humans and wolves?” Wil spoke slowly, thinking as he went.
The White Wolf King smiled: “The Free Trade Laws of Gold Harbor do set limits on black merchants. One rule forbids them from doing business with non-humans that harms human interests during wars between humans and non-humans. But those laws are two hundred years old. Times have changed. Black merchants are more greedy and unscrupulous than ever—they’ll do any business as long as it pays.”
“Even if they have no limits, this isn’t a normal transaction. Do black merchants really have the power to make the human legion open a gap and let the Wolf King escape just when they were about to win? For a thousand obsidian coins?” Wil was cautious, still fearing he’d fallen into the White Wolf King’s trap.
“To be honest, I doubted it too before the deal was done. But the merchant pulled it off. The fact that you’re standing here unharmed is proof enough.” The White Wolf King spread his paws: “The thousand obsidian coins weren’t wasted.”
Wil couldn’t find any flaws in his uncle’s expression, but he understood the implication. I failed at Wolf Fort, and Old Watt saved my life. So whatever he says goes.
Wil knew exactly what Old Watt wanted—and it was something he could never agree to. Whether this is true or not, I can’t admit it easily.
“I still find it hard to believe a black merchant could pull this off.” Wil didn’t want to argue over whether Watt had spent the money; instead, he focused on the merchant’s “ability.”
“What if there’s a mole in the Great Wall Legion?”
“A mole?” Wil’s eyes widened: <em>If that’s the case, it’s possible…</em>
Watt sneered: “Otherwise, how did Magician Peter’s head end up in the Outer Wastes?”
“…Did you arrange the mole?”
“This has nothing to do with me.” Old Watt shook his head: “I often send werewolves to infiltrate the kingdom’s heartland, but I don’t have a wolf powerful enough to kill a Holy Light-ranked mage like Peter or Dreamwalker Dawn.”
“Peter’s head was a gift from the black market merchant, a thank-you for that deal half a year ago.”
Wil nodded silently. These days I’ve been wondering when the White Wolf Clan got such a powerful warrior—one who could kill a Holy Light mage, when even Wolf isn’t Peter’s match! Now Old Watt says it wasn’t his doing, which makes sense. The Wolf King also knew Wolf Fort had no such warrior either.
So who is the mole in the human camp?
“Stop wasting time guessing who the mole is. The more important thing is, by wolf clan tradition, a Wolf King who fails must step down. You lost Wolf Fort—do you still have the right to sit on the throne?”
After all this, we’ve finally circled back to the main issue. There’s no escaping it…
Wil forced a smile: “I’ll take responsibility for that defeat… But dear uncle, now isn’t the time to talk about the throne.”
It will never be the time.
The White Wolf King snorted: “If we don’t talk about the throne, what do we talk about? Did you come to the Snow Valley to sunbathe?”
“Uncle, you must have seen the blood moon has returned. In a hundred days, it will be the full moon—a once-in-a-century opportunity!”
“You want to declare war on humans on the blood moon night?” The White Wolf King seemed to have guessed Wil’s plan.
“Exactly!” The Wolf King’s eyes blazed with passion: “Cross the Frost Barrier, return to our lost homeland after a thousand years. This is our chance to take it all. It’s the shared hope of both black and white wolf clans! Uncle, for the rise and fall of the wolf clan! For our family’s destiny! We must forget the past, set aside our conflicts, and unite! This is our only chance to rise again! Let us witness the clan’s glory together!”
Wil grew more impassioned as he spoke, his voice echoing through the vast tomb. The stone statues of wolf clan warriors seemed to listen to the Wolf King’s grand vow. The Black Wolf King extended his paw.
“Break through the Great Wall, take back our homeland… It sounds beautiful. I knew you’d say something like this when I heard you were coming to the Winter Snow Valley.” The White Wolf King didn’t reach out: “But compared to my hatred for the black wolves, humans are indeed my greater enemy.”
Hearing this, Wil felt a flicker of hope for an alliance. He smiled.
The White Wolf King turned, gazing at the three sarcophagi: “But I swore to my three children that their blood wouldn’t be spilled in vain. One day, I would ascend to the Wolf King’s throne and let the world honor their deeds!”
Wil’s smile froze.
“Dear nephew, you can’t avoid the main issue. It’s simple now. If we are to ally, you must abdicate. I will lead the wolf clan across the Great Wall and build a new dynasty for us. If you refuse to step down, then there’s nothing to talk about. Before you declare war on humans, I will declare war on Wolf Fort!” Watt spoke in a tone that brooked no argument.