A thin crescent moon hung high in the night sky, its pale glow painting the valley below where corpses lay scattered. Half-buried under snow, only bleached leg bones and shattered skulls peeked through the white blanket.

The wind whistled through the snow-filled valley, a low, mournful wail as if lamenting the tragedy that had unfolded here. Wild Wolf Valley was less than a hundred miles from Winter Snow Valley, yet the two places were worlds apart—where the latter was sunny and mild, this one reeked of death and dread.

The wind whipped at the Wolf King’s cloak, making it snap and flutter. Will stood tall on a snow-crusted boulder, staring at the skeletal remains below, his mind replaying the brutal scenes of ten years prior.

This had once been the Wild Wolf Pack’s territory. When they refused to submit to the newly crowned Wolf King and openly defied Wolf Fort, Will had led the Black Wolf Army to crush them. After a blood-soaked battle, the Wild Wolf Pack was annihilated. Will had left their corpses here as a warning to any Outer Wastes demon clan that dared to challenge Wolf Fort’s authority.

Now, a decade later, Will returned to Wild Wolf Valley, filled with bitter nostalgia. The events of that day felt as fresh as yesterday.

Don’t blame me for being cruel. You wolves brought this on yourselves. If you’d just retreated quietly like the White Wolf Clan, refusing to obey but not attacking, I wouldn’t have had to raise my blade. But you dared to strike at the Black Wolf Army—that I could not tolerate. This is all your doing.

Just then, Wolf Guard Wolf stepped forward and knelt. “My King, we have fresh intelligence.”

Will’s reverie was broken. He took a deep breath, his voice steady. “Speak.”

“The Wolf Seductress Shan successfully infiltrated Shield Fort on the Great Wall. She stabbed and killed a Hunter, but her identity was exposed shortly after, and she was poisoned to death by the Witch.”

Shan? Who is that? Will prided himself on knowing every Black Wolf agent deployed to the human kingdom, but the name “Shan” meant nothing to him.

“Was she a White Wolf agent?”

“No, she was Black Wolf.” Wolf replied.

Will’s spine went cold. A Black Wolf undercover agent… and I knew nothing about her?

“Did she go on her own?” Will thought of his youth, when he’d snuck away from Wolf Fort to infiltrate the human kingdom alone to train.

Wolf shook his head. “No. I sent her.”

Rage flared in Will’s chest. How dare you do this without my explicit order? But he quickly calmed himself. Wolf must have had his reasons.

“What is the full story?” Will’s tone was sharp, his eyes narrowing. Spill it, boy—don’t leave out a single detail.

“Half a year ago, after we retreated from Wolf Fort on your orders, the Black Wolf Army split into small groups and hid in Bear Woods, Ghost Rock, Curse Mausoleum, Blood Pool, and other locations. After a hundred days, you judged the human army had fully withdrawn from the Outer Wastes and ordered us to regroup at Wolf Fort…”

“Correct. It was a judgment based on my deep understanding of human nature—they never hold territory in the Wastes for long.” Will said.

“You were right, my King. When I went to Bear Woods and Curse Mausoleum to relay your order, some wolves volunteered to stay behind and infiltrate the Great Wall Legion to avenge the Black Wolf Clan. Seeing their resolve, I agreed to let them go.”

“Why didn’t you report this to me?” Will frowned. How many other decisions have you made on your own lately?

“I did report it, my King. Do you remember? You waved your hand and said, ‘Let them do as they wish.’ I took that as your approval.”

Will’s eyes narrowed as he recalled the moment. Yes, that had happened. After the fall of Wolf Fort, I felt my authority was weakened, my grip on the Black Wolves slipping. I didn’t want to waste energy on those who refused to obey, so I brushed it off. And I was in a hurry to return to Wolf Fort, so I didn’t give it another thought. It seems I’ve wronged Wolf again.

Of course, a Wolf King does not apologize to his subordinates. Will coughed, changing the subject. “How many wolves were in that group?”

“About a dozen, most of whom vanished without a trace. So far, only Shan has sent word via raven. She killed a Bronze-ranked divine being—trading one wolf for one divine being makes her record seem mediocre at first glance. But the Hunter she killed, though low-ranked, was the one who killed White Wolf King Watt’s daughter, Amelie.”

Will remembered Old Watt mentioning in the tomb crypt of Winter Snow Valley that one of the stone coffins was reserved for his daughter.

“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier? You wait until I leave the White Wolf den to report it!” Will complained. “If you’d told me sooner, I could have used it as a bargaining chip!”

“I only received the message moments ago…”

“Ali!” Will called to another Wolf Guard. “The White Wolf King’s daughter’s revenge has been fulfilled. Return to Winter Snow Valley at once and tell Old Watt this news!”

“As you command!” The Wolf Guard mounted his steed and galloped off, leaving a trail of deep and shallow hoofprints in the snow.

Ali’s combat skills weren’t as sharp as Wolf’s, but he was decisive and reliable. Watching him go, Will wondered if he’d relied too much on Wolf lately. His dissatisfaction with Wolf had been growing: Don’t let me catch you making a mistake, or I won’t hesitate to turn on you.

Will kept his frustration hidden behind a stoic mask, and Wolf noticed nothing. Once Ali was out of sight, Wolf asked, “My King, are you really going to give up the Wolf King’s throne to Old Watt?”

Do you still think you can ask me anything, like you did in the old days? Will’s voice was cold and detached. “According to wolf clan tradition, the strongest rules. Right now, the White Wolf Army is more powerful than us. It’s only natural for Old Watt to take on the burden of leading our people.”

“Hmm.”

Will almost smiled at Wolf’s silence. That line might fool the younger wolves, but Wolf would never believe it.

“My proposal to Old Watt is this: the Black and White Wolf Clans unite to attack the Great Wall. If we take it, I will step down and let him become Wolf King. If we fail to breach the wall, we maintain the status quo—each clan rules its own, ensuring our people survive.” Will sighed. “This is the greatest concession I can make.”

“Did Old Watt agree?” Wolf cut to the heart of the matter.

“If he had, we’d still be in Winter Snow Valley drinking and eating meat!” Will stared at the bones in the snow, rage boiling over. “Damn it! I gave him respect, and he’s playing coy with me! If I hadn’t shown mercy back then and let the White Wolves leave Wolf Fort, they’d be nothing but bones in the snow like these!” Will finally let loose a curse. This trip to Winter Snow Valley had left him simmering with frustration.

“Then there’s no need to negotiate with the White Wolves anymore. If we rest and rebuild for a few years, we’ll have the strength to fight the human legion alone.” Wolf said.

You know nothing! Will snapped internally, but quickly regained his composure. I am the Wolf King—I must maintain my dignity.

“Wait a few years, and the opportunity will be gone!” he said firmly. “The Blood Moon is rising soon—a once-in-a-century chance. We cannot wait. To break the Frost Great Wall and fulfill our clan’s thousand-year wish, uniting the Black and White Wolves is the only way.”

“Hmm…”

“Do you disagree?” Will sensed doubt in Wolf’s tone.

“My King, with all respect—even if Old Watt agrees to cooperate, we have no guarantee of victory.”

Will’s heart tightened. Wolf’s words wrapped around his throat like a tight, tough rope. This was the very fear that had been gnawing at him all along.