Chapter 136: A Winter Hunt Unlike Imagination

The wilderness wind carried coarse snow grains and the scent of savagery, whistling as it swept across the boundless plains.

Beneath that dense white veil, the distant edge of the Emerald Forest resembled the spine of a dormant behemoth, casting a heart-palpitating shadow.

A silent convoy was pressing toward the horizon.

At the center of the convoy was a covered wagon. On both sides at the front, over a dozen free riders surged like arrows loosed from a bowstring, their bodies moving with the jostling of the uneven terrain as they sped across the mildly undulating wilderness.

These riders did not maintain a neat formation but kept a loose yet mutually responsive arrangement, remaining vigilant in all directions, acting as the eyes, ears, and vanguard of the convoy.

Their sharp eyes, partially concealed by cloth masks, constantly swept the front, flanks, and any shadows that might hide a threat.

At the rear of the convoy were heavy, spoke-laden freight wagons. The wagons were piled high with bulging sacks, oak barrels, and oilcloth-wrapped supplies, all tightly secured with thick ropes. The pack beasts pulling them exhaled heavy white breaths, their steps slow yet steadfastly following the deliberately slowed convoy.

The air felt frozen in time.

Only the dull rolling of wheels over frozen ground, the crisp clatter of hooves, the howling wind, and the panting of the beasts intertwined to compose the somber melody of the convoy’s march.

Inside the carriage, the adventurers meditated with closed eyes.

Once they left town, it meant safety had completely abandoned them.

They had to remain prepared—mentally and physically—for battle at any moment.

"Kaaww—!"

A sharp, metallic cry pierced from high above, instantly breaking the monotony of the earth.

Many lifted the wagon’s canvas and looked up.

In the gray, low-pressured sky, a nimble dark speck circled with elegant strength. Occasionally, the sunlight pierced the clouds, shining on its body and reflecting a fleeting metallic luster.

It was a griffin!

Gauss followed the griffin’s line of sight downward. The edge of the Emerald Forest expanded in his vision.

Its cry was to remind them that the destination—the Emerald Forest—was near.

At the forest’s edge, a flat area had been chosen as a temporary camp.

The heavy wagons and logistics personnel could not follow the combat-ready adventurers into the dangerous depths of the Emerald Forest. They would only slow the pace and become burdens requiring additional protection. Better for them to remain here and provide logistical support to this "expedition force."

The wagons were parked on the perimeter, forming a makeshift defensive line. In the enclosed central area, tents for the camp were quickly erected.

Gauss and Arya disembarked to stretch.

He tilted his head toward the forest not far away, surprised by the vibrant greenery still peeking through the snow cover, as if the forest were struggling against the heavens, creating this layered anomaly.

Yet, the falling temperature was real. The ground was strewn with fallen leaves, a sign that the forest was indeed withering.

"Can Ike fly in snow?" Gauss asked, glancing at the raven perched on Arya’s bracer.

Ike was the name Arya had given to her recently contracted raven.

Because it had just begun learning human speech, it often repeated others’ words, earning it the name.

"Yes," Arya nodded and gently stroked its glossy feathers. "We’ll be relying on it for intel this time."

As if knowing it was the topic, the raven proudly raised its head.

After a brief rest, Eberhard soon summoned all participants of the Winter Hunt. Since the key points had been covered in the pre-departure briefing, there was no lengthy speech now.

The purpose of this gathering was merely to distribute maps marked with patrol zones to each squad leader.

The Winter Hunt team of over a hundred had been divided into around thirty squads. Some had more members, others—like Gauss’s—were compact, two- to three-person teams, averaging about four members per group.

Gauss and Arya were Squad 23.

As team leader, Gauss stepped forward and waited. When it was his turn, Eberhard’s crimson eyes lingered on him with interest before picking up a map from the nearby table and handing it over.

"You’re Gauss?"

"Yes, President."

Gauss was slightly surprised that the president knew his name, but recalling the registration details, he composed himself.

"Not bad," Eberhard said with a faint smile and a deep voice.

"Be careful. If you encounter an enemy you can’t handle, ignite the signal flare—I’ll come as soon as I can."

"Understood," Gauss replied. This had been emphasized during yesterday’s meeting.

After their brief exchange, Gauss returned to Arya with the map.

Along the way, he noticed many gazes directed at him.

Because while Eberhard had merely handed maps to the other squad leaders without a word, he had exchanged a few quiet sentences with Gauss.

This unusual detail immediately drew attention.

Many were wondering—did the president particularly favor adventurers who liked killing Goblins?

"You know the president?" Arya asked directly.

Gauss shook his head, puzzled.

Before the Winter Hunt, he had never interacted with President Eberhard—or even had the opportunity to.

Rumor had it that in the past two years, Eberhard had mostly been training alone, with administrative duties handled by Vice President Shirley and the secretary. He only showed up for major events like the Winter Hunt.

Still, why the man had made a point to speak with him, Gauss couldn’t figure out.

Could Shirley have mentioned him? Or had his title of Goblin Killer already reached the president’s ears?

Unclear...

Forget it, better take a look at the map.

Gauss called Arya over and spread it out.

The detailed route of the Winter Hunt had been kept secret in town. Only squad numbers were assigned beforehand. It was only after leaving the city that they were informed of the plan.

"It’s a bit deep in," Gauss muttered while pointing at a marked spot on the map.

He had entered the Emerald Forest before, but this assigned zone was several times deeper than he’d ever gone.

If not for being led by the Winter Hunt team, he would never have dared venture this far.

Then again, it was also a good opportunity. The deeper into the Emerald Forest, the more numerous and diverse the monsters became.

They would rest for the night, and the Winter Hunt would begin in earnest at dawn tomorrow.

At that time, after reaching the first monster gathering area, Eberhard and several Iron-rank adventurers would charge straight into the monster army’s core to slay the Ogre Shaman leader. Gauss and the other Bronze-rank adventurers were tasked with clearing scattered or peripheral monster forces.

Gauss and Arya’s two-person squad had been assigned a fan-shaped area—quite large.

If they had the strength after clearing their own sector, they could assist nearby zones.

Of course, this wasn’t free. Extra kills would count toward their personal kill count—more work, more reward. It was a measure to encourage initiative.

However, the rules were clear: they must not seize enemies others were actively engaging, unless they found them first or were called for help.

With that in mind—

Gauss and Arya entered their assigned tent to rest and gather energy.

The weeklong hunt was about to begin.

The next day, deep in the forest—

Gauss, Arya, and the gray wolf Ulfen made their way through the woods.

"This is not quite the Winter Hunt I imagined," Gauss murmured, surveying the silent forest.

Besides the two of them and the wolf, it was utterly quiet—just like any other mission.

He had expected to witness Eberhard and the Iron-rank adventurers in action. But in reality, the core battlefield didn’t need weaklings like Bronze-rank adventurers.

Just as logistics personnel were a burden to the combat teams, they too were baggage to the core forces.

That initial image of adventurers swarming in to clash in a grand battle with gathered enemies never materialized.

"You’ll get used to it," Arya smiled.

Though Gauss was the team leader, it was her second Winter Hunt—she was more experienced and composed.

"Our target today is a small monster force led by a Half-Ogre. We’ll need to find their exact location first."

Though Gauss remained curious about the main battlefield, he had to focus on the enemies in front of him.

"Ike’s back."

Arya suddenly looked up.

Before she finished speaking, a black shadow dove from the treetops and landed steadily on her bracer.

"Kaaw kaaw!" Raven Ike let out a dry call.

Arya immediately activated the Animal Communication spell and began conversing with it.

Amidst the woods, the two began to exchange words, one after another.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.