...

...

Balrog's footsteps were urgent, and the sound of his armor clashing echoed rhythmically in the corridor.

In front of the bathroom door, two Guards blocked Balrog's path.

"I have urgent matters to report to Lord Earl!"

Balrog said urgently, frowning.

"Lord Earl is dealing with more important matters right now. Please be patient and wait a moment."

The Guard replied expressionlessly.

They were the Eagle Guard, showing deference only to Count Hawk, no one else.

Balrog took a deep breath, helpless.

He was about to open his mouth to shout when the voice of Count Hawk came from inside.

"Is it Balrog?"

"Yes, Lord Earl, I have important matters to report to you."

Balrog answered anxiously.

"Come in."

The command of Count Hawk came from inside the bathroom. The two Guards stepped aside willingly.

Balrog pushed past the two Guards and entered directly.

At this moment, Count Hawk was lying in a large bathtub, his eyes closed, head resting on a maid's lap, enjoying himself.

In the bathtub, another maid was kneeling, placing Count Hawk's foot on her chest, carefully trimming his nails.

Both maids wore thin wet garments, their body contours clearly visible.

Balrog quickly lowered his head.

They were Count Hawk's favorite playthings; Balrog couldn't show any sign of deference.

"What is it?"

Count Hawk spoke indifferently, still with his eyes closed, a trace of impatience in his tone.

"Chris's wife and children have disappeared. Even Amina's mother and brother's family have all gone missing."

Balrog reported solemnly, head lowered.

"Hm?"

Count Hawk opened his eyes and stared at Balrog, questioning gravely,

"What happened? What are the watchmen doing? Are they all useless?"

Knight Balrog wanted to explain.

Count Hawk wished to salvage some reputation, explicitly ordering not to let two soldiers be discovered.

Thus the two soldiers, following the count's orders, stayed far away, not daring to approach, and let that family sneak away quietly.

But no one could blame the Lord for the problem.

Besides, the two soldiers were indeed careless.

They thought they had blocked the village's only northern exit, with mountains behind, and heavy snow in the mountains, making it nearly impossible for Amina to escape with her family.

"I have already punished them."

Balrog lowered his head even further, "It was my mistake; I should not have asked you to let Amina visit her mother's house."

"I have already sent people to search; they have found Amina's trail with hunting dogs and are pursuing them with all their might."

Balrog assured with a determined tone: "Rest assured, I will definitely bring them back."

The bathroom suddenly fell silent, leaving only the faint sound of water.

"I don't want to hear any of this."

After a long time, Count Hawk leaned against the wooden tub, closing his eyes again.

The expected rage did not appear.

"Someone must have informed them of something, so they chose to run away."

"Besides Baron Black Pine Ridge, the one who could inform them is Baron Halon."

Count Hawk spoke without hesitation: "Seal off the territory's border, especially the north, and keep an eye on any movements from Harun's direction."

"Yes, Lord Earl."

Balrog replied.

"However, there's no need for you to be anxious either."

Count Hawk's words made Balrog slightly startle.

Before he could respond, Count Hawk's voice sounded again, icy and piercing,

"Since they don't want to stay here, you send them to their deaths."

Balrog was slightly taken aback, before he could speak, Count Hawk raised his arm and placed it beside the bathtub, slightly gesturing backward: "Alright, you may leave now."

Killing Amina and letting them escape amounts to the same result.

In fact, killing Amina would push Chris towards Baron Black Pine Ridge even more.

Such an order from Count Hawk was clearly irrational.

It was purely venting anger.

But Count Hawk's attitude indicated a definitive decision.

Balrog had no choice but to nod.

"Yes, Lord Earl."

Having said that, Balrog lowered his head, retreated out of the bathroom, and closed the door behind him.

He hadn't gone far before he heard a woman's exclamation from inside the bathroom, prompting Balrog to quicken his pace.

Soon after Balrog left, two maids dressed and exited the bathroom.

Inside the room, only Count Hawk remained.

He got up, took out a rhombus-shaped red Crystal Stone from the clothes nearby.

Then, Count Hawk pressed it into his palm, fiercely sliding it across with force.

The crimson wound gradually oozed, and Count Hawk gripped the red Crystal Stone tightly, murmuring softly,

"The dignity of the Hawk Clan cannot be trampled upon wantonly, help me kill Baron Black Pine Ridge."

On the red Crystal Stone, red light flickered, pulsating like a breath.

After waiting a moment, a hollow voice echoed from within,

"You understand the cost, don't you?"

Count Hawk's voice was low, imbued with a hint of malicious intent,

"I will prepare a hundred young souls for you."

"Alright."

With those words, the red Crystal Stone returned to stillness.

...

...

The northern edge of Eagle Territory, the entrance to the main road of White Rock Canyon.

Soldiers stood behind wooden spiked barricades, stomping their feet, trying to shake off the cold clinging to their bodies, preventing frostbite.

Three wagons laden with goods slowly made their way toward the checkpoint at White Rock Canyon, leaving deep tracks in the snow.

Leading them was a kindly-looking middle-aged fat man, accompanied by three associates and thirteen guards.

"Stop!"

Before the wagons could approach, the soldiers reached out to block them, their voices sounding particularly loud in the cold air.

"Lord Earl's order, passage is prohibited."

"Sir, we are the Icehoof Trading Team, under the protection of Marquis Cold Blade."

The middle-aged leader stepped forward and respectfully presented an animal hide stamped with the Cold Blade Clan's emblem, along with a money pouch.

However, the soldier didn't care at all, not even glancing at it.

"Get back!"

The soldier shouted harshly, his hand already on the hilt of his sword.

"Okay, okay, Sir, don't be impulsive."

The middle-aged man raised his hands to show he meant no harm, obediently retreating.

"Let's go, the sirs won't let us pass."

The middle-aged man called out helplessly, waving to his companions.

Just as the trading team members began to pull the wagons away, the soldier's voice suddenly rang out.

"Stop!"

The soldier scrutinized the convoy before him, his eyes flashing with a wary glint.

"What else do you have to say?"

The middle-aged man was slightly taken aback, turned around cautiously smiling.

The soldier's gaze was sharp as he suddenly stepped forward.

The soldier scanned the convoy, looking at the dozen or so people before him, and finally focused back on the middle-aged man, asking in a deep voice, "What's inside the wagons?"

"Ah, it's all just some everyday goods."

The middle-aged man replied honestly, "Clothes, charcoal, fabric, and some grains."

"I need to inspect them, remove the tarpaulin on top."

The soldier ordered.

"Is it really necessary, Sir?"

The smile on the middle-aged man's face was a bit awkward,

"We're not passing through here, we're leaving, do you still need to inspect?"

"What nonsense! I said inspect, so inspect, open it up!"

The soldier shouted loudly, his rough actions also drew the attention of other companions.

The soldiers originally resting by the fire all stood up alertly, hands gripping their sword hilts.

This checkpoint leading to Black Pine Ridge, Balrog had heavily fortified with additional troops.

Just sitting by the fire were twenty soldiers, and there were two more teams in the wooden lodge on the slope.

In winter, standing guard overnight here is a challenging task, so soldiers frequently rotate shifts to prevent frostbite.

In the Northern Territory, this is common knowledge.

Thus the middle-aged man also knew that this outpost had at least twenty well-equipped soldiers.

"Alright, Sir, as you wish."

The middle-aged man had no choice but to obediently lift the tarpaulin, revealing the goods stacked on the wagon.

"Open all the barrels and crates for me!"

The soldier ordered impatiently.

"Sir, is it really necessary for that?"

The middle-aged man's voice carried a hint of pleading, "These crates and barrels are sealed, opening them could spill the goods during the bumpy journey..."

"I told you to open them!"

The soldier roared, his hand already on the sword hilt.

The middle-aged man let out a deep sigh.

He glanced at his companions, helplessly climbed onto the wagon, and slowly reached for the wooden crate.

The trading team guards closely watched the middle-aged man, holding their breath, hands unconsciously reaching for their weapons.

The soldiers at the outpost also focused on the goods on the wagon, ready to spring into action at any moment.

The entire outpost fell into a dead silence, broken only by the howling wind.

The middle-aged man took out a short knife, tapped on the wooden crate cover with the back of the blade, and began to pry it open.

The lid came off, and Amina looked up, covering her mouth, watching the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man shook his head slightly, turned around,

"Sir, why don't you come up and take a look, this crate can't be moved."

Saying this, the middle-aged man discreetly moved the hand holding the short knife behind his back.

The soldier stepped onto the wagon, about to look into the crate, when suddenly urgent shouts echoed from the hillside behind.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

The cries were desperate, the soldiers immediately turned around!

A group of enemies clad in chain armor charged down like a silver torrent, instantly overwhelming the wooden lodge on the mountain!

Immediately, this group of enemies branched out downwards, charging toward the outpost!

"Prepare to meet the enemy!"

The soldier on the wagon shouted, just about to jump down, when a short knife suddenly pierced his chest!

"You!"

The middle-aged man ignored the soldier's struggles, kicked him off the wagon, wearing a fierce expression,

"Attack!"

Simultaneously, other guards swiftly drew longswords from the wagons, charging at the checkpoint guards like tigers!

The unexpected turn of events left the soldiers momentarily panicked!

The guards gave them no time to react, leaping over the barricade towards the soldiers!

The clash of metal exploded instantly, blood splattering with screams, spraying across the snow like blossoming red plums!

"Kill!"

The shouts shook the heavens and the earth.

The trading team guards were unusually fierce, tearing through the outpost's defenses from behind!

And the enemies rushing down the mountain were equally well-trained elite troops!

The hastily responding soldiers were utterly outmatched, cut down like swathes of grass, becoming lifeless bodies in the icy snow!

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