The cold wind sweeping across the ice plains was still biting, but the atmosphere near Ice Rift Valley had grown far more lively. The soldiers of the Stratagem Camp and Ye Character Camp mingled together, helping each other bandage wounds, distributing pills, and exchanging the spirit food and wine they carried. Though in this godforsaken place of Northern Darkness, wine froze solid the moment it was taken out, the relief of surviving calamity and the joy of reuniting with comrades were enough to drive away any severe cold.
"Captain Lin, you're finally back!" A Dragon Clan veteran with a thick beard and half an ear missing squeezed his way before Lin Yan and said excitedly, "Back then, you led us through countless battles in the Cold Spine Mountain Range, beating the fierce beasts until they fled at the mere sight of us. The brothers all missed you dearly. Then we heard you'd been swept into spatial turbulence... Ah, never mind that. It's enough that you returned safe and sound."
Lin Yan recognized him. He was a simple and valiant Dragon Clan warrior from the Ye Character Camp, named Rock Mountain. He had not expected that Rock Mountain had now advanced to the Heavenly Immortal Late Stage and even become a Squad Leader. Lin Yan gave his shoulder a firm pat. "Rock Mountain, well done. Everyone has worked hard these past years."
Many old veterans of the Ye Character Camp stepped forward to greet Lin Yan, and he was delighted to see them again. Yet over the years, the Ye Character Camp had also suffered many casualties. Many comrades he had once known well were nowhere to be seen. War was that cruel. Today, they might drink and laugh together; tomorrow, they could be separated by life and death.
After a