Snowfield Operation

I followed Tam out of the arena through a long corridor. It was my first time leaving the arena gates since becoming Zhao Xin, and my first time seeing a town in Noxus.

The place was bustling with markets and dense crowds. As we walked, I listened to Tam explain:

Doco was the largest town in northeastern Noxus. Security was very tight, yet many Freljordians managed to sneak in to conduct fur trading. Quite a few Ionian people also crossed the sea to come here. Combined with the locals and trafficked slaves, the population was extremely mixed.

However, everyone was accustomed to each other's presence, which was characteristic of most towns in Noxus: cultural inclusivity.

Private brawls were illegal in Noxus, so parties with conflicts would generally resolve their disputes publicly in the arena. Noxians were naturally warlike, and towns with complex populations like Doco were prone to conflict, making the arena exceptionally popular.

Tam had opened the arena here precisely because of this, making a considerable profit. He never mentioned his own origins, though.

We headed north, leaving Doco, and arrived at our destination against the biting north wind.

Tam pointed forward, and I saw a group of people not far away, roughly thirty or so.

What surprised me most were the large carriages in front of them. The massive bodies were pulled by over a dozen horses each, and the carriages were laden with iron chains as thick as a forearm, resembling battleships on land.

"Boss," the group greeted Tam in unison.

"Hant, this is Zhao Xin. Let him go with you."

Tam handed me over to this person named Hant and left. On the way, I learned that we were going on a hunt for prey in the northern snowfields.

Hant was an experienced hunter and the leader of this operation. Through his words, I learned we were hunting a Man-eating Bear.

One hunter, ten fully armed guards, and twenty gladiators—such a large contingent suggested this was no ordinary task.

Man-eating Bears typically only lived in the extreme north. This one, for reasons unknown, had wandered into the snowfields not far from Doco, and it was injured. However, subduing it wouldn't be easy, which was why Tam had gathered so many people.

We traveled for a full day to reach our destination. It was already dark, so we set up tents beside the carriages, preparing to act tomorrow.

We were a full day's journey from Doco. If we chose to escape, the guards there wouldn't be able to catch up.

This thought took root in my mind and refused to budge. I felt many others were thinking the same, as they sat around the campfire, their eyes constantly darting at each other.

There were only ten guards here, plus the hunter Hant, making eleven in total. Even without weapons, twenty brave gladiators could defeat them.

I longed to return to Demacia, longed to see Fiora. The only internal struggle I had was that Tam had treated me well. Although he might have been using me, leaving without a word still felt wrong.

In the end, I managed to quell my inner conflict. If people decided to rebel, I would flee with them. In the freezing wilderness, having more people would be a comfort.

As I was thinking this, someone stepped forward. He was strong and robust, with a deep voice that inspired a sense of security. He shouted loudly:

"Brothers, the outcome of this hunt is uncertain. We shouldn't continue. No one is watching us here, and no one is threatening us. Warriors who crave freedom, follow me and break these chains!"

His few words were impassioned and highly motivating. Everyone's eyes lit up. I thought that with a single command from him, everyone would follow him to their deaths.

Such a commotion naturally alerted the guards. They surrounded us, but ten people surrounding twenty seemed rather comical.

At this point, Hant stepped forward. "You still don't know about the rewards for this expedition, do you? If we successfully capture the beast, each of you will receive ten gold coins. Now, I'll make you another promise: anyone who stays put and doesn't join the rebellion will receive an additional ten gold coins! That's enough for you to buy your freedom. Conversely, if you persist in your foolishness, you'll wait for death!"

Ten gold coins to buy freedom? No wonder Tam gave me such a good life but no gold. So that was the reason. But how could that compare to gaining freedom directly? I couldn't help but worry about Hant's intelligence.

However, events proved me wrong. When the guards approached, except for the leader who resisted desperately, everyone else remained motionless, not even lifting their heads.

Just as I was about to stand up, I saw everyone's reaction and sat back down, watching helplessly as the leader was killed by the guards while shouting curses, his blood staining the snow.

I don't know if everyone else was "about to stand up," but indeed, no one acted. I had underestimated the allure of twenty gold coins.

It seemed that even if some people possessed leadership qualities and the opportunity, they might not succeed if they lacked followers willing to be led.

After the instigator was killed, the gladiators became unusually quiet, no one speaking.

Some were tempted by the gold, while others genuinely didn't want to rebel. Perhaps they felt responsible for their own predicament of unfreedom.

When dawn broke, we found traces of the Man-eating Bear and soon located it. No wonder they had prepared such a large carriage; the Man-eating Bear stood four to five meters tall, like a small hill in the vast snowfield!

At this point, Hant distributed weapons—wooden clubs—and informed us that we couldn't kill it; we had to capture it alive. This was Tam's order.

Although the Man-eating Bear was injured, it was still incredibly ferocious. Nineteen people wielding wooden clubs against a four-meter-tall bear could only be described as brutal.

The wooden clubs had no effect on it, while any gladiator who accidentally touched it was immediately injured, some spitting blood and collapsing. Moreover, the Man-eating Bear was clearly more adapted to the snowy environment.

Those guards weren't there to help from the beginning; they were only there to supervise us. They watched from a distance, some even laughing. Hant had taught us how to deal with various emergencies along the way, and now he stood by watching the spectacle.

We struck the Man-eating Bear's head and legs with our clubs, constantly draining its energy and further enraging it. Simultaneously, people kept falling. It wasn't until only four of us remained that it was finally subdued. It panted heavily, and only then did Hant lead the guards to chain it up.

"You did well. You'll each receive twenty gold coins when we get back. I keep my word," Hant said with a smile, showing no regret for those who had fallen.

I wondered what the survivors were feeling. If they had known this would be the outcome, would they have chosen to resist yesterday?

Upon returning to town, we were greeted by Tam's smiling face. He looked at the securely bound Man-eating Bear and even patted it. On the way back to the arena, he asked me:

"Why didn't you escape when you had such a good opportunity? I truly didn't expect you to come back. Those people couldn't have stopped you."

"I am indebted to you, how could I leave without reason?"

"That's one part of it. The other is that you were afraid you couldn't survive alone in the vast, boundless snowfield, weren't you? Actually, you don't need to worry. Ask Hant what I told him."

Hant smiled slightly. "The boss said if you wanted to leave, I shouldn't stop you, and that I should help you leave the snowfield. But you didn't make any such request."

I didn't know what to say. It felt as if everything was within Tam's plan. Was this person toying with me?

He helped me improve my strength yet didn't care if I left. I had wondered about his motives more than once, but I could never figure them out.

"Boss, I heard that twenty gold coins can buy freedom. Is that true?"

"What? You want to leave now? You had the chance and didn't take it, but now you want to buy your freedom? Don't worry, though. In a few days, I'll arrange another mission for you. If you complete it, you'll be free. At least, I won't bother with you anymore."

I didn't know what he was up to. Was it like the stories, where hope is given first, only to be crushed?