White-Haired Girl

These people quickly surrounded us. Two of them were in the lead, and one walked up to us, sizing us up for a moment:

"An Ionian, and a Noxian?"

"Tie them up first!"

"Wait!"

Just then, someone pushed through from behind the two. This person was also tall, two heads taller than me. When he took off his helmet, I recognized him—Jeram!

"Zhao Xin! My good brother!"

"It's you, Jeram!"

We hugged each other, celebrating this hard-won reunion. The people nearby frowned: "This is the good brother Zhao Xin you told us about?"

"Yes, brother, he's the one who saved me from the arena!"

Brother? Then this must be Olaf? I looked him over. His full beard was tied in a knot on his chest, and he was about as tall as Jeram. It looked like him!

"Then I must apologize. You are our clan's benefactor. My name is Olaf, and thank you for saving my brother!"

"You saved me too. No need to dwell on it."

"No, you will always be my benefactor," Olaf said, glancing at the wolf carcasses on the ground. "Did you two take down these dire wolves?"

"Yes, my brother and I... my brother killed them." I was afraid of exposing Darius's identity, as they had had unpleasant encounters before.

"Truly a warrior. I don't think anyone in the Berserker Clan could have done this! It's getting late, let's set up camp here and rest."

The two men who had been in the lead were Olaf and their clan leader, Hris. Hris was also stout, but his beard was much lighter in color, suggesting he was older.

In the icy wilderness, we set up camp. The fire burned brightly, but the night on the ice plain was still very cold. Fortunately, their strong liquor was very effective. Under the influence of alcohol, we chatted and laughed without restraint. This kind of exhilaration was something I had never experienced before.

When I asked them why they were in Noxian territory, Jeram's answer deeply moved me.

After leaving Doco that day, he had searched everywhere for Olaf and gathered his clansmen to sneak in, with the sole purpose of rescuing me from the arena. He hadn't expected to meet me here.

They wouldn't have passed through here originally, but they heard fighting and came to investigate. They discovered wolves attacking humans, and the situation was dire.

Jeram was eager to save me and didn't want to get involved in anything else, but Hris disagreed. He intended to save these two people. If they were fellow tribesmen, so much the better. If not, they could still gather intelligence. Little did they know that after saving them, they would discover they were the targets of their current mission. Everyone was overjoyed.

I briefly explained my situation to them, mentioning that Tam had granted me freedom and that I was now going to sell furs to the Noxian army.

As for Darius, I still claimed he was a business partner. They didn't doubt my words, and I had no ill intentions. Thus, we chatted until very late before retiring.

The Berserkers' tents were built very densely, but they still couldn't block out the icy wind. No matter how tightly we bundled up, the chill would penetrate the layers and reach our bodies.

In the middle of the night, the fire died down, and I woke up from the cold long before dawn. Darius didn't look comfortable either. At this moment, I couldn't help but admire Jeram and his clansmen; they slept so soundly in this icy wilderness.

We endured the night and parted ways as soon as it was light. After all, it wasn't safe for them here. If they were discovered by the Noxian army, a fierce battle would be inevitable.

Jeram gave us an Ironhorn Bull to replace the dead gray horse. Darius and I didn't linger and continued on our journey.

The Ironhorn Bull wasn't fast but was very strong, a livestock specifically for hauling things. After a full day, we finally arrived at a magical place.

It was a huge basin, so the temperature was much higher than in the surrounding area. Various cold-resistant plants were visible everywhere. Although it was just an ordinary sight, compared to the boundless snowfields around, it was like paradise.

Looking down from above, the basin resembled an independent kingdom. There were farmlands, forests, rivers, lakes, villages, and all sorts of strange buildings.

In the center of the basin stood a town, surrounded by thick walls, like a giant fortress. This was our destination.

Darius let out a sigh of relief. "We're here. My friend Rappor is stationed north of the city."

Upon entering the city, I found it very lively. Perhaps it was because it was the only town nearby, so everyone gathered here. Even though Noxus and Freljord were not on good terms, northern warriors were seen everywhere doing business here.

At dusk, as we passed a pleasure house, Darius stopped.

"After so many days of hardship and nearly losing our lives, let's rest here properly."

"Uh..."

I didn't answer. I had never been to a place like this in my life and felt a mix of curiosity and embarrassment. While I hesitated, two girls at the entrance had already ushered me inside.

In just a moment, I couldn't find Darius anymore. That guy was clearly familiar with the place.

I was greeted by a fair-skinned middle-aged man. He wore a black cotton robe, had neat short hair, and his left hand was adorned with numerous gemstone rings. He looked like the owner.

"Your companion has already chosen a lady. You should choose one too. If you're not satisfied, I can send someone to the back to find a few more."

I casually scanned the room and saw about ten scantily clad young women. Each was exquisitely beautiful, standing gracefully and looking towards us with hopeful eyes. The scene was quite evocative.

"No need. Just find me an empty room and a basin of hot water. I want to take a bath and relax."

"Sir, we only have public baths here. They are fragrant with flower petals and filled with beautiful women. I'm sure you'll be satisfied. As for a private basin..."

Seeing the owner's difficulty, I quickly added, "Don't worry, I'll pay. It's just that I'm too tired today and don't want to expend too much energy."

The owner's face lit up when he heard that money wasn't an issue. He ordered someone to prepare it. After the hot water was ready, he asked again if I needed a lady, which I also refused.

The rooms here were dimly lit, with all the windows covered by cloth curtains. Several candles were lit, and the scent of incense filled the air, making it intoxicating. Anyone with slightly weaker self-control would be swayed by the atmosphere.

Compared to the exquisite furnishings and seductive decorations, the large wooden tub in the room seemed out of place. But it didn't matter, as long as I could relax.

After days of cold and fatigue, this bath suddenly made me feel drowsy. As I drifted off, I heard a young man's voice from outside:

"Hello, sir. The owner sent me to give you a scrub."

"Tell him it's okay, I can wash myself."

"But..." the boy looked troubled.

Perhaps the boss saw that I wasn't interested in women and felt embarrassed to charge too much, so he sent this boy to scrub my back. If I sent him away directly, he might be punished, so I let him in.

Seeing my dazed state, the boy reminded me:

"Customer, you can't soak for too long while sitting. It's best to sit for a while and stand for a while, because we add a blood-activating medicine to the water. This way, your tired body can get adequate rest. I'll scrub your back first."

The boy spoke haltingly, unsure if it was due to shyness or inexperience. As he scrubbed my back, I felt his grip was very strong, and his pressure was uneven.

Although I hadn't experienced much high-end service, I had had my back scrubbed before. This boy was clearly a novice!

I felt too embarrassed to criticize him, as it wouldn't cause me any harm anyway. After he finished his clumsy scrubbing, my back felt fiery hot.

Such great force, to have my supposedly iron-tough skin scrubbed like this. Just as I was marveling in surprise, the boy came before me, startling me so much I almost fell back down!

It was actually a girl!

At this moment, I was facing her completely naked. The fiery sensation on my back spread to my face, and I quickly sat down, splashing water from the basin all over her.

This reaction startled her: "Customer, what's wrong?"

"You..."

The words were on the tip of my tongue when I suddenly thought of something else.

Just now, due to the difference in height, I hadn't seen her face clearly. Now that I sat down and our eyes met, I realized she looked familiar!

The girl had dark skin, bright, piercing eyes, and faint freckles on her face. Her white hair was tied back into a small braid. She wasn't beautiful, but she looked energetic. This must be Riven!

"What's your name?"

"My name is Riven, the boss gave me this name."

It really was her!

I knew Riven was an orphan of war, and I also knew she had served Noxus before being abandoned and becoming a wanderer. I never expected she had such a past!

"You should go out first, I can wash myself."

"Customer, did my unskilled technique anger you? Please don't send me away, or the boss won't give me food again. I can... Oh, right! I can give you a massage, or I can give you a back rub!"

"I don't dislike you. Listen to me, go out first. I'll call you back in a while..."

Riven seemed flustered. It took me a lot of effort to persuade her to leave. As for the back rub, let's forget about it.

At this point, I had no mood for soaking anymore. I quickly scrubbed myself and got out. After getting dressed, I called her back in and watched as she, by herself, carried the large basin of water out.

She refused my help, saying she would be beaten if the boss saw it. Looking at her small frame, my nose felt a little sore.

When Riven returned, I asked her to sit beside me and chat, and learned about her past.

When Riven was five years old, her parents died in Noxus's northern campaign. From then on, she lived with her grandmother. However, after only two years, her grandmother fell ill and passed away, sending her here before she died.

Because her original name was too long, the boss named her Riven, meaning "one whose family was torn apart by war."

As little Riven grew up, the boss discovered that her appearance couldn't satisfy customers. She was kept only because she was diligent and very strong.

Another seven years have passed, and Riven is now fourteen.

When she had no work, she often went hungry, and occasionally got beaten for being clumsy. If I hadn't refused the service of other girls this time, the boss wouldn't have sent her.

"Do you want to leave here?"

"Huh?"

My words startled Riven. She seemed hesitant to answer the question. I knew she had concerns:

"Don't be afraid. I'll talk to the boss tomorrow. Come with me."

"Okay."

She trembled slightly, then showed a determined expression, as if she had made up her mind.

Perhaps it was due to the incense, but I slept very soundly. When I woke up the next day, it was already close to noon.

Riven had prepared the water for me to wash my face. I casually splashed some water on my face and went to the front hall, where I found Darius already waiting for me.

"I was a little embarrassed when I arrived, but I ended up sleeping so late. It seems you had quite an enjoyable time last night."

"It was alright, it was alright. This little girl served me very well." I

"But I'm taking her with me," I added.

The boss feigned difficulty. "It's her good fortune that guests like her so much, but after raising her since she was little, I'm still reluctant to part with her..."

"Enough. I'll give you twenty gold coins in total. Let my friend take her."

Darius hated indecisiveness. He directly took out twenty gold coins and gave them to the boss. This time, the smile on the boss's face was no longer stiff. He respectfully saw us out the door.

I was grateful for Darius's generosity. "Thank you. If I have the chance in the future, I'll repay you."

"You didn't even say thank you when I spent a full two thousand gold coins to buy you from Tam, but you thanked me for spending less than twenty gold coins to buy this child. Seems like I didn't lose out."

"Didn't you buy me because you wanted me to fight for you? As you wished!"

"Hahaha... But do you really like this child? I think you just pity her, don't you?"

"Not entirely." I had other plans in mind.