Dragon Mountain Empire, northwestern Green Forest Province, on the outskirts near the Holy Mountain.
Beyond a dense primeval forest, an ancient little town struggled and groaned beneath the freezing wind and blizzard. It was the sort of dreadful weather in which even the undead would not go out for a stroll. Perhaps only demons would leave their homes on a day like this, seeking unlucky travelers whose souls they could harvest along the way.
Wrapped in a thick black cloak, Lin Qi cursed the foul weather under his breath, then shoved open the door of the town's only tavern. Hu Xinzhu and the Sha Xinyue siblings, likewise bundled in cloaks, quietly offered their regards to the God of Blizzards worshipped by the Odin Temple. They violently shook their heads, flinging every last snowflake from their hair, then entered the tavern.
The small tavern was crammed with burly lumberjacks, hunters, mercenaries, and the like. At least three to five hundred men were packed into this log-built tavern, crowding around dozens of long tables. When Lin Qi and the others pushed through the door, everyone looked up curiously at the three obvious outsiders.
Lin Qi cursed loudly. "This damned weather! If I run into the God of Blizzards, I'll break his neck."
Hu Xinzhu shrugged and gave a shameless grin. "If he has daughters, I'll let him know the consequences of offending me."
Sha Xinyue glared irritably at the pair—one an outright brute, the other a lecherous wretch with a head full of naked women. Sha Xinyue felt utterly helpless. How had she ended up together with two bastards like these?
Behind a long counter, the tavern owner was fiercely polishing an old bronze wine cup with a strip of spotless linen. Seeing the three enter and hearing Lin Qi and Hu