Darius: So I ran all this way for nothing?

Ashe clearly did not believe Li Ke's claim that the Frostguard would also join the alliance.

After some thought, she decided to send Tryndamere and several other clan leaders back to Avarosa, while she and Hild stayed behind. This naturally displeased the accompanying leaders, who knew that the Avarosa army was right outside the Winter's Claw stronghold. Their own Warmother had entered the enemy's stronghold, so they were understandably nervous and constantly on standby for battle.

Now, Ashe is sending them back to Avarosa with their people, while she and Hild stay here. How is this any different from making the Warmother a prisoner of the Winter's Claw?

Will this work?

Although Ashe wasn't as domineering as Sejuani, her prestige within the tribe was just as high. If she insisted, nothing the others in Avarosa could change her mind. Therefore, Ashe remained with Winter's Claw.

Sejuani didn't say anything about it, but at lunchtime, her appetite was noticeably better than before. She devoured a whole leg of lamb, showing that Sejuani had a strong appetite.

It seems that Ashe's trust brought Sejuani a sense of pleasure?

These two sisters

"Li Ke, I'm really curious how you came to be involved with the Frostguard?"

In the dungeons of Winter's Claw, Ashe stared in astonishment at a group of people eating around a table in front of her. The group was a mix of men and women, and most of them had white hair. In Freljord, white hair is a symbol—a symbol of Iceborn.

Only those who have been in contact with True Ice for many years will have such pure white hair. The white hair of the elderly is grayish-white, not this shiny snow white.

The only clan with a large Iceborn is the Frostguard, and therefore, this group truly is the Frostguard.

But the problem is, didn't Li Ke say he knew Lissandra? Did he meet Lissandra by capturing the Frostguard?

Ashe couldn't understand it!

"How did you get to know her? Hmm, you should ask her." Li Ke pointed to Relna in the crowd. Her black armor had been removed, and she was now wearing a purple wool sweater and black pants. She was sitting in a corner eating her meal, wearing sneakers, and her white hair was tied into a beautiful long braid.

In the center of the group was a huge brazier, next to which were vegetables and various kinds of meat placed on wooden stakes. Relna was ladling meat and soup with a spoon when she heard this and glanced at Ashe: "This is... Avarosa's Warmother?"

Li Ke walked up to Relna, with Sejuani behind her. Li Ke bent down to look at Relna and said with amusement, "Hey, don't you have any sense of being a prisoner?"

"Heh, didn't you say you and Lady Lissandra had already made an agreement that the Frostguard would help you and that I should listen to you?" Relna snorted, nudged Li Ke in the chest with her shoulder, and continued, "I'm not a prisoner, don't disturb my meal."

"Frostguard, do you really believe everything he says? Don't you even have a second thought?" Sejuani said from the side, her expression towards Relna showing some displeasure.

These Frostguard can really eat! Although Li Ke said all the food was on him and that Winter's Claw didn't need to provide it, Sejuani was definitely unhappy to see these defeated guys eating better than her own people every day.

When did prisoners of war become treated so well?

"Lady Lissandra sent me to invite him, so why should I doubt him? Besides, if what he said is false, he will pay the price when Lady Lissandra arrives. But if what he said is true, wouldn't I be making a fuss over nothing? I'd only incur Lady Lissandra's displeasure, and his displeasure as well. Is it worth it for me to create trouble for myself?"

As Relna ate the hot mutton, she tilted her round, fleshy face up with a faint smile and said, "I'm just a nobody. I just do what the big shots tell me to do."

Upon hearing this, Li Ke laughed and patted Relna on the shoulder, "Then you'll have to go back now."

Looking at Relna now, dressed casually, she is completely different from the image she had when she first met in black armor. Relna now has less solemnity and majesty, but more vitality and youth.

"What do you want me to do?" Relna asked.

"Have Lissandra come to Winter's Claw; I have something to discuss with her," Li Ke said.

Relna paused, narrowed her eyes, and then said, "I understand."

She didn't ask Li Ke how he dared to do that, although she really wanted to ask Li Ke why he had Lissandra come over instead of him going over there.

But Relna chose to remain silent.

Just as Relna just said, what the big shots do, the little guys just need to obey. In the Frostguard, soldiers who act on their own are the most foolish and have no value.

Meanwhile, Ashe, standing to the side, was completely at a loss for what expression to wear.

"Well then, after you finish this meal, you can set off this afternoon. It would be best if you and Lissandra could return in two days. Oh, and if she doesn't come, remember to tell her that the sooner she arrives, the faster she can complete the task she wants me to do."

Li Ke spoke earnestly to Relna, as if urging Relna to do so.

Relna simply hummed in response, indicating that she understood.

The southern border of Freljord.

Blood, clotted and mixed with mud and snow, stained his body. The man wore tattered animal skins, the dark red stains on which were very conspicuous. His black hair was a mess, like a large chicken coop. In his large left hand, he held an axe. The handle of the axe was made of sturdy frost wood, and the top was a huge stone bound with the intestines of wild animals.

His attire showed how difficult his journey had been, but the man's eyes still shone brightly, showing no sign of fatigue.

His unwavering will was simply outrageous.

"From the Winter's Tooth Mountains to here," the man turned around and looked at the continuous snow-capped mountains. Beneath his broken eyebrows, his scarlet eyes narrowed slightly. There was a trace of unwillingness in his dark red pupils, but then, that unwillingness turned into burning fighting spirit. He let out a low growl, put down the axe in his hand, and instead took out a dagger made of animal teeth from his waist.

Darius slashed his palm hard, closed his eyes, and let out a hoarse sound:

"I will come back, I promise you. I will come back to take your bodies. Don't go too fast over there, wait for me to send the people of the Winter's Claw down to you."

After Darius finished speaking, he squeezed his palm hard, and blood splattered onto the frozen ground, quickly freezing into a blood-red block of ice. He took a deep breath, bent down to pick up the axe, and turned to stride southward.

This time, he will not turn back. He will admit his defeat and accept the judgment he will face upon returning to the Empire, but he will not yield. He will return to Freljord with the will of Noxus, he will.

Darius's decision not to look back was so that he could let go of his guilt when he "met" them again.

Heading towards Delverhold, Darius trudged through the snow and ice, but his mind remained focused, and he continued step by step toward his destination with unwavering resolve.

It wasn't until he forgot the time and darkness fell that Darius saw the gray-black smoke rising into the sky; that was the Delverhold.

Darius breathed a sigh of relief as the weariness in his heart subsided.

"Stop!"

"This is Delverhold in Noxus. Outsiders are not allowed to enter... You, you, you are General Darius?"

"My God, it's General Darius! The general is back!"

"Quickly, quickly, open the city gates and let the general in!"

"General Darius, we've finally found you!"

Darius had barely approached the Delverhold when a group of soldiers stopped him, but before Darius could identify himself, the soldiers recognized him.

This is not surprising. Darius had been fighting the north for years, advancing deep into Freljord, until he encountered Winter's Claw, at which point Darius was defeated, and suffered a crushing defeat. He had spent several years in Delverhold, so it was normal for the soldiers there to recognize him.

But what puzzled Darius was why these soldiers were so polite.

Darius had already prepared to deflect the incoming arrows and then shout his name, since a stranger approaching Delverhold would likely be shot at like a pincushion.

But what did they do? They only issued a warning!

"General Darius!"

Just as Darius was wondering, a somewhat familiar voice rang out. He looked up and saw a soldier in armor rushing out.

It was a young soldier, a girl, with a fair and clean face, looking at him with red eyes.

"Lil?" Darius stared at her, taken aback.

Then came another roar, from a massive minotaur, who roared, "General, you've finally returned!"

"Zart?" The appearance of this minotaur made Darius even more confused.

Zart ran to Darius's side. He was Darius's right-hand man. Although he was a Tauren, he trusted Darius implicitly and could be considered Darius's personal guard. Right now, he was looking at Darius with tears in his eyes.

"You, how did you get here?" Darius reached out and grabbed Zart's broad arms tightly. "You escaped too? What about them? Did they escape too?"

Perhaps Darius himself didn't realize that his voice trembled slightly.

It's not surprising that Zart was able to escape; he's a minotaur, incredibly strong and with amazing stamina. But why was Lina able to escape too?

She's just a greenhorn!

If she could escape, what about the others?

Noxians call Darius a beast, a demon, but in reality, Darius is not a cold-blooded person. He simply knows that emotions only bring trouble on the battlefield, so when fighting, Darius transforms into a ruthless war machine.

But after leaving the battlefield, Darius was also a human being. He had his own children, relatives, and friends. Darius had climbed from a commoner to his current position, and he knew the hardships and difficulties of the lower-ranking soldiers. Therefore, in the army, Darius often went to the front line to communicate with the soldiers and train them.

This is why Darius was deeply loved and trusted by his soldiers.

"General, it was the Winter's Claw who released us. They took care of us along the way, and then released us when we reached the border," Lina said.

Zart also reached out and stroked his head, a piece of his bull horn broken off, and said in a simple, honest tone, "General, the Winter's Claw isn't a bad person."

Darius's face twitched; Zart's words had horrified him.

Winter's Claw not a bad person?

Has he forgotten how the people of the Winter's Claw fed them weeds when they were slaves?

"What exactly happened?" But that's just the kind of race the minotaurs are. They are incredibly strong and natural warriors, but they are also simple and naive. As long as you give them food and a place to stay, they will agree to anything.

They don't pursue fame or fortune; they become soldiers for only one reason—to have enough to eat and drink.

Therefore, Zart's words cannot be trusted; Darius asked Lina while looking at her.

Lina took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and took Darius's arm, saying, "General, let's go into the city first. You can rest for a bit. Don't worry, everyone is fine. Except for those who froze or starved to death at the beginning, everyone else survived."

"Since the day you left, not a single one of us has been killed, and everyone has returned safely to Noxus," Lina said earnestly.

Darius was taken aback, then nodded, and was helped into the city by Lina.

After showering himself with hot water, Darius changed into clean new clothes. He felt drowsy from the exhaustion after the bath, but he knew he couldn't fall asleep without getting to the bottom of things. So, Darius was sitting in a chair with Lina and a group of soldiers whose names he could name standing opposite him.

"So, what happened?" Darius asked.

Lina shouted, "General, five days after your successful escape, a Zaunite named Li Ke came to Winter's Claw. He's the one who got the Winter's Claw leader to release us."

"Li Ke? Who's that?" Darius asked, puzzled. Darius could understand if the person who ordered Lina and the others to be released was from the Winter's Claw, but... a Zaunite?

What right does Zaunite have?

Also, who is Li Ke?

Lina's eyes lit up, and she continued, "That's a long story, General. While we were campaigning in the north, something happened in Noxus. Grand Chancellor Swain Darkwill, and in the marketplace of the Immortal Bastion, in front of all the people, he had Darkwill hanged."

"Swain?" Darius narrowed his eyes and took a breath.

Swain, a man even Darius would admire.

But wasn't he loyal to Darkwill? His loyalty to His Majesty was no less than Darius's. But Darius realized he was wrong; Swain was never loyal to people or power, but to the country.

Darkwill became senile in his later years, making a series of blunders. Swain a coup d'état seems unsurprising.

With Lina's explanation, Darius learned about the recent events in Noxus.

Then, Lina explained Li Ke.

"General, Lord Li Ke is an ally of Noxus, and along with Lord Swain and Lady LeBlanc, they hold three seats in Noxus. Swain controls the government and the military, Lady LeBlanc handles diplomacy, and Lord Li Ke is a special envoy. We were able to escape this time because Commander Swain asked Lord Li Ke to rescue us. He went alone to the North, deep into Winter's Claw, to confront Sejuani, the Warmother of Winter's Claw."

Lina spoke of Li Ke with eyes full of admiration.

Because she had fought in Freljord, Lina knew best what Freljord was like.

However, Lord Li Ke went alone to Freljord, deep into the enemy camp!

That's the Winter's Claw!

Their legion couldn't even defeat a single strife of the Winter's Claw, yet Lord Li Ke successfully persuaded the Winter's Claw's Warmother. How could Lina not admire such courage and audacity?

After hearing this, Darius gained some understanding of Li Ke and couldn't help but feel grateful to Li Ke.

As for Swain... forget it. For Darius, Swain as emperor is far better than Darkwill.

Swain was the Grand Marshal of Noxus, and Darius had previously taken orders from him, so he knew Swain's character.

After a long pause, Darius hesitated before finally saying:

So, did I make a wasted trip?

"Was all this fighting with humans and beasts, drinking morning dew and eating raw meat my own doing?"

No, if I had known it was like this...

Wouldn't it be better if I just stayed put?

Darius was somewhat depressed for a moment.

Lina and Zart both laughed, and then the soldiers behind them joined in with loud laughter.

As if it were contagious, everyone inside and outside burst into laughter.

Darius listened to the laughter, his head lowered, but a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

Darius murmured to himself beneath the gentle curve of the arc.

"It's so good to have survived such a disaster."

He thought to himself with a sigh.