Chapter 128

"..." Ashe stared blankly at the piece of meat being offered to her mouth.

But with Chen Ce's smile and eye signal, she slowly opened her mouth.

The rich aroma of meat exploded in my mouth, and my long-awaited taste buds greedily demanded everything... and more.

Ashe finally couldn't hold back anymore.

Her nimble pink tongue curled the piece of meat into her mouth, and in her haste, she even accidentally licked the other person's finger.

Before she could apologize, another piece of meat was offered to her.

Her beautiful face flushed slightly, but her movements were clearly much more skillful and less awkward than before.

Chen Ce's next move made her feel... shy, excited, and self-satisfied.

Chen Ce moved directly from the seat opposite her to the seat next to her.

"Sitting too far away is inconvenient... Can I sit here? Will it make you uncomfortable?"

"No, no... Of course you can...!" Ashe waved her hands repeatedly while sitting up straight—hoping it would make her small frame look stronger.

Then, her arm accidentally touched the other person's body.

It's roughly... the area around the chest.

She immediately pulled her arm back, wanting to apologize but feeling too embarrassed to say it—after all, the touch wasn't very hard... maybe... maybe she could pretend she didn't know anything...?

As she thought this, her body stiffened again.

Until Chen Ce approached again with a smile.

"I sat here to be closer to you, why did you move away again?"

"..." Ashe was so stiff she couldn't speak, and the delicious piece of meat was once again offered to her lips.

Besides...

She...

We ran into each other again...

It's hard and sturdy... Although it's not big, it feels amazing to the touch...

No, no, no...!

It's really amazing...

Ah...!

Poor Ashe was caught in a state of superposition between desire and reason, greed and guilt.

Chen Ce seemed to have discovered the joy of being a bad woman.

For a fleeting moment, he suddenly understood Ahri and LeBlanc... that feeling of being able to make an innocent young girl helpless with just a little trick or a bit of perk was indeed quite appealing.

Moreover, it is also a good approach.

To mock LeBlanc, to understand LeBlanc, to become LeBlanc... that's roughly it.

After the meal, Ashe was completely manipulated by the "bad man."

But of course, she wasn't blinded by this sudden "allure"—as the Warmother of the Avarosan Tribe, she knew exactly what she was doing.

Now, she's going to get down to business.

After enjoying the initiative of perfect color.

"Um... Mr. Chen Ce, you said you were from Ionia, right?"

"Yes." Chen Ce nodded and stopped doing those fancy tests—but he didn't distance himself from them either.

"May I ask you why you came to Freljord?" Ashe pursed her lips and added:

"Of course I don't doubt you... but as the leader of the Avarosan Tribe, I must be careful... I think you can understand me... I have to be responsible for everyone, do you understand what I mean?"

"Of course." Chen Ce smiled and nodded, indicating his understanding. "I can tell you everything, dear Miss Ashe."

"That's wonderful." Ashe gave a friendly smile, but because of the strange prefix, she still felt embarrassed to look the other person in the eye.

Chen Ce didn't mind and immediately got straight to the point. "I came to Freljord to find a few people."

"Looking for someone? Who?"

"One is my old friend's stepdaughter, one is my old friend's stepdaughter's enemy, and one is my old friend's stepdaughter's enemy's enemy."

"...?" Ashe's CPU fried again. "This sounds a bit... complicated..."

"Yes, a little." Chen Ce nodded, "But it's not complicated if I'm talking about names."

"Oh, really? Then may I ask...?"

"The three of them Sejuani, Ashe, and the Lissandra."

"...?" This time, Ashe understood, but she was completely dumbfounded.

Chen Ce continued, "I contacted them because I promised my old friend that I would take care of his stepdaughter, Sejuani."

"And the first step I need to take is to get to know you—my dear Miss Ashe."

I hope we can become good friends in the future.

After saying that, Chen Ce smiled and reached out to take the girl's small hand in his.

This is a straight ball—a straight ball in every sense of the word.

But sometimes, a straight shot is better than a roundabout one.

Truth and falsehood intertwine, truth lies within falsehood; it is both a plan and a sincere intention.

All of this will only make Freljord better and better, and will allow the glory of the "Three Sisters" to reappear in Freljord.

If Ashe's CPU can cool down now...

On the other side of Freljord, within a once-vast but now fallen tribe.

A robust yet beautiful young woman gazes at a dark figure in the wind and snow.

Compared to the other female warriors in the tribe, she was by no means "slender," but her strong parts were more beautiful than those of the other female warriors—her limbs were not thick, but powerful enough; her muscles were well-developed, yet they did not obscure her graceful female lines.

Aside from her full breasts, which were somewhat indistinguishable between softness and pectoral muscles.

Her name is Sejuani.

The biological daughter of Kalkia, the former Warmother of the Winter's Claw Tribe.

A tragic product of a political marriage.

Her background and childhood were terrible, but her strong will and exceptional talent made her life not so bad.

She held a very high position in the tribe.

For example, right now, the scouts of Winter's Claw always tell her the first piece of information they've just obtained.

"The Icefield Children Tribe has been wiped out... all of them perished." The scout's respectful demeanor was as if she were paying homage to her Warmother.

"Hmm?" Upon hearing the news, Sejuani first showed a surprised expression, and then secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, in a somewhat heavy tone, she asked, "Did she do it?"

"I'm not sure..." the scout shook his head, "But it's very possible—I saw a few 'ice sculptures' in the Rift."

Have you seen her?

"No."

"Where are the people of the Avarosan Tribe?"

"They've already set up camp and are resting at the Icefield Children Tribe's camp."

"Okay, you can go now." Sejuani waved her hand.

After the scout left, a complex expression appeared on her resolute face.

There was a sense of relief, but also a deep-seated resentment.

"Ashe... should I go easy on you...?"

Chapter Sixteen: This wave, this wave of meat and eggs to fill the stomach, has one downside.

Ashe hasn't relaxed in a long time.

She had endured so much in these past few months... Her once large and loving tribe was now reduced to just her; her most respected and revered mother had died in battle; her sisters, once as close as family, had turned against her; she and many other Hearthblood were constantly on the run from the Lissandra; hunger, cold, and helplessness were constantly assailing her...

Only after the operation was successfully completed did she finally feel alive again.

Warm bedding, a bright campfire, an endless supply of firewood and food... and the joyful laughter of the tribespeople.

It all felt like a beautiful dream.

She got a rare day off.

It wasn't until noon the next day that the clansmen gradually began packing their things to continue their journey.

The wind and snow stopped, and a ray of warm sunshine seemed to be about to shine through the clouds onto the earth—like a ray of hope arriving as scheduled amidst the murky, heavy clouds and crisis.

After a long and exhausting night, Ashe was fully rejuvenated, and the joy of sleeping until she naturally woke up dispelled the gloom in her heart.

The Icefield Children Tribe's camp was quite nice, but she had to lead her people on their journey—their destination was southwestern Freljord.

They were being pursued, and even the best rest has its limits.

The Lissandra won't let them go... and they certainly won't let [the Avarosa's Inheritance] go.

But if we can reach northeastern Freljord, everything will be alright.

The climate there is much warmer than to the north, and some of the soil is suitable for growing crops. There are also beautiful streams and mountains... There, people might be able to be self-sufficient and no longer have to live that nomadic, precarious life of hunting and gathering.

Ashe longed for that peaceful and beautiful life.

Her new companion—a handsome young man from Ionia —seems to share the same thoughts.

"Everything will be alright once we get to the southwest... I promise."

In the endless expanse of white snow, Ashe gave a warm smile to the young man beside her—a smile that seemed even more comforting than the winter sun.

"But... are you sure you want to come with us? This journey might be arduous, and we might encounter danger."

"Yes, I'm sure." Chen Ce smiled in response, then leaned closer to Ashe amidst the envious gazes of the female warriors. "Like I said, I need to resolve the conflict between you and Sejuani."

When Chen Ce mentioned the name "Sejuani," he deliberately lowered his voice.

Ashe understood that some things weren't suitable for others to know yet, so she continued in the same low voice, "Do you really think... I can get back together with Sejuani?"

"Of course you can, there's no deep-seated hatred between you."

"But some things are easier than hatred to turn two sisters against each other... We have different ideals, and we are destined to never be together again..."

As she spoke, Ashe sighed softly, her thoughts drifting back to that night half a month ago.

She had only recently inherited Avarosa's Inheritance... Her tribe paid the ultimate price—the lives of everyone—just to give her a Frost Crystal Longbow...

After killing some of her pursuers, she collapsed in the snow from cold and hunger, but then her best friend appeared— Sejuani —just as timely as ever.

She was taken back to the Winter's Claw Tribe by Sejuani, but the people there did not welcome her... The poor tribe had been infiltrated by the Frostguard, and the treacherous Frost Priests had taken control of the Winter's Claw.

Those ruthless Frost Priests plotted to frame her, but fortunately Sejuani foresaw everything... They fled the Winter's Claw Tribe overnight.

But it was on that very night that her unbreakable friendship with Sejuani crumbled.

Sejuani led a raid on a Hearth-Home Tribe, plundering all its resources and attempting to kill the innocent villagers...

In that cruel moment, the Frost Crystal Longbow seemed exceptionally cold—the coldness of power.

It turns out that Avarosa's legacy is not just a Frost Crystal Longbow, but also that spirit of benevolence... that is the true treasure left behind by Avarosa.

She— Ashe, the last survivor of the Avarosan Tribe —finally understood the true meaning of [unity] in that moment.

She stopped her best friend and finally saved the Hearthblood amidst a terrible argument.

Sejuani departed with wagon after wagon of supplies—leaving behind only the Hearthblood, utterly ravaged by resentment and rage.

In the brutal Freljord, these Hearthblood, whose fighting strength is almost zero and who are enslaved by all the tribes, would have no way to survive the winter without the protection of the Warmother, having lost all their resources.