Chapter 156

The hot-tempered Sejuani slammed her hand on the table during the meeting, making her stance clear in a loud voice: if the Ursine want to fight, then let them fight!

She was the first to express a radical stance, but not the last.

Many former tribal Warmother supported Sejuani's idea, delivering impassioned speeches at the meeting, arguing that the arrogant bear-men should not be allowed to push their luck.

Throughout the meeting, over 60% of the participants believed that war should break out, about 20% held reservations, and less than 20% believed that they should exercise restraint for the time being— the Freljord Alliance was just beginning to take shape, and the risk of rashly starting a war was too great.

As the supreme leader of the Freljord Alliance, Ashe naturally sided with the majority—starting a war was, in a sense, her intention.

Although starting a war now would cause irreversible and serious damage to the newly formed Freljord Alliance, continued appeasement would only lead to even more terrible consequences.

Not to mention that retreating further would mean being outside the Freljord, the issue of reputation is also extremely important—if outsiders know that the Freljord Alliance runs away or compromises as soon as it's attacked, who will respect this alliance in the future? Who will want to join it willingly?

This fertile land in the south is the foundation of the Freljord Alliance, the very thing that sustains everyone's survival. How can we abandon it now?

Even the toughest battles can only be truly understood after they've been fought.

We must not retreat without a fight!

At the end of the meeting, Ashe stood up and, in a firm tone, issued her highest command to everyone:

"All outdoor activities are suspended for the time being. All personnel are on high alert!"

In the days that followed, the entire Freljord Alliance mobilized.

Apart from handicrafts, forging, and agriculture, which do not require people to go out and are still operating normally, all other activities have basically come to a standstill.

Everyone was working together to build defensive fortifications—watchtowers, traps, fortresses—building as many as they could.

The terror of the Ursine was well-known, but an atmosphere of fear did not spread within the camp—most people had great faith in Ashe, the "reincarnation of Avarosa."

Countless centuries ago, the Three Sisters used cunning to defeat the legendary Volibear to some extent; now, Ashe can absolutely lead them to defeat the Volibear as well!

One defensive fortification after another sprang up, and the supply of various weapons and equipment was almost enough to provide one for every person.

This is the advantage of having many Hearthblood.

The logistical support capabilities of the Hearthblood are all top-notch.

In short, everyone felt uneasy and nervous, but there was absolutely no fear.

A united will can pierce even the hardest rock!

"Move it a little this way first... Yes, that's it... Okay, put it there!"

With leaders Ashe and Sejuani personally participating in the labor, everything in the camp was in perfect order.

Everyone is busy.

Only Chen Ce was touching... no, he was guarding the outermost edge of the camp to prevent any powerful enemies from suddenly breaking in.

He stole a deck chair from Ashe's room and comfortably sunbathed there.

At his feet, the Darkin Blade and the Darkin Scythe stood side by side on the ground.

[Back then, I easily dodged your slash with a simple sidestep, and then with a backhand, I severed your arm. It was easier than drinking water!] Rhaast was boasting again about his glorious achievement of "defeating" Aatrox — the Darkin's kill was a one-on-one kill, there was no such thing as a two-on-one fight with Chen Ce.

There was no dirty trickery involved; it was a pure, head-on victory.

[When that mortal asked me to ambush you, I utterly disdained it! I charged straight at you and severed both your hands in one fell swoop! Effortlessly! So easy!!]

Listening to this almost entirely fabricated story, Chen Ce yawned lazily.

Aatrox, however, was wide awake—he was frantic with worry.

[Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!! If you've got the guts, fight me again!!!]

[You'd still lose even if I fought you a hundred times, Aatrox.] Rhaast's mocking tone was full of sarcasm, even a hint of flirtation. [To defeat you, I only need one finger.]

[Damn Rhaast!!!] Luckily, Aatrox doesn't have a body right now, otherwise this desperate roar would have made his voice hoarse. [Fight me again! I'll kill you a thousand times!! It still won't be enough--!!]

[Heh.] Rhaast responded with only a mocking laugh.

Aatrox is being driven crazy.

Ultimately, he turned his attention to Chen Ce was sitting comfortably sunbathing to the side.

[Damn mortal! I already promised you to be quiet! Why do you have to let this noisy thing bother me?!]

This despicable mortal filled him with such hatred that it even surpassed his hatred for the Aspect of Twilight for a brief moment.

"I can't help it, Aatrox, I have to take you two with me whenever I go out." Chen Ce hummed a song while basking in the sun, completely ignoring the other's scolding. "Otherwise it's too dangerous, isn't it?"

[Then you could just put that noisy Rhaast further away! Further away--!!]

"Wasn't I just worried you'd be lonely?"

[I don't need it! Tell him to get lost! Get lost!!]

[Don't be like that, Aatrox. We were brothers—well... at least comrades-in-arms, weren't we?] Rhaast's sly laughter rang out again.

Aatrox's blood pressure soared, but he was helpless and could only curse the two of them over and over again.

Finally, after half an hour of furious cursing, Chen Ce seemed to realize his mistake:

"Sigh... I only meant well, how could you scold me like that?"

[I'd rather you were more ruthless! You untrustworthy mortal!!] Aatrox was anxious.

"Then... then..." Chen Ce hesitated for a moment.

Aatrox sensed the subtle change in expression and was overjoyed—they were about to relent! Finally, he could get Rhaast further away!

No! Forget about Rhaast, just throw him far away!

"Well..." Chen Ce scratched his head, looking embarrassed, and said:

"I was wrong, Lato. I just wanted to annoy you, Rhaast. Please don't yell at me, okay?"

[...] Aatrox's silence was deafening.

[Hehe^^] Rhaast's laughter flowed gently like a stream.

[I'm going to kill you all! Kill you all!!]

As the sun set, Chen Ce prepared to return to the camp to help with some chores.

He picked up the recliner and then gently kicked the ice sculpture of the Darkin Blade at his feet.

"Brother To, Brother To."

There was no response.

Clearly, Aatrox has already...

Only Rhaast continued to recount his experiences that day—though his words had to be accompanied by a disclaimer, "This story is entirely fictional; any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental."

"Brother To, Brother To..." Chen Ce squatted down again and poked the ice sculpture. "I won't bully you anymore. I'll take Rhaast away right now."

There has still been no response.

Clearly, Yu Yu's Aatrox will no longer easily trust anyone.

"Brother To, Brother To... say something, Brother To." Chen Ce poked the Darkin Blade with the handle of the Darkin Scythe again.

Finally, after more than half a minute of silence, Aatrox spoke:

All I want to do right now is kill you...!

"But I really am taking Rhaast away." Chen Ce said, casually tossing the Darkin Scythe into the distance—amidst Rhaast's curses. "See, I really did take Rhaast away."

[...] Aatrox had a feeling that things weren't so simple.

And as it turned out, his hunch was correct.

Chen Ce reached out towards the Darkin Scythe, and the noisy scythe flew back into his hand.

"But I can also bring Rhaast back at any time."

[What exactly do you want?!] Aatrox was truly tormented to the point of wanting to die—well, he was already craving to be killed anyway. [If you want to seal me away again, go find that damned Aspect of Twilight on Mount Targon, don't try to disgust me like this...!!]

"What are you saying?" Chen Ce shrugged and tossed Rhaast dozens of meters away. "You've finally regained a little freedom, how could I bear to seal you away again?"

[So what exactly do you want to do...?!]

"I want you to help me deal with Volibear."

[...]

"You'll agree, right? You'll agree very readily." Chen Ce's tone was no longer frivolous; it suddenly became serious. "Then, after you're released, you'll immediately attack me—maybe you'll kill Volibear too, but you'll definitely kill me first."

Aatrox chose to remain silent regarding this "speculation".

Of course, this can be considered a tacit agreement.

The person he wants to kill most right now is Chen Ce; if he can regain his freedom, he will definitely kill him first.

This is an immense humiliation... If he doesn't avenge this, he will be unworthy of being called Ascended.

"Then, I'll tell you about my plan in advance." Chen Ce flashed a sunny, peaceful smile, but his next words were like the whisper of a devil:

"I will leave you with only the lowest quality, inferior body, in order to weaken your strength as much as possible."

"Then, you'd better kill me after you've taken down Volibear, otherwise..."

"Not only will I reseal you and make Rhaast bother you 24/7, but I will also..."

Chen Ce pursed his lips, then slowly leaned down and whispered as if in a whisper:

"I'm going to carve these words into your body with Rhaast's sharp scythe... Atox is Miss Twilight's dog~?"

The sun has set; the nights in Freljord are always so cold.

But what Gragas felt was even colder was his heart.

He walked slowly across the sticky snow, the red liquid staining his boots causing him great pain.

It's... a corpse...

Endless corpses...

Countless limb fragments lay scattered on the snow, with half-eaten heads and long bones everywhere. The corpses, with only half a face remaining, stared wide-eyed, seemingly gazing at something with resentment.

In the pitch-black night, the scene was particularly eerie.

Gragas carried the Gragas and walked step by step into the depths of the burned-out village, without seeing a single living person.

It was full of dead bodies.

Corpses were everywhere.

It looked like a corpse that had been gnawed on by a wild animal.

He was only gone for half a day... just half a day...

What on earth was it that attacked the village in just half a day...?

Those damned murderers slaughtered the entire village... The poor villagers weren't even left with a single intact skeleton... They were all eaten so badly they were barely recognizable as human...

This isn't a wild beast... it can't be a wild beast...

Even the most ferocious wolf pack couldn't possibly wipe out all the experienced hunters in half a day...

What... what kind of monster could do that...?

Gragas stopped in his tracks, his fear growing stronger.

But more than anything, it was anger—anger at the killing of his comrades.

There is also the anger of a human being towards their fellow human beings being eaten like this.

He had been living in this village for over half a month, and everyone here was his friend... and in just half a day, all his friends were eaten!

Not only were they killed, they were eaten!

"You damned monsters--!"

Gragas roared at the distant darkness, trying to vent his anger.

But the truth was, the more he shouted, the more he felt his own powerlessness and guilt—if... if he hadn't gone out to find raw materials for brewing today...

If he stayed in the village today...