The night was deep, dark clouds veiling the moon. Only a handful of stars flickered with faint light in the pitch-black sky.
Outside Chenlin Village's north gate, several thousand Gale Wolf Bandits used the cover of darkness to creep silently within half a kilometer of the gate. An air of impending slaughter gradually spread through the biting wind.
"Old Zhao, do you really need to take this so seriously? Even if you stare until your eyes bubble, you won't find anything." Chen Chen sat with his head tilted, leaning back in a chair by the gate tower entrance as he spoke to Zhao Lin.
Zhao Lin was the Village Defense Team's deputy captain in charge of the north gate guards. He came from the Violent Gold Bear Zhao Family and was Zhao Mingsheng's father and Zhao Deyun's son. He had a burly build, a stern, resolute face, and eyes that blazed like torches. His black hair streamed in the wind.
Chen Chen, meanwhile, was the captain of tonight's duty squad. His face resembled finely carved jade, with defined lines and clear contours; his high nose bridge gave him a cool, stern air. His ink-black hair fell to his shoulders, slightly disheveled, yet lending him an easygoing charm.
Chen Chen and Zhao Lin were more than a decade apart in age. His mother, Chen Hanxin, was the youngest among her peers, but belonged to a senior generation. Thus, he and Zhao Lin belonged to the same generation, and he simply called him Old Zhao.
The Zhao Family members loved calling themselves Old Zhao anyway, from Zhao Deyun and Zhao Lin to Zhao Mingsheng.
"You brat, don't be so lazy. The clan chief and all the elders are away these next few days. We'd better stay careful." Zhao Lin shook his head