Chapter 4: Wolf Riders

The snow had stopped, but the sky remained overcast. The first light of dawn seeped through the clouds and the horizon as faint glimmers of light, casting no warmth upon the snow-covered plains.

To the south of Adrith’s domain lay vast plains. Though not particularly fertile, they were renowned for their black grapes, from which the famous black wine was produced and allowed to bear the name “Frey,” a testament to its prestige.

On the road southward, a small group of cavalry moved swiftly. Among them, a young man riding a wolf stood out sharply among the riders on tall horses.

Klogas horses were said to carry the legacy of ancient dragons in their bloodlines, making them brave and fearless, unafraid of wild beasts or gunfire, and ready to charge through bullets. At that moment, these horses, just like their riders, pranced proudly, carefree as they raced forward, utterly indifferent to the lumpy, shabby wolf riding beside them.

In Aemera, horses were recognized as the second most comfortable mounts on land, with wolf riders ranking sixth. Their uneven gait, as if they were lame, required riders to master “inter-species riding” skills; otherwise, riding them would be akin to suffering torture. After running dozens of kilometers, one would feel utterly disheveled.

Werewolves naturally got along well with wolves, and riding wolves was even more efficient. This was mainly because a werewolf’s “wild gallop” after transforming was very similar to that of a wolf, allowing them to be highly familiar with wolves’ ways of moving. Before this, Neo had ridden a wolf once, in the arena. He and a group of gladiators played the role of the “foreign” Amathai barbarians, while the reserve members of the Lion Knights, a group of apprentice knights, played the role of the Crusaders led by the conqueror King Lambarton. Historically, it was 8,000 against 40,000, and the larger number of Amathai barbarians suffered a crushing defeat. The result of that battle was a victory for the foreigners, causing a great embarrassment to the Lion Knights. Though the battle was fierce and tough, it greatly improved Neo’s riding skills. Though it was only once, it benefited him for life.

Most members of the West Wind Battle Guild were fighting the demons in Solis City. Those demons, seemingly under some strange influence, were determined to fight head-on against the members of the West Wind Battle Guild and the Eagle Knights. The battle lasted from late at night until dawn—about four or five hours—showing extraordinary tenacity, as if they were the true masters of the city, fighting fiercely street by street and alley by alley.

Because of this, aside from two squads left behind in the camp and the wounded brought back from the front lines, no one noticed the disappearance of an old werewolf who was in charge of the mounts. After obtaining the wolf, Neo had great success. Adrion saw Neo return with a grim expression and injuries to his waist and abdomen, assuming he had been beaten up, so he didn’t trouble him further.

Adrian’s men also didn’t like Neo very much. When they saw Neo’s mount on the road, they said nothing, but their eyes showed envy. Yet Neo didn’t care; he even thought it was a good thing. Having grown up in human society, he understood human mentality well—those they looked down on were deemed unworthy of anything good. This time, if he had brought back a majestic wolf with flowing manes, these people might have been jealous and even tried to cause him trouble. But since he was injured and in a pitiful state, and his mount looked equally miserable, they felt balanced. In other words, “See? Isn’t it pathetic?” That’s what they call “birds matching their riders.”

Horses can run at about 20 kilometers per hour, up to 60 kilometers at top speed, and can run continuously for 100 kilometers under normal conditions. Neo’s group traveled at around 35 kilometers per hour, slowing down every 10 kilometers to let the horses rest for a few minutes—a sign of care for their mounts. After all, they were all riding alone, and if they rushed recklessly and something went wrong with their mounts, there would be no replacements. Moreover, if they needed their mounts to exert strength in an emergency but they couldn’t, it would be disastrous.

A manor usually includes a village and the land around it, and Tures was no exception in Neo’s itinerary. If there was any difference from other places, it was that Lord Manmores was a relatively kind lord. After six generations of management, Tures had nearly 200 households.

200 households, about 1,200 people—this was already considered the size of a town in the Free Alliance. Since the Manmores’ family crest was a tulip, and Tures meant “tulip” in the common language of the continent, the town was called Tulip Town. Among the people, it was even more famous than its official name, “Tures Manor.”

Leaving Solis City, heading south along a road wide enough for six horses side by side for 17 kilometers, they reached a fork. Taking the road to the east led to Tulip Town. At the fork, Adrian held the reins in one hand and raised the other, causing everyone behind him to rein in their mounts, slowing down again.

Neo patted his wolf’s neck and looked closely. On the wooden sign at the fork hung a grotesque human head, with a piece of parchment tied to its mouth, weighted down with stones. Blood-written words read: “Go further, and this is your fate.”

“Anchero.”

“My lord,” replied a knight servant carrying a horned bow.

“Shoot down that head in a moment. Be careful to shoot from an upwind position—this could be a trap.”

“Yes, my lord.”

The group turned onto a side road paved with sand over mud. Normally, it wasn’t difficult to travel, but after the first snowfall, with the ground still warm, the snow melted, turning it into thin, muddy sludge—disgusting to look at. Especially for Neo riding his wolf, whose shoulder was only about 130 centimeters above the ground, similar to that of a donkey. It was easy to imagine getting covered in mud while riding on such a road.

Once they were far enough away, Anchero nocked an arrow. His arrows were as thick as an adult’s thumb, with dark, shiny yew shafts that looked like black iron. As the arrow was shot, its piercing sound conveyed a sense of urgency.

Boom! The man’s head indeed exploded, releasing a massive cloud of poisonous green smoke with a radius of 6 meters. As the wind blew it away, the snow on the ground sizzled, leaving large areas charred. The attendants and soldiers stared in shock. One soldier with steel-sharp mustaches spat and said, “Damn these heartless bastards! They don’t even spare a dead body and still write bloody messages to provoke people. If it weren’t for our lord, I’d definitely have taken my sword to deal with them.” Adrien gave subtle praise, feeling relieved. Speaking in the tone of an experienced person, he warned, “The devil’s minions probably won’t just set up a ‘crushing skull poison mist’ trap. Stay alert. Also, since they can pull off such tricks, they clearly have spellcasters. Everyone still remembers the key to dealing with spellcasters, right?” “Stay calm, be vigilant to avoid arrows, use your brains, and make that bitch shut up…” They recited in unison, eventually bursting into laughter. Nio nodded secretly. As a knight, Adrien was clearly competent. A combat-effective team was like the muscles of an arm—neither too tight nor too loose; only when properly tensioned could it exert strong force. After leaving the main road, they moved at a steady pace, like warming up before intense exercise, heading toward Tulip Town. Nio urged his mount to catch up with Adrien. “Lord, two miles south after the next turn lies the Tulip Forest Road.” “Mm,” Adrien grunted. Knowing no further words were needed, Nio returned to the formation on his mount. He was near the back of the group, riding side by side with a soldier, both in the second-to-last row. Forests were ideal places for ambushes, especially for cavalry. By blocking the path with obstacles, ambushers could shoot or charge from both sides of the woods, leaving the immobile cavalry at a severe disadvantage. After turning a small hill, the road turned south, and the Tulip Forest Road came into view—a dense forest stretching like a screen, blocking out the view in both directions. Bypassing it would mean a long detour. “Follow me in the charge. Do not stop without orders. Understood?” Adrien asked loudly. “Understood!” they replied in unison. Still over 300 meters from the entrance of the forest road, Adrien drew his knight’s sword. “Rapid Wind Cavalry, charge with me!” Everyone drew their weapons and followed Adrien, spurring their mounts to speed up. By the time they reached the entrance of the Tulip Forest Road, the 13 riders had reached their maximum speed of over 60 kilometers per hour. With the thundering of hooves and splashing mud and snow, they charged into the forest. The trees in winter had sparse branches, but covered in snow, they resembled giant mushroom caps, blocking out the sun. The light inside the forest was much dimmer than outside, and the overcast sky along with the howling wind served as perfect accomplices, creating a mysterious and gloomy atmosphere that made one feel a chill deep in their bones.

“Huff, puff!” Neo adjusted his breathing to match the rhythm of the wolf’s movements. His hips were slightly raised from the saddle, and his leg muscles were tense, allowing him to launch an attack at any moment. The combat style of wolf riders differed from that of ordinary cavalry, as the wolves served not only as mounts but also as fierce comrades. Many forest rangers had companions that fulfilled both roles of mount and magical pet.

Even before entering the forest, Neo had detected a putrid smell on the wind—a scent unique to darkness. He knew there were ambushers in the woods.

The forest path was over 500 meters long. After riding halfway, they saw several fallen trees blocking the road in the distance. Adrian didn’t stop but led them onward. With less than 5 meters left before the obstacles, Adrian swiftly swung his knight’s sword, releasing three silver, crescent-shaped blades that advanced in a triangular formation. The trees blocking the path were cut down instantly, leaves and branches flying everywhere. Amidst the shouts, Adrian waved his left hand, sending out invisible energy waves that exploded against the ground with force, clearing the path as the riders sped through.

From the trees on both sides, the ambushing Undead finally rushed out under frantic commands. Some archers shot arrows, but could they stop Neo and his group?

With shouts of “Oh! Oh!”, the riders spurred their mounts and deflected the occasional arrows, successfully escaping at full speed.