Ice and Fire: Reign of the Dragon.

Chapter 196: The Expedition of Ringol (XVIII) Father’s Test Was a Little Deliberate

The King's Road gradually narrowed into a narrow embankment, and the weather gradually became colder. Ringol and others also changed into winter clothes purchased in Saltpan Town.

The nights were no longer comfortable. The further north we went, the more biting the dampness of the swamp became. The sea breeze from the Bite Bay blew across the rugged and desolate coast, sweeping across the boundless swamp without any scruples.

There was black swamp everywhere, and flowers larger than humans bloomed in the mud and fog. The gorgeous giant flowers constantly emitted a stench that made people spit out overnight dishes. With just the naked eye, Lingol could see how old and dense the swamp trees were that emerged from the swamp like ghosts. They were accompanied by rotten swamps, densely packed fungi, and many plants that could not be named.

During the day, the sun in the sky emitted a pale light that could not warm the group. Even when the sun was above their heads, the coldness that permeated from the depths of the swamp still made everyone almost forget that it was summer. Even on the relatively safe causeway, they could see lizard lions in the swamp. These ferocious reptiles half-floated and half-sunk in the water, like black wood with eyes and teeth, ready to enjoy their delicious meal at any time.

The warhorse that had followed Albin since he was a boy with a wooden sword was eaten by the swamp. It rolled off the causeway and sank screaming into the unfathomable swamp. Ringol and his companions watched as the hungry lizard lions rushed over and tore the poor big guy into a pile of bones in the blink of an eye.

Now he could only ride on Lingol's packhorse and carefully serve as a sentinel for the team.

When he reached the depths of the causeway, he could no longer complete this task. Although the long winter had passed, its impact still left deep marks on the land. The winter snow melted in the summer, not only providing abundant water for the Neck Swamp, but also making the causeway muddy and hidden. It was even possible that one would leave the causeway and walk into the depths of the swamp.

Lord Cregan Stark knew that this was a serious problem, but it would take several years for the snow in the North to melt. In fact, until this year, even though summer had arrived for several years, the snow in the North had not completely melted, and the mission of clearing the embankment was difficult.

Duke Creggan could only order the leader of the marshlanders, Lord Brandon Reed of Greywater Watch, to lead his marshlanders to guide people passing through the causeway and rescue those who were trapped in the swamp at any time.

But the peace was broken.

Wildlings from the Dale fled into the Neck, where they engaged in skirmishes with the Marshmen.

The wildlings were no match for those "frog-eating devils". The Swamplanders' agile physique, poisoned arrows, and iron armor and swords from the Stark family made the valley wildlings, who were poorly equipped and unfamiliar with the terrain, suffer bitterly.

But they remain the scourge of the causeway.

Ding.

Reagan struggled to push away the bone arrows, his purple eyes full of anger: "Jaime! Kane! Traitor!"

He was shot. A bone arrow dipped in something unknown pierced his shoulder. An indescribable chill gradually spread from the place where the arrow hit him. He felt his strength slowly leaving him, and even his eyes were a little blurry.

Seeing the effect of the drug taking effect, the warrior who killed several of them in the blink of an eye gradually lost his ability to resist. The leading savage couldn't help but spit, thinking in his heart, you are a bunch of cowards. You actually use the weapons and poison of those frog-eating dwarfs, which are only used by women and children.

But they still used it, because they knew that it was impossible for their team alone to take down those noble boys from the south. Although the old man with a scarred face promised solemnly to help them separate the few people, it seemed that this boy, even though he was poisoned by the surprise attack, still killed several people.

The chief began to feel unsure. After all, this boy who was tricked by James to explore the way was not even wearing armor, but the other two young men in the team never took off their armor.

He waved his hand, signaling his companions to come closer.

Several savages holding spears slowly approached.

Your Highness, they betrayed us! Don't come over!

This was Lei Geng's last thought before his consciousness faded.

At the moment he fell, he saw a horse leaping into the swamp.

The rapier was illuminated by the pale sun at that moment, and it was easier than cutting a piece of butter. It pierced the chief's still somewhat panicked head cleanly, followed by the meteor hammer that came crashing down.

Ringol jumped off his horse without saying a word. He glanced at Regen, who was kneeling on the ground with his sword and had fainted, and walked towards the savages who were frightened by him without looking back.

"Son of Gulber, are you afraid?" an older savage shouted and rushed over with a spear.

Although Starsinger is just a rapier, it is also a Valyrian steel sword, a Valyrian steel sword with unparalleled sharpness.

The sword flashed past and the spear broke smoothly.

The young savage, who was called Son of Gulber by his fellow savages, was stunned for a moment. He stared blankly at the head of his elder who had helped him escape from the Tin Man in the valley, and then cracked open.

My eyes hurt.

It turns out that I am dead too.

Ringol swiftly pulled the Starsinger out of the young wildling's eye socket, looked around to make sure there were no other wildlings, then walked towards Regen in disbelief. Alarion walked out of the woods with red eyes, dragging the "hyena" Cain, who had a broken arm and looked like a dead dog, with one hand. The warhammer in the other hand was covered with red, yellow, and white unknown liquids. Albin followed behind Alarion with a sad and angry face, and his old chain mail was also stained with blood.

Alarion never expected that the two hedge knights who had always been so obedient would betray them.

Because it has no value. Cain, who was familiar with the causeway, led them into a dead end leading to the swamp, and Jaime tricked Regen away with the excuse of a daily patrol mission.

They were suddenly attacked by the savages.

If it had not been for Alarion's vigilance and the armor that Ringol had rarely taken off since passing Harrenhal, they would have been killed by the first wave of arrows.

Those damned savages coated their arrows with poison, and some even had iron arrows.

Kane had his arms and legs cut off by Ringol, who was exceptionally calm when angry, while Jaime died from the frenzied attack of Reagon, who was shot by an arrow.

His body still lay in the muddy swamp, his blood had coagulated and no longer flowed.

it's all my fault.

Ringo said in his heart with self-blame.

If I hadn't trusted those two guys so much, Regen wouldn't have been hurt.
He also had some knowledge of medicine and knew that Lei Geng was not dead. What Lei Geng needed was treatment.

No, Ringol suddenly realized something.

There is never a sudden betrayal; all betrayals have signs.

But Kane and James never showed any signs of betrayal. There was no way they knew their identities. The identity of Ringol Vareses could not be an excuse for their betrayal.

Money? Weapons and horses?
It is indeed possible, but Ringol has achieved some results in the years he has studied with Longzel. For example, it was Albin who once looked at his armor and sword with greedy eyes, but that boy's greed was pure envy. After being impressed by his martial arts, this greed turned into understanding and relief that "he is so strong, he deserves such good things."

Jaime once looked at his purse with greedy eyes, but Ringol knew that this was a common problem among hedge knights like them.

What exactly did he overlook?
At this moment, Ringol saw Elarion with red eyes and Cain who looked like a dead dog.

"Your Highness. Lei Gengta"

An idea flashed through the boy's mind like sparks flying when stones collide.

It's him.

Kane "Hyena" Mulder has never shown greed for anything. Sometimes he has a strong presence, but sometimes people don't even realize that there is such a person in the team.

He is a guide to the Riverlands and the Neck.

Lingol thought of something.

Father, your guidance is too deliberate. Lingol couldn't help but complain in his heart about his simple and rough father, Longzel.

"You're not Kane Mulder."

Ringol turned around and looked at the "Hyena" Kane on the ground with an expressionless face.

"Who are you in the family? Uncle Kungur, or Brother Suren? Or Brother Saiqi?"

"Your Highness is right." Kane smiled with relief.

"Although you may be stupid at times, you are very perceptive."

"Stop talking nonsense." Lingol suddenly stood up and said, "How do you poison Lei Geng? Don't fool me. I know you have medicine that can prevent the poison from entering the heart."

He said through gritted teeth.

"Hand it over, and I can pardon your crime of deceiving me." The boy stared fiercely at Kane, whose face was slowly melting. "Brother Sage."

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am rereading the original novel to improve my writing skills. My writing skills are indeed a little poor now, so I decided to try Martin's writing style and rhetoric. From tomorrow to next Thursday, I will be a little busy, so the daily update time is not fixed, but I can guarantee an update of 4500-5000 words. I will not take leave to stop updating, and I will resume the double update next Thursday.

I hope that when I resume the double update next Thursday, everyone will feel that my words are no longer like a piece of dry bread.

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(End of this chapter)