Dragon Tribulation of All Realms

Chapter 253 - They Actually Used Tricks
He didn't wait long.

Maybe three seconds, maybe five seconds.

The first to speak was the King of the Frontier, who was clutching his severed arm and had a pale face.

"Twenty days ago, the White Walkers suddenly appeared and then launched a massive attack on the tribes of the Free People. By the time we realized what was happening, thousands had already been killed, enslaved, and turned into the undead servants of the White Walkers... We tried to fight, but we failed. Many powerful tribal leaders died in that battle. I only managed to escape with a small group of people."

With the help of his companions, he struggled to his feet, his gaze earnest as he stared at Wu Chen's face and hands.

“…Those are monsters that no human can defeat. I must lead my men, the rest of my people, to escape their pursuit—we must cross the Wall, but we lack the manpower to conquer it. However, we know of a man named Caster who has connections with the Night's Watch. We originally intended for him to act as an intermediary, making contact with the Wall…”

“Yet you killed Castor,” the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch scoffed. “You broke into his house and then killed him. Right here in this room!”

"That's because we didn't expect a flock of crows to be hiding here!" a barbarian warrior shouted, his neck stiff. "Besides, you attacked first!"

“Any man who sees a group of fully armed strangers suddenly ‘visiting’ a friend’s house at night will take up arms…any man.” The Night Watchman’s voice grew increasingly mocking, yet his words were remarkably clear. “We ate Castor’s bread, tasted his salt, and therefore we fight for him. And you, you only know how to launch despicable attacks.”

The barbarians were speechless, for normally in such a situation they would only choose to fight with their swords. But now they could do nothing and dared not do anything, for Wu Chen, who could easily have defeated them all, stood right there.

Wu Chen's gaze then shifted towards the direction of the Night's Watch Commander.

“We’ve come here to find a group of our missing brothers,” the old Night’s Watchman replied immediately. “Two weeks ago, a squadron of our scouts lost contact. We sent out a group of our most experienced sworn brothers to meet them, but they too disappeared. So, the day before yesterday, we decided to organize an expedition north, led by myself, to find out what happened…”

"...We chose to stay overnight with Custer because he was a friend of ours in the North, and we had cooperated and traded with him for many years...then, we were attacked."

So this is how things are.

The outbreak of the White Walkers sparked a response both north and south of the Wall. The King of the Wall, heading south, encountered the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, who was heading north. After a sudden skirmish, the victorious barbarians naturally captured prisoners and craved spoils.

“They want to use you as a stepping stone to cross the Wall.” Wu Chen looked at the old Night’s Watchman, and roughly understood the motives of both sides—the Wall was protected by magic that blocked other beings, and only mortals could cross the gate beneath it. If they could use the Commander-in-Chief’s life to open the gate of the Wall, then Caster, the owner of the fortress and the intermediary, would naturally become quite superfluous.

“They will never succeed,” the old Night’s Watch snorted. “My sworn brothers know the weight of their responsibilities; they will never open the tunnel doors.”

"Then you'll have to die here with us." The King Beyond the Wall smirked, seemingly unperturbed. "The White Walkers are growing stronger, they'll be here soon... Strange man in black, you mentioned the dead monsters, you must have witnessed the White Walkers' march. Even someone as powerful as you couldn't withstand them... You only have one path to take, so do everything you can to get south of the Wall."

He straightened up, his tone sincere.

“Our men attacked you, but we paid the price. If that’s not enough, you can take my life. But my people are innocent… They’re in the nearby valley, and they can help you. Whether you want to cross the Great Wall by force or… by other means, they can make a difference. As long as you’re willing to take them with you when you leave here.”

He said, but the old Night's Watch clearly had a different opinion. "...The Night's Watch has eyes as sharp as ravens," the former prisoner whispered. "No one can cross the Wall, no one can leave this land."

He had clearly made up his mind.

Wu Chen also became somewhat interested in him.

"Don't you believe there are Others in the North?"

“I believe it,” the old man said in a deep voice. “But since the monsters really exist, I am even less likely to allow them to cross the Wall… Who knows what the White Walkers look like, who knows what abilities they possess. I will not take the risk, so I would rather die here.”

His gaze inadvertently swept over Wu Chen, his voice carrying a hint of lingering meaning—he had never seen anyone as skilled in combat as Wu Chen, nor did he believe that a stranger clad in the black robes of the Night's Watch would appear in the Badlands North without reason. Therefore, in his eyes, having also grasped the ins and outs, Wu Chen's most likely identity was naturally…

A White Walker disguised as a human. At least, that's a possibility.

Also interesting.

Among those barbarians who were slow to realize the truth, quite a few understood his implied meaning—a look of understanding appeared in their eyes, which quickly turned into fear and dread.

A faint smile appeared on Wu Chen's lips.

"Among the Night's Watch, is there a new man whose name is Jon Snow?"

He saw a fleeting moment of unease deep within the Commander-in-Chief's eyes.

“Once they don the black robes, the Night’s Watch has no connection to the past,” the old man said in a deep voice. “I never care what my sworn brothers’ past was like. Once they stand on the Wall, they are guardians who fight only for mankind. Nothing else matters.”

“Perhaps not.” Wu Chen tilted his head, raising the familiar hilt in his hand. The wolf head ballast decoration was particularly clear at this moment. “But I feel that this sword belongs to a member of House Stark, rather than some ordinary ‘elite ranger’s steel sword. And I think House Stark has always been very influential among the Night’s Watch.”

The old man remained silent.

His decision did indeed have a fatal flaw—the Stark family had guarded the North for generations, naturally wielding immense influence in the land. And even from the most pragmatic perspective, the Wall required resources from the Northern Kingdoms to maintain its logistics.

In this situation, a Stark family member's sword would indeed have the power to knock on the door.

The old man closed his eyes in pain.

(End of this chapter)