Battle for Northern Frontier: The game begins with the grassland woman buying him.

He was covered with several layers of tattered fur coats, yet he still couldn't stop trembling.

Three rough, wolf-tooth arrows were embedded in his body. One pierced his left shoulder blade, another pierced his right abdomen, and the third, the most deadly, was deeply embedded in his upper left chest, just inches from his heart. The flesh around the arrowhead was swollen and ulcerated, emitting an ominous bluish hue.

An old village doctor with gray hair and a sorrowful face, his hands trembling, tried to burn the edge of the wound with a red-hot dagger, but it caused Chen Laodao's body to twitch violently, letting out a muffled sound of extreme pain, and beads of sweat instantly covered his sallow forehead.

"father!"

A tall young man with several fresh bloodstains on his face suddenly rushed to Chen Laodao's side; it was his only son, Chen Bao.

His eyes were bloodshot and swollen, and he gripped his father's cold hand tightly, his voice trembling with tears: "Dad, hold on! Su San's gang is almost here. They have the best medicine. You must hold on!"

Old Chen's cloudy eyes flickered, his lips parted slightly, but he could only manage a faint breath.

Just then, the heavy leather curtain of the hut was suddenly lifted, and a strong gust of cold wind rushed in, causing the campfire to shake violently.

A man dressed in black armor, his cloak stained with blood, walked in; it was Harbala.

Two Stone City officers carrying medicine boxes followed behind him.

Halbala quickly scanned the bleak scene inside the shack, finally settling on the dying Chen Laodao.

"Chief Chen."

Harbala's voice was calm as he walked a few steps to Chen Laodao's side and knelt down to examine his injuries. When he saw the wolf-tooth arrow embedded deep in his left chest, his brows furrowed tightly.

The accompanying military doctor immediately stepped forward to examine the patient, his expression instantly turning extremely grave.

"General Harbala..."

Old Chen recognized the newcomer. A faint glint flashed in his cloudy eyes. With all his might, he managed to squeeze out a few words, broken and fragmented: "Wild Valley Gang...please, Stone City...take care of us..."

"Don't worry, boss."

Harbala grasped Chen Laodao's cold, trembling hand, his eyes resolute: "The Third Master is about to arrive with his army. Blood Wolf has been beheaded. Stone City will remember the grudge against the Wild Valley Gang. Stone City will do everything in its power to protect all the old, weak, women, and children here."

He turned to the two officers and whispered, "Use our medicine to remove the arrows from the shoulder and abdomen first. Be extremely careful with the one in the chest. Make sure to thoroughly clean the wound, detoxify, and stop the bleeding. We must do our best and leave the rest to fate."

His voice was heavy, and the arrowhead in his chest was in an extremely dangerous position. The arrowhead was obviously poisoned, and pulling it out would kill Chen Laodao the moment it was pulled out; but leaving it in would also slowly torture him to death. It was a dead end.

Just as the two Stone City officers solemnly opened their medicine chests, took out knives and white porcelain bottles, and prepared to act, a deafening roar suddenly erupted outside the shack: "The Third Boss is here! The Third Boss of Stone City is here!"

The voice was filled with ecstatic joy, as if it had found its pillar of support, and it instantly broke through the deathly silence and despair above the Wild Ancient Gang camp. Su Zhan had arrived.

The heavy sound of horses' hooves approached from afar, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

Everyone in the shack instinctively looked up, even the weak-breathing Old Chen Dao seemed to strain to lift his eyelids.

Su Zhan took the lead and rushed into the dilapidated inner gate of the village, which the Yegu Gang had hurriedly pushed open.

His gaze swept over the hellish scene: mountains of corpses piled up beneath the collapsed fortress, the air thick with a nauseating stench; women and children trembling and pale-faced by the fire, wounded groaning everywhere…

The brutal scene confirmed the scouts' intelligence, and was even more horrific than described in the intelligence.

He brought along elite cavalry, who followed closely behind, and quickly took over key positions in the inner village, eliminating any remaining sporadic resistance. At the same time, they began to systematically rescue the wounded and distribute food and blankets to keep warm.

Su Zhan dismounted and strode towards the largest shack in the center.

His very presence carried a powerful and reassuring sense of calm.

Inside the shack, when Su Zhan's tall figure appeared at the door, the entire space instantly fell silent, and everyone's eyes were focused on him.

The third leader, Harbala, immediately stood up and bowed. Su Zhan nodded slightly, his gaze passing over everyone and landing on Chen Laodao, whose fur still held a trace of life.

He walked over in a few steps, squatted down, and without the medic needing to explain, the three wolf-tooth arrows and everything around the wound already spoke volumes.

The shack was completely silent at this moment.

"Su...Third Master..." Old Chen Dao focused his eyes on Su Zhan's face with difficulty, his lips trembling violently, as if he wanted to say something.

Su Zhan reached out and firmly grasped Chen Laodao's blood-stained hand.

His hands were warm and strong.

"Boss Chen." Su Zhan's voice was steady, yet it carried a penetrating force that reached straight to people's hearts. "Snow Wolf is dead, and his head is hanging in the camp."

"The blood of the Wild Ancient Gang will not be shed in vain. The women, children, and elderly here are all citizens of my Stone City. As long as I, Su Zhan, am here, I will protect them."

There are no fancy promises, only the simplest guarantee, yet it weighs a thousand pounds.

In Chen Laodao's eyes, which had almost lost their luster, the last bit of his obsession quietly dissipated.

He stared intently at Su Zhan, making a "heh" sound in his throat. He suddenly tightened his grip on Su Zhan's hand with all his might, then abruptly let go, his head tilting limply to the side.

"Father!" Chen Bao let out a heart-wrenching scream, collapsed onto his father, and wept bitterly.

Inside and outside the shack, the surviving members of the Wild Ancient Gang, who had been suppressing their emotions for so long, finally erupted in a chorus of mournful cries.

Su Zhan quietly released his grip and slowly stood up.

His tall figure cast a long shadow as he silently watched Chen Laodao's lifeless face, his gaze growing even deeper, as if he wanted to etch the hatred of this moment into his very bones.

A murderous intent permeated the tent, overpowering the sorrow and causing the weeping to subside somewhat.

"Pass on the order," Su Zhan said. "Collect Chief Chen's remains and bury him with the utmost respect. Collect and cremate all the fallen brothers of the Wild Ancient Gang, and bring their remains back to the Martyrs' Shrine in Stone City for safekeeping."

From this moment forward, all surviving members of the Wild Ancient Gang and their families, regardless of age, are now citizens of Stone City. They will be registered, provided with food and clothing, and properly settled.

His gaze shifted to Chen Bao, who was still grieving: "Chen Bao."

Chen Bao suddenly looked up, staring intently at Su Zhan, his eyes filled with confusion.

"Your father died protecting his people; he was a true man."

"Take your father's knife, and bring the Wild Ancient Gang brothers who can still stand, and come with me."

Su Zhan's voice was very powerful: "Although Xue Tianlang is dead, there are still remnants of his forces. The real enemy is still in the Northern Royal Court."

I will lead you to avenge this blood debt, and offer the head of the royal court as a sacrifice to your late father. Do you dare?

"Dare!" Chen Bao shoved aside the person next to him and stood up. The sorrow in his eyes was replaced by an even more fervent flame of revenge. "From this day forward, my life belongs to Stone City. Wherever the blade points, the remaining men of the Wild Ancient Gang will never back down!"