King of the North: My Lord's Diary Weekly Summary

Their wolf companions were also unusual:

Marcos's wolf companion "Misty Eyes" is about forty years old—something completely impossible in Wayne's original world, but in the wolf clan, their bloodline abilities can allow their companions to break through the life limits of ordinary wolves.

Although Bell's wolf companion "Sparrowclaw" is not fast because of his small size, he has exceptional hearing.

When wolves hunt, the old and weak go first.

Renee explained softly to Wayne, her voice as gentle as a whisper in the woods: "They are experienced and can detect danger, and their slow movements will not disturb their prey."

If ambushed, they are the first to be in danger—this is their survival wisdom, using minimal cost to obtain early warning.

We are the same, but we can help each other more.

Wayne nodded silently.

A cruel yet practical logic.

The true core of the team's strength lies in the middle section – Gard and Tom.

Gard was in his thirties, and the three parallel claw marks on his left cheek were medals from his youthful battles with bears; Tom was slightly younger and taciturn, but his eyes scanned the woodland with a rhythmic pendulum motion.

The two wolves, one gray and one brown, always led their master by ten steps, sometimes lowering their heads to sniff the ground, sometimes pricking up their ears to catch any unusual sounds in the wind.

Wayne was positioned in the middle to back of the group, next to Renee and another young warrior, Ed.

Ed looked no more than eighteen or nineteen years old. His knuckles were white from nervousness as he gripped the spear, but his steps were steady.

His wolf companion was a young male wolf with dark brown fur, which walked close to its master's calves, clearly very dependent on him.

Annie walked at the rear of the pack, which was the custom of the wolf pack's marching—the most experienced veterans scout ahead, while the captain oversees the entire operation from the rear, ready to respond to any unexpected situations from any direction.

Her snow wind roamed the flanks of the group, her light gray figure blending perfectly into the snow, appearing and disappearing among the tree trunks.

"Gard also participated in the counterattack against the Hyenas a year ago."

Renee whispered to Wayne, "Tom is one of the tribe's best trackers, especially when it comes to animal tracks."

Wayne nodded, his gaze sweeping across the distance—they stopped roughly every twenty paces to carve tiny marks into the tree trunks with their daggers.

"They are marking safe paths."

Annie's voice came from behind. She didn't raise her voice, but the quiet of the forest made every word clear: "If any teams need to quickly pass through this area, these markings can save a lot of time."

Wayne looked back.

Anne's eyes were constantly scanning her surroundings:

First the canopy on the left, then the ground shrubs, then the right, and finally the rear. A complete cycle takes about fifteen seconds, then repeats.

"You learn very quickly."

Anne noticed his observation: "Most of the kingdom's nobles only stare at their feet when they enter the forest."

"Looking down at your feet will make you bump into a tree; looking up at the sky will make you trip."

Wien said, "So you have to learn to observe in segments—that's what Ronald taught me."

"Oh, then I'll teach you a bit too. You should look ahead now."

During the conversation, the team had already ventured half a mile into the forest.

Marcos suddenly raised his right hand and clenched his fist.

The entire group froze instantly.

Tom and the two wolves silently lowered their bodies.

Wayne instinctively crouched down, his hand resting on the hilt of the sword at his waist.

Ed was a little flustered, but Renee gently pulled him along and he immediately squatted down.

Thirty paces ahead, behind a fallen, withered tree, came a rustling sound.

Gard made several gestures with his left hand.

Tom nodded, signaling his wolf companion to flank from the left, while Gard's gray wolves would encircle from the right.

The two wolves disappeared as if melting into the shadows.

Ten breaths later, a short whimper came from behind the withered tree, followed by the sound of some small animal struggling.

Marcos loosened his clenched fist, and the column resumed its march.

As Wayne approached the dead tree, he saw Tom's brown wolf carrying a plump hare in its mouth.

The rabbit's neck had been bitten off, and its limbs were still twitching slightly.

"A snack for lunch."

Tom said briefly, took the rabbit, and quickly tied it with a leather rope and hung it around his waist.

His movements were clean and efficient, without a single drop of blood splashing on him.

The group continued north—gradually moving westward.

As the sun rises higher, dappled sunlight filters through the branches and leaves in the forest.

Marcos's chosen route was clever—he mostly stayed in the shade, avoiding exposure to open areas; when he encountered an open space that he had to pass through, he would first have his wolf companions scout out to confirm that it was safe, and then they would quickly cross in batches.

This caution slows down progress, but it ensures safety.

When they reached a stream, the team paused to rest.

Tom and Anne stood guard upstream and downstream of the stream, while Ed and Gard went to fetch water.

Gard, with three scars on his face, was still the only archer in the team. He carried a short bow made of ebony and animal sinew, and his quiver was filled with twelve arrows, each with a different colored fletching.

Different arrows for different prey.

Seeing that Wayne was watching, Renee explained, "The red-feathered arrows have barbs on the arrowheads, which are used to hunt medium-sized prey; the black ones are poisoned, which are used to hunt large, dangerous creatures; the white ones are just ordinary hunting arrows—suitable for hunting more palatable herbivores."

"poison?"

Wayne raised an eyebrow.

"A paralyzing toxin, extracted from a mixture of several types of moss."

Renee said, "It won't be fatal, but it can slow down big guys like bears or wild boars for a few breaths."

The tribe forbids the use of poison in combat, but it can be used during hunting.

When Ed and Gard returned from fetching water, they carried not only water pouches but also several lush green plants.

Renee took it, examined it carefully, and nodded: "The cool grass that grows by the water, when chewed and applied to the wound, can prevent it from festering."

Ed, your ability to identify grass has improved.

The young soldier's face lit up with the joy of being praised, but he quickly straightened his expression and tried to appear calm.

His wolf companion nuzzled his hand, but he gently pushed it away: "Bard, be on guard."

Wien, witnessing this scene, gained a deeper understanding of the team's composition.

Marco and Bell are experienced scouts; Gard and Tom are a strong and reliable backbone; Ed is a rising force; Renee provides knowledge and healing support.

Anne is the decision-making core that unifies everything.

Seven Wolves are not just fighting partners, but also extended sensory and tacit comrades.

Before the break ended, Annie gathered everyone for a brief summary.

"This is our current location."

She crouched down and drew a diagram on the ground with her dagger: "We have advanced westward to a quarter of the eastern part of the Phip Forest."

No traces have been found that are directly related to the disappearance.

As some had predicted, the eastern perimeter of the Phoebe Forest was safe.

After traveling another half mile west, the forest ahead began to thin out.

The trees are spaced further apart, and the understory shrubs are low, allowing the sunlight to pour down without any obstruction.

"The first point of disappearance is just ahead."

Anne whispered, pointing north: "Tallo and his wolf companion were killed here two months ago."