Luyu Mountain, at the foot of the mountain.

The wind dances, the snow drifts.

There are three days left until the peace talks between Dashang and the Northern Barbarians.

Not far from here lies the vast battlefield, where many bodies remain uncollected, yet people tirelessly go to retrieve them.

Even in death, wrapped in horsehide, one should return home.

This is done for the morale and souls of the army.

An army has a soul; if you do not respect that soul, you cannot forge a strong force with faith.

Death is a very solemn matter.

At this moment, both Dashang and the Northern Barbarians have sent numerous volunteers to the battlefield to collect the bodies.

Everyone knows that the war, at least this year's war, is almost over, and perhaps very soon a Ghost Tide disaster will descend. In the meantime, they gather as many bodies as they can.

...

Northern Barbarians...

Xiao Hongliao, with a red Medicine Pouch hanging by her waist and leading two two-headed giant wolves, walked desolately across the wind-swept snowy battlefield.

Her father was the leader of a small Northern Barbarian tribe who moved southward due to the Ghost Tide in the north.

This summer, he had done many evil deeds.

Xiao Hongliao despised such a father, yet she also knew why he did what he did: only tribes that showed their fangs could avoid being swallowed up by others.

Thus, she was conflicted, and now she was almost in a penitent manner placing each body into a wrapping bag before loading them onto the Wolf Mounts.

She was a robust and lively young woman, and one of the few in her tribe who understood herbal medicine as a "shaman".

She used her status to secretly save many Dashang citizens, sheltering them and then finding opportunities to quietly let them go.

She was kind and friendly to everyone.

Including Ding, that little guide she met last year when the tribe moved south—Ding Sigu.

Ding's full name was Ding Sigu, a very clever child who was close to her.

So now, as she came to the battlefield to collect bodies, Ding followed her.

Ding wasn't very strong but still stooped and gritted his teeth as he tried hard to move the bodies.

Xiao Hongliao went over to help him.

Ding breathed heavily.

"You just follow me," Xiao Hongliao brushed the snow off his body.

"Hong Liao sister..." Ding Sigu looked at the young woman, wiped his sweat, and said, "I'm okay."

"Still okay, you're sweating, you're weak." Xiao Hongliao laughed, reached out to carelessly brush off the pale snow from the small figure's head, then said, "Just rest if I tell you to."

"Okay, Hong Liao sister."

Ding Sigu didn't argue anymore.

After entering Barbarian Tribes, his life was not smooth.

The Barbarians respected the strong, and while he was seen as a normal young man in the eyes of the Dashang citizens, in Barbarian Tribes, he was utterly powerless.

His only use was as a guide.

But after conquering a Dashang city, his usefulness waned greatly as there appeared guides who were more fluent in the Barbarian language and stronger than him.

Just as he fell into a trough, his future bleak, uncertain if he could survive, and even began to doubt if everything was his karma, Xiao Hongliao appeared like a ray of light into his dim world.

This tribal shaman took his hand and led him out of the dark corner.

Ding Sigu thought he was appreciated and that the shaman recognized his extraordinary aspect.

He didn't know if he was indeed extraordinary, but... he always stubbornly believed it without any basis.

Because he wanted to rise above others.

But soon he realized he was wrong.

Xiao Hongliao not only pulled him into the light but also many others and many small animals; with a kind yet resolute tone, she would talk to those in distress, bandage the wounds of injured wild beasts, including Demon Beasts like the two-headed giant wolves.

The evil youth learned for the first time that there really was light and kindness in the world.

If this kindness belonged to his enemy, he would brazenly exploit it and laugh heartily.

But this kindness belonged to his benefactor.

This benevolence was different from the past, giving him hope in true despair.

He had complicated feelings.

Then, the young man silently vowed: if one day he had the power, he would do everything in his power to protect this young woman's kindness. Perhaps then, he would also express his affection.

But such "affection" should not be expressed by a nobody.

He wanted to stand out!

He wanted to be someone important!

He wanted to no longer be at the mercy of others!

The Wolf Mounts tread slowly, carrying more and more bodies across the snowy battlefield.

Some of the bodies were horrifically disfigured, some were already rotting, some were half skeletal...

Xiao Hongliao carefully placed each one into wrapping bags, humming an unknown requiem in the Barbarian language.

Wolf Mounts, young woman, young man, they walked a great distance until the sky darkened before turning back.

The next day... continues...

On the last day before the talks... it still continues.

By evening, the light snow had cleared.

The brilliant red glow of sunset shone on the snow, dazzling to the eye.

Suddenly, Ding Sigu walked up to Xiao Hongliao, shivering, and said, "Hong Liao sister, tomorrow is the peace talks between our Northern Barbarians and Dashang. Could you take me to meet... the Golden Crow King?"

The Golden Crow King, one of the four great Golden Tent Kings of the Northern Barbarians, was also the king to whom Xiao Hongliao's tribe was affiliated.

A "shaman" held a special status among the Barbarians, and although Xiao Hongliao was merely an inconspicuous young shaman, her status made it hopeful... at least someone would be willing to help her send a message to the Golden Crow King.

As for the leader of Xiao Hongliao's tribe, the Barbarian who had taken Ding Sigu, he had more ferocity than intelligence.

"Why?"

Xiao Hongliao was taken aback but then looked at the boy with a smile, encouragingly.

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