The dangers of the Ice and Snow Forest lie in the presence of snow wolves and snow beasts, as well as the lack of human habitation and supplies; legend has it that near Dragonfang Mountain, there are green dragons of the ice element that occasionally attack merchants and travelers on the continental highway; as for the written records of the Trial Cave, the most recent was 56 years ago, when a team escorting a grand mage to the trial described—the Trial Cave stretches for 150 kilometers, and only after passing through it can one reach the Ice Wishing Tower. Traversing these 150 kilometers takes at least 10 days, with numerous monsters inside, most of which wield ice magic. Of the 750-strong escort team, 70% of the warriors were lost entering and exiting the Trial Cave.

The approximate itinerary is as follows: from the Ice Fortress to the northern border of the Empire, taking the continental highway, 500 kilometers, about 15 days.

Ice and Snow Forest, taking the continental highway, 250 kilometers, about 10 days.

To deliver the national letter to the capital of the Kingdom of Hami, taking the continental highway, 300 kilometers, about 10 days.

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From the royal capital of the Kingdom of Hami to Dragonfang Mountain, taking the continental highway, 450 kilometers, about 15 days.

Crossing Dragonfang Mountain, taking the continental highway, 150 kilometers, about 7 days.

To deliver the national letter to the capital of North Hami Kingdom, taking the continental highway, 300 kilometers, about 10 days. In fact, although the Ice Wishing Tower is located in North Hami Kingdom, the only road to the Wishing Tower is within the Kingdom of Hami, west of Dragonfang Mountain, so it is necessary to return to the Kingdom of Hami again.

From the capital of North Hami to the west side of Dragonfang Mountain, taking the continental highway, 450 kilometers, about 17 days.

Traveling southeast along the Dragonfang Mountain range to the Trial Cave, 300 kilometers, no continental highway, uninhabited area, about 20 days.

Trial Cave, 150 kilometers, no continental highway, about 12 days.

The entire round trip takes about 200 days, and with the time spent lingering in the two capitals, the total duration is about 230 days.

In the past four years, Lake Harper and Ethan Brooks have completed many missions together, but this was their first argument during a mission.

Ethan Brooks's tone grew heavier and heavier, and both Amy and her grandfather's moods became increasingly somber~~only those who live on the Frozen Continent truly understand its dangers.

A hundred miles of uninhabited land is all too common here; a single raging blizzard can wipe out everyone within several hundred miles—no one from other continents can imagine a blizzard lasting ten days straight, with snow piling up over three meters deep, burying and suffocating everyone alive.

The beasts that can survive in this world all possess immense power and destructive force. Naturally, the humans who survive here are also much tougher and braver than those from other continents.

“According to the planned route, we have left the Ice and Snow Forest…” This man named Ethan Brooks had already stepped into the realm of memory.

Having operated near the Ice and Snow Forest for years, the forest no longer posed much danger to the border troops. Just like this time, after repelling three snow beast attacks, the two imperial battalions safely reached the territory of the Kingdom of Hami.

However, when it came to the issue of which team would return to the Empire and which would continue the escort, Lake Harper and Ethan Brooks got into an argument.

Everyone agreed that this journey was extremely risky, so everyone was eager to go.

Lake Harper tried to persuade Ethan Brooks with two reasons:

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1. No children

2. In snow marches, cavalry are actually a burden

But in Ethan Brooks's view, these were precisely the reasons why Lake Harper should not continue: 1. If something happened to Lake, his son would become an orphan

2. In snow marches, horses can actually make things faster, and if something goes wrong, the horses can be killed for meat—once dismounted, a cavalryman is just an infantryman, how are they inferior to glacier infantry?

In the end, the two good friends came to blows—since that's the case, let the stronger one go, as the strong have a better chance of survival.

Ethan Brooks was full of confidence. He had entered the Imperial Knight Academy at the age of eight and had always been a top student in martial skills. At twenty, he passed the ×× trial and became a ×× knight.

When he got to this point, Ethan Brooks's voice suddenly became vague, and the grandfather and granddaughter, focused on Lake Harper's fate, didn't pay much attention to the details of his words.

The duel was conducted in private.

The result of the fight was something Ethan Brooks could never have imagined—he lost in a single blow.

In their previous missions together, the cavalry battalion usually carried out assault tasks, while the glacier infantry battalion was responsible for holding the line or retreating. In his memory, Chi had never seen Lake Harper in action, and, not wanting to discourage his friend who came from a mountain hunter background, had never inquired about his martial skills.

But in this contest, Ethan Brooks charged at Lake Harper on his mount, lance at the ready, with no tricks. In the wind and snow, Lake Harper met him head-on, wielding a greatsword with both hands, smashing it directly against the lance. Ethan Brooks felt a heat in his hands as the lance was jolted out of the shield's defensive area. Lake Harper immediately retreated—if a gap appears between a knight's lance and shield, it means death.

Ethan Brooks regretted not using a double-handed spear; otherwise, this would never have happened.