Chapter 196: Lingol's Expedition (XVIII) Father's test was a bit deliberate

The King's Road gradually shrank into a narrow causeway, and the weather gradually became colder. Lingol and others also changed into winter clothes bought in Salt Pan Town.

The night was no longer comfortable. The further north they went, the more biting the dampness of the swamp became. The sea breeze from the Bite Bay blew across the rugged and desolate coast, sweeping across the boundless swamp without scruples.

There were black swamps everywhere, and flowers larger than people bloomed in the mud and fog. Those gorgeous giant flowers kept emitting the stench that made people spit out overnight dishes. With just the naked eye, Lingol could see how old and dense the swamp trees were that emerged from the swamp like ghosts. They were accompanied by rotten swamps, surrounded by dense mushrooms, and many plants that could not be named at all.

During the day, the sun in the sky emitted a pale light and could not warm the group at all. Even though the sun had already reached their heads, the coldness that permeated from the depths of the swamp still made everyone almost forget that it was summer. Even on the relatively safe causeway, they could see the lizard lions in the swamp. These ferocious reptiles half-floated and half-sunk in the water, like black wood with eyes and teeth, ready to enjoy their delicious meal at any time.

The warhorse that had followed Albin since he was a child with a wooden sword was eaten by the swamp. It rolled off the causeway and sank screaming into the unfathomable swamp. Ringol and his men watched with their own eyes as the hungry lizard lions rushed over and tore the poor big guy into a pile of bones in the blink of an eye.

Now he could only ride on Ringol's packhorse and carefully serve as a sentinel for the team.

When he reached the depths of the causeway, he could not even do this task. Although the long winter had passed, its impact still left deep marks on this land. The winter snow melted in the summer, not only providing abundant water for the Neck Swamp, but also making the causeway muddy and hidden. It was even possible to walk away from the causeway and walk into the depths of the swamp.

Lord Cregan Stark knew this was a serious problem, but even if the snow melted in the North, it would take several years. In fact, until this year, even though summer had come for several years, the snow in the North had not completely melted, and the mission of clearing the causeway was difficult.

Lord Cregan could only order the leader of the marshlanders, Lord Brandon Reed of Greywater Watch, to lead his marshlanders to guide people passing through the causeway and rescue those trapped in the swamp at any time.

But the peace was broken.

The wildlings from the valley fled into the Neck Swamp, and they had a small-scale conflict with the marshlanders.

The wildlings were no match for those "frog-eating devils". The marshlanders' agile posture, poisoned arrows, and iron armor and iron swords from the Stark family made the poorly equipped and unfamiliar valley wildlings complain bitterly.

But they were still the scourge of the causeway.

Ding.

Regen struggled to push away the bone arrows, his purple eyes full of anger: "Jaime! Cain! Traitor!"

He was shot. A bone arrow dipped in something pierced his shoulder, and an indescribable chill gradually spread from the place where the arrow was shot. He felt his strength slowly leaving him, and even his eyes were a little unclear.

Seeing the effect of the drug, the warrior who killed several of them in the blink of an eye gradually lost his ability to resist. The leading wild man couldn't help but spit, thinking in his heart, you bunch of cowards. You actually used the weapons of those frog-eating dwarves, poison, which is something only women and children would use.

But they still used it, because they knew that it was impossible for their team alone to take down those noble boys from the south. Although the old guy with a scarred face promised solemnly to help them separate a few people, seeing that this kid still killed several people even if he was poisoned by the surprise attack.

The chieftain was a little unsure. After all, the boy who was tricked by Jaime to explore the way didn't even wear armor, but the other two young men in the team never took off their armor.

He waved his hand and signaled his companions to come closer.

Several wild men holding spears slowly came up.

Your Highness, they betrayed us! Don't come over!

This was Regen's last thought before his consciousness faded.

At the moment he fell, he saw a horse leaping into the swamp.

The rapier was illuminated by the pale sun at that moment, and it was easier than cutting a piece of butter. It pierced the chieftain's still panicked head cleanly, and then the meteor hammer came crashing down.

Ringol jumped off the warhorse without saying a word. He glanced at Regen, who was kneeling on the ground with a long sword and had fainted, and walked towards the wild men who were frightened by him without looking back.

"Son of Gulber, are you scared?" An older wild man shouted and rushed over with a spear.

Although the Starsinger is just a rapier, it is also a Valyrian steel sword, a Valyrian steel sword with unparalleled sharpness.

The sword light passed by, and the spear broke smoothly.

The young wildling called the Son of Gulber by his wildling companions was stunned for a moment. He stared blankly at the head of the elder who had taken him away from the Iron Man in the valley and cracked.

His eyes hurt.

So I am dead too.

Ringor neatly pulled the Starsinger out of the young wildling's eye socket. He looked around to make sure there were no other wildlings, and then walked towards Lei Gen with some disbelief. Alarion walked out of the forest with red eyes. He walked out, dragging "Hyena" Kane with a broken arm in one hand, looking like a dead dog. The war hammer in the other hand was full of red, yellow, and white unknown liquid. Albin followed with a face filled with grief and indignation. Behind Alarion, his old chain mail was also stained with blood.

Alarion never expected that the two mercenary knights who had always been obedient would betray them.

Because it has no value. Kane, who was familiar with the causeway, led them into a dead end road leading to the swamp, while Jaime used daily patrol duties as an excuse to deceive Lei Gen.

They were attacked by savages.

If Alarion hadn't been vigilant enough, and Ringol had hardly left his armor since passing Harrenhal, they might have fallen in the first wave of arrows.

Those damn savages put poison on their arrows and even had iron arrows.

Kane's arms and legs were removed by Ringol, who was extremely calm when he was angry, while Jaime died under the frantic attack of Reigen, who was hit by an arrow.

His body was still lying in the muddy swamp, and his blood had solidified and was no longer gurgling.

It's all my fault.

Ringol said in his heart, blaming himself.

If I hadn't trusted those two guys so much, Lei Geng wouldn't have been hurt.

He also has some knowledge of medical skills and knows that Lei Geng is not dead and what Lei Geng needs is treatment.

No, Ringol suddenly realized something.

There is never a sudden betrayal, all betrayals must have precursors.

However, Kane and James have never shown any signs of betrayal. It is absolutely impossible for them to know their identities. The identity of Ringo Varese cannot be an excuse for their betrayal.

money? Weapons and horses?

It is indeed possible, but Lingol has learned some results from Long Zell for so many years. For example, it was Albin who once looked at his armor and sword with greedy eyes, but that boy's greed was very pure. Envy-like greed, after being impressed by his martial arts, this greed turned into understanding and relief that "he is so strong, he should have such good things."

James once looked at his money bag with greedy eyes, but Ringol knew that this was a common problem among hired knights like them.

What did he overlook?

At this time, Ringor saw Alarion with red eyes and Kane who was like a dead dog.

"Your Highness. Lei Gengta"

An idea flashed through the young man's mind like sparks when stones collided.

It's him.

"Hyena" Kane Mulder, he has never shown greed for anything. Sometimes his presence is very strong, and sometimes people don't even realize that there is such a person in the team.

He is a guide to the Riverlands and the Neck.

Ringo thought of something.

Father, your guidance is too deliberate. Lin Geer couldn't help complaining about his simple and rude father Long Zell in his heart.

"You're not Kane Mulder."

Ringol turned around and looked at "Hyena" Kane on the ground expressionlessly.

"Which member of the family are you? Uncle Kungul, or brother Suellen? Or brother Sage?"

"His Royal Highness is right." Kane smiled happily.

"You may be stupid at times, but you are indeed very sharp."

"Stop talking nonsense." Ringol suddenly stood up: "How to get Lei Geng's poison? Don't fool me, I know you have medicine that can prevent the poison from entering the heart."

He said through gritted teeth.

"Hand it over, and I can forgive you for deceiving me." The young man stared fiercely at "Kane" whose face was slowly melting. "Brother Sage."

Dear friends, the author is re-reading the original work to improve his writing skills. My current writing skills are indeed a bit weak, so I decided to try Martin's writing style and rhetoric. From tomorrow to next Thursday, the author will be a little busy, so the daily update time is uncertain, but Can guarantee the update of 4500-5000 words. There will be no interruption of updates due to leave, and double updates will resume next Thursday.

I hope that when I resume double updates next Thursday, everyone will feel that my writing is no longer like a piece of dry bread.