### Chapter 123: The Beginning of Killing Intent (Part 1)
Snowy night.
Thirteen kilometers south of the Moon Mountain Gorge gate on the outskirts of Cheryls Royal City, right beneath the mountains.
The wild wind was so fierce it felt like it could peel your eyelids back.
Towering mountains reached skyward, jagged cliffs rose menacingly like a thousand blades stabbing into the night. This natural fortress could be said to provide an unbreakable defense for the royal city, making it clear that any trained army would struggle to scale these treacherous heights—especially on a night like this.
But…
At this very moment, on the inner slopes of the snow-capped mountains, where darkness and swirling mist nearly engulfed the terrain, faint glimmers of nearly a hundred firelights began to flicker into the cold air.
Those lights belonged to the Shanter Army.
To be precise, they were part of the auxiliary city forces—the elite heavy cavalry vanguard of New City of Kaliye.
However, they weren’t riding the pride of their cavalry today—the majestic horned horses clad in spike armor, terrorizing enemies on the battlefield under the nickname “Iron Hammer.” Those beloved beasts wouldn’t be of much help on this particular mission.
With flurries of snow mixing with a biting cold wind, it seemed impossible to use a torch in such weather. The thick snow on the ground threatened to swallow them up to their knees.
The cavalry from New City of Kaliye were bundled up, wearing heavy dark fur coats designed to conceal them in the night, trudging forward through the howling storm. Among them were a few who appeared to be leading the way; their muffled voices drifted through the swirling snow.
“I never expected, I never expected…”
Winds howled like a banshee, the snow on the ground thick enough to trip a man up, and most of the cavalry weren’t suited up in heavy armor. Instead, they were wrapped in black fur coats, trudging through the wind. The conversation continued.
“I thought after facing those church folks, Duke Skarlij would be all out of steam… Two months of lying low, it’s been infuriating to watch! Who would have thought he was secretly digging a bunch of tunnels right under those damned clerics’ noses…”
“How did he pull that off? Even we had no clue… I’m completely in the dark here…”
“Hey, watch your mouth! Don’t disrespect Duke Skarlij!”
“Heh, I know, I know… I’m just still mad! Made me think we’d never see action again. With Duke softening up, I was ready to grab my weapons and take charge, go all out, get some revenge for the lord…”
“It’s true! Captain Paul, I’m guessing you know something about the situation. Stop pretending… Although no one talks about it openly, behind the scenes, everyone’s sharpening their knives, ready to chop off City Guard heads… or those church knights, whoever stands in our way is our enemy… When have the Kaliye cavalry ever been afraid of d*ath…?”
“We should just tear that useless emperor to shreds, tie his hands and feet to a drying rack, cook a stew out of him for all I care, turn him into stinky fertilizer and spread him across the fields… ahahaha.”
“Enough with the nonsense in front of me… Are we here to visit the royal city? You should be more serious, don’t always look so cheerful on the battlefield, it’s downright creepy…”
The two speakers were of similar height, one lean and slightly younger, while the other was the robust “Captain Paul.”
Beside them, navigating the storm, was an older man—he didn’t look over fifty, missing a leg, replaced with a complicated iron prosthetic, clinking as he walked. He seemed to struggle, yet he didn’t miss a breath and kept his pace steady, focused on the direction of Cheryls Royal City.
The old man wasn’t a cavalryman anymore.
Once a proud warrior, he had galloped across battlefields and raided countless towns under the banner of old Kaliye, his glory had faded since the new lord of the Northern Region, Duke Skarlij, took office, just like the leg he had lost.
After that, he left behind his old horned horse, transitioning from soldier to a shadowy figure, serving as the city lord of New City of Kaliye, strategizing for Marquis Oliver to maintain peace in the Empire’s west. Although that was the plan, his real influence in a peaceful Valen Empire was negligible compared to the legendary feats of his youth.
Ten years had passed without him earning a proper title.
Until the assassination of Marquis Oliver by a servant, and the royal power struggle led by Duke Skarlij reignited.
Now, the old man found himself with a chance to return to form.
“…Lord Caden.”
The biting wind howled in his ears, cold rushing against his face like a thousand knives—yet this biting chill was old news to the Imperial folk, especially those from the north. They laughed even in such weather, tolerating the slow march despite the loud winds. It wasn’t until Captain Paul called out “Lord Caden!” for the third time that the old man turned his attention.
“I’m here, what is it?”
His voice was hoarse, low like a beast’s growl.
“I was saying—”
Perhaps feeling some distance was to blame, plus the incessant chatter from the younger cavalryman, Captain Paul moved a bit closer: “You mentioned the tunnels earlier, but Duke Skarlij isn’t aware, right? We’re acting on our own tonight. Everyone’s thought about it, but when it comes to it, I can’t help but worry… The new lord of Kaliye is too young; if this goes south, he won’t be able to handle it.”
“Heh.”
The old man listened quietly before smiling faintly: “Paul, you’re getting more timid as you age…”
“Tch, look who’s talking!”
Of course, the captain was annoyed. Anyone else would have gotten into a scuffle for a remark like that, but this was a former battle hero from the old Kaliye. Even if they didn’t always see eye to eye, there was an underlying respect.
“If it were just you and me, I wouldn’t think twice about it. But I’ve got my brothers here. I can’t let them down.”
While Captain Paul’s tone remained somewhat friendly, the tension was evident.
The old man, however, didn’t seem to mind.
“So you’re saying tonight’s plan is to sneak into the royal city, meet with the informants, and prepare to take down Emperor Keynes in revenge for the former lord… is that letting your brothers down?”
