Boom—!
Winter's massive body landed in the center of the courtyard, and the surging air current swept countless piles of snow into the air.
All the Free Folk in the courtyard.
Whether it was the unruly tribal chiefs or the fearless Tormund, they all retreated a few steps.
Seemingly feeling that they were still too conspicuous, they all prostrated themselves on the ground, trying to lower their presence.
"What…what kind of monster is that…a dragon?"
A Free Folk chief, prostrate in the snow, asked in terror.
"Can…can it be eaten?"
Tormund was the only one still barely standing.
He gripped the bone axe in his hand tightly, veins throbbing on his forehead, and his Adam's apple bobbing frantically.
He asked a question that caught everyone off guard.
This scene made the Night's Watch, who were standing by in full readiness, twitch at the corners of their eyes.
They finally understood why Lynn said the Free Folk were actually very simple-minded.
Their thought process was indeed different from ordinary people.
Winter ignored those tiny ants.
Its three massive heads, six lava-like golden vertical pupils, all focused on Lynn.
Then, it let out a low growl full of coquetry, took massive steps, and carefully approached.
One head rubbed against Lynn's chest.
One head tried to swallow his head.
And another head saw Ygritte, whose face was pale with fear, beside Lynn.
It curiously stretched its neck and sniffed gently with its nose.
Ygritte froze, even forgetting to breathe.
It seemed to have smelled a familiar scent on Ygritte, which made it relax its guard.
"Alright, stop messing around."
Lynn patted the largest dragon head in the middle and soothed it with a few words in Valyrian.
Winter immediately became incredibly docile, like three large dogs trying to please their master, obediently lying down.
This miraculous scene completely subdued the Free Folk.
The man who could punch Tormund away and conjure ice armor out of thin air even kept a legendary dragon as a pet?
Was this something a human could do?
"Lynn!"
Tormund threw away the bone axe in his hand and rushed over in a few steps, his large face filled with fervent admiration.
He pointed at the dragon, his eyes shining terrifyingly bright.
"That…can I borrow this big fellow for two days?"
"I'll just take a spin around the Frostfang Mountains and flatten all those tribes that don't obey you!"
Lynn: "..."
This simpleton really isn't afraid of death... The Castle Black dining hall had never been so lively.
The place, usually only frequented by a few hundred Night's Watchmen, was now packed to the brim.
The black-clad crows and the Free Folk wearing various animal furs sat distinctly on opposite sides of the dining hall.
They didn't curse loudly, nor did they draw weapons; they just silently gnawed on the black bread in their hands and drank the stew in their bowls.
At the same time, they secretly eyed each other with incredibly complex expressions.
The atmosphere was so awkward you could cut sparks with a knife.
"Pah! What is this stuff!"
Tormund spat out the black bread, which was as hard as a stone, with a look of disgust.
"Is this thing meant for humans to eat?"
"Even the fodder we feed mammoths in our tribe is softer than this!"
His loud voice was particularly clear in the silent dining hall.
Several Free Folk chiefs beside him also chimed in.
"Exactly! And this soup, it's as bland as melted snow!"
"I want roasted meat, the biggest chunks!"
A hot-tempered Night's Watch officer slammed his hand on the table and stood up.
"You're lucky to have anything to eat! You savages, still picking and choosing!"
"Who are you calling a savage?!"
"You're the fucking savage!"
Tormund also stood up, his eyes wide like brass bells.
A brawl seemed about to erupt.
"Sit down, all of you."
A calm voice came from the head of the table.
The entire dining hall instantly fell silent.
Everyone subconsciously looked at the young man sitting beside Lord Commander Mormont.
Lynn put down his cutlery and surveyed everyone.
"I know you don't see eye to eye."
"But for the next few days, you all better behave yourselves."
He looked at the Free Folk chiefs.
"Starting tomorrow, your people will successively pass through The Wall and head to the Gifted Lands."
"I don't care what your rules were beyond The Wall; once you're south, you'll abide by the rules of the south."
"I will allocate land to you, and provide seeds and tools."
"If anyone dares to burn, kill, or loot on the lands of the North, I will hang him on The Walls of Winterfell, and then take Winter to wipe his entire tribe off the map."
He then looked at the disgruntled Night's Watchmen.
"The same goes for you."
"Since we have chosen to ally, they are no longer enemies, but citizens of the North, our allies in resisting the Long Night."
"If anyone dares to provoke them or treat them as enemies, I will show him what true cruelty is."
Lynn's words sent a shiver down everyone's spine.
Ygritte sat beside Lynn, her gray eyes sparkling with admiration.
She was like a newlywed wife, constantly refilling Lynn's drink and serving him dishes.
Her attentive demeanor made Tormund, who was not far away, stare in astonishment.
When did this girl, born of fire, become so docile?
She certainly wasn't like this in the tribe, was she?
She would shoot an arrow at someone at the slightest disagreement.
It was as if she had become a completely different person... The Lord Commander's Tower, study.
Under the dim lamplight, there were only three people.
Lynn, Lord Commander Mormont, and the first ranger, Benjen Stark.
"I am old, Lynn."
Old Bear Mormont looked at the cold, clear moon outside the window, his voice carrying the weariness of having a heavy burden lifted.
"I have served the Night's Watch my entire life; I have witnessed its failures and seen too much death."
He turned around, his cloudy eyes reflecting Lynn's young yet steady face.
"Before, I thought the Night's Watch's duty was to keep the Free Folk out beyond The Wall."
"Now I know."
"This war, from the very beginning, was not something we could handle."
Benjen Stark stood by, silent.
But the solemnity on his face said it all.
"Times have changed."
Mormont said slowly.
"The Night's Watch needs a new leader."
"A leader who can see the future, unite all living beings, and lead us to win this war."
He walked to the desk and picked up the ornament symbolizing the Lord Commander's authority.
A chain crafted from obsidian and silver.
He solemnly placed it before Lynn.
"From today, you are the nine hundred ninety-eighth Lord Commander of the Night's Watch."
Lynn had thought Mormont would relinquish power, but he hadn't expected it to be so direct, so sudden.
"Lord Commander, this is not according to regulations."
"The Night's Watch election requires everyone to vote."
Lynn frowned.
"Regulations?"
Mormont smiled.
"Don't underestimate yourself."
"Now, your word is the rule here!"
"Voting or not is just a formality."
"Lynn," Benjen also spoke.
His voice was incredibly serious.
"The Lord Commander is right."
"Only you can keep those Free Folk in check."
"No one but you can bear this burden."
Lynn fell silent.
He looked at the cold chain on the table, feeling the heavy weight of responsibility.
He truly couldn't refuse.
This was not just a title, but a whole new identity.
"Do you swear to be the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men?"
Lynn looked at the old man before him, who had dedicated his life to The Wall, and finally slowly nodded.
"I do."
Mormont showed a relieved smile.
He picked up the chain and personally placed it on Lynn.
The cold metal touched his skin, but Lynn felt his blood burning.
"My mission is complete."
Mormont let out a long sigh of relief, his whole being seemingly much lighter.
"I want to go to Oldtown, see the Hightower, smell the mead, and spend my final days in the warm sunlight."
The old man looked at Lynn with anticipation in his eyes.
"Don't let the Long Night swallow our last light."
The next day.
As the first ray of morning sunlight shone upon The Wall.
Lynn, clad in the black Lord Commander's cloak, stood alone atop the seven-hundred-foot-high ice wall.
The biting cold wind whipped at the hem of his cloak, making it flap loudly.
Below, countless Free Folk, guided by the Night's Watch, were passing through the deep tunnel and stepping onto the soil of the Gifted Lands.
They cheered, embraced, and kissed this land they had dreamed of for generations.
Tears of joy melted the ice and snow beneath their feet.
In the distance, the Haunted Forest remained silent.
Lynn tightened his grip on longclaw at his waist, his gaze becoming incredibly resolute.
He said to Jon, who was beside him.
"My first order as Lord Commander."
"I will personally fund the recruitment of craftsmen from all over the North to build stone houses for the Free Folk with all their might!"
"And I will build a city in the Gifted Lands!"
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