Before setting out again, the four returned once more to their residence from the previous night.
Maela and Stark used bright red fabric and stones to pile up striking warning markers along the main group's inevitable path, and carved conspicuous warnings into nearby tree trunks.
This was also to remind teams that might pass through here not to deviate from the predetermined route, avoiding a head-on conflict with the Frost Giants.
Meanwhile, Starlight climbed to the summit from the night before once again.
He stood quietly in the cold wind for a moment; soon, a grey-brown mountain sparrow fluttered its wings and landed lightly on his shoulder.
Needless to say, this was naturally the contact method Moen had given him to exchange important information.
Although this unconventional communication method would inevitably draw criticism in such a setting, Starlight believed the current situation was special.
Information about the abnormal gathering of Frost Giants had to be conveyed to the escort team in the rear as soon as possible so they could make defensive preparations in advance.
“Go,” Starlight said softly, carefully tying a parchment note filled with information to the sparrow’s slender ankle. “Tell Moen we are all well, but be sure to remind her to immediately send people to patrol the surrounding area.”
With that, he gently lifted the sparrow and watched the little messenger flap its wings toward the azure sky, soon turning into a distant black dot and disappearing.
After completing all preparations, the four did not linger. They quickly summoned their sleds and sped away along the established route.
To avoid unnecessary accidents, they slowed down slightly during the subsequent time, while also increasing rest and recovery periods.
By the evening of the third day, Starlight and the others finally arrived near their destination—the vicinity of the Luca Icefield, one of the largest Frost Giant settlements.
The Luca Icefield in the twilight was like a secret realm forgotten by time. The Northland’s cold wind howled across the ice, picking up fine snow grains that shimmered with golden light in the sunset's afterglow.
Actually, the Luca Icefield wasn't just a barren wasteland; a large part of it sat atop an ice lake. However, due to year-round extreme cold, a thick layer of ice had long since formed on the lake's surface.
The polar cold was displayed here to its fullest extent. Exhaled white breath would instantly condense into tiny ice crystals, quickly coating eyelashes in white frost.
The snow beneath their feet seemed soft, but in reality, a hard crust of ice had formed on the surface, making a “crunch-crunch” sound with every step.
“I’m freezing to death... I really can't imagine any creature living in this weather all the time.” Shivering from the cold wind blowing off the ice lake, Po Kong wrapped his coat tighter. “I really envy you guys; none of you seem bothered by the cold at all.”
As he rambled, he looked at his companions.
Starlight only needed to slightly circulate the fire elements in his body to warm himself, so he only wore a windbreaker. Stark and Maela, being dwarves, were used to life in the Northlands and had high resistance to temperature, so they didn't show much of a problem either.
Watching this stark contrast, Po Kong couldn't help but lament the fragility of ordinary humans in extreme environments. He really needed to hurry up and break through to the Saint Rank; at least then he wouldn't suffer so much in extreme conditions.
“Let’s find a place to rest nearby tonight. It’s too dangerous to scout at night without preparation,” Stark suggested.
This suggestion was immediately met with agreement. But with the Frost Giants' lair right at their doorstep, lighting a fire and camping like they had the previous days was clearly out of the question.
However, with Starlight and Maela, two mages with earth affinity, creating a concealed residence wasn't difficult.
Before long, the two of them melted through the ice beneath their feet and dug a burrow several meters deep into the permafrost, carving out a space of several dozen square meters underground. Though not very comfortable, it was at least quite safe.
Before entering the hole, Starlight formed hand seals and gave a light shout. A biting north wind answered his call, swirling the surrounding snow to spread it evenly over the entrance.
After this careful camouflage, even if someone passed overhead, they would only see a flawless patch of snow.
As time passed, the four of them, who had been traveling for three days, rested and conserved their energy for tomorrow's action.
Just as Starlight was drifting off, a subtle tremor suddenly came from the permafrost beneath him. At first, it was like the aftershock of a distant avalanche, but the vibration quickly became distinct, as if some massive entities were approaching with rhythmic steps...
The commotion immediately woke the four in the burrow. Starlight snapped his eyes open, shaking off his burgeoning drowsiness.
He signaled his companions to stay silent and placed his palm gently against the wall of the hole, his mana spreading outward like ripples.
Maela immediately did the same, closing her eyes to sense the frequency of the vibrations from the ground.
“More Frost Giants. At least... three hundred... no, there must be over five hundred...”
Maela whispered. The dwarves' unique geological sensing ability allowed her to accurately judge the number of creatures above.
In Starlight's magic vision, hundreds of massive ice-blue energy masses were converging from all directions, their heavy footsteps shaking ice dust from the ceiling of the burrow.
Po Kong gripped his weapon, watching the ceiling cautiously. Stark even covered his nose and mouth, not daring to make a sound.
The vibrations continued for nearly half an hour before gradually fading away. But the four waited patiently for another fifteen minutes until Starlight confirmed the last group of Frost Giants had moved far off.
When they cautiously crawled out of the burrow, they beheld an astonishing sight.
On the moonlit ice plains, thousands of Frost Giants were marching in neat formations toward the center of the frozen lake. These behemoths, averaging over five meters in height, were now as quiet as a tamed flock of sheep.
Their blue-white skin shimmered with an eerie glow under the moonlight, and their exhaled breath condensed into large patches of hazy mist in the night sky.
“Where are they going?” Po Kong asked in a low voice, his brow furrowed as he watched the retreating crowd of Frost Giants.
“It looks like the center of the lake. By the way, is there something in the middle of this ice lake?”
Stark hurriedly unfolded his map, comparing it carefully by the moonlight. “The map shows a large island in the center of the lake, but...”
Finally, his finger stopped on an area marked with a question mark. “The mapmaker never actually set foot on the island; they only knew it was one of the Frost Giants' territories.”
Just then, Maela suddenly gasped, her hand trembling as she pointed ahead.
Everyone followed her finger. Beneath the originally calm ice surface, web-like red light patterns suddenly lit up.
Those glowing veins spread forward through the ice layer like living things, eventually all converging toward the depths of the lake's center.
There, a massive shadow could be vaguely seen rising and falling with the pulsation of the light network. Every beat caused the entire ice lake to emit a low hum, as if a giant heart was slowly waking up and thumping rhythmically.
Starlight and Stark were all too familiar with this red light. It was almost identical to the color emitted by the Stone Troll Emperor back then.
“No way...” The two looked at each other and whispered in unison.
An ill omen rose in their minds. If another “Emperor” appeared among the Frost Giants, their Coming-of-Age Ceremony would be in big trouble.
Starlight took a deep breath and turned to his friend. “Po Kong, we have to follow them. We can’t contact Moen’s messenger bird in the middle of the night, but we must figure out what these giants are planning! If they intend to interfere with the ceremony... we have to find a way to stop them.”
“My pleasure~” Po Kong briskly shed his cumbersome heavy coat, revealing his form-fitting gear, a playful smile on his lips. “But this doesn't sound like your usual style. Charging straight into the lair of thousands of giants?”
“I can't let you two lunatics go to your deaths alone!” Maela suddenly squeezed between the two, her small face full of characteristic dwarven stubbornness.
Then she looked at Stark. “As for you, nerd... how about you stay here and wait for orders?”
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