Chapter 38: RoWE - Chapter 38
Chapter 38: White Walker Search Team
Tyrion was right. Aeg couldn't be happy now. The excitement he felt when he learned he could leave the Wall was mostly extinguished. He pondered how to complete the pile of tasks and lost the interest in joking and teasing. He and Tyrion returned to their room, discussing the schedule for leaving the Wall and other matters, their steps heavy.
A tall, ugly Night's Watchman carrying a large sack caught Aeg's attention.
"Othell, what are you carrying?"
"Food. Lord Benjen has decided to set out north tomorrow morning to search for Waymar Royce, wildlings, and whatever else, if they really exist." The more senior ranger stopped, carrying his load and looking Aeg up and down as if seeing him for the first time, "Hmph, White Walker killer, now turned supply officer. Off to King's Landing to enjoy the good life, are you happy?"
"You wouldn't guess how many tasks I'm taking with me." Aeg forced a smile and shook his head. Not even Tyrion, an outsider, believed in the existence of White Walkers, and there were still many among the black brothers who didn't believe in them either, thinking that the Lord Commander and the Chief Ranger had gone mad to believe the escapees' tales. But now that Benjen had made it clear to him, there was no need to hide or cover up anything, "Of course, compared to your dangerous task of searching for White Walkers, it's a cushy job. How are the special weapons for dealing with White Walkers coming along?"
"Valyrian steel weapons, only the Lord Commander has one in Castle Black. Benjen refused the Commander's kind offer to borrow it. We've got some obsidian, made three dragonglass spearheads, and a dozen dragonglass arrows. If you're not lying about the number of White Walkers, it should be enough."
"I can only guarantee I saw five, but there's no way there are only five White Walkers in the world. They must be like lords and nobles, usually acting separately, in groups of two or three beyond the Wall, harvesting the lives of small groups of wildlings, and stealing their infants to replenish their army of the dead. When there are no more living wildlings in the haunted forest, and they have enough strength to attack the Wall, they will gather."
Aeg temporarily put aside thoughts of his tasks and became serious. In his position, he had to fulfill his duties. As a ranger. now perhaps a multi-functional officer, in any case, as a member of the Night's Watch, he naturally hoped his comrades' mission would be safe and successful. Even without considering the greater good, only personal considerations, losses and defeats for the Night's Watch meant an increased possibility of being forcibly recalled or compelled to recruit more supplies and manpower.
In a word, the interests of the Night's Watch were now his interests.
"There are some things I must remind you of. White Walkers are not beasts; they are intelligent magical beings. My killing one of them will certainly alert the remaining White Walkers. Although you have obsidian weapons, you must still be careful."
Othell yawned, "You can tell all this to Benjen. I'm just a soldier; I do what my superiors say, no need to worry about too much."
"I've already told him, but the more people know, the better." Aeg was still uneasy, "Also, remember, if someone is sacrificed or you encounter a corpse, you must burn it. Also, fire can deal with wights, but it can't kill White Walkers."
"Got it, my brain isn't the best. I can't remember too much of what you say. I'm off." The tall ranger was getting irritated by his nagging, waved his hand, and walked away without looking back, carrying the sack.
***
"I'm used to your concise and incisive way of speaking. I never thought I'd see you being so talkative." Tyrion watched the burly ranger leave, somewhat amused, "You make it sound so real, I'm almost convinced White Walkers really exist."
Aeg returned a helpless smile, not intending to convince Tyrion of the existence of White Walkers.
No matter how many reasons and excuses there were, as an outsider, he was now a member of the Night's Watch in this world. Using the advantage of information that others did not have, plus lies, he was about to distance himself from danger.
Benjen's expedition would take seven elite rangers, including Will, north to search for evidence of the reappearance of humanity's natural enemy. Seven, each one a hero chosen from a hundred, but without Valyrian steel weapons, facing an enemy with absolute physical qualities, weapons, and means, even equipped with obsidian weapons, it was still like sheep entering a tiger's den, with little chance of survival.
He was supposed to be one of them, but at the last moment, he stepped aside, throwing his share of responsibility onto others. If Benjen's original plan was for him and Will to lead the way, his departure would increase the danger faced by the remaining eight by one-ninth; if Benjen chose Will as a substitute because of his absence, then he would be turning this soldier, who lived in the same tower and interacted with him daily, into a scapegoat.
There was no deep friendship between him and Will, and even without his presence, Will would have died anyway. But every time he thought of others taking his place in a life-threatening situation, Aeg's heart still couldn't help but tighten. He sighed quietly, suppressing the urge to stay and participate in this mission.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I guess I'm just an honest person." Aeg tried to make his tone lighter. The rangers setting out tomorrow had a high chance of not returning, and saying so would only sound like a curse on his comrades. After the lesson of Bran's fall, he had realized that before he had enough status and influence, there were some things he couldn't change, "Finally leaving, but I'm feeling a bit nostalgic."
Tyrion looked at him in surprise, "If I remember correctly, you were conscripted."
"Yes, but not by the Night's Watch." Aeg shook his head, "After joining the legion, I enjoyed the same treatment as everyone else, food and lodging provided, and a bit of allowance to spend. Although the conditions were poor, it was equal. A broken noble I don't even know the name of exiled me here, but the Night's Watch didn't mistreat me. Do you understand what I mean?"
"I understand. You're saying you don't hate the Night's Watch."
Aeg nodded and said no more. Seeing his former comrades preparing for tomorrow's patrol, the annoyance and headache of being assigned a pile of tasks vanished. He realized: compared to the rangers about to head north of the Wall to search for White Walkers, he was incredibly lucky! Not only that, but the round trip from the Wall to King's Landing would take at least three months. In terms of time, he would not only avoid Benjen's patrol, but if Mormont still stubbornly prepared a ranger expedition to find the missing Benjen, he would also avoid the next major crisis. Compared to the danger to his life, the pressure of a few complex tasks was nothing.
He had just used a "Heaven bestows a great responsibility upon a great man" speech to deceive Jon Snow, but now, he felt he needed some inspiration himself.
Which phrase was suitable?
He had it: "If you don't push yourself, you'll never know how great you can be."
Before crossing over, the conditions created by a powerful country and a pair of hardworking parents were too superior, allowing him to live well without struggling. After crossing over, the identity of the Night's Watch and equal treatment meant he couldn't live well no matter what he did. so he never knew what it felt like to do something with all his might.
Now, the days of ease were over, and his future would be entirely up to his own decisions. So what if he was responsible for multiple roles as a supply officer, recruiter for King's Landing and the Crownlands, obsidian mining supervisor, and ambassador for the Night's Watch's image? Aeg decided to challenge himself. Nothing in the world is difficult for one who sets his mind to it!
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