The wood in the stove crackled and popped.
"Is there still a chance?" Winters's pupils dilated.
"Two tons of gold, in the Great Wilderness, are just two tons of stones. But in Paratu, they're two tons of hard currency," Reed the monk sneered. "If you can bring materials worth two tons of gold, the White Lion will happily hand over the prisoners to you. Understand?"
"Isn't Paratu blockading the Herder tribes?" Winters frowned. "He wants me to smuggle?"
Reed the monk did not answer; instead, he changed the subject. "Remember I once said that regardless of the outcome of this battle, it wouldn't affect Paratu's absolute suppression of the Herder tribes?"
Winters nodded slightly.