"Ores, what are you looking at?"

In the room, Hexia was sewing a new dress for spring with a fabric as fine as white gauze, while Ores lay by the glass window, watching the falling snow and the street outside.

"Watching the snow," Ores replied, then got down from the windowsill, walked over to Hexia, and curiously examined the new dress.

"Is it for me?" she asked.

"Yes, it is," Tilan answered, her fingers skillfully threading the needle, embroidering a few ice crystal snowflakes at the edges of the dress. Though not many, they were the perfect embellishment, adding to its beauty.

"I like it, Tilan," Ores replied happily.

As the two spent this warm and tranquil winter day indoors, the land outside was far from peaceful. Due to the orders from Shilin Mountain Castle, various settlements and stations were engaged in battling the insect outbreak.

At first, most settlements didn't take the notice seriously because they hadn't noticed anything unusual. But after half a month passed, some settlements began experiencing the man-eating 'Insect Fog', and many people had to rush to Shilin Mountain Castle for help after being bitten and implanted with eggs by the insects, sparking panic and awareness.

During this stage, Hexia was frequently invited by the Grey Feather Species to assist in the treatment and examination of these special patients.

Thanks to her interventions, many patients on the brink of death were pulled back, and she taught the refined examination methods to a few Grey Feather Species doctors at the Mountain Castle, which eased her workload considerably.

Time and again, the 'Insect Fog' erupted at scattered settlement stations. Some were handled by the local citizens, while others that couldn't withstand it fled to Shilin Mountain Castle for assistance, handled by fully armed teams of Grey Feather Species.

After two months of stringent defense, the outbreaks of the Insect Fog gradually subsided, finally disappearing before the advent of spring.

On a new morning, Tilan was woken by the sound of dripping water outside the window, as the accumulated snow and icicles on the rooftops of the Mountain Castle began to melt, with the sound of dripping water reverberating everywhere, forming shallow streams along the roadside ditches.

Having endured the turmoil of the past two months, many people were mentally exhausted and oppressed, but the gradually warming weather brought a whiff of hope and lightness.

The tree branches sprouted new green buds once more, and with the return of warmth, animals that had been hiding underground and in caves reemerged, infusing even the desolate wilderness with newfound vitality.

After several days of warming, the sealed orders for various settlements had to be lifted because, by then, the stockpiles of food in many settlements were dwindling, and activities like farming, hunting, and fishing required outdoor engagement.

Praying that the insect plague wouldn't recur, Shilin Mountain Castle cautiously lifted the bans, allowing the surrounding settlements to return to normalcy.

In the early morning, Tilan donned a lightweight, dark brown overcoat, walking her horse down the streets and through the marketplace in search of interesting items to buy. Having shed the thicker, broader coats of winter, her graceful figure accentuated by a fitted waist caught the attention of some passersby.

A few gazes of admiration, curiosity, greed, and eagerness swept across her, with someone even stepping forward to block the young girl's path.

"Hey, I'm Lu En, a mighty warrior," the bald and rugged man announced, striking his fist against his shoulder to highlight his muscular physique.

"Come with me, there's endless food and white sugar, and you'll have a powerful man to rely on," his eyes fixed intently on the hint of fair skin exposed at the young girl's neck, his gaze fervent.

"No, thank you. Please step aside," the girl looked up, her clear, transparent eyes casting a simple glance over him.

"Huh," the man chuckled, unconcerned, reaching out to grab the girl's shoulder only to have Tilan deftly step back to avoid it.

Seeing this, the man assumed the girl's luck was just good earlier, stepping forward once more to grab Tilan's hair, intending to make the seemingly delicate, pretty girl yield.

"Smack."

Pulp and juice trickled down the man's head, blocking his movements as the juice covered his eyes.

"Who! Who the hell dares to hit me?" he wiped his face with his arm, angrily turning to find the one who thwarted him.

"Yes, yes, look this way, it's me," a young man with golden hair tinged with a bit of white waved as he approached, followed by a towering figure towering over three meters tall, casting a large shadow that blocked the early morning sun.

"You..." The man's eyes filled with rage and jealousy, yet seeing the majestic moose behind the young man, he dared not act rashly.

"That's right, it's me. Step aside and don't frighten the beautiful girl behind you; she's my friend," Guy said, approaching and patting the man's shoulder as he walked past. The man shook off Guy's hand, just about to slap him, when a giant hand descended from above, grasping his entire body and immobilizing him.

After a winter's recuperation, the great moose Ore had also returned to its formidable battle strength.

"Let me down! I'll call the guards; you're openly trampling the Mountain Castle's law and will be punished!" The man, unable to break free, began shouting anxiously.

Acquiescing to his plea, Ore released his grip, and the man fell to the ground, quickly scrambling to his feet and fleeing with curses.

This scene was witnessed by many in the marketplace, triggering a burst of laughter.

On the other side, Hexia also looked on curiously at Guy and his companions trailing behind, including the moose Ore and a few new faces.