Meanwhile, on the tall and sturdy walls of Winterfell City, a cold wind howled, making a sharp sound, like the roar of winter.
"Spare me! Great Lord Link! All of this was instigated by Carter Zane, the Lord of Gray Valley County; it truly has nothing to do with me! I beg you to show mercy and spare my life!"
Molson's voice trembled, filled with endless fear and pleading, as he cried out hoarsely, hoping to evoke pity from Link and grant him a path to survival.
However, Link had no intention of letting this fellow go from the very beginning.
Soon, with the combined effort of several Winterfell City Guards, Molson was stripped naked, like a lamb awaiting slaughter, tied to the flagpole by the city wall without any dignity.
Naked, Molson shivered in the cold wind, his bound body writhing frantically, like a fish thrown ashore, about to dry up and die, making its final struggle.
At first, he tearfully begged Link to spare him, but as time went on, he realized that the surrounding Soldiers had no intention of letting him go. Thus, despair and anger surged in his heart, and he began to loudly curse Link and Winterfell City.
"How dare you humiliate me like this! When the great Lord Carter Zane of Gray Valley County learns of this, he will surely be enraged and lead a great army to flatten all of Winterfell City, and cut off all your heads!"
Molson shouted hoarsely, trying to use this threat to salvage his pitiful dignity.
The Winterfell City Soldiers standing guard on the city wall, with their arms crossed, watched Molson, who was tied to the flagpole and cursing loudly, with great interest, and began to make bets among themselves.
"The weather is so cold it could freeze a person's bones. I bet this guy can only last one day at most!" one Soldier said with a grin.
"One day is too short! Look how strong his voice is when he's shouting; he might last two days!" another Soldier retorted.
"Then I bet he can last three days!" another Soldier said loudly.
It was deep winter, and the biting cold wind was like sharp knives, painfully cutting at people's faces.
The Winterfell City warriors below, even wearing thick cotton clothes, could still feel the bone-chilling cold, and their bodies couldn't help but shiver.
And Molson had been stripped naked; how could he possibly last long in this icy world?
Indeed, not long after, the bone-chilling cold began to be unbearable for Molson. His body shivered uncontrollably, and his teeth chattered.
"Let me down quickly, you stupid fellows!" Molson threatened hoarsely.
"Let me down, and I, Molson, will richly repay you in the future!" Seeing that threats were futile, he began to plead.
"Damn it! If you don't let me down soon, when Lord Carter Zane gets angry and sends troops to attack, all of you will die without a burial place!" Threats and pleas intertwined, Molson's voice gradually became hoarse.
"Please, let me down quickly, I'm really going to freeze to death..." His voice grew weaker and weaker, filled with despair.
However, no matter whether Molson threatened or pleaded, the Winterfell City warriors standing below merely watched like a show, with mocking smiles on their faces, completely unmoved.
In less than a day, Molson, hanging from the flagpole, was completely frozen stiff.
His originally twisted and struggling body now hung straight on the flagpole like a wind-dried salted fish, lifeless.
Even until his death, his face still bore an expression of immense regret.
Perhaps, in the last moments of his life, his heart was filled with endless regret and fear. If heaven gave him another chance to start over, even at the cost of his life, he would never dare to offend Link again... "What! Molson is dead, stripped naked, and hung on a flagpole?"
Inside the grand and imposing Lord's Mansion of Gray Valley County, Carter Zane was seated at the head, originally listening leisurely to his subordinate's report.
But upon hearing this news, he suddenly stood up, his eyes wide, his face full of disbelief and anger, and he questioned loudly.
"Yes, My Lord, I witnessed all of this with my own eyes. Molson's body is still hanging alone within the territory of Winterfell City, and Lord Link of Winterfell City also said he would send the body to you... to you... later..."
The subordinate standing below quickly knelt on one knee, not daring to raise his head, and respectfully reported.
Carter Zane took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, but his voice remained as cold as ice, as if coming from an ice cellar.
In his eyes, flames of anger burned, and those flames seemed to want to incinerate everything around him.
In his eyes, Molson was nothing more than a clown; even his death would not evoke any regret or emotion from him.
However, the current situation was completely different.
Molson was Carter Zane's envoy to Winterfell City, and now he had been cruelly murdered in such a way. This was undoubtedly a blatant slap in Carter Zane's face!
Carter Zane had always been accustomed to throwing his weight around; in the Northern Territory, he was the supreme being. Who dared to disrespect him?
But now, Winterfell City had humiliated him like this. How could he tolerate it?
"Hmph, originally I only intended to get that secret from you and spare your life. If you were lucky, perhaps you could even contribute to The Terror Duke and His Royal Highness the Prince later. But now, you dare to humiliate this Lord like this and defy me, I will not only kill you, but I will also make you die extremely painfully!"
Carter Zane said, slowly clenching his fists, which cracked loudly, and his eyes gleamed with a dangerous light, like a beast about to go into a rage.
"Go! Issue my command! All armies within Gray Valley County are to set out! I will lead a great army to raze Winterfell City, and let everyone see that my, Carter Zane's, dignity is not something anyone can trample upon!"
Carter Zane ordered loudly, his voice echoing through the Lord's Mansion.
At this moment, the subordinate hesitated, and said tremblingly: "But My Lord, His Excellency The Terror Duke explicitly told us before to accumulate strength and not act rashly. If we send troops to attack Winterfell City now, will it..."
Before he could finish, Carter Zane kicked him, and the subordinate was sent sprawling to the ground, grimacing in pain but not daring to make a sound.
"Idiot! Can't you see how much profit those goods the Grand Princess brought back are worth! When we destroy Winterfell City and get those things, and then offer them to Lord The Terror Duke, Lord The Terror Duke will not only not blame us, but will also grant Gray Valley County more power! At that time, the strength of our Gray Valley County will rise to a new level, don't you understand? Go quickly and mobilize the troops!" Carter Zane roared.
"Yes... I'll go right away!"
The subordinate was so frightened that his face turned pale. He scrambled to his feet and hastily ran out of the Lord's Mansion.
His steps staggered, as if something terrifying was chasing him from behind.
Watching his subordinate's retreating figure, a hint of ruthlessness flashed in Carter Zane's eyes.
He secretly swore in his heart that he would make Winterfell City pay a painful price for their actions, and let everyone know the consequences of offending him, Carter Zane!