Matthew was bumped slightly. Looking back, he saw Dale stumbling, so he quickly reached out to steady him.
Dale glanced at Matthew, his face flushed red like a cooked prawn.
Immediately, he shook off the helping hand and prepared to charge out again.
But the man was already dead. What was the point of risking his life for a dead fool?
While holding off a few thugs, Matthew grabbed Dale's arm and shouted:
"Dale, let's fall back! We need to help Ser Davos deal with the enemies in front!"
But Dale seemed possessed by a bull. He stopped when pulled, but only for a moment.
Matthew blinked, instinctively let go, and looked back.
Dale stumbled forward instantly.
But after dragging his leg for a few steps, he stopped and looked back.
He seemed confused.
Seeing this, Matthew understood instantly.
This guy looked honest with his thick brows and big eyes, but he wasn't a good person either.
Matthew had to deal with enemies ready to ambush him at any moment; he had no time to play games with Dale.
Immediately, Matthew turned back to drive away the Night's Watch traitors.
Dale felt awkward.
Going forward was too dangerous; he couldn't fight those bandits alone.
Going back meant losing honor. If the Florents saw it, his chances of being knighted would be gone.
Dale's eyes darted around in panic, unsure of what to do.
Only Little Fish looked up at him.
Their eyes met, as if exchanging a secret code.
Then, Little Fish quickly hugged his leg and cried out:
"Lord Dale, don't go! There are too many enemies!"
With his leg trapped, Dale acted as if he were helpless and shouted:
"You bastards! Let go of Ser Imry! Someone come quickly! Help me save Ser Imry..."
As soon as he finished speaking, two men finally rushed over from the campfire.
About a dozen steps from the enemies surrounding Ser Imry, the two split up.
One charged straight in, while the other sealed off the left flank.
Ser Harwin swung his greatsword, attacking unexpectedly and cutting a path through the enemy.
With a few strides, he reached Ser Imry's corpse, kicked down the man holding Imry's sword, and stabbed him dead.
Then, he began a standoff with the remaining enemies.
Dale glared and shouted:
"Ser Harwin, you're too late!"
Harwin remained silent, his greatsword swinging constantly to draw the enemy's attention.
At this moment, the guard sealing off the left flank joined the attack.
Two fully armored knights were terrifying.
Their greatswords moved among the unprepared looters like the scythe of the Reaper, severing bodies and taking souls.
The scene was extremely bloody.
Dale, full of pent-up anger and seeing the tide turn, shook off Little Fish and dragged his right leg, limping after them to join the fray.
His arrival was the straw that broke the camel's back.
The Night's Watch traitors lasted less than ten moves before scattering in all directions.
Dale and the other two chased them down.
Little Fish watched, dumbfounded.
No one expected the situation to turn around so suddenly.
Seeing the tide turn, the Night's Watch traitors confronting Matthew also turned and ran.
Seeing them flee, Matthew glanced back and casually threw his axe.
The scum hadn't run far when the axe struck one in the back.
After a scream, Matthew saw the man fall, limbs twitching.
Withdrawing his gaze, he immediately pulled Little Fish up and walked toward Ser Imry's corpse.
Upon arrival, they saw dismembered limbs scattered everywhere.
Little Fish was nauseous and wanted to vomit.
Matthew, accustomed to death, scanned the bloody mess and quickly spotted the steel longsword on the ground.
Picking it up, he grinned and looked back.
Ser Davos was still entangled with three or four Night's Watch traitors.
As a crippled knight missing finger joints, lasting this long was impressive.
Matthew felt he should help this relatively smart and loyal knight.
After all, Matthew knew gratitude. He would never abandon his father in a moment of panic like Dale had.
A cold glint flashed in Matthew's eyes as he dragged Little Fish and ran back.
Imry was dead. According to the original plan, he just needed to gather people and sneak away.
But now, perhaps he could remove Davos from the team first.
The timing was perfect; he had to seize it.
Matthew thought.
Otherwise, once the guards gathered, he might never get such a good opportunity again.
Rushing up behind Davos, Matthew didn't slow down. Holding the sword hilt up, he shouted:
"Ser Davos, move aside!"
Before Davos could hear clearly, he was knocked down by a massive force, and his right leg was stomped on heavily.
He fell with a cry, cold sweat breaking out from the immense pain.
Davos knew his right leg was likely injured.
This was terrible news.
But looking up, he saw Matthew blocking in front of him, sword in hand, hacking at the enemies, and his tense nerves relaxed slightly.
Then, a dull thud sounded—the sound of a rock hitting a skull.
Instantly, Davos passed out.
Little Fish stood behind him. Seeing him lying on the ground, he dropped the rock immediately and checked his breathing.
Finding him still alive, he sighed in relief.
Then, Little Fish checked the wound. Seeing no blood, just a swelling bump, he shouted with all his might:
"Brother! Lord Davos was attacked! Be careful!"
After shouting, he clutched his throat, coughing repeatedly.
Hearing the shout, Dale, who was helping others, panicked.
He wanted to break away, but the enemies around him were persistent.
Not until Ser Harwin fought his way back could Dale free himself to find his father.
Seeing the battle here wasn't over, he roared, stabbed one enemy to death, and drew another away.
With no worries behind him, Matthew abandoned defense, leaped forward, and slashed with full force.
After three consecutive strikes, he cleanly took the head of the guy who couldn't even hold his sword properly.
Seeing the smooth cut, Matthew looked at the longsword in his hand, flicked off the blood, and smiled:
"This sword is really useful."
Held up to the moon, the long blade gleamed coldly, showing little wear on the edge.
It was probably only inferior to Valyrian steel.
Matthew was very satisfied with his spoil. He carefully wiped the blade clean with the dead man's clothes.
Then, scanning the five corpses on the ground, he turned and walked toward Ser Davos.
"Is he okay?"
Approaching, Matthew squatted and asked Little Fish.
Little Fish shook his head.
"Don't know, but he's alive."
Matthew nodded, relieved.
He hadn't expected Davos to pass out so easily. He thought he might have hit him too hard!
Knights are just ordinary people after all.
Matthew thought as he stood up, looking at the mess around the campfire.
Then, he walked toward the fire.
Along the way, Matthew shouted, "Anyone still alive?" while finishing off the dying.
The tall grass swayed, and the smell of blood grew stronger.
But after smelling it for a while, one gets used to it.
Matthew squatted down, unbothered by nausea, and carefully picked up scattered weapons, stripping the poor armor off the corpses as well.
After clearing one area, he hauled the loot back before moving to another spot.
His steps took him further and further from the rocky beach.
Following the trails in the grass, he found more valuable items scattered about.
He also found the remaining five guards, but their bodies were already cold.
Faces pale, armor blood-red.
But around them lay even more enemy corpses.
Thinking for a moment, Matthew pulled them out from the pile of bodies and laid them separately in a clearing.
However, their longswords and armor had to be confiscated for the public good.
Task complete, he continued walking.
Reaching the spot where the Night's Watch had gathered, he saw only bodies.
He hoped someone was alive.
Even a dragon doesn't fly alone.
For every unsworn Night's Watch recruit he saved, he would gain one more helper later.
And a more reliable helper than Stannis's guards.
So, he raised his hand and shouted several times.
But no one responded.
Standing there for a while, Matthew was greatly disappointed.
Just as he was about to turn and leave, the night wind picked up, and he suddenly heard a faint voice from the grass.
"Hey, brother, over here! Help me, I have wounded here."