"Nina, think about it. This could be the very opportunity we've been searching for," Ram's voice involuntarily escalated, drawing cautious glances from the wolfmen nearby.

Feeling the eyes upon them, Nina had no option but to lead her away to a more secluded area.

"We only have one successful case to consider, and even you weren't successful, were you?" Nina countered.

"But I don't possess royal blood, and you do," Ram argued. "What if it works? Even if it doesn't, the worst-case scenario is... getting touched a bit. Is that really so bad?"

"It's not about that," Nina said, spotting Wu Qingsong and his group approaching. She forced a smile, nodding at them, then lowered her voice again. "Now's not the time to debate this. Can we pick it up later?"

Though visibly discontented, Ram conceded and reluctantly withdrew, especially as the wolfmen began to gather around.

Between the wooden cabins in the clearing, a bonfire roared to life. Sizeable pieces of meat hung over the fire, their dripping grease sizzling as they cooked. Several wolfwomen busily sprinkled spices over the meat, filling the air with an irresistible aroma.

Liuli's eyes practically sparkled as she excitedly pulled Wu Qingsong and Ling toward the bonfire. Passing Nina, Wu Qingsong managed an awkward smile, which Nina reciprocated warmly.

"She's such a bundle of energy," Nina murmured softly.

"He, he," Wu Qingsong chuckled awkwardly, unsure of what else to say. Then, shifting the topic, he asked, "Is there some sort of celebration happening today?"

"Yes," Nina nodded, her hair fashioned into a high ponytail that cascaded down her back. Her striking silver locks swayed gently with her movements, resembling willow branches dancing in the soft breeze of a riverside spring, imbued with a vibrant life force.

"We recently eliminated a raiding group near Manaus to the north, which had long plagued the Tecks Mountain wolfkin tribes. We're also celebrating your defeat of the recently formed battalion under Kleine. I've heard quite a bit about you from Ram," she continued. "Had it not been for your intervention, that group could have easily become another severe threat to us."

Though her voice carried a slight rasp, it emanated a unique allure that, to Wu Qingsong's ears, had the natural ability to instill a sense of calm and ease.

"In truth, we haven't really done that much," he demurred.

"On the contrary, you've accomplished a great deal," Nina assured him, gesturing for him to accompany her toward the bonfire.

"The soap you produced resolved a considerable financial burden for us. Without your help, many in the mountains would have starved during this lean season. Your contributions have allowed us to navigate through these difficult times with relative ease."

Nina's words made Wu Qingsong feel a touch embarrassed but largely elated, thrilled by her affirmation. As he prepared to downplay his contributions, the crowd began to chant Nina's name, urging her to ascend to the head position.

"Would it be possible for us to continue this conversation after the festivities?" Nina proposed.

"Absolutely," Wu Qingsong immediately agreed.

Nina then graced him with a beaming smile before making her way into the throng of people. Wu Qingsong found himself momentarily captivated by her illuminating smile, snapping back to reality only when Liuli called out to him, prompting him to join her and Ling.

Nina had already begun speaking to the crowd. For Wu Qingsong, who had been subjected to a constant barrage of clichés leading up to his college entrance exams, her words were anything but revelatory. Yet, the wolfkin listened with rapt attention, their emotions soaring.

When she finally raised her hand and proclaimed, "The Silver Moon Wolf Clan shall never bow!" a collective, resounding roar erupted from the crowd.

A shiver ran down Wu Qingsong's spine, the hairs on his arms standing on end. While he couldn't quite comprehend the reason, he found himself spontaneously caught up in the fervor of the wolfkin.

"Meow~ She speaks so well," Liuli said, wiping away tears with her paw.

It was unclear what there was to cry about, but even Ling appeared emotionally charged. Among the crowd, perhaps only Harold maintained a stoic demeanor.

The expression on Harold’s face was one of reluctant resignation, as though he were a sage watching a group of zealous fools marching toward a cliff, powerless to halt their advance.

The celebratory feast began shortly afterward. Not all of the wolfkin attending had been part of Nina's northern campaign against the raid battalion, only a subset were present. Wu Qingsong spotted several faces he recognized from past battles in Rem City, who were now enthusiastically recounting their military exploits amid hearty feasting.

As he tuned in, Wu Qingsong realized the scale of the hunting group they had vanquished far eclipsed Kleine’s fledgling force. The troop boasted over 300 members, including twenty war wolves, with nearly a third of its troops outfitted in iron armor.

It had taken Nina nearly a month to persuade the northern villages to rally with her, ultimately assembling close to 1,500 wolfmen warriors for a decisive surprise attack.

The result, predictably, was a sweeping victory for the wolfkin, with the entire hunter group eliminated. No one broached the subject of wolfkin casualties during this moment of triumph, but the necessity of mustering such a significant force to confront the enemy underscored their daunting battle capabilities.

Even Kleine's newly-formed hunting battalion had effortlessly vanquished all members of the dockside gang, as well as the three wolfmen sent by Ram. Wu Qingsong couldn't help but think that the wolfmen must have suffered some casualties as well.

Yet, victory was victory, and raining on the parade with such thoughts was something only someone like Harold would do.

The wolfmen ate with remarkable speed, perfectly exemplifying the term "wolfing down their food." In no time, all the food was gone. Just as Wu Qingsong was starting to think the celebration was winding down, the wolfmen cleared away the remnants of the feast, making room around the bonfire.

A few wolfmen pulled out a couple of musical instruments from somewhere, and to the cheers of the crowd, Nina and Ram took center stage for the first dance. This set off an atmosphere of unrestrained festivity among the crowd.

The wolfmen's dance was straightforward but teeming with raw, untamed energy. Wu Qingsong opted not to join the main dance floor but tried a few tentative steps at the edge of the area with Ling and Liuli. Ling blushed as she danced, while Liuli enthusiastically howled along with the other wolfmen.

The meows from Liuli blending into the cacophony of wolf howls added an amusing touch to the chorus.

What perplexed Wu Qingsong was that Nina and Ram vanished from the crowd after their initial dance and a few more dances with other wolfmen.

Only when the moon had slowly descended behind the mountain range did the festivities finally come to an end, coinciding with the break of dawn.

"Shall we rest now?" Nina suddenly appeared beside Wu Qingsong and whispered.

"No, I'm not tired in the slightest," Wu Qingsong promptly responded.

"In that case, let's have a talk. Would Mr. Harold like to join us, if he's available?" Nina proposed.