An hour later, at the North Gate of Castle Black.
An expeditionary force of one hundred and fifty men was assembled and ready.
One hundred Northern guards, radiating a grim killing aura, stood silently in formation like a forest of steel.
Alongside them were fifty Night's Watch rangers, outfitted in light leather armor for mobility.
Though traces of shock still lingered on their faces, the look they gave Lynn was no longer one of disdain.
No one wanted to entrust their life to a green boy.
But Lynn had shown his strength, which gave them a measure of confidence.
Arya was also among them.
Lynn was taking everyone; he would never leave Arya at Castle Black, fearing she might encounter danger without him there.
The sleds behind them were piled high with weapons, dry rations, and a massive supply of oil prepared specifically for the wights.
Jeor Mormont stood by the gate.
Looking at this revitalized force, a hint of relief appeared on his face.
Lynn had taken control of this unit in the most direct and effective way possible.
It seemed unlikely there would be major internal issues during this operation.
"Lord Commander," Lynn said to Mormont from atop his horse.
"We are moving out."
Mormont nodded.
"Stay safe, Lynn."
He looked at Lynn and added one more thing:
"Come back alive."
Lynn smiled but didn't reply.
He shook the reins, and his warhorse whinnied, charging first into the dark tunnel leading beyond the Wall.
The column followed close behind.
When they saw the light again, a boundless expanse of snowy plains lay before them.
Just like last time, the biting cold wind howled from the Lands of Always Winter in the north.
But this time, the atmosphere in the ranks was starkly different.
Aside from the newly added Night's Watchmen, the Stark guards showed no confusion or fear.
Every soldier believed in their commander.
"My Lord."
Torren rode up to Lynn and handed him a roll of parchment.
"The map."
Lynn took it and unrolled it.
It was the most detailed map of the lands beyond the Wall that Castle Black possessed.
"We are here."
Lynn's finger tapped on the edge of the Haunted Forest on the map.
Then, his finger moved slowly toward the center.
There lay a blank area marked "Unknown."
Lynn pulled out his human-skin map.
By comparing the two, the human-skin map clearly recorded what lay within that blank space.
The blood-red eye symbol was right in the center of that unknown region.
"Scout reports say the terrain in this area is extremely complex," a ranger squad leader named Jason said, riding up to join them.
He was the most experienced of the fifty rangers Mormont had selected for Lynn.
"It's full of sheer cliffs and bottomless ravines. It's very difficult for a large force to pass through."
"That's why we gave up scouting it in the past."
Lynn looked at the map, deep in thought.
"The harder a place is to enter, the more likely it is to hide secrets."
Lynn placed the human-skin map and the parchment map side by side, comparing them carefully.
The direction of the mountain ranges, the sources of the frozen rivers...
Seemingly unrelated details gradually connected in his mind to form a clear clue.
"Here."
Lynn's finger stopped on a seemingly insignificant point on both maps.
It was a long, narrow river valley sandwiched between two mountain ranges.
"Why here, my Lord?" Torren asked, confused.
"It doesn't look any different from anywhere else."
"No, it is different."
Lynn shook his head.
"Look. This frozen river is the only one in the Haunted Forest that flows from north to south."
"According to the old legends of the North, the direction of water flow often represents the flow of life force."
"Maester Aemon told me that in the faith of the First Men, the eye symbol represents watching and insight."
Lynn looked at the men and guided their thinking.
"Where is a good place to watch from?"
"A place that overlooks the land, a place that can spy on the flow of life."
Jason's eyes lit up.
"The source of the river! The highest point of the valley!"
"Exactly."
Lynn nodded in agreement.
"And look at the mountains on both sides."
Lynn's finger traced the ridges on the map.
"Do they not look like a pair of spread wings?"
"And this river valley is like the shadow beneath those wings."
"In the Old Gods' faith, winged creatures are often associated with the sky and the gods."
Lynn's analysis left everyone dumbfounded.
They had never imagined a simple map could hide so much information.
The look they gave their commander shifted from awe to something bordering on fanaticism.
This commander not only possessed supreme swordsmanship but a wisdom as deep as an abyss.
Lynn smiled and shook his head, not taking credit for himself.
"I don't have that kind of ability."
"It was Maester Aemon. With my descriptions and his fingers tracing the map, he figured it out bit by bit."
"Jason."
Lynn issued an order.
"Here, my Lord!"
"Take ten of your most agile rangers as a vanguard."
"Follow this route and scout that river valley."
Lynn traced an extremely concealed path on the map.
It avoided all open ground, winding almost entirely through the shadows of the mountains.
"Remember, do not engage any wildlings."
"Your mission is purely reconnaissance."
"If you find anything unusual, report back immediately."
"As you command, my Lord!" Jason accepted the order.
He quickly gathered his men and vanished into the wind and snow.
"The rest of you, rest here. maintain alert."
Lynn dismounted.
"We wait for their news."
The column set up a simple camp on the spot.
Soldiers gathered around small fires, warming their dry rations and speaking in low voices.
Lynn did not join their discussions.
He sat alone on a rock, wiping down Longclaw.
The Valyrian steel blade was cool and smooth.
The weirwood wolf head on the pommel seemed to watch him silently.
Related to the gods?
Greenseers?
Essentially, they are just people. Nothing to be afraid of.
It's probably connected to those blessed herbs.
Time passed slowly in waiting.
The sky gradually darkened.
The expeditionary force had been waiting in this temporary camp for nearly half a day.
Just as everyone began to feel restless...
The rapid drumming of hooves came from the distance.
It was Jason!
He had returned with his scout squad.
Every face wore an expression of undisguised excitement and tension.
"My Lord!"
Jason dismounted in front of Lynn, stumbling slightly in his haste.
"We... we found it!"
His voice trembled.
"At the end of that river valley, we found something."
"Some... very strange stone carvings."
"The symbols on them are exactly the same as the ones on your map!"