Under the trees, Jon gagged Alliser, ignoring the fiery gaze he received.
Alliser had specifically chosen a strong, well-fed horse to catch Jon.
The horse had been well-fed throughout the journey, full of stamina, and more than capable of carrying Jon back to Winterfell.
As for how Jon subdued Alliser, it was actually quite simple.
First, he had Ghost distract some of the men, then he ambushed from a tree.
Realizing Ghost's mobility in the woods, he then used Warging to have Ghost lead Alliser to his ambush spot.
What happened next was natural.
The process sounded simple, but it was not easy at all.
Without the help of the golden finger, Jon might have run head-on into that Ranger.
Or he might have accidentally gone to the more populated area to the east.
It also wouldn't have been possible to set up a series of traps for Alliser.
In any case, he had now created an opportunity for himself to escape, and he had to leave quickly.
Jon, already on horseback, turned to look at Alliser, who was still glaring and struggling, and suddenly thought of something.
Jon dismounted, drew his sword, and walked towards him.
"Mmm—mmm—"
Seeing Jon approach with a cold longsword, Alliser thought he was going to kill him.
He suddenly felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head.
He shook his head like a rattle-drum, making 'mmm-mmm' sounds, as if begging for mercy or calling for help.
He struggled even more violently, like an earthworm thrown into salt.
He regretted now, he shouldn't have been so insolent just moments ago.
Jon, of course, wouldn't kill him; he used his sword to cut Alliser's cloak, then covered his head with it.
This would prevent his direction of departure from being exposed.
However, he trembled even more, his legs so weak he couldn't support himself.
After doing all this, Jon walked back to the warhorse.
But then he noticed Alliser's greatsword lying on the ground.
The hilt was inlaid with a yellow amber, and both its craftsmanship and sharpness were far superior to his own sword.
Jon couldn't take his eyes off it, so he took it as his spoils of war.
According to the customs of Westeros, if you defeated an opponent, you were supposed to return their weapon.
But Jon didn't consider himself a local, and besides, this could be seen as getting revenge for his past self.
"Ghost, let's go!"
As soon as the words fell, the man and the wolf quickly disappeared into the forest.
Not long after Jon left, Alliser heard someone calling his name.
"Ser Alliser! Ser Alliser!"
"Mmm! Mmm—"
Alliser roared from his throat, trying to attract the attention of others.
Soon, two new recruits discovered Alliser tied to a tree.
Although his head was covered by the cloak, from his attire and build, it could only be Alliser.
Just as one of the new recruits was about to untie him, he was suddenly stopped by his companion.
"What?"
"Have you forgotten how this guy usually bullies us?"
"Then what should we do?"
This and that, that and this... The Nights Watch recruit whispered to his companion for a while, and then the two split up to find others.
Soon, a dozen or so new recruits gathered not far from Alliser.
At this moment, Alliser had no idea what was happening outside.
He was still trying to struggle, believing that no matter what, he couldn't let others see his miserable state.
Otherwise, how would he lead new recruits then?
But suddenly, he heard a mixed, dense sound of footsteps slowly approaching him.
He thought others had discovered him, so he again made whimpering sounds for help.
His face was already lost, he couldn't let Jon, the deserter, escape.
However, what he didn't expect was that after a low shout of 'Charge together', a flurry of punches and kicks rained down on him like a storm.
The Nights Watch recruits punched and kicked, those with grudges sought revenge, and those without grudges had a blast, enjoying themselves immensely.
Unconcealed excitement bloomed in everyone's eyes.
If one didn't know, they might think it was a group of routed soldiers ravaging innocent women.
But then again, these Nights Watch recruits were not from good, respectable backgrounds to begin with.
Because of King Aegon the Conqueror's command three hundred years ago, criminals from Seven Kingdoms became a major source of recruits for the Nights Watch.
Most of these new recruits were people who had committed crimes and came to the Wall to atone.
Swallowing their anger was not their style, so at this time, of course, they had to give Alliser a good beating.
"Let me get a punch! Let me get a punch!"
With a dozen people beating one, many couldn't even squeeze in.
Wild punches and elbow jabs rained down as if they cost nothing.
Alliser, getting beaten with his head covered, was dazed and disoriented.
Just then, Pypar and Grenn finally arrived.
When they saw a group of people seemingly ganging up on someone, they thought it was Jon, so they rushed forward in a panic to pull them apart.
However, what was strange was that everyone was suppressing laughter, only acting with their hands and barely speaking.
"What? Alliser?"
When Pypar learned that the person being beaten was not Jon, he relaxed.
Grenn, standing nearby, looked at Alliser, who was getting beaten, and a look of excited amusement spread across his face.
He would never forget who had given him his nickname.
"Everyone, clear out!!!"
His build was already taller than average, and the Nights Watch recruits who were ganging up on Alliser quickly made way when they saw him rushing over.
However, just as the others dispersed, the cloak covering Alliser's head suddenly fell off.
Alliser, dizzy and bruised from the beating, had just opened his eyes when he saw a size forty-eight foot coming straight for his face.
Alliser, furious, roared:
"What are you doing!!!"
At this moment, Alliser was practically fuming; first, he was ambushed by Jon and had his warhorse stolen, then he was ganged up on by a group of new recruits.
What was infuriating was that he had no idea who had hit him, and he probably wouldn't be able to find out.
Now, this 'dumb ox' Grenn dared to act out against him too.
Grenn, whose large foot was barely half a foot from Alliser, paused it in mid-air.
The smile on his face became awkward.
"Uh... my lord, do you like my shoes?"
The air was filled with a sense of schadenfreude.
However, no one dared to continue 'taking advantage' anymore.
Everyone scrambled to untie him, but Alliser, having just taken a beating, ached all over.
He could barely stand steady.
"Where's my sword!"
Alliser spoke, and everyone began to scatter, looking for his sword, but they didn't find it even when Ranger Qhorin arrived.
Qhorin, understanding the whole story, said:
"Ser Alliser, perhaps we should head back first. Maester Aemon has already written to Winterfell,
and we might not even be able to catch him now."
Hearing Qhorin say this, Alliser's face changed from green to pale, feeling utterly humiliated.
He was, after all, of noble birth and had been with the Nights Watch for over a decade.
To be ambushed by a mere youth and have his warhorse and sword stolen!
These two things were a nobleman's lifeblood.
Alliser knew that for a long time to come, he might not be able to hold his head high.
Qhorin found a new recruit, and soon the full story was recounted.
He showed a rather approving expression.
He felt it was a great pity; if Jon hadn't deserted, he might have become a very excellent Ranger in the future.
However, at this moment, Alliser said something that made Grenn and Pypar tremble with fear:
"Robb Stark will not let his bastard brother go. He will personally cut off Jon's head with the Stark ancestral sword, Ice!"