I'm in Terra

I am in the wine pond and meat forest of Terra Author: Adventer Hokusai

"To take charge of the army group and manage the overall situation? Me?"

Victoria Kalashnikov put down his wine glass, pushed away the exquisitely dressed bunny girl, and pointed at himself in disbelief.

"Yes, young master."

The bloodstained officer nodded, his words full of sorrow: "The general was assassinated on his way back from meeting the emperor, and it has been confirmed that rescue efforts are ineffective. If you don't step forward, I'm afraid..."

"I'm afraid the Sixth Army will be leaderless and in turmoil, or even fall apart completely?"

The young man sneered and picked up the affectionate Carters girl again: "Even if they really fall apart, what can we do? They are just a bunch of greedy dogs. Only my cheap father would care about the so-called title of general. Listen to me, let them make trouble."

Upon hearing this, the officer bent his already hunched body even lower: "But... His Majesty has issued an order, ordering Duke Kosice to take over all the affairs of the Sixth Army. Once he arrives, I'm afraid you will no longer be the master of this city."

"Koschei? He is just a black snake. If he dares to attack me, I will make him return in defeat."

Survival in a Foreign Country: Chapter 1: Morning Exercise

When the first ray of sunlight in the morning filtered through the high-quality curtains and transformed into a soft halo that shone into the room, Victoria Kalashnikov had already opened his dark eyes.

Mornings in Ursus always come so quickly, but thankfully the young man has become somewhat accustomed to this strange environment amidst the ice and snow. He deftly pushed aside the Carters girl who was snoring on him, casually put on a set of thin clothes, and walked out of the room in the cold wind.

"It's snowing again."

Victoria looked up at the gradually clearing sky, then walked nonchalantly into his yard. The sky in the far north was just like that; even on a nice day, a fine snowflake would occasionally fall. But it didn't matter; as long as it wasn't a blizzard, a few scattered snowflakes wouldn't disturb Victoria's morning exercise.

Running, bunny hops, push-ups, sit-ups. Victoria first warmed up for half an hour using the basic movements he was most familiar with before walking to the corner of the yard.

There, a steel saber was placed on a knife rack, together with several dummies made of solid wood, forming a rough martial arts arena.

Victor didn't rush to wield his weapon, but instead took out the gourd he carried with him. He uncorked the bottle, and the wine inside had already formed some ice. But Victor didn't mind, and he still raised his head and drank the entire bottle in one gulp.

"call----"

After the icy wine had been completely consumed, Victoria let out a long puff of white steam. This body possessed the blood of both Ursus and Hippogriff. This fusion of beast and fantasy gave him unimaginable vitality, but Victoria was still not satisfied and activated his own abilities.

As he absorbed the wine, a new power surged from his body. This wasn't the quickening of his blood flow, nor was it the haziness brought on by alcohol. It was a purer, more violent 'energy', the energy of wine.

'wine pool'

This is one of Victory's current abilities, and it's his only guarantee since arriving in this world. In his previous life, Victory was a casual gamer. Besides the more intellectually demanding Arknights, his simulator only had the game Three Kingdoms Kill to pass the time. And now, he's transported to Arknights with his Three Kingdoms Kill abilities. Perhaps this is also a form of dark humor?

Victor didn't know why he'd traveled through time, nor did he know where his golden finger came from. He only knew that if he wanted to live a fulfilling life in his new life, he had to seize every bit of strength he could.

The identity of the general's son, the rights of a major, the bloodline of a fantasy species, and the only two general cards he currently has.

'The Devil King Dong Zhuo' and 'The Cold-blooded and Poisonous Scholar Jia Xu'.

As a newbie bonus, Victor was given two general cards, one civil and one military. After several days of exploration, he basically figured out the purpose of his cheat code.

Victor calls his cheat code: (Three Kingdoms Kill Arima Version)

Because the content is quite simple, in addition to viewing and switching your own general cards, the cheat code only has two functions: accumulating and displaying your own "merits", and using "merits" to draw new general cards.

There is no need to explain much about the extraction function. Each time you extract, one person will be randomly drawn from the card pool of civil officials and military generals. The only thing Victoria can control is whether to choose a civil official or a military general.

The merit system is more complicated. It will count Victoria's own "merits" and convert them into "merits".

Governing the territory, winning the hearts and minds of the people, recruiting soldiers, and fighting in battle—any recognized achievement would be converted into "Merit" by the Merit system. Victoria's current Merit points had barely broken the 8,000 mark, and each draw for a military officer card cost 10,000 Merit points. Victoria had calculated that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he would receive a chance to draw a military officer card roughly once every year of managing his town.

Although it was rare, there was still some hope. After all, this cheat code was different from the cheat code, and it wouldn't give out duplicate officers. As long as he worked hard, he would eventually get all the officer cards.

Compared to the somewhat complex Merit system, the officer card interface is straightforward. Each officer card is divided into two categories: Civilian Officer and Military Officer. Equipping a Civilian Officer card will improve Victory's thinking speed and logical thinking, while also unlocking the officer's special abilities. Equipping a Military Officer card, on the other hand, will improve Victory's physical fitness and combat instincts, while also unlocking unique abilities for that officer.

Take his Demon King Dong Zhuo, for example. After equipping this officer card, his physical fitness was already comparable to that of a veteran soldier undergoing extensive training. Remember, his current physique is only that of a 17-year-old, not even reaching adulthood. Furthermore, the Demon King Dong Zhuo's inherent special abilities also greatly aided Victor.

Demon King Dong Zhuo's ability is "Wine Pool and Meat Forest," an idiom from King Zhou of Shang. However, its effect has nothing to do with the allusion, but is more closely aligned with the definition of "Three Kingdoms Kill."

The "Wine Pool and Meat Forest" has two effects. One is a passive ability. Equipping this officer card grants Victor the ability to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. He also draws strength from wine and meat. With enough wine and meat, his growth and recovery from injuries surpass those of ordinary people. At the extreme end, he can even achieve the effect of "a glass of wine in one's mouth, a thousand wounds unbroken." As for the "Wine Pool and Meat Forest" active ability... he's currently using the "Wine Pool."

Take wine as your source, wine as your blood, wine as your strength, wine as your transcendence! Once you drink, your divine power will manifest!

"drink!"

As the alcohol was digested, Victoria's strength reached its peak. With a roar, he lifted the forty-pound pure steel saber with one hand and launched into a series of smooth, flowing slashes. As the long sword swung, the solid wooden dummy was repeatedly repelled, its steel-hard wood constantly shattering under Victoria's immense force, sending out dense, woody debris.

"Drink!!!"

After dancing for nearly an hour, Victoria finally put down his steel knife. After this hour of exercise, he felt sweaty and relaxed. Unfortunately, the alcohol had already washed away with the sweat, and if he forced himself to dance any further, he was afraid he would suffer hidden injuries.

However, Victoria's morning exercise wasn't over yet. After completing his daily physical training, he turned his attention to the archery targets on the other side of the courtyard. There, a variety of weapons were available, from standard military bows and crossbows to his own collection of pistols and firearms. It was perfect for training his mind after a workout.

But when Victoria arrived at the shooting range to practice some skills, his doorbell suddenly rang.

Survival in a Foreign Land: Chapter 2: Shocking Change

"Young Master! Young Master! Something terrible has happened!!!"

Before Victoria reached the door, a familiar voice came out from outside the door impatiently.

Victor still remembered the owner of that voice. Paul Bush, Second Lieutenant, one of the assistants to his stepfather's capable aide-de-camp. Most importantly, he was one of Victor's eyes on his stepfather's side.

Paul's father, Malfoy, was a staunch figure in his city of Norvinsk. Two months prior, after a long night of discussions with Malfoy, he had successfully secured the support of this well-known Norvinsk businessman. His son, Paul, was also a well-regarded man in his neighborhood, known for his quick wit and willingness to help others.

As one of the cornerstones of their cooperation, Victoria recommended Paul to join the army as a colonel and recommended him to his father's adjutant, Hilde.

In just one month, Paul showed extremely flexible thinking and quite upright ideas, which made Hilde, who was already a tough soldier, very impressed. He quickly promoted Paul to be his deputy.

"What happened, Paul? I remember you and Mr. Hidro escorted my father to Saint Jun Castle a few days ago to report on his work and attend a meeting."

After reaching the door, Victoria carefully looked at the young man in front of him. After confirming that it was Paul and there were no other eyes around, he opened the door and let Paul in.

After entering Victoria's villa, Paul looked around cautiously, then whispered, "Big news! A very big news! Your father, General Akakis Kalashnikov, died in the line of duty at Fort Saint!"

Victoria was stunned and subconsciously repeated: "My father is dead?"

"It's absolutely true. Now, many mobile cities that have received the news are getting restless. They want to find out what exactly happened and who the new general will be."

Victoria's eyes narrowed, and his fingers quietly moved in the void. In the air, unnoticed by anyone, a card of a man holding a dustpan was stuffed into his body, and a card of a sturdy and fit man popped out of his body accordingly.

In just a moment, Victor, who was originally a little overwhelmed, regained his composure. As early as when he traveled to this world, he had borrowed Jia Wenhe's wisdom to calculate the troubles he might encounter in the future. Although the news of his father's sudden death was not within his expectations, he had estimated the series of troubles that might arise afterwards.

There is no other reason, it's just that Victoria is not the only son of Akakis Kalashnikov. He is even the youngest and least valued of Akakis's three sons.

The reason was simple. Victoria's mother wasn't from a prominent Ursus family, not even a commoner. She was a victim of Ursus's 'eagle removal' policy, and Victoria's birth was simply the result of Akakis's desire for the bloodline of the gods and people. If the original incarnation of this body hadn't been exceptional, he probably wouldn't have lived to inherit Victoria's name.

After figuring out his identity and background, Victor spent some time in fear. It wasn't until his golden finger arrived and he planned his future with the help of Jia Wenhe's wisdom that he regained his former confidence.

He voluntarily left Luxembourg (one of the Sixth Legion's bases), withdrew from the struggle between his legitimate sons, and exiled himself to the ordinary border city of Norvinsk under the pretext of self-cultivation. This retreat-to-advance strategy not only eased the relationship between him and his two adopted brothers, but also allowed him to truly gain power, thus beginning his journey of accumulating merit.

After successfully ascending to power, leveraging his father's authority, he embarked on his own path of reform. He reduced taxes, consolidated the military, increased manpower in mines and farms, eased harsh regulations for the infected, encouraged them to work in exchange for food and legal status, and encouraged ordinary people to participate in creative endeavors like smelting and planting. He also actively contacted surrounding military fortresses, offering high-quality ores and armaments in exchange for various survival supplies. He also supported caravans on long-distance trade, even using the convenience of border cities to secretly open trade routes to the neighboring Yan Kingdom.

Following these policies, Norvinsk's strength grew rapidly. While the army was smaller, its pay and overall quality of service were significantly improved. Ordinary people also had more options. While life remained difficult, at least they no longer had to worry about their lives. As for the infected, they were the biggest beneficiaries of these policies. Victory changed the Infected Inspectorate's duties from executing the infected to expelling the unemployed. As long as these infected had a job, or even if they were willing to work in the mines or dig potatoes in the wasteland, Victory would generously grant them a small living space.

For the best among them, Victoria also prepared corresponding civilian status and a small amount of anti-infection drugs as rewards.

Although the government's coffers were rapidly depleted by this extravagant spending, Victor's policies were implemented swiftly. Upon hearing the news, a large number of civilians and infected people flocked to Norvinsk to settle there, and the local population quickly recovered under the support of the policies. Victor's name was thus firmly etched in the hearts of every Norvinsk resident.

Undoubtedly, the implementation of these policies had left Victory's own wallet stretched thin, but he wasn't worried about running out of money. The Chamber of Commerce, the nobility, the military officers—these classes had all amassed vast fortunes under previous policies, and Victor had long been eyeing this wealth.

Loans, power-for-money transactions, policy support, as long as it does not affect the development of Norvinsk, Victoria does not mind opening the door to convenience for these guys with full pockets.

For example, after Paul's father, Mr. Malfoy, received Victoria's preferential policies and the promise of loosening control measures, he brought together many partners to give Victoria a lot of gold and silver.

Even Secretary Carters, who is now lying on Victoria's bed, is one of the talents selected and trained by Mr. Malfoy.

Because of this, Victor wasn't panicked by the news of his father's death. Instead, he was more curious. After all, no matter who took control of the Sixth Legion, it wouldn't be a big deal for him, a border marquis.

He took Paul into the living room and personally lit the fireplace to make coffee. Seeing Victoria's calm demeanor, Paul also regained his composure in the warmth of the fire.

He swallowed, and with a cup of coffee and bread, he recounted in detail the information he had learned.

"Actually, I came back this time not just on my own initiative. I also received instructions from Mr. Hidro."

Survival Abroad: Chapter 3 Chaos

"Our trip went quite smoothly. We encountered no unexpected incidents along the way, and the weather was excellent. The convoy even arrived at Saint Castle a day early. The next morning, Mr. Hidro and I arranged the team's itinerary, while the general went to the palace alone to meet His Majesty." Paul put down his coffee cup and stared at the rekindled flames in the fireplace. As the steaming coffee washed down his throat, the gentle warmth made Paul's speech more fluent.

"Did the meeting go well?"

Victor was not shy and took off his coat in front of Paul. Then he picked up the towel on the table and wiped the cold sweat off his body.

"It went smoothly." Paul nodded. "The general returned to the hotel that afternoon. He even greeted me with a bright smile. It seemed like he had lunch at the palace before arriving. Then, starting that evening, the general and Mr. Hidro went to various noble homes for banquets as usual. But on the third night, when Mr. Hidro and I returned to the hotel, we were informed that the general had been assassinated and had passed away despite efforts to save him."

"At the party or on the way?" Victoria took out a coat and put it on again. Then he took two slices of bread from the bread maker and placed them on the table. "Try it! This is our homemade bread."

"Oh, okay." Paul was startled for a moment, then quickly picked up the still-hot bread and started eating. "It smells so good! Although it's not as good as the bread from Saint Jun Castle, it's definitely better than the ones from the surrounding cities."

"A clever lady's new recipe, I've already introduced her to your father. I'm sure it won't be long before Norvinsk's bread becomes a competitor to the surrounding area." Victoria smiled gently and devoured a piece of bread in just a few bites. "Okay, enough digression. Who was it? At which noble family's banquet was my dear father assassinated in public?"

"It was at Mr. Martins Page's dinner party." Seeing Victoria's confidence, Paul scratched his head curiously. "But, Young Master, how are you sure that the general was assassinated in public at the dinner party?"

"Because of speed." Victoria opened the window. The snow outside was icy yet beautiful. "It's been snowing lightly these past few days. Judging by the time, you set out the morning after the incident, right? You figured out the whole story overnight. Clearly, my cheap dad wasn't assassinated secretly. Besides, if I were planning to assassinate a general, I would choose to do it at a banquet with many people and nobles. This way, I can both lower the target's vigilance and... drag more people into the water."

"As expected of the young master, you truly foresaw the future." Paul swallowed his saliva, his eyes filled with admiration. "After the general's accident, His Majesty immediately ordered a thorough investigation. That night, Mr. Page's residence was turned upside down by the military police. Although they found no evidence of Mr. Martins' involvement in the assassination, they unexpectedly uncovered many of the Page family's underground dealings, including evidence of the Page family's illicit dealings with Casimir on the black market."

"What a brilliant scheme that kills two birds with one stone." Victory scoffed, sipping his coffee. "But the affairs of the Page family don't concern us much. Let's talk about the aftermath. How did our dear Majesty Fyodor arrange his funeral?"

Paul's expression grew serious, and he couldn't help but lower his voice. "Mr. Hidro said that His Majesty Fyodor initially wanted to nominate the Fifth Army's deputy commander, the reformist Delson, for this position, but was suppressed by a joint opposition from several old nobles. As you know, young master, when it comes to our legion's affairs, major matters are always led by those nobles, so His Majesty Fyodor simply waved his hand and let them discuss it among themselves."

"Them? What could those old men possibly come up with? They can't expect any progress even if they keep cursing all night long." Victor scoffed, his words filled with mockery of those insects. "Who made the final decision? Speaker Witte?"

"That's him!" Paul nodded vigorously, his voice lowered. "In the end, it was Speaker Witte who proposed a name, and the old nobles decided on it after a compromise."

"Who then? The new general?" Victor smacked his lips, resting his chin on his hand as he pondered. "Since it was Speaker Witte who recommended him, it couldn't possibly be my two adopted brothers. They're not even capable enough to run the cities under their jurisdiction, let alone become generals. Secondly, it probably wasn't Hidelo either. While Mr. Hidelo has the necessary skills and experience, he has no backing. Replicating my father's path to becoming a general is unrealistic under these circumstances. He's also offended many people while working for my father, so he clearly can't win over the people. Finally, there are the nobles. They have ample resources, but their military achievements and ability to manage the army are quite average... I'm guessing that Witte recommended an outsider? Someone who doesn't belong to the Sixth Legion, but is a member of the old aristocracy?"

"Kosice."

Paul nodded and whispered a name from his throat: "The candidate finally confirmed by the parliament is Duke Kosice, the one..."

"The immortal black snake, the most unknown guy in the aristocratic faction." Victoria rubbed his brows and added.

This is an old acquaintance. Although Victoria was a skipper in his previous life, he is very familiar with this boss who often appears in public.

The 'Immortal Black Snake', the 'Eternal Duke', and the 'Will of Ursus' are both demonic and behemoth-like beings, the most troublesome creatures in all of Ursus.

"Greedy people are like a snake swallowing an elephant. How dare those reckless nobles agree to this proposal?" Victoria couldn't help but rub his temple, subconsciously analyzing it using Jia Xu's logic. "It's easy to guess what Witte and the Emperor mean. Since the nobles won't let them interfere with the Sixth Legion, then they might as well just let the most troublesome ones fight each other. But why would those shrewd old nobles agree to it... Could it be?? "

"What's the big deal?" Paul swallowed his saliva and wanted to hear his young master's shocking remarks.

"Nothing, this isn't something you should be listening to." Victory slapped Paul on the head in anger. "Besides this news, what else did Mr. Hidro ask you to bring?"

"Oh, right. Sorry, I almost forgot." After Victory's reminder, Paul finally remembered something he had forgotten to mention: "Mr. Hidro said he would find a way to gather the general's subordinates and support the young master in his fight for the right to speak in the legion. He hopes that you, as a brother, can work together to help the young master take charge of the Sixth Legion."

"fart."

Survival in a Foreign Country: Chapter 4 Inspection

Paul returned with a letter written by Victoria himself.

Of course, the letter contained no concrete promises beyond platitudes and empty words of approval. Victor was well aware of his and Norvinsk's positions and did not want to be drawn into the political maelstrom so early.

Dear Lieutenant Colonel Hidro was also aware of this. He knew clearly that Victor was essentially a figurehead colonel and had no intention of fighting for power. Therefore, one of the main purposes of sending Paul to run errands was to put a pressure on Victor to ensure that his next actions would not be hindered.

"If my guess is correct, my dear brother will put on a good show of brotherly love before the Duke of Kosciuszko takes control of the situation."

Victoria sipped his coffee with narrowed eyes, his gaze filled with contempt for humanity. "They're nothing but short-sighted jackals. When that black snake takes power, I'm afraid you'll be the first to be liquidated, Sidlo."

"Good morning, Master. Have you finished your shower yet? Didn't we agree to inspect the mines today?" Just as Victoria was pondering this, a gentle, clear voice inquired from the bedroom upstairs. The girl he had spent the night with had woken up, signaling the official start of work.

"Sorry, Dorothy, I just had a friend over."

Victoria put down his coffee cup, the calculation in his eyes completely hidden. The lively, optimistic and domineering boy reappeared in the hall: "But it seems that time is running out. How about... we wash together?"

As the clattering footsteps approached, a Carters girl with soft blonde hair, draped in a thin robe, walked into the living room. The breeze outside the window blew her slender figure, which caught Victoria's eye. "Let me make this clear: if you make any moves in the bathroom, I'll be going back to my uncle's house tonight."

"I promise!" Victoria smiled and took the girl in his arms and walked towards the bathroom. The girl struggled in panic, and her thin nightgown slipped to the ground, but it didn't matter, she had to take it off when taking a shower anyway, right?

After a brief playful encounter, the young man and girl were ready for their inspection. Victoria donned his black noble dress, while Dorothy wore her favorite sorcerer's robe, but pinned to her chest a wooden Norvinsk clerk's medal.

As his first stronghold, Victor's renovation of Norvinsk involved almost every aspect, from the town's name to various laws, the most notable of which was naturally the revision of the treatment of infected people. In addition, Victor also overhauled the overall structure of Norvinsk City Hall.

For example, the military and politics were separated, the responsibilities of each department were refined, a small number of unnecessary positions were dismissed, and a medal culture unique to Swinnock was created.

In Ursus, only those who had been awarded medals and those who had made military achievements were allowed to wear medals. Even nobles were not allowed to wear medals made of gold, silver, or bronze. However, in Norvinsk, Victor designed a separate emblem for each department to increase the government's credibility and improve the recognition of government officials by ordinary people.

For example, the civilian staff is an eagle standing on the treetop with eyes wide open, ready to take off; the police station that maintains law and order is the bear's paw that represents deterrence and strength; the patrol team responsible for matters related to the infected are skeletons wearing gas masks that represent danger and vigilance; and the last small group of troops rebuilt by Victoria himself represents the destructive scimitars and rifles.