I'm in Terra

Victor was not polite. Whether they were suspected or not, any infected settlement on the list was cleared out by Norvinsk's army, leaving only those infected settlements that had always followed the rules trembling in fear at the pool of blood around them.

'Iron-blooded blockade'

Since that day, Victory has had an additional title. The surviving infected people are glad that they followed the instructions, but they are also terrified by Victory's iron-blooded approach.

It can be predicted that once this group of infected people are truly integrated into Norvinsk, they will definitely become good and obedient citizens.

Victor, Bee, and Dorothy also saw blood, but to Victor's surprise, neither he nor the two girls showed much emotion when faced with blood and corpses. It was natural that Bee, a combative fighter, didn't feel anything, but Dorothy, despite a slight aversion to blood, was also open to killing and disposing of corpses.

Seeing this, Victoria had a more intuitive understanding of the adjustment effect of the "Meat Forest" ability, and he himself also obtained an unexpected fortune after completing the cleaning.

"Sweeping the world, sweeping the vast land: Although your methods were somewhat cruel, you have indeed cleaned up your territory. In your territory, no one dares to ignore your voice, and outsiders will completely submit to your tyranny."

Merit points +2000.

Survival in a Foreign Country: 46 I have been displaced since childhood

Phew~ I feel relieved.

With the end of the cleansing, many of the problems caused by the infected were instantly resolved. As expected, it was much easier to eliminate the people who created the problem than to solve the problem itself. Unfortunately, Victoria couldn't do such a thing once and for all.

Killing a chicken to scare the monkey is certainly effective, but if the killing continues, the infected will definitely collapse.

Now, however, both Victoria and Norvinsk officials could finally rest and recuperate. Seeing that Norvinsk's various reports had returned to within his estimated thresholds, Victoria felt comfortable having a few drinks.

Even Dorothy, who had always been busy, returned to the office and resumed her secretary job, while our black snake incarnation, dear Miss Kashiena, smiled and retired to the second line, becoming a great coffee mixer. Although the work was very simple, Kashiena seemed to be happy with it.

For her, as long as she could stay by Victor's side and observe the young demon king, no other details mattered. Indeed, after witnessing Victor's skill, Kashena, or rather, Black Snake, had already begun to contentedly consider how to place her bet. Compared to Kashena's previous experience as a university history teacher, casting a wide net to catch small fish, a student as outstanding as Victor was more in line with her expectations of talent.

Smart, thoughtful, ambitious, and most importantly, ruthless. How could one secure such a brilliant child? Kasheina's body was a good choice, but that alone wasn't enough. Black Snake wasn't one of those indecisive losers. She knew now that she had made her choice, she had to invest heavily in nurturing this young yet sophisticated child.

Internal Guards? No, given Victoria's current size, it's too early to contact them. While they have their political allies, they also have their share of idiots who are die-hardly loyal to the Emperor. Given Victoria's current status, if any of the Internal Guards discovered what was happening in Norvinsk, it would only be trouble for him, not help.

Wealth? That's probably not the right approach either. Victor has already planned the future quite thoroughly. What Norvinsk lacks right now is a large supply of supplies, something Black Snake can't help with for the time being. After all, by the time she quietly delivers the supplies, winter will likely be over. And once Victor completes his planned plans and successfully takes control of Luxembourg, wealth will no longer be his weakness.

Black Snake believed that with Victor's skills, acquiring wealth would be easy if he wanted to. Those filthy noble families were all filthy rich, and all Victor needed to do was find a simple reason to liquidate a few of the more outrageous ones, and he could easily achieve financial freedom.

Sure enough, after a moment's reflection, Kasheina was certain. If they wanted to invest in Victoria, nothing could be more suitable than Tallulah. Tallulah was still quite immature, and she could completely assimilate her while Victoria sought Luxembourg. By then, a high-quality organization with the power of three nations and a large number of infected cannon fodder would be Black Snake's best bargaining chip. She was confident that Victoria would not refuse such a gift.

While making coffee, Kasheina was thinking about how to sell Tallulah, who was far away in the countryside, for a good price.

Tallulah, who was far away in an unknown village, shuddered subconsciously and continued her escape.

Yes, escape.

After deciding to see the world clearly and save it, Tallulah resolutely embarked on a journey of wandering. She did not believe the black snake's deception and decided to witness the truth with her own eyes.

But the young and naive Tallulah overlooked the fact that it was winter. The villagers were more sensitive and vigilant in winter than at any other time. In addition, Tallulah's fine military uniform was too conspicuous, so she had not eaten anything except the cold reception during the journey.

But God seemed to think that she was not destined to die. Just when Tallulah was starving and cold and was about to try to eat roadside weeds to fill her stomach, an innocent and kind girl took her in.

Alina, perhaps she was Tallulah's destined salvation. Even though she wore luxurious clothes and looked like a down-and-out aristocrat, this innocent girl still took her in, offering her the first warmth she had experienced since she first set foot on the snowy plains.

From meeting each other to becoming close friends, the relationship between Tallulah and Alina blossomed naturally. Tallulah was amazed that there was still a literate and intelligent girl in this remote village, and Alina also showed her care for Tallulah, a wanderer with similar values.

Soon, Tallulah joined Alina's family. Alina's parents were deceased, and she lived with only her grandparents. Tallulah's arrival was like a flame, illuminating this ordinary, miserable home. The arrival of Draco was not a burden to the family; instead, thanks to Tallulah's strength and agility, Alina and her grandparents were able to enjoy a rare taste of meat.

She thought she would live in this village for a long time, but the sudden change made this inexperienced girl completely angry.

Every autumn, the Infected Patrol would travel to various villages searching for "indicators" and, incidentally, help the government officials collect their annual taxes. Even though the government officials were diligent enough to make two or three trips a year, the Infected Patrol members clearly didn't care about these minor details. They simply knew they couldn't return empty-handed. If there were Infected, they would capture them; if there weren't any, they would conjure up a few.

The same goes for the annual tax. These black-robed insects don't really care whether the villages they visit have any food or money. They'd rather say there's none. That way, they can justifiably kill, plunder women, and create a few more infected people to complete their targets.

These actions were no different from those of beasts, and were the main reason why the infected patrols were scornfully called black bugs. However, no matter how angry the villagers were, they dared not disobey the fully armed patrols.

Destroying a village is not a difficult task for these swarms of black insects. These black insects have made great contributions to the barrenness of the snowfields of Ursus.

This time, the black bugs happened to set their sights on the simple but pretty Alina, and Tallulah obviously would not allow her new friend to be abducted by these scumbags.

Then, unable to bear it any longer, Drakkar's flames raged across the countryside, eventually destroying these greedy insects completely.

But destruction brings not happiness, but displacement.

Survival in a Foreign Land: 47 The Hard Road to Survival

Impulsive actions often don't end well, but for both Tallulah and the villagers, whether to kill the black bugs or not was a nightmare. No one blamed Tallulah for her rash action, because everyone knew that if they continued to be exploited like this, they would not survive the winter.

After confirming that all the black bugs were dead, the villagers showed no emotion. They all silently gathered around the bodies of the infected patrolmen, stripping them of their clothes, searching through their belongings, and then viciously kicking the corpses.

Thanks to these black bugs, they now have to abandon even their homes. The deaths of these patrols will soon be discovered, and then they will still face a catastrophic disaster.

But where could they escape to in the vast snowy plains? Although Tallulah had found a lot of valuables and food in the bags of these patrols, if they didn't find a place to resettle, the icy snow would sooner or later swallow them all.

Just when Tallulah was lost, a villager came to her. The villager's request was simple: give him a portion of food according to the number of people so that he could escape.

Tallulah did not make things difficult for the villager and gave him a share of the confiscated food. But when he was about to leave, Alina asked him out of curiosity.

"Uncle Norton, where are you planning to flee to? I haven't heard that you have any relatives or friends. Besides, the weather is so cold now, why don't you go together so that you can take care of each other."

The uncle Alina called over waved his hand and, considering Tallulah's willingness to distribute food, said, "I understand what you're saying, but gathering all these old, weak, and disabled people in our village together is too conspicuous. Let me tell you, I'm planning to go north to Luxembourg. I heard there's a place called Norvinsk. They don't arrest infected people there, and even give them food if you work for them."

It turned out that this uncle named Norton was an infected person. It was not until then that Alina understood why this strong uncle was unwilling to go to the big city to fight, but instead stubbornly stayed in the small mountain village.

But now, even the small mountain village is no longer safe. Perhaps the infected have no way to survive in this world?

Watching Uncle Norton's departing back, Alina touched the source of infection under her clothes without leaving a trace. She knew that there were many infected people in the village, but once this matter was exposed... the will of the villagers that had been united with great difficulty because of the black bugs would quickly collapse.

Snap————

Just as Alina was lost in thought, Tallulah gently took her hand. Kindly, Alina had told her on her first night that she had oripathy, and Tallulah didn't mind, even lifting her sleeve in front of Alina. There, Alina could still vaguely see the traces of a wound, but what Tallulah really wanted Alina to see were the specks of black stone emerging from the now-healed wound.

In order to refute Black Snake's belief, Talulah did not hesitate to cut her arm with the Originium before killing Black Snake to express her resistance.

"Don't worry, there will be a way." Tallulah stared into Alina's eyes seriously. Her eyes, which revealed fire and indignation, quickly calmed Alina down.

Yes, there is a way, and it's very simple. Just like Uncle Norton did, separate the infected people in the village, and let the two groups embark on their own paths, and they can effectively avoid the situation they are worried about.

But Alina's concern wasn't for her own safety, but for her grandparents. The two elderly people had worked hard all their lives, but were lucky enough not to become infected. If Alina wanted to ensure the safety of those infected, she would have to be separated from her grandparents.

She and Tallulah believed that their grandparents would not betray them, but the other infected people would not allow such a thing to happen. Once the infected people began to stick together, the two elderly people who were not infected would only be excluded and treated with hostility.

The hesitation didn't last long. Before Tallulah could devise a foolproof plan, the villagers had already made their choice. The infected in the village came to her one after another, ready to ask for food so they could escape together. The uninfected, however, quieted down upon seeing this; no one was willing to abandon their homes so easily. These ordinary villagers decided to take a gamble, placing the blame for the black bug's death on the escaping infected, hoping to keep themselves alive.

Tallulah couldn't blame the villagers, because she was the one who caused all this. All she could do was distribute the food according to the number of people, and then bid a silent farewell to the grandparents.

The two elderly people were reluctant to leave the small village where they had lived their entire lives. Having lived their entire lives, they naturally understood Tallulah's plight, but the only way they could help was to return home and pray for the two to be safe. They were too old, their bodies no longer able to struggle, and they didn't want to struggle any more. Whether they lived or died, they simply wanted to spend the rest of their days in this shabby little village.

Tallulah left, taking Alina and a few other infected people with whom she had a good relationship, and embarked on the road of escape. She didn't know where they would find a safe haven in this snowy land, but she knew that the infected shouldn't die without dignity.

The border city of Norvinsk? Tallulah chewed over Uncle Norton's words before he left, and had already made a decision in her heart.

If someone is already on the path of helping the infected, then Tallulah doesn't mind helping. But if the so-called Norvinsk is just a scam, then she will destroy it with her own hands.

As Draco, Tallulah has this confidence.

Unfortunately, this confidence lasted only half a day. Tallulah soon discovered that her escape was even more difficult than she had imagined. After killing the patrols, their team had a temporary supply of food, but aside from that, they had almost nothing. They had no warm clothes, no weapons, and their only comfort was that Tallulah controlled the fire.

After the team had walked for half a day, Tallulah had to stop and make a fire to ensure that everyone could maintain their body temperature.

But this was not a long-term solution. Tallulah knew that if they kept stopping and starting like this, they would not be able to escape the patrol team's pursuit. They had to solve these survival problems before those black bugs came to their door.

But the best way before them was to trade. Go to other villages and exchange food for survival supplies.

Only in this way can they have a chance of survival.

Survival in a Foreign Country: 48 I feel dizzy and don’t want to think of a title anymore

"How about asking you a fun question? If you answer correctly, there's a reward. If you answer incorrectly, there's a punishment."

The snow outside the window grew heavier, but Victoria had little time to chat. As the cleansing operation progressed, the entire Norvinsk region returned to its ideal environment for his development.

"Hmm? There's a reward? So what's the problem?" Seeing Victoria's unusual enthusiasm, Miss Dorothy stretched, showcasing her perfect figure. Whether intentionally or not, Kashiena, who had been reading nearby, also happened to come over to Victoria and pour them a cup of steaming coffee.

Victoria took a sip of the coffee, the delicate fragrance flowing through his lips and teeth. Victoria smacked his lips in satisfaction and asked his question: "Do you think a person's nature should be good or bad?"

"Human nature?" Miss Dorothy smoothed her hair and answered uncertainly, "It should be good. If the environment is favorable, no one would choose to be a bad person."

Obviously, even though she accepted Victoria's values and changed subtly around Victoria, Dorothy's nature remained unchanged and she still retained her innocence and kindness.

Kashiena, standing by, raised an eyebrow and glanced at Victoria with some curiosity. She knew Victoria wouldn't speak without a purpose, and she knew the true answer to this question. But after a moment's thought, she still gave an answer that suited her position: "Human nature is evil, because human desires are infinite, and desires are often accompanied by malice."

"That's an interesting interpretation." Victoria nodded and turned his attention to the little bear man who had been huddled by the fireplace to keep warm. "So, Bee, what about you?"

"It's the Hunting Bee, you bastard!" The Hunting Bee yawned lazily and pouted unhappily. "I just accidentally ate your honey. Is it necessary to still be thinking about it? I know, I know. If it were me, I would choose not to know. Because there are all kinds of people in this world, good and bad, and normal people have no way of distinguishing their true nature... right?"

"Bingo!" Victoria snapped his fingers softly. "Although the answer is a bit abstract, it's indeed the closest to the truth. Humans, as creatures, don't have any inherent nature. Their personalities, their behavioral habits, and even the questions they think about at what time, are all acquired through subtle learning from childhood. Environment, consciousness, education—everything stems from learning and biological instinct. Therefore, human nature doesn't distinguish between good and evil."

After hearing Victoria's answer, Dorothy subconsciously began to think, while the winner, Beehunter, stretched nonchalantly. "Really? Since I got the answer right, what's the reward?"

"Reward?" Victoria smiled devilishly. "The reward is that you come to my room tonight. It's a bit cold these past two days, so a pillow would be nice."

"Ugh!" Hunting Bee subconsciously covered her hips. "Don't do this kind of thing. Is it too late for me to apologize now?"

Victoria ignored the sweet thief and turned to look at Dorothy, who looked thoughtful. "Well, have you figured it out?"

Facing Victoria's expectant gaze, Dorothy lowered her head somewhat embarrassedly: "Sorry, I still don't understand the significance of this question."

Victoria wasn't surprised. He gently rubbed Dorothy's head. "This question teaches us a lesson. We should always assess the worst-case scenario, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. Before trusting others, consider the consequences of betrayal. Only then can you stand firmly on top of the mountain. Human nature cannot withstand the test."

As he spoke, Victoria turned his head to look at Kashena, who responded with an elegant smile.

Damn it! Betrayed!

Tallulah walked through the snow forest in a panic, followed by her equally panicked companions.

After leaving the village, Tallulah led the team northward. Although supplies were scarce, fortunately, food and heat were relatively stable, and the team barely survived the snowstorm.

But this is only a temporary solution. If they do not have enough clothes and tools, their only fate will be death.

So, at Alina's suggestion, Tallulah ventured to the village to try to trade.

Initially, the trade went smoothly. Although Tallulah's appearance and status as an infected person easily caused misunderstandings among the villagers, with her and Alina's sincere pleas, they were able to exchange some property and meat for some clothing and tools. When they heard that Tallulah and her group were heading to the legendary city that treated the infected kindly, many infected people spontaneously joined their group.

The two were quite happy at first, thinking they had found a way to survive for the infected. But the good times didn't last long. Within a few weeks, bad news came one after another, pushing the team into the abyss.

First, some villages maliciously suppressed prices. Many people took advantage of the geographical location of their village and the fact that Tallulah and the others were suspected of being infected and began to drive up prices. Later, some villagers took the initiative to report their whereabouts to the infected patrol team in exchange for rewards.

Gradually, as Tallulah's group grew in size, more and more people began to target them. They were constantly being pursued and intercepted by patrol teams, leading Tallulah to believe that the villages they traded with had betrayed them. They would sell Tallulah goods at high prices, only to report her whereabouts to the patrol teams.

This betrayal infuriated Tallulah, but they could only grit their teeth and move on. Perhaps those villages saw that they had no way of seeking revenge, and so they were so brazen in their malice.

But thanks to these unruly people, Tallulah has matured. She's learned to hide her identity as an infected person, to disguise herself, to bargain, and even to manage a team. Though still immature, she's definitely grown.

Moreover, after their continuous wandering during this period, the team finally arrived at the southern border of Luxembourg. They believed that as long as they continued to work hard, they would be able to reach the legendary border city before winter passed.

With this belief, Tallulah led her team on their escape journey once again. However, she didn't expect that before reaching the legendary city, they would encounter guerrillas who were also legends of the snowfield.

And from the guerrillas, Tallulah heard some despairing news.

"It's still too slow. I have to speed up." Looking up at the falling snow outside the window, Kashena sighed to herself, "At this rate, she might not be able to make it to the Demon King's ball."

Survival in a Foreign Land: 49 Ice and Snow Prelude

It turns out that the winter in Ursus is not as harsh as imagined.

Frost Star reached out and caught a snowflake, gently crushing it into ice chips. The expected low temperature didn't reach her body, as her newly bought leather gloves blocked the heat transfer.

Yes, new gloves.

After a series of shifts and discussions, the guerrillas shifted their survival strategy. Froststar and Patriot prioritized preserving and expanding their team alongside rescuing the infected. They no longer casually offered help, but instead purposefully and opportunistically rescued the infected in batches.

Using the resources they plundered, they bribed the villages in southern Luxembourg, which had been exploited by the patrols, directing them to gather intelligence, exchange supplies, and settle surplus populations among them. As members of the lower classes, these simple villagers were unable and dared not disobey the guerrillas' orders. Furthermore, they saw tangible benefits in collaborating with the guerrillas, so they acquiesced to their actions.

The ordinary infected placed in the village were also busy. Froststar promised them regular shipments of property and resources, but they had to work or gather intelligence in return. To survive the patrols, these infected placed by the guerrillas had no choice but to become guerrillas' insiders, monitoring the patrols' movements and observing whether ordinary villagers would betray them.

In just one month, under the coercion and inducement of the guerrillas, dozens of villages, large and small, were either coerced, induced, or in order to thank the travel team for rescuing their relatives. In short, they became the temporary allies and temporary strongholds of the travel team, subtly helping the guerrillas fight against the infected patrols that were dispatched from time to time.

As for those profit-driven fools? After Froststar received a report and froze and dismembered him in front of all the villagers, and after the Patriot and his shield guards crushed a team of patrols who came after hearing the news, no fool would dare to make such a foolish decision again.

The guerrillas therefore spent a relatively comfortable winter.

While food remained scarce, at least they were no longer short of money and isolated. Of course, Frost Star knew their ability to achieve this wasn't due to the guerrillas' true strength. Rather, it was due to the internal power struggles in Luxembourg, leaving most of the officers and nobles with military power unavailable to deal with them. Furthermore, Victor had arranged a retreat for them. If they could hold out until spring, the guerrillas would once again have a powerful ally.

This hopeful situation lifted the soldiers' gloom and bolstered the guerrillas' fighting spirit. They even managed to purchase a shipment of winter clothing and equipment from Luxembourg through a Norvinsk merchant. The guerrillas' elite members were equipped with new weapons, while Froststar and Patriot received new clothing and several bottles of life-saving anti-infective medicine.

Of course, the merchant wasn't simply out of kindness. Frost Star knew he was risking his life to help the guerrillas under Victory's orders. So, to repay him, and Victor, Frost Star discussed with the Patriots about sending them some of their surplus supplies as a token of their gratitude for the support.

Although this move made their supply shortage even more severe, no one would oppose the two men's decision. The soldiers knew that this valuable help was far more than what could be exchanged for these supplies.

Even after receiving a set of thick clothing, Frost Star continued to ponder how to acquire more resources. The guerrillas had long since moved beyond the stage of wandering around and killing anyone they saw. As Victory had said, choosing a single target was often more effective than attacking three or four.