I'm in Terra

"Tell me, is there anyone in this world who can see the world clearly with just their own eyes? Is there anyone who can use their own wisdom to guess the surging undercurrents?"

"I don't know what you're talking about with all that flowery nonsense." Tallulah raised an eyebrow, slightly interested. "But if you ask me, there should be, right? This land is so vast, there must be someone with eyes that can see through the tides. It's not surprising that such a thing happened, right? After all, there are enough freaks in this world already."

Koschei was taken aback for a moment, then smiled in relief. "Really? Perhaps that's true. Fools blind themselves at the edge, sitting comfortably in their cages. They let the sands and gravel flow, dragging them into the dust of history. But the wise can sit on the edge, observing right and wrong with a cold eye."

"If that's the case, then I'd rather be a fool." Tallulah snorted and finished all the food on her plate in just a few bites. "I'm full. Don't delay my sword practice."

Kosice said nothing more, smiling as he watched Tallulah leave the table. Only after the maid had cleared away all the plates Tallulah had left behind did Kosice turn his gaze toward the sky outside the window. "If you truly can do it, I wouldn't mind pushing you even higher. Ursus is bound to be great, and it will be. As for who will bring her prosperity, I don't care. Perhaps it will be Tallulah? Or the young emperor? Of course, there's a slight chance it could be you."

Kosice's soliloquy received no response, nor did he need one. Time would bear witness to everything.

"Tallulah's time is coming soon. Can you catch the train?"

----------

"Are you serious? You want us to rob a supply convoy to Norvinsk?"

Meanwhile, across the snowy plains, Frost Star was equally unsettled. They'd led hundreds of emaciated infected individuals on a long journey through the endless wasteland, finally reaching Norvinsk when they were told they were being forced to play the role of robbers. Their target was a shipment of winter supplies about to be delivered to Norvinsk. "Is Victoria still mad? Are there people in this world who would rob themselves?"

Dorothy frowned and sternly corrected him, "They weren't stealing their own supplies. Instead, 'unknown forces' took advantage of the snow to attack the caravan transporting supplies from Luxembourg to Norvinsk. The caravan was completely wiped out, and the supplies disappeared in the heavy snow."

Froststar retorted, "But those who delivered the goods were our own people, right? Wouldn't it be too much to kill them?"

"No, the caravan transporting the supplies came from Luxembourg. Strictly speaking, they belonged to Carter Kalashnikov's men," Dorothy corrected him. "You could understand them as the nobles' lackeys, but they clearly weren't considered our own."

"I know, I know. You are a noble lord, so you take so many detours. In short, we should rob the caravan while it snows, take the supplies in a roundabout way and send them back to Norvinsk, right?" Frost Star repeated Victoria's request while looking at the Patriot, hoping that his old stubborn man could make a decision.

"All's fair in war. Since ancient times, it has always been the shortcut to victory." The patriot paused and waved back, "We will complete the mission according to his requirements."

Dorothy nodded in satisfaction. "That's good. As for the baggage and the infected, leave them to me. I'll escort them safely to Norvinsk. We've stored enough food for this winter, so feeding these infected shouldn't be a problem. However, after a period of recuperation, they'll have to participate in production. After all, Norvinsk doesn't want to keep useless people."

The patriot nodded, watching the two teams exchange supplies. Looking at the black bread and cheap wine he had just received, he swallowed the words of advice he wanted to say.

A good strategist may be cunning, but if he doesn't always follow the right path, even the most perfect strategy will eventually fail. At that time, the accumulated backlash will make the scheming person suffer.

"I hope he won't make any mistakes." Bozhukas glanced at his daughter inconspicuously, and then changed the marching route with his soldiers as if nothing had happened.

Victor only gave them the departure and arrival times for the supplies, leaving them to find the exact route themselves. Patriot had a premonition that if this robbery unfolded as Victor predicted, the area surrounding Luxembourg would be plunged into complete chaos. Patriot knew no one in Luxembourg, but his intuition, cultivated through years of combat, suggested a possible outcome.

The conflict Victoria had been stirring up had already begun to unfold in less than two weeks. Even for a man of his vast experience, he found it difficult to imagine such a mastery of public opinion and the current situation.

At least...it was the nobles who suffered rather than the infected, and this was the only thing that could give the patriots some comfort.

PS: One of the pieces of information that can be revealed now is Dorothy’s Originium skills.

The so-called dimensional transcendence isn't a spatial Originium technique, but rather a manipulation of human consciousness. With due preparation, Dorothy can disrupt or enhance the consciousness of others, causing them to experience chaotic thoughts or undivided focus.

If Dorothy were to transcend dimensions, an additional effect would emerge. Her body would then become conscious to a certain extent, allowing her to travel through time and space in conjunction with her subjective consciousness. This was the main reason for her elusive nature.

Of course, whether it is dimensional transcendence for oneself or others, the energy consumed is far more than ordinary spells. Under normal circumstances, Dorothy can only control the dimensional transcendence within two people at the same time.

At the same time, under certain special circumstances, Dorothy can enable others to transcend dimensions in a conscious manner, but the conditions are extremely harsh.

Survival in a Foreign Land: 28 Seeking Death

"Hurrah! Hurry up! It's just a little snow. It'll be even snowier when we get back. If we walk faster now, the way back will be easier!"

In the snowy wilderness, a convoy was slowly advancing. They were from the Snow Bear Chamber of Commerce in Luxembourg, and they usually traveled back and forth between Luxembourg and Saint-Horn Castle for trade.

However, this time, they received an order from the Acting Governor of Luxembourg to deliver a batch of goods to the border city of Norvinsk. Although the bounty wasn't generous, the president of the Snow Bear Chamber of Commerce accepted the commission, considering the long-term development prospects of his own chamber of commerce in Luxembourg.

To save costs, the Snow Bear Chamber of Commerce didn't use the more efficient but equally damaging large trucks, instead sending out the caravan with ten carts of supplies and one cart of daily necessities. Because there was no need for price negotiation, the Snow Bear Chamber of Commerce didn't send a large number of personnel, only two merchants responsible for the return trip and twenty armored and sword-wielding guards.

This lineup is more than enough for ordinary snowfield bandits, but unfortunately the people who are targeting them are not ordinary bandits.

"Boss, the snow isn't heavy, but the roads are completely covered. This is fresh snow from last night, and I doubt anyone will be clearing the roads this far." Hearing the merchant's urging, an old driver operating a pack animal wiped the sweat from his forehead. They had been traveling with the boss for years, and they were not afraid of any dangerous terrain, but now they had to be careful in this snow of unknown depth.

"If no one leads the way, we will do it. Take out the hemp ropes and connect all the cargo boxes. I don't believe any car will get stuck in the snow." The man who is called the boss is worthy of being a hero who has traveled all over the country. He has already prepared for the situations that may be encountered on the road. As the drivers took out the hemp ropes and tied them to the trucks one by one, the speed of the whole team finally increased steadily.

Seeing the caravan back on track, the head of the group proudly took out the wine flask from his arms and drank a sip of the inferior wine that was still warm from his body. "By the way, where's Ermazi? Didn't I ask him to ride the pack animal to check the road? Why hasn't he come back yet?"

"Who knows? But Ermazi has been strolling around Luxembourg since he was a child. He won't get lost even if you blindfold him." The driver waved his hand, signaling his boss not to worry.

Pfft————

"Why is there a scout here?" Frost Star frowned and walked to the corpse to examine it carefully, while the pack animal under him was led away by the quick-eyed and quick-handed big bear.

As the vanguard of the travel team, the yetis were skilled at navigating complex terrain. The man on a pack animal had barely approached the group when Petrova pierced his heart with a crossbow arrow. No ordinary person would venture far in such weather. The sudden appearance of a man on a pack animal in the icy snow could only be a scout.

"They are carrying weapons, not wearing uniforms or armor. They don't look like they are from the army." Frost Star glanced at Big Bear, who rubbed the bristles of the pack animal and handed over the reins reluctantly.

"Big sister, what should we do?"

Froststar took the reins and pointed in the direction the man came from. "Big Bear, Iroh, each of you lead a team forward in the direction he came from. The rest of you maintain the original search formation. Maybe this guy is our target."

"Yes!" Yiluo, the usually taciturn little man, responded, leading the team forward. Big Bear scratched his red nose from the cold and complained somewhat dissatisfiedly, "I thought we could go home and have a few good meals after completing this mission, but instead of reaching our destination, they're sending us out to find some caravan. That lord boy is really a troublemaker."

Frost Star's expression remained unchanged. She casually patted Big Bear's shoulder to comfort him. "Stop complaining. If we can find the caravan today, I'll slaughter this pack animal and give it to everyone. I'll give you two extra pieces of meat then."

"It's a deal!" The big bear instantly became excited when he heard there was meat to eat. He quickly rushed away with a few snow monsters, fearing that they would be left behind by Yiluo.

Watching the two people rushing to leave, Petrova sighed with some worry: "We are running out of food. If we haven't found the target in the next two days, it is likely that we have been missed."

Frost Star shook her head upon hearing this. "Believe me, Petrova. No one is more skilled in snowfield warfare than us. A caravan carrying baggage would never escape our sight without our knowledge."

"Found it! Big sis! We're having an extra meal tonight!!!" Less than half an hour later, the two who had just left returned. Big Bear's face was filled with excitement at the prospect of an extra meal. "A caravan of about fifty people, coming from Luxembourg. Looking at the dozen or so trucks they have, it must be the caravan we're looking for."

"Everyone assemble. Send someone to notify the old stubborn man. We will go up and confirm after he completes the encirclement. It's better to be safe than sorry. We must not kill the wrong person." After giving the order, Frost Star blew the assembly whistle, and Big Bear rushed to a small hill behind, where the main shield guards of the guerrillas were resting.

In just half an hour, everyone completed the encirclement tacitly. However, for safety reasons, the guerrilla members did not show up openly. Instead, Frost Star took the snow monsters to take the initiative to step forward to confirm.

"Stop!" The leader, who had been waiting for Er Mazi to return, watched as a dozen unknown individuals in white cloaks approached, and felt a surge of anxiety. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Frost Star remained silent, and Petrova, standing by, spoke for her. She coughed twice and asked in a frail voice, "We are refugees fleeing the disaster. May I ask, sir, how far is it from here to Norvinsk? Our village was hit by a snowstorm, and we couldn't pay taxes, so we had no choice but to flee here. I heard that in Norvinsk, if you're willing to work, you can earn a living. Could you give us some advice?"

The head of the household snorted disdainfully at Petrova's words. "Refugees going to Norvinsk? I think they're escaped infected people, right? Come on, hack them to death. Be careful not to get any blood on you. I heard that spilling the blood of the infected will spread disease, and if you get too much, you'll get infected too."

"Yes!" After hearing the boss' words, everyone drew their weapons tacitly. Twenty guards faced a dozen unarmed refugees of different heights. The advantage is on my side!

"Hmph, it seems there's no need to ask any further. They definitely aren't from Norvinsk anyway." Frost Star lifted his cloak, his eyes icy cold. "Attack! Leave no one behind."

PS: Happy National Day~~~~

Survival in a Foreign Land: 29 Girl's Determination

"Long time no see, we are back."

Three days later, Yelena knocked on the door of Norvinsk's office and was greeted by Dorothy, with whom she had exchanged supplies a few days ago. Compared to the serious and earnest Dorothy in her military uniform a few days ago, the Dorothy in her secretary's uniform now made Yelena feel even more awkward.

She frowned and asked curiously, "The temperature has been dropping recently. Aren't you cold dressed like this?"

Dorothy smiled slightly. "As long as the young master likes it, I don't mind how cold it is. Of course, I still wear warm stockings."

Overhearing the conversation at the door, Victor, who was reading a biography of General Ursus, put the book down, smiled, and opened his arms. "Isn't this our great hero? Welcome back to Norvinsk."

"Don't be so hypocritical. It's disgusting." Yelena snorted, but her cheeks couldn't help but turn slightly red. "But you, did something happen this week? Why do you look so good?"

In fact, Yelena wanted to ask why he looked more handsome after not seeing him for a week, but her womanly reserve made her swallow the words subconsciously.

Victor didn't mind Yelena's distraction. He took the initiative to step forward and gently hugged the somewhat stiff girl. "Thanks to you, the plan has been going smoothly. If nothing unexpected happens, we will have a good winter. I have already started arranging positions for the infected. After a period of adaptation, they should be able to survive in Norvinsk."

"That's good! It's worth our time in the wilderness." Upon hearing this news, Yelena's face flushed even more. She and Bozhukast had always worried about how to accommodate the guerrillas after rescuing the infected. Now, with Victoria's help, they could finally carry on their resistance without any worries.

"Speaking of which, we've already delivered the things you wanted. They're right over at the base. Do you want us to bring them in for you?"

"No need. These are the supplies I prepared for you. Under my management, Norvinsk has sufficient supplies. At least we will have no problem getting through this winter." Victoria waved his hand and generously handed over the ownership of these supplies directly to the guerrillas.

If you want your horse to run fast, sufficient fodder is essential.

"Really? Thank you." Yelena nodded and smiled, accepting the kindness. "If you need anything in the future, please feel free to contact us. As long as it doesn't violate our principles, the guerrillas will definitely stand by you."

Hearing Yelena's promise, Victoria knocked on the table meaningfully. "No plans for now. Norvinsk needs to be quiet for a while and give the stage to those restless guys. Being in the spotlight all the time is not a good thing, neither for me nor for you."

Yelena frowned, not quite understanding what Victoria was referring to: "You mean...?"

"If I'm not mistaken, the guerrillas aren't planning to suspend their resistance, are they?" Victor stared into Yelena's eyes, then pulled out a map of Ursus from a drawer. "Even though winter is approaching, you're not planning to just hide away in the mountains and rest, are you?"

Yelena replied as a matter of course: "Of course. How can the bitter cold compare to the suffering of those infected people? Besides, with your support, the guerrillas have sufficient supplies. We have no reason to stop..."

Yelena was halfway through her oath when Victoria interrupted her with a serious face: "Ideals are wonderful, but I must remind you that the Norvinsk region has limited capacity for the infected. Compared to before the beginning of winter last year, the number of newly infected people this year has more than doubled. From the infected taken in by the guerrillas, the villagers who fled nearby, and those who fled from afar after hearing the rumors, the population of Norvinsk is now close to saturation. Before we completely absorb them, it will be difficult for us to continue to take in additional infected people, unless..."

Unless war is launched. Victory didn't say this out loud. He did have plans to train the infected as soldiers, but at this stage, it wasn't appropriate to bring it up. He had to wait until Duke Koschei arrived or civil unrest broke out in the Sixth Legion before he could legitimately increase his involvement in the war.

Yelena's eyes dimmed. Although she didn't understand Victor's intentions, she still quite agreed with the reasons he gave: "How many are left? How many infected people can Norvinsk accommodate at this stage?"

"Under a hundred people." Victor shook his head and gave an extremely cruel number: "After sending you the additional supplies, Norvinsk will officially reach saturation. In other words, if you plan to continue operations in the winter, you will have to find a way to accommodate the infected people on your own."

"There are less than a hundred spots left?" Yelena asked in disbelief, her eyes wide. "Is there no other way? You're so smart, you can definitely come up with a more reasonable plan, right? How can a hundred spots be enough? Destroying a mine can save more than a hundred people!"

Victoria just shook his head: "Unfortunately, this is the truth."

Yelena gritted her teeth and asked almost pleadingly, "If you can think of a way, five times, no, even ten or twenty times, as long as you agree, I will go on a date with you, okay? Even if you want that... please."

"Even if Mr. Patriot were willing to engage me in a one-on-one passionate workout, it would be useless." Victor gave Dorothy a look, then gently embraced the desperate girl. "Food and fodder must be sent before troops move. This is the rule of war. Feeding as many subjects as you have food is the fundamental quality of a lord. You and I are not gods, and it's impossible to save everyone. So, give up."

The girl sat in a warm embrace, yet her heart felt icy cold. She knew Victory was right. Uncontrolled admission of the infected would only lead to the collapse of Norvinsk. Rather than facing their fate together, it would be better to carry out redemption step by step. At least that way, the infected could be truly saved.

"But we won't stop, the guerrillas will continue to act. Even if Norvinsk no longer accepts us, the infected guerrillas will not stop." After a brief sadness, Yelena wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and answered in a resounding voice.

"Is that so?" Victoria looked at the determined profile of the girl in his arms. At this moment, Yelena looked like a strong warrior.

"How about we make a deal? If you go on a date with me, I'll teach you how to safely save more infected people."

"......Can."

PS: I have some small gifts for National Day for everyone. Unfortunately, I had a family gathering in the evening and didn’t have time to send them until now.

Surviving in a foreign country: 30 hardcore dates

"Since we've decided to go on a date, how about starting now?" Hearing Yelena's whisper of agreement, Victoria embraced the girl and sat back in his office chair. Looking at the girl, whose face flushed but who offered no resistance, Victoria gained a deeper understanding of the allure that enveloped him.

"Whatever you want." Yelena twisted her body uneasily. Because of her oripathy, she hadn't been so close to anyone for a long time. What's more, the boy's body temperature behind her was so hot that she couldn't control herself at all.

Sensing the girl's uneasiness, Victoria reached out and rubbed Yelena's ear, leaning his head closer and whispering softly, "Don't worry about frostbite. As a martial artist, I can still hold out for ten minutes."

"Yeah." Yelena shook her ears and relaxed her body obediently, but the blush on her face became more obvious.

Victor didn't point it out, but just stroked the ear from the tip to the base. The delicate and soft touch was fully fed back to Victor's heart through his fingertips, giving him the pleasant feeling of caressing a pet.

The only regret is that this pair of perfect ears is a little cold and lacks the warmth of an ordinary girl.

After playing with her for ten minutes, Victoria released Yelena's body as promised.

Yelena felt a little reluctant to let go of the warmth that suddenly left, but when she saw the smiling eyes of the boy behind her, Yelena still forced herself to leave the boy's arms.

"How is it? Are you comfortable?" Victoria asked with a smile as he looked at the girl whose face changed.

"Hmph, just okay." Yelena brushed away her messy hair and replied with a vague look in her eyes, "Okay, the date is over, now it's time to tell me what to do, right?"

"It's just a hug. A date isn't just about cuddling." Victor stood up and stretched his stiff body. Luckily, he'd recently drawn a new officer card that had improved his physique. Otherwise, the icy beauty before him wouldn't have been able to enjoy it. "But considering that hug just now, it's okay to tell you in advance."

"Hmm?" Yelena sat obediently opposite Victoria and listened attentively to what Victoria said.

"Do you know the survival rules of wolves?" Victor pointed to his head. "Unlike humans, who rely on their intelligence to thrive, wild beasts find it difficult to survive in extremely harsh environments. Therefore, they will do anything to survive, even if it violates the human ethics we avoid."

"What do you mean?" Yelena's face turned serious, and she buried the beauty just now deep in her heart.

"Implementing complete military management," Victory answered. "Mr. Patriot must have considered this plan, right? But in the end, it wasn't implemented."

Yelena nodded, her eyes filled with indescribable complexity. "Because most of the infected are illiterate and poor, even following orders is difficult, let alone military management. Furthermore, if the old stubborn man had really implemented this plan, Frost Star and the Yeti Squad wouldn't have appeared."

"But things are different now. Militarized management has become a necessity for you to continue your activities." Victor knocked on the table, forcing Yelena to look him in the eye. "As I said before, this land devours people. You can only rescue those who haven't fallen into the abyss yet. As for those who are already wandering near the abyss, if you try to forcibly pull them out, the result will only be that you will fall with them."

"Treating those we just rescued in a military manner, abandoning the elderly, the weak, the sick, and those who strayed. How is this any different from pushing them into the abyss with your own hands?" Yelena closed her eyes in pain, afraid to meet Victor's gaze. Because she knew Victor was right.

"But this will save more people." Victoria walked over to Yelena and put his arm around her shoulder again, ignoring the cold. "The infected are the lowest of this earth. If you want them to stand up, you must endure torture worse than hell. This is the price you pay for your unrealistic determination. Determination is not something you can just talk about. If you want to support something, you must bear its weight. So, will you continue?"

Yelena fell silent. She had always been busy fighting for survival and liberation, and rarely had time to think about such a sharp question. But now it was different. Reality and ideals had collided before her, and she had to make a choice.

"Don't be in a hurry, take your time to think about it. Winter is still long. Let's order the food first. How about going shopping with me after dinner?" Seeing that Yelena couldn't make up her mind, Victoria stopped provoking her and started talking about the date.

In reality, no matter which path Yelena and the guerrillas ultimately choose, it will ultimately have little to do with Victor. He and the guerrillas are on the same path, but they are unlikely to be in the same group. The main purpose of discussing this sensitive topic is to open Yelena's heart.

While he couldn't enjoy the Ice Beauty's body yet, that didn't mean Victoria didn't covet Yelena. He'd already figured that if he could collect three more... no, two more officer cards, he'd be able to travel safely with the help of the Wine Pool. He'd long coveted the taste of a snow rabbit.

Considering the dining atmosphere, Victoria did not take the two girls to the cafeteria this time. Instead, they went to the street in the snow. Compared with traditional food, street snacks might be more popular with the two girls.

Indeed, no girl would refuse those bizarre snacks, especially for Yelena, who grew up in a mine. White bread and broth were already a delicacy beyond her imagination, not to mention snacks like hot and sour soup, barbecue, and nut rolls.

Seeing Yelena's hamster eating so much, even Dorothy, who had been secretly jealous, couldn't help laughing out loud.

Seeing this, Victoria simply canceled lunch and took the girls to eat while walking. Norvinsk was a border city, so there weren't many snack bars, but the three of them still enjoyed their meal.