Cut off my army's food supplies? I'll open a portal between the two worlds and max out my

"Why is it you?"

What are you doing here?

Black Stone and White Wolf asked each other questions.

"I am a representative of the White Wolf Herding Clan and a member of Anxi Town. What's wrong with me eating here?"

White Wolf said smugly, straightening his back and revealing his identity badge at his waist.

"Oh."

Blackstone also has an identity tag, which he inadvertently revealed.

But what the white wolf said bothered him greatly.

The White Wolf Clan has joined Anxi Town? The Black Stone Clan hasn't officially joined yet! They're just holding temporary identity tokens.

Blackstone spoke up, "White Wolf, remember this: we, the Blackstone Shepherd Clan, were the first to follow the General!"

The white wolf scoffed, "I've heard that you Blackstone Shepherds are still using temporary identity tokens? Look! These are official identity tokens from Anxi Town!"

White Wolf proudly displayed his identity token, which was indeed more exquisitely crafted than Black Stone's.

Black Stone's expression froze on his face.

But he quickly changed his tune: "Ha, so what if that's the case? You're always the newcomers, while we Blackrock Clan have been working for the General from the very beginning."

It's hard to imagine that Blackstone, such a burly man, speaks in such a refined and witty manner; he learned these skills from the merchants in Chenyang County.

White Wolf had never encountered such witty banter before. After Black Stone said that, he was a little carried away and wanted to continue, but Black Stone turned and left.

Although Black Stone retorted to White Wolf, he felt a pang of jealousy, since he and his people hadn't received their official identity tokens yet.

For the next two days, Black Stone wanted to talk to Li Wen about this, but he felt it wouldn't be good to speak directly, so he always seemed hesitant to say anything.

Seeing Heishi's repeated expressions, Li Wen knew he had something to say, so he asked impatiently, "If you have something to say, then say it. Why do you look like a wronged woman?"

Faced with Li Wen's complaints, Black Stone just chuckled.

"General, please excuse my rudeness. I do have something to say, but I'm too embarrassed to speak it."

In Blackstone's view, there are two completely different things about someone bringing this up on their own initiative versus someone asking on their own initiative.

If I were to ask for something, it would sound like I'm demanding something; but if Li Wen asks me first, it would sound like I'm cooperating.

Li Wen saw through Hei Shi's little scheme but didn't point it out:

"Then tell me quickly."

Li Wen's voice was quite helpless; he hadn't expected this guy to have learned the skill of reading people's expressions.

"General, you seem to have forgotten something. Our Blackrock Shepherds are still using temporary identity tokens... White Wolf and the others already have official identity tokens."

Blackstone said with a hint of resentment.

Li Wen sensed a sour undertone in Heishi's words, but realized he had overlooked this aspect of the issue.

Li Wen patted his forehead and said, "This is my fault. Your identity tags were made beforehand, and you were supposed to register them when you came back, but I've been busy these past two days and forgot... Here's what we'll do: go find Jiang Tian and talk about registering your identity tags. He'll guide you through the process. But let me be clear: you've certainly made contributions and worked hard for Anxi Town, but if you make a mistake, I'll punish you equally. Don't blame me for being ruthless later. First, talk to Jiang Tian about the rules. If he's not satisfied, Anxi Town will compensate you with supplies for your previous contributions..."

"General, rest assured! We are very satisfied! The people of the Black Stone Herdsmen all know that they can only live a good life in Anxi Town! I'll go report to Chief Jiang now."

Black Stone immediately put on a happy face and scurried off to find Jiang Tian.

Jiang Tian also told him the conditions for officially becoming a resident of Anxi Town, including abiding by the rules of Anxi Town, and that he, as the representative, would be punished if any member of the clan made a mistake, etc.

Blackstone agreed without any hesitation.

Black Stone had been to the Great Zhou, and his feelings about it were even deeper than White Wolf's.

White Wolf joined Anxi Town probably because of his perception that Anxi Town was particularly powerful.

Blackstone was different; he recognized the difference between civilization and barbarism.

Anxi Town undoubtedly represents civilization.

Furthermore, Blackstone believed that the civilization of Anxi Town was even more advanced than that of the Great Zhou Dynasty!

After obtaining their official identity cards, the Blackstone herders displayed unparalleled enthusiasm for their work, and the temporary shelter prepared by Anxi Town was built a day ahead of schedule with the enthusiastic help of the Blackstone people.

The day after the temporary shelter was built, scattered refugees appeared in the Gobi Desert.

These refugees didn't know why they had come here; they were in a state of utter despair.

After learning that refugees were forbidden from entering Yumen Pass, they disappeared without a trace.

These refugees were very confused. They were citizens of the Great Zhou Dynasty before, and paid several times the usual taxes... Now they had become refugees without household registration!

They ate everything they could find.

Now, wherever they go, they basically just gnaw on tree bark and eat grass roots... After arriving in the Gobi Desert, they were devastated to find that there seemed to be no tree bark here.

What are you gnawing on?

While they were still confused, someone noticed a column of smoke drifting from the south.

"Smoke! Someone's starting a fire to cook!"

No one knows who shouted that, but more than twenty refugees headed toward the Anxi Town shelter.

There's a saying that goes, "Looking at a mountain makes a horse run itself to death," and the situation faced by these displaced people was similar.

Even though the smoke column wasn't very far, they still ran for a long time. Coupled with the exhaustion caused by hunger and malnutrition, several people almost fell behind.

Surprisingly, the group of refugees did not abandon their weak companions; instead, a few of the stronger individuals helped the frail man move forward.

"Hang in there, there's someone making a fire up ahead... If we beg for some noodle soup, we can live another day."

The elderly man at the head of the group offered his advice.

And so, these twenty-odd refugees made it to the shelter.

Upon seeing the refugees, Jiang Tian stepped forward and asked, "Who are you? Where are you from?"

The old man stepped forward and weakly replied, "Sir, we are originally farmers from the Yanshan area. We were ravaged by barbarians, and our crops and villages were all destroyed. We fled here hoping to get a bowl of noodle soup..."

The old man didn't ask for much. He knew the Gobi Desert was a poor place, so he just wanted a bowl of noodle soup to drink, so that he could at least survive today.

As for tomorrow... he no longer had the energy to think about it.

Jiang Tian could guess where these people came from just by looking at them, and he had deliberately asked them the question he already knew the answer to.

He surveyed the group of thugs and, seeing that they were starving and pale but had not abandoned their companions, he was surprised and felt a surge of goodwill towards them.

It should be noted that the brothers in the Anxi army suffered the same fate.

"Alright, please come and sit down at the porridge stall. I'll have someone prepare some plain porridge for you."

"what?"

The old man thought he had misheard, but when he saw Jiang Tian lift the iron pot next to him, the aroma of steaming white porridge instantly brought tears to his eyes.

Porridge! It's porridge!!!