I'm in Terra

Hunting Bee's expression froze, and he replied reluctantly, "Master."

"That's more like it." Victory let go of the thief's hand with satisfaction and gently dusted himself off. "I'm in a good mood today, so I'll treat you to some honey barbecue later. Winter is coming soon, and there won't be any honey to eat after this."

"You said it!" Upon hearing Victoria was going to treat him to honey barbecue, Hunting Bee instantly put his recent defeat behind him. "I haven't had honey barbecue for almost a month. I must eat my fill today. By the way, should we invite Sister Dorothy to come along?"

Victoria raised his eyebrows and patted Bee Hunter's butt meaningfully: "Don't shout, she has something else to do later."

The Hunting Bee, suddenly attacked, shuddered, realizing what was about to happen. However, considering that he would soon be able to eat honey barbecue, the Hunting Bee hesitated for a few seconds before obediently following behind Victoria.

Victoria, hands raised high, stood on the ropes of the ring, looking down at the soldiers below. "This month's promotion assessment is over, and an experienced soldier is about to receive his promotion. Tell me, do you also want such a promotion?"

"Yes!" The soldiers sitting still raised their right hands, their unanimous shout loud enough to shake the heavens. Especially those who had performed well in the martial arts exercises, they all rubbed their hands, looking forward to the next martial arts exercise.

"Excellent! I just love tough guys like you!" Victor looked around, and after the soldiers calmed down, he shouted, "Winter is coming soon, and this year's winter will be colder than usual. But it doesn't matter, our passion remains undiminished! I'm standing here to tell you that even in such a cold winter, daily drills and monthly exercises will proceed as normal! Not only that, everyone must have heard about the impending chaos in Luxembourg. Within six months, Norvinsk will inevitably face an extremely severe test. By then, new promotion channels will be opened for everyone. So, train! Train like crazy! Anyone who wants to have enough to eat! Anyone who wants to make money! Anyone who wants to find a wife and start a family! Anyone who wants to become an officer or noble! Train like crazy! If you miss your chance, don't blame me for not warning you! Do you hear me?"

"Ula!!!"

Survival in a foreign country: 35 I am a physical education teacher, this is a running

After inspecting the barracks, it was already past noon. While a bit late, it wasn't a problem for Victoria and Bee Hunter. Victoria was a spontaneous person, after all. And Bee Hunter? As for honey, dried fish, and barbecue, she'd happily wait for a day, even if it meant starving her.

In a snowy border town like Norvinsk, barbecue is undoubtedly the most popular delicacy. According to Victor, Norvinsk boasts nearly ten legitimate barbecue restaurants, and as for the barbecue eateries run by independent cooks, the number is countless. Victor and Hunting Bee's destination is the largest and best barbecue restaurant in Norvinsk: Barbarian.

The owner of this shop was once a seasoned hunter. While hunting a scimitar alone in the mountains, he injured his leg. Thought the hunt was a failure, he unexpectedly dragged the beast back to town despite his injured leg. This incident made him famous, but unfortunately, the injured leg left a lasting impression. Since then, the veteran hunter has disappeared, replaced by a discerning chef. It is said that he would personally go to the market every day on crutches to search for fresh ingredients that the hunters had just killed.

Thanks to the boss's pickyness and cooking skills, this barbecue restaurant has always been the most popular in Norvinsk. After tasting the barbecue, Hunting Bee instantly became a loyal customer of the Barbarian, and Victoria himself was also quite satisfied with this restaurant. The two often came to this restaurant to eat and drink together after sparring.

But this time, Victoria didn't come to this restaurant with the intention of taking his good friend out for a meal.

After getting into the private room with familiarity, Hunter Bee called out to the waiter at the top of his voice. Winter was approaching, and many people were dining in the main hall, leaving the few waiters scrambling around. Finally, a young-looking girl arrived. Hunter Bee didn't mind and skillfully took the order.

After placing the order, Hunting Bee didn't rush to close the shop. Instead, he watched the little girl carry the menu to the kitchen before collapsing in a chair. "It's been a while since I've been here. I must eat my fill this time."

Victoria smiled and shook his head, sitting down next to Hunting Bee. "Don't worry, I'll bring you here often. But compared to the barbecue in this restaurant, I'm actually more concerned about another issue."

Hunting Bee turned his head curiously: "What's the problem? Can it be more important than barbecue?"

Victoria smiled without saying anything. He put one arm around Bee's shoulders and gently rubbed her round, smooth thighs with the other. He kept rubbing until Bee's skin was covered in goose bumps. Then, with a strange smile, he asked, "I'm curious how you maintain these legs. They're so smooth and soft, you don't even look like they've been trained."

Hunting Bee shuddered, and just as he was about to explode, he saw Victoria's mischievous, sly smile. Recalling the promise he had made, Hunting Bee hesitated for a moment before turning his face away and letting Victoria manipulate him.

However, Victor had no intention of going any further. After briefly teasing the Hunting Bee, he released his mischievous hand. "You've probably heard all the news from my father and Luxembourg, right? Starting this winter, Luxembourg may be plunged into unprecedented chaos. Just in case, I need a capable and reliable bodyguard during this period. What do you think?"

"What else can I do? You're the coach now, so of course you have the final say." Hunting Bee grinned, picking up a spoon and digging into the side dishes. She was a very casual person, otherwise she wouldn't have such a similar temperament with Victoria. "Anyway, as long as you provide food and lodging, I'll do whatever you ask me to do."

Victoria nodded in satisfaction, his hand on Hunting Bee's shoulder sliding seamlessly to his waist. "That's good. As compensation, how about I treat you to a barbecue once a month, whenever conditions permit? Of course, if you want to participate in the military exercises, that's fine too. After all, I'll be participating myself."

"You have a conscience," Hunting Bee smacked his lips, selectively ignoring Victoria's actions. "But first things first, I don't mind you touching me, but if Sister Dorothy comes after you, don't drag me down with her."

Victoria laughed in silence. He hadn't expected the Bee Hunter to be worried about something like this. "Don't worry, eat your food. If you can't even handle such a small matter, then I don't deserve to be a lord. I'll just find a river and jump in."

"That won't do. Who's going to feed me if you jump into the river?" Hearing Victoria's ominous words, Hunting Bee immediately put down his knife and fork and elbowed Victoria. "You bought me in the first place. Even if you want to die, you should ask me first."

"Okay, I'll do as you say." Victoria shut up and focused on fiddling with the bee. And the bee stopped talking nonsense and focused on enjoying his lunch.

The two of them were doing their own things, like bad friends sitting at the same table. Only the occasional rubbing of Hunter Bee's legs proved that Victoria's actions were not ineffective.

In contrast to Victor's cheerful demeanor, Carter, also in the restaurant, was in a rather sour mood. He had invited Joroy to lunch that morning, but his brother had unceremoniously canceled the meeting. To ease the awkwardness, Carter had to temporarily replace the family dinner with a light meal with his aide, Sidro, and at the same time, he took out the letter Victor had just delivered that morning as a solace.

At first, Carter was quite relieved to see Victor's compliments and concern, and sighed that at least he still had a smart and obedient brother. But when he read the end of the letter and found that Victor was implicitly reminding him to deliver the promised supplies in time, Carter couldn't help but smash the cutlery in front of him.

"Can anyone tell me what's going on? Theoretically, the convoy I sent out should have arrived three days ago! If they'd moved quickly, they should have reached Luxembourg by now! But now Victory tells me he hasn't received the supplies I sent? Huh? Hidro. Tell me, could those carriages have grown wings and flown away on their own?"

"Calm down, Master Carter." Sidlo took the letter from Carter's hand with a serious expression and scanned the entire letter. "Master Victor is a smart man. The fact that he received the supplies but concealed them will not withstand investigation. Since he sent this letter, it is undoubtedly a warning to you that Luxembourg is about to become chaotic."

"Investigate, we must thoroughly investigate those people who are behind this." Carter took a deep breath and stared at Shidro beside him. "Duke Koschei will be in office soon, and those nobles will probably be unable to bear it anymore. I will arrange another convoy to transport supplies to Norvinsk. Shidro, you send out two teams, one team to thoroughly investigate the whereabouts of the previous convoy, and the other team to follow the new convoy. I don't care about the loss of this little bit of supplies, but I must find out who is behind this!"

Hidro bowed slightly: "Your will."

Survival in a Foreign Land: 36 Sit on the Mountain and Watch the Tigers Fight

"Paul, I have a task for you."

After lunch, Hidro approached his right-hand man, Paul, and briefly explained what had just happened. "I know you're not good at forensic investigations, so I'll give you two platoons of personal guards and leave the second convoy in your charge. Remember, the safety of the convoy is not paramount; this mission is to catch those behind this. You can abandon the mission if necessary to ensure the delivery of the message remains the top priority. As for finding the clues, I'll personally take charge."

"Understood." Paul took the order from Hidro and immediately stood up to prepare for departure.

Paul didn't ask any further questions. Both of them were smart people and knew that the probability of those people attacking the convoy again was very low. If they really wanted to catch those nobles, they would most likely rely on the search over there.

Under Carter's arrangement, the second convoy was ready almost that same day. Considering his reputation and face, Carter did not make a big fanfare for the second departure, but he also did not make any secret preparations, and sent out the convoy quite quietly.

But Hilde's situation was different. His experience immediately led him to dispatch two teams: one to investigate military movements in and around Luxembourg, while the other secretly departed the city to search for clues left by the previous convoy. This coordinated approach, both overt and covert, proved highly effective. In just two days, Hilde had identified four or five nobles with motives. As long as the investigation team could find relevant evidence, Hilde would immediately imprison them.

Even if the evidence wasn't comprehensive, it didn't matter. The higher-ups wouldn't delve into evidence about a dead person anyway. If it weren't for the nobles' identities, Hidro wouldn't even bother looking for evidence.

However, Hidro, lacking political acumen, failed to notice a problem. While his swift and decisive search was effective in eliminating political opponents and nobles, it was little different from a declaration of war. Almost the day after Hidro's operation, the nobles across Luxembourg began to collectively erupt in outrage.

The recent disturbances had already heightened people's vigilance, and now that the search had begun, almost everyone saw it as a sign of reckoning. Especially after Hilde announced he had found evidence of treason and invited several nobles he normally didn't deal with for tea, the entire Luxembourg region erupted in unrest.

The traditionalists, the aristocrats, the military, and even the centrists, including Joloy, all began their own actions. However, Hidro ignored them and persisted in eliminating the nobles he had found evidence of, until another piece of bombshell news arrived.

As Luxembourg was plunged into turmoil, news from Saint-Horn Castle sent shockwaves through the city. The Duke of Cosice had been assassinated, and the new Duke of Cosice announced that he would relinquish his position as General of the Sixth Legion, instead electing a new general from within the Sixth Legion.

As soon as the news came out, almost everyone thought that Hidro's move was to pave the way for Carter in advance, so everyone started their own madness.

In early November, Hidro began investigating.

On November 10, the new Duke announced his resignation as general.

In mid-November, an unexpected riot broke out in Luxembourg. Carter, acting governor, was stabbed several times and nearly killed. Adjutant Hilderow, no longer holding back, immediately seized control of the army and prepared to forcibly seize control of Luxembourg.

In late November, infected guerrillas attacked two mines in southern Luxembourg and massacred the pickets in the nearby villages. However, no one cared about such things anymore; everyone's attention was focused on the chaotic battle that was about to begin.

At the end of November, Hilde was assassinated by unknown individuals. A cup of hot coffee brought by a maid took away this iron-blooded but inflexible aide-de-camp. Acting Governor Carter was still seriously injured. The entire Luxembourg was leaderless, and even within the army, countless factions had emerged.

The vortex of power and desire began to gradually sweep across Luxembourg.

After Hilde's death, the nobles, like sharks smelling blood, ruthlessly fought for the rights left vacant by Hilde. They all concealed the chaos within Luxembourg from their superiors and began a bloody and cruel conspiracy among themselves.

But none of this had anything to do with our Lord Victoria in faraway Norvinsk. He was just a kindhearted lord who worked diligently for the benefit of his people and occasionally threw a cherry blossom party with the girls. What did he have to do with the power struggles within Luxembourg? The fact that the entire Norvinsk remained prosperous during the winter, unaffected by the effects, was the best proof of this.

"The guerrillas ultimately stayed. Mr. Patriot followed my advice and led them on a roaming expedition through southern Luxembourg. This way, the entire Luxembourg population will be drawn to the vortex, and no one will notice the quiet rise of an inconspicuous border town." Victor glanced at the intelligence Paul had sent from Luxembourg, tossing the letter into the fireplace, and glanced down at the hardworking Hunter Bee, who was kneeling under his desk. "Keep working hard! If you didn't know better, you'd think I wasn't feeding you."

Hunting Bee rolled his eyes and quickened his movements. "If you dare to order me around like that, sooner or later Sister Dorothy will tear you into pieces."

"Her? Even the invincible Dorothy would be utterly defeated by me." Victoria sneered and adjusted himself to a more comfortable position. "Besides, you know how comfortable a massage from someone who's practiced martial arts is. I'd be happy even if I were to be torn to pieces."

"What do you mean by happy?" Before she finished speaking, Dorothy pushed open the office door, holding a document in her hand. She looked at Victoria, who was talking to himself, with some curiosity: "Speaking of which, have you seen Shura? Why don't I see her?"

Victoria slumped in his chair and made up an excuse: "Hunter Bee? She said she was a little bored, so I gave her half a day off."

"Really? This girl is so disrespectful! I'll teach her a lesson later." Dorothy didn't suspect anything and casually placed the documents in front of Victoria. "This month's tax report is out. Remember to take a look after you've rested up. I'm going to the Finance Department first. I heard that the mine has seen considerable growth this month."

"give it to you."

Victoria nodded and closed his eyes again. Only after the door slammed shut did he look down and ask, "Why did it stop so suddenly? Keep playing the music and keep dancing."

Survival in a Foreign Land: 37 Black Snake's Death

Blood slowly flowed down from the luxurious wooden chair, soaking the precious carpet at the feet.

Tallulah raised her head, desperately trying to see a trace of panic on the man before her. But she failed. The snake-like man leaned back in his chair with a smile on his face. It was as if the blood wasn't gushing from his heart, as if he was the victor.

And Tallulah and the sword piercing his chest are just shortcuts for him to reach a higher level.

"I win, Kosice." After confirming that the man was completely dead, Tallulah trembled and let go of the sword, letting it pierce the man's chest so abruptly.

This sword was the one she used for practice. Tallulah had always dreamed of using this sword to pierce the chests of Kosice and Wei Yanwu one day.

Today, she succeeded, but Tallulah wasn't as excited as she'd imagined. The reason, naturally, was the man before her, who smiled even in death. She still remembered Kosciuszko's dying whispers, and it was precisely to prove that everything Kosciuszko had said was nothing but malicious imagination that she pierced his heart.

"Tallulah, you're as angry as ever. That's good. I like the way your eyes burn. It shows how foolish and naive you are."

"It's better than being normal, a dark and venomous snake like you."

"You're wrong again. I remember I've taught you many times that schemes and tricks are merely means. The only thing that truly matters is you. Tallulah, my heir, how long will it take you to understand this obvious truth?"

"Maybe I'll never figure it out. Koschei, no beautiful flowers can grow from poisonous soil. Your theory will never take root in my heart."

"I like the idea that wicked soil can't produce beautiful flowers. Talulah, let's make a bet. Let's bet on whether you can find the perfect soil you dream of in Ursus. Compared to my private lessons, I believe this land can teach you better."

"Asshole! What did you do to me?"

"Relax. Why would I use such vile and harmful spells on my own successor? My spell simply accelerates the process of you understanding this land, questioning yourself, doubting yourself, hating yourself, and then looking at yourself again. Even without this spell, the facts I teach you will continue to occur. It simply saves you time."

"You think you can make me surrender with this method? I will prove to you that your vicious words are worthless!"

"Really? I look forward to your exploration, and I welcome your indulgence at any time.

Tallulah, everything I teach you will be reborn in your mind, and you will weave this knowledge anew like unraveling a thread.

You will break away from your original superstitions and find a winding but ultimately definite path in the rich garden of wisdom.

Tallulah, the fate of Ursus is closely tied to you.

The black snake will walk with you, and this immortal will will never die."

"You have no right to stand by my side! The only place left for you is hell!!!"

Snap————

The sudden sound of the door opening disturbed Tallulah's thoughts. She almost instinctively pulled out the sword that was stuck in Koschei's chest and looked vigilantly at the servants coming in from outside the door.

But to her surprise, the servants ignored her vigilance. They calmly and indifferently came to Tallulah's side, bowed slightly, and then indifferently cleaned up the debris at the scene.

Kosice's body, the luxurious wooden chair, the blood-stained carpet, everything that did not match the room was carefully erased by the servants until the blood stains were wiped off, a new carpet was laid, and a wooden chair of similar style was placed in front of Tallulah.

Tallulah was stunned. She looked at the maids and servants who were busy like worker bees, and for a moment she didn't know what to do, until one of the maids suddenly snatched the sword from Tallulah's hand.

Tallulah was startled and immediately wanted to use fire to kill the attacker, but when she turned her head to look to the side, she found that the maid had just taken out a handkerchief and carefully wiped the blood off the sword and carefully applied some knife oil on it.

Tallulah collapsed. She snatched the sword and placed it on the maid's shoulder. "What's wrong with you? Kosice is dead! Why are you still working so nonchalantly?"

The maid blinked in confusion, then turned to look at the head maid, who was cleaning the windows. Hearing the commotion, the head maid rushed over and bowed deeply, her expression still unwavering. "Lord Kosciuszko is dead. According to the law of succession, you are the next Duke designated by Lord Kosciuszko. If you need anything, please feel free to ask us. If you dislike this maid, please tell me and I will arrange for her to be out of your sight."

"That's not the question!" Tallulah grabbed the head maid by the collar and forced her to look at her. But when she saw the head maid's calm eyes, she relaxed and said, "You mean to say that if Kosciuszko dies, I will be the next Duke of Kosciuszko?"

"That's right." The head maid straightened her torn collar. "It's almost dinner time. Do you want the chef to start preparing?"

"No need! You just need to tell me what Kosice told you before he died?" Tallulah looked serious. She had realized the significance of Kosice's move.

You want to use the power of the nobility to corrupt me? Wishful thinking!

The head maid pushed up her rimless glasses, which had no prescription. "Nothing has been said, but according to His Majesty's order, you will go to Luxembourg in the north to take up the post of commander of the legion in the new year."

"Become the commander of the legion? I knew it would be like this." Hearing the maid's answer, Tallulah became even more certain of Kosciuszko's intended trick. "Cancel it for me. Even if I inherit everything Kosciuszko has, I won't use a single bit of his power. Also, prepare lunch later. I need to be out for a while."

"We await your return." All the maids bowed simultaneously and continued to clean the house as if nothing had happened. Even without the Duke, the butler and head maid were able to keep the entire mansion in perfect order. All they had to do was wait for the orders from the 'Duke of Kosice'.

A cold breeze blew past, and Tallulah, exiting the mansion, took a snowflake and watched it melt in her palm. She had no intention of staying in Kosice's mansion any longer; she knew that if she continued there, she would be corrupted by power and wealth.

She wanted to prove herself right, to prove that there was goodness in this land. As for Luxembourg, as the maids had mentioned, that might be a good start. But before that, she had to enter the world of the lower classes.

Survival in a Foreign Country: 38 Determination to Change

The snow had returned, and even in southern Luxembourg, the gray sky offered no warmth. Froststar tightened her somewhat worn cloak and, after a moment's hesitation, chose to sit by the fire.

For some reason, Froststar's body had grown increasingly cold since leaving Norvinsk. The skin that had once been briefly touchable had become off-limits. Pulling the stiff cloak off her body had become a daily routine, and her companions' gazes grew more and more anxious.

"This is actually quite good. At least I'm not so afraid of the cold anymore." Froststar tried to comfort them with such lighthearted words, but her pretense was completely shattered when the snow monsters embraced each other rather than let the fire burn. She knew the problem lay with her Ore Disease. If she didn't properly manage the use of Originium, Froststar Yelena's name might be engraved on the stones by the roadside.

Even so, how could she let it go? The infected rescued from the mines had yet to find a place to stay, the guerrillas' food supply was visibly depleting, their equipment was becoming increasingly dilapidated, and the enemy was becoming increasingly powerful. If she didn't give it her all, every battle would be a disgusting farewell.

If someone must be buried in this cold winter, Frost Star hopes that person must be herself.

"But if you do this, you will kill everyone. Don't forget, you should be able to do what you can do. The more arrogant you are, the more embarrassing your fate will be."

By the warm bonfire, Frost Star's eyes became increasingly blurred. She felt her body warming up after a long time, so much so that she couldn't help but recall her conversation with Victoria by the bonfire in the city hall.

At that time, Victoria held her in his arms, scolding her for her weakness, but his hands honestly caressed her body, constantly bringing her brief warmth.

So, is there anyone who likes a guy like me? Shuangxing smiled and closed her eyes, treating this memory as a beautiful dream.

Squeak————

The sound of snow being cut through reached her ears, followed by the patriots, wrapped in a cold wind. Frost Star knew who was coming, but the sound of their swift approach did not arouse her vigilance.

"You've been slacking off." A dull, hoarse voice echoed beside her. Frost Star was startled to realize how harsh her father's voice had become. Time and mineral sickness had not only left their mark on her, but even the most legendary warriors were not immune.

The Patriot ignored Froststar's silence and sat by the campfire, talking to himself: "If this continues, we'll be overwhelmed by the wind and snow. In just one month, we're already running low on food."