I'm in Terra

"If only Victor were here, at least I wouldn't have to rack my brains like this every day." Frost Star couldn't help but sigh as she counted the guerrillas' remaining supplies. For her, having grown up in the mines, learning both literacy and arithmetic was an extremely difficult and painful task. But for the guerrillas' future, Frost Star had to chew her fingers and count the supplies every now and then.

Just as Froststar was racking their brains over their inventory, the Yetis who had gone out to trade returned with strange news. They claimed that upon arriving at the village they were trading with, they were told that the village had already traded with a group of infected. To verify their claims, the village chief even took out the supplies that hadn't been stored in the warehouse to prove they were telling the truth.

So after asking for information to no avail, the snow monsters could only return to the camp with their heads covered.

"You mean to say that a team of infected people appeared in our territory?" Frost Star subconsciously narrowed her eyes after hearing the news. This was a habit she learned from Victoria.

Big Bear scratched his head and replied bewilderedly, "That's probably the case. We've seen the supplies being traded. They were animal skins and meat, along with some woven straw sandals and bamboo baskets. It doesn't look like something that village could have come up with. Furthermore, the village chief said the infected only exchanged for food, and the woman leading the group even asked for directions. Originally, they weren't planning on trading, but since the people doing the trading were all young girls, they gave them some food anyway."

"A group of infected individuals of unknown origin, possibly led by a woman?" Frost Star narrowed her eyes, a possibility flashing through her mind. Southern Luxembourg had already been largely infiltrated by them, and Victory was managing the north. These individuals were most likely wandering in from outside Luxembourg, and their purpose...

"Where did they go? What directions did they ask for?"

Big Bear shook his head. "I don't know. I didn't ask, but the village chief said they were heading north."

"Find them for me!" Frost Star frowned upon hearing this answer, and spoke slowly through his teeth: "They want to go to Norvinsk! But Norvinsk no longer accepts infected people. Plus, they have to cross the entire Northland. If they're unlucky, they might even run into Luxembourg!"

"Are these infected people doomed? Luxembourg is in civil unrest right now. Getting caught up in it is a dead end." After hearing Froststar's analysis, Big Bear realized the seriousness of the situation. "I know! I'll send a few brothers to catch up with them immediately!"

Survival in a Foreign Land: 50 Fateful Encounters

"Alina, don't you think the business has been going a little too smoothly lately?"

Tallulah shook the food she'd exchanged for, then looked at her best friend in disbelief. "This is already the third time we've traded. The villagers here are not only generous, but also seem quite helpful. Most importantly, how long has it been since we last saw those black bugs?"

"Almost two weeks," Alina replied affirmatively. "We haven't seen any trace of the black bugs since we arrived near Luxembourg. If those villages weren't equally old and dilapidated, I'd doubt we'd left Ursus without realizing it."

"Do you also feel something's wrong?" Tallulah rubbed her brow, feeling a mixture of joy and worry. "Perhaps there's something special going on here in Luxembourg? Or perhaps it's been affected by that legendary city? Anyway, it's a good thing the transaction went smoothly. The only problem is that in the villages we passed, no infected people seemed willing to travel with us."

Alina shook her head. "Is it because the living conditions here are better? So there's no need for the infected to migrate north."

"I hope so." Tallulah sighed. "Hurry up, everyone! We're running low on food, and we have nothing to exchange. We have to reach that city before the food runs out!"

"Yes!" The infected people who had been following Tallulah took a deep breath and responded to Tallulah's orders.

After their journey together, Tallulah and Alina completely captivated these infected. They were fair, kind, wise, and, most importantly, possessed immense power. The raging flames they could summon at will were like divine weapons to these unworldly peasants. Furthermore, the setbacks they encountered along the way were all predictable, and Tallulah's prestige gradually grew.

Even so, Tallulah's team's movement remained remarkably slow. These chronically malnourished infected were emaciated and frail, and their ability to cooperate in their escape was a testament to their sheer perseverance. Tallulah understood this, and so the entire team's pace slowed down.

This delay gave the Yetis an opportunity to exploit. In less than half a day, they had already located this bloated group. The Yetis immediately split into two groups: one to search for Froststar, who was awaiting news, while the other continued to follow the infected.

"Lady Talulah, it seems like someone's been following us." A day later, a slightly more alert infected person approached the two of them: "I'm not sure, but Aniu said he always felt like he was being watched. I bravely walked back the way I came last night and found no trace of wolves or bears. If something is really following us, it can only be a human."

Finally came.

Tallulah and Alina looked at each other and saw the worry in each other's eyes. They knew that the escape would not always be so smooth, but they did not expect that someone with bad intentions would appear after just one day.

"Wild beasts won't attack humans who gather in groups. We're likely being targeted by someone with malicious intentions." Without hesitation, Talulah issued an order based on her previous experience. "Everyone's been exhausted from running around for a while. If we continue to flee, the entire team will be disconnected. The best approach now is to stay together and wait until the pursuer reveals his intentions before making any decisions."

"This is the only way now." Alina nodded and agreed to Tallulah's order.

Seeing that both leaders had made their decision, the alert infected immediately relayed Tallulah's order. The entire team quickly gathered together, having previously been somewhat disorganized, and their rest period was significantly extended.

"What happened to those infected people? Can't they walk anymore?"

Seeing that the team in front suddenly began to stagnate, the snow monsters who had been hanging behind them also began to murmur.

"No, they're resting." The more experienced Big Bear immediately saw the infected's intentions. "Their formation is tighter and their rest time is longer. They're probably preparing for a long-distance raid. Tsk, how long will it take, Big Sister and the others? If we're any later, we might not be able to catch up."

"I'm here." Before he finished speaking, Frost Star's signature cold voice came from behind Big Bear: "The old stubborn ones can't catch up, so we will handle this matter this time."

Big Bear nodded and hurried back to the group with his younger brother. While he wasn't sure how to deal with these infected, Big Sister was sure he'd find a way. With this in mind, Big Bear obediently retreated back to the group. Little did he know that Frost Star was also facing a dilemma. The guerrillas were already nearing capacity, and the villages couldn't accommodate so many infected people.

She had initially given the order out of a desire to prevent these people from dying in vain, but to accommodate such a large group of people... unfortunately, she was not Victoria.

Forget it, let’s stop them first and ask the old stubborn guy other questions later.

Frost Star waved his hand, and the snow monsters coordinated and attacked in dispersed directions. Even though they came with good intentions, they still had to be wary of their evil intentions.

Soon, the Yetis surrounded the infected under the cover of ice and snow. While the numbers of the two sides were roughly equal, with the Yetis even outnumbered, they were all battle-hardened warriors, far more formidable than these ragged refugees. A real fight would likely result in a one-sided massacre.

After the Yeti had completed the encirclement, Froststar and Big Bear approached the group with a swagger. To show his sincerity, Big Bear even lifted his coat to reveal the traces of the infected on his body.

"Who's your leader? I want to see her." Froststar took the initiative to ask as they approached the infected's resting camp. Perhaps because Big Bear's actions were effective, the infected didn't become overly wary when they approached them, instead calling out to Tallulah and Alina at the front of the group.

After hearing their subordinates' announcement, Tallulah and Alina immediately put down their half-cooked porridge and quickly walked to the end of the team. "I'm the leader of this team. You've been following us, right? What can I do for you?"

After taking a quick look at Tallulah's outfit, Frost Star couldn't help but frown.

Her appearance was exquisite, her clothes elegant. Her military uniform was genuine, and the sword she wielded was no ordinary street vendor. This leader's attire was completely different from the other infected people around her. More importantly, she called herself the leader of the team, not the chief or leader.

This team was much more disorganized than Frost Star had imagined. She even began to wonder how these people had wandered into Luxembourg.

Could it be that the black bug vegetables from other places are picking their feet?

Survival in a Foreign Land: 51 The Flame of Hope Meets Eternal Ice

"Are you going to Norvinsk?"

Standing at the end of the team, Shuangxing looked around at the group of hungry and cold infected people. If it were her past, she might have accepted these people into the team without hesitation. Unfortunately, she couldn't do it now. It wasn't because she had become bad, but because her kindness was shouldering more important things.

But Tallulah, standing in the center of the crowd, misunderstood Froststar's meaning. She smiled in understanding after hearing Froststar's question, then extended her hand to the others with a smile: "Yes, we are planning to go to Norvinsk together. Do you want to join us?"

"Hmph." Frost Star mercilessly slapped Talula's extended hand away. With her exquisite manipulation, a bit of frost adhered to Talula's fingertips. Startled, Talula shuddered and instinctively retracted her hand.

What a strong guy.

Even if Frost Star wasn't watching, she could tell that the ice shards she had summoned only lasted a fraction of a second in Tallulah's hands. Clearly, Tallulah was also a master of Originium, and her earlier suspicions were correct. This guy wasn't some serious Infected.

As for how she made that judgment?

What a joke! She'd only heard of some infected being able to use the power of Originium to perform tricks, but she'd never seen anyone truly display Originium skills. They were all illiterate, yet this woman had become a mage, complete with that swanky military uniform... Oh, were all these spy invasions so straightforward these days?

Froststar's suspicions were well-founded. Of the guerrillas' numerous infected, no more than five could truly unleash their Originium skills, and that number included Froststar herself. Including her, all the spellcasters were battle-hardened elite warriors, and their Originium skills only gradually awakened after the infection reached the middle stage of the Ore Sickness.

As for the spellcasters among the refugees? Frost Star had never seen or even heard of them. Originium skills weren't readily available, yet that woman casually displayed them like they were commonplace. This utterly unreasonable behavior served no purpose other than arousing Frost Star's vigilance. She could only suspect that this spy had a mental disorder.

Gathering his thoughts, Froststar glanced at the surprised Tallulah one last time, then spoke coldly, "Since you led so many infected people to escape to Luxembourg, I'm only warning you once. Do not continue north, and you are not allowed to go to Norvinsk. If my people find you heading north again, I will kill you without mercy."

As if in response to Frost Star's words, there were suddenly rustling footsteps all around. Tallulah turned her head and found that they had been surrounded by these guys in white robes without realizing it.

Looking at the team of snow monsters holding sharp blades, several infected people who had the courage to speak up for Tallulah shrank back silently. Everyone's eyes were on Tallulah, waiting for the leader to make a decision.

Agree and avoid a fight. Or refuse and start fleeing all over again? Not only the infected, but even Talulah herself couldn't make a quick judgment. From Froststar's tone, it was clear they were also a team of infected, so why would she turn on her? Somewhat bewildered, Talulah looked to Alina beside her for help, but Alina could only respond with a bewildered look.

War? Or peace?

Tallulah took a deep breath and decided to have a proper conversation with the frosty figure before her. "Before I make a choice, can you please tell me the reason for this? We're all infected, so there's no need to be so nervous about each other, right? If your people have been following us all the way here, you should know that our team's food reserves are running low. If we can't get to Norvinsk in time, I'm afraid everyone will starve to death in the snow."

As she spoke, Tallulah unbuttoned her sleeves. Looking at the black marks on her arms, Frost Star's expression visibly eased.

"There's nothing to explain. Norvinsk no longer accepts infected people. Even if you go there, you'll leave hungry and dejected."

"Not accepting them anymore?" Tallulah's pupils shrank. She hadn't expected Frost Star to stop them for this very reason. "What about other cities? Luxembourg has such a harmonious environment, there must be other cities that still accept infected people, right?"

"What are you talking about?" Hearing Tallulah's nonsensical question, even Frost Star couldn't help but laugh. "Besides Norvinsk, where else in this snowy plain would you accept the infected? You've traveled all the way here from other places, yet you still ask such a foolish question?"

"I'm sorry, I spoke without thinking." Facing Frost Star's rebuke, Tallulah lowered her head and accepted it humbly. After realizing that these people in front of her were not enemies, the stone in her heart fell quietly.

"Can I ask you something?" Just as the conversation between Ice and Fire faltered, the previously silent Alina timidly raised her hand. "Who spread the news that Norvinsk was no longer accepting infected people? Were there any infected people driven out of that city?"

Frost Star turned to glance at the quiet and lovely Alina, her tone involuntarily slowing down. Compared to the suspicious Tallulah, this girl seemed lovely and quiet. "We don't need anyone to spread the word. We are the infected who walked out of Norvinsk. So I can tell you responsibly that Norvinsk will not be able to accept any more infected people until spring arrives."

"Do we have to wait until spring?" Alina's eyes dimmed, and then she nodded politely: "Thank you, sister."

"Don't be so polite, just call me Frost Star." Frost Star nodded, gently rubbed Alina's head, then turned and left: "Anyway, I have given you advice. If you insist on seeking death, don't blame me for being ruthless. Goodbye..."

"Frost Star, wait!" Seeing Frost Star walk away after she finished speaking, Talulah, who was feeling a little embarrassed, quickly stopped her. "Can you tell us if there's anywhere else to go besides Norvinsk? If that's not possible, can we join you? Our team is all infected people fleeing, and we're willing to do anything as long as there's a way to survive."

Tallulah spoke very sincerely, and even bowed deeply to Frost Star to show her sincerity.

But unfortunately, what she got in response was Frost Star's cold rejection.

"I don't know. You can figure it out for yourselves. Also, I advise you to give up the idea of joining us. We guerrillas don't accept trash."

Survival in a Foreign Land: 52 Brainstorming

There were no exceptions. Tallulah, with her dubious identity, was rejected by Frost Star, and her infected were also conveniently classified as waste by Frost Star. Although it sounded harsh, the fact was that these infected were completely useless except for eating dry food.

Despite being rejected by Froststar, Talulah wasn't overly upset, especially when she learned that Froststar and her team were affiliated with the legendary Infected Guerrilla. Talulah frankly acknowledged her own shortcomings and those of her Infected. Compared to the Guerrilla, they were truly nothing more than trash.

As living legends on the icefield, the Infected Guerrillas were arguably the most popular topic of conversation for Tallulah after dinner. Compared to the conspiracies and calculations taught by Koschei, their stories were genuine and engaging.

But despite her admiration, Talulah no longer had the time to chase after her idol. Norvinsk would only reopen in the spring, and the infected guerrillas had clearly declared they would not accept them. Before she knew it, Talulah and her group of infected had been strangled by reality, leaving them with no hope of survival. She lacked the confidence to lead such a large group to survive in this unfamiliar land.

Food, shelter, tools, warmth—all essential for surviving the winter, yet they had already traded all their valuables for food. If they couldn't find a solution, they were doomed to be buried by the wind and snow.

Alina had also considered this question. The two exchanged glances and quickly called in the brightest and most resourceful members of the infected group to discuss how to survive the winter. But to their disappointment, even with their collective brainstorming, they couldn't come up with a plan to keep everyone alive. Resources were scarce in winter, and hunting alone was simply not enough to feed so many people.

To survive in Luxembourg, they not only had to choose a base hidden from the black bugs but also find other sources of food. Unfortunately, there were no extraordinary people in the group; everyone was just an ordinary villager, with the only exception being Tallulah herself, dressed in extravagant clothes and of unknown origin.

and many more! ! !

Staring at the porridge in front of her, an idea suddenly came to Tallulah. If all went well, perhaps she could find a way to find extra food for the team.

That night, Tallulah told Alina her idea, and Alina highly agreed with Tallulah's decision.

Because the solution Tallulah came up with was that she and Alina would take the initiative to go to the surrounding villages or guerrillas to teach in exchange for a certain amount of food as compensation.

In the Ursus countryside, literacy rates were very low. Often, a village of dozens or even hundreds of people might not even have one person who could read. If Tallulah was willing to teach, there would definitely be villagers with enough food and money to spare who would learn. After all, anyone who knew how to read and count could find a decent job, even in a small town.

Normally, no villager would refuse this opportunity. Moreover, there were more than just Talulah in the team who could read and write. Alina had also been taught to read and count by her grandfather. If the two of them worked together, the food they obtained would at least make up for the team's expenses.

The next morning, Tallulah shared her idea with everyone. As expected, almost everyone agreed with her. With her leading the charge, even those infected with limited skills began to take on some responsibility, willingly agreeing to contribute to the team.

Hunting, collecting firewood, chopping trees, and building houses—they quickly divided their tasks. Talulah, along with Alina, took the initiative to follow the trail left by the infected guerrillas yesterday.

"What did you say? Teaching?"

When Tallulah came to visit, Frost Star was eating in the camp. After hearing Tallulah's introduction, Frost Star looked at the two of them suspiciously. "You look well-dressed, you know magic, and you can read. Before you became infected, you were probably some down-and-out nobleman, weren't you?"

"Let's just say so," Tallulah said vaguely, "Anyway, I can't go back after becoming infected, and I don't plan to go back. Just tell me if Alina and I can do this or not, right?"

Shuangxing nodded, tentatively believing her words. "We can do it, but how much do you plan to charge? Let's be clear, the villages around here aren't very well-off, so if you're counting on making money from this, you won't."

Seeing that Froststar agreed to the introduction, Tallulah suddenly became more confident. "This is easy. We've thought it through. We don't plan to make money from this business. As long as we can exchange it for food, it's fine. Alina and I will have two classes every day. In the morning, we have classes from sunrise to noon, and in the afternoon, from after lunch to dusk. You only need to pay a piece of flatbread or half a loaf of bread to attend each class. As for the students, we plan to teach no more than 20 people for now. After all, if the number of students is too large, we may find it difficult to teach them. As for the teaching content, we will spend half a day learning literacy and half a day on arithmetic. If they listen for a long time, we can also introduce some more advanced content. What do you think?"

"Half a pound for one class? That's not too expensive." Shuang Xing rubbed his chin and quickly made a decision: "I can introduce you, but I also have a condition."

Upon hearing this, Tallulah patted her chest excitedly and said, "Just ask for any conditions you want. As long as we can do it, we will definitely agree to it."

"Hmph, that's what you said." Frost Star snorted. "I can arrange for people to go to each village to introduce you, but the girl named Alina must stay in the guerrilla camp to teach. What are you looking at? We also pay tuition. What's the problem?"

Upon hearing that Froststar's goal was to hold a war training class for the guerrillas, Talulah's newly raised concern suddenly eased. "No, no problem. But can you let me give you a lecture? I'm actually quite curious about your guerrillas."

"No." Before Tallulah could finish her words, Frost Star interrupted her: "We can only let this little deer come. You must have been a noble before. We guerrillas don't trust slick nobles like you the most."

Upon hearing this, Tallulah had no choice but to agree. Although it was a pity that she could not have further contact with the infected guerrillas, at least she could solve her stomach problem first.

"It seems you've learned the rules of survival in the snowfield, which is good. But isn't your trust given too easily, my dear daughter? Are those infected people really worth your sacrifice?"

Survival in a Foreign Country: 53 The Prelude to Collapse

Many times, just to live, you need to try your best.

Tallulah, who had never had to worry about food and clothing since childhood, never understood this kind of thing, but after only a few months of wandering in the snow, she was forced to experience all the bitterness and hardships involved.

She had originally hoped to unite the infected and give the country a voice for the infected, but she hadn't expected things to be so difficult. Forget resistance; now, Tallulah had to fight tooth and nail just to survive.

Teaching wasn't as easy as she'd imagined. These children, who had never been to school, were innocent yet ignorant. Tallulah could only patiently repeat the knowledge over and over again, praying they would remember. The result of her day's hard work was often just three or four dry pancakes.

Even with the guerrillas' assurances and propaganda, the number of people willing to learn was far fewer than Tallulah had imagined. True ignorance isn't knowing you're worthless, but blindly believing learning is meaningless.

The only thing to be thankful for was that Alina's teaching was going much more smoothly than hers. Although the guerrillas only had three or four students, Alina said they were eager to learn and had great respect for her as their teacher. Most importantly, the girl named Frost Star, who had spoken with them that day, was among them. Alina easily became friends with her and even learned her real name.

Yelena, what a beautiful name.

Tallulah understood Froststar's reasons for rejecting her, but she disagreed with the guerrillas' current path. The vast majority of infected people in this world were simple, foolish, and ordinary. If one had to categorize them, what was the difference between them and those arrogant nobles?

If you don't stand among the crowd, you will not be able to speak for the crowd. If the infected people cannot make a deafening sound, the guerrillas' so-called rescue will ultimately be just wishful thinking.

At this time, the naive Tallulah still did not realize the cruelty of the world, and she still believed that her path was the right one.

"We're back." With a hoarse voice, Tallulah took Alina and greeted the infected people. These eagerly waiting infected people couldn't wait to take the food from Tallulah's hands and quickly shared it.

Apparently, they hadn't been able to hunt any animals again.

Tallulah understood them. With the weather so cold, many animals were hibernating. Add to that the nearby villages and guerrillas, and hunting wouldn't be easy. At least they had built a few simple wooden houses, and they always had plenty of firewood.

Although it was hard to live with only one meal a day, at least she wouldn't starve to death. Tallulah believed that everything would be fine when spring came.