I'm in Terra

"Big sister, try this. It's fresh broth, and I warmed it up for you." Compared to Tallulah's struggle for survival, the Yeti camp was a scene of joy. Yelena and Petrova sat by the campfire, struggling to read the books they had seized. The big bear, who had burst into the tent, brought them both a bowl of steaming broth.

"What? Another kill?" Elena, catching the rare aroma of meat, put down her book and took the broth. There was only a small piece of leg meat in it, but Elena didn't mind. The warm broth and the slick of fat were the perfect comfort on a winter night. The same thing happened to Petrova beside her. Her bowl of soup was still warm, but she continued to guzzle it.

Big Bear grinned, his face revealing a look of unconcealed pride. "There's plenty of prey around here. I caught a whole nest of snow rabbits today. If nothing else, at least my brothers can have a taste of meat for the next few days."

"That's enough." Yelena nodded. "The old stubborn man came this afternoon and said that Mr. Bush introduced us to a businessman who is also willing to provide us with assistance. Of course, there are conditions."

"Oh? The businessman recommended by Mr. Bush?" Big Bear was curious. "What conditions did he put forward?"

"That merchant's name is Ian, and he has a very well-behaved and lovely daughter." Yelena sipped the warm soup, but her eyes were devoid of joy. "He's an active merchant traveling north and south, but he mainly lives in the town of Woden, not far from us. But a while ago, while he was out doing business, his daughter 'accidentally' contracted oripathy on the street. Coincidentally, there was a team of infected patrols patrolling nearby at the time."

Hearing Yelena's description, a fierce glint subconsciously flashed in Big Bear's eyes. They were all too familiar with the methods of those black bugs. The merchant's daughter's sudden infection with mineral sickness was clearly no simple accident.

"You can guess what happened next." Yelena picked up the small piece of boned leg meat and slowly tore and chewed it until she had pried the entire bone apart and sucked out even the marrow. Only then, with some regret, did she toss it into the fire. "The patrol took his daughter away and made him pay a large ransom. But Mr. Ian is a smart man. He realized early on that the patrol was an insatiable pest, so he contacted us through Mr. Bush."

Big Bear was a little confused: "He wants us to help him rescue his daughter?"

"No." Yelena shook her head. "He wants us to help him get revenge. Mr. Ian's daughter couldn't bear the humiliation... and she committed suicide."

"A bunch of beasts!" Big Bear slammed his thigh hard. "When do we set off?"

Frost Star's eyes had returned to calm. She had witnessed countless similar tragedies before. "Old Stubborn and I have already discussed it. He will continue to lead the guerrillas to maintain order in the surrounding villages and towns, and our Snow Monster Squad will handle this matter. Tell the brothers to eat well these two days and don't be too lenient when it comes to killing people. We will set off in three days. Mr. Ian will need some time to determine the whereabouts of those beasts."

"I understand." Big Bear nodded and hurried out of the tent.

"What about the infected group here?" After watching Big Bear leave, Petrova, who had been silent the whole time, finally expressed her concerns: "If we're not here, they might do something weird."

"They're not bad people, at least Tallulah and Alina aren't." Froststar looked at the little broth left in front of her and drank it all in one gulp. "As for those infected who look so useless, do you think they have the guts to cause trouble in our territory?"

Petrova responded noncommittally: "It's hard to say. I hope they don't dare."

"Let's observe for another two days. It won't take us long to make the trip anyway."

"Too."

Survival Abroad: Important Notice

Today, Mr. Hokusai blew up six cars in the Eight Treasure Porridge battlefield and scored 36,000 points. Please be informed.

To celebrate this historic moment, I'm writing one more chapter today to share the joy with the people.

Don't talk about the dragon supermodel, this is all the hard work and sweat of Mr. Hokusai.

Above

PS: Mr. Hokusai has never seen such a high score in his life, hehe.

Image: "1728642571, hehehehe", Location: "Images/100416454-112222894-.jpg"

Survival in a Foreign Land: 54 Betrayal

Three days later, the Yeti team left their base, ready to help the businessman named Ian achieve revenge.

Out of courtesy, Frost Star said goodbye to Alina before leaving and informed her that she would have to suspend her studies for a day or two.

Despite the sudden loss of their food source, Tallulah and Alina weren't overly alarmed. They knew that teaching was only a temporary solution; the guerrillas wouldn't always have time to study with them, and occasional, or even permanent, separations were a possibility. Fortunately, the village classes didn't cease, and they could at least bring back a few loaves of bread to support the group.

The two discussed it and decided that Alina would temporarily take over the students Tallulah was assigned to, while Tallulah herself, sword in hand, headed deep into the forest. If there was no stable food source, hunting in the snowy forest was a good option.

The snowy forest was exceptionally cold in the early winter. Fortunately, Tallulah was still young, and with her noble Draconian bloodline, the cold couldn't stop her. Entering the forest, all she saw was overgrown weeds. Even the bark on the trees was incredibly hard. Forget wild animals; Tallulah couldn't even see any decent weeds.

But Tallulah wasn't surprised. She knew hunting in the snowfields was far more difficult than it looked. After carefully searching her surroundings, Tallulah glanced at the sky and continued deeper into the forest.

Whether intentionally or not, the direction in which Tallulah was heading happened to be the same direction that the hunters in her team usually went.

Pushing aside the grass and avoiding dead branches, Tallulah continued to go deeper into the snow forest along the intricate paths. As the traces of humans gradually disappeared, the traces of animals unknowingly increased.

After just over an hour of walking, Tallulah discovered several sets of footprints belonging to the Rift Beast in the woods. Instead of being startled, Tallulah was delighted. She drew her sword from her waist and slowly made her way through.

Carnivorous beasts have vast territories, and even if they were found, finding them was no easy task. As an inexperienced newbie, Tallulah could only rely on her perseverance and luck. But luck didn't seem to be on her side today. The hungry young woman searched all afternoon without finding the owner of the footprints.

Rubbing her rumbling stomach, Tallulah forced herself to continue exploring. Perhaps it was because she was too hungry, but she could faintly smell the aroma of broth.

How long had it been since she'd had some meat broth? Tallulah looked a bit lost. Their group hadn't had enough food along the way, and the rare prey they caught had to be processed and traded for food in the village. She remembered the last time they'd had meat broth was when Alina had just taken her in. They were inseparable then. In the mornings, Alina would do the housework while Tallulah went hunting. In the afternoons, they worked and lived together, and at night, they slept in each other's arms, discussing their dreams and the future.

Life was so beautiful back then, but unfortunately...

As she reminisced, the faint aroma of meat became stronger, and Tallulah's stomach growled, reminding her that this was not an illusion.

Tallulah was shocked and became much more sober in an instant. No wonder she couldn't find any trace of animals. It turned out that someone had already set up a pot and cooked in this deep forest.

Tallulah slowly approached following the scent, and soon found a small campfire near a remote hill. Several people were guarding the campfire, working together to stew delicious food.

Tallulah rubbed her stomach and was about to step forward to ask for a bowl of hot soup, but she took a step back in an instant. Just as she was about to stand up and move forward, one of the people gathered around the campfire stood up to gather their belongings. Through a gap between the trees, Tallulah could clearly see the man's face.

It was none other than one of the hunters in her team!

As they divided the food between them and each of them devoured it with their wooden bowls, Tallulah seemed to be stuck in place, unable to move forward.

She remembered the promise these hunters had made to her: they would move forward together and support each other to survive. But now, what did she see?

'This is betrayal.'

Just as Tallulah was stunned, a familiar and sharp voice sounded in her heart.

"They broke their promise. Every night when you came home, they were eager to share the food you and Alina worked hard to earn. But when they made a profit, they chose to keep it all for themselves."

Tallulah subconsciously retorted, "No, that's not right. They're just too hungry. Maybe they caught a few prey, but they just started eating them because they were too hungry. When they come back, they will definitely bring the prey to share with everyone."

The voice inside me kept asking, "Why don't you go up there? Why don't you go forward and confirm the truth? If you just go over there, all the problems will be solved, right?"

"I..." Tallulah was speechless. No matter how much she tried to comfort herself, she didn't have the courage to go forward. She was afraid, afraid to face this cruel reality.

Watching the hunters in the distance enjoying their feast, Tallulah instinctively retreated, afraid to move forward, and ultimately fled. Sensing Tallulah's surging emotions, Kashena, far away in Norvinsk, couldn't help but laugh. "You can't handle it just yet? This is just the appetizer."

Tallulah, in a daze, didn't notice her own footprints were leaving a mark on the snowy path. She just kept running, trying to clear her mind of thoughts.

She knew it was the Black Snake that was influencing her, but she couldn't forget it. The scene she had just seen was like a photo embedded in her mind, constantly reminding her.

Before she knew it, Tallulah had escaped to where Alina was taking classes. Seeing Alina packing up her food and preparing to return to the camp, Tallulah threw herself into her arms.

Only Alina can soothe the bitterness in her heart.

"What's wrong, Little Tower? Didn't you find any prey?" Alina noticed that Tallulah had empty hands and looked dejected, and assumed she was blaming herself for returning empty-handed. "It's okay, think about it. So many experienced hunters in the team went out hunting and couldn't find any prey. Isn't it normal for Little Tower to go out alone and not find any prey?"

Tallulah didn't say anything, just swallowed the bitterness. She knew that telling Alina about this would be useless. The kind-hearted Alina would never have the heart to punish those people.

But what Tallulah didn't expect was that the real nightmare had just begun.

Survival in a Foreign Land: 55 I Am Not Myself

"We're back."

As the sun gradually set, Tallulah, having finally released her emotions, hurried back to camp with Alina. Although she held out no hope, she still hoped that the hunters would return with their prey, cheering and inviting everyone to share the broth.

But when the two returned to the camp and looked at those pairs of eyes that were so familiar and full of expectation, Tallulah's heart sank to the bottom.

"Obviously, they didn't do what you wanted." A devilish voice sounded in her heart, causing Tallulah to look at the person she had discovered.

Tallulah remembered his name, Jack, a simple and easy-to-remember name. He was almost the first to join this group of infected people, and he was also someone Tallulah trusted very much.

"I'm sorry, I didn't find any prey today." Noticing Tallulah's gaze, Jack subconsciously lowered his head and apologized as usual.

"This is betrayal, remember? The betrayer must be killed, otherwise one betrayer will breed a group of pests and eventually cause the entire team to fall apart."

"Really? It's okay. I understand your difficulties." Tallulah wore a bitter smile and comforted everyone as usual. "Let's not talk about you. We also had a little accident here. When I went to teach this morning, the guerrillas told me that they would be leaving for a day or two. During this time, our food supply might be temporarily reduced by half."

As soon as these words were spoken, the team exploded. Everyone subconsciously stared at the cloth bag in Tallulah's hand, and the desire in their eyes became more and more obvious.

"why is it like this?"

"How come those guerrillas just left without saying anything?"

"Are we going to be hungry again now?"

"Didn't we agree that everyone should do their job? Why do I work so hard every day but still have to go hungry?"

Listening to the gossip around her, Tallulah blushed with shame. She had indeed promised everyone to keep them well fed and clothed, but now she couldn't do it.

Jack's eyes flashed with realization and surprise as he listened to Tallulah's explanation, but he still reached out to stop the surging crowd and took the initiative to excuse Tallulah: "Stop arguing! Everyone, just eat less for the next two days. The guerrillas are only gone temporarily, not dead. If all else fails, just eat tree bark for two days."

Hearing Jack's words, the hunters joined in, "Yeah, yeah, we're out hunting in the snow, and we're not complaining, but you guys hiding in your houses warming yourself by the fire are complaining?"

Hearing that the surging public opinion had been suppressed by a few people, Tallulah felt no joy in her heart. She had vowed to change the living conditions of the infected, allowing them to stand up in this snowy plain. But now? Whether it was these ignorant infected who slandered her or those hypocritical hunters, they all made the inexperienced her feel sick.

No! How could I have such thoughts? These infected people were just crying because they were hungry, and these hunters just hid the prey during a hunt, so why do I find them disgusting?

Is it you, black snake? Are you playing with my heart?

Tallulah covered her head, questioning silently, but no voice reached her heart. Alina, noticing Tallulah's distress, quickly intervened to quell the commotion. Her gentleness, generosity, and willingness to help others prompted the infected to grudgingly cease their accusations. But everyone knew an irreparable rift had formed within the team. And the origin of this rift was unknown.

Everyone quickly ate their half-eaten food and quietly returned to their respective rooms. Even the frail Tallulah, supported by Alina, returned to her bed of straw, ready to endure this difficult night.

But what no one noticed was that Jack did not return to his own cabin, but made up an excuse and went into the cabin of the hunters next door.

In her dream, Tallulah seemed to have returned to her childhood, back to the life she shared with Kosciuszko. Only then did she realize that the crooked ways that she had never listened to were so clear, and the smile on Kosciuszko's face was so profound.

It was as if... everything was under his control.

"I thought this team would collapse a week ago, but your cleverness allowed it to survive for a few more days. But it's meaningless, because the short-sighted infected people can't understand sacrifice. They will only remember that you promised to provide them with sufficient food, but now you can't do it. From the moment you broke your promise, you are no longer their leader."

"Nonsense!" Tallulah retorted, slamming her hand on the table. "We've lived and wandered together for so long. How could we possibly split up over a minor setback? This current predicament is only temporary. As long as we persevere, everything will be fine."

"Is that really the case?" The familiar voice drew closer, and the hazy feeling of dreaming quickly overtook him. "Do you remember the look in their eyes just now? Could that kind of doubt and distrust really have been accumulated from a single mistake? And those hunters, was this just their first mistake? Or have they never taken this team seriously, and are only flattering you for the sake of your promises?"

No, that's not right!

Tallulah racked her brains desperately, trying to refute the voice, but no matter how she thought, she came to the same conclusion as the voice. Just when she thought she was being influenced by Kosciuszko again, a figure suddenly appeared before her. A figure that was incredibly familiar, but with an unfamiliar smile on its face.

It was another Tallulah, a smiling Tallulah. Only then did she realize that the voice she had been hearing was not Kosice's deep, hoarse voice at all, but her own.

It was the voice she had always wanted to escape from but subconsciously identified with.

She, Tallulah, has always known the truth and has always been avoiding the truth.

Tallulah woke up, frightened by her own evil thoughts. She never thought that her heart was so dirty, nor did she ever think that the nonsense Kosciuszko had said was so true.

But just as Tallulah was about to stand up and wipe the cold sweat off her body, she suddenly heard a few soft footsteps at the door. Along with the footsteps, there was also a very light sound of the door opening.

------

"Calculating the time, it should be about time." Kasheina swallowed the liquid in her mouth and nimbly slipped into Victoria's arms. "When you successfully lead the Sixth Legion, I'll give you a gift. How about that? It's my welcome gift to join the group."

"Really? Then I'm really looking forward to it." Victoria tightened his arms, but there was no expectation in his eyes.

His two brothers must be having a hard time holding on right now, right? It's almost time, winter is almost over, and those pigs' heads will be on the line soon.

Survival in a Foreign Land: 56 Evil is Not Evil

Cold sweat trickled down Tallulah's forehead. She kept her eyes slightly closed, quietly listening to the faint footsteps outside the door.

The snowy night in Ursus was cold, but it was not unbearable for Tallulah, who was a Draco. She was full of energy and would occasionally wake up at night. Tallulah could hardly hear any other sound except Alina's breathing. Why was it different today?

swish - swish -

The sound was getting closer and closer. Tallulah was almost certain it was the sound of people walking slowly on the snow. But why was there such a sound outside the house? Why did it happen today?

Tallulah didn't want to think, but as soon as she closed her eyes, she could see another self with an evil smile. Tallulah saw her lips opening and closing slightly, as if she was whispering something.

Tallulah stared intently at her alter ego, trying to decipher her lip movements. Seeing Tallulah's seriousness, the figure's smile grew even more alluring. She smiled, opened her mouth, and spoke word by word:

"Alina is here too?"

Tallulah was startled and opened her eyes subconsciously. The sound of footsteps was getting closer and closer. She had unknowingly reached a point where she could no longer escape.

In the darkness, a sound of breaking air came from above, making her hair stand on end. Tallulah instinctively turned around and avoided the fatal blow.

The attacker panicked when he realized that his attack missed. He never thought that someone could react to the attack in their sleep and even dodge his powerful blow in time.

At this crucial moment, Tallulah didn't miss this rare opportunity to strike back. While the attacker was stunned, the raging flames erupted without reservation, instantly burning and forcing the person at the bedside back.

one two three.

In the fleeting light of the fire, Tallulah saw the attackers clearly. The two people standing at the door were the hunters who had helped her calm the team not long ago. Although the leader had his cheek injured by the flames, it was obviously Jack from his voice and dress.

"Why?" After seeing who was coming, Tallulah wasn't surprised at all. She simply climbed off Alina's body slowly, gently picked up the worn axe embedded in the ground, and then asked in a cold tone she had never used before: "Why did you attack me?"

"How long do you plan to keep pretending?" Hearing Tallulah's question, Jack no longer cared about his burning cheeks. He scraped some remaining snowflakes from his clothes and casually applied them to his face. "You've already discovered that we stole the prey, right? We saw a set of footprints on the way back. I confirmed that those strange patterns are only found on your boots."

Tallulah was a little surprised. "So you kept your head down at night not out of shame, but to check my footprints? But that's not why you attacked me. Didn't I keep it secret from you about your poaching?"