I'm in Terra

Yelena nodded, her eyes calm and resolute. "It's okay. Our lives were already over in the mines. It was Dad and the guerrillas who gave us a second chance. If doing this truly benefits the rise of the infected, what does it matter even if we sacrifice our lives? Haven't we already been doing things like rebellion?"

Survival in a Foreign Country: Chapter 19: Life-Saving Straw

"Nobles are not worthy of trust."

In the deep snow forest, the guerrillas have already scattered. They must hunt enough prey before winter, otherwise the white snow will bury all the soldiers.

But the snowfield is not like the forest. Even among the trees, even if all the guerrillas are mobilized, it is an absolutely impossible luxury to capture enough prey.

Just as everyone's spirits were sinking as their prey dwindled, the Yetis returned with life-saving food. Twenty boxes of potatoes, enough to sustain the entire group for a month of frugal living, or a week of well-fed food. But when the soldiers learned the potatoes' source, they all stopped. They pushed the potatoes and their wooden carts before the Patriot, awaiting his judgment. If the Patriot deemed the food inedible, the shield guards would starve to death rather than tuck into a single bite.

Everyone craned their necks, waiting for the Patriot's orders.

Eat or not eat.

The Patriot knew this too, but he stared at the potato in his hand, unable to make up his mind. Was it a gift or a trap? A collaboration or a conspiracy? Having never met Victoria, the Patriot couldn't make a judgment. After some hesitation, he turned his gaze to his daughter. Yelena possessed a strong will and a mature mind, and Bozhukasti trusted her ability to make a sound judgment.

"Nobles are indeed untrustworthy." Yelena noticed her father's hesitation, so she took a deep breath and took the potato from the monster's claws. "But the land and the people will not deceive us. From what I've seen at the mine and during my infiltration, Norvinsk is indeed implementing a system that treats the infected with kindness. This is an indisputable fact."

Yelena looked around holding the potato. The hungry soldiers were all looking at her. She knew that the decision she would make next would change the fate of everyone, but she had to take this responsibility.

Yelena suddenly thought of Victoria's face, the boy's gentle, confident look. She believed that cooperation between the two would allow the guerrillas to survive and even grow stronger, but they also had to be wary of possible traps.

"So I think a certain degree of cooperation is acceptable, but we have to have the basic initiative. That's my thinking."

"Cook." After a brief silence, the Patriot sat back by the fire and gave the order to eat in a dull voice.

Seeing this, the guerrilla members finally put down their worries and lined up to receive the potatoes.

Seeing that everything was back on track, Yelena felt an inexplicable sense of relief. She walked to the fire where the patriot was sitting and casually threw the potato she was holding into the fire.

"He took the initiative to find you?" There was a barely perceptible worry in the Patriot's tone as he fiddled with the fire in front of him.

Yelena nodded. "I was trying to secretly exchange some food, but I was discovered midway. I thought I was doomed, but I didn't expect that guy to show kindness."

Yelena sighed and briefly recounted her experiences in Norvinsk to the Patriot. However, for some reason, she didn't mention how she had been teased by Victory and played around by Dorothy, and simply gave a brief account of their conversation.

After hearing Yelena's explanation, the Patriot nodded thoughtfully. "A young, well-intentioned, wise lord. An ignorant warlock. Plus, in an equally awkward situation. He wants our help to disrupt the situation."

"I've heard about this." Yelena picked up a branch and pulled out the half-baked potatoes to cool them down. "It's said that the commander-in-chief of the Sixth Legion was assassinated, so now the cities in the northeast of Ursus are starting to get into chaos. From small border cities like Norvinsk to large cities like Luxembourg and several nearby mobile cities, they will all be involved. I think this is an opportunity. While the northeast is in chaos, we might be able to find a way to expand our team. Those warlords are fighting openly and secretly, so we can find a way to absorb the infected where they can't see. But the premise of all this is that we have to have the warlords' power to cover our actions, otherwise we will be hunted down by everyone like before."

"Are you optimistic about him?" The Patriot asked out of the blue while fiddling with the fire.

"Yeah." Yelena nodded unabashedly. "He's calm, intelligent, and can easily manipulate people's hearts. Most importantly, I sense an indescribable charm in him. To be honest, if I were his enemy, I'd probably be unable to sleep every night."

"He's truly an ambitious fellow." Yelena's description was exactly what the patriots had expected. Whenever a young hero emerged, they were invariably ambitious. Their fate ultimately depended on whether their ambition overwhelmed their reason.

"Go again tomorrow." The Patriot put down the firewood in his hand and looked at his daughter seriously: "Bring him to see me. Since you want to cooperate, let me see what he is capable of."

Yelena was startled, then nodded nonchalantly: "Okay, where shall we meet? How about near that small village in the south?"

"can."

The next day, Yelena took a rare step to dress herself and headed to Norvinsk again with Big Bear. With the experience from the previous time, Yelena felt much more at ease entering the city this time. On the other hand, Big Bear, who was following behind her, looked around and let out a small exclamation from time to time.

After entering the city, Yelena didn't rush to the city hall to find Victoria. Instead, she took Big Bear for a stroll. Just like last time, the streets were still filled with undisguised infected people. This time, she even saw a person who suddenly fell ill being carried to the hospital by several ordinary people.

"Big Sister, you're right. The atmosphere here is definitely different from the villages we've been to before." Watching the infected being escorted away, Big Bear's wariness subtly faded. As someone who had long faced discrimination as a sufferer of mineralism, he could see that those helping were genuinely helpful. Furthermore, the onlookers didn't look at him with glaring disgust; instead, they were filled with concern.

"Then let's go. I'll take you to meet the lord here." Yelena nodded and walked straight to the central municipal building with Big Bear.

Just like last time, upon entering the city hall, Yelena was stopped by the receptionist and asked about her purpose. When they heard she was there to meet Victor, everyone around them instinctively looked at her with envy. After confirming her identity, the receptionist even took the initiative to lead the way, bringing them all the way to Victor's office.

Survival in a Foreign Land: Chapter 20: Flirting with Frost Star

"Hello again, little Yelena. Or should I say, nice to meet you?" Victor put down his documents and greeted Yelena with a smile. Dorothy, dressed in formal attire, also smiled as she led Yelena to the sofa and enthusiastically poured her a large cup of coffee. As for Big Bear, who had come with them? He sat at the same table with the guard at the door.

Looking at the plush sofa before her, Yelena awkwardly brushed off the nonexistent dust on her body. Then, as if remembering something, she sat down without hesitation. The soft touch of the luxurious sofa made her body sink slightly, and the wonderful feeling made Yelena let out a small exclamation.

Victor pretended not to notice Yelena's embarrassment and sat beside her with a calm smile. Since this core member of the guerrillas had returned, it meant that she was willing to cooperate with the patriots, which was enough for Victor.

It doesn't take all at once to win a person's heart. Often, a gradual approach is the right way to do it, especially when the person he needs to convince is a sensitive, lonely, yet indestructible patriot. It will be an extremely long process to convince him.

Of course, there is no need to go through so much trouble with the girl in front of him. Victoria is fully confident that he can pry open the girl's icy heart before the end of winter.

"You obviously didn't come back to me to fulfill the 'compensation' we discussed earlier. Has Mr. Patriot relented?" Victor accepted the coffee from the secretary and gently blew away the drifting white mist. "But don't worry, my office is quite soundproof."

Yelena rolled her eyes and held the hot coffee on the table tightly in her palm: "You are still thinking about that kind of thing. The nobles are really perverted guys."

"I don't want to deny your prejudices against the nobility, because I also think most of them are perverted scum." Victoria took a sip of coffee and said with a pointed smile, "But Miss Yelena, it's not a good idea to lump me in with you, right? I think I'm on par with those scumbags. Well, that's normal. After all, Miss Yelena is so beautiful, it's normal for a man to covet her."

Yelena's pretty face flushed slightly for a moment, then pretended to be nonchalant and changed the subject: "Slippery bastard, forget it, let's get down to business. The stubborn old man wants to see you. He said, 'If you want to cooperate, then show him your sincerity.'"

"Sincerity?" Victor chewed over Yelena's words and sneered playfully, "He's actually discussing sincerity with me? The entire team is clearly standing on the edge of a cliff, yet he still wants to seize the initiative? No wonder you call him a stubborn old man."

"But this is also the reason why the soldiers will follow him without hesitation." Yelena took a sip of the slightly cold coffee and then frowned slightly. "We are just a group of homeless infected people. Ideals and persistence are sometimes more important than life. So if you want to cooperate with us, you must ensure that you will not interfere with our path to our ideals. We don't care who makes money or who seizes power. We just want the infected to have a place to stay, rather than becoming the cheapest consumables in this icy world."

"Really? Then it looks like we'll get along very well in the future." Victoria nodded, putting down his coffee cup with a smile, as if his previous anger was a facade. "Since you want sincerity... tell me, what do you want?"

Yelena responded seriously: "I want you... to go out of the city and meet him in person."

Victor readily agreed. "Why not? Collaborators should understand each other to ensure there are no misunderstandings. Even if Mr. Patriot didn't mention this, I would have found a way to meet with him and the soldiers. When? Where? How many people can I bring?"

Seeing that Victor agreed to the meeting without hesitation, Yelena's tense nerves relaxed a little. "The sooner the better. The location is near a village northwest of Norvinsk. As for the number of people to bring...if you don't feel safe, you can bring all the soldiers in Norvinsk."

"Why would I need to go to such lengths?" Victor chuckled and took a seat beside Yelena. "Since we're seeking cooperation, I believe Miss Yelena and Mr. Patriot won't harm my life. Bringing one attendant will be enough. Dorothy, please book the police station's dispatch car for me in advance. Tomorrow, we'll go meet the legendary Patriot."

"Hmph, whatever you say." Yelena glanced at Victor, who had taken it upon himself to lean against her, and inconspicuously moved aside. Although she had promised Victor a satisfactory 'compensation', that didn't mean she enjoyed sitting next to others. The erosion of her mineralogy was becoming increasingly apparent, and her body temperature had long since dropped below normal. If she stayed near her for too long, frostbite was inevitable.

"It's okay, Miss Yelena, there's no need to give in." But before Yelena could even move a safe distance, a warm hand rested on her shoulder. As if reading her mind, Victoria took the initiative to embrace Yelena. "Or, having promised me compensation, Miss Yelena, are you planning to go back on your word?"

As soon as the words came out, Yelena, who was a little overwhelmed, subconsciously rolled her eyes and then took the initiative to move towards Victoria: "Humph, if you are not afraid of death, then touch it. Don't blame me if you get frostbite."

"How could that be? Didn't I tell you before that any man would covet a beauty like Yelena?" Victoria smiled, his hand on Yelena's shoulder slowly moving to her waist. "Although the sooner we meet, the better, but we should at least have dinner before we head out, right? So, are you interested in trying the delicious food at the Norvinsk cafeteria?"

"As a noble, you usually eat in the cafeteria?" Yelena looked at Victoria in disbelief, and even forgot to take her hand away from her waist.

Victoria asked in return, "Why? Otherwise, I'd be spending every day drinking and feasting with my secretary?"

"Aren't all nobles like this?" Yelena asked in return.

Victoria was instantly at a loss for words, because the nobles he knew were basically the same as Yelena imagined, or even more disgusting.

"Forget it, let's skip this unpleasant topic. Dorothy, ask the cafeteria aunt to open a compartment for us and bring in two bottles of wine."

Dorothy glared at Victoria secretly and then disappeared from the spot.

Of course, Victoria asked Dorothy to bring him wine not just to get Yelena, who was beside him, drunk, but also because... he was almost frozen numb and urgently needed wine to save his life.

PS: This book is officially on track, and will be updated twice a day starting from today.

Survival in a Foreign Country: 21 Fate Begins to Change at This Moment

After having a simple meal with Yelena, the four of them drove to the meeting place in the snow-covered off-road vehicle provided by the police station.

Although Yelena appeared to be a cold, unsympathetic warrior, she was actually quite sensitive and tenderhearted. She took Victory's overtures at face value. Although she declared Victory an untrustworthy noble, she was actually quite grateful for his help. Of course, this wasn't a forced compliment simply because Victor had offered her a drink.

Meanwhile, Victor, sitting in the passenger seat, was rarely silent. The wine had cured his frostbite and completely revitalized his mind. He knew the upcoming meeting with the Patriot was crucial. Whether the collaboration would succeed ultimately depended on the opinions of the legendary Wendigo.

An hour later, the SUV arrived at the meeting point, nestled in the snowy forest outside the small town northwest of Norvinsk. The imagined scene of shield guards displaying their presence hadn't materialized. Instead, a tall figure sat vacantly before a fire in the withered snowy forest. Like Victoria, Patriot chose to attend the so-called cooperation talks alone.

Stepping off the trail, Victor and Doro walked fearlessly before the warrior, who was almost taller than them both, sitting still. Yelena, behind them, quickened her pace after sending the bear away. The four of them gathered around the campfire, watching the flames dance in silence.

"During the reign of the late Emperor Zhaowu, many warriors like you, equally intelligent, agile, and fearless, became nobles. But with the late Emperor's passing and the crumbling of the great buildings, these brave and intelligent warriors, without prior agreement, chose to betray. They crouched on Ursus's body, savoring its final essence." The tall, terrifying armored monster let out a low, hoarse voice, as if reminiscing about the past, but also as if questioning everyone: "Will you be a noble (insect) of this era?"

Victor gazed at the fire, witnessing the rise and fall of honor and disgrace in its flames. "I am a bastard. My two brothers are still fighting endlessly for the right to succeed the Sixth Legion, unaware that the real Vipers have long been lingering and watching from the sidelines. Whether I join them or help the Vipers, my fate will only be destruction. My identity has destined me to have only one path forward in Ursus, and I don't have enough cards in my hand to fight back. Whether you are infected or guerrillas, you are all my struggles to save my life. If it means I can survive, I don't mind sharing our success and failure. This is my sincerity, is it enough?"

As soon as he said this, Yelena, who was sitting next to him, couldn't help but look up at the boy. In this snowy plain, everyone was fighting for their own destiny, even the boy born into aristocracy couldn't escape it. If she were the leader of the guerrillas, she might have been discussing cooperation by now. But unfortunately, she wasn't. The person Victoria wanted to impress was a real monster.

A monster that is constantly fighting against fate.

"These words alone are not enough." Bozhukasti placed his hands on the sides of his head and slowly removed his old, battered helmet. Beneath the steel, the white bones spoke of its terrifying presence, while the crimson glow deep within his hollow eye sockets betrayed deep suspicion. "We can't guarantee that you will always stand by the infected. You're simply using them as pawns, abandoning them without hesitation should anything change."

"Indeed." Victor smiled and acknowledged the Patriot's doubts without hesitation. "I treat the infected well because I see their potential. Instead of discarding them as consumables, why not refine them and turn them into weapons? If someone told me there was a talent more efficient than the infected, and I could get them by giving up the infected, I would abandon the infected without hesitation. But unfortunately, reality is not a fairy tale, Captain Patriot. In this snowy plain, there are no potential resources more outstanding than the infected. Moreover, what I seek from you is not like-minded fighting side by side, but mutual cooperation bound by interests."

Scarlet eyes stared at Victoria's face, and Victoria stared back. In this silent stalemate, the crackling and jumping sparks became the only sound.

"Tell me, what do you mean by cooperation?" After a brief stalemate, the Patriot was the first to break the silence. He recognized the courage of the man before him and acknowledged his qualifications as a partner.

"Fight." Victor pulled out a piece of firewood and used the charred end to sketch something on the snow. "The Sixth Legion's civil unrest will last at least six months. This winter is our best opportunity. Whether you, who care about the infected, or I, who struggle to survive, want to do something, we must seize this time. There are at least three factions fighting each other in Luxembourg right now, and the surrounding cities are even more eager. If someone loses control and sparks a conflict, the entire northeast will be plunged into chaos. Our opportunity lies in this chaos. The terms of cooperation are simple. You can continue to attack mines and even fortresses across Luxembourg as before, and continue to rescue those poor infected. I will provide you with logistical support. I will handle food, weapons and equipment, and even the resettlement of the infected. I will also not touch a single bit of your spoils. My only requirement is that you provide me with some assistance in times of crisis."

"What kind of cooperation is this?" Yelena frowned as she listened to Victoria's description. "You're saying, 'We don't have to do anything, and you'll provide us with weapons and equipment for free.' Is there such a selfless and dedicated form of cooperation in this world?"

"Now I have it." Victoria smiled brightly, then turned to look at Patriot: "Mr. Patriot, you should understand what I mean, right? I don't care about the outcome of a war, I care about the outcome of this battle."

"We don't have enough leverage." The patriot shook his head, gazing at Victoria with a sharp gaze. "You want the guerrillas to become the fuse for the entire Northeast region, and you want us to walk on the edge of the nobles' patience. Material support alone is far from enough."

"Then what else do you want?" Victoria put away his smile and looked seriously into the Patriot's eyes: "As long as I have it, I won't be stingy."

"Your brains, your wisdom." The Patriot put on his helmet again, and the monster turned back into a general. "I recognize your courage and wisdom. The guerrillas also need your wisdom."

"make a deal."

Survival in a Foreign Land: 22: Strategies to Win the Heart

"Wulan Village, a remote village east of Luxembourg, is economically destitute due to its proximity to a mineral deposit. Three mines have been established around Wulan Village, wantonly exploiting and enslaving the villagers."

At Norvinsk City Hall, Victor fiddled with a map of Luxembourg spread out on the table, explaining the situation near Ulan Village. Shuangxing, the only one listening, stared at the map with a frown, trying to remember every word Victor said.

Due to his size, the Patriot himself couldn't set foot in Norvinsk. Therefore, Victor had Froststar select one or two clever members from the Snow Monster Squad and the Shield Guards to disguise themselves and go to the City Hall to serve as liaisons between the guerrillas and Victor. To be on the safe side, Froststar himself would be the leader of this liaison team.

As for the large guerrilla force, Victoria specially arranged it in a valley not far from Norvinsk. Except for the team transporting supplies, no one would know that a force suddenly appeared in the suburbs of Norvinsk.

After listening to Victoria's introduction, a young man from the Yeti team raised his hand and asked, "According to what you said, the three mines surrounding Wulan Village are located in a pincer attack, and the distance between them is not too far. If we attack one of them, will we be attacked by the other two? Or is our goal to take down all three mines at once?"

"No need to go to such trouble." Victoria pointed at the outermost of the three mines. "It's enough to just destroy the mine closest to the east. The reason these three mines were built next to each other is not because they want to protect each other. In fact, it's quite the opposite. These three mines are owned by two nobles and a senior member of the patrol team. The reason they are in this state is entirely because..."

"Internal strife, huh?" Frost Star took a deep breath, the fury in her eyes no longer concealed. "It's already difficult for a village to gather enough miners to work at a single mine, but here there are three. If it weren't for the ridiculous abundance of mineral resources there, then this could only be three mines competing with each other."

"That's right. The three leaders are using these mines to fight openly and secretly, and the ordinary villagers caught in the middle have become the biggest victims." Victoria looked at Shuangxing. "I think these guys should meet your conditions for liquidation, right? Miss Yelena, the demanding one?"

"Hmph, even if I kill these termites a hundred times, it won't be enough to vent my hatred." Frost Star snorted coldly, but his eyes unconsciously moved away from Victoria.

Seeing Shuangxing stop talking, an older man from the guerrillas slammed the table and said, "Is it enough to just take out one of these scumbags? Wouldn't it be more satisfying if we took down all three at once?"

Unexpectedly, as soon as he said this, Victoria sternly retorted, "Don't do anything unnecessary. Your mission is to destroy the easternmost mine. You are strictly prohibited from setting foot on the other two! Attack the mines under cover of darkness, then gather supplies and rescue the villagers. After daybreak, continue south with your team, creating the appearance that the guerrillas are planning to leave the northern region. After a day's forced march, cross the border and then make a long detour through the wilderness back to Norvinsk. That's all this operation entails."

The guerrilla uncle fell silent, turning his gaze to the silent Frost Star. Frost Star knew what the uncle meant and sighed helplessly, "I remember the old stubborn man told you that the guerrillas have the right to freely choose their targets."

Victory replied without showing any weakness, "I remember he also said that the guerrillas wanted to borrow my wisdom? Only one of the three mines can be taken. This is my wisdom."

Frost Star frowned, as if she understood what Victoria meant. "You mean to say that destroying just one mine is more effective than destroying three mines at once?"

"That's right," Victor answered, narrowing his eyes. "Everywhere in Luxembourg is stirring, and the previous friction seems to be fading. But this is just an illusion. As soon as a spark appears, everyone else will inevitably rush to seize control. These three mines have already formed a delicate balance. All we need to do is disrupt it, and their greed will take care of the rest."

"But what about those enslaved villagers?" The uncle asked unwillingly when he saw Frost Star's tone soften.

"A little impatience can ruin a great plan." Victor raised his head and looked through the window at the sky. "This land has been devouring people non-stop. What makes you so arrogant to think we can save everyone? The entire operation will take us about a week to carry out. Every mine destroyed means the baggage and personnel you have to take away will double. If you encounter an accident in this situation, what will you do then? Therefore, a mine is the best choice. Besides, I didn't say we can only attack this place once. If the time is right, I don't mind the guerrillas visiting here again."

After hearing Victor's clearly laid out plan, the uncle obediently shut his mouth. As a liaison, he was solely responsible for determining whether the plan could be successfully implemented; the final details of its execution lay with Victor and the two leaders. Seeing that no one was questioning the details of the plan anymore, Froststar rolled up the map on the table.

"I'll repeat the plan to the old stubborn man. As for what he'll choose... I'll have Big Bear come to you once he makes a decision."

"He'll agree." Victoria raised his teacup and toasted everyone present with tea instead of wine. "I look forward to your triumphant return. See you in a week."

"Okay, see you in a week." Froststar packed the map and left the city hall with the liaison team.

Watching the liaison team, draped in white cloaks, disappear at the end of the street, Victoria couldn't help but raise his lips slightly. "Attacking the city is inferior, conquering the heart is superior. This exchange will be a seed, deeply embedded in the hearts of the guerrillas. The day I can command this team with my own will, the curtain will be raised on the rebellion."

"Master, you seem very happy." After seeing off the guests, Dorothy, who had been waiting outside the door, quietly appeared in the room and gently placed her soft hand on Victoria's shoulder. "Is it because the plan is going smoothly? Or... is it because you met Sister Yelena?"

"There's another surprise." Victoria leaned back obediently and frankly admitted his lustful thoughts: "Yelena's figure is indeed good, but when it comes to softness and caring, you are still better."

"That's better." Dorothy snorted softly when she heard that, and then she obediently began to rub Victoria's shoulders.

Victoria hooked his finger imperceptibly in Dorothy's arms, then looked at the merit value in the merit list which just exceeded 10,000, and the curve of his mouth became more and more exaggerated.

He seems to have new generals available for selection.

Survival in a Foreign Country: 23 Unexpected Candidates

Civil servant? Or military commander? Victoria, deeply immersed in Dorothy's opium, fell into deep thought.

Theoretically, with Jia Wenhe's cunning, he could easily suspend his civil service draws and instead gamble on legendary generals. Whether it was the mighty Guan Yu, the world's bravest Lü Fengxian, or the daring Zhang Babai, even children would stop crying at the mere mention of him... Zhang Wenyuan was a truly excellent choice. The Three Kingdoms period boasted countless worthy generals, and even a commander like Qu Yi, whose presence only made a brief historical appearance, was a formidable figure within his reach.

The problem was that as a local lord, Victoria didn't have many opportunities to lead troops into battle. Furthermore, with the chaos of war about to begin, having more intelligence was like having an extra insurance policy. Furthermore, the special abilities possessed by those scholars were relatively stronger.

Should he choose a civil official? Or a military commander? Victor, always adept at judging, was now caught in a rare dilemma. Legendary names kept flashing through his mind, yet he could only choose one. This was truly a happy dilemma.