At the end of the Battle of Longmen, a river appeared in the wilderness, majestic and full of numbness and confusion.
Shortly after leaving Longmen, the river divided into several tributaries. Some people choose to follow the Phantom Crossbowmen and the Integration Movement to the core city of Chernobog, hoping to find a place to live there; some people step into the depths of the wilderness, hoping to survive in nearby villages. For a while, think about the future.
No matter what choices they make, the future is shrouded in mystery and unclear.
But disaster always likes to befall those who are suffering, even if their situation is bad enough.
The people who followed the integration movement back to the core city once again experienced war, with rebels and supporters mingling together, and Ursus soldiers and Rhode Island's SWEEP lurking in the middle. Fortunately, Valentine's outbreak helped these desperate people. Animals blessed with vitality and thunder would only point their fangs at the thugs who caused chaos and would not harm innocent people.
Not long after escaping from their home that had become a place of death, they encountered life-threatening danger again. It couldn't be any worse for them.
This forest more or less gives those desperate people a glimmer of hope to live, letting them know that there is still light in desperate situations.
At least we're alive, right?
It's just a pity that the peace that was finally obtained has disappeared again.
Tallulah was defeated, the core city stopped in the wilderness, and fresh grass grew on the land. A river full of scars appeared on the earth again, but it separated not long after it flowed out of the core city, like.
But I don't know where to go.
…
"what should we do?"
Yefim's voice reached Leonid's ears, causing the old man to temporarily turn his attention away from the bonfire in front of him. He raised his head and glanced at the young man beside him. His eyes were dull and his expression was stiff, like a corpse that had lost its soul.
"Ah."
He hummed softly and did not respond. He lowered his head and continued to grill the bonfire in front of him, while turning the meat roasting on it.
This is the rabbit that Leonid caught in the grass not long ago. The life that came early because of Valentine woke up these cute elves and also provided conditions for the fleeing people to eat.
If the thunder were stronger, maybe the area around the core city would become a forest, and then these refugees would have more food.
It's a pity that the Ursus regular army will return to the core city of Chernobog soon. Otherwise they could live here and carve out a new settlement.
"Hey, boss!"
Seeing that Leonid did not respond, Yefim put away his abaaaa state and reached out to poke the old man next to him.
His movements were not large, and he deliberately lowered his voice in order not to attract the attention of those around him.
"What's wrong?"
But Leonid didn't think so.
He responded with a voice that was not deliberately concealed, just like speaking normally. Yefim was so frightened that he quickly stretched out his index finger to make a "shh" gesture, and at the same time carefully turned his head to look around, with a sly look on his face.
No one noticed them. The surrounding refugees were sitting on the ground around piles of bonfires, slowly nibbling on the dry food in their hands, or looking up at the sky, staring at the night sky in a daze.
Some people were already asleep, and snoring could be heard occasionally.
This scene reminded Yefim of the first night he spent in the wilderness after leaving Longmen.
Patrolling the crowd then were phantom crossbowmen, and now...
It's just a group of self-organized soldiers of the integration movement.
If there is a riot...
Yefim didn't dare to think about it anymore. He shook his head and focused his gaze on Leonid's profile.
"Where are we going?"
This is the issue that Yefim is most concerned about right now, and it is also the issue that everyone is concerned about.
"have no idea."
Then he was dismissed with three understatement words from Leonid.
He took out the rabbit meat on the campfire and looked at it for a few times to make sure it was cooked before taking a bite.
There was no seasoning or oil, and the firepower of the campfire was difficult to control. A smell of paste filled Leonid's mouth, but he didn't dislike it at all. Instead, he chewed it with relish.
Because this was the first time in many days that he had eaten meat, fresh meat.
"..."
The three words "I don't know" successfully choked Yefim. He looked at Leonid who was feasting on food, and the words brewing in his heart went up and down in his throat, but he did not say it out in the end.
"well."
He just let out a shallow sigh.
It's like he is silently mourning his future life.
"Here, this is yours."
After finishing the rabbit meat in his hands, Leonid took another piece from the bonfire and handed it to Yefim. Yefim took the animal meat and looked at it, and found that this piece seemed to be larger than the previous piece.
"Boss, this..."
"Just eat, don't talk."
Leonid waved his hand.
After staying in the integration movement for so long, Yefim met Leonid, a person who was kind to him, so the call "boss" was also full of sincerity. Instead of being polite, he stuffed the meat into his mouth.
wolf.
"Finished?"
Hearing the voice next to him, Leonid glanced at it, took out the last piece of rabbit meat, wrapped it in a clean cloth, and handed it to Yefim.
"promise."
"Ah this..."
"What are you thinking about?"
Just as Yefim was about to say something, he was glared into obedience by Leonid's hateful eyes.
"I asked you to take it to Anfiya. This girl hasn't eaten all afternoon and is still on patrol!"
Why did you find such a stupid little brother?
At this time, Leonid missed the time when he was the second in command of the gang in Chernobog. Although he is a lazy and cute person above him, his colleagues around him are all hard-working and smart people.
"Uh-oh."
After being scolded, Yefim woke up from a dream, took the meat and put it away carefully.
"besides……"
Leonid's voice became softer after seeing Yefim's actions. He stopped Yefim who was about to get up and continued to pull the bonfire in front of him.
"If someone wants to take you away in the future, don't refuse."
Orange flames illuminated Leonid's face.
"Whether it is the Kingslayer or the red-haired Longmen man... they are both worthy of trust."
"They won't lead you on detours."
When leaving the core city, a voice suddenly appeared in Leonid's mind talking, the same voice that appeared in his dream that night a few years ago.
The words that the voice said were very obscure. Leonid didn't understand what exactly he wanted to say, but he could roughly guess something.
Just like what I just said, someone will lead the survivors of the integration movement to a new path.
But Leonid didn't know whether the end of this road was Rhodes Island or somewhere else.
As for himself...
"You could go to a man named Trotsky."
These were the only intelligible words the voice spoke.
Not an order, just a suggestion.
But Leonid still chose to listen to Him.
after all……
His daughter was saved because of that voice.
"No, I will go wherever you go."
Yefim responded to Leonid almost instantly. He sat on the grass and looked at the old man in front of him with a firm expression.
"I think Anfiya will not leave either. She trusts you, and you are like a father to her..."
Yefim wanted to say something else, but Leonid stopped him.
"Let's talk about it then..."
He fell to the ground, seemed a little sleepy, and closed his eyes. Yefim looked at the old man lying on the ground, pursed his lips, stood up and left the bonfire to find Anfiya.
Leonid is not going to Rhodes Island, he has greater goals.
He was going to overthrow this Ursus, no matter how long it took, no matter what it took.
That's why he wanted Yefim and Anfiya to leave.
But now it seems...
It seems that I have underestimated these two young people.
Leonid chuckled, closed his eyes, and fell asleep like he had done countless days and nights.
