There used to be a vast superpower in the Western Continent, encompassing the land of the current Twenty-Four Duchies, the Three Kingdoms of the High Mountains, and the Svizer Federation.

This country is the most gorgeous in human history, even if it now occupies the entire territory of the Ghost Country, the extremely powerful Aslan Empire cannot compare to her.

Because this country truly allows human beings to raise their heads in front of the alien races that occupy the advantage of blood, and gives humans with only black iron bloodlines a land that is enough to survive.

Since humanity can't wait for hope, I will lead humanity in search of hope. Reyna Constantine, Goddess of Dawn.

Su En had just risen, and the dawn of the morning shone on the dark land of the Binning Peninsula, and the warm and humid southeast wind blew on this land, which was very comfortable, but almost everyone had no expression of pleasure on their faces, only coldness and numbness.

At this time, human beings were living in darkness under the terrifying dark rule of the elven court, without any right to live, and only deserved to live sadly as the lowest slaves, licking and eating the leftover dregs of the elves.

"Yajing, put out the oil lamp..."Anna's sweet face did not have a trace of blood, and the high bulging abdomen showed that she was a pregnant woman who was about to give birth, but her pale complexion was really distressing.

The shabby burlap on her body was no match for the cold, damp smell of the room, and in fact the oil lamp was of little use, and the faint flame of the flickering flame brought only a little light and warmth.

"Smack!" the oil lamp went out, and the small room dimmed, and gradually filled with the light of the rising Suon, expelling every inch of the cold in the room, and the warm feeling gradually enveloped Anna and a tall man.

The tall man had an iron complexion, his short flaxen hair curled up on his scalp, and it was evident from his face that he was young, and his name was Yajing, and he was Anna's husband and the consul of the colony.

In those days, humans were the most despicable creatures, worthy of cowering like rats in the gutter, and in the eyes of the Elven Court, even the archons of a human colony were just a larger rat.

The Elven Court would grant these Archons the lowest wages in order to gain their cheap loyalty and the security of their slaves.

Not at all to worry about corruption, which was not common in the court of the elves, after all, no tax collector would covet those coarse wheat breads.

This was already very good, at least Yajing and Anna had a hundred standard coarse wheat bread a month as the salary of the consuls, and the well water behind the courtyard was also very clear, unlike other humans, who had to live in thatched tents that were more modest than stables, drinking the murkiest river water, and eating the simplest black bread.

Anna is nine months pregnant, the little life in her belly is very unstable, she has to consume a lot of energy every day, and she is now as thin as a slave outside.

"Ajing... The child is kicking me..."Anna stroked her belly with a sweet smile on her face, this child is the crystallization of her and Yajing's love, and at the same time, it is also to support them to live and wait for me.

Ajon walked over to the bed and smoothed Anna's sweat-soaked hair, his iron face visibly malnourished, and the dark circles around his eye sockets and bloodshot eyes showed that the archon hadn't rested for a long time.

The work of an archon was too painful, at least that, as a man of conscience, Arjung thought.

"The tax collector is coming soon," said Ajon solemnly, there is a copper mine in the Yaning colony, where all human slaves depend for their survival, and everyone must work day and night in the mine to ensure that they pay their taxes.

Most of the human slaves were unclothed, forbidden by the elven court to produce all forms of agriculture, and could only work in the copper mines, and often only a day's work could be exchanged for a black loaf as hard as a stone, just to barely feed themselves.

"yes... The tax collectors are coming soon, and I hope they will show mercy..."Anna was still smiling, so that the tax collectors would not waste their time on humans, she always had such unrealistic fantasies, but Ajon loved her like that.

"I'm going to go out and see if there are enough minerals this month, or I won't be able to explain to those elf masters. Ah Jing leaned down and put his ear to Anna's stomach, and the child's foot kicked him, leaving him a little overwhelmed.

"Go quickly, don't delay your work..."Anna stretched out her equally pale arm and gently pushed Yajing away.

"It's really energetic, I hope he will be a healthy child..."Ya Jing laughed, he was full of hope for this unknown little life, even if he would take on an extra meal of food when the time came.

A few sardines and bread on the plate on the low cabinet next to the bed, which was Anna's food today, and since it was really inconvenient to walk, Ajing had to put the food on the bedside table.

Yajing nodded gently, kissed Anna on the lips and stomach a few times, put on the consul uniform issued by the elven court, and left the house.

The consul's uniform was very shabby, and the corners of the collar had been polished white, but this was also the only one of Ajon's uniform, which was shabby but still very warm.

Suan had long since hung in the sky, and the warm light gave people the least motivation to live, and slaves emerged from leaky tents on the side of the road to work in the mines in exchange for rudimentary food.

"Gui'an, Lord Ajing!" a slave saw Ajing passing by, saluted the archon, and squeezed out a smile full of numbness and indifference, which at least meant that he had been living well lately and had eaten enough food.

Ajing waved his hand, and Tie Qing's face nodded, signaling that the slave himself saw him.

"Brother Yajing, what about Sister Anna?" a crowd of children frolicked around him, and the innocent smile touched his heart, and he was glad that at least under his rule, these children could show an innocent smile, not be as numb and indifferent as their parents.

"Come back quickly, don't trouble Lord Ajing!"

The mothers of the children greeted their children one after another, and when they faced Yajing, their numb faces showed a smile that was slightly embarrassed like that of their husbands.

Ajon responded with a wave and a nod in response, and continued walking.

The children's food was mostly coarse wheat bread and water, and sometimes there was an extra piece of pickled fish, which was divided between Ajing and Anna, and there were not many children in the colony anyway, so they couldn't eat much.

Ajing arrived at the copper mine warehouse. He couldn't remember exactly how many slaves had saluted him along the way, except that they were doing well, at least they had enough to eat.

He stretched out his arms and patted his temples. Tomorrow is the day to hand in the ore of this month, and if he is not ready, only the tax collector's whip awaits him.

Soon he arrived at the warehouse, which was guarded by two slaves who barely covered their bodies, and they looked decent, and when they saw Ajun, they quickly opened the door and followed him into the warehouse.

Ajon and the two slaves carried the month's ore and placed it on the iron scale, which was the most important tool of the Yaning collar, and was carefully cared for.

The copper ore was of decent quality, but it was in poor quantity and could not cope with the tax collector, and the two slaves were a little panicked, and they did not know what to do.

"You guys guard this place first, and I'll go to the mine to have a look. Ya Jing shook his head and left the warehouse, the mine was very close to the warehouse, and in a short time he was walking to the mine, and the slaves had already started to transport today's ore to the top of the mountain.

When one of the slaves in charge saw Ajon, he waved his hand as a salute to the consul.

"Mina, you may have to work harder on the brothers today, there is not enough ore. "Ajm approached the steward slave, his name was Mina, he was very good at work, and he was Akin's little man and right-hand man.

"Understood... But the brothers are so tired... Little Ian and Cook were so tired yesterday that they could barely hold up after a few mouthfuls of river water..."Miner looked embarrassed, food has not been abundant lately, and the miners can only eat a piece of black bread every day, and they can't guarantee their physical strength at all.

"I understand, but those elven lords don't listen to us complain, they want to turn us all into steel golems who can only work. Yajing understood Mina's plight and complained a few words, but still urged Mina to hurry up and make up for today's ore.

"But steel golems need fuel, too!" Myna seemed still puzzled, arguing loudly with Ajon, he didn't understand, since the elven lords needed copper, why not give them plenty of food?

"Enough... They won't listen, after this tax payment, we will organize a fishing operation, at least to add some nutrition to the brothers and children. Ah Jing grabbed his right-hand man's shoulder and shook it a few times.

The young archon's arm was very strong, shaking the still strong Mina, and his young face seemed to have made up his mind.

Fishing is not allowed in the laws of the Elven Court, but under normal circumstances, the tax collectors who come to collect taxes don't pay much attention.

The Elven Court is so hierarchical that the High Elves will not come to manage these lowly humans, and some of the radical Sun Elves have even proposed to exterminate all humans, simply because this short-lived creature has a similar appearance to the elves.

The official position of tax collector is often carried by wild elves, and in fact they take on various lowly positions in the elven royal court, such as village leaders, town guards, pioneer knights... Of course... There are also tax collectors.

"Alas... Master Xie—" Mainer's tone was heavy, he knew that Ajin was also thinking about the slaves, and he also knew how much risk it was necessary to catch fish.

Surrounded by the Sea of Medtrinia, the Yaning Peninsula has a warm and humid climate, and although the nights are a little cold, the days are pleasant, and the slightly salty sea breeze makes you feel refreshed.

But the colony was located inland on the peninsula, and only a muddy river ran through it, and the fish in the river were not very tasty, only slightly better than brown bread.

As Arjung walked into the mines, Mina followed him, and the young consul greeted each of the miners, spoke words of encouragement, and promised to organize a fishing afterwards.

The miners were excited, but also a little afraid, fishing was not a common thing in the colonies, and if it weren't for the fact that life could not go on, Ajing would never organize such a risky activity.

Soon, the human slaves were at work, shouting the trumpet of labor and wielding rudimentary iron pickaxes, the only iron tools in the colony, which were closely monitored by Mainer.

The work was reckless, and the allure of fishing was so great that almost all slaves fantasized about the slightly fishy but sweet taste of the fish while working.

Arkin and Mina also took the pickaxe and went to work, in fact the two of them stood at the deepest, as the "dominant" human beings in the colony, they also had to take on a lot of labor while gaining status, so as to ensure that the other slaves would not be jealous.

The morning's labor passed quickly, and when it was time for the lunch break, some of the able-bodied slaves almost worked, and the thin ones went to rest for a while, to prepare some black bread and water, and to have a light lunch.