"Soderland, do you want to hear a story......

Smoking half a cigarette in silence, Bruna Warren turned his head sideways and looked at Soderland sitting beside him. The young man, who had just joined Elena, was looking at him with some curiosity.

"A month and a half ago, I left Elena with Chairman Garstens to fight the enemies of the Negru Republic. At that time, we didn't expect us to lose. We have the most powerful weapons, we have the best comrades, we have the most powerful Gastens, we can't lose......"

Seeing that Soderland didn't reply, Bruna Warren began to tell on his own. His words quickly attracted Soderland's attention, and the young soldier concentrated his attention and began to listen.

“…… But then, we still lost. So we began to retreat, from west to west, and then to the south, and finally returned to the outside of Naksan. But our enemies discovered us again, and they followed us closely. In order to be able to return to Elena, in order to be able to return to Elena alive, we had to arrange for the comrades to break off. Do you know what it means to be broken? At that time, although we had guns, we were almost out of bullets. We still want to kill, but we are exhausted by the long flight and fighting. In that case, it is impossible to survive the task of fighting against the enemy's thousands of pursuers with hundreds or dozens of people in that situation. However, we did not flinch, and everyone even rushed forward, and no one hesitated, let alone ran away......"

Soderland listened attentively, hoping to memorize every word of Bruner's words. He was surprised by the tragedy at that time, and he also envied the determination to rush to the death.

Later, the person who was finally decided was decided. They said a brief goodbye to us, and then rushed forward to meet the enemy. At that time, the people who walked at the back of the line could even hear the sound of their death, and that kind of voice, once heard once, for a long, long time, would not be forgotten......"

Sodran swallowed, his heart beating fast for some reason.

"At that time, we knew that they would die, and we knew that they would die, but we still said goodbye to them and sent them on the road of no return. We listened to them die, watched them die, but we had no choice but to continue to flee. At that time, you say, why don't we go back and save them? How can we let them die before us? ”

"You can't win if you go back to save it! And I should have sent the chairman back then......"

Soderland subconsciously answered Bruner's question, but suddenly felt something in his heart. Bruna looked at him, was silent for two seconds, and suddenly asked a question.

"If you know, why do you have to insist on saving those who die on the border now?"

"That's—"

Bruner's question was like a bell chime, and it stunned Soderland at once. He was stunned for a few seconds, and there was no answer except for holding back one of those words. He wanted to say that these two things are different, when you flee, you will die when you turn back. However, he also probably knew Elena's current state, not considering that Gastens who might be the Grand Magister, the current Elena, was seizing all the time to develop, racing against time, and did not dare to miss a trace of time. For the current Elena, this is really not an appropriate time to take the initiative to provoke conflicts.

"Think about it, lad. If you can find a way to both keep Elena alive and save those who die on the border, maybe Chairman Garstens will meet you. ”

Patting Soderland on the shoulder, Bruna Warren stood up and stretched out. Above their heads, white snowflakes were still falling and dancing one by one, like tireless elves.

————————————

While Soderland pondered the answer to that question, Ankenrein had quietly entered December, and the temperature was getting colder and colder. Most city dwellers have begun to reduce outdoor activities and retreat to their homes to escape the cold. And on the border between Elena and Anken Rein, the fugitive serfs who continue to gather are still staging a drama to compete with death for their future.

"All of you listen to me, these people on the stage are fugitives who have been identified, and according to the laws of Ankenrein, anyone who catches a fugitive serf has the right to dispose of it freely. Now, these serfs wanted to flee to the other side, to Elena. But they don't know at all that what one person and four acres of land are talking about on the other side are all lies! We have intelligence that the escaped serfs have been arrested and carved mountains to build roads, and they cannot rest in such cold weather! People freeze to death every day! These stupid forks on the stage, misled by Elena's propaganda tools, think that they can get rid of the status of serfs, but they don't know that they are scumbags, born slaves, and have been fucking slaves all their lives! Being a slave but thinking about being a nobleman, wanting to be a man? It's not looking for your own death, what is it? ”

On the central square of Colleborit, where Cassie Lonergan and Soderland had passed, officers of the First Regiment in charge of guarding the border were shouting from the stage. Behind him, a row of a dozen serfs, with nooses around their necks and a flap at their feet that could be turned over at any moment, were looking at the officer with desperate expressions. And in front of them, under the stage of the square, the citizens and many unidentified people who had also fled here looked at the serfs on the stage and whispered.

"Now, I, Sterling Bosman, declare once again that in accordance with the authority given to me by the laws of the Holy Empire, I grant these fugitive slaves the death penalty!"

Sterling Bosman, commander of the 3rd Regiment of the 2nd Division of the 1st Army Corps of the Western Theater of Operations, announced his order loudly and decisively. Behind him, the soldiers pulled long wrenches, the flaps under the feet of the serfs were opened, and the serfs were suspended in the air. Their bodies struggled and swayed in the cold wind, tears and snot left on their faces, liquid and solid filth dripping down their legs, and a fishy smell in the air.

The chatter of the crowd under the square became louder and louder. Sterling Boseman looked at the audience with satisfaction, looking at their somewhat panicked and excited eyes. He stood there like a lord inspecting his own territory, proud and dignified. The withering of life sets off his strength, and the power makes him feel strong.

At that moment, a short arrow was shot from the crowd in the square, and it went straight into Sterling Boseman 's shoulder before everyone could notice it. The officer, who had felt good a second before, screamed and fell to the platform. The surrounding soldiers hurriedly ran forward and picked him up.

"Who the fuck did it!! It fucking hurts me! Kill them all for me!!!! ”

Stirling Boseman was shot, but he was clearly not fatally harmed, and he cursed as he ordered his soldiers to go out and arrest them. As a result, the soldiers, who had only stood guard and lined up behind the high platform, began to enter the crowd. They partially carried out Bosman's orders, knocking all the people who looked like serfs and assailants to the ground and tying them up, but they did not kill anyone. Boseman had stepped down from the platform by this time, and he looked at the square that had become chaotic because of his attack, and cursed through gritted teeth.

"Dare to assassinate me...... Don't fucking let one go!! ”

————————————

By evening, Bosman's troops had recovered more than 600 men from the city of Koleborit, the vast majority of whom were hidden serfs and suspected serfs. They kept the men together and planned to deal with them the next day. And the serfs who were caught, many of them knew about the execution in Piazza Diego during the day, and they also knew what awaited them. They were arrested in silence, gathered together, locked up in an open-air paddock, and waited for nightfall.

"Commander, it's so late, it's so cold, if you lock those people in the paddock for one night, something will happen."

Dan Kascafe, the commander of the 2nd Company of the 3rd Regiment and Boseman's henchman, was sitting in Bosman's tent at this time, changing his dressing. The arrow from the crowd was not powered by steam and did not cause fatal damage to Bosman. So, despite his injuries, Boseman was able to continue his duties as a regimental commander.

"What will happen? What could happen? Boseman took a bowl of wine, gulped it down, and then let out a loud sound of satisfaction, "These serfs who fled here are not fucking good things, and they all want to run to the other side." Is it so easy to run on the other side? If they dare to come, they must have the consciousness of death! Since they have the consciousness of death! Then don't blame Lao Tzu for being unkind! ”

"But ......," Kascafe carefully considered the words, "the attitude towards Elena is still very ambiguous now, and if we do this, will it be too irritating for the other side......"

"What irritates the other side?" When Bosman heard this, he sat up straight, "They rob people from us every day, and they also rob our land, and they are about to rebel!" This kind of person treats the emperor and the country as if they are nothing, even if they are stimulated, what can they do? ”

"Their chairman, Gastens, is the Archmage......"

"Archmagister fart!" Boseman scolded, but suddenly fell silent. After a while, he continued, in a slightly quieter voice, "You all say he's the Grand Magus, but I don't think so. Didn't he say it himself, he wasn't an archmage, and he could only cast magic once. If he weren't for the Grand Magus, why wouldn't I freeze these dog slaves to death? Besides, even if he is the Grand Magister, now we are in our own land, disciplining our own slaves, and it is none of his business? ”

Kascaf was silent. His regimental commander was an obvious royalist, and he had always been unhappy with Gastens who secretly rebelled. This time, he took the opportunity to discipline the serfs to vent, and he did not want to raise too strong objections. Although those serfs were only slaves, and when they died, they died. But the other side obviously values the serfs very much, and if the more than 600 serfs are frozen to death under their noses, it is really hard to say what the reaction of the other side will be.

"Okay, I know what you're worried about, freeze these people to death, although I want to, but I won't do it......"

Sterling Boseman watched Dan Kascafe's silence and knew that he still disapproved of himself, but he did not want to continue to oppose himself. Boseman was quite sure of his subordinate's performance, so he tried to reassure him.

"I have my own way to deal with this, you just wait......"

Kascaf looked up and noticed a hint of cunning in his leader's eyes. He was stunned, but he didn't expect that there was any room for change in this matter. If the regimental commander did not want to kill the captured serfs, then he had to let them go. But if it is let go like this, first, it will damage the dignity of Anken Ruyin's army, and second, the regiment commander will obviously not be able to get vent from this action. But if you don't let it go, and don't kill it, these people don't seem to have any other choice than to freeze to death?

Boseman looked at Kascai's expression and knew he hadn't figured it out. He chuckled to himself, and without explanation, he grabbed an ice fruit and ate it, crunching and crunching. Kascaf looked at his deceitful leader, sighed softly, and finally confirmed that his wound was okay, and then stood up.

"Commander, your wound is bandaged, it should be fine. The doctor in the group also said, don't get wet, it'll be fine after a while. ”

"Well, this ice fruit is good, do you want it?"

Boseman nodded, reaching out and handing Kascaf an ice fruit. Kascafe took it, cool, holding some frozen hands. It is a food native to the province of Gayd, where the fruits of late autumn are stored until winter and then frozen in the wild, which tastes great. He took a hard bite, a mouthful of ice and snow sweetness.

"Report—"

The small silence in the room was broken by the herald who pushed the door in, and the young man panted, and looked at Kascafe and then at Bosman.

"Captain, those slaves are running away!"

Boseman sat up straight when he heard this, but accidentally touched the wound, and he hissed in pain, "Good run!" Go, follow me! ”

Kascafe followed with some confusion, and went with Bosman to the paddock where the serfs had been held. It is said to be a paddock, but in fact it is just a livestock pen of a large family, a muddy clearing surrounded by railings, with only half a wall and a row of canopies on the east side to block the wind. As soon as Kascafe arrived, he saw two bodies lying on the ground.

"These are the serfs who froze to death, and after freezing to death two people, they blew up, lifted the fence, wounded the soldiers guarding them, and ran towards Elena."

The herald followed behind Bosman, speaking at a rapid pace. Boseman glanced at the paddock and then at the attacked soldiers, and then unhurriedly took Dan Kascaf and chased him in the direction of Elena. Along the way, there were soldiers who kept guiding him, telling him the escape route of the serfs.