This year's New Year in the Western Continent is destined to be very different from the past, and some families can no longer be reunited. Therefore, in the superficial joyful and warm atmosphere, in fact, there is a hidden grief of some people.

But there's no way around it. Just like adventurers who have to face the threat of fierce demonic beasts every time, and mercenaries who live with their heads chained to every day, since they have joined the army and become soldiers, it is normal to receive a bento whenever they are in war. And this time the battle was won in the end, and the deaths of these dead were not in vain.

It is not the families of the soldiers who died in the battle that are hard-hearted, but the world itself. Every day on the Western Continent, people are killed by demonic beasts in the wild, or by thieves, and even in the city, fights and brawls can kill people - compared to those temporary workers in the Celestial Empire, all of them are weak - the so-called peacetime is like this, not to mention the current war with the dark empire controlled by the demons?

Everyone has more or less accepted this reality in their hearts and tried to adapt to it and continue to live.

Uncle Parker looked at the middle-aged woman in front of him who was seriously busy in the store, and couldn't help but sigh softly: "That's it for today, Gurney." You still have to take care of little Danielle, go back early. ”

"Ah, okay. Thank you, Big Brother Parker. Gurney wiped the sweat-soaked blue hair on her forehead, untied her apron and hung it on the wall, and said, "Then I'll go back first." ”

The woman, Gurney, lost her husband to an attack by bandits in the early years and struggled to survive alone with her two sons. Fortunately, the eldest son is angry. successfully became a naval soldier, and often sent military salaries back to supplement his family. originally thought that life would be better from now on, who would have thought that more than a month ago, he hoped that his son would be able to rotate home for the New Year. Instead, she received a death notice and a generous but meaningless pension.

As a last resort, in order to make ends meet, Gurney had to give up her job as a roadside stall sewing clothes and look for suitable work in Buckletown. Unfortunately, as it was approaching the end of the year, no one wanted to hire Gurney. At this time, Uncle Parker, who was not far from the store and Gurney's house, heard about it and took the initiative to hire her.

Although the nominal job is to tidy up the storefront, in reality the uncle is only using this as an excuse to help the orphans and widows.

Naturally, Gurney knew it in her heart, but at the moment she really couldn't find any other way. I can only choose to accept this kindness.

Parker stood by the window and looked out at the scene, and couldn't help but feel a lot of emotion.

In the evening, the sky was overcast, with fine snowflakes falling downward, although the road had not yet been affected. Some of the houses have roofs covered with thin white crystals, there are few pedestrians, let alone horse-drawn carriages, and the streets of the downtown areas are far less lively than the bustling districts in the center of the city, and even very deserted.

Although the lives of the common people were much better than before, thanks to the policies of the new Empire, the country was in a state of war. It is inevitable that there will be families like Gutney who have lost their pillars and their lives have become more and more difficult. It's better to help as much as you can. Speaking of which, there was snow in the sky the last time the little queen came, so should she be here again this year......

Parker shook his head vigorously and threw this unwritten idea out of his mind, and was about to close the door, but inadvertently noticed that several men with fierce expressions suddenly appeared from the shadows of the roadside alley, and rushed straight towards Ginny who was walking down the road home.

Although the lord of Buckel is the young and promising Dibes, legend has it that he is now working on a mission in Mangla and is not in the city. Therefore, his subordinates are more or less lax, and it should have been a civilian area where all kinds of outlaws and even spies of the Dark Empire are under strict monitoring and management. During this time, the patrol of the city guard was clearly just for show.

Hawkers, I guess the top boss is lazy.

For this reason. Gurney wasn't very surprised that she would run into gangsters or anything here. A few nearby pedestrians stopped and turned their heads to look at each other, and then hurried away as if they didn't see a man who had taken out a dagger from his arms and brandished it with a fierce shout of warning.

They are not adventurers who draw their swords to help when they see injustice, they are not mercenaries who take the initiative to stand up and take charge of things when they are not used to seeing them, and they are not the legendary lonely rangers; they are just unarmed civilians.

Seeing this, Gurney couldn't help but smile slightly bitterly, covered her chest with her hands, shrunk her body and forced her composure to speak: "If you are here to rob, I'm sorry I don't have much money here." Maybe you should try your luck in a distant downtown area and try to rob a nobleman or a merchant. ”

To Gurney's surprise, the men did not answer, and after blocking her path and dispersing the pedestrians around her, a strong man with a full face stretched out his right hand and pinched Grace's cheek like iron tongs to gagged her mouth, dragged her into the alley despite the woman's weak resistance and painful snort, and threw her to the ground with all his might.

Before the dazed Gurney came back to her senses, her hands and feet, along with her mouth, had been hugged by several people, and she couldn't move at all.

Well, could it be that they want to do that? Forget it, if only it were like that. After struggling to no avail, Gurney simply gave up her resistance and closed her eyes tightly.

It didn't take long for Gurney to feel the strong man's groping hands fumbling back and forth on her, but ...... It seemed a little different from what she expected, as if she was looking for something?

Not only the underwear and fat times, but even the shoes were rudely searched, the strong man finally ordered his subordinates to loosen the disheveled Gutney, and was just about to speak, when Parker's shout suddenly sounded outside the alley: "What are you guys doing!?"

"It's okay, boss. Not a city guard, just a middle-aged uncle with a firewood knife. One of his subordinates reported to the cross-meat man.

"Are you sure it's a real middle-aged uncle and not a cute girl disguised as an uncle to deal with the Shura Field?"

“...... Boss, do you dare to make a little more ridiculous jokes?"

Ignore the complaints of his subordinates. The cross-meat man waved his hand to confront his subordinates and Parker, and then looked at Gurney, who was shivering on the cold ground, and stretched out his hand coldly: "Where did you hide the money, hurry up and hand it over!"

"Money, what money?" the expression on Gurney's face couldn't help but be puzzled. "I'm just a poor woman, and I don't understand why you're eyeing me?"

"Don't play stupid. The next words of the cross-meat man suddenly made Ge Ni fall into an ice cave in an instant, "I have already investigated in advance, your eldest son was hung up in this battle, right? The pension issued to you by the empire totals five thousand gold coins, which is a lot of money, and this is what I want!"

"What a joke!" Parker shouted on the other end, "That's their mother's life money." Are you scumbags doing this kind of thing!?"

"No one taught you to speak with honorifics instead of swearing...... Uhh......h Babbling ——!! good hanging. ”

After using the half-bottle move he learned from his friend Li Ping to repel the man in front of him with a dagger, he left a wound on his body and successfully frightened Ya's face. Parker clenched the hatchet tightly and stepped forward vigorously, startling several of his subordinates to step back: "Get out of her!"

Fearing that the sound might attract the city guard's horizontal meat man, he took a sip of dissatisfaction, raised his hand to Gurney, grasped the grip and said with a dark face: "I don't care where you hide the money, in short, you must take the money to the Night Raven Tavern before midnight today and hand it over to me." Otherwise. I can't guarantee that your little son will see the sun tomorrow. ”

"Wait, wait. What happened to Daniel!?" Gurni immediately screamed and tried to grab the man in front of her, but in exchange for a kick from the other party, "I can do anything, but the child is innocent, please let him go!"

The cross-meat man snorted disdainfully and led his subordinates away: "As long as you hand over the money, we will naturally not embarrass him." Also, if I find out that you or this dude has secretly run to report to the City Guards, I don't need to be reminded of what will happen next, right?"

Considering the number of people on the other side and the safety of little Danielle as a hostage. Parker gritted his teeth and watched them leave silently, and then rushed into the alley to help the limp Gutney up: "Hey." Granny, are you alright?"

As if awakened by Parker's words, Gurney hurriedly crawled all the way back to her dilapidated little house, hoping that what the other party had just said was just a lie, but unfortunately, the wooden door that had been clearly smashed open by force showed that the other party was not joking.

Gurney instantly knelt at the door of the house as if all her strength had been drained.

Parker, who arrived later, went in to take a look and found that the furniture inside had been turned into a mess, and it was obvious that the other party had broken into Gurney's house directly, and only kidnapped little Danielle after finding no pension.

"Don't worry, Gurney. Parker pushed the woman into the room and put her on a chair and said, "Their goal is money, and they won't harm little Danielle for the time being." But I didn't find the other party. Where the hell are you hiding, did you really dig a hole in the ground or in the wall?"

"That, Big Brother Parker. Gradually, she came back to her senses and said with a smile on her face, "There is a place in this world called the Treasury that is responsible for the work of savings......

"Ah, that's exactly what I said. Parker patted his forehead and suddenly realized, "Because it is one of the many innovations since Her Majesty came to power, it is not too familiar. But Gurney, the vault is already closed at this late hour, how are you going to withdraw the money?"

Ginny's body shook twice and almost fell, but Parker quickly helped her when he saw this. Then Gurney grabbed Parker's sleeve tightly and said with a horrified face, "What should I do, Big Brother Parker." If I can't send them that much money before midnight, Danielle ......"

"Why don't you try to explain to them and ask for a day of grace?"

"But, but!"

Suddenly, a familiar drunken voice sounded outside the door: "Oh, isn't this Brother Parker? I'm sorry to disturb the two of you, Yaxing, let's flash first. ”

Parker walked out quickly with an embarrassed face to support the crumbling Li Ping, and snatched the wine bottle in his hand: "What kind of wine are you talking nonsense, take a closer look at the situation in the room!"

Li Ping, who was full of alcohol, first grunted dissatisfiedly and tried to snatch the wine bottle back. After the failure, he hiccuped and looked around and said vaguely: "I said that you two should be a little more restrained even if you hold back for a long time, what are you going to do if you break all the furniture in the fierce exercise?"

"It's not the furniture that's broken, it's your discipline, hey!" Parker, who couldn't laugh or cry, pinched Li Ping's cheeks and pulled hard, and said loudly.

Rao's current situation is extremely critical, and Gurney still can't help but lower her head and blush when she hears this.

"There's a leg. ”

"Are you the Queen Majesty of that little devil character!?Don't roll your tongue and speak in such a strange tone!"

Li Ping did not continue his daily routine. Suddenly, she felt sick to her stomach and rushed out into the street, vomiting in a ruff.

"This guy can't be counted on, he wasn't counted on in the first place anyway. Parker pinched the bridge of his nose and said speechlessly, "No way, I'll go back first and see how much I can make up." As long as you give them money, you should be able to buy a little time, even if it is insufficient. Gurney, you wait here, and take care of that drunkard by the way. I'll go back as soon as I go. ”

Nod.

However, Parker did not return home. On the way, he saw Li Huayin and his party who were attracted by Li Ping's exaggerated vomiting sound.

said that it was a group of people, but in fact, the main ones were a red-haired girl and another handsome guy who was dressed in exquisite costumes and was labeled as rich and handsome, and the rest were just entourage.

Because Li Ping did not disclose that his daughter was dating someone else, if that could be counted. Therefore, Parker, who was accustomed to Li Huayin's superb lily character, couldn't help but look at the scene in front of him and was dumbfounded, and it took a long time before he came back to his senses, and hurriedly rushed to Li Ping's side, shaking his friend with a shocked face, and said: "Have you woken up, when you wake up, hurry up and look over there, your daughter has brought the man back!"

"Didn't your son bring his sister home last year? And it's three. What are you talking about?"

"Well, it looks like you're not going to be able to regain your consciousness until tomorrow morning. ”

While speaking, Li Huayin had already walked in front of the two with Jebutan, sighed helplessly, squatted down and helped his father up, and said: "Really, I said in the letter that I was going home today, and instead of waiting at home, you ran out and got drunk? Believe it or not, I will cut off the father-daughter relationship with you immediately?"

"Huayin, can you introduce me to this handsome guy before you send this guy back?" Parker smiled and looked at Jebutan, "And." There's something I want to trouble you if you can. ”

"This rich and handsome man is named Jebutan. It's just a passerby, that's all!" Li Huayin pouted and said angrily.

"Yo, boy. Haven't you done this girl yet?" Li Ping raised his hand and beckoned.

Sure enough, it's still like this, but it doesn't matter, I've already prepared special means for today. Although the main thing is that Uncle Li looks drunk...... Jebutan looked at the girl in front of him and smiled helplessly: "Uncle Li said he was laughing." I've tried it before, but every time it ends with a blue nose and swollen face, how can I do it?"

"It's really unproductive. Although Li Ping was drunk and dizzy, he still waved his arms vigorously and said, "Isn't it just a barbaric girl, as long as you behave tougher than her, everything will naturally be solved." ”

After punching his father's stomach so that he squirted out the wine, Li Huayin, who was puffing up green tendons on his temples with his fists, condensed the black mist all over his body and asked with a smile: "Now, the ghost animal father who encourages others to push his daughter, is he a little more sober now?"

"Huayin, your whole person is broken...... "Jebutan raised his hand weakly in a cold sweat.

"Ulusai!!"

I don't know if I really sobered up a little because of the punch just now, Li Ping raised his face and looked at Gao Fushuai in front of him and said, "So big young master, did you make a special trip to send Huayin back today?"

"That's just one thing, there's something else I want to look for you. Jebutan said and suddenly bowed deeply at Li Ping without warning, lowered his head, and said loudly very seriously, "Uncle Li Ping, please marry your daughter Miss Li Huayin to me, I swear that I will treat her well for the rest of my life!"

Silent.

Not only the father and daughter of the Li family, who were the parties involved, but even Parker, Gurney, and even Jebtan's entourage in the onlookers couldn't help but show shocked expressions. The scene was terrifyingly quiet, and even the inaudible sound of falling snow clearly reached everyone's ears at this moment.

"Hey, hey——!?" Li Huayin was the first to scream with a flushed face.

"Very good and tough, I approve it!" Li Ping grinned a second time.

"Don't you make trouble for me there!" The red-haired girl unceremoniously kicked her biological father into the air and grabbed Jebutan by the collar, "What are you going to do?"

"I'm serious. Holding the consciousness of being beaten into a pig's head on the spot, Jebutan gritted his teeth and stretched out his hand to wrap his hand around Li Huayin's slender waist, staring at her black eyes and saying in a deep voice, "Even if you use your fighting spirit to beat me, you still have to say this." Huayin ......"

Just when the girl, who was overwhelmed by this sudden flag scene, trembled her lips and nervously waited for the young man's next words, Uncle Parker's cough suddenly came from the side: "Although it is very disturbing, I still want to interrupt the two." Because we have a much more serious problem to deal with here. ”

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the red-haired girl immediately screamed and fled from Jebutan's arms, who was very sorry. (To be continued.) )