Joseph is a native farmer in Caspami Fort. He grew up here since childhood. Half of his life has passed, and he has never left Caspami Fort a hundred miles away.

Although he had never left here, Joseph was very satisfied with his life. He had a virtuous wife and a sensible son. The family managed the farmland and orchards. Although he had to pay a very heavy tax to the Lord, fortunately he could have enough food every year.

But this year is different.

Since entering the sleeping moon, the climate in Fort Caspami has taken a sharp turn. Every day it is gloomy and terrible, and there has been almost no sunshine again.

Although it is normal for cold weather to enter winter, Joseph feels something is wrong.

The sleeping moons of previous years were not as cold as this year.

My father once told him that one year of sleeping moon was the same. As a result, the severe cold moon brought a heavy snowfall, and even the houses were buried in heavy snow. People could not even go out of the door, the cellar was frozen, hundreds of people were frozen to death on the streets, and the nobles gathered the sales of food, which made civilians unable to buy food, and many were starved to death at home.

"I'm afraid there will be a heavy snow disaster next month."

The worried Joseph said this to others, but no one believed his words.

Everyone laughed at him as a "Master Master" (because a powerful magician can affect the weather).

Joseph was worried about this fact, so he began to secretly store food.

Then, the cold moon came, and the fact slapped everyone hard.

Blizzards really came. A week-long blizzard covered the entire land. The snow that was one person high blocked the door. People could not go out and could only rely on the food at home.

"This damn ghost weather! I have to find a way to get some food!"

Joseph looked at the snow that had not yet been integrated. The food and jerky stored in the barrel were almost exhausted, and there was only the food for the last four days left. If they didn't find a way, their family might starve to death.

The tightly wrapped wife whispered: "Will we borrow some food from Bob next door?"

"Impossible," Joseph shook his head, "In this kind of ghost weather, no one is willing to lend food to others... I'm sure the grain store in Caspami Castle must have been closed. With this kind of snow disaster, they must reserve food-or increase the selling price and take a bite."

"I don't know how long it will take for this kind of weather..."

"It won't be too long, the snow has stopped, but the snow will last for a long time."

Joseph's face looked very ugly: "These snow is the big problem, we have no firewood."

With such thick snow, many homeless people must have frozen to death in Caspami Castle. The situation in these villages outside is not optimistic. You can't leave your house for a week and you won't store so much firewood on weekdays. All the things you can burn at home have been burned. Once there is no fire, the cold temperature will soon take their lives.

"Or we will remove the chair and burn it?"

"Firewood is just one of them. We almost have no food, and we must find a way to solve the problem of food."

Joseph wrapped his clothes and made up his mind: "I'll go to the city to see if I can buy some food, I can take it over."

Just when Joseph was about to go out forcibly, there was a sudden knock at the door.

The Joseph family was shocked. How could anyone have such thick snow outside?

"Joseph!"

"It's Bob."

Joseph hurriedly opened the door. Outside, Bob was buried in the snow, and his face turned ashen.

"Come in!"

After Bob entered the door, he asked very simply: "How much food does your family have?"

Joseph opened his mouth and said against his will: "There are two days left for food."

"Two days?"

Bob frowned, and after a moment, he said, "Two days are only two days! At worst, everyone can give you some evenly, as long as you can reach the destination... pack up and get ready to go!"

"Pack up things? What does it mean?"

Joseph was shocked: "Where to go?"

"Ellington!"

Bob paused for a moment and lowered his voice and said, "You don't know yet? Something big happened in Caspami Castle. The monster attacked the castle and many people died. In order to issue the warrior's pension, Lord Lawrence decided to temporarily collect a protection tax - those who have no money must take out food to mortgage it."

“Protection Tax!?”

Joseph suddenly raised his tone: "In this ghost weather, we have no food left, we still have to pay taxes!? If we don't have anything to eat, we will starve to death!"

"So, we all discussed it and decided to leave here and go to Ellington."

Bob said calmly: "Irving, the boss of Potion House, is willing to lead us."

"But so suddenly... the snow outside has not melted yet!"

"If you hesitate any more, the tax officer will come to your door immediately after the snow melts."

Bob said lightly: "Now there are twenty-two families in the village, and you are the only one who is missing."

"Everyone agreed!?"

"That's right."

Bob said: "I heard from the people from the Tang Dynasty Chamber of Commerce talk about Ellington before, and it is different from before."

"Ellington...but it's so far! The carriage will run for six days!"

"We don't have a carriage, but we have feet."

Bob looked calm: "If you don't leave here, you will be forced to death by Lord Lawrence sooner or later. If you leave here, there will be a glimmer of hope."

"But, but..."

Joseph, who had never left Fort Caspami, felt an inexplicable fear of traveling far away.

"Do you know, the merchants who came over there before winter praised Ellington and called it a city of miracles that was changing with each passing day."

Bob said very yearningly: "I heard that the roads there are paved with a kind of black gold, which is very flat and not muddy regardless of wind or rain. I also heard that the food there will mature in one day. Even the poorest farmers are richer than farmers in other places. As long as they are willing to work there, they can earn gold coins and eat delicious barbecue and bread for every meal!"

Joseph, who had been able to chew dried meat for several days, swallowed: "But they definitely don't welcome outsiders..."

"No, you were wrong. I heard that outsiders are very welcome to settle there."

Bob said with great certainty: "They said Ellington is different every day now. The lords there need a lot of people to build the city. He will spend money to hire people to work for him instead of free recruitment. It is said that they can get dozens of silver coins every day."

"Do dozens of silver coins a day!?"

Go to ******* to fear! Joseph's psychological defense collapsed in an instant: "When will you set off!?"

"immediately."

Bob opened the door and walked out without looking back. He had already said what he wanted to say. Whether he would like to go or not depends on himself.

"Dear? Are we really going? It's so cold outside, son..."

Joseph looked at his trembling son with cold eyes and said cruelly: "We must take risks, otherwise we will die if we stay at home! My dear, pack up our things, bring food and clothes, and don't want anything else!"

The two of them immediately became busy. Joseph ran to the bedroom and carefully put the coins he had saved for many years into his arms, including fifteen gold coins, eighty-two copper coins, and all his savings were made.

Soon the knock on the door sounded again. When Joseph opened the door, there were already a group of people ready to go outside.

"Ready?"

Looking at the familiar faces full of confusion and expectation, Joseph took a breath of air conditioning and said, "It's ready."

In this way, the Joseph's family joined the fleeing army.

On the snow-covered earth, they quietly left their homes where they had lived for most of their lives and embarked on a long journey towards Ellington in the south.

Day after day, the team did not stop, and they did not dare to stop - legally, they belonged to Lord Lawrence's wealth, and were found by the lord's soldiers to escape from Fort Caspami, and would be sentenced to hang!

The further south, the less snow there was, and the deeper the calves were already very less snow than at the beginning. They depended on each other, supported each other, shared food with each other, and persevered on their will, resisted the cold.

"Come on, everyone, we're about to arrive in Ellington!"

Every time someone can't hold on, Bob and Irving, who lead the team, will describe the beauty of Ellington to everyone: "There are people who can eat and wear well, and everyone has the opportunity to make money. Don't worry about being exploited by the guards, and don't worry about being asked for benefits by the tax officer..."

In the world of these farmers, they have never heard of and have never seen such a beautiful city. When they come here, they have almost completely supported them in one breath.

"Dad...Dad..."

Joseph's son murmured unconsciously, his body was hot and he had a fever due to the cold.

"How long will it take!"

Joseph was also in a bad spirit. Along the way, their team also brought in many fugitives from other villages, who also consumed a lot of food. In fact, they had already eaten their last serving of food yesterday.

The hungry escape team is on the verge of collapse.

“It’ll be here soon!”

"You always say it's right away! My son is almost dead!"

Joseph had red eyes and wanted to pounce on him and beat the guy up.

"Reserve your strength! My friend! I won't lie to you!"

"But this is clearly a lie! What is better than the Kingdom of God Ellington! Why haven't we seen it yet!"

"One two one hey! One two one ha..."

There was a very rough sound in the distance and quickly approaching here.

"Not good! It's a bandit!"

Joseph's face changed drastically, and there were many bandits near the Ladian Hills.

His words immediately stirred up the people in the team, and the woman and the child cried in a low voice.

Bob shouted, "Concentrate formation! Men are standing up! It's time to protect their families!"

Owen, who was fleeing, looked bitterly, and quietly grabbed an alchemy potion in his hand.

Soon the people appeared in front of everyone, a group of warriors with half naked upper bodies, carrying weapons, and looking very fierce.

"Bandits! Death!"

Irving closed his eyes and roared, smashing the alchemy potion in his hand directly!

"Bandit?"
Chapter completed!