I created the Bureau of Anomaly Control

The biting cold wind swept across the Southern Federation's soil, stealing every inch of moisture that nourished the crops. The high-hanging scorching sun was like a merciless tyrant, inflicting harsh punishment on all the people who toiled in the fields.

The beads of sweat that trickled down the dry, cracked skin, resembling arid land, were but a brief respite from the eternal suffering.

Xiao Lie raised his dark arm and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Each time he swung his arm, a deep, almost painful fatigue would surge from his spine, but fortunately, his nerves had long grown numb from years of accumulation.

However, when he looked at the frail figure in the distance performing the same actions as him, intense pain would still well up in his chest, causing his already parched throat to feel tight.

The figure not far from him was a girl who looked barely in her teens. Beneath her equally dark skin were thin limbs that seemed completely unsuited for farm work, but her gaunt face was full of determination.

Contrary to her appearance, the "girl" named Xiao Ying was actually nineteen years old this year. It was just that her chronically empty stomach and heavy labor made her look a head shorter than her peers.

"Brother," Xiao Ying raised her simple, earthy face and asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

Xiao Lie snapped out of his daze and hastily offered a somewhat flustered smile:

"It's nothing. I was just wondering when we'll be able to leave this place."

His parched throat couldn't express the heartache he felt for the girl.

The girl curled the corners of her lips, her smile full of hope:

"It should be soon. We've saved up quite a bit of money."

Xiao Lie also smiled in agreement, but he knew very well that this was a lie.

The land beneath their feet belonged to the Ren family.

Although people in other federations thought that serfdom was a distant legend, Xiao Lie and his sister's status was not much better than that of former serfs. It was almost impossible for them to save up enough wealth to escape this place.

They had even less chance of finding a way to leave.

In the Southern Federation, the so-called families were actually warlords.

As one of the few territories in the world not effectively controlled by the Federation, there was no morality or order here. In those even more chaotic places, true and terrifying barbarism still lingered.

Slaves mutilated into human sticks, young men and women used as tools for venting lust, and those who were used as food simply because of some bizarre hobby...

These terrible scenes had existed for decades.

There was a time when these warlords, who could trample on human lives at will, were somewhat restrained, but he didn't know when they seemed to have become arrogant and crazy again. Xiao Lie couldn't remember the specific time.

Everything seemed to have happened yesterday, and yet it also seemed to have happened before he was born.

Compared to those people, being a serf for the Ren family could even be called happiness. Although they had been beaten and scolded by the Ren family members since they were young, at least they could survive.

Without missing arms or legs.

Only his right eye had been stabbed blind.

"What are you looking at!" A harsh voice suddenly came from afar.

Almost instinctive fear made Xiao Lie's body tremble slightly. The owner of this unpleasant voice was their direct supervisor, Ren Anqing, the same guy who had blinded his eye in a fit of beating.

"Brother," Xiao Ying called out worriedly.

"It's okay," Xiao Lie recovered and waved at his sister.

The other party's shrill voice was getting closer and closer.

"How's the work going?" A bloated figure resembling a toad appeared in their field of vision.

Ren Anqing squinted and glanced at the ugly Xiao Ying, then gave the one-eyed man a mocking smile. If it weren't for his injury, Ren Anqing wouldn't have remembered this humble servant at all.

Xiao Lie quickly lowered his head, showing a flattering smile tinged with fear:

"Master An, we've been working for two days as you requested..."

Seeing him trembling, Ren Anqing revealed a smug expression:

"Very good, very good. Remember that my words are important."

Although he looked very happy, Ren Anqing had accumulated no small amount of gloom in his heart. These days, the followers of the Wind God had made all the followers of the Fire God panic, and he was also tormented by these troubles, unable to sleep.

Looking at Xiao Lie's empty right eye, he felt increasingly annoyed for some reason.

The scene of him daring to stand up to him in order to protect his sister flashed before Ren Anqing's eyes.

An interesting idea suddenly flashed in his mind:

"Hey, since you're so obedient, I can give you a better job.

"But I have a small request..."

Listening to his frivolous words, Xiao Lie immediately sensed the arrogant playfulness in them. Fear and anger surged into his heart almost simultaneously, and his rough fist clenched and then released again.

"...How about letting your sister come to my house as a maid?" Ren Anqing said in an undisguised tone. Everyone who lived in the Southern Federation understood the implied meaning of these words.

But his eyes were fixed on Xiao Lie.

Although he said that, Ren Anqing didn't really want to do anything to Xiao Ying, not only because she was ugly, but also because he had no interest in women in the first place. What he really looked forward to was Xiao Lie's reaction.

He wanted to see the young man who had once dared to resist, ultimately lowering his head in humiliation before him.

Or watch him angrily raise his fist at him, and then personally beat him down, making him deeply realize how weak and unrealistic his resistance was.

And the despair and fear after failure.

No matter which choice, it would be very interesting for Ren Anqing.

Xiao Lie lowered his head even further, his teeth clenched tightly together.

"Brother..." Xiao Ying's voice sounded.

Almost at the same time, Xiao Lie heavily threw out his fist.

Ren Anqing smiled happily, he couldn't wait to see...

Whoosh.

Xiao Lie's fist failed to touch Ren Anqing's face.

Accompanied by a low sound, the air around Ren Anqing's head began to rapidly twist and change.

Right in Xiao Lie's gaze, his head exploded, and the splattering blood bloomed and danced in the air like flowers, the shattered skull almost touching Xiao Lie's cheek.

But before Xiao Lie could feel any joy.

The splashing blood suddenly solidified in the air for a moment, and then...

Turned into a raging flame.

Then this swaying flame stayed on Ren Anqing's neck, and at the same time spread all over his body, then devoured his clothes and flesh.

A figure made of pure flame stood in front of the two of them, and looked sideways into the distance, as if in some place that Xiao Lie could not detect, there were some dangerous things hidden.

In that burning fire, Xiao Lie could vaguely see Ren Anqing's blurred face.

Like a living demon.

Feeling that the writing state has warmed up a bit